Are there hidden settings in sound edit mode?

compusic · Post by **compusic** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 4:10 am

Hi, I just got my PA588. I'm interested in its sound making possibilities, such as RX technology. So I choose the Grand RX Demo sound, push the Menu button to enter into edit mode, analyse how KORG make such RX sounds.

To my surprise, I'm afraid some settings or parameters are hidden, users can't get access to those settings. An example, one OSC plays back the pedal-down sample ( you can solo each OSC to see what they playback), and this sample/OSC is triggered only by pushing the pedal down, not by pushing down the keys. But I can't find a setting that can set such kind of triggering conditions (you can find more conditional triggerings as you dig deeply). That means I can't make my own sounds from scratch, using such conditional triggerings.

Conditional triggerings are very powerful for sound synthesizing and making, just check the key-switch and similar functions in nowadays software samplers/romplers.

Why Korg hides such powerful technology? Is there anyway to unlock it?

Thanks in advance.

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:00 am

Hi compusic,

The functions are not hidden or secret. They are explained in the Advance Edit manual "Sound Edit" section. If you don't have the Advance Edit manual already you can download the latest version from the www.KorgPa.com web site.

Specifically, the damper pedal on/off events are mapped to specific notes such as F9 for "damper on" and G9 for "damper off". See the "Sound: Basic, Damper Trigger" menu in Sound Edit mode. Then specific damper RX noise samples are added to the notes F9 and G9 in the OSC assignments.

You also have the capability to assign samples that are triggered when notes are played "legato" and you can set the note interval range and timing so you can create your own definition of what "legato" means.

Best regards,
Rob

BasariStudios · Post by **BasariStudios** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:06 am

Nothing is hiden at all, every single parameter, to the last one is right in front
of us, right on the display but it takes time actually learn all of that, years.

compusic · Post by **compusic** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:21 am

Thanks for reply.

But waite, Bob, are you sure you are refering to PA588 settings?

There's no such things like "Sound: Basic, Damper Trigger" in my PA588 sound edit menu, the Advance Edit manual does not show it either.

And as for note mapping " Then specific damper RX noise samples are added to the notes F9 and G9 in the OSC assignments", you mean when I push down the damper pedal without pushing down any keys, the damper action also generates a note-on message, for example note f9 is on, then the note-on triggers the damper noise sample? If it is so, then can I change the mapping of this damper action, for example damper-down action generates other MIDI controller message?

compusic · Post by **compusic** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:48 am

Terrible!

Just download other PA models's manuals for comparing.

PA800 and PA2X have those triggering condition settings, PA500 and PA588 do NOT have.

Come on, Korg, please give us access to those settings!!!

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:48 am

Hi Compmusic,

My mistake, yes I was referring to Pa800 and Pa2x OS v2 functions. Sorry to disappoint you ... The Pa500 and Pa588 are running a stripped-down version of the "older" OS version 1 which does not have things like DNC with legato mode and programmable RX noises on footpedal, score display etc. When I checked the press releases about OS v2 Korg only ever advertised it for Pa2x and Pa800. There is apparently an internal memory size limitation on the Pa500 and Pa588 which means that an OS v2 upgrade is not possible. The memory limitation explains why the Pa500 and Pa588 do not have the "Favorite" style bank memories that were on the Pa800 and Pa2x with OS version 1. I'm sure Korg would have released a full version of OS v1 or even OS v2 for the Pa500 and Pa588 if the code memory space was available in the hardware.

The Pa keyboards all use a single-chip ARM processor. There are various versions of ARM processors available on the market, each has different memory addressing limitations. You can find out more about the various different ARM chips here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_architecture

The Pa500 and Pa588 were cost-reduced designs that used a cheaper ARM processor (with less than half the memory addressing capability) compared with the processor used on Pa800 / Pa2x. I expect Korg are hoping that Pa500 and Pa588 owners will upgrade later on by trading in for a Pa2x. I'm very sorry at what must be disappointing news for you, but if you only just got your Pa588 I'm sure the dealer would trade it for a Pa2x for the difference in price.

Best regards,
Rob

compusic · Post by **compusic** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:23 am

Thanks for the infos.

I'm afraid unlocking those settings is possible, since PA500, 588 do have RX sounds, that means they are capable of recognizing and processing those conditional triggerings, maybe they are short of memory addressing, so can't offer the GUI to let users make their own settings. As for me, I would like to throw away some other functions or reduce the total number of sounds, performances, styles, etc. (these can be replaced and overwitten at will), and make room for complete sound editting GUI.

Korg, do you hear me?!

Paolo@Korg · Post by **Paolo@Korg** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:41 pm

Compusic,

I'm sorry to say that some of the advanced editing features of Pa2X and Pa800 (like DNC sounds) will not appear on the Pa500 or Pa588, due to hardware differences. There is no way to add features only made possible by the tone generation hardware of the major models.

Best regards,
Paolo