Without a doubt the Alesis Fusion is one of the most powerful workstation synthesizers ever created.But until now, information on the beast was scattered across several forums, blogs and websites.
This wiki is a central repository for information to make your Fusion experience more productive.The “wiki” format of this page allows even casual Fusion users to add to the wealth of information presented here.
You Make This Page
See something that’s just plain wrong?Or better yet, do you have a tip or technique to add?The only way this page can grow is if Fusion users add information and expand on the topics presented here.It’s your page, so make this wiki your depot of Fusion expertise.
Detail of Fusion Control Surfaces
Cool Features for Sound Designers
Select parameter values by hitting keyboard keys
You can set the values of important parameters like filter cutoff or EQ frequency just by hitting keys on the keyboard!Hit Locate + a musical key (while highlighting a parameter when editing) to set that parameter according to the key's position.Low keys (on the left side of the keyboard) result in lower numbers or values.High keys supplyhigher values to the selected parameters.
Essentially you are using the keyboard as a giant parameter value selector, with one distinct advantage: Filter parameters with -100% to 100% values, the distance from middle C is used. But for parameters that correspond to key values (like filter cutoff or EQ frequency), the approximate value of the key itself is used!That’s right, when you hit the “concert A” key, you will get 440 hertz in a frequency field!Very cool!Now think of the sound design possibilities unleashed by this capability.You can quickly edit a broad variety of modulators in a musical way, instantly selecting values very close to the ones you desire with almost no scrolling!
“Auto-Math” for modulation sources
The second line to the bottom allows you to set the modulation amount Amount, which can be either positive or negative. The very last line on the modulation page is a very cool and helpful feature. The Fusion does the math for you and displays the results will be with your Source controller at either extreme (for example with key velocity or the mod wheel both all the way down and all the way up).
Not only does the display show you the values of the modulator "extremes", it shows them in the units of the parameter you’re controlling. For example, if you’re adjusting Filter Cutoff, it displays the min. and max. result in Hertz. If you’re controlling Portamento Time, it shows min. and max. in milliseconds. Slick feature!
Browsing Sounds Without Loading Them
Browser that does NOT preload each sound
Locate + Inc: brings up an item browser that does NOT preload each sound as you scroll through. This is useful for finding a sound or switching banks quickly without waiting for each sound to load.
What Locate + INC is really doing is taking you to the GLOBAL/Item browser, which is the file explorer of the Fusion. From the Item menu you can use the back button to brows programs, mixes or even arpeggiator patterns, sequencer songs and multi-samples.
Locate + Inc can be used with the Locate + BANK shortcut (below) to rapidly scroll through sounds in many banks without using the “Back” soft key.
Bank Browserthat does NOT preload sounds
Locate + either of the Bank keys (Bank UP or Bank Down) displays the bank list. When you select Locate + a bank key, the Fusion will take you straight to the list of Banks without the necessity of hitting the Back soft button.You can use Locate + (BANK) in conjunction with the Locate + Inc browser to rapidly scroll through sounds Locate + Inc can be used with the Locate + BANK shortcut (below) to rapidly scroll through sounds in many banks without using the “Back” soft key.
Screenshot – Screen Capture – Screencap
Create a screenshot of the current LCD display by pressing Assign and T4 simultaneously. A bitmap of the current screen is saved on your compact flash card. The screen capture function will not work if a CF card is not present.
Each screen capture will be about 6 kilobytes in size and will be a non-compressed bitmap 240 wide by 128 pixels in height.The image is in a monochrome (black and white) 1-bit color format.The pixel dimensions and color depth correspond to the Fusion's backlit LCD display.
The screen capture images are saved on the CF card using the filename convention “fusion_screen_shot_001.bmp”, where each additional screen shot is given an incremental number.It is conceivable that 999 screen captures could be stored on a compact flash card, requiring a little under 6 megabytes of space (cluster sizes will vary depending on the capacity of the CF card.Cards of less than 2 gigabyte capacity may be formatted to FAT32, allowing smaller clusters and a smaller file-on-”disk” footprint).
The images below compare a photograph of envelope edit screen with a similar screencap of an edit screen (Note: the sounds are not identical, resulting in slightly different display values).
Edit screen (photo)
Edit screen (screen capture)
Easy Transpose Feature
You can transpose the keyboard from the top-level of any mode without having to enter Global mode. Simply hold the "LOCATE" button and press any key one octave above or below middle C. Any key that you press will become middle C on the keyboard.
A parameter called "Transpose" has been added to the top level display of each mode. This lets you know how many semitones the keyboard is currently being transposed.
Note that this function only works when you're at the top level of any mode.
Navigating the Sounds (for absolute beginners)
After you're powered up and are connected to an amp or headphones press the "PROGRAM" button that's to the left of the display screen. You now have four different ways of selecting Programs. It's important to understand all four of these methods.
The Control Wheel: This silver wheel will scroll you though all of the sounds in order. The Dec / Inc Buttons: These two buttons, near the bottom of the silver data wheel, will also move you through all the sounds in order. The Quick Access Buttons: The buttons lettered "A-P" and numbered "1-8" allow you to jump directly to any sound in a given Bank. The two "BANK" buttons (above the letters) allow you skip through all of the various Banks. The CATEGORY Button: This button, to the left of the Bank buttons, puts you in a convenient mode that lets you see all of the sounds organized by instrument type. You can press any of the lettered or numbered buttons to jump to a specific instrument type printed above that button. (For example, A = Pianos, C = Organs, O = Drums.) You can also use the "PREV / NEXT" buttons to move the display cursor.
These navigation methods also work in the "MIX" mode.
Boot Modes
Diagnostic Mode
Boot in Diagnostic mode -power up with the 1 plus 8 keys pressed.
Why would you choose to do this?
What will this result in?
Re-initialize (Reset Boot)
Holding Record + Play buttons during power-up will re-initialize the Fusion.This operation resets parameters to default values.
Under what situations should this be performed?
What are the dangers of performing this operation?
Split & Layer Shortcut
When creating a split or layer (mix mode) you can hit Locate + (the desired split-point key) to quickly set your “boundary key” instead of scrolling to the key number with the wheel.
Shortcut Key combination to Set parameter to default value:
When you have a parameter selected (on an edit page, for example), you can hit the INC + DEC buttons simultaneously to set that parameter to default its value (if any).This can be a tremendous time saver when you are performing an “ear test”, cycling back and forth between various values.(See the Fusion manual, page 29)
Monitor Your CPU
Global / System / CPU % brings up a dual graph display that shows the CPU load of the dual processors. Try loading up a complex mix and then view this page while holding down some keys. You'll have fun trying to max out the processors, but it'll be tough to do - even for you jazz players and your 10-fingered "chords".
Assign Your Own GUI Shortcuts
Add tip here.
Optimize for Sample Load Time vs. Polyphony
Hit Global / System / CPU % to bring up a dual graph display. The Select: line towards the bottom has two settings; optimize for load time or optimize for polyphony. Essentially, this setting switches the second Voice Engine on or off ("optimize for load time" turns it off).
If you are primarily using Song or Mix modes, leave it set to "optimize for polyphony". This way the CPU load of each audio part is balanced between the two VEngines.
If you are primarily using Program mode, select “optimize for load time”. This cuts your loading time in half, since data is only loaded into the first Voice Engine.
Computer Connections
USB Connection
When connected to a PC or Mac via USB cable, the Fusion’s internal drive will appear as an additional hard drive on your computer.If you have a compact flash card inserted into your Fusion, it will also appear as an additional drive.In this sense, the Fusion can function as a very expensive compact flash card reader ;-)
Trust but Verify
After a computer connection, the Fusion must perform a verification procedure to rebuild its internal cross-reference index of banks, samples, programs, etc.An automatic verification is performed when the USB cable is unplugged, but a manual verification seems to be more reliable.Follow the Manual Verification Procedure below.
Manual Verification Procedure
To Verify (banks, samples, programs, etc.) after computer connection - Hit the GLOBAL button (the bottom one of the main row of buttons to the left of the display). Now select the "Item" tab, then Mark what you want to verify (banks, samples, programs, etc.), then Process/Verify.
Controlling a DAW with the Fusion
Add tip here.
Controlling Soft Synths with the Fusion
Here are Craig Anderton's suggestions for common knob and slider value assignments. You can alternate the 4 endless rotary encoders over the values you use the most. I've found that the Hollow Sun folks often use the last two knobs for depth of effect and overall level.
Keep in mind these suggestions are more geared to programming and development than playing and performance.
1. Filter cutoff 1
2. Filter resonance 1
3. Amplitude envelope attack
4. Amplitude envelope decay
5. Amplitude envelope release
6. Filter envelope attack
7. Filter envelope decay
8. Filter envelope release
9. Primary oscillator symmetry/pulse width
10. Oscillator balance/mix
11. Secondary oscillator detune
12. Effect depth (for whatever effect may be applied)
13. Overall level
14. Custom 1 (for parameters unique to 15 particular synths)
15. Custom 2
Fusion Converter
Bad velocity values
The velocity parameter is mistranslated by the Fusion Converter (PC version 1.10 and earlier) when converting Soundfonts and possibly other types of samples.
You can fix the velocity settings once you have converted the sounds and imported them onto your Fusion.
To correct this, edit the patch, changing the velocity from additive at about +22%to multiplicative at about 70~80 %.
Bad loop points? No. Bad Wiki editor.
My bad! I incorrectly reported that loop points were mistranslated. In each case, I see that the original soundfont was either mis-looped or had some sort of error that prevented the translation routines from working. Your best bet is to examine the source sounds in an editor designed for those sounds before translation. Any pre-existing errors will certainly be translated.
Sequencer, Arpeggio and Song mode
Arpeggiator, Importing Arpeggiations
Arpeggio Arp patterns are actually saved as standard midi files (smf).You can edit an arpeggio on a computer based sequencer.
Here is some info stolen from FusionZone:
ARP files seem to be written in standard .mid format. You can rename a Fusion "*.afa" file to "*.mid" and open it on your computer-based sequencer.
Track 1 has the name of the pattern in it, and perhaps also some info about the type of pattern Track 2 contains the actual note information.
Tap Tempo
Tapping Arp at least 4 times defines the arpeggio tempo. NOTE: The ARP button is not the same as the ARP ON/OFF button. The tap tempo button is the ARP button at the top of the modulation matrix (learn to use the matrix!). The matrix "TEMPO" lable will blink in time to the current tempo.
You can tap this button to match the tempo of your drummer or to set your arpeggiator to the rock-solid 120 BPM you keep in your head!
Locate + REW
Navigate to start of song.(See the Fusion manual, page 29)
Locate + FFWD
Navigate to the end of a song. (See the Fusion manual page 29)
Stop + REW
Navigate to the start of song. (Undocumented feature works the same as LOCATE + REW)
Excellent source of Fusion Data structures, diagrams of control and signal flow, Fusion-RP software utility for inspecting Fusion data, Known key combinations and other Fusion Technical Info.
The demo sounds amazing.Every Fusion owner should buy a copy of this great-sounding collection just to thank Hollow Sun for the wonderful things they’ve done for the Fusion community.
I've received my copy. Probably the most comprehensive Synth Pad project on the planet. The guy's claim these sounds aren't for rockers in the strict sense, but these pads do fit into a lot of my straight ahead rock tracks in a very organic way.
KPR Fusion Banks
KPR offers a number of sound banks, including:
A number of banks of original presets
Original samples
Original synthesis patches for the VA, FM, Physical Model and Sample-based synth engines.
Marcos has created this very useful Windows application to sort banks and programs.
FUSIONSORT can create, rename, and delete banks from your PC. Moving programs from one bank to another is a simple drag and drop operation. FUSIONSORT can also change/edit both the Main and Alternate Categories of a program. Very cool Marcos.
Converter (free) and Converter (extended commercial version of Chicken Systems Translator for Fusion).
The free Fusion Converter is an application for both Windows and Mac which translates and imports various file formats into your Alesis Fusion™ workstation with limited bank management and archival capabilities.
Chicken Systems sells a version which supports additional format conversions, but if you are not happy with the translation facilities in the free version, shelling out extra cash will not buy you better translation routines. Hopefully they will improve someday, but I have used the commercial Chicken Systems Translator for a few years and although it is probably the best on the market, it “works the way it works”. In all likelihood it will not improve any time soon.
Fusion-RP is a utility for inspecting Fusion synth data.
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