Korg pa4x "Customized" .set file

hforough · Post by **hforough** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 8:06 pm

Hello every one. I have a rather odd issue that I hope I can get a resolution for. I have been using a korg pa4x for almost 6 months now. I mostly play Eastern music where 99% of the styles I use have samples and non-standard drum kits. I purchased many .SET files from a person here in USA and he promised that he can help me with "Customization" process which btw is very tedious and time consuming. But now he has basically left me on a limbo and not responding and returning my calls. So I am resorting to the knowledge of talented musicians all over the world who may have run across my issue or have some inputs. So here it is.

So let’s say I have two set files SETFILE1.SET and SETFILE2.SET and I would like to move a STYLE1 from SETFILE1.SET to SETFILE2.SET. This style uses two different DKs and three different samples USR1, 2 and 3.
I have been able to move style from SETFILE1.SET to SETFILE2.SET (the process is rather lengthy and so I am not going to include it here) w/o problem for about 20 styles except on some of them. So I restore my korg pa4x to factory setting and then load the same STYLE1 from SETFILE1.SET and load the necessary DK, USR1,2,3 and the style plays well. I do a factory restore again and this time I load the entire set SETFILE2.SET and when I attempt to repeat the same process of load the same STYLE1 from SETFILE1.SET, I now get into issues. The style does not play correctly and I am not quite sure what I may be doing wrong, PA Manager software currently has a very limited support for korg pa4x so that is out of the question.

My guess is that I am having some sort of collision with some existing PCM data buy I don’t know how to determine that.
Has anyone out there experience with moving styles from one set to another which uses non-standard DKs and samples?

Any help in this matter is greatly appreciated.
Hamid

KorgPA · Post by **KorgPA** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:15 pm

You want watch those youtube video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxgTWLRe7k0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsm-yrTI1AE

hforough · Post by **hforough** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:19 pm

Yes I have seen this video except that he speaks Arabic and I don't

dhoom.more · Post by **dhoom.more** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:04 am

I have similar needs. I think overall we are looking for proper style elements like PCM, DK etc, which we can selectively load so that the style works for sure.

Any english instructions / video's are highly appreciated.

BR · Post by BR » Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:04 am

Hi hforough,
I've experimented exactly the same issue than you. Moving styles from one set to another works for some styles and does not work for some others.
Although these styles from both set work correctly when they are loaded separately.
There is a topic about this subject in the forum that I posted sometime ago,
here is the link:
http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpbb2/ ... highlight=

AntonySharmman · Post by **AntonySharmman** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:25 am

hforough wrote:I purchased many .SET files from a person here in USA

That's the main problem of all users that waste money on buying amateur stuff either fooling around network and
downloading any garbage that was made for undefined PaSeries !
This is the obvious way to waste Ram space and your time picking up scattered customized resources and
reposition them in different possitions not to overwrite each other !

I belong to leaders of Pro PaSeries external resources and I know from first hand why users must purchase
complete third-party SETs and not puzzles.

Now what happens to localized Eastern type amateur style resources ...
They primary use customized DKs or time-sliced drum loops (if they can't play drums) , time-sliced percussion and
maybe an extra customized guitar or a fake piano type sound but in every set those resources overlap each other
under same Bank possitions so here is the workflow to arrange them armed with extreme patience !

Korg pa4x Merging Custom Styles Tutorial

- Load every set you want to merge Styles and check that all styles you need work properly !
- Catch a notebook and begin to write down in every SET / every style's custom tracks that will be scattered in 1-4 user
banks and DK.

How to explore Style custom resources :
1) When a custom Style has "Original Sound Set" square (8 tracks/TRK.SEL) blank then you have to edit track intruments in
"Style Play" mode since "Record" mode informations are ignored , so just notice all required custom sound resources in
"Style Play" mode
2) If a Style has clicked square box of "Original Sound Set" then you have to enter Record/Edit current style/menu /
Track Elements control choose every Intro/Count In/Var/Fill/Brake/Ending , click on each icon , remark and write down
all custom Sound references.
Remember that time-sliced percussion & Drum loops are not written in UserDK but in User1-4

- When you have investigated all needed styles from all sets and also have noted the position and name of required
sound resources , make a Pa4X factory restore.

Basic Merge routine :
- Open SET 1/Sound/ User 1 - DKs and load one by one the required sounds in a bank you like (f.e at User 4) ,beginning
from position 1 in an increasing order , then do the same for DK banks beginning loading DKs from a fordwards like
page P9 in an increasing order.
(Note that when loading a Sound or DK all and only required samples & MS will be automatically loaded).
- Then load one by one needed styles of SET 1 , f.e. at any empty Bank you like beggining from position 1
If a loaded Style has "Original Sound Set" square (8 tracks/TRK.SEL) blank then you have to edit track intruments in
"Style Play" mode and save that style while in Style Mode.
If a Style has clicked square box of "Original Sound Set" then you have to enter Record/Edit current style/menu /
Track Elements control choose every Intro/Count In/Var/Fill/Brake/Ending , click on each icon , and reposition all noted
custom resources and save that style.
For the above job your notebook will be valuable to carry on.

Follow the Basic Merge routine for every SET 2 up to SET n you own and you will merge all your Styles properly
(If no styles creator's serious mistakes exist there) in a working SET that you can Save.
As you understand , you have to do the same for every STS/Sound of every SET you want to use ...
This might last for weeks and no utility can really help you to accomblish that ... only You !

Hope this helps and good luck !

hforough · Post by **hforough** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 3:56 pm

Thanks Antony for such a detailed information. I don't think I understand some of the procedures you have outlined here so I was wondering if it is possible for me to call you and perhaps discuses this over phone personally?

Once I have understood your technique I will then post another reply with a detail instructions so that every one else can benefit from it.

Thanks a million.

AntonySharmman · Post by **AntonySharmman** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 7:20 pm

I think that power users have already understood what I wrote , but I also think that It's better to explain them here
so focus on your questions and post them !

hforough · Post by **hforough** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:03 pm

well then I will try to post my questions. but first I'll explain what I have done to get the customization process to get started. For this I will use examples. I have two sets SET1.Set and SET2.Set. I would like to move STYLE1 from SET1.Set to SET2.Set. So this is what I do:

1) load SET1.SET
2) bring up the STYLE1 and press TRACK SELECT
3) Press Intro1
4) write down each of the tracks's DK, USR 1, 2,3,4 (name and relative address)
5) repeat the same for all the rest (Variations/fills/Brake/Intro)
6) do a factory restore
7) load SET2.SET

open the SET1.Set and go to styles and load STYLE1 to an empty location on the SET2.SET
9) open the SOUND->DK and find the name of each DKs from step 4 and load them into an empty location on the USERDK for SET2.SET
10) open the SOUND->USER 1 (through n) and load them into an empty locations
11) open the STYLE1
12) make sure each of the tracks are pointing to the correct name/location
and save

this process has worked for me for about 20-30 styles w/o issues but then I get into trouble when I attempt to merge more new styles.

here are my questions:
1) do you see any holes in my process?
2) so what do you mean here
"Open SET 1/Sound/ User 1 - DKs and load one by one the required sounds but save all from User 1-3 at User4
bank that is rarely used by those "developers" , begining from position 1 in an increasing order , do the same for
DK banks begining loading from P16/128 position with decreasing order (Just a suggestion not necessary to follow that order)."

the set that I have currently occupies all the FAV and USR1/4 so I am not clear here.

and
3) "Then load one by one needed styles of SET 1 , f.e. at Favorite 8 beggining from position 1"

Thanks

AntonySharmman · Post by **AntonySharmman** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:44 pm

Merging procedure requires a deep knowledge of Pa styles architecture and before trying anything you have to read and
understand Pa4X Advanced Edit manual !

I'll give you an example of what I think you're missing here :
Proffesional styles ( like some factory , and all of mine) are using different track instruments in every Intro/Vars/Endings
so you never edit a style in "Play Style" mode but only in "Record" , and in that you describe like changing track instruments
in "Style Play" mode and then simply saving your style there ... you just have ruined all Style's partial Intro/var/fill/ending track
instument information and "Original Sound Set" square (8 tracks/TRK.SEL) will be blank !!!
So the first thing you examine in an editing style is if this square is active and this always means that there are additional
style informations that you can edit only when inserting in "Record" mode else your style will be completely messed up
especially time-sliced percussion & Drum loops !!!
So please read & study advanced manual first for those fundamental style recording functions and edits and then you'll
see that every word of mine will be crystal clear and I can support you further with functions that you owe to know !

For the rest , forget my Bank examples and just choose a bank you like and just organize it with all Sounds or styles
you load each time !
The fact is that you have to load all required sounds/DK (remember that time-sliced percussion & Drum loops are not
written in UserDK but in User1-4) in order for every style you load , then assign resources in "Record mode" and save each style !
Only when and a Style has "Original Sound Set" square (8 tracks/TRK.SEL) blank you have to edit track intruments in
"Style Play" mode since "Record" mode informations are ignored !!!

EDITED : My previous post has been turned into a Korg pa4x Merging SETs Tutorial , so read it again ...

hforough · Post by **hforough** » Thu Jul 07, 2016 7:32 pm

Thanks Antony

I am going to study your suggested reading of "Pa4x advanced edit manual"
when I search the net for this, this url comes up but it says pa3x:

http://www.korgpa.com/images/stories/pd ... glish).pdf

Is this the correct manual? if not can you point me to the correct one?

Thanks in advance.

Nemik · Post by **Nemik** » Thu Jul 07, 2016 8:01 pm

hforough wrote:Thanks Antony

I am going to study your suggested reading of "Pa4x advanced edit manual"
when I search the net for this, this url comes up but it says pa3x:

http://www.korgpa.com/images/stories/pd ... glish).pdf

Is this the correct manual? if not can you point me to the correct one?

Thanks in advance.

Pa4X/User Manual English link:
http://www.korg.com/us/support/download ... /516/2572/

hforough · Post by **hforough** » Thu Jul 07, 2016 8:29 pm

Something strange just happened. When I earlier found the link
http://www.korgpa.com/images/stories/pd ... glish).pdf

it came up with a manual that I thought was the right one and now it no longer exists. Ok on the manual you have included which section will explain the advanced editing?

would it be"Advanced editing of the Sound sets"

Nemik · Post by **Nemik** » Thu Jul 07, 2016 9:02 pm

hforough wrote:Something strange just happened. When I earlier found the link
http://www.korgpa.com/images/stories/pd ... glish).pdf

it came up with a manual that I thought was the right one and now it no longer exists. Ok on the manual you have included which section will explain the advanced editing?

would it be"Advanced editing of the Sound sets"

Pa4X/User Manual has 1072 pages and included on page# 153 Advanced editing of the Sound sets.

hforough · Post by **hforough** » Thu Jul 07, 2016 9:55 pm

Thanks