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Starr Labs, Inc

8868 Clairemont Mesa Bl. 

Suite N. 

San Diego, CA 92123 

 

 

battery inside, refer to the description below. 
 
When operating under USB power only, the Clipper will play but the LED lighting system is 
disabled unless the USB-battery is installed in which case this is not a limitation. 
 

 

Basic layout of the instrument: 

 

1] The Ztar hardware is divided into two main performance groups, the 

Fretboard

 and the 

Sensors

. The 

Sensors include the String Triggers and all the Pads, Pots, Pedals and other performance devices on the 
instrument. 
 
3] There is also a 

Programming/Display

 module onboard that you will use to setup up the various 

functions of the Ztar in detail. 
 

Press EDIT and you will see selections for programming the features of the Ztar.  

 

The Fretboard is programmed in the 

Fretboard

 or 

Zones

 screen. 

 

The Sensors are assigned MIDI Events in the 

Sensors

 screen . 

 

The physical response of the Fretboard and the Sensors is set up in the 

Response

 screen and 

the 

Curves

 screen. 

 
The UTILITIES menu has sub-menus for a variety of Ztar features such as Sysex handling, MIDI 
clocks, MIDI Input setups and more. 
 

 

Power Up the Ztar: 

 

The Ztar can be powered from either a 

DC power supply or a USB 2.0 port

 on your 

computer. The instrument is equipped a 3-position power switch with 

DC <>OFF<>USB

 

power positions. If you have a sound card or LED lighting installed in your instrument, 
those accessories will only power on in the DC position of the switch.  
 

Some instruments have instead a 2-position power switch with no center-OFF 
position. 

 

To Power from the AC/DC adapter: 
 

  Use a 

5-conductor

 MIDI cable (all 5 pins must be wired) from the Ztar MIDI Output 

to the Controller connection on the 

PB-1

 power supply adapter.  

 

  Connect a MIDI cable from the SYNTH jack of the PB-1 to the MIDI IN on your synth 

or other MIDI system. 

 

  Connect the supplied DC wall-supply to the PB-1.  

 

Summary of Contents for Ztar

Page 1: ...ith the basic Ztar MIDI controller functionality The Clipper lighting system is discussed separately in the Clipper LED Controller startup guide Because Ztars are built in many different custom configurations your hardware may not be exactly as referred to here in this document Please reference our website for the full manual and support documentation sysex setups and other software http www starr...

Page 2: ...signed MIDI Events in the Sensors screen The physical response of the Fretboard and the Sensors is set up in the Response screen and the Curves screen The UTILITIES menu has sub menus for a variety of Ztar features such as Sysex handling MIDI clocks MIDI Input setups and more Power Up the Ztar The Ztar can be powered from either a DC power supply or a USB 2 0 port on your computer The instrument i...

Page 3: ...when connected to USB power The normal MIDI controller functions and display programmer will still operate Move the 2 position rocker switch to the USB position New Ztars built after July 2012 have a plug and play class compliant USB interface and no driver is required for operation with USB MIDI compatible computers She s Up and Running when you see the first bank of 8 presets showing on the Disp...

Page 4: ...ive and press the new battery down firmly to attach it Basic Performance Setup The Ztar can be strummed and picked like a guitar or tapped like a keyboard or both together Use the function keys and the Fretboard Zones screens in the programmer to set up the Ztar the way you like it Your settings are saved in battery backed memory Use the Top level Menu to select onboard patches or SONGS using the ...

Page 5: ...same MIDI data On the Receiver the MIDI port is connected to the MIDI Input of your synth or MIDI system Also you can connect the AirPower receiver via USB to your host computer which will both power the receiver and send USB MIDI data into the computer Receiver Indicator Lamps Power Power will blink if the battery is low MIDI The lamp will blink when MIDI information is being transmitted Link The...

Page 6: ...g in line with the strings on the fingerboard and the StringTriggers for the picking hand These six Pads may be programmed to a variety of MIDI event such as Notes chords Sequences Loops Program changes EFX level changes and Continuous Control messages These pads may also be used to Trigger notes fretted on the fingerboard The TCA 1 pads are referred to as TriggerPads or TPads in the menu system A...

Page 7: ...and play a bassline or melody on the fingerboard with the other hand Set up all six TPads with chords this way You can also turn one of these chords into a sequence in the SENSORS EVENTS by setting the PlayFunction to SEQUENTIAL to make the chord a sequence Also in the SENSORS EVENTS screen you can change the note duration from milliseconds to MIDI clocks so you can adjust the sequence timing with...

Page 8: ... EVENTS screen set the only one Event to PitchBend Up and set the MIDI channel to the channel of the corresponding fingerboard string If you set up all the TPads to match the fingerboard strings this way you ll be able to hold a chord and bend individual strings by pressing the proper TPads ...

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