Suzuki Qchord Quick Start Guide

Section 1 - EZ Play Button

An ideal way to set up the Q Chord is to concentrate first on the Chord and Strumplate voices (because when you turn the Q Chord on, all sections will activate automatically).

a) Press the ‘Power on’ button

b) Press the ‘EZ Play’ button once

(You will notice that there the Autochord, Chord Hold and Manual Chord buttons are now lit.)

c) Press any chord button and you will also be able to play the Strumplate voices and the chord selected will hold.

To play the chord buttons normally (ie without the chord holding) press the button between Autochord and Chord Plus once (after steps a and b). You can now play the chord buttons normally, together with the Strumplate. 

Playing the Strumplate unaccompanied

In order to play the Strumplate voices in isolation, press the EZ button once and the button between Autochord and Chord Plus twice (which will deactivate the LEDs next to the same buttons). Press any chord button first and then the Strumplate, to activate the Strumplate sounds.

You can effectively use the Strumplate and chord buttons together in any of the above options.

Start/stop

Use the ‘start stop’ button to instantly stop the particular piece you are playing, without interfering with your settings, or any adjustments made on Sustain, reverb and vibrato etc. When using the power on/off button, this will set everything back to the original settings.

Section 2 –Strumplate

Use the ‘Select’ buttons under the Strumplate voices section to determine which sound to use from the Strumplate. There is an indicator light to show which side of the selected sounds you are currently using.

Section 3 –additional Strumplate sounds

To access the total 99 sounds for the Strumplate, please do the following:

a) Press the Power button on.

b)  Press the button between Melody Keyboard and Bass control twice (which will make the Melody control LED up as opposed to the Bass control).

c) Press the F# button once

d) Press the button between Melody Keyboard and Bass control again (once this time). The Bass control LED will now be lit again.

e) Press the ‘Select’ button in the upwards direction, until track/voice no. 6 is showing in the Q-Card control display.

f) Press any chord button and then you can access the Strumplate sound. In this instance, it will be no 6, which is easily recognisable as the Harpsichord voice.

Scroll up and down the total 99 sounds, using the select buttons.

Remember, you can de-select the rhythm section by following the points in section 1.

Sustain

Use the sustain button for the Strumplate sounds. By pressing and holding the sustain button, a bar will automatically come up until you stop pressing (showing the length of sustain you can set). When you switch the Q Chord off, the ‘sustain’ will automatically revert back to its original factory setting.

Section 4- Chord Buttons.

To access the Chord button sounds only, repeat the original basic steps:

a) Press the ‘Power on’ button

b) Press the ‘EZ Play’ button once

(You will notice that there the Autochord, Chord Hold and Manual Chord buttons are now lit.)

c) Press any chord button and the chord selected will hold.

Alternative sounds from the Chord buttons:

Now press the ‘select’ buttons under the Rhythm section to achieve alternative sounds from the chord buttons.

Further additional sounds from the Chord buttons:

As in section 1, set the chord buttons to play normally (ie without the chord holding) by pressing the button between the ‘Autochord’ and ‘Chord Plus’ once (after steps a and b).  

Now you can achieve a further set of different sounds, just by using the ‘select’ buttons under the Rhythm section.

Section 5 – Rhythm controls

There are 10 easily accessible rhythms. These can be selected by using the ‘select’ buttons on the rhythm section.

Tempo

Use the tempo button to increase or decrease the tempo accordingly.

Section 6 – Addition Rhythms

Apart from the 10 Rhythms already contained in the Q Chord, there are 30 additional Rhythms available on a rhythm cartridge.

To access these rhythms, please note the following:

a)      With the Q Chord switched off, plug in the cartridge in the concealed slot at the end, near the chord buttons. This should be with the label in the uppermost position. Please note that the cartridge should have a tight fit, so make sure it is fully engaged.

b)      Turn the Q Chord on.

c)      Under the Q Chord control section of the Q Chord, press down the ‘Stop’ and ‘Play/pause’ buttons simultaneously.

d)      Press any chord button to activate the rhythms.

e)      Use the ‘search’ buttons to go through the various rhythm styles, which will be displayed through the ‘track/voice’ window.

A list of the 30 rhythms are available <here>

Please note that if you activate the ‘EZ button’ it will automatically revert back to the 10 built in rhythms.

Section 7 – How to make a keyboard.

a) Lay the template supplied with your Q Chord over the chord buttons.

b) Press the Melody keyboard button twice (the LED will light up).

You now have a basic keyboard with black and white keys!

c) Change the sounds of the piano keys by using the select button under the Strumplate voices section. You can also access the 99 voices to the keyboard as mentioned in section 3. 

Try a simple tune!

For the absolute beginners, try a well know tune like ‘Row, Row your boat’. The keys are marked clearly on the melody keyboard overlay.

(Start with the C to the far left of the keyboard)

C - C -  C -  D -  E - 

E - D -  E -  F -  G  

CCC (use the higher C) GGG, EEE, CCC (lower C again)

G - F - E - D - C

Section 8 – Song Cartridges

As well as the rhythm cartridge, there is a number of song cartridges available that slot in to the concealed entrance located at the end of the Q Chord.  

a)      With the Q Chord switched off, plug in the song cartridge in the concealed slot at the end, near the chord buttons. This should be with the label in the uppermost position. Please note that the cartridge should have a tight fit, so make sure it is fully engaged.

b)      Activate the songs by pressing the ‘play/pause’ button.

c)      Use the search buttons to scroll through the list of songs.

Strum along!

Use the strum plate voices over the top of the song cartridge songs to enhance the particular song you are enjoying!

Play along!

Please note – when a song cartridge is inserted, the chord button section is automatically altered to a keyboard layout, so –with the keyboard overlay provided- you can play along to the song being played!

As with the rhythm section, you can change the tempo of any of the songs. This can be helpful when learning to play along to your favourite tunes!

Song cartridges

Details of the various songs contained on each song cartridges can be found on our web site www.suzukimusic.co.uk and the words to the various tracks are included with the song cartridges themselves.

Have fun!

The Q Chord is a unique instrument that can inspire you to create wonderful sounds. 

It is also a great learning tool and above all…. lot’s of fun!