File format *.csc

[petr14]

Is there a description of the *.csc (chord sequence) file format available somewhere? Thank you

[petr14]

It looks like some combination of SMF and XML file formats. I would like to create a converter from SMF (midi file) and TXT (F/// Am/// ...) to CSC.

[mlavio829]

Hi, I'm curious about this as well.

[AntonySharmman]

5 known file types use this .csc extension

Official chord sequence file is .CSV file Download here a sample of CSV file

[petr14]

Official chord sequence file is .CSV file [url=https://www.sample-videos.com/csv/Sample-Spreadsheet-100-rows.csv]Download here a sample of CSV file

This file does not contain chord sekvences.

Is it really possible to upload chord sequences in CSV format to korg? Is there an example of such a file somewhere?

[organtax]

Official chord sequence file is .CSV file [url=https://www.sample-videos.com/csv/Sample-Spreadsheet-100-rows.csv]Download here a sample of CSV file

This file does not contain chord sekvences.

Is it really possible to upload chord sequences in CSV format to korg? Is there an example of such a file somewhere?

No the .csc file is a proprietary Korg file. It's a program file not a data file. Although you can view it in a text file viewer program, it's unlikely you'll be able to edit and save it for future use as a chord sequence file.

[petr14]

You probably missed that Mr. AntonySharmman wrote: "Official chord sequence file is .CSV file". That surprises me and that's why I'm asking about the CSV.

As for CSC, it's not a program, but a data file that contains binary SMF and textual XML that are stitched together with some (probably) proprietary Korg structure. My original question was if this format is documented anywhere. I would like to generate my own chord sequence. I know how to generate SMF and XML. I don't understand the Korg "glue" structure.

[rikkisbears]

Hi , I loaded one of the csc files into my xg works sequencer, ( in its original format) I could see the chord data in the master track, I changed one the text chords from c to d. Did a “save ended up with a totally empty file. I didn’t try using it in PA5x, I could see in pc , file had lost its data.

After watching Adam and Luke PA5x video the other, realised how handy chord sequencer could be for either practice or being able to play over the top in a more pianistic way without having to worry about accidentally changing a chord when playing a single note.

Hopefully they give us some way of editing and creating these chord sequences other than in real-time. It’s okay if just recording a few bars but a whole long song, one mistake and having to start over.

Meantime I found a bit of a solution for myself using Jos Maas chord player software.
Set the midi channel in software to match the “ chord in” channel on the Korg. Had to set Chord player software to external sync.
Made sure send clock was ticked in Korg midi settings.

I created a simple 1 note ,1 bar , 1 variation user style for the Korg as a template style for recording with the software. ( Don’t use factory styles or normal styles) just in case it might crash keyboard. I’m wary of using any software with the factory styles at the moment.

Typed my chord progression into software .
Pressed record icon in Korg Chord Track recorder.
Pressed play in software. It waits till..
I played first chord in progression to trigger the software as I wanted correct chord showing on first beat.

After it played /recorded all the way through, I saved the Korg chord track. Now I can use it for any style in the keyboard.

Whilst Korg chord track is recording there is no sound, it is literally just recording the chord data.

It’s a bit of work , still easier than making a mistake and having to record the sequence over and over again in a long song.


There is a demo vers on Jos’s site. Full version is $10
I was originally going to Jos’s one man band software , which I have had for years, then I remembered about his chord player software.

[petr14]

Hopefully they give us some way of editing and creating these chord sequences other than in real-time.

I want to make a tool that will create chord sequence files either from MuseScore, MusicXML or a simple csv file, in which measure number, beat and chord would be entered on each line. I know everything needed for this, the only thing preventing me is the undocumented CSC file format.

[rikkisbears]

I want to make a tool that will create chord sequence files either from MuseScore, MusicXML or a simple csv file, in which measure number, beat and chord would be entered on each line. I know everything needed for this, the only thing preventing me is the undocumented CSC file format.

Hi, sadly Korg don’t seem to be very helpful.

[siebenhirter]

.. Hopefully they give us some way of editing and creating these chord sequences other than in real-time. ..

My posting does not answer the question about the documentation of a CSC file, but a longer chord sequence does not necessarily have to be recorded in real time with a KORG Pa-keyboard.

Any software sequencer (also freeware) that can recognize and process XF chords in an SMF is suitable for manual processing of chord sequences for a Pa-arranger.

The built-in "Chord Sequence Edit" allows the import/export of manually editable SMFs. When importing, there are the options "Notes" and "Chords" and the option "from Measure" and "to Measure" (1-999).

[petr14]

The built-in "Chord Sequence Edit" allows the import/export of manually editable SMFs.

Pa5X does not have this feature.

[rikkisbears]

Hi Siebenhirter, unfortunately on PA5x we currently don’t have any sort of editing functions for chord sequencer. As far as I can tell only way to create them is record them live, and hope you don’t make a single mistake, or you start over.
Hopefully editing of some sort will be introduced in update.

Meanwhile my Chord Player software appears to be working well.
It’s simple enough, only takes a couple of minutes give/take to type in the chords ( discovered I can copy/paste), then another 2 or 3 min to play/record it from pc across to the Korg. I’ve tried it at 150bpm and it seems to work fine, might try setting tempo even higher and see how I go.

[petr14]

OK, I've reverse engineered the CSC format. It's a fairly simple structure, but there are some things I don't understand.

1) The meaning of the 6th byte in the CSC file is not clear to me.

2) In the 2nd SMF example - Seqencer Specific Meta Event 42 60 01 occurs - I don't know what it means.

3) In the XML examples - the parameters for all elements are not clear to me, with the exception of the AppearingTimeSignature element.

Code: Select all

CSC FORMAT
==========

Root 00                - 5 bytes, CSC file header
01 00                  - 2 bytes, unknown
XX XX XX XX            - 4 bytes, CONTENT SIZE, Big Endian
Leaf 00                - 5 bytes, first part header
Main.mid 00            - X bytes, string, SMF file name, probably always the same
XX XX XX XX            - 4 bytes, SMF SIZE, Big Endian
[SMF DATA]             - SMF SIZE bytes, SMF binary data
Leaf 00                - 5 bytes, second part header
ClipDescription.xml 00 - X bytes, string, XML file name, probably always the same
XX XX XX XX            - 4 bytes, XML SIZE, Big Endian
[XML DATA]             - XML SIZE bytes

SMF FORMAT
==========

Standard midi format.


Example 1: User created Chord Sequence

No | Tr | aTick | M.B.T   | SHN | Name|C   | Short
---+----+-------+---------+-----+----------+----------
0  | 0  | 0     | 0.1.000 | HDR | Header   | F0 T1 384
1  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | TR1 | Track    |
2  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | TSI | TimeSig  | 4/4 24 8
3  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | TPO | Tempo    | 100
4  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | KSI | KeySig   | 1 major
5  | 1  | 1536  | 1.1.000 | TXT | Text     | F
6  | 1  | 3170  | 2.1.098 | TXT | Text     | A m
7  | 1  | 6127  | 3.4.367 | TXT | Text     | G
8  | 1  | 6920  | 4.3.008 | TXT | Text     | F
9  | 1  | 9211  | 5.4.379 | TXT | Text     | G
10 | 1  | 12288 | 8.1.000 | TR0 | EndTrack |


Example 2: Factory Chord Sequence - Tritone...

No | Tr | aTick | M.B.T   | SHN | Name|C   | Short
---+----+-------+---------+-----+----------+-------------
0  | 0  | 0     | 0.1.000 | HDR | Header   | F0 T1 384
1  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | TR1 | Track    |
2  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | TSI | TimeSig  | 4/4 24 8
3  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | TPO | Tempo    | 80
4  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | KSI | KeySig   | 0 major
5  | 1  | 1536  | 1.1.000 | TXT | Text     | D m7
6  | 1  | 3072  | 2.1.000 | TXT | Text     | C# 7
7  | 1  | 4608  | 3.1.000 | TXT | Text     | C M7
8  | 1  | 7680  | 5.1.000 | SQN | Seqencer | 3 [42,60,01]
9  | 1  | 7680  | 5.1.000 | TR0 | EndTrack |


Example 3: Style Chord Sequence - Spaghetti Western

No | Tr | aTick | M.B.T   | SHN | Name|C   | Short
---+----+-------+---------+-----+----------+----------
0  | 0  | 0     | 0.1.000 | HDR | Header   | F0 T1 384
1  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | TR1 | Track    |
2  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | TSI | TimeSig  | 4/4 24 8
3  | 1  | 0     | 0.1.000 | KSI | KeySig   | 0 major
4  | 1  | 1536  | 1.1.000 | TXT | Text     | D m
5  | 1  | 3072  | 2.1.000 | TXT | Text     | G
6  | 1  | 4608  | 3.1.000 | TXT | Text     | D m
7  | 1  | 6144  | 4.1.000 | TXT | Text     | C
8  | 1  | 7680  | 5.1.000 | TXT | Text     | D m
9  | 1  | 9216  | 6.1.000 | TXT | Text     | G
10 | 1  | 10752 | 7.1.000 | TXT | Text     | Bb
11 | 1  | 11520 | 7.3.000 | TXT | Text     | C
12 | 1  | 12288 | 8.1.000 | TXT | Text     | D m
13 | 1  | 13824 | 9.1.000 | TR0 | EndTrack |


XML FORMAT
==========

Example 1: User created Chord Sequence

<CLIP type="ChordClip" version="0" release="3">
  <RESOURCE name="Main.mid"/>
  <PARAMS>
    <Sync start="4" startrec="4" sync="2"/>
    <AppearingTimeSignature numerator="4" denominator="2"/>
    <Loop number="-1" length="-1"/>
    <Start fineSlide="0" measure="0"/>
    <Pitch/>
    <OriginalKey root1="5" mode1="0" root2="0" mode2="0"/>
  </PARAMS>
</CLIP>


Example 2: Factory Chord Sequence Tritone...

<CLIP type="ChordClip" version="0" release="3">
  <RESOURCE name="Main.mid"/>
  <PARAMS>
    <Sync start="4" startrec="4" sync="2"/>
    <AppearingTimeSignature numerator="4" denominator="2"/>
    <Loop number="-1" length="-1"/>
    <Start fineSlide="0" measure="0"/>
    <Pitch/>
    <OriginalKey root1="0" mode1="0" root2="0" mode2="0"/>
  </PARAMS>
</CLIP>


Example 3: Style Chord Sequence - Spaghetti Western

<CLIP type="ChordClip" version="0" release="3">
  <RESOURCE name="Main.mid"/>
  <PARAMS>
    <Sync start="4" startrec="4" sync="2"/>
    <AppearingTimeSignature numerator="4" denominator="2"/>
    <Loop number="-1" length="-1"/>
    <Start fineSlide="0" measure="0"/>
    <Pitch/>
    <OriginalKey root1="0" mode1="0" root2="0" mode2="0"/>
  </PARAMS>
</CLIP>

[rikkisbears]

Hi Petr. have you had any luck working it out?