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B4 Xpress
Operation Manual
B4 Xpress English
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Native Instruments Software Synthesis GmbH. The software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission by Native Instruments Software Synthesis GmbH. All product and company names are or trademarks of their respective owners. Users Guide written by: Marius Wilhelmi Native Instruments Software Synthesis GmbH, 2004. All rights reserved. B4 XPRESS is a trademark of Native Instruments Software Synthesis.
Germany Native Instruments GmbH Schlesische Str. 28 D-10997 Berlin Germany info@native-instruments.de www.native-instruments.de
USA Native Instruments USA, Inc. 5631 A Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90028 USA info@native-instruments.com www.native-instruments.com
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Table of Contents
Welcome to B4 Xpress 1 Installation under Windows 2 System Requirements and Recommendations 2 Software Installation 3 B4 Xpress as Standalone 5 Soundcard (Audio Interface) 5 Routing 6 MIDI 7 B4 Xpress operation 8 Presets section 8 Parameter section 10 Keyboard section 10 MIDI Controllers 11 Appendix A: More About Latency 13 Optimizing System Response 13 Use Low-Latency Drivers 13 How Low Can You Go? 14 About Samples and Buffers 14 Warning: Different Types of ASIO 16 Tips on Minimizing Latency 17 Appendix B: About MIDI 18 MIDI Basics 18 MIDI Connections 18 About Program Changes and Bank Select 19 About Continuous Controllers 19 Appendix C: Trouble shooting and FAQ 21 Appendix D: Getting Help - The About Screen 22 Knowledge Base / Readme / Online Support 22 Updates 22
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Welcome to B4 Xpress
We at Native Instruments would like to thank you for buying B4 XPRESS. This software delivers the ever-popular organ sound of the 60s and 70s with a streamlined layout which allows you to custom tailor each preset to achieve great sounds. Countless music productions of this era used the warm and powerful sound of the legendary drawbar organ which to this day works for practically every genre and style. B4 XPRESS generates the sounds of the hardware predecessor with astonishing precision and includes 32 of the best presets from the award-winning Native Instruments B4 Organ. More sounds will be available as download with costs on the Native Instruments website will enhance the potential of this instrument again. We hope you enjoy using B4 XPRESS!
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Hardware
Pentium/Celeron/Athlon/Duron processor with 500 MHz. Processors with low floating-point processing performance are expressly not recommended. 256 MB RAM 20 MB free space on your hard disk A sound card compatible with Windows XP. A MIDI interface for connecting a MIDI keyboard, another MIDI controller or an external sequencer. The MIDI interface integrated in many sound cards can also be used. The audio engine in B4 XPRESS has been designed to make optimum use of the available computing power in the CPU. The powerful FPUs integrated in modern CPUs are best suited to carrying out the complex computations of real-time synthesis. We recommend the following high-performance processors for using B4 XPRESS: Pentium III with 700 MHz or faster, Pentium 4, Celeron with 700 MHz or faster, Athlon, Athlon XP or Duron with 700 MHz or faster. We also recommend that you use a large amount of RAM (512 MB or more) that is optimally matched to the architecture of your processor.
Software
Windows XP
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Software Installation
Start the installation by double-clicking B4 Xpress Setup.exe. The setup program will suggest C:\Program Files\Native Instruments\B4 Xpress as the path for the destination folder. You may also choose another folder if you wish.
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Note: If more than one host program for VST 2.0 plug-ins is installed on your computer, simply copy the B4 Xpress.dll file into the VST plug-ins folders of these programs. Windows: If the VST plug-in files are not visible in the Windows Explorer, select the Show All Files option. This option is located in the Explorer menu View Folder Options... on the View tab below Hidden Files. Optionally, you can set up your programs so that they all use the same VST plug-ins folder.
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B4 Xpress as Standalone
The stand-alone version of B4 XPRESS allows you to use the application independently from other programs. In order to use the Standalone version you have to do the audio and MIDI settings first. You can call up the Audio + MIDI Settings setup dialog from the File menu of B4 XPRESS. For setting the standalone interfaces please choose Setup... from the File menu.
Audio + MIDI Settings dialog Interface: Choose the fastest interface protocol supported by your interface, which will be ASIO or Core Audio. For Windows, you can also use DirectSound and Multimedia (also called MME), but expect a significant delay between the time you play a note and the time you hear it. Sample rate: The drop-down menu will display compatible sample rates for your audio interface. 44.1kHz is the same sample rate used for CDs, and is the most universal choice. However, some audio interfaces offer 48kHz and 96kHz (B4 XPRESS accepts up to 96kHz sample rates). These higher rates stress your computer more, but offer somewhat better high frequency response. If you
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are using B4 XPRESS standalone, choose whichever rate you prefer. When used as a plug-in with a host program (e.g., Cubase, Digital Performer, Logic, Sonar, etc.), the host will determine the sample rate. Output Device: Use ASIO written specifically for your audio interface (not ASIO DirectX or ASIO Multimedia, unless no other choices are available), or for the Mac, Core Audio. Input Device: Here you can define, which of the installed audio interfaces is used as audio input. This setting depends on the driver you have chosen under Interface. Note: For some interfaces (e.g. ASIO or Core Audio) the Input Device setting is not available. You can select the inputs for the chosen driver on the Routing tab instead. Output Latency: This field displays the output latency. For some drivers you can adjust the latency individually using a fader.
Routing
If your sound card offers multiple outputs, you can choose which ones connect to B4 XPRESS. Inputs will not be available to B4 XPRESS. Click on Outputs to select the outputs available to you. If you have a multichannel soundcard then you can use any of the available outputs for B4 XPRESS, just click on the dropB4 Xpress English 6
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down menu to see your choices. Note that the right and left channels are independent and can be assigned to any inputs/outputs not just stereo pairs as well as disconnected from audio ins and outs.
MIDI
If your MIDI interface offers multiple ins and outs, you can choose which one connects to B4 XPRESS. When you click on the MIDI tab youll see a list of MIDI I/O. Initially, each one will be Off. This field is a toggle click on Off to turn an input or output On, click on On to turn an input or output Off.
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B4 Xpress operation
B4 XPRESS contains 32 organ presets, which reproduce the original sound of the famous drawbar organ authentically.
Icon: Click on the B4 XPRESS Icon in order to open the About window. The About window contains information about the software version as well as links to the NI website (e.g. additional sounds and upgrade offers, support and forum).
Presets section
Bank: There is one preset bank included in the B4 XPRESS installation. This bank is called Factory Bank. Additional preset banks can be purchased online following the according links in the B4 XPRESS About window which can be opened by clicking on the B4 XPRESS icon. Number: This field displays the number of the currently selected preset within the chosen bank. Since it is possible to call up presets by standard MIDI program change messages, the number displayed in B4 XPRESS corresponds to the MIDI program change numbers -1. Depending on which program number format your MIDI device has, the B4 XPRESS number will match exactly the number of your MIDI device when you call up a program change, or it will always be one digit higher
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when the MIDI device begins counting from 0. Left and right hand of the number field there are buttons for navigation to the previous (left) and next (right) preset. You can also click on the number field and drag the mouse up or down with the mouse button pressed in order to navigate through the preset bank. Dragging up increases the preset number, dragging down decreases it. In the standalone version presets can also be switched by using the left and right cursor keys of your computer keyboard. Preset Name: This dropdown menu serves for displaying the name of the currently selected preset and allows to choose a preset from the list. Click on the small triangle or anywhere in the preset name field and keep the mouse button pressed until you see the preset list. Now move the mouse cursor to the desired preset and release the mouse button. If you want to choose a preset which is not in the visible area of the list, click within the preset name field, keep the mouse button pressed, move the mouse pointer to the right, so that you leave the preset list area and release the mouse button, so that the preset list remains opened. Now you can use the scrollbar on the right side of the preset list to navigate to a different section of the list. When you see the desired entry click on it once, so that the preset will be called up in the preset name field. NI logo: Click on the NI logo in order to open the About window. The About window contains information about the software version as well as links to the website (e.g. additional sounds and upgrade offers, support and forum).
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Parameter section
Note: With certain parameter settings it is possible to overload the B4 XPRESS output which results in audible clicks, particularly when playing low chords. If you encounter this, try to reduce the value for the Percussion parameter first.
Drive: determines the preamp level sent to the main tube amp model. At high levels, this will force the tube amp into overdrive, and can add a beefy Rock sound to the organ. Vibrato: adjusts the amount of Vibrato and Chorus and the mix ratio of both. Move the knob fully to the left in order to hear no Vibrato nor Chorus at all. Try different settings of this parameter to get several mixes of Vibrato and Chorus. Percussion: determines the amount of percussion effect in the sound. The use of Percussion provides a lightness to the sound, and is particularly useful for jazz and house organ sounds. Bass: boosts or cuts the level of the lower frequencies. Treble: boosts or cuts the level of the higher frequencies. Brilliance: boosts or cuts the level of the very high frequencies. Pan: stereo placement control for the Instrument. This control determines the Instruments location in the stereo field. Volume: The Instruments level control.
Keyboard section
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MIDI lamp: The lamp indicates incoming MIDI events like MIDI notes and MIDI controller data. Rotator On/Off: switches the Rotator section on or off. The Rotator significantly changes the sound, so that it is not recommended to use this switch while playing. Rotator Fast/Slow: The rotating speaker simulation (Rotator) speeds up and slows down realistically when operating this switch (which responds to the MIDI Mod-Wheel control). The duration of the acceleration / slow down of the Rotator depends on the selected preset and can not be adjusted in B4 XPRESS. Virtual Keyboard: When B4 XPRESS is receiving MIDI notes, you can see the virtual keys moving down. You can also trigger notes by clicking with the mouse on a key.
MIDI Controllers
B4 XPRESS uses fixed MIDI CCs (Continuous Controller) for controlling the interface parameters. Usually you need to have a programmable MIDI controller unit in order to produce these MIDI controllers. Additionally to the visible interface parameters you can also use Expression and Hold pedals for most expressive playing. Here is a list of the supported MIDI controllers: Drive (CC71) Vibrato (CC76) Percussion (CC73) Bass (CC75) Treble (CC72) Brilliance (CC12) Pan (CC10) Volume (CC7) Expression pedal (CC11): You can control the B4 XPRESS volume using an Expression pedal (MIDI controller 11). While you can also use the standard main volume controller (CC 7) for this purpose, we recommend using CC 11. The difference between the two controllers is that controller 7 controls the visible Volume knob on the B4 XPRESS interface, while controller
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11 is routed to the invisible swell pedal of the B4. The scaling of the invisible swell pedal corresponds to the original B3 and therefore creates a more authentic behavior. Professional organ players use the expression pedal extensively for a dynamic and expressive playing. Hold pedal (CC64): You can use a Hold pedal sending on MIDI controller 64. A hold pedal serves for sustaining all played notes even if you have released the keys until you release the pedal again.
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If your audio interface does not support one of these protocols, you will likely hear an audible delay if you play through B4 XPRESS. Although B4 XPRESS can work with the DirectSound and MME drivers used with Windows machines, it will not make for a satisfying playing experience.
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All ASIO audio interfaces and sound cards include a control panel where you can adjust latency. This may be given as the number of samples per buffer, as shown in the Terratec EWX control panel:
The Terratec EWX ASIO control panel lets you choose a particular number of samples/buffer. The display then shows the resulting latency. In this case, 256 samples/buffer has been selected, giving latency of just under 6 ms at 44.1kHz. Setting this to 128 samples/buffer will reduce the latency, but may stress out your computer more. Some control panels simply show the latency that results from choosing a particular setting in milliseconds rather than showing samples/buffer.
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Creamwares ASIO control panel simply lets you choose the desired latency; buffers are adjusted behind the scenes within the Creamware Scope application (in this case, to 128 samples). The Device Setup panel in Cubase confirms the latency, which is about 4 ms, but doesnt indicate the buffer size.
With the generic ASIO Multimedia Driver selected, the output latency is a totally unacceptable 749 ms almost one second! By choosing ASIO Scope (the driver written for the sound card used in this example), the latency shrinks to 4 ms.
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MIDI Basics
A MIDI system requires something that sends MIDI messages (such as a footpedal or footswitch that says make the instrument louder, select this effect, add more echo, etc.) and something that receives these messages and acts on them, like B4 XPRESS. Of course, this assumes your computer has a MIDI input so that B4 XPRESS can receive MIDI messages. Stripped to its basics, you can think of MIDI as a catch-all name for the process of sending control messages from one device (e.g., a footswitch) to another device (e.g., B4 XPRESS) over a MIDI cable. Host sequencers also use MIDI data to record MIDI notes and provide automation for B4 XPRESS when its serving as a plug-in. There are many different kinds of MIDI messages, most of which relate to keyboards, sequencers, drum machines, lighting controllers, tape recorders, and other gear we can ignore. With B4 XPRESS, 99% of the time you need to know about only three kinds of MIDI messages: MIDI notes, program changes (which call up different Presets) and continuous controller messages (which alter B4 XPRESS parameters in real time).
MIDI Connections
Your computers sound card probably has a MIDI in jack (receives MIDI message) and MIDI out jack that transmits MIDI messages. There may also be a MIDI thru jack, which provides a duplicate of the signal at the MIDI in jack.
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the pedal increases the value until at midpoint, the pedal generates a value of 64. Continuing to push on the pedal until its all the way down generates a value of 127. Note that continuous controller transmitters only send messages reflecting a change; for example, leaving a pedal in one position doesnt transmit any messages until you change the pedals physical position.
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Important: Always consult the Readme file of a new software version. It contains important information and all last minute changes, that werent available when printing this manual.
Updates
Whenever you encounter problems, you should also check if you have installed the latest update. The version number of your software is displayed on the first page of the About dialog. Updates are released regularly to fix known problems and to constantly improve the software. You can find a link to check for the latest update in the About dialog/Support tab, in the Readme file, or by checking on www.native-instruments.com.
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