Korg Forums

[mgb747]

Can a controller keyboard be used with the PA300?
The manual mentions a master controller being able to connect via usb to the PA300. How? What cable/s to what port? The manual does not show a master keyboard connection example. It does show a computer connection. Any help is appreciated.
mgb747

[mgb747]

LOOKS LIKE I ANSWERED MY OWN QUESTION.
HERE'S WHAT I FOUND.

Last night I found a way to connect a master keyboard controller to the PA300 via USB using a computer.

Connect the master keyboard midi out to a computer. I used a MIDI USB M Audio Mini Sport Uno device available for around $35 USD. There are many to choose from. Check Amazon or the like.

Connect the PA300 USB Device port to the computer via a USB A male to B male cable. Very common cable. Also available on Amazon for around $5 dollars.

Open a MIDI sequencing software program. It must be capable of choosing MIDI input and output devices (which most are that I know of).

Choose the master keyboard as the MIDI input device then choose the General USB (PA300) as the output MIDI device. The reason the output MIDI device is listed as General USB is because I did not load the Korg windows drivers that came on a CD with the PA300. So windows installed a general windows driver that works fine in my case. If you encounter problems, then load the Korg windows drivers.

The master keyboard controller is set to transmit on channel 1 by default and this works fine. I did disable local control on the master keyboard so it doesn't sound the internal voices on the master controller keyboard.

Then set the PA300 receive channels to global.
Press global; menu; MIDI;mid-in-channels tab; and set all 16 channels to "GLOBAL". This can be saved on the PA300 one of eight custom presets so when you want to reconfigure your keyboards its easy to just use a different preset.

I happen to use "Band in a Box" as my MIDI program to allow this connection. It serves no purpose other than allowing the PA300 to be controlled by the master keyboard which happens to be a motif XF7.

This setup works beautifully. Pitch bend and modulation on the XF control the PA300 as well as many other functions such a transpose; octave; etc.

I have a 3 tier "A" stand and the PA300 is center space. Playing it requires my arms to be extended at a higher angle and after awhile it gets to hurting. By using my master keyboard as controller of the other boards above it, I can play at a "normal" piano angle and height for hours.

Wanted to share what I discovered with all.

If anyone has found a different way of making the connection to a master keyboard controller, please pass it on. Much appreciated.

Love the PA300. Styles are great, so are many other features. Having a blast making music with it.

Best to all

mgb747

[medivian]

Thanks for sharing, it´s great...I would like use PA300 as a master keyboard for Korg M3 module. Do you think could you use your PA300 to control Yamaha Motif?