Kaossilator Pro fixes and features wish list (update4/20/10)

[Scott M2]

When set to PrLd: ALL.P the KO-Pro stores the Program, Scale, Key and Note Range but NOT the Program Volume,
which would be a great help for bringing in a sound in live performance immediately at the right level.

Please add Program Volume to the UTILITY PrLd: ALL.P option in the next firmware update. Thanks.

[phillwilson]

Overall I would say Jim Pongs views are closest to my own

the main features missing that seem upgradable are

1.... aligning the 1 - 2 octave range settings to the grid or half sections of the grid, or even better have a MAP feature a bit like the kp mnis caliberation tweeks where I can manually touch where i would like my subdivisions to go, i think if i could set this up with a fine touch pen then i could get it bang the lines and half way points.

if a scale has an odd non divisible number of notes then just do a bit like they do now and have a little dead space on the far right and top where two grid spaces act as one.

2.some way to keep visual referance of the grid, i would suggest a DIM setting that has enough light to see where the squares are so that they light on full power when pressed.

3. a simple was of assigning CC# values to the upwards axis in external mode, im struggling with this.


4. a one shot mode for samples. i already have external and superiour looping hardware, i imaging a lot of people use computers for loops and want this as a control and performance device, with that in mind it would be great for us to re utilise the loop banks into sample banks that way i could play the kaoss pad with one hand and trigger either speech patterns or even a simple 4 piece kit with my other .



ok thats probably all i can see getting squeezed into this version because of hardware limitations

but for future releases it would be nice to see them using the grid more cleverly to try and capture some of the magic of the tenoi ons / monome interface methods

[nobody]

Here's a feature that I know could fit in hardware:

I'd like it very much if in any of the 'classic' modes (i.e. ionian, dorian, phrygian, etc...) or any scale with 8 notes, if the notes were equally spaced across the XY pad. I find it infuriating that I can move my finger starting at the leftmost edge slowly towards the right, the second column of LEDs lights up, but the note played remains at the root. A similar effect is on the right.
It would make the backlights much more useful IMHO.

-James

[Anonymouse]

Has any officials from Korg commented whether or not if they are going to implement a firmware update addressing some of these issues?

Some of the problems mentioned in this topic really annoy me to the point that I am going to sell the K-Pro if a firmware update doesnt come sometime soon.

[Mr36]

I haven't heard of any official announcement and, to be honest, I don't expect a big firmware update. If there is one, it won't fix even half of the problems, if it fixes any at all. Korg have made their product and all of these shortcomings are part of it.

[Anonymouse]

This is such a shame as after years of buying korg equipment the Kaossilator Pro has really left a bad taste in my mouth in regards to the Korg brand. I just find it so frustrating that they didnt think to include certain simple features that seemed so obviously needed.

[SMK]

You know I am so amazed at how many bad comments are out there about the Kaossilator Pro. I got this synth working fine. Yes the fixes we have listed are "A" great and would really add to the experience and "B" are completely doable.

The only new fix I have to add is that when you have a bunch of settings listed on your pad, like your 8 bank sound set, there needs to be an option switch at the software level to have programs that you write to the banks on the fly to stay constant (be there even after power down and reboot) instead of having to go thru the added step of making sure you hit "Save Program" before powering down. I know this feature was to make it easy to save different programing choices and all for different sets but what I like about the KP3 is if I make a change in one of the 8 banks, it stays in memory after power down. Just more convenient for someone who is working out a set then races out the door to perform it live (thats how I roll whether I like it or not). Imagine playing live and you're all on it for the show and ya need to pull up that cool piano that you wrote to bank 3 and ooooooops!, ya have a different clank clank. Yeah you can guess all the other settings didn't take. Now remember where the piano was and forget the drum sounds...that's pretty hard to find.

So yeah one has to hit "save program" before power down if you mess with something, like what you have in banks 1-8 and such.

This issue and many of the other stuff really can be solved. There is a way around it (even if adding a step). Now for example, if one just played around with the midi connection with a KP3...guy's, doors just open up like mad. So many cool things one can do with this thing; it's amazing!

I can find fixes that need to happen but i find even more cool techniques as well.

While I'm on the subject of tricks and techniques: you know how a couple cats here have posted vids on using the Arp Gate slider to create their own rhythm and you go to do that and you're like "frakk i need some mad skills to do that" right?! Maybe this has been posted but anyhow, lowering the BMP really helps a lot when trying to change the gate speed live and playing it like some of these crazy cats do.

I was clocking in at 120 bmp and "duh" of course it will be hard to snag a rhythm using the slider. So drop it to about 80 to no higher that 85 BMP then you can see a dramatic difference in how well you can control and create your own rhythm patterns with the Arp Gate slider. A little common sense with a better understanding of the BMP time with Gate time.

(Now for the Rant)

Really it would be nice to see less bitching about the unit and more work-arounds and tips on it. You committed $350 to it and honestly while you could find a sick live SOS looper for that price or a great quality drum machine for that price but damn all in one package?! Oh and you also get a cool touch based midi synth controller that gives you the option to set it to any predefined scale at any specific key up to 4 octaves.

No one can argue that fact that your $350 stretches with this unit. Sorry guys just had to put that out there.

[Anonymouse]

Option for KO-1 gate arps is on the top of my list. Maybe Shift-Gate Arp to access them.

[Bazildon]

...Really it would be nice to see less bitching about the unit and more work-arounds and tips on it....

There would be less bitching if all of us who loved the original KO had been able to access the things that made it so bloody amazing in the first place!

aka, most of us miss the gate arps so much it hurts and it's what most of us are complaining about with regards to the KPRO. All the other gripes can be worked around.

I'm with Anonymouse, shift-gate seems like a great idea. If only we can get this through to Korg.

[Anonymouse]

Your right Bazildon. I was enraged when I found out that Korg had dropped the original gate arps. I understand that they want you to have some more creative control of the gate but this is only good for very few occasions. Im tempted to sell my KO-Pro but I may hang on to it should I catch wind of a future firmware update. I wish Korg would make an official announcement regarding this issue.

[tytusrudecki]

i called this feature liquid memory. 4 x 16beats is max, right?. but decreasing one bank to 0 should give us possibility for increase another bank to 32beats.

example:
BANK A - 0
BANK B - 32
BANK C - 16
BANK D - 16

if we declarate to use let's say bank C with max 8 of 16 available beats we should obtain possibility to increase beats in bank A (from 0 to max 8beats).

example:
BANK A - 8
BANK B - 32
BANK C - 8
BANK D - 16

[Anonymouse]

Great idea tytusrudecki. Only having 16 beat loops is a terrible limitation for a 'pro' device.

[JinglesJapan]

...

[jumpnkick]

i think the main feature to be added to kopro, is to be able to use it as any other midi module, with a controller, where u can play note by note.

[mikethomasmusic]

I'm an indie rock singer sognwriter that sometimes mixes in some electronica. Anyway allot of my songs have pauses in them. So if I'm playing keys or guitar live to a loop in the kaoss pro, I can't turn the pro on and off when the song comes to a pause point. How about a 1/4 inch input on the back for an expression pedal or in my case an on off pedal? Then maybe in the functions you could assign which loop you want the pedal to control.