Skip Navigation.
Section 0

Expander Performance Manual: Introduction

Welcome to the world of the Expander. You have at your fingertips a technologically advanced musical instrument which is extra-ordinarily expressive, powerful and has incredible expansion capability. You have an instrument which sounds great; you have the best programmable polyphonic synthesizer available.

The Expander is designed for use with the Rhodes Chroma or with a computer system that has been prepared for this interface. Computer interface systems are available for some computers from Fender Musical Instruments; call the factory at Woburn, Ma. for information on which ones. Other computer systems need hardware and software designed as outlined in the Chroma Interface Manual. The Expander is computer-based. The processor is a powerful high-speed component fast enough to digitally generate all of the control signals for the Expander. The result is an extremely flexible, software-based instrument that can be programmed to perform functions that no hardware-programmable synthesizer could match.

Owning the Expander is like having two instruments in one: you have both a preset performance instrument with fifty different sounds available at the touch of a switch, and you have a fully programmable synthesizer. It is not necessary to learn how to program the Expander in order to use it. As a matter of fact, there are so many possibilities, you might find that attempting to learn how to program could distract you from using the instrument. Therefore, two reference manuals have been provided with the Expander. This manual is the Expander Performance Manual. Within this manual, you will learn all you need to know about using the Expander as a live performance instrument. Use the Chroma Programming Manual when you are ready to explore the programming capabilities of the Expander, and seek out the limits of sound and expression on your own.