External Midi Keyboard Controller

Rockitman · Post by **Rockitman** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:22 pm

Is anyone using an external midi controller with their PA keyboard. Since I have the PA800, I was thinking of setting a MIDI keyboard on channel 2 and connecting it to my PA800. I hope to be able to assign say upper 2 to channel 2 only, and play upper 1 from the keyboard. Has anyone tried this? Will upper 2 still be heard as a layer on the PA800's keyboard?

Rockitman · Post by **Rockitman** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 2:41 pm

I am using a Roland AX-1. I set the AX-1 to a different MIDI channel for each patch on the AX-1. For example AX-1 patch 1 to MIDI channel 1, patch 2 to MIDI channel 2, Patch 3 to MIDI channel 3. Using the Global>MIDI>MIDI IN Channel page of the PA800 I can assign Upper 1 to MIDI ch. 1, Upper 2 to MIDI ch. 2, and Upper 3 to MIDI ch. 3. I also have to set GLOBAL > MIDI > FILTER to ignore program changes for CH 1, 2 and 3. (This is because the AX-1 sends a program change everytime you change patches). After all that, I can now change between patches 1, 2 and 3 on the AX-1 and change sounds from Upper1, to Upper2, to Upper 3 with a single button push. That works great and since I have only two hands and the left will probably be playing the Lower sound, that works. However, the right side of the PA800 keyboard will play the layer of Upper1, Upper2, and Upper3. It would be nice if I could turn the local keyboard off for Upper1, Upper2, or Upper3 individually, but I did not see anything in the manual that would lead me to think that I could. If you could you could have say Upper 1 only on the PA800, and Upper 2 on the AX-1 external, so you could switch with no button push at all. Now I did notice that by default when I first plugged in my external MIDI controller, it played a piano sound from the sequencers Track 1. So, maybe I could set up sounds in the sequencer tracks to play from the external controller, even though I am using Style Play mode. This would be even better. I am going to try that tonight. I use the AX-1 connected to a Triton Extreme or M3, and I use a combi patch with timbres assigned to different MIDI channels so I can change sounds quickly Live. I am trying to do the same with the PA800.

Rockitman · Post by **Rockitman** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:09 pm

Hey it does pay to read the manual. Korg apparently did think about this.
From the Korg Manual...
GLOBAL > MIDI In Controls > Midi In Mute/Unmute
Use this parameter to determine if a muted track can still play
data received via MIDI.
On
No data received via MIDI on a muted track can be played by Pa800.
Off
Data received via MIDI on a muted track can still play on the Pa800.
So, I can setup my external controller to play muted upper tracks via MIDI. That allows me to quickly switch from the external keyboard (in this case my keytar) to the PA800s keyboard with no button pushes!

This pleases me very much, as I am no longer limited by the size of the PA800 keyboard.

macboy · Post by **macboy** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:10 pm

hint: look at the manual in PDF digital on korgpa.com site and press CTRL+F and then type in for example MIDI.

Then you can go through all the terms where it is mentioned in the manual by clicking > next

Very usefull for a lot of members, since most answers already lie in the manual, but most people A) do not look or B) cannot find it

Rockitman · Post by **Rockitman** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:13 pm

Thank you, I will do that next time.
I also wanted to share my experience using an external controller, I guess not many others are doing this, as many have viewed this but that's it.

macboy · Post by **macboy** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:14 pm

I am not complaining about your post dont worry. I like to read and see what you are doing. Your experience will probably help others so thank you for that !

If I knew the answer I would of course write it for you. Just giving you and all others a hint

Rockitman · Post by **Rockitman** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:50 pm

no worries...I actually did not take it that way. I appreciate any advice.
Cheers,
Tony

OmarNoori · Post by **OmarNoori** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:51 pm

so you are basically getting 2 pa800 for the price of one?

Rockitman · Post by **Rockitman** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:01 pm

In a manner of speaking yes. I tried it last night and it works. I changed the GLOBAL > MIDI > MIDI In Control > Midi In Mute/Unmute to unchecked. Then I saved the global setup from the drop down menu in the top right corner so it would be there on the next power-up.
If you read my earlier post above it has the settings for the Midi In and Midi out channel tabs.
Now I can set my external controller to channel 2 or channel 3. The PA800s top section of the keyboard will play the upper 1 sound say it's a piano sound. then with upper 2 set to strings and muted, the external controller will play the strings, while the PA800's keyboard just plays piano. After that you can set say horns to upper 3 and mute it.
If you change the external controller to channel 3 it will now play horns. Providing that you can quickly change the external controller from ch 2 to ch 3 you have a flexible setup where you can change sounds quickly. If you look at the touchscreen the upper tracks that are played from the PA800's keyboard flash green when you play notes, the muted tracks that are playing from the external MIDI controller flash red. It's kinda cool.

OmarNoori · Post by **OmarNoori** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:56 pm

Rockitman wrote:In a manner of speaking yes. I tried it last night and it works. I changed the GLOBAL > MIDI > MIDI In Control > Midi In Mute/Unmute to unchecked. Then I saved the global setup from the drop down menu in the top right corner so it would be there on the next power-up.
If you read my earlier post above it has the settings for the Midi In and Midi out channel tabs.
Now I can set my external controller to channel 2 or channel 3. The PA800s top section of the keyboard will play the upper 1 sound say it's a piano sound. then with upper 2 set to strings and muted, the external controller will play the strings, while the PA800's keyboard just plays piano. After that you can set say horns to upper 3 and mute it.
If you change the external controller to channel 3 it will now play horns. Providing that you can quickly change the external controller from ch 2 to ch 3 you have a flexible setup where you can change sounds quickly. If you look at the touchscreen the upper tracks that are played from the PA800's keyboard flash green when you play notes, the muted tracks that are playing from the external MIDI controller flash red. It's kinda cool.

haha, i can finally play my keytar while my keyboard player is playing the 800 lol.

JerryT · Post by **JerryT** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:45 am

I appreciate this discussion. I frequently use a midi accordon with my PA800. I Also use a Yamaha KX5, but I use a Ketron module for that. I never thought of using the KX5 with the PA800. I also sometimes stack a MasterSound MK4 controller with the 800 since for some types of music, my left hand is not so proficient. I also have a Casio AZ1 but I haven't used it for years. Thanks for the info - keep it coming.
Ciao,
Jerry

poli · Post by **poli** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 6:10 am

I am using this fatar mothereyboard http://www.thomann.de/dk/fatar_vmk161_plus_organ.htm
I have set it up to control the upper 3
I use a PC with the software emap to display my lyric
the computer control the songbook in my PA2X too, so I just have to choose the lyric on my computer and the emapprogram send controlchange to the songbook in the PA2X to get the right songbook number.Very easy

Torben

Rockitman · Post by **Rockitman** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:48 pm

I have heard of the VMK-161 keyboard organ keys but still has dynamics. Where do you get the emap software I would like to take a look at that?

poli · Post by **poli** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:13 pm

You can downoad emap here you can use it free for a limited period
http://www.digi-studiet.dk/emap/emap.htm

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:56 pm

poli wrote:I use a PC with the software emap to display my lyric
the computer control the songbook in my PA2X too, so I just have to choose the lyric on my computer and the emap program send control change to the songbook in the PA2X to get the right songbook number.Very easy

Hi Poli,

What exactly is the list of MIDI numbers and other characters you enter into EMAP to select say Songbook entry number 123?

I can see from Page 186 in the Pa2x manual that it can be done in theory (it requires NRPN 99, NRPN 98, CC 06, 1, CC 38, 23 in order to select the Songbook entry 123).

But I'm confused because according to the EMAP documentation you can only send a single Program Change message. It doesn't say anything about sending NRPN and CC complex messages. So I'm curious - how have you done it?

Thanks,
Rob

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