How to operate best during live shows

prkravi · Post by **prkravi** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 5:12 am

Hey Rich! Thanks!

bsr2002 · Post by **bsr2002** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 5:12 am

[quote="roryn1"]I'd like to have a keyboard that has more techno/pop sounding sounds on it that I don't have to fiddle with as much as you do with the m50[/quote]

Get a MOTIF!

Stephen · Post by **Stephen** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 10:04 am

The combinations are endless. Now you can mess with attack, decay, sustain, EQ, effects, etc. There's so much you can do with the M50. The interface is very logical and the touch screen makes it a breeze.
Remember, you can mess with any sound as much as you want when you "trial and error" sounds without hurting anything. Just don't save the patch when you're done. You'll learn what every setting is very quickly when you start playing with them.

And...you can also combine existing sounds to make some seriously good
stuff in Combi mode.
I have created a few combinations that combine, say, and organ, and synth, with a guitar attack, so that it actually sounds like there's more than just one keyboard playing,so when my guitar player plays a solo, there's no gaping hole in the music.
I also created a 3 way keyboard split for another tune, the possibilities are endless, and a lot of fun. Every time I do that, I discover something I didn't know, or a sound that I can use.

pictobug · Post by **pictobug** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 1:26 pm

McHale wrote:
REAL easy. Change the waveforms. Open up a piano patch and change the piano waveforms to something like a SAW or a trumpet or bagpipes or... There's hundreds of waveforms to choose from.

I'm obviously missing something important here. I THINK I've done as you said here, I've changed waveforms on a handful of sounds and none of them affect the sounds in any way whatsoever.
I assume you mean Page Select>P5 LFO, and then the list of waveforms at the top left pop-up menu? I've tried flicking through lots of these and none of them make a shred of difference to the sound.

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 1:40 pm

pictobug wrote:
McHale wrote:
REAL easy. Change the waveforms. Open up a piano patch and change the piano waveforms to something like a SAW or a trumpet or bagpipes or... There's hundreds of waveforms to choose from.

I'm obviously missing something important here. I THINK I've done as you said here, I've changed waveforms on a handful of sounds and none of them affect the sounds in any way whatsoever.
I assume you mean Page Select>P5 LFO, and then the list of waveforms at the top left pop-up menu? I've tried flicking through lots of these and none of them make a shred of difference to the sound.

No, you want the oscillator page. You're changing the LFO modulation shape. you want to change the actual samples or 'recordings' that the keyboard is using to make its sound.

There should be some blank 'initialised' patches towards the end of the program bank for you to start on. just go through all the edit pages and change all of the parameters! have a play, learn what each of the different parameters does to the sound. if you get stuck then don't be afraid (or even ignorant), look in the manual, it is there for a reason! you'll learn exponentially how the parameters affect the sound and eachother.
when you're finished with the basic sound, you've then got the effects section which you can use fully too, which is like a whole other world in terms of sound design.

McHale · Post by **McHale** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 1:40 pm

nope. I wasn't sitting in front of my synth when I typed it (and I'm not now either unfortunately) but you're changing the multi-sample. It should be P2.

When I get home, I'll type up something quick and dirty if you can't find it on P2.

-Mc

roryn1 · Post by **roryn1** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 12:38 am

can someone tell me how to make new sounds? I don't understand it at all

kanthos · Post by **kanthos** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 4:30 pm

First, go find a tutorial on subtractive synthesis and read through it. The basis of the M50 is subtractive synthesis, although there are changes in different ways. If you don't have at least a basic understanding of subtractive synthesis, editing programs on the M50 will confuse you. Once you understand what's going on in a normal synth, it'll be a lot more obvious what the Korg is doing and how it's different.

Beyond that, it's like others have said: find an empty preset, change the waveform, and edit the settings.

roryn1 · Post by **roryn1** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 5:47 pm

is there a tutorial to use combi on an m50?

roryn1 · Post by **roryn1** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:11 pm

so I'm ready to smash my m50 against a wall since all I want to do is make better sounds than the crap ones that it has on it and it's crappy interface is making it impossible for me, I have an x5 and its easier to make sounds on it and it's almost 20 years old...

McHale · Post by **McHale** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 7:16 pm

roryn1 wrote:so I'm ready to smash my m50 against a wall since all I want to do is make better sounds than the crap ones that it has on it and it's crappy interface is making it impossible for me, I have an x5 and its easier to make sounds on it and it's almost 20 years old...

sounds are crap?

interface is crap?

Wow. Just... wow.

Good luck!

mocando · Post by **mocando** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 8:38 pm

roryn1 wrote:so I'm ready to smash my m50 against a wall since all I want to do is make better sounds than the crap ones that it has on it and it's crappy interface is making it impossible for me, I have an x5 and its easier to make sounds on it and it's almost 20 years old...

Buddy, just because you don't know how to use a piece of gear makes it crap. I find it a pleasure to use and program. And I haven't had a tiny bit of training on the thing. Just reading the manual and common sense.

Well, as they say: Common sense is the less common of all senses

roryn1 · Post by **roryn1** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 9:52 pm

well I like to write and make music instead of fiddle with it so can someone just please step by step tell me how to make sounds? The manual doesn't say a single thing about making sounds and i've searched this forum/youtube/google, and there's nothing. I just want step by step instructions?

mocando · Post by **mocando** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:29 pm

roryn1 wrote:well I like to write and make music instead of fiddle with it so can someone just please step by step tell me how to make sounds? The manual doesn't say a single thing about making sounds and i've searched this forum/youtube/google, and there's nothing. I just want step by step instructions?

Well, how the HELL are you planning to do to make sounds if you don't FIDDLE with it and learn to use it?

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:34 pm

roryn1 wrote:well I like to write and make music instead of fiddle with it so can someone just please step by step tell me how to make sounds? The manual doesn't say a single thing about making sounds and i've searched this forum/youtube/google, and there's nothing. I just want step by step instructions?

There is no set 'process' for 'creating' sounds.
a 'sound' on the M50 (or any synthesizer) is a program, and programs consist of a number of parameters which control synthesis blocks. it is easy in most synthesizers like the M50 or even the MicroKorg or anything like that because the synthesis block are fixed - so you don't really have to worry about that as much as what the parameters do.

a 'new sound' or 'program' would be created by setting the parameters of a blank (or any other) program to values (and setting up IFX etc) that create something close to the sound you are trying to create.

that is the whole point of a synthesizer - you can make it make new sounds or imitate other sounds with a set of parameters.
aside from that, there really is no way to learn it other than gaining experience. considering that you say that you want to concentrate on playing - then you must have spent a lot of time learning and practicing in order to play. and every time you practise you learn about how the instrument responds to the way you play and you improve your knowledge and skill in using the instrument. it is the same with making new sounds: It is also an art form, just as complex - if not more - than playing.