How to transfer midi files from my PC via the USB cable

jazzmammal · Post by **jazzmammal** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 6:41 am

I want to transfer midi files onto the PA's internal HD and play them. Sounds simple enough. I connected the USB cable, enabled it and my PC sees the Korg as drive F. Good start. It sees 3 folders on the drive: DirectHD, M2.SET and PCM. I bought it used so I presume M2.SET is the previous owners user SET. All the standard factory styles seem to work fine so I can't tell if the M2.SET is causing me any problems or not, should I just delete it anyway to save memory?
I created a new folder on the HD named Midi Files and put some SMF's in it. I then disabled the USB, waited about 5 minutes because the manual says don't do it too quickly, you may screw something up. I went into the sequencer, tapped the Song window, hit the HD icon in the lower left corner and the only folder that shows up is DirectHD. It's not seeing my midi files folder. I then reconnected the USB and moved the midi files folder into the DirectHD folder, disabled the USB again but when I open the DirectHD folder in the sequencer window, it shows blank still no midi files folder.
Another example of a useless owners manual and it's not a knock against Korg, they're all the same. They go on for a page and a half about how to manipulate a midi file once you've loaded it up and that's great but not a word about the first basic function a noob would need to know and that is how to transfer a midi file from your PC via USB since I don't have a floppy drive any more. This is the kind of thing that drives me nuts about all these high tech toys. A simple, primary function of the equipment and it's not obvious at all how to do it.
Where do you park the midi's so the sequencer can find them?

Bob

Wings · Post by **Wings** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 9:34 pm

Hiya Bob.

Well, you park'em either in a dedicated directory just under the "root"-dir or just directly in the "root" on the hard-drive.

I see you have done that, however one sentence in your description puzzles me;

...I went into the sequencer, tapped the Song window, hit the HD icon in the lower left corner and the only folder that shows up is DirectHD. It's not seeing my midi files folder...

HOW do you go into the sequencer?
What you should do is to simply press "song"-knob located to the left of your screen, and if files are located/parked in the "root"-directory, scroll down until you find desired song and select it (tap it once) the press "load".
Or, in the case of a dedicated directory under "root", scroll down and locate directory, tap dir-name once, press "open", locate song, tap song-name once, press "load".

Let us know how it went.

jazzmammal · Post by **jazzmammal** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 1:56 am

"and if files are located/parked in the "root"-directory, scroll down until you find desired song and select it (tap it once) the press "load".
Or, in the case of a dedicated directory under "root", scroll down and locate directory, tap dir-name once, press "open", locate song, tap song-name once, press "load"."

This is the problem. I created a new folder named "midi files". I put it in what I guess is the root directory because when I double clicked on the "Korg" icon in "My Computer" on my PC that same window is where I created my midi folder. In "My Computer" if you click on the Korg icon what opens up is the root directory for that HD, right? That folder does not show up under "song" on the Korg. The only thing that show's up under "Song" is DirectHD. That's it, no midi folder. I even put the midi folder into the DirectHD folder and it still doesn't show up even if I tap the DirectHD word. All it displays then is a blank window.
Also, you're asking about the difference between "Sequencer" and "Song" on the Korg? They are adjacent buttons on the control panel to the left of the screen. Those buttons are labeled Style, Song, Sequencer and Sound. Both the Song and Sequencer buttons open up a window with a Song area in the upper left. Tap that and it opens up the same search window, it doesn't matter if you start out with Song or Sequencer. The search window only displays Direct HD, no other folders show up and that's my question, what happened to the "midi files" folder that I created and put there? I can only assume that I put the midi files folder in the wrong place so where should I put it?

Bob

Reuben · Post by **Reuben** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 4:14 am

Hi Bob,
Just a thought - did you use the Pa1x to create the folder or your computer?
If it was the latter I'd try creating the subfolder on the Pa1x using the commands available on the Pa1x. (Something like Disk, navigate to DirectHD, then Create Folder or folder New?.) Do this this before connecting your USB cable. Now try putting midis into the folder you have just created. After I plug in my cable and hit enable USB mine takes about 2 minutes for the computer to recognize it.
One more thing just check the file extension on your midis and make sure they are .mid or .kar (I know this is pretty obvious but its worth a look).
As for freeing up memory on the hard disk by deleting old sets - I wouldn't bother - the hard disk has so much memory that you'll never fill up 10% unless you have heaps of mp3s. I keep stacks of old sets just in case there's something I want to go back to.
Hope you solve this soon and begin to have some fun.
Best,
John

jazzmammal · Post by **jazzmammal** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 2:16 pm

Hi Reuben so just to clarify, you're suggesting I should create the midi files folder inside the DirectHD folder and do that using the Korg not my PC? I'll give that a shot because I did create the folder on the PC. Since the Korg HD shows up as just another external drive you would think that would be ok. As to the .mid extension yes, they all have that but the deal is they should be in a folder or folders anyway, right? You wouldn't just start putting several hundred individual midi files on the HD by themselves and the Korg doesn't see the folder but I'll try creating another one from within the Korg.
I'm surprised no one on this forum has actually used the USB for this function because yesterday I manually went through all the posts all the way back to 2007 and didn't see anyone asking about this. I guess everyone has been using floppies but those things are passe now. Yeah, I know I can pick up an external A drive pretty cheap but why have to when the USB connection is supposed to do it just as well.
The thing that really gets me is this is not in the manual. It's the same thing over at PG Music with their manual for Band in a Box. Some of us testers suggested last year they create a sort of beta test just for the manual so we can straighten stuff like this out but no response on that one. Whatever. That's why these forum's are so helpful, another example of the users being the final beta testers well after the release of the product.

Bob

jazzmammal · Post by **jazzmammal** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:56 pm

I finally had a chance to try to create a new folder by using the Korg and as far as I can tell there is no way to do it. There is no option under the "disk" menu for creating a new folder. I went through the manual again and there is no specific mention of transferring files from the PC to the Korg via USB but it sure implies it can be done.
Have any of you actually done it or have you guys all used floppies for this purpose because I'm about to give up and go find an external A drive.

Bob

Reuben · Post by **Reuben** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 4:32 am

Bob,
Use the drop down menu. So ..Disk, touch and open DirectHD, dropdown menu (the little tab at top right) Create New Folder.
It should work.
Best,
John

jazzmammal · Post by **jazzmammal** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:32 pm

Good catch Reuben, you're the man! I missed that little icon in the upper right. It's so obvious (not), it looks like some funky alien upside down check mark.
I had to re-enable the USB, use the PC to delete my original midi files folder, reboot the Korg, recreate that folder, reboot the Korg and re-enable the USB again and copy the midi files into the new folder then reboot the Korg a third time but now it sees the folder and my midi's are there. Whew!

So good of Korg to make that clear in the manual.

If it wasn't for you guys on this forum I'd be screwed. Thanks again.

Bob

Wings · Post by **Wings** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:59 am

jazzmammal wrote:I'm surprised no one on this forum has actually used the USB for this function because yesterday I manually went through all the posts all the way back to 2007 and didn't see anyone asking about this. I guess everyone has been using floppies but those things are passe now.

Well Bob, I see that you finally made it. Good.
As to my quote of your text, I'm sorry dude, but I have used the PC to do this, procedure as explained in my previous answer, and I have never had any problems with it.
I would like to know why this didn't work with you.

At one time I used to be a beta-tester for the PAX, and found a few glitches, but this was never a problem.
For the record...I use OS 3.0

jazzmammal · Post by **jazzmammal** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:48 am

Wings, I really appreciate the help. The problem was two things, one I missed the little icon in the upper right hand corner that drops down the menu with the create new folder button and second, since I missed that naturally I didn't see a way to create a new folder so I did it from the PC and that doesn't work, the Korg won't see it. Tricky little point, that one.

Bob