Alesis V61 MKII User Guide

Brand: Alesis

Introduction

Box Contents

V61 MKII User Guide
USB Cable
Software Download Card
Safety & Warranty Manual

Support

For the latest information about this product (system requirements, compatibility information, etc.) and product registration, visit alesis.com.

For additional product support, visit alesis.com/support.

Quick Start

Device Setup in Software

To select V61 MKII as a controller for your digital audio workstation (DAW):

Connect V61 MKII to your computer using a standard USB cable. (If you are connecting V61 MKII to a USB hub, make sure it is a powered hub.)
Open your DAW.
Open your DAW's Preferences, Options, or Device Setup, select V61 MKII as your hardware controller, and then close that window.

Your V61 MKII is now able to communicate with your software.

V61 MKII Editor Installation

We recommend visiting alesis.com and downloading the V61 MKII Editor, which gives you a visual and intuitive way to edit the various MIDI messages that V61 MKII's controls send to your computer.

Setup

You can power the keyboard via a powered USB port. The V61 MKIIs are low-power devices. It is recommended that you connect the V61 MKII to an onboard USB port or to a powered USB hub.

Items not listed in Introduction > Box Contents are sold separately.

The rear panel features a USB 2.0 port for power and MIDI data transfer, labeled 'Port 1 (V61 MKII in software)' and 'Port 2 (EDITOR in software)'. It also includes a 'Sustain' input for an optional pedal, a 'Power On/Off' switch, and a 'Kensington® Lock Connector'.

Features

Top Panel Controls

The top panel displays a 61-note velocity-sensitive keyboard. To the left of the keys are two wheels: 'Pitch' (1) for pitch bend and 'Mod' (2) for modulation. Above the keys are various control buttons, including 'Octave Down/Up', 'Tap Tempo', 'Full Level', 'Note Repeat', and 'Arpeggiator On/Off'.

Pitch & Mod Wheels

1. Pitch: Moving this wheel sends MIDI Pitch Bend information.
2. Mod (Modulation): Moving this wheel sends continuous controller data--MIDI CC #01 (modulation), by default. You can also use the V Editor software to set this wheel to send a different MIDI CC message to your software. See the V Editor's User Guide to learn how to do this.

Keyboard

3. Keyboard: This 61-note keyboard is velocity-sensitive and, in conjunction with the Octave Down/Up buttons, can access the full range of 127 available MIDI notes. You can use the keys to access certain additional commands, as well.

Buttons

4. Octave Down / Up: Use these buttons to shift the keyboard's range up or down. Press both buttons simultaneously to reset the octave shift to "zero."
5. Tap Tempo: Tap this button at the desired rate to determine the tempo of the Arpeggiator. Note: This button is disabled if the Arpeggiator is synced to an external clock.
6. Full Level: Press this button to activate or deactivate Full Level Mode in which the pads always play at a maximum velocity (127), no matter how hard or soft you hit them.
7. Note Repeat: Press this button to activate or deactivate Note Repeat Mode in which striking a pad will cause the pad to retrigger at a rate based on the current Tempo, Time Division, and Swing settings.
8. Arpeggiator On/Off: Press this button to turn the Arpeggiator on or off. Pressing it during a latched arpeggio will stop the arpeggio. Note: The Time Division, Swing, Tempo, and Tempo Sync settings are also shared with the Note Repeat function. If these settings are changed in Arpeggiator mode, they will also be changed in the Note Repeat mode, and vice versa.

Arpeggiator Settings

Hold down Arpeggiator On/Off and press a key on V61 MKII's keyboard to enter new settings for the Arpeggiator:

Time Division: 1/4 note, 1/4 note triplet (1/4T), 1/8 note, 1/8 note triplet (1/8T), 1/16 note, 1/16 note triplet (1/16T), 1/32 note, or 1/32 note triplet (1/32T).
Arp Type: The mode determines how the arpeggiated notes are played back.
- Up: Notes will sound from the lowest to the highest.
- Down: Notes will sound from the highest to lowest.
- Incl (Inclusive): Notes will sound from the lowest to the highest, and then back down. The lowest and highest notes will sound twice at the directional change.
- Excl (Exclusive): Notes will sound from the lowest to the highest, and then back down. The lowest and highest notes will sound only once at the directional change.
- Order: Notes will sound in the order they were pressed.
- Rand (Random): Notes will sound in random order.
Latch: The Arpeggiator will continue to arpeggiate the notes even after you lift your fingers. While holding down the keys, you can add more notes to the arpeggiated chord by pressing down additional keys. If you press the keys, release them, and then press down a new combination of notes, the Arpeggiator will memorize and arpeggiate the new notes.
Arp Octave: This controls the number of octaves (1-4) that the played notes will arpeggiate through.
Swing: Off (no swing), 57%, 59%, 61%, or 64%.
Sync: This controls whether the controller will use its own internal MIDI clock to generate the messages or whether the controller will use an external MIDI clock tempo received via USB to know when to generate the MIDI messages. The external mode is typically used if using DAW software.

Hold down Arpeggiator On/Off and turn Knob 1 to adjust the Gate parameter. This parameter determines how much length the arpeggiator's notes will have. The shorter the gate, the shorter the note. Similarly, the longer the gate, the longer the note. This parameter can be changed while an arpeggio is already playing for an exciting effect.

Pads

9. Pads: The pads can be used to trigger drum hits or other samples in your software. The pads are velocity-sensitive, which makes them very responsive and intuitive to play. You can use the free, downloadable V61 MKII Editor to assign what MIDI message each pad sends. See the V Editor's User Guide to learn how to do this.

Assignable Knobs

10. Assignable Knobs: Use these 270° knobs to send MIDI CC messages to your software. You can use the free, downloadable V61 MKII Editor to assign what MIDI CC message each knob sends. See the V Editor's User Guide to learn how to do this.

Rear Panel Connections

1. USB: The USB 2.0 port delivers power to the keyboard and transmits MIDI data when connected to a computer.
- Port 1 (labeled V61 MKII in software) is the port for which all MIDI messages will travel from the controller to the computer, and vice versa.
- Port 2 (labeled EDITOR in software) is the port used to transfer data back and forth between the controller and the V61 MKII Editor software.
2. Sustain: Connect an optional 1/4" TS sustain pedal to this input. You can also use the V Editor software to set the sustain pedal to send other MIDI CC messages to your software. See the V Editor's User Guide to learn how to do this.
3. Power On/Off: Use this switch to power the device on or off. When this switch is set to the "on" position, V61 MKII is powered through the USB connection to your computer. Press and hold the Octave Down and Octave Up buttons while turning on the power to restore the keyboard to factory default settings.
4. Kensington® Lock Connector: This connector is compatible with standard laptop-style Kensington security cables for theft protection.

Trademarks & Licenses

Alesis is a trademark of inMusic Brands, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Kensington is a registered trademark of ACCO brands. All other product names, company names, trademarks, or trade names are those of their respective owners.

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