Korg CR-4 User Manual
Owner’s Manual
1
Precautions
Location
Using the unit in the following locations can result in a
malfunction.
•In direct sunlight
•Locations of extreme temperature or humidity
•Excessively dusty or dirty locations
•Locations of excessive vibration
•Close to magnetic fields
Power supply
Please connect the designated AC adapter to an AC outlet
of the correct voltage. Do not connect it to an AC outlet of
voltage other than that for which your unit is intended.
Interference with other electrical devices
Radios and televisions placed nearby may experience
reception interference. Operate this unit at a suitable distance from radios and televisions.
Handling
To avoid breakage, do not apply excessive force to the
switches or controls.
Care
If the exterior becomes dirty, wipe it with a clean, dry cloth.
Do not use liquid cleaners such as benzene or thinner, or
cleaning compounds or flammable polishes.
Keep this manual
After reading this manual, please keep it for later reference.
Keeping foreign matter out of your equipment
Never set any container with liquid in it near this equipment. If liquid gets into the equipment, it could cause a
breakdown, fire, or electrical shock.
Be careful not to let metal objects get into the equipment. If
something does slip into the equipment, unplug the AC
adapter from the wall outlet. Then contact your nearest
Korg dealer or the store where the equipment was
purchased.
CE mark for European Harmonized
Standards
CE mark which is attached to our company’s products
of AC mains operated apparatus until December 31,
1996 means it conforms to EMC Directive (89/336/
EEC) and CE mark Directive (93/68/EEC).
And, CE mark which is attached after January 1, 1997
means it conforms to EMC Directive (89/336/EEC), CE
mark Directive (93/68/EEC) and Low Voltage Directive
(73/23/EEC).
Also, CE mark which is attached to our company’s
products of Battery operated apparatus means it conforms to EMC Directive (89/336/EEC) and CE mark
Directive (93/68/EEC).
COPYRIGHT WARNING
This professional device is intended only for use with
works for which you yourself own the copyright, for
which you have received permission from the copyright
holder to publicly perform, record, broadcast, sell, and
duplicate, or in connection with activities which constitute “fair use” under copyright law. If you are not the
copyright holder, have not received permission from the
copyright holder, or have not engaged in fair use of the
works, you may be violating copyright law, and may be
liable for damages and penalties. If you are unsure about
your rights to a work, please consult a copyright attorney. KORG TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY
INFRINGEMENT COMMITTED THROUGH USE OF
KORG PRODUCTS.
THE FCC REGULATION WARNING (for U.S.A.)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on,
the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one
or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different
from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for
help.
Unauthorized changes or modification to this system can void
the user’s authority to operate this equipment.
2
*Company names, product names, and names of formats
etc. are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective owners.
Table of Contents
Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
Unpacking your CR-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
About this manual - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
Features of the CR-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
A few dos and don’ts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
About multitrack recording - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5
About the Ampworks effects - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5
Finding your way around the CR-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6
Setting up the CR-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7
Connections to the CR-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7
Connections from the CR-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7
Connecting the power - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7
Inserting the tape - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7
Making your first recording - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9
Recording the rhythm machine - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9
Recording a bass - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10
Recording a guitar - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11
Recording vocals - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11
Mixdown - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12
More advanced techniques - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13
Multi-track recording - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13
Expanding the inputs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13
Expanding the number of tracks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13
Using the noise reduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13
Ampworks effects - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14
What is REMS? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14
Controls - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14
Modeling type - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14
Effects - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15
The TAP control - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15
Further uses for the CR-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16
Using the CR-4 as a guitar combo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16
Using the CR-4 as a pre-amplifier - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16
Specifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Cassette recorder - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Physical specifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Audio specifications and performance - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Effects - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Dimensional drawing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Block Diagram - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18
3
Introduction
...............
Unpacking your CR-4
When you first open the packing for your CR4, you should find the following (as well as this
manual):
•The CR-4 itself
• An AC power adapter
• Your warranty card and other service information.
Contact your KORG dealer if any of these
items are missing.
Save the packing in case you ever need to
return the CR-4 for service.
Only use the AC adaptor supplied with
your CR-4, and make sure that the voltage
marked on the adapter matches your
household AC voltage. If you are in any
doubt, consult your KORG dealer.
...............
About this manual
In this manual, we’ll use the following conventions :
• Steps that you follow are marked in order,
like:
1 Connect the power.
2 Switch on the power switch.
• When we mention a control or indicator on
the CR-4, we put it in brackets, like [PLAY].
• This symbol indicates a caution.
• This symbol indicates advice.
• We’ll point you to other pages in the manual like this: (
→p.6).
...............
Features of the CR-4
Key features of the CR-4 include the following:
High-quality multitrack cassette tape deck
The CR-4 includes a multitrack cassette tape
deck, allowing you to use everyday low-cost
cassette media to make your own multitrack
recordings. You can record up to four tracks at
a time, mixing guitars, bass, keyboards, and
microphone inputs before creating your own
mixes using a stereo cassette deck, CD, or even
to a computer where you can make your own
MP3s.
Ampworks guitar effects
The integrated Ampworks guitar effects provide you with a wide range of guitar and bass
amplifiers, that include high-quality professional-sounding digital effects such as reverb,
delay, chorus, etc. Just plug into the CR-4 and
go!
And you can use the Ampworks effects with
the CR-4 to feed a larger amplification system,
or practice your favorite licks and riffs using
the CR-4 on its own.
Other Ampworks effects
The CR-4 also provides two microphone models, allowing you to simulate the sound of two
of the world’s most famous microphones, as
well as an “acoustic” model bypass effect. The
built-in 3-band EQ features a sweepable
midrange frequency control for these modes.
Built-in amplifier and speakers
To cut down on the number of cables and connections you need to record, you can use the
built-in bass-reflex speaker system.
Or, if you get a bit carried away, you can keep
your playing to yourself (and a friend!) using
the dual headphone facilities—this means that
a singer and guitarist can both use headphones
at the same time.
Easy operation
The CR-4 has been designed to be as easy as
possible to operate. If you can use a stereo cassette deck, you can use the CR-4 to make your
own recordings.
Read through this manual to find out what you
can do with the CR-4, and how to do it.
...............
A few dos and don’ts
There are some basic safety precautions at the
beginning of this manual which you should
read and note. In addition, please note the following:
• Keep the tape heads clean using cassette
head cleaning kits—available from most
electronic stores.
• Cassette tapes are sensitive to magnetic
fields. Don’t use the CR-4 near TV sets or
computer monitors, and don’t store the
cassettes anywhere near these devices, or
near equipment with large electric motors.
4
Introduction
• Avoid smoking, eating or drinking over the
CR-4. Smoke particles, food crumbs and
spilled liquids are the enemies of fine audio
gear.
• Use the best possible new cassettes (Type
II) wherever possible, for high quality
results.
• Use shorter tapes whenever you can. Avoid
C-90 (or longer) tapes if possible because
the tapes are thin, and may stretch or even
break. Because the CR-4 only plays tapes in
one direction, you will get half the stated
recording time on a tape.
• Keep the listening levels low. High levels
can destroy hearing (and you never get it
back!).
...............
About multitrack recording
As we mentioned earlier, the CR-4 allows you
to perform multitrack recording. Multitracking allows you to record the different parts of a
piece of music separately, meaning that if you
play a perfect guitar solo, but make a mess of
the vocals, you don’t have to record everything
again—just the vocals.
There are three basic phases to multitrack
recording: tracking, overdubbing and mixdown. We’ll explain a sample session in this
manual (
advanced recording you can do with your CR4 (
In tracking, the basic foundations of the song
are recorded.
When overdubbing, you add other parts on top
of the basic parts you recorded earlier.
And when you mix down, you adjust the level
of the individual parts and their position in the
stereo field (their “pan” position) and make a
stereo recording on a separate “master” cassette, MD or CD recorder.
→p.9) and also give tips on more
→p.13).
Most people find it easiest to record the
rhythm parts (for example, drums and percussion, bass and rhythm guitar first, and
then add the lead and vocal lines).
Note that if you try play back the CR-4
tapes in an ordinary stereo cassette deck (or
the other way round), on an ordinary stereo cassette two tracks (left and right of
side A) are played back with the tape traveling in one direction and the other two
(left and right of side B) are played back
with the tape traveling in the other direction. With the CR-4, all four tracks play in
the same direction. Also, the CR-4 does not
feature noise reduction.
...............
About the Ampworks effects
When you play an electric guitar or bass, part
of the total sound comes from the instrument
itself, and a significant part comes from the
amplifier and speakers.
Although you may love the sound of your
favorite guitarist, you know that it’s going to
be difficult to set up a massive stack of tube
amplifiers and speakers in your home to sound
just like him.
The Ampworks effects in your CR-4 simulate
some of the world’s most famous and bestloved amplifier/speaker combinations, allowing you to get just the sound you want without
the large heavyweight stacks.
In addition, there is a digital effects unit allowing you to add reverb, delay and so on, giving
that extra professional touch to your playing.
Full tone controls, and gain and volume controls, just like on a full-sized guitar amplifier,
give you complete control.
When you use an acoustic guitar, the two
microphone models and the “acoustic” setting
provide you with added flexibility and control.
Full instructions on how to make the most of
this feature are provided in this manual
(
→p.14).
5
Finding your way around the CR-4
Use this “road map” as a quick guide to find
important features of your CR-4.
Connect the AC power adapter
here, and turn the CR-4 on and off
with this switch
Speakers: turn these on and
off with the rear panel
switch. You can also use
headphones as an alternative monitoring method.
Stereo mastering
cassette, CD, etc. is
connected here
Stereo headphones go in
here
Mixer section. Controls the
input levels, record enabling,
and output levels of the tracks,
as well as the effects for the
tracks, and the pan positions.
Guitars, basses, microphones, synthesizers and
so on go into these 1/4-inch jacks.
4-track cassette
deck and
transport controls.
Cassette transport
controls are just
the same as on
any cassette deck.
Ampworks effect. Use this to
give your playing a distinctive sound.
6
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