Load Progr and Combi of the EXB-PCM

Valerios · Post by **Valerios** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 2:36 pm

Hello Guys

I recently bought from ebay the EXBPCM.

Actually i have the studio essential and the vintage (more will come)

First of all i would like to keep all the default factory combi and programs, and as you know the factory setup:

Internal bank A to D full of combi

Internal A to D fullo of programs
Internal E for sampler
Internal F for MOSS (I have that too)
Internal G is for GM/GS

So the internal are all filled even if i can overwrite i would like to keep like that.
So i would like to use the EXTernal banks that are usually empty and i woule like to load the programs and combi related to the EXB-PCM board installed.

Here is the problem.
The EXB board come with a floppy with programs and combi to load.

We take for example the exb-PCM2 studio essential, mounted on slot 2:
as files they have

C_BANK.PCG
D_BANK.PCG

If i open the C_BANK.PCG file i found:

PROGRAMS
COMBINATIONS
DRUM KITS
ARPEGGIO
GLOBAL SETTINGS

If i just load the PCG the Triton will overwrite the INTERNAL C Bank of combi and programs and i do not want that.

I would like to write that to the EXT-B bank wich is empty.

How i can do that?
thank you for your help

Valerios · Post by **Valerios** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:41 am

I found part of the reply from the manual.

The manual says that the C and D banks are the same, but in different location so i can just load the bank C as suggested from the manual.

It also say that i can save anywhere but it is preferable to save on the correct location that for the EXB-PCM02 is EXB-2.

The sounds should work fine because except for the EXB03 the combi use part of the default sounds and if the default programs are loaded the combi work properly.

That is my problem, so far it seems that some combi are not working properly and some programs of the combi are not the correct one.

any idea?

I will keep to update if i will have more info.

michelkeijzers · Post by **michelkeijzers** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:51 am

You also can use the free PCG Tools software to manage your banks. See the link in my signature below.

billbaker · Post by **billbaker** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:03 pm

The problem with overwriting the B bank is that the programs of B are used at the combi level. Overwriting B programs compromises every combi that refers to a B bank program; that includes the EXB combis that may refer to the "expected" A & B factory combis.

Location, Location, Location

Combis look only at program location, they are not smart enough to look for instrument type. You'd need to document the specific instrument used in a combi in order to restore them after a program overwrite or bank change.

On the other hand .pcg files are pretty much unlimited. Consider: Save (2x) your current set up. The overwrite the Factory Set .pcg, then EXB programs/combis, drums to their respective banks (C or D).

This should give you.

A - Factory
B - Factory
C - EXB #1
D - EXB #2
E - sample driven programs or any other ROM based program
F - MOSS
G - GM

Just load that .pcg file when you need to.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Studio has the EXTra (not EXTernal) user banks H-M, no?

You could load the EXB program banks to any of those. The "load to" location can be specified even if the default load is C or D.

You might need to look at combis individually to make the program location correct (i.e., where you see C##, correct to H## which is where you've put the C bank programs).

This BTW is a good reason to have a software librarian, as many of these changes can be automated or at least made more clear on one page with a drag and drop function in a good GUI. Click the link in MK's post.

BB

michelkeijzers · Post by **michelkeijzers** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:14 pm

billbaker wrote: Combis look only at program location, they are not smart enough to look for instrument type. You'd need to document the specific instrument used in a combi in order to restore them after a program overwrite or bank change.

PCG Tools is capable of making such list, which you can view or print out. Also when you move programs, it will automatically sync the combis.

billbaker wrote:
This BTW is a good reason to have a software librarian, as many of these changes can be automated or at least made more clear on one page with a drag and drop function in a good GUI. Click the link in MK's post.

Sadly PCG Tools does not use drag and drop, however, with the buttons or shortcut keys, moving up/down is very easy.

Valerios · Post by **Valerios** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:59 pm

michelkeijzers wrote:You also can use the free PCG Tools software to manage your banks. See the link in my signature below.

i'd love to use that, thank you, but unfortunately my place is a "windows free" environment !!

Valerios · Post by **Valerios** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:13 pm

Korg triton Studio has

For Combi
INTernal banks: from A to E
EXTernal Banks: from A to G

For Programs
INT From A to D + F for sampler E for MOSS and G for GM/GS
EXT From A to G

billbaker wrote:The problem with overwriting the B bank is that the programs of B are used at the combi level.
Overwriting B programs compromises every combi that refers to a B bank program; that includes the EXB combis that may refer to the "expected" A & B factory combis.

Yes if you overwrite the INT B bank wich contains the default programs, but if you write the bank on the EXT B wich should be empty (a part if you used for your personal program/combi) it shoudl be fine.

The manual suggest that right because if you don't touch the default programs allocation the EXB combi refer to some default sounds and some Board sounds.

This should give you.

A - Factory
B - Factory
C - EXB #1
D - EXB #2
E - sample driven programs or any other ROM based program
F - MOSS
G - GM

YEs if you overwrite the internal banks, but you have also the external banks available and the manual suggest to save allocate the pcg to the external banks as i explained before.

Studio has the EXTra (not EXTernal) user banks H-M, no?

please see above

michelkeijzers · Post by **michelkeijzers** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:23 pm

Valerios wrote:
michelkeijzers wrote:You also can use the free PCG Tools software to manage your banks. See the link in my signature below.
i'd love to use that, thank you, but unfortunately my place is a "windows free" environment !!

In that case it is not possible (unless you want to install a Windows emulator, but probably you also consider that as Windows nonfree. I have occasionaly had responses from people interesting porting PCG Tools, but never heard any serious reaction back sadly.

billbaker · Post by **billbaker** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 4:06 pm

@ valerios,

My apologies.

Thought the studio and triton rack followed the same naming protocol for the additional banks (beyond G).

From an architecture standpoint they're pretty much identical otherwise.

BB

Valerios · Post by **Valerios** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:29 am

I received yesterday the EXB_PCM that i ordered and now my triton studio is full!!

I have 96 mb for the sampler, and all the 7 EXBPCM boards plus the MOSS and the CDRW (honestly i put a DVD RW from from and old laptop and is working fine util now)

So i miss the valve an i have a triton extreme!!

By loading all the PCG in the banks i have now all the banks INTernale and EXternal full, there is no space for new usre programs as far as i can see (i will investigate more soon)

But if it is true that i do not have empty slots for new combis and new program (utnil i delete some of course) i do not know if i should be happy or i should worry!!

Anyway!! the keyboard reborn

After about 13 Years the korg triton has nothing to envy to the last models is still a bad ass keyboard, and I love it!

michelkeijzers · Post by **michelkeijzers** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 9:42 am

Valerios wrote: But if it is true that i do not have empty slots for new combis and new program (utnil i delete some of course) i do not know if i should be happy or i should worry!!

That is where multiple PCG files are useful. For every project (or band), use a separate PCG file if you need more programs/combis.

With PCG Tools you can find unused programs (i.e. programs that are not used by any combi).