Korg Module live?

[ferchis]

Hi!

I'd like to hear from any Module users as to whether they've used it live with any type of controller and their experience with it. Does it behave well? Any latency?

Also, can you map a particular sound to an assigned zone in the keyboard (like you would, say, on a workstation)? Maybe not thinking of splits (though that would be nice), but perhaps using a particular sound on only a portion of a given 88-note controller.

Thanks in advance for any input!

[Reuben]

I've got the full version of Module including the Ivory expansion. The app is bullet proof and reliable but doesn't allow for anything like splits and layering. My biggest gripe is the lack of polyphony - maximum of 18 notes on iPad Air 2 no matter what settings you choose. Latency is barely noticeable but I feel I get slightly better performance using Soundfonts and the bs-16i app which does allow layering and splits.

[ferchis]

Excuse my ignorance, what is Soundfonts?

[Reuben]

Soundfonts are just sound files that can be played/read by lots of programs.
They were the original standard for Soundblaster PC sound cards - an old standard that can be loaded to many musical keyboards as well.
If you google them you can find lots of free ones (with varying quality sounds). I have worked on making a few myself and have also gathered some of the best free ones on my site.
https://sites.google.com/site/soundfonts4u/
Most midi keyboards will have knobs to control things such as brightness, decay, modulation etc as well as program/sound select transpose etc and soundfonts with the sf2 file format will respond to these inputs.
There are newer sound file formats now such as VST Instruments for programs such as Cubase but the old sf2 format has been around much longer.
Cheers,
John

[Journo100]

Hi. Newbie here but have been using Module with a Novation Launchkey and now Novation Impulse as a second keyboard live for around two years now! My main board is a Korg Kross - hardly spending a fortune but together they sound great.
I play in two rock bands and the set-up works well in both.
With the Impulse I need to USB power it separately and use a Midi/USB cable to run Module as it won't take enough power from my iPad Air.
No latency issues but not much mapping at present... I am still working on this but am happy enough thanks to the setlist feature - invaluable for both program changes and the ability to add notes/chords and PDFs.

[ferchis]

Hi. Newbie here but have been using Module with a Novation Launchkey and now Novation Impulse as a second keyboard live for around two years now! My main board is a Korg Kross - hardly spending a fortune but together they sound great.
I play in two rock bands and the set-up works well in both.
With the Impulse I need to USB power it separately and use a Midi/USB cable to run Module as it won't take enough power from my iPad Air.
No latency issues but not much mapping at present... I am still working on this but am happy enough thanks to the setlist feature - invaluable for both program changes and the ability to add notes/chords and PDFs.

That's the thing: you're using it as a 2nd tier keyboard, alongside the Kross. I was thinking more of a workstation kind of app which would let you map things across the keyboard, split and layer things so you can rely on it on its own, but guess we'll have to wait a while 'til that happens some time in the future. Thanks for the reply anyway! Hey, BTW, is it a Kross 61 or 88 that you have?

[Reuben]

In case you missed what I said. The bs-16i app does let you split and layer and save whatever setups you want so you do not need to wait.
On another note - if anyone is thinking of getting Korg Module make sure you get the iPad version because Korg have just made the app universal and you get it for free on your iPhone including the Ivory expansion if you have it.
Cheers,
John

[Don Headley]

[quote="Reuben"]
"lack of polyphony - maximum of 18 notes on iPad Air 2 no matter what settings you choose."

Ipad Air 2 has 72 note polyphony.
Ipad Pro 112.
This is from the Korg web site.

[SanderXpander]

If the piano is like SGX2 in Kronos it's actually playing four voices at the same time (left, right, and the same but with pedal down) so 72/4=18.

[Reuben]

Yes. It's not my imagination. I can count to 18.
What I would like from Korg would be an option to turn pedal resonance off to hopefully gain another 18 notes. Even better still some smarter polyphony allocation so that low notes have priority. I know this is technically possible because they did it with an update to the Pa1x operating system.
For now I'm sticking with bs-16i. It sounds better anyway.
Cheers,
John

[Journo100]

Hi. Newbie here but have been using Module with a Novation Launchkey and now Novation Impulse as a second keyboard live for around two years now! My main board is a Korg Kross - hardly spending a fortune but together they sound great.
I play in two rock bands and the set-up works well in both.
With the Impulse I need to USB power it separately and use a Midi/USB cable to run Module as it won't take enough power from my iPad Air.
No latency issues but not much mapping at present... I am still working on this but am happy enough thanks to the setlist feature - invaluable for both program changes and the ability to add notes/chords and PDFs.

That's the thing: you're using it as a 2nd tier keyboard, alongside the Kross. I was thinking more of a workstation kind of app which would let you map things across the keyboard, split and layer things so you can rely on it on its own, but guess we'll have to wait a while 'til that happens some time in the future. Thanks for the reply anyway! Hey, BTW, is it a Kross 61 or 88 that you have?

It's a 61 and the Impulse (and Module) is now my main keyboard. The helpful guys at Novation ran through the Midi CCs for Module, which means I have much more control now. I think they can be found in the Module user guide pdf downloaded from the Korg website. I have a copy if anyone needs it.

[gnorlin]

I know this an old thread but if anyone still reads it...
Have iPad Air 2 and suppose to have 72 notes (which means 18 with stereo, etc) but I only can play 11 notes before one cuts out. I even tried on iPhone SE which is supposed to have 112 notes and same thing.
I'm playing Ivory Grand and holding sustain.
When I change latency numbers it doesn't change. Any insight ?
Thanks

[Reuben]

That's weird. Have you closed all other apps and put it in airplane mode?

[gnorlin]

That's weird. Have you closed all other apps and put it in airplane mode?

I didn't do that, would that help? But i did find that my keyboard, Casio PX5s, was on a stage setting that seemed to be stealing notes. I have it set to a setting not receiving or sending Midi so that gave me proper polyphony. I do find in Gadget iOS that it still is small polyphony the same 11 notes, even in the proper stage setting. Not sure why. Do you use gadget too?
THANKS!

[gnorlin]

That's weird. Have you closed all other apps and put it in airplane mode?

I didn't do that, would that help? But i did find that my keyboard, Casio PX5s, was on a stage setting that seemed to be stealing notes. I have it set to a setting not receiving or sending Midi so that gave me proper polyphony. I do find in Gadget iOS that it still is small polyphony the same 11 notes, even in the proper stage setting. Not sure why. Do you use gadget too?
THANKS!

I tried module with an iPhone SE which is supposed to get 112 notes, and still only getting 72. with airplane mode and apps closed. thoughts?