Q and A

Switch Variations without using Variation button:

[Q]I would like to be able to switch to a different variation without having to reach the variation button. Does anyone have a suggestion?

[A] I have a solution for you. Please follow these two steps

when in Style Play Mode;

Step #1.
a) Press "MENU" button
b) Select "Style Controls" from the screen
c) Under "Fill Mode" option, choose Variation 1. You will be given a list
d) From the list, select Var UP (or Var Down)
e) Press "EXIT" button

Step #2.
a) Press "MENU" button
b) select "Preferences" from the screen
c) Press "Velocity Control" option . You will be given a list
d) From the list, select "Fill In 1" option
e) Press "EXIT" button

Now when you play the style, velocity control will trigger a fill and change to the next higher variation. Each trigger will go to next variation. (Note: Finer control for velocity in in the Global menu)

You can save this setting with the performance. Above steps are only a guide. Experiment with other options.[KAUSER]

 

How can I enable pitch bend for Guitar and other sounds I select?

[Q] How can I enable pitch bend for Guitar and other sounds I select. I find for some sounds pitch bender works but for others if I select a sound ( ex: Single Coil Guitar ) pitch bend does not work. But I find the same sound ( Single Coil Guitar ) in factory styles pitch bend works.

[A] In Style or Song Play mode this can be done using Menu : Mixer/Tuning : Tuning : PB Sensitivity [alland]

[Q] I tried with PB sensitivity ( for Single Coil Pro ) but it did not work. Is there any another setting which blocks PB sensitivity setting or do I need to set some other flags ?

[A] Check Menu : Keyboard Ensemble : Kbd Control.
Perhaps Joystick X is unchecked [alland]

 A]  You can do almost anything connecting your arrangers. It's true, first you should think what you want to do. I've done quite complex connections among my arrangers, synth, pedalboard and controllers via midi and Usb to build a three manual organ. I finally accomplished the exact machine I dreamed.
If you want to make a simple experiment mixing both arrangers using your Tyros as controller connect its Midi Out cable to the Pa500's Midi In. In the Tyros Midi table set both "upper" and "lower" part in e.g Channel 1. Then set the Pa500's Global: Midi IN: Channel 1: Global mode. Here you can play both arrangers from your Tyros independently or together. Set the Pa's master clock as slave and the tempo will be synchronized. Make sure both instrument are close to each other. [Victor]

Assign switch with the Songbook

[Q] Can someone explain how to use the assign switch to select song book entries one after one , selecting song/midi entry than for example a style and
than another song/midifile and so on...

[A] At first please organize your songbook and build custom-lists. Each SB-Entry may contain Songplay, Style-Play an so on...
Then you can link all your songs you need in custom-list. After this , select the custom-List an use the NEXT-Function.
You can use Next on the Display and with the assignable

Switches or/and EC-5 Function.

Style-Play/PAD/ASSIGN.Switch
Open paramater list.
On the last page select "Songbook Next". Ready!
Save Global-Style-Setup.

Global:Controllers/EC5
Open parameter list.
On the last page select "Songbook Next". Ready!
Save Global-Global-Setup

Global:Controllers/Pedal-Switch
Open parameter list.
Not on the last page. "Songbook Next". Ready!
Save Global-Global-Setup

The Songbook stores the Mode. When you see on Book Edit 1 in line: Write Corrent Resource, an MP3-Sign, so the PA goes after storing
automatically in Song-Mode, when you select this entry. The same is with MID for Songmode and STY for Styleplay-Mode
[LiM]

User Style Question

[Q] Do I have a keyboard problem on my pa800 as the factory styles play normally but when I play my own styles then the style is making queer noises.....

[A] This sounds like a user loaded style problem to me, not the keyboard. Could be that the Instruments in the style Track are  wrong. Play the style with Track Screen on show and mute the sounds one by one until you identify which Instrument is causing the 'noise'. Change the instrument to something more suitable and if that fails then reduce it to zero and save the style in the screen Menu. Hope that helps....
Keith [mrniceneasy - korgForums]
 

Q] How do I get rid of the lock sign which I find attached to some Midifile Songs that I wish to delete, ? it is in Red whatever that may mean. I have read the manual, but perhaps missed it.

A] It means that the file has "Read-only" protection on it - you can remove this by highlighting the file and using the drop down menu and select "unprotect".Then you can delete the files. Alternatively you can connect to a PC and do this as you normally would for unprotecting files.Not sure what machine you have but this is on page 266 in the PA2XPro User Manual (Latest version) "Media Edit Mode >> Page Menu"

[Pete]  

Expression/Damper pedal

Q] I have a Expression/Damper pedal and would like to use "Wah" on this pedal without the damper set to "on".

A] If your pedal is programmable then you should be OK - you will use it in the Assignable Pedal port (NOT the Damper Pedal port!!)
You will need to program the pedal to send the Control Change (CC) for the Wah effect you desire (there are a few of them) - for one of the WAH effects, see page 54 of the PA800 Advanced Edit Manual (Page 47 also gives you an overview) - the table indicates all the parameters that can be controlled with the pedal  (it shows a pedal icon).
You must set the "Source" for the effect component you wish to control - this must correspond to the pedal setting (e.g. CC number)

I have successfully used this many times for example in controlling the speed of the Rotary Speaker in the "Rotary" effect.

[karmathanever]

Boot up pa with the Mic 'off' by default:

Q] Would like Pa2XPro to boot with Mic Off. Might have been this way at one time and I changed it. Can't remember.

So the question is whether Mic On/Off is stored somewhere, in STS's, Performance, Global, etc.

A] The mic on/off parameter is stored into the Voice-presets.
The voice presets are stored in an STS.
When a Performance (1.1) may store also the Voice-Setting, than you may have mic off after start.

When the Performance is not able to store the Voice-Preset, than link the Perf. 1.1 with a Style, which have on STS1 a link to the suggested Voice-Preset.

Store to Perf. 1.1
Reboot = mic = off
[LESSISMORE] 

Optimize a midi with Korg sounds?:

Q] I have found a midifile of an old italian song (Un anno di noi): I want use it for a little theatre work, but it has several problems and I'm starting to optimize it with Korg sounds. There is a problem that I can not solve: volume of strings track is too loud.
I've changed intial level in STS, but CC 7 is everywhere in midifile, because it was used for strings expression control.
There is a fast way to change overall volume settings and reduce of some percent (for example, a -15%) in internal PA2X sequencer or I must manually change every CC 7?

A] SOLVED USING ONLY BROWSER AND STANDARD TEXT EDITOR: I've used http://en.nemidi.com/conversor/mid2txt.html page, I've searched for string ch=5 c=7 (volume) with a simple text editor and replaced with ch=5 c=11 (expression) then I've converted txt into midi with http://en.nemidi.com/conversor/txt2mid.html page.
Now I can use STS to change overall volume and the original expression of strings track is unchanged.

[Claudio]

Loop in the styles(PA2X):

Q] I am trying to use a loop in the styles(PA2X) but i dont find it!

I go to sound press record button and load the loop and it sounds ok. I tried to write and it shows that it will be saved at the FX but can not find it. I even tried to export it but i doesn't find it.

A1] After you load the Loop in the sampler mode hit MENU and then time slice. then you can write it..
Later go to style record mode and then make style from groove. The loop will pop up as groove and you can use it in the style.[Niranjan]

A2] If you dont want to slice the sampled Loop like ''niranjanjaveri'' has said. You can assign it to a drum
kit and use it as a full Loop coz some time it makes it easier to use.

ps you can find your samples in drum kit edit mode.
[Naj]

Locking sound parameters:

Q] I have a problem.
I had a korg pa1x, and when in style play mode, I setup the sound parametres like FX, sound mode..., the sound parametres were not been changing, for example, I put an effect on a lead, and if I select another instrument, the effect is still here, so I didnt have to reajust the parametres.

However, In pa2x pro, its not working in the same way. I can't find the way to lock the sound parameter to save as performance because each time I programme a sound, when I change the sound, I have to restart to do all, putting effect...

A] Go to GLOBAL==>GENERAL CONTROLS==>Lock button==>FX & Voice P.==>and check the box Upper 1 FXs.[Garo Nazarian]

Alternatives 1] Often in PERFORMANCES on STYLE-PLAY Mode in the effects is a "triggering" of UPPER1 enabled.  SO... if you want YOUR SPECIAL employed EFFECTs work on another sound please without CHANGING the Effect-Setup: DONT change the UPPER1 Sound anymore, -chose to Change UPPER2-Sound !!! (and: Make Upper 1 "MUTE" and UPPER2 PLAY).

Your Effects then should be available to all the other selected SOUNDS, and should not change till you chose another UPPER1 Sound (wether Mute or not!).[TBLECK]

Alternatives 2] When you want to build a perfomance with Upper 1-3 , than you have to set at first the Upper 1  Sound. The Upper 1 sets the effects from the Sound-edit-Mode. When you want to have another effect, than set another. This upper effects will stay there.
There you can set upper 2 and 3 sounds and the effect-levels, but no other effects. Than save as Performance. Then the effects are fixed in the performance.

Each performace may have other effect-parameters.(When you set the upper 2 and 3 sounds at first with new effects, you will overwrite this effects with setting the upper 1 sound, cause upper 1 loads the sound-edit-effect-parameters) Thats the automatic-effect-loading-function, wich you can set in the sound-edit-mode. (Use turned off single-touch-led button). [LESSISMORE]


Score Display on PA588?

Q] After checking the manuals I've found that the pa588 can display song lyrics. Can the pa588 display notation (Score) as well?

A] The Pa588 does not have the ability to display notation, only the Pa800/2XPro has that feature.

 Chord recognition modes:

Q] Can anybody tell me if the chord recognition modes work when playing on an external midi keyboard? If it's functional, than which mode does it respond on e.g with single finger, three finger or Expert mode? 

A] PA2 can recognise chords that are played via external keyboard. Made quick test setting my M3 as master and Pa2 as slave (usually I play in opposite mode).

In order to make Pa2 recognise chords that came via MIDI you need to go Pa2 Global: MIDI :Midi In Control page and set Chord 1 (or 2) MIDI Channel to MIDI channel that actually sends notes to your Pa2.

When set uop this way it does not matter which chord recognition mode you use, Pa2 acts exactly as you were playing its own keys. [Alland]

How Can I Copy My Variations To Intro Or Ending: 

Q] How Can I Copy My Variations To Intro Or Ending???
I Can Copy From Intro Or Ending To Variations But can not copy inverse.. 

A] When you go to COPY page you have to continue scrolling past Ending 3.
You can COPY ONLY CV to CV and not the whole ELEMENT, it should look like this:
Var3 CV1 to Intro1 CV1...then it will COPY but not with: Var3 to Intro1. [Nedim]

Turn off Beat with a Button!

Q] How can I assign ONE button to turn off "the beat" in a style (meaning drum and perc). I want to have one button that mutes the beat and one that mutes all the Acc 1-5. This is for live playing mainly.

If anyone has workarounds for this, please share. 

A1] Here is one workaround:

Save a copy of the style (unmuted) to say User03 location 2.
Save another copy with drum & perc muted to say User03 location 1.
Save another copy with ACC1 to 5 muted to say User03 location 3.
Get a Korg EC5 pedal board.
Assign "Style up" to switch 4.
Assign "Style Down" to switch 5.

Start playing the original style at User03 location 2.
Press switch 4 once -> Drum & Perc are muted.
Press switch 5 once -> Original Style plays.
Press switch 5 again -> ACC1 to 5 muted.
Press switch 4 again -> Original style plays.
Press switch 4 again -> Drum & Perc are muted.

Or you can save as many copies of the style as you want in the order you want to play them. Then switch 5 just steps through the sequence in the order you saved the style copies.

Another workaround is to use a programmable MIDI foot switch unit that can store multiple MIDI messages per switch. Roland make one but it's pricey.[Rob Sherratt]

A2] A better sugestion:

With a much simpler and cheaper MIDI footswitch controller than the Roland, (eg Behringer FCB1010) you can assign style change messages to individual buttons. You can also load "Stomp Box" software to the FCB1010 that allows footswitches to operate in "toggle mode". So in the example of three user styles that I gave, forget about style up and down. Stomp once on switch one, it sends Style change to the user style with Drums and Perc muted. Stomp again on switch one and it sends Style change to the original factory style. Stomp one on switch two, it sends Style change to the user style with the ACC tracks muted. Stomp again on switch two and it sends Style change to the original factory style.

Another suggestion (you probably know about already):

Have the Style Play main page showing on the screen and then touch the mute icon on "Drums & Percussion" or "Accomp" as and when you need it. With practice, it's almost as easy as a button, and it is a single operation. It just can't be assigned to a controller in that way unfortunately.

(I think the Yamaha MFC10 would be even better than the Behringer FCB1010. The reason is that the Yamaha MFC10 can send up to 4 MIDI messages and up to 4 MIDi notes (ie chords) from a single foot button, whereas the FCB1010 is limited to single MIDI events per foot button) [Rob Sherratt]

 Loading some pcm Data!

Q] My sampling memory is full with a 64 mb set which is loaded. Now there are some samples which I dont wanna use and wanted to delete them and load something else. I did read the tutorial but that says on loading individual samples one by one.I just want to delete 3 to 4 samples. Is there a shorter way of doing it.

A] Loading a .SET file containing any PCM samples wipes the sample memory before loading the new samples. That's the quickest way.

OR for selective sample deletion..

go to sample recording mode (Sound mode and then hit Record), then from the drop down menus you select "Delete Sample" and select the option called "not assigned to any Multi sample/ Drum kit" and then press OK. Then from the drop down menu select "Delete Multi sample", and go through all the user Multi samples, deleting the ones you don't want.

Then import your new samples/multi samples..[Rob Sherratt]

Altering Tonal Qualities of a piano:

Q] Im trying to alter the tonal qualities of the piano samples I have, particularly the Irish Piano. This is because I play covers in a band and a lot of these require some much lighter "pop" sounds, and some more sharper middle sounds which I try to recreate. I've fiddled around a lot trying all the various EQ effects but in the end find I'm going round in circles and am never very happy with the result.

Does anyone find one particular effect, the 4EQ or the 7EQ for example, or any other effect which is particularly good for this? There are so many options and I realise a lot of this is down to experience, so I'm hoping I can latch on to someone elses expertise so I can sort it out before they put me in a home for the bewildered. 

A1] A pop Piano generally has very little in the way of dynamics compared to a proper Piano sound.

EQ will help you get close to that sound your after, but on top of that I'd recommend dropping all the multisamples except for the highest (FF Layer). That should get you very close. [Sharp]

A2] Another easy way to brighten the sound is to increase the cut-off (main page in Sound Mode on the Pa1x). When you're happy write the sound to a user location [Reuben]

A3] To achieve A POP TYPE PIANO, select the version of the "Irish Grand Piano" piano sound that you want to modify, go into Sound mode, press Menu and select the "Basic: Sound Basic" page. Then change the "Oscillators Count" so that it is set to 2 instead of the original value. This will allow only the highest (FF layer) samples to be used. It will cut all the other 3 layers of samples.

Then go to the "Basic: Vel/Key Zone" page and select OSC 1. In "velocity zone" change the bottom velocity to 0, and in "scaled velocity" change the bottom velocity to 0. Then do the same thing for OSC 2. You need to do this so that the FF samples are played for the lower velocities which were originally assigned to different samples.

Then from the drop down menu, do a "Write Sound" and specify a new user storage location, and call it maybe "Bright Irish Piano". Then press "Exit". [Rob Sherratt]

How to load individual styles!

Q] I just bought a korg pa800 and i have some questions if someone can help me.

I have loaded a set, but i want to add more styles to that set.. how do I load them so they work like they should? Styles file and then what? 

A] As you've already got this far, just keep on highlighting and opening up the styles until you reach the individual styles and then load one by one to your selected slots..[mrniceneasy]

Setting lower strings to memory:

Q] I have PA800 and I have one question about some settings.
Is there a chance that I can set lower strings to memorize?

When I raise up left hand I loose lower strings until I again put down lef hand.

A] Press the Memory button. This button turns the Lower and Chord Memory functions on or off. Also go to the “Preferences: Style Preferences” edit page (in Style Play mode) and make sure the "Memory Mode" parameter is set to "Lower/Chord" and not just "Chord". Unlock "Style Preferences" on the lower corner of that page and then do "Write Global - Style Play Setup" from the drop down menu. 

Changing pad volumes:

Q] There doesn't seem to be anyway to edit the pad volumes in the mixer pages.
Am I missing something here?
The only way I can figure out to change pad volumes is by going to the "Record Pad" page and editing the volume there. Is there another way to control pad volumes when playing styles ?

A1]  Hold down shift while pressing any of the pad buttons. It should take you to a page where you could change the values for pan, volume, and more.[Sam]

A2] use the assignable slider for this purpose. Press the Global button and then choose Controllers. Touch the Right Arrow button to the right of 'Slider:' and choose Pad Volume. Be sure to write the change to Global Setup. [WDMcM]

Loading styles one at a time:

Q] When I load STY files to my PA500ORT, it ask me to pick user bank 1 or 2. each STY file contains multiple styles... but I may only like couple of them. how do I pick and choose individual styles and make a new set with just my favorites? 

A] GGo to your manual Media Edit Mode section, It explains all the various layers.

All (load)
which loads everthing including Style, pads , global, basically everthing.

When you open the folder you could see folders for styles, pads, sounds , etc. (Just depends on what has been saved in the .set originally)

Just say you only want to load styles click on style folder & press open
You'll see user 1 or 2 or both. Choose User 1, highlight it, press open, you'll see the individual styles. Choose one of them & save it to an empty space.

If the style also contains "User Pads" you're going to have to load them individually in the same way as you load individual styles. ie, instead of highlighting styles , highlight pads & keep opening till you get to the individual pads.

The only way I can think of to keep track of what user pads are required, might be to save all the data you have in your keyboard at the moment, load in the user style banks. On a piece of paper jot down the styles you want & jot down the USER pads these styles use.
The problem being, when you decide to load individual styles that use user sounds, user pads etc when you then load pads or sounds individually, that may not end up in the exact spot they were originally when they were saved as a complete .set.
So, if you've kept track of the names of the USER pads ( or USER sounds) you need for the style, you can reasign them yourself after you've loaded the style & the pads.[Rikki]

Set lower strings to memorize?

Q] I have PA800 and I have one question about some settings.  Is there a chance that I can set lower strings to memorize?

When I raise up left hand I loose lower strings until I again put down lef hand.

A] Press the Memory button. This button turns the Lower and Chord Memory functions on or off. Also go to the “Preferences: Style Preferences” edit page (in Style Play mode) and make sure the "Memory Mode" parameter is set to "Lower/Chord" and not just "Chord". Unlock "Style Preferences" on the lower corner of that page and then do "Write Global - Style Play Setup" from the drop down menu.  

Changing pad volumes: 

Q] There doesn't seem to be anyway to edit the pad volumes in the mixer pages.
Am I missing something here? The only way I can figure out to change pad volumes is by going to the "Record Pad" page and editing the volume
there. Is there another way to control pad volumes when playing styles ?

A1]  Hold down shift while pressing any of the pad buttons. It should take you to a page where you could change the values for pan, volume, and more.[Sam]

A2] use the assignable slider for this purpose. Press the Global button and then choose Controllers. Touch the Right Arrow button to the right of 'Slider:' and choose Pad Volume. Be sure to write the change to Global Setup. [WDMcM]

Specify Style Settings [pa500]

Q] I have the KORG PA500 how can specify setting plus certain sound and styles and save for a one touch use ( sometimes it is called performance memory)

A] In Style Play mode. Select a Style and then do a "Write Style" from the drop-down menu and save it in USER01, USER02 or USER03. Then select the style that you just saved from the USER bank..

Make the changes you want by tweaking the sounds and tracks. Volume, Pan, EQ, Sound selection, DK selection etc. Do it all from the mixer view.

Then from the drop-down menu, select "Write Performance" and specify whichever Performance location you want the new UPPER settings to be saved in.

Then select "Write Style Performance" and it will modify the currently selected Style (in USER01 or USER02 or USER03) with the updated style track settings you made. [RS]

STS setting.

Q] When I assign the accordion sound to one of my styles it sounds totally different then when I go to sound it self, it just sounds fine. What do I have to do to bring back the settings back to factory or get rid of unwanted settings .

What you need to do is as follows, this will cause the SOUND you select for the UPPER1 track to change the Keyboard EFX to the same EFX that were saved with the SOUND. It will sound identical in both STYLE Play mode and in SOUND mode. It will override the PERFORMANCE EFX settings for UPPER1, UPPER2, UPPER3 and LOWER. It only works when you change the SOUND on the UPPER track:

 A] Go to "Global -> Lock -> FX & Voice P." Unlock the box labelled "Upper 1 FXs"  Do a "Write Global - Global Setup" from the drop down menu. [RS]

In sound mode

Q] In sound mode > record > sample > I loaded my samples . However in the list of samples I also have sample names that I can not select . These are displayed vague on screen . My question is , are these samples beying used or not , and if not . How can I delete them because I can not select them . 

A] I would tick mark (samples no used option) and then say ok. Later hit MENU >Multisamples and then you can delete individual . That's how I combine sets due to lack of extra ram on pa800

[niranjanjaveri]

I'm making a new sound, but it is not touch sensitive

Q] I'm making a new sound, but it is not touch sensitive. When I put it on a MIDI track and change the velocity of a note, it does not change anything.

So it's ignoring the velocity of a note. What do I do to this sound to make it listen to the velocity and be touch sensitive

A] Check the velocity settings for the SOUND and STYLE part (UPPER 1 2 etc...)

e.g. see SOUND > Basic > Key/Vel parameters in the

Advanced Edit user manual (Page 9 in the PA2XPro version)
[Pete]  

Deleting User styles on the pa1x pro

Q] Is there an easy way to delete user styles and/or style banks from the pa1xPro? 

A] Press Disk > tab Erase > select SSD (bottom-left) > select All > press Open > select Style > press Open
Now you see User01.sty, User02.sty and User03.sty > select the user bank you want to erase and press Erase. That's it.
If you want to erase only some styles from a user bank instead of the whole bank > select User 01, 02 or 03 > press Open > select the style to erase > press Erase.
If you want to erase styles from one of the preset style banks, you'll have to unlock this first. Still in the Disk Menu > tab Preferences > untick Factory Style and Pad Protect. Proceed the same way as above. After opening SSD > All > Style > you will see all (user and preset) style banks of the Pa1X.
The same goes for the HD style banks, but of coarse you have to select HD instead of SSD. [admar]
 

Vocal harmonizer preset EDITS

Q] I would like to ask Korg PA800 users if they have vocal harmonizer presets which are good for back vocals.I have some but I think that it can be much better.

A] I've experimented quite a lot with creating different vocal harmony  presets. Everything depends on the tonal range and quality of the vocalist and also on the song you are playing. I have a bass vocal range and good harmonies are difficult to generate with my voice.

The group's lead female singer has an alto vocal range and good harmonies are easy to generate. I use a custom preset with the vocal harmony parts each set to "gender +10", in chordal mode, generating close harmonies with the voices set to "down 1", "up 1", "up 2" and "up 3". The actual range of harmony notes you can specify is from "down 5" to "up 6" but I do not like the distortion or alien voice that happens when you spread the resampled vocal harmonies
too far away from the original. I use "chord" harmony mode so that the vocal harmony intervals follow the chord I am playing.

Just to explain what happens. Suppose I play a chord of Cminor7, and she sings an E flat in the C4 octave. The harmony notes that are generated in that case are:

Down 1 = C4 (the root note)
Up 1 = G4 (the fifth note)
Up 2 = Bb5 (the 7th note)
Up 3 = C5 (the root an octave above)

Say instead that the note she is singing is a Bb4 (ie the 7th note). Then the harmony notes that are generated are:

Down 1 = G3 (the 5th note below)
Up1 = C4 (the root note)
Up2 = Eb4 (the minor third)
Up3 = G4 (the 5th note above)

I also set the pan and level of each of the harmony voices so that Down 1 is panned full left, Up3 is panned full right, and the other two and the original vocal are center.

When I play chords I use the full keyboard scan range, and I try to only play two or three notes in my left hand that define the octave and fifth notes, and in the right hand I try to play in the C5 octave, three different notes that define the 7th, 3rd, and 9th intervals (if any) that I want to use.

The presets I use for her harmonies are completely useless for my voice. The presets I use for my voice are completely useless full stop, nothing works well!

Please experiment with making your own vocal presets. Please experiment with playing the chords/ piano part outside the range of the vocals and the harmony notes that are generated. Hopefully the info I've given will allow you to experiment and find something that works well for your own vocals.

[Rob Sherratt]

Program the harmonizer

Q] 1want to program the harmonizer, rather than just pick a patch of harmonies...example, i would like to play a specific harmony line, triggered by midi notes as events that only occur when programmed to be played as another midi track with the rest of my midi tracks.. eliminating the need to manually turn the harmonizer on and off....any help?

A] A lot of professional MIDI files (like Tune1000) use a specific track for harmony parts (e.g. track/channel 5) - you set this option on the PA2XPro and then select the "Notes" harmony preset - it is excellent and works perfectly. This means that your song can comprise exactly the harmony notes you need and they will be heard exactly at the right time etc... You can also do this in STYLE PLAY mode by setting the VP options to the track you choose to send the harmonies (e.g. you could use the UPPER 1 for this) - this way you can activate "harmonies" as and when you wish by playing them real-time. [Pete]

Note: specific harmonizer patches automatically shut off when there is no note data. 

Mic EQ Settings:

[Q] I recently bought a mic to replace my old one. It's more expensive, but when I plug it into my pa2x - it sounds so muffled. I'm wondering if this is likely to be the mic or can i change some settings on my pa2x.


[A] Hi,yes it can be done..

Please press Shift and Mic-Button at the same time.
There you will find all mic-settings.
You can use compressor, noisegate, very good EQ, Reverb, Delay.

And you can make an extra Low/High-EQing only for the reverb.
With this settings each mic will sound good.

(When you will route the mic out through Outs 1+2, the effects will affect again.) [LiM]

Vocal harmonies:

[Q] I know you can switch individual vocal harmonies on or off in Global but I need 2 part on some performances and 3 part on others. Does anyone know if you can have different settings saved in different performances, or is it only a global setting?

[A] You can create your own harmony presets. Then you can select a 2-part one, and save a Performance, then select a 3-part one, and save a Performance. The correct vocal harmony presets will then be automatically selected when you change Performances. [Rob]

Midi recording to pc:

Q] I'm going to start using a computer to record my music. I've got a PA2X at the moment, would I record to the computer using this as my MIDI. Is it as simple as plugging it in? My main question is can I use my dampner pedal as I play, or does MIDI not know what that is?

If I wanted damper would I therefore have to use the keyboard as a line in, recording straight, and then I'd not be able to change my sounds.


A] Yes, you can use your Damper pedal (Sustain pedal?) with midi tracks. If you don't have a midi interface of some sort, then the basic configuration would be a USB-Midi cable...The USB end would be plugged into the computer USB port, and the midi In-Out to the keyboard. Then, you'd have to choose that specific midi driver in the preference of your sequencer, and that would be your midi connections. If you want to monitor the tracks using the keyboard speaker/headphone then, you won't need audio cables, but if you want to get the audio inside your sequencer, then you need a pair of instrument cables feeding the audio interface of your set up...as simple as that! [Sam]

Also:

You could also just transfer the midi file to your computer via USB memory stick do do some editing - but as Assyrianpianist says it wont sound the same when played from your computer unless you connect the Midi cable. [Reuben]

Style lower off:

Q]  Is there a “style lower off” setting for the PA800 that allows for the reception of the midi signal and controls the chord changes without interfering with the style sounds?

A] Yes, you can switch OFF the LOWER sound on pa-800 permanently. Since the LOWER is a part of PERFORMANCE, once you muted it in PERF 1 you need to REWRITE that PERFORMANCE on its place, then go to GLOBAL and LOCK the LOWER. WRITE GLOBAL settings and youre done ! Next time when you switch your keyboard ON the LOWER part will not playing, regardless of changing performances. [!Venci]

QUARTER TONE FUNCTION ON PA500

Q] I owned a PA80 some years ago.
There was a "Quarter tone" function on this keyboard, so I was able to assign the quarter tone function to 1 of the 4 pads, and this way it was possible to detune a note by pressing the selected pad and the selected key at the same time.Is there the same function with the same way to do on the PA500?

A] Hi! as a former owner of pa500 I can tell you that yes this function is available...You have the assignable button next to the assignable switch (that moves up and down),,,press SHIFT and then the ASSIGNABLE BUTTON, afterwards in the drop down menu that will show choose " quarter tone ", after that whenever you press the assignable button and the key you want, it will be quartered. [nenos]

Create Drum Kits on pa500

[Q] Is it possible to create my own drumkit on a PA500 based on the factory samples? I am aware that the 500 does not have a sampler, but would I be able to create my own multi-sample by combining other samples from other native kits?

[A] You can create 64 custom user drumkits - See the Advanced Edit Manual

http://korgpa.com/pa_root/pdf/pa500/Pa500-110AE-ENG.pdf

Set Sound mode then select USER DK under Performance/Sound Select. Select an empty User DK slot then press MENU then DRUMKIT. This will put you in the drumkit editor. You can assign any one of 492 samples to any key. You can even layer samples with different velocities.[Thoraldus