The Main Window

This is the starting point for all work with Yoshimi. Referring to the image on the index page, we describe the controls and navigation routes.

Along the top is a fairly standard menu bar. Either clicking on one of the names, or holding down 'Alt' and pressing the key for the underscored letter will get you directly to that menu which will then open, closing any others that might already be open. This again is standard behaviour.
All of these are shown below as they would appear when selected.

Yoshimi Menu

Yoshimi

About This opens a small window with details about Yoshimi and the current version. It also has a button that will then show a list of the main contributors over the years.

New Instance You can run multiple independent instances of Yoshimi, and this creates an overlay (covering four of the top buttons) to enable you to do so. There is a button to just start the next one available, or you can start a specific numbered one.

Settings This opens the Settings window which is tabbed with all the main configuration controls.

Reports opens a window showing all the latest commands and/or error messages. This is only available if the messages are directed here within settings and not to the terminal output. Fatal error messages will always go to the terminal.

View Manual Opens this manual in your default browser. If for some reason the manual is missing, it will try to find an older one, which will then probably be opened in a PDF viewer.

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Instrument Menu

Instrument

Show Stored This will open a window on the currently selected Bank of instruments. A selection from this will be loaded to the current part.

Load External You can use this to load an instrument from outside Yoshimi, using the filer (which will be opened for loading). Again this will go to the current part.

Save External Instead of loading from an external source, this will save to one, again opening a filer window to do it.

Recent Instruments Yoshimi keeps a list of up to 25 recently seen external instruments, and this opens a window you can select them from. The one you selected will then be placed at the top of the list.

Clear Returns the current part to the basic 'Simple Sound', clearing any effects directly associated with this part.

Search Opens the instrument Search window for loading an instrument by its type classification from any bank at all.

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Patch Set Menu

PatchSet

Show Patch Banks This opens a window on the currently selected Bank Root. Clicking on one of the entries will open that instrument bank.

Load External This will open a filer window for loading a complete set of instrument patches.

Save External The current patch set can be saved anywhere on the file system via the filer window that will open.

Recent Sets Returns the list of up to 25 patch sets most recently seen.

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Path Menu

Path

Bank Root Dirs You can manage the order and MIDI IDs of individual bank roots in the Root Path window this opens, as well as create new empty ones.

Preset Dirs This opens a window that allows you to manage the directories used for storing Copy/Paste Presets. You can create new ones, set the current one or remove them.

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State Menu

State

Load Opens a filer window to install a previously saved entire Yoshimi machine state.

Save Opens a filer window to save the current Yoshimi state.

Save As Default This will make the current Yoshimi state the one that is loaded when starting up, provided Start With Default State has been set in 'Switches' before saving it.

Recent States Shows a list of up to 25 stored state files, but doesn't include the default one.

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Scale Menu

Scale

Show settings This opens a window for editing Microtonal Scales

Load Opens a window for loading combined scale and keymap files.

Save Saves the currently set complete microtonal scale file.

Recent Scales Lists up to 25 recently seen scales.

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As you can see, the majority of the menu entries are links that open other windows to perform the associated function. Back to top

Below these are the top level buttons and controls. referring to the main window...

Stop is the usual panic button. It cancels all sounding notes. However, while it does so extremely fast, it is actually a rapid fade down. This is so there isn't a sharp 'edge' that would be quite unpleasant if you are monitoring on headphones and might be damaging to some audio systems.

Mixer Panel simply opens the mixer window, described later in Part.

Vectors also opens another window, this time for combined control of up to four parts.

Reset Stops all sound (as above) and also clears almost all settings, taking you back to the startup condition. The one exception is Midi Learn. If you want to clear this as well, you have to hold down the Ctrl key at the same time.

Virtual keyboard opens the window displaying this in the same way as a first time startup.

Midi Learn opens the window for loading, saving and editing these learned controls.

Detune provides a very fine detune of the entire synth so you can match the pitch to any other synth or sound source you might be using.

Volume is the master volume control for the main audio output pair. It doesn't affect any individual part outputs you might have set (if using Jack audio).

S This button switches between stereo and mono - when the color changes to red and the letter becomes an 'M'. It only affects the output pair, and is never saved. It switches virtually silently and is very useful for checking how the music would sound on a mono system.

Shift allows you to step the overall key up or down in semitone steps as much as three octaves.

Next there is a short tabbed insert. By default this shows the System effects. These are applied to the whole of the main Left/Right audio outputs and immediately below it is the currently selected one. These are described in Effects.

The System Effects Insert

The spinbox selects the effect being managed. You can have up to four of these, and the menu selects which actual effect will be used.

The On checkbox allows you to temporarily disable the effect (this setting is not saved). This is necessary, as if you set it back to 'No Effect' all settings you may have changed will be lost.

After this there is the Send To button. This opens a small window so that you can cascade varying amounts of the effects if you want to.

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Insertion Effects This shows just the Insertion effects tab. The actual effects are, of course, the same.

Here, you can have up to eight effects, and they can be sent to any individual part or the main outputs. Again, you have a menu to select the wanted effect.

There is no need of an On checkbox because you can disable an effect simply by setting its destination to 'off'.

divider Most of the lower half of this window is associated with the Part context, and is described in detail there. At the very bottom is the Left/Right VU display for the main audio output.
VU meter overloading The VU display will highlight if there is overload (aka clipping) by highlighting the number in red. In case of overload you might need to reduce the master volume or the volume of a Part which is too loud. You can reset the overload inidicator by simply clicking on it.


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