Table of Contents
Related Manuals for Kurzweil K150
Summary of Contents for Kurzweil K150
- Page 1 K150 USER’S MANUAL Kurzweil Music Systems, Inc. Waltham, MA June 1986 version KMSI P/N: 91002501...
- Page 2 Copyright (C) 1986 Kurzweil Music Systems, Inc.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Table of Contents Timbre Mode ....8-3 Preface ......6 Timbre-Shift Value . -
Page 4: Preface
Chapter 1 will give you a brief overview of the Kurzweil Model K150X Expander (K150X), and show you how to connect it to your MIDI controller and start making music right away. SThe manual assumes that your MIDI controller is a piano keyboard-like controller. -
Page 5: Introduction
Introduction Introduction The Kurzweil Model K150X Expander (K150X) has built-in programs you can play directly, and editors with which you can modify these programs to create an enormous range of sounds and playing/performance options. In most synthesizers, the sound begins with a simple electronic waveform that is then filtered and shaped to produce the final tone. -
Page 6: The Editors
Keyboard response adjustments Program-wide modifiers include: Controller ranges Sizes and balances of regions Chorusing Vibrato Equalization Layer-wide modifiers include. Voice selection Voice modification Layer transposition and tuning Layer balancing Figure 1-1 shows pictorially how you might look at a single program, its relationship to its regions, layers, editors, and its relationship to the other programs. -
Page 7: The Built-In Programs
MIDI controller is powered up the K150X will receive any setup information which might be sent by your MIDI controller. After a few seconds, the display will read KURZWEIL 150X for a few seconds, and then read C1 P1 PIANO... -
Page 8: Selecting Between Programs
Turn on the amplifier, and plug the ¼-inch phone plug into the AUDIO OUT jack on the rear panel of the K150X, and/or plug the headphones into the headphone jack on the front panel of the K150X. Adjust the volume control on the front panel of the K150X to a low, but audible level, and press a keyboard key. You should now be getting an acoustic piano sound. -
Page 9: Using The K150X
Using the K150X In this chapter you’ll be introduced to the button-pads of the K150X, and briefed on what the individual buttons do and how they work. This will lead into a discussion of the editors and how to use them. Communicating with the K150X All your interaction with the K150X is through the front panel button-pad and display. - Page 10 DECR decrement decrement the value (i.e. lower it) clear clear the value (usually to 0) NEXT next advance to the next parameter (i.e. step forward through the options) PREV previous go back to the last parameter (i.e. step backward through the options) EDIT edit special button, used in sequence with the others above...
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Page 11: The Display
Pressing the sign button means different things at different times: it starts entry of a negative number. When you intend to enter a negative number, press - first. it steps through 4-way signs. Some K150X values can be positive (+), negative (-), starting positive (±), or starting negative (-/+). - Page 12 TUNE -58C The Center Region, Layer #1 is being edited. The parameter being edited is TUNE (tuning), whose present value is -58C. This layer is tuned down -58C (it is 58 cents flat). 250 HZ +5 dB Program #1’s equalizer is given +5 dB of emphasis at the 250Hz point. The display which appears when the K150X is turned on, showing the MIDI channel and program number currently active, indicates that you are in the Channel Editor, the top-level editor.
- Page 13 The SAVE and CANC buttons can be used at any time during editing. SAVE will cause all changes that you have made to be stored in the K150X’s non-volatile RAM memory. This memory is used to initialize the machine when it is turned on. CANC will cancel all changes that you have made since the last time SAVE was pressed.
- Page 14 A Block Diagram of the K150X Figure 2-3 shows the relationships between the various K150X parameters and modifiers, and how they interact to achieve a certain result. Although reasonably complex, the diagram will become clearer as you become familiar with the K150X and its operation.
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Page 15: The Channel Editor
The Channel Editor The Channel Editor lets you assign programs to individual MIDI channels. If the instrument is in Omni mode, changing the channel number in the Channel Editor also changes the basic MIDI channel number. In addition, changing the channel will also change the currently selected program (see program editor below), unless there is no program assigned to the channel or the currently selected program has been changed. -
Page 16: The Tuning Editor
The Tuning Editor The Tuning Editor lets you specify instrument-wide tuning, set a master transposition value, and activate the programmable intonation table. Using the Tuning Editor Select Tuning Editing by pressing EDIT F2. (The abbreviation TUNE is printed above the F2 key on the button-pad.) The parameters shown in Table 4-1 can be edited. -
Page 17: Reference Key
Used in conjunction with the Intonation Table Editor, which allows you to adjust the micro-tonal distance between individual intervals, this parameter determines whether the values specified with that editor will be active or not. When the display reads INTONATION, you can change the value of the switch. Use INCR and DECR to change the value between off and on. -
Page 18: The Midi Editor
The MIDI Editor With the MIDI Editor, you select settings which specify how the K150X will interpret its incoming MIDI signals. Using the MIDI Editor Enter the MIDI Editor by pressing EDIT F3. One of the two parameters shown in Table 5-1 will appear in the display; the others may be accessed by pressing NEXT or PREV. -
Page 19: Midi Channel
MIDI Channel The MIDI Channel parameter lets you select the basic MIDI channel. The default channel is Channel #1. When the display shows CHANNEL you can select the Channel number. Enter the new channel number with the numeric button-pad and press ENTR, or use the INCR and DECR keys to step through the numbers 1 through 16. If a number greater than 16 is entered using the numeric keypad, the channel number will be set to the previous channel number when ENTR is pressed. -
Page 20: Loudness Map
Loudness Map The K150X contains 8 loudness maps, which determine how the key velocity signals coming from your MIDI controller will be interpreted. These loudness maps allow you to get different volume characteristics from your MIDI controller. When the display reads LOUDNESS MAP, select one of the velocity maps by pressing INCR or DECR, or enter a value from 0-7 directly with the numeric keypad, and press ENTR. -
Page 21: Program List
Program List From your MIDI controller, you will be able to directly select only a limited subset of the 255 program numbers of the K150X. The PROGRAM LIST parameter in the MIDI editor lets you select how your controller’s program setup numbers will be mapped into the program numbers of the K150X. -
Page 22: The Program Editor
The Program Editor Programs are the K150X’s top-level construct, under which everything else associated with a particular keyboard configuration and sound quality is defined. Each program can divide the keyboard into three regions and each region can have up to seven sound layers. Each sound layer specifies a voice as well as a number of modifiers which alter the characteristics of the voice. -
Page 23: F1, F2, And F3 In The Program Editor
Table 6-1 Program Editor Parameters Display Reads Parameter Adjustable Range * What it Does (use INCR and DECR) .P-BEND pitch wheel bend Sets the range and direction of the pitch bender. 60ST .K-BEND key pressure bend Sets the range and direction of key pressure pitch bending. 60ST soft pedal Sets the range of the soft pedal. -
Page 24: Pitch Wheel And Key-Pressure Bend
REPLACE PROGRAM? Press 0 (yes), and the program will be replaced. Press (no), and you will return to the COPY current-program number TO current-program number display, where you can enter a different program number. Deleting Programs To delete an existing program, push F3. You will be asked to confirm that you do indeed wish to delete the program: DELETE PROGRAM? With the question mark flashing. -
Page 25: Soft Pedal
counterclockwise or down down If your pitch wheel is different, or you want to reverse the relationship, change the sign of the value. Key-Pressure Bending Assuming that your MIDI keyboard sends after-pressure information, notes can be specified to bend when played, the range of the bend depending on the force with which you press the keys. -
Page 26: Left And Right Region Balances
When the display shows .L-SPLIT or .R-SPLIT, you can use INCR and DECR to step through the keyboard keys. Alternately, you can select the MIDI number of the key at which you want the split to occur. The key selected becomes the last key in the center region. -
Page 27: The Region Editor
The Region Editor With the Region Editor, you select the region of the active program which you want to work in. When the Layer Editor is selected, the editable layers will be those of the selected region. Technically, all programs have 3 regions. It is possible, however, to define the split points (in the Program Editor) such that they are outside the range of the MIDI keyboard or controller you are using. -
Page 28: The Layer Editor
The Layer Editor Most of the sound-shaping editing takes place at the layer level. Up to seven sound layers may be defined for each region of a program. Using the Layer Editor Selecting and Editing Layers Select Layer Editing by pressing EDIT UNDO. The layers selected to be edited are those of the center region unless you specified another region previously using the Region Editor. -
Page 29: F1, F2, And F3 In The Layer Editor
.P-MODE Pitch Bend Mode Controls the mode of pitch bending P-Wheel K-Press Both .C-MODE Chorus Mode Turns chorusing on and off M-Wheel K-Press Fixed .V-MODE Vibrato Mode Controls the action of the vibrato unit M-Wheel K-Press Fixed .EQUALIZER EQ Switch Turns equalization on and off If the value is numeric, you can enter the value with the right button-pad and press ENTR. -
Page 30: Tuning
The built-in voices are either accurate electronic reproductions of conventional instruments, or unconventional sounds which highlight the unique sound generation capabilities of the K150X. The built-in voices include these Resident Voices listed in Table 8-2. Table 8-2 Resident Voices Voice Number Display Reads Sound Name PIANO... -
Page 31: Timbre-Shift Value
All built-in sounds have a pre-selected timbre formula as a component of every note. Timbre-Shift allows you to override the default timbre and choose another timbre for a keyboard key when it is pressed. With Timbre-Shift, you can override the internal formula and use the timbres from other notes in the scale in conjunction with the nominal pitch. -
Page 32: Timbre-Level
MIDI Number Figure 8-1. MIDI Numbers of C Keys. The number is automatically translated from the MIDI number to the associated musical note in the display. If you selected the wrong MIDI number, you can repeat this step. Timbre-Level The loudness proportions between timbres for the note being played can be modified. This parameter changes the relationship of key velocity to timbre without affecting the relationship of key velocity to loudness. -
Page 33: Balance Level
Balance Level When the display reads .BALANCE, you can control the volume of this layer relative to the other layers. The volume of this layer can be adjusted to be 0 to 12dB softer than an unadjusted layer. The default value is 0dB. Enter a value in decibels using the numeric button-pad and press ENTR, or use INCR and DECR to change the value in 1 decibel increments. -
Page 34: Vibrato Mode
K-Press Assuming your MIDI controller can transmit key after-touch information, the amount of detuning, as specified with the .DTUNE parameter of the Chorus Editor can be proportional to the after-touch with which the key is held down with this option (see Chorus Editing for more information). M-Wheel Allows the amount of detuning, as specified with the .DTUNE parameter of the Chorus Editor, to be controlled with your MIDI controller’s modulation wheel (see Chorus Editing for more information). -
Page 35: The Chorus Editor
The Chorus Editor The programmable chorusing feature in the K150X can be used to create a variety of effects such as phasing, flanging, doubling, chorusing, and echo. The chorusing feature operates by generating extra notes which can be successively detuned, delayed and/or decayed. -
Page 36: Detune
Detune When the display reads .DTUNE, you can specify the amount to detune and mode of detuning for successive notes. Detuning amount specifies how much the chorus generated pitches will vary from the played note. The mode determines whether these additional notes are above or below the pitch of the played note, or alternate between being above and below. -
Page 37: Chorus Editor Hints
Detune Control (unidirectional). This control varies the successive detune between 0 and the value set in the chorusing parameters. Chorus detune is a live effect (i.e., it is effective after the note has started.). Detune Mode Switch. This switch changes the sign of detune mode (i.e., + becomes -; ± becomes -/+). Detune/Mode Control (bidirectional). -
Page 38: The Vibrato Editor
The Vibrato Editor The programmable vibrato feature in the K150X allows you to create a variety of frequency-shift effects. You can define one set of Vibrato parameters for each Program. Whether or not these Vibrato parameters are active for any individual layer in that program is controlled by the Vibrato Enable switch for each layer which can be set to Off, Fixed, M- Wheel, or K-Press (the default is Off). -
Page 39: Depth
Square Triangle Vibrato Trill Figure 10-1. Triangle vs. Square waves The musical effect is approximately as shown in Figure 10-2. Triangle Wave Vibrato Square Wave Vibrato Figure 10-2. Musical Effect. Use INCR and DECR to alternate between .SQUARE and .TRIANGLE. Depth When the display shows DEPTH, you can select the depth and mode of the oscillation. -
Page 40: Symmetry
Symmetry Up to this point, vibrato waveforms have been symmetric. Symmetry allows you to specify a value which modifies the vibrato waveforms as shown in Figure 10-4. Triangle Square Figure 10-4. Modifying Waveform Symmetry. Enter a value directly using the numeric button-pad and press ENTR, or use INCR and DECR to change the value 1 step at a time. -
Page 41: Vibrato Assignable Controls
Vibrato Assignable Controls Associated with the vibrato are a number of MIDI-assignable controls and switches which can be used to control the vibrato parameters in real time. See Controls Editing. On/Off Switch. This is a master switch which turns the vibrato on or off for the entire program. Depth Control. -
Page 42: The Equalizer Editor
The Equalizer Editor Each program in the K150X has a graphic equalizer associated with it. Each equalizer provides 8 octave bands with a range of 12dB boost and 30dB cut for each band. Whether or not this equalizer is active in any particular layer of the program is controlled by the Equalizer Enable parameter in the layer editor, which can be set on or off for each layer (see Layer Editing). -
Page 43: The Control Editor
The Control Editor This editor allows you to assign MIDI control sources to K150X control destinations. Just as MIDI has two types of control sources (continuous controllers and switches), the K150X has two types of control destinations: virtual controls and virtual switches. -
Page 44: How Assignment Is Done
CC± bidirectional continuous controller * Trademark of Kurzweil Music Systems, Inc. How Assignment is Done Table 12-2 contains the assignments for standard MIDI control numbers according to the latest MIDI specification. Unassigned control numbers are available for assignment to any K150X control destination. -
Page 45: Assignable Controls And Switches
70-95 (unassigned) Data Increment Data Decrement 98-121 (unassigned) The following numbers are not valid MIDI control numbers. They are used internally to designate MIDI control sources which are transmitted as separate MIDI messages: Table 12-3 Invalid MIDI Control Numbers MIDI # Default Assignment Channel Pressure Message Pitch Wheel Message (MSB only) - Page 46 The pitch shifter can be used in conjunction with the programmable buttons on the MIDIBoard to create buttons that shift the pitch up or down in semitones. For example, programming a button to send 64 when OFF and 76 (i.e., 64+12) when ON creates an "octave up"...
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Page 47: The Miscellaneous Editor
The Miscellaneous Editor The Miscellaneous Editor allows you to choose from an additional set of editors: the Program List Editor, the Intonation Editor, and the Velocity Map Editor. Using the MISC Editor Select the Miscellaneous Editor by pressing EDIT PREV. One of the following editor names will appear in the display. Use NEXT and PREV to step through the choices shown in Figure 13- 1. -
Page 48: Intonation Table Editor
Intonation Table Editor Used in conjunction with the Intonation Switch and Reference Key parameters in the Tuning Editor, the Intonation Editor allows you to micro-tonally adjust the width of the intervals between each note. Be aware that in order to hear your changes, the Intonation Switch in the Tuning Editor must be on (see Tuning Editor). Using the Intonation Editor When the display reads NOTE, you can change the value of the displayed note away from its equal-tempered value. -
Page 49: Velocity Map Editor
Velocity Map Editor Used in conjunction with the VELOCITY MAP parameter in the MIDI editor, the K150X is supplied with provisions for velocity maps. These velocity maps establish different relationships between the MIDI velocity value sent by your keyboard and the interpretation of that value by the K150X, allowing you to give your keyboard different response characteristics. - Page 50 Vout Vout High Vout Vout Vin Low Vin High Figure 13-2. Relationship of VMAP Editable Parameters. 13-4...
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Page 51: Summary Of Editable Parameters
Summary of Editable Parameters Parameter Default Units Tuning Parameters Tuning -125 cents Transposition semitones Program Parameters Left Split Point MIDI Key # Right Split Point MIDI Key # Pitch Wheel Range semitones Press Bend Range semitones Soft Pedal Range Left Region Balance Right Region Balance Layer Parameters Tune... -
Page 52: Battery Replacement
Replacement Batteries The battery recommended by Kurzweil Music Systems is Type 2430, a 3V lithium "coin cell". These batteries are available in several sizes and, in a pinch, you can use a different size. The other sizes do not last as long, however. Refer to the following tables. -
Page 53: Index
INDEX CHORUS 2-2 display CLR editing button 2-3 150X 2-2 A BASS 8-3 C-MODE 8-2 doubling 9-1 default 8-6 .DTUNE 9-1,9-2 assignable controls 12-1 C-MODE CC 12-2 Dtune asterisk 6-1 attack velocity C-MODE SW 12-2 parameter 9-2 communicating with the K150X 2-1 Timbre Mode 8-5 control A-VELOC 8-5... - Page 54 INCREMENT 12-2 LOUDNESS MAP INTONATION 4-1,13-1 editor 5-5 miscellaneous editors 13-1 parameter 5-1 Intonation .L-SPLIT 6-2, 6-7 parameter 4-2 Chorus Mode option 8-14 Intonation Table Editor 13-2 Pitch Bend option 6-4, 8-13 switch 9-1 - 10-1 manual Vibrato Mode option 8-15 Balance Mode parameter 8-11 Omni Mode 3-1 JAZZ-ORG 8-3...
- Page 55 .SYMMETRY 10-2 V-DELAY CC 12-2 parameter 10-5 .V-DEPTH 2-6 V-DEPTH CC 12-2 V-DMODE 12-2 question mark 6-2 VELOCITY MAP 5-5,13-1 timbre 6-6, 8-7 editor 5-4, 13-4 miscellaneous editors 13-1 TIMBRE-FREEZE 12-2 parameter 5-1 range pedal control 12-4 Timbre Mode 8-7 VIB 2-3 pitch bending 8-13 VIBES 8-3...