Locators

You can set and recall various location points within a song by using locators. These locations are set and recalled using the dedicated LOCATOR buttons on the VS workstation, allowing you to quickly and easily jump to a specific location within a song. The VS-880/890 workstations allow for up to 32 locators per song. There are four locator banks, and each bank can contain eight locators. There are four dedicated LOCATOR buttons under the LOCATOR label in the recorder section. These buttons ”labeled LOC 1/5, LOC 2/6, LOC 3/7, and LOC 4/8 ”set and recall locators one though four. When used with the SHIFT key, they set and recall locators five through eight.

To set a locator within the current locator bank, press the appropriate LOCATOR button. You can set LOCATOR buttons whenever the VS is in the Play Condition. For example, suppose the song is playing, and you want to mark the beginning of each verse. When the first verse begins, press LOC 1/5. When the second verse begins, press LOC 2/6, and so on. If you want to use location five, hold SHIFT and press LOC 1/5.

Recalling a locator is easy; just push the appropriate LOC button, and the VS will automatically jump to that specific point in time. You can recall locators while the song is in the Play Condition. To clear any locator, hold the CLEAR button and then press the appropriate LOC button. Remember, you'll also need to hold the SHIFT button to recall or clear locators five through eight.

Each new song on the VS defaults to using locator bank one. To change to a different locator bank, hold down the LOCATOR Edit Condition button. The current locator bank will be shown in the display, and the corresponding LOC button will flash. Pressing any other LOC button will switch to that locator bank.

I commonly use locators to mark the beginning of verses and choruses within a song. By doing this, I can quickly jump to these parts of the song. In the previous chapter, I mentioned that locators could be used to mark Auto Punch-In and Loop Playback points. Locators can also be used to mark points that can then be used in the various track-editing functions. As you become more familiar with setting and recalling locators, you might consider using each locator bank to hold specific types of locators. For example, locator bank one could be used for the locator points related to verses and choruses, and locator bank two could be used for track-editing points.