Microkorg filter cutoff dial detunes all my patches - help?

elplacebo · Post by **elplacebo** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:02 pm

My Microkorg has an issue where the '1/Cutoff' knob detunes all the patches when it's manipulated from the default position. I've tried everything and can't figure out why it's doing this. The 'Edit Select 2' knob is not in global tuning mode, I've tried replacing power supplies and batteries thinking it might be a power issue but that didn't work.

Has anyone encountered this before?? Maybe it's just plain broken, any help is greatly appreciated for sure!!

Best,
- elplacebo

apierce5 · Post by **apierce5** » Sat Aug 28, 2010 4:20 pm

Yep...actually, it happened when I first bought it a few years ago - had to go through quite a lot to get it fixed. It's been put away for a bit and recently I fired it up...and it's happened again.

I would love to hear anyone else who has had this exact problem and has a long-term fix for it.

elplacebo · Post by **elplacebo** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:27 pm

I just gave up and got another one...no one seemed to know how to fix it sadly

Andrew Greaves · Post by **Andrew Greaves** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 3:56 pm

Mine kind of does this too. I think its defaulting to edit mode, possibly the mechanics are a hair trigger. Anyway, I just switch to another sound and back again and its usually ok.

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:14 pm

If the problem is regardless of patch or edit mode, then it is a physical electrical connection problem inside the keyboard.

It happens on other keyboards, for example, that a certain connection breaks and causes the voltage on the ground to 'float' which can cause knobs to randomly send off wrong values, including the pitch bend.

In that case, either the pitch bend will not work at all, or the 'pitch bend range' control in the 'pitch parameters' section will affect the amount of detuning.

Alternatively the damage may be more serious and the floating voltages could result in a variance in the timing crystal or whatever method is used to clock the DSP. This is unlikely and would probably result in sound artefacts as well.

due to the digital nature of the input and parameter system on most modern keyboards (including the microKorg specifically), it is highly unlikely that a knob can actually alter a parameter that is not on the active edit selection.

Andrew Greaves · Post by **Andrew Greaves** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 8:20 am

I may be my problem is slightly different then.

What happens when my Micro is in performance mode (no edit pots moved).
If I turn a performance control (i.e. Cut Off) it changes the value of an edit parameter. It only happens occassionally (but once during a gig!). Reset the sound sorts it.

I have the same problem with an EMU synth a few years ago, but that happened regularly and did affect the pitch wheel.

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 8:27 am

Andrew Greaves wrote:I may be my problem is slightly different then.

What happens when my Micro is in performance mode (no edit pots moved).
If I turn a performance control (i.e. Cut Off) it changes the value of an edit parameter. It only happens occassionally (but once during a gig!). Reset the sound sorts it.

I have the same problem with an EMU synth a few years ago, but that happened regularly and did affect the pitch wheel.

How do you know it is changing the value of an edit parameter? do the numbers come up on the screen?

Andrew Greaves · Post by **Andrew Greaves** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 8:44 am

yes I see parameter values coming up. I think its the filter type, but can't be sure as I switch out and reset as quick as I can. next time it happens I'll make a note.

When it happens the cut off pot doesn't affect the cut off.

doctorpockets · Post by **doctorpockets** » Thu Apr 06, 2017 9:34 pm

Hi all. This is an old topic but I was having the EXACT same problem and SOLVED it in my microkorg!!! Wanted to share my experience.

My 1/Cutoff knob would detune whatever patch I was using, and the general ability to manipulate the cutoff seemed worse. Really a pain. Made playing a lot less fun. Additionally, the pitch wheel would only change the pitch by maybe a half-step, no matter what the bend range was set to. Global settings restore didn't help. Full patch restore didn't help.

SOLUTION:
I unscrewed the bottom plate of the microkorg, exposing the main board as well as some wires and (importantly) the soldering for the pitch and mod wheels. I used a can of compressed air to blow out as much dust and hair as I could (there was a ton of it) but a lot of hair and some little spiderwebs were still stuck on various pointy bits. I grabbed a pair of tweezers and went to town patiently & *very carefully* pulling out every hair and piece of junk I could get to. I paid particularly close attention to the pitch/mod wheels, which had a number of (I think) dog hairs running from the soldering to screws, other wires, etc. Lots of junk had gotten in there.

Screwed the bottom plate back on and, voila! This little synth is running like the day I bought it---about 8 years ago. I hope this helps some folks. I couldn't be happier to have my MK back.

EDIT: The problem came back the night that I posted this. I ended up disassembling the Microkorg and cleaning the dust/crud off of everything (top of circuit board, keybed, etc). No problems since.