Chicken Systems Korg Creator User Manual
Korg Creator™
Version 1.2, Build 18
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Korg Creator™
Table Of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 5
Basic Concepts. ........................................................................................................................... 7
The Korg Document
Main Screen ................................................................................................................................ 8
Korg Object Views. ........................................................................................................................10
Keyboard Optional Display ............................................................................................................12
Wave Optional Display ..................................................................................................................13
Working with Objects
Adding Objects. ............................................................................................................................14
Deleting Objects. ..........................................................................................................................15
Editing Objects. ............................................................................................................................16
Renaming Objects. .........................................................................................................................17
The Korg Player ..............................................................................................................................18
Preparing and Re-importing. ............................................................................................................19
Editing Single Samples Externally ..............................................................................................................21
Exchanging Objects. .........................................................................................................................22
Auditioning Samples and Multisamples. ............................................................................................23
Importing External Instruments. .....................................................................................................24
Editors.
The Program Editor .....................................................................................................................26
The Oscillator/Zone Editor ...........................................................................................................27
The Multisample Editor ................................................................................................................28
The Sample Editor ......................................................................................................................29
The Combi Editor ........................................................................................................................30
The Part Editor ...........................................................................................................................31
AutoSampler
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................32
Audio/MIDI ...............................................................................................................................33
Placement ................................................................................................................................33
Recording .................................................................................................................................34
Processing ................................................................................................................................35
Switches ...................................................................................................................................35
Parameters ...............................................................................................................................35
Menus
File. ............................................................................................................................................36
Program/ Combi. ..........................................................................................................................37
Oscillator/Zone/Part. ....................................................................................................................... 38
Multisample. ................................................................................................................................39
Sample. ......................................................................................................................................40
View ...........................................................................................................................................41
Help .............................................................................................................................................42
Gear Menus - Program/Combi ...........................................................................................................43
Gear Menus - Multisample. ...........................................................................................................44
Gear Menus - Sample ....................................................................................................................45
...................................................................................................................................25
Preferences
General. ......................................................................................................................................46
Colors. ...........................................................................................................................................47
Import .......................................................................................................................................47
Export .......................................................................................................................................47
Data Processing ...............................................................................................................................48
Audio/MIDI. .................................................................................................................................49
Support
Troubleshooting. .............................................................................................................................51
FAQ ..........................................................................................................................................51
Bug Reports. ..............................................................................................................................51
Contacting Technical Support. .............................................................................................................53
Updating. ..................................................................................................................................54
Contact Us .................................................................................................................................55
Credits. .......................................................................................................................................56
Korg Creator
™
Introduction
Korg Creator™
Introduction
Korg Creator™ is a powerful Program, Combi, Multisample, and Sample creator/editor for Korg workstations,
including all models of the Triton, the M3/M50, and the Kronos.
The Korg line of workstations are a well
established new generation Workstationstyle keyboard system that has excellent
sounds and advanced functionality,
for superior usage in the studio and
playing live. The most immediate
gratication of the Korg is playing it’s
onboard sounds, which are top- shelf
and professional standard.
the Korg also allows for playback of
user-dened multisampled keymaps
(called “Multisamples” on the Korg) with
the same possibilities as the onboard
ROM Multisamples. This functionality is
entirely under the Sampling button on
the Korg.
However,
Although the Korg is a little less exible
then the older specialized hardware
samplers (e.g. Akai S-5000/Z-Series,
Emu Emulator 4, Ensoniq ASR-10,
Roland S-7x and so on), and more less so then powerful software samplers such as Kontakt, it is still
very powerful, and with the right software platform to assist in creating these sampled Multisamples and
Programs, the Korg can go beyond it’s stock sounds and y high with your own custom Programs. That is
the goal and stated purpose of Korg Creator.
Like most (if not all) hardware musical instruments, the onboard display and provided access do not give
access to the Korg user-sampled area exceptionally well. Some Supermen have used it and worked with
it, but among us Mere Mortals it’s “in and out”, since it is slow and difcult not only to view the total range
of information, but also to apply new edits etc. Again, Korg Creator leverages the natural power of your
computer to access, display, and arrange information that it’s a perfect and powerful bridge to create and
edit Korg user-created content.
You will notice that a signicant difference between Chicken System’s Korg Creator™ and Korg’s own
provided Korg Editor is that the Korg Editor communicates via MIDI or USB to the Korg ITSELF, whereas
Korg Creator™ simply works with Korg les themselves. This is because of lacking functionality in the
Korg itself; it does not allow user wavedata to be transferred or detected through MIDI or USB. That is a
signicant omission in the Korg Editor; although the immediate Program editing and librarian functions are
wonderful, there is no access to the user Multisamples.
Korg Creator™ takes advantage of only access to user Multisample data - via the les themselves. Korg
Creator™ is practically a virtual Korg specialized for editing. You can make your own user Multisamples,
edit and create your own Samples within those Multisamples, and much more. Korg Creator also allows
innovate ways to listen and audition those sounds. Since it’s not a Korg, it can’t substitute for it, but with
sampled sounds you can come awfully close. Most of the time, we foresee Korg users to operate Korg
Creator™ to take care of the sampled side, since it more clear, powerful, and efcient then the Korg itself,
but when it comes time to tweak the sounds and do the real-time parameter editing, we expect them to
write the les and read them into Korg, edit away, then resave.
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Introduction
Korg Creator™ also includes management of ROM data. Renaming objects (Programs, Multisamples, etc.)
is a breeze on Korg Creator™. You can manage your Categories (sometimes the center of most Korg
user’s experience!) in new powerful ways beyond what the Korg itself can do. You can even set up a library
of Programs and create your own compilations to be written into a le for particular uses.
Korg Creator™, while powerful, is still a simple application. It was designed to give you easy and intuitive
access to Korg data, with no funny business or confusing Corvette-looking widgetry.
Some notes regarding the documentation:
This document is synced to the Korg Creator™ version denoted on the cover of this document. It is a
dynamic document and often is revised with every major, minor, or even build of Korg Creator™.
In this document, the term “right-click” also refers to “control-click” on a Mac. Only “right- click” will be
used. Similarly, “Preferences” is term for different optional parameters that can be set in the program;
on the Mac you will see the word “Preferences”, but on Windows you will see “Options”. In this document,
Preferences will be used. Graphics are all Mac, but look very similar to the Windows version.
Since the Korg regards the middle C key on a keyboard (MIDI note 60) as C3, by default Korg Creator™
shows the textual representation of MIDI note 60 as C3. This is the non-US representation. However, if you
are more used to seeing C4 as middle C (like GigaStudio or other US models - or even some varied non-US
samplers), you can change this in Preferences- General.
Korg Creator
™
If you are a registered owner, you are qualied for free updates for the life of the program. You can
download these from your program using the Check for Update feature, or from the Chicken Systems
Update Area.
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Korg Creator
™
Basic Concepts
Basic Concepts
The Korg Creator™ Korg Document represents a single Korg PCG structure, which is a PCG, one or more
KSC les, and a folder full of KMP and KSF les. It can be one that is existing, or a new one that hasn’t
been saved to disk yet.
Your experience with Korg Creator™ revolves around creating a new (or opening an existing) Korg PCG into
a Korg Document, editing the objects
within that document, then saving the
document as a Korg PCG structure. This
saves all objects, such as Programs and
Multisamples, into a single folder set.
A Korg File/Folder Set contains the
PCG le, which contains the Program
and Combi information, one or more
KSC les and one folder, which is the
same name as the PCG le or one of
the KSC les. Inside the folder (called
the Multisample Folder) are the KMP
les that represent each Multisample
and a folder with the same name as
the KMP le that stores KSF les, which
represent the samples.
(Note (M3 and Kronos only): the Korg
multisample/sample is entirely mono,
technically. However, for the M3 and
Kronos, there is the concept of stereo multisamples and is fully reected in Korg Creator. What this means
is that if there are two KMP les which have the same name except one ends with -L and the other -R,
and are correspondent as far as the samples and ranges it supports, are regarded as a stereo multisample
and are listed in Korg Creator as such. Within the folder as les, though, they are still saved separately as
mono multisamples. Since one of the objectives of Korg Creator is to isolate you from the contents of the
Multisample Folder, there is no need to worry about this. Korg Creator takes care of all this for you.)
KSC les exist for the purpose of listing the available Multisamples in the Multisample Folder. There always
will be one KSC le with the same name as the PCG le.
Note: On the Kronos, if the Bank is setup for RAM memory loading, this will be the case as well. However,
if it is setup for Virtual Memory (that is, streaming), there will be TWO KSC les, and the Multisample
Folder with have “ MS” amended to it’s name. The second KSC le will have that same name.
The Korg Document shows you the most important aspects of the Korg les: the Programs, the
Oscillator/Zones within each Program, the Multisamples, and the Samples within a Multisample. These are
represented in four Lists; the Programs with the Oscillator/Zones, and the Multisamples with the Samples.
There is also a Combi List and a Part List, shown in the Combi View.
From there, you are free to add, delete, or edit any of the objects to your needs. For more information on
the Korg Document, where you’ll do the majority of your work, see The Korg Document elsewhere in this
document.
Each object has an Editor. There is a Program Editor, Oscillator/Zone Editor, Multisample Editor, and Sample
Editor; and additionally, a Combi Editor and Part Editor. One editor can be open at a time, and it edits the
current selection in the list on the Korg document. For more information on Editors, please see the Editors
section elsewhere in this document.
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The Korg Document
Korg Creator
The Korg Document
The Korg Document represents a PCG le and folder structure, existing or a new one that hasn’t been
written yet. Your experience with Korg Creator revolves around creating a new or opening an existing
Korg le, changing the objects within
using the Korg Document, then saving
the document which saves everything
to the a new or existing Korg le, for
immediate use in your Korg.
Lists
The Lists on a normal Korg document
show the principal objects; the
Programs (List 1) and the Multisamples
(List 3). The Oscillator/Zone List (List 2)
shows the Oscillator/Zones contained in
the currently selected Program, and the
Sample List (List 4) shows the Samples
in the currently selected Multisample.
™
There are two other Lists; the Combi
List and the Part List. These appear
when you are in the Combi View.
The purpose of the List is so you can
view the contents of the File that is
represented by the document and apply functions to change, edit, or build up the le.
Views
Speaking of Views, the Korg document interface is highly customizable, so you can either have all the List
on the document at one time (admittedly crowded), or you can see only what you want to see for handy
editing. The Views are:
-
Program/Oscillator/Zone/Multisample
-
Multisample/Sample
-
Combi/Part/Program
-
“Four Corners” (Program & Oscillator/Zone on top, Multisample & Sample on the bottom)
-
Full View
You can choose which view you’d like with the Gear menu on the upper right, or the top level Views menu.
For more information of Views, see the Views section in this manual.
Range Maps
On top of the Oscillator/Zone List and the Part List you can have Range Maps perched on top of them. This
allows for graphical editing of the Ranges (Key and Velocity) of Each Oscillator/Zone or Part. Key is selected
by the top button to the left of the Range Maps, Velocity by the second button. A green color indicates
which Range you are viewing. The third button (yellow) gives you a context menu by selecting it, giving
you some auto-mapping options, plus some viewing options. If you have no immediate use for them, you
can hide them using the context menu or the Views top-level menu.
Having the Range Maps mounted on top of each other makes it easy to see how Oscillator/Zones or Parts
are arranged against each other. Alter the range by simply grabbing and pulling each end with the mouse.
Selecting the middle of the range allows you to slide it back and forth.
(Remember, these Ranges are actually “Limits”; that is, with an Oscillator/Zone, you are restricting the key/
velocity response. The Multisample the Oscillator/Zone refers to may have information beyond the limits,
you are simply creating a smaller “window” into the Multisample (or Program).
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Korg Creator
Also remember that the Ranges do not appear on Drum Programs, since there are no Key/Vel Ranges to
deal with, just the natural 1-Key limit of a Drum Oscillator/Zone.
Optional Displays
There are two option items you can display on a Korg Document; the Keyboard Display and the Wave
Display. The Keyboard Display shows the contents of the Multisample that is selected in the Multisample
List, and also responds to dragging and dropping of external Samples into that Multisample. It makes
mapping incoming samples a breeze. The Wave Display shows the Multisample of the Sample selected in
the Sample List, for easy recognition.
For more information on the Optional Displays, see either the Keyboard Display or the Wave Display areas
of this document.
Filtering Lists
The text eld and popup menu above each list lter the lists contents. Typing into the text eld lters
the list based on what you typed; e.g. typing in “Trum” (without the quotes) in the text eld above the
Program List brings up Programs with the names “Trumpet Short”, “TrumLngBrght”, and “Guitar Strum”.
Multiple criteria can be inputted by separating them with commas.
The popup menu varies with each List. but give you common ways of making each list more specic; e.g in
the Sample List you can view just the external samples.
™
The Korg Document
Performing Functions on List Objects
The whole purpose of Korg Creator is to add, edit, delete and change objects. Programs can’t be deleted
per se but they can be initialized. A “blank” Program is one that starts with the letters “INIT” (case
insensitive); initialized Programs usually have no sampled Multisamples referenced, just has the rst
Oscillator/Zone enabled, and is set to the rst Piano Multisample.
Mostly what you’ll edit in Programs is the contents of the Oscillator/Zones. Other then providing a set of
real-time parameters, an Oscillator/Zone’s main purpose is to playback a Multisample, whether it is a ROM
Multisample or sampled (RAM) Multisample.
RAM Multisamples are listed in the Multisamples List. A RAM Multisample is a collection of non- overlapping
samples within a MIDI Keyboard with variable Velocities. By selecting a Multisample in the Multisample List,
the associated Samples show in the Samples List, with their properties.
There are many ways of adding, editing, and deleting objects. Most of these are standard computer
methods. More specic information will be given in other places in this document, so we’ll cover them
briey here.
You can use the Gear and Plus (+) and Minus (-) buttons below each list. Clicking the Gear button exposes
a Menu that is very much like the top-level menus titled Programs-Oscillator/Zones- Multisamples-Samples.
You can apply the function to selected objects in the list, or to all of them, by selecting the popup menu
next to the buttons (Apply to All, Apply to Selected).
Ctl/Right-clicking on a list brings up a Context Menu which is usually identical to the Gear Menu for that
list. It ALWAYS applies to the selected items in that list.
Dragging objects is a very powerful editing method. All drags and drops do what you would think they
would do. If you drag a Wavefrom and drop it on an Oscillator/Zone, it will set that Oscillator/Zone to
that Multisample. If you drag a couple of WAVE les from outside Korg Creator and drop them on the
Sample List, it will automatically add those WAVE les to the Samples List. You can also drag Programs,
Multisamples, or any object from one Korg document to another.
The INS and DEL buttons are active to make new Multisamples or Samples, and Backspace serves as
another DEL button.
Two very powerful functions are included on the Main Screen; Importing and Preparing. These are covered
in depth in other areas of this document. Consider turning this viewer off in Preferences.
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Object Views
Korg Creator
™
Korg Object Views
The Korg Creator™ Korg Document has several views so you can work efciently. Sometimes it is important
to get a birds eye look at your Korg le, and sometimes you need to only look at a portion of the le.
Views can be access either by the Views top-level menu, or the Master Gear Menu on the upper right of the
document.
Korg les (or we call them Banks) have up to 6 components to them:
Programs
Oscillator/Zones
Multisamples
Samples
Combis (All Files only)
Parts (All Files only)
Generally the Program is the Queen of the Bank, because so much centers on the Program. Because of this,
most Views have at least something to do with the Programs.
There are 5 Views, separated into 3 Categories: General, Detailed, and Special.
There are two General Views:
Full View
This includes from right to left: Program-Oscillator/
Zones, Multisample-Samples.
This is a good general view of the Bank. You can select
Programs and see the Oscillator/Zones that work
within them. You can view the Multisamples, and view
the Samples referenced by them. And you can assign
Multisamples to Oscillator/Zones very easily, since the
lists are ght next to each other.
Four Corners
This includes from right to left: Program-Oscillator/
Zones, the below that left to right MultisampleSamples.
This performs the same purposes of Full View, except
that it values the details of each view (you can see
more of the columns) because of 2x2 alignment. Full
view is more valuable when you want to see more
entries of one list.
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Korg Creator
There are two Detailed Views:
Program-Oscillator/Zone-Multisample
View
This includes from right to left: Program,
Oscillator/Zones, Multisamples.
This is when you are most concerned with
assign already-designed Multisamples to
Oscillator/Zones. The Samples list is omitted
since you are already comfortable with the
contents of the Multisamples.
You have more horizontal information since
there are only 3 lists.
Multisample-Sample View
This includes from right to left: Oscillator/
Zones and Samples
™
Object Views
This is for hardcore Multisample designing,
you can see the minutiae of the Multisamples
and of the Samples. You are not concerned
with Programs or anything other then the
Multisamples and Samples.
You have much more horizontal information
since there are only 2 lists.
Finally, there is one Special View:
Combi View
This includes from right to left: Combis, Parts,
and Programs.
This is the Combi Editor, where you can
assign Programs to Parts, and thus develop
your own Combis easily. Combis do not exist
on any other list, since Programs are more
commonly used and Combis are “far away”
from Multisamples and their dealings.
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Keyboard Display
Korg Creator
The Keyboard Optional Display
Since the Korg is basically a keyboard, and everything revolves around a keyboard, so it’s just natural that
we put a keyboard display on a Korg document. It shows you what the contents of the current Multisample
are, allows you to select a Sample within
the Multisample, and also allows dropping
to import Samples into the currently
selected Multisample and determine their
Key Ranges.
Sample View
The Keyboard display shows in
alternating pink and green the Samples that are referenced in the currently selected Multisample
(on the Multisamples List). Velocities are also shown, in various tints.
Sample Select
By clicking on the Keyboard display, this selects the Sample according to where you clicked. This
also pertains to Velocity -the higher up you click, the higher velocity gets selected.
Sample Import
By dragging and dropping external Samples (WAVE and AIFF) onto the Keyboard display, this
allows you to import Samples into the currently selected Multisample. If you drag more then
one Sample or a Folder, multiple overlays will appear as you drag onto top of the display, with a
maximum of an octave spread. Dragging higher on the Keyboard makes for wider spreads.
™
Dropping on the Keyboard display imports the Samples into the currently selected Multisample. If there are
overlapping Samples, they are deleted or cut-away - this is because Multisamples do not allow overlapping.
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Korg Creator
™
Wave Display
The Wave Optional Display
No editor would be complete without a Wave Display!
Although there is one in the proper place in the Sample Editor, you can display one on the main screen by
checking the Wave Display menu in the top-level View menu, or the master Gear Menu.
This displays what you play
in the Sample list. There are
no transport controls; well,
there actually is - the single
button on the Sample List
performs this function.
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Adding Objects
Korg Creator
™
Adding Objects
You add Programs, Multisamples, Samples, or Combis by dragging objects into the Lists, by clicking the +
button under the List, or pressing the Insert button (INS) on the computer keyboard.
Program List
Drop a Program from another Korg document into this list, and it will add it to the Program List. (We
should say it will replace the Program selected.) Or drop an external le, like a Kontakt .nki, Apple .exs,
SoundFont, etc., or even one or more WAVE/AIFF les, on the Program List and it will create a Program and
make Multisamples that will hold the samples. Clicking the + button or pressing INS will allow you to select
one or more external Instruments to Import in (See Importing External Instruments for more information.)
Multisample List
Drop a Multisample from another Korg document into this list, and it will add it. Or drop an external le,
like a Kontakt .nki, Apple .exs, SoundFont, etc., or even one or more WAVE/AIFF les, on the Multisample
List and it will create Multisamples that will hold the samples. (You then have to assign the Multisamples
to Oscillator/Zones within Programs, if you wish.) Clicking the + button or pressing INS creates a blank
Multisample, in which you can add Samples to.
Sample List
Drop a Sample from another Korg document into this list, and it will add it. Or drop a WAVE/ AIFF. When
importing external samples, Korg Creator assigns the rst available key from the left of the keyboard and
gives it a one note range. You can edit the range afterwards. Clicking the + button or pressing INS brings
up a Open dialog where you can select WAVE/AIFF les to import.
You can also add Samples by dropping them on the Keyboard Display at the bottom of a Korg document.
This provides an easy way to add a sample to a specic keyrange. For more information, see the Keyboard
Optional Display in this document.
Combi List
Drop a Combi from another Korg document into this list, and it will add it to the Combi List. (We should say
it will replace the Combi selected.) Note: you cannot import external foreign formats into the Combis List
yet, even if the format is a Combi-type (like a Roland Combi). This will be incorporated in a future version.
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Korg Creator
™
Deleting Objects
Deleting Objects
You delete objects in a List by clicking the minus sign (-) button under the List, selecting the “Delete” Gear,
Ctl/Right-click Context, or top-level menu option, or by pressing the Delete button (DEL) on the computer
keyboard.
The popup menus under the lists determine if you are deleting all the objects or just the selected ones.
Since it is impossible to delete a Program or Combi, in this context it means Initializing the
Program(s).
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Editing Objects
Korg Creator
™
Editing Objects
You edit an object by double-clicking the object in the list, or by selecting the Gear or top-level menu
“Edit...”. It is only possible to edit one object at a time, so if there are multiple objects selected in a List,
only the rst selection will be edited.
When you edit, the appropriate editor appears. For more information on Editors, see the Editors section of
this document.
For Samples, there is also an additional “Edit External...” menu option. This allows you to edit the sample in
an external editor that you specify in the Preferences dialog. For more information, please see the Editing
External Samples section in this document.
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Korg Creator
™
Renaming Objects
Renaming Objects
You can rename any object by selecting it, then selecting it again. Although you can name things whatever
you want, Korg Creator will apply the natural Korg text and length restrictions, depending on what type
of Korg le (Classic, ES, XS, XF) the document represents. Also note that Samples can be named, even
though these names do not show up in the Korg interface. (We are not sure why this is, must not be
enough room. Well, there is though. Oh well.)
IMPORTANT! If you name your samples, the results are stored in a .Korginfo le of the same name,
stored alongside your Korg le(s). The next time you open that Korg le - IF it has not changed - the
names will show up. If the Korg le has changed since (for instance, if you resaved it using the Korg after
editing) Korg Creator™ will erase the .Korginfo and your sample names will be lost.
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