Post by kpr on Nov 22, 2006 22:14:25 GMT
I´ve did a FAQ page for the german Fusion forum and perhaps this is interesting for the Fusion Club too. So I did a quick translation to english language. The translation quality isn´t too perfect, I´m a bit busy and could not take too much care for the grammar etc., so it would be great if someone here would get into this issue and could make an improvement of the grammar and words and all this. So it might be a start for a FAQ page then.
Here we go:
German and english version created by kpr
Category
What about the Synth Sounds?
The Fusion comes with several Presets banks, each with 128 Presets. You can save single sounds there, they can be done with samples (up to 4 Layers per Preset), VA, FM and PM. Details about this in the specifications overview. New samples can be submitted from PC to the Fusion via USB conncection. This makes the Fusion quite versatile with a timbre range from typical bread-and-butter instruments like Grand Piano, Organ, Strings, Guitar etc. as well as Drums and Percussions and even pretty weird Synthpads, Leadsounds and Special Effects, plus a complete GM bank. You can listen to many demonstration mp3s to get a general impression, but of course the original Fusion sound is much better than poor mp3 quality. So the best idea is: Get your own hands on this instrument. Or listen to CDs or visit live gigs where the Fusion is listed under the equipment credits.
Category
Data Transfer Fusion > PC?
Works with direct connection Fusion <> PC via USB and as soon as the Fusion is connected to the computer the unit will be recognized as USB device. With the Fusion Converter software you can move samples from the computer to the Fusion harddisk. A CF Card is necessary for Fusion OS updates and can be used for samples and Presets storage too. A CF Card with 256 MBs costs about US$ 30.00, you can buy the card in computer stores. You´ll need some time to make it with the data handling, maybe the first try will be not the most successful one. But it´s way easier with the Fusion compared to other software trouble you might know from your computer.
.
Category
How good is the support?
For any questions you can hook up with one of the user forums. There is one here and it´s in english language for international customers, a german language user forum can be found at www.easy2catch.de. Both forums are provided by enthusiastic private persons, but you can also find Alesis officials there as well as service technicians and several free lancers like sounddesigners. Sounddesigners are not employees of Alesis, so their postings are mainly their private opinions and personal point of views. For official questions like guarantee, service etc. you should ask only the Alesis support staff, dealers and local distributors.
.
Category
Fusion OS Updates?
Look under OS update forum for updates and details about them.
Category
How solid is the Fusion?
The real instrument is a massive and solid built unit, on photos the Fusion looks sometimes a bit plastic fantastique, but it isn´t! The 4 Control Knobs are grippy, the buttons are good to press and you feel the “switch” moment. The big Data Entry Wheel is solid, and the plug connections too. Even the CF Card slot is perfectly designed to hold the Card firmly and you´ll find the slot even on dark lighted stages. The both Wheels aren´t real wheels, they´re a kind of bow, which can be moved over fixed wheels. They´re massive too and there is a built-in blue light – it lits when the wheel is moved towards it´s end. The 88 keyboard action is well crafted, let´s see how it will be after using it for some years.
Category
Comparsion: Fusion vs. Other workstations?
This depends on the personal approach. It doesn´t help: If you want a real compare you must go to a store and play on the Fusion in direct comparsion with workstations from other manufacturers. Find out what is good for you and where the unit lacks. Perhaps some music magazines will make comparsion an issue. But the Fusion is a real feature monster, this makes the Fusion ahead of many competitors. Alone the 4 different synthesis types under one hood! Even the user interface of the Fusion is very simple to use and quickly to learn and compared to other workstations, although the Fusion provides a lot of functions and parameters! The perfectly designed Display system with several function buttons on the left and the right makes it very easy to overview all parameter settings. The conncections on the rear are up to date and state of the art and when combining with the Fusion Converter and computer the Fusion is hard to beat. But certainly every one is looking for different features, so a personal comparsion is always good.
Category
Fusion Tutorials?
Yes, there are several tutorials available for the sections Sequencer and Virtual Analog Synth. You can download the english language version from the Alesis website. The current 3 tutorials are:
- Using the Sequencer: This section gives tips, tricks and step by step guidance on using the Fusion's sequencer.
- Introduction to Analog Synthesis: This section provides fundamental concepts and terms for analog synthesis.
- Editing an Analog Synth Program: This section instructs users on how to apply the concepts of analog synthesis to constructing and editing analog modeling programs on the Fusion.
Here are the Download Links: www.alesis.com/index.php?id=56,87,0,0,1,0
Category
Owner´s Manual?
There is a huge Reference Manual, a Quick Start Manual, one Program and one Mix list and a Manual Addendum. The english language versions are available from the Alesis website, download here:
www.alesis.com/index.php?id=56,30,0,0,1,0
The german language versions are available here:
www.alesis.de/downloads/manuals_d.html
German language manuals for OS updates are available here:
www.alesis.de/downloads/os.html
Category
What about the drumsounds?
The content of drums and percussions samples is about this what you can expect from a workstation and is divided into groups. The sound of the samples might remind you on the Alesis DM5 or SR16 instruments, and they´re powerful. Behind each drum sample stands a complete synthesizer unit. This makes the drum samples adjustable and changeable until totally weird sounds. All effects are routable independetly to each drum instruments, including individual effects intensity.
Don´t forget the special Synth Drum Bank with drum sounds created with Analog Modeling, FM and Physical Modeling provided by the Fusion.
There is an additional Hollow Sun 05 Collection on http:// www.alesis.de/produkte/fusionsounds.html with free Vintage Drum Machine instrument samples. With those drum samples you can create the legendary old school sound!
Category
Error message when loading a Preset?
This can happen. The Fusion manages the samples on the internal harddisk, the ROM and the optional CF Card. If a Preset is based on a specific sample which is saved on the CD Card (for instance), but the Card isn´t in the Card slot, then a Load Sample Error Message appears when selecting this Preset. In this case you can decide to select an alternative sample that is saved on the harddisk or in the ROM. Or you can insert the CF Card with the sample!
Or your Fusion is loaded with an older OS. A while ago Alesis moved some samples from the ROM to the internal harddisk, so it´s always the best idea to update the Fusion with the latest OS because later OS versions considered this. You can check your Fusion for the OS version and the latest OS version is always available on the Alesis website´s Download page.
Category
What should I do of a Preset sounds accidently distorted?
There are a lot of Level adjustment parameters located in the several Fusion´s menus, so it can happen, that one is set on a very high level, in fact a too high level and this can produce an unwelcome distortion. You can hear this coming from the speakers then and in the right mid of the Fusion display a “clip” icon will appear. This is not a defect, just an incorrect adjustment of specific parameter(s).
Several sources can be checked now to locate the clipping level:
- OSC Levels (VA und Sample Mode)
- FM OP Levels
- Breath Pressure (Wind/Reed)
- Filter Resonance Setting, Frequency, Type
- Program Level
- Insert Effect Wet/Dry Balance
- Master EQ Gain Settings
Sometimes it can depend more than just one parameter and several high levels can multiplicate the overall level. Mostly it´s OK to reduce the Program Level, especially when using VA and FM Program Presets, and it´s possible that a Level of 20% is enough to get the same loudness like neighboured Presets. To find the right level it´s always good to compare with other Presets.
Usually the Factory Presets and commercial Presets provided by 3rd party companies are Level adjusted, so clipping should not happen with those. But if you edit them, playing around with parameters and levels it´s more than possible that it will come to unintended audio distortions (except you´re using Distortion Effects in the Effects section). As this is just a wrong setting then you can try to check the levels by using the above listed parameters.
Category
New Samples for the Fusion?
There are many new samples available for the Fusion and you can download them free of charge! Visit the Alesis Download Page and you´ll find 9 different sets from Hollow Sun, in total about 200 MBs and the most of them are vintage instruments. And there is a new Drum Kit too (provided by Sample Heads) with about 6,5 MBs great drums and percussions.
You can download the data to your Fusion via USB connector. Here´s the link to the Download page: www.alesis.com/index.php?id=21,74,0,0,1,0 .
Currently it looks that Hollow Sun will release more samples for the Fusion.
Category
Fusion Links?
This is the evergrowing list of Fusion Links:
Fusion User-Forum (US)
www.promusicproducts.com/forum/phpBB2/index.php
Falcon Fusion Know How Site (NL)
home.wanadoo.nl/falcon/fusion/index.html
Fusion Converter
www.fusionconvertor.com
Carbon´s Fusion Logpage
www.carbon111.com/fusion.html
Fusion Audio Demos
www.alesis.com/index.php?id=58,88,0,0,1,0
Fusion Sounds und Samples (Hollow Sun)
www.alesis.com/index.php?id=21,74,0,0,1,0
www.hollowsun.com/downloads/index.html#fs1r
18 Free Presets plus 7 Free SYNTH Presets aus den "Fusion Presets by kpr" und "Fusion SYNTH Presets by kpr" Collections
www.backintimerecords.de/bitr003.htm
Fusion Sort Application (arrange Banks and Programs via PC)
www.harmonysys.com/fusionsort/FusionSortSetup.exe
Here we go:
German and english version created by kpr
Category
What about the Synth Sounds?
The Fusion comes with several Presets banks, each with 128 Presets. You can save single sounds there, they can be done with samples (up to 4 Layers per Preset), VA, FM and PM. Details about this in the specifications overview. New samples can be submitted from PC to the Fusion via USB conncection. This makes the Fusion quite versatile with a timbre range from typical bread-and-butter instruments like Grand Piano, Organ, Strings, Guitar etc. as well as Drums and Percussions and even pretty weird Synthpads, Leadsounds and Special Effects, plus a complete GM bank. You can listen to many demonstration mp3s to get a general impression, but of course the original Fusion sound is much better than poor mp3 quality. So the best idea is: Get your own hands on this instrument. Or listen to CDs or visit live gigs where the Fusion is listed under the equipment credits.
Category
Data Transfer Fusion > PC?
Works with direct connection Fusion <> PC via USB and as soon as the Fusion is connected to the computer the unit will be recognized as USB device. With the Fusion Converter software you can move samples from the computer to the Fusion harddisk. A CF Card is necessary for Fusion OS updates and can be used for samples and Presets storage too. A CF Card with 256 MBs costs about US$ 30.00, you can buy the card in computer stores. You´ll need some time to make it with the data handling, maybe the first try will be not the most successful one. But it´s way easier with the Fusion compared to other software trouble you might know from your computer.
.
Category
How good is the support?
For any questions you can hook up with one of the user forums. There is one here and it´s in english language for international customers, a german language user forum can be found at www.easy2catch.de. Both forums are provided by enthusiastic private persons, but you can also find Alesis officials there as well as service technicians and several free lancers like sounddesigners. Sounddesigners are not employees of Alesis, so their postings are mainly their private opinions and personal point of views. For official questions like guarantee, service etc. you should ask only the Alesis support staff, dealers and local distributors.
.
Category
Fusion OS Updates?
Look under OS update forum for updates and details about them.
Category
How solid is the Fusion?
The real instrument is a massive and solid built unit, on photos the Fusion looks sometimes a bit plastic fantastique, but it isn´t! The 4 Control Knobs are grippy, the buttons are good to press and you feel the “switch” moment. The big Data Entry Wheel is solid, and the plug connections too. Even the CF Card slot is perfectly designed to hold the Card firmly and you´ll find the slot even on dark lighted stages. The both Wheels aren´t real wheels, they´re a kind of bow, which can be moved over fixed wheels. They´re massive too and there is a built-in blue light – it lits when the wheel is moved towards it´s end. The 88 keyboard action is well crafted, let´s see how it will be after using it for some years.
Category
Comparsion: Fusion vs. Other workstations?
This depends on the personal approach. It doesn´t help: If you want a real compare you must go to a store and play on the Fusion in direct comparsion with workstations from other manufacturers. Find out what is good for you and where the unit lacks. Perhaps some music magazines will make comparsion an issue. But the Fusion is a real feature monster, this makes the Fusion ahead of many competitors. Alone the 4 different synthesis types under one hood! Even the user interface of the Fusion is very simple to use and quickly to learn and compared to other workstations, although the Fusion provides a lot of functions and parameters! The perfectly designed Display system with several function buttons on the left and the right makes it very easy to overview all parameter settings. The conncections on the rear are up to date and state of the art and when combining with the Fusion Converter and computer the Fusion is hard to beat. But certainly every one is looking for different features, so a personal comparsion is always good.
Category
Fusion Tutorials?
Yes, there are several tutorials available for the sections Sequencer and Virtual Analog Synth. You can download the english language version from the Alesis website. The current 3 tutorials are:
- Using the Sequencer: This section gives tips, tricks and step by step guidance on using the Fusion's sequencer.
- Introduction to Analog Synthesis: This section provides fundamental concepts and terms for analog synthesis.
- Editing an Analog Synth Program: This section instructs users on how to apply the concepts of analog synthesis to constructing and editing analog modeling programs on the Fusion.
Here are the Download Links: www.alesis.com/index.php?id=56,87,0,0,1,0
Category
Owner´s Manual?
There is a huge Reference Manual, a Quick Start Manual, one Program and one Mix list and a Manual Addendum. The english language versions are available from the Alesis website, download here:
www.alesis.com/index.php?id=56,30,0,0,1,0
The german language versions are available here:
www.alesis.de/downloads/manuals_d.html
German language manuals for OS updates are available here:
www.alesis.de/downloads/os.html
Category
What about the drumsounds?
The content of drums and percussions samples is about this what you can expect from a workstation and is divided into groups. The sound of the samples might remind you on the Alesis DM5 or SR16 instruments, and they´re powerful. Behind each drum sample stands a complete synthesizer unit. This makes the drum samples adjustable and changeable until totally weird sounds. All effects are routable independetly to each drum instruments, including individual effects intensity.
Don´t forget the special Synth Drum Bank with drum sounds created with Analog Modeling, FM and Physical Modeling provided by the Fusion.
There is an additional Hollow Sun 05 Collection on http:// www.alesis.de/produkte/fusionsounds.html with free Vintage Drum Machine instrument samples. With those drum samples you can create the legendary old school sound!
Category
Error message when loading a Preset?
This can happen. The Fusion manages the samples on the internal harddisk, the ROM and the optional CF Card. If a Preset is based on a specific sample which is saved on the CD Card (for instance), but the Card isn´t in the Card slot, then a Load Sample Error Message appears when selecting this Preset. In this case you can decide to select an alternative sample that is saved on the harddisk or in the ROM. Or you can insert the CF Card with the sample!
Or your Fusion is loaded with an older OS. A while ago Alesis moved some samples from the ROM to the internal harddisk, so it´s always the best idea to update the Fusion with the latest OS because later OS versions considered this. You can check your Fusion for the OS version and the latest OS version is always available on the Alesis website´s Download page.
Category
What should I do of a Preset sounds accidently distorted?
There are a lot of Level adjustment parameters located in the several Fusion´s menus, so it can happen, that one is set on a very high level, in fact a too high level and this can produce an unwelcome distortion. You can hear this coming from the speakers then and in the right mid of the Fusion display a “clip” icon will appear. This is not a defect, just an incorrect adjustment of specific parameter(s).
Several sources can be checked now to locate the clipping level:
- OSC Levels (VA und Sample Mode)
- FM OP Levels
- Breath Pressure (Wind/Reed)
- Filter Resonance Setting, Frequency, Type
- Program Level
- Insert Effect Wet/Dry Balance
- Master EQ Gain Settings
Sometimes it can depend more than just one parameter and several high levels can multiplicate the overall level. Mostly it´s OK to reduce the Program Level, especially when using VA and FM Program Presets, and it´s possible that a Level of 20% is enough to get the same loudness like neighboured Presets. To find the right level it´s always good to compare with other Presets.
Usually the Factory Presets and commercial Presets provided by 3rd party companies are Level adjusted, so clipping should not happen with those. But if you edit them, playing around with parameters and levels it´s more than possible that it will come to unintended audio distortions (except you´re using Distortion Effects in the Effects section). As this is just a wrong setting then you can try to check the levels by using the above listed parameters.
Category
New Samples for the Fusion?
There are many new samples available for the Fusion and you can download them free of charge! Visit the Alesis Download Page and you´ll find 9 different sets from Hollow Sun, in total about 200 MBs and the most of them are vintage instruments. And there is a new Drum Kit too (provided by Sample Heads) with about 6,5 MBs great drums and percussions.
You can download the data to your Fusion via USB connector. Here´s the link to the Download page: www.alesis.com/index.php?id=21,74,0,0,1,0 .
Currently it looks that Hollow Sun will release more samples for the Fusion.
Category
Fusion Links?
This is the evergrowing list of Fusion Links:
Fusion User-Forum (US)
www.promusicproducts.com/forum/phpBB2/index.php
Falcon Fusion Know How Site (NL)
home.wanadoo.nl/falcon/fusion/index.html
Fusion Converter
www.fusionconvertor.com
Carbon´s Fusion Logpage
www.carbon111.com/fusion.html
Fusion Audio Demos
www.alesis.com/index.php?id=58,88,0,0,1,0
Fusion Sounds und Samples (Hollow Sun)
www.alesis.com/index.php?id=21,74,0,0,1,0
www.hollowsun.com/downloads/index.html#fs1r
18 Free Presets plus 7 Free SYNTH Presets aus den "Fusion Presets by kpr" und "Fusion SYNTH Presets by kpr" Collections
www.backintimerecords.de/bitr003.htm
Fusion Sort Application (arrange Banks and Programs via PC)
www.harmonysys.com/fusionsort/FusionSortSetup.exe