KORG SP-500 User Manual

EasyStart

• 88 key RH2 (Real Weighted Hammer Action

2) keyboard. Different degrees of resistance
from top to bottom. Velocity sensitive with 6
touch curves for custom response.

• TouchView Graphical user interface.

• 412 on-board sounds (Including 16 drum

kits) 64-note polyphony. Split and Layer
functions.

• Two digital effect processors. (37 effect
types including reverb, chorus and delay)

SP-500 Main Features

• 218 Pro Rhythm Styles, each with up to six
accompaniment parts; plus 2 Fill-Ins,
2 Intros, 2 Endings, and 4 variations per style.

• 40,000 note / 8 track sequencer with 100
song memory.

• On-screen “HELP” feature

• Stereo Inputs/Outputs and dual headphone

jacks.

• Stylish design

• Weights just over 42 lbs.

EasyStart CONTENTS

Overview of several important features
Listening to the demo songs
Selecting and playing Programs / Layer, Split, Play Piano Mode
Applying Effects to a sound
Using the Accompaniment features
Recording a performance
Recording with with an Accompaniment
Important Owner’s Manual references

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SP-500 EasyStart

Overview of several important features

HELP – The SP-500 has a Help function! Press the [HELP] key and the “Help” page appears on the TouchView screen. Touch one

of the help item “cells” (Introduction, Demo, Program, etc.) to learn about the selected topic in English or Japanese.

TOUCH – Press the [TOUCH] key and the “Touch” screen will appear on the screen. You can select one of the six settings to

match your playing style by touching the radio buttons on the TouchView screen.

ENSEMBLE – Press the [ENSEMBLE] key while playing along with an accompaniment to add harmony to the notes you play

(above the split point). There are ten ensemble types to choose from. (See page 42 of the Owner’s Manual)

FUNCTION – press the [FUNCTION] key to enter the Function pages. Here you can make adjustments to the pitch of the keyboard,

transpose and select one of ten temperaments (Tunings) plus create four user scales, make settings for the damper pedal and
assignable footswitch, restore factory settings and more!

TAP – Tap the [TAP] key at the desired tempo to set the playback or accompaniment tempo. Cool!

PLAY PIANO - The PLAY PIANO function is like a “PANIC” button - a fast way to revert the SP-500 to a full-range Piano. Press

the [PLAY PIANO] key and viola! This feature turns off the Split and Layer functions, sets the octave to “0” and sets the program to
Grand Piano 1.

Listening to the Demo Songs

The SP-500 contains twenty-four piano demo songs, nine style demo songs and nine sound demo songs.

1. Press the [DEMO] key. The “Demo” page will appear on the TouchView screen.

2. Press any of the flashing RHYTHM STYLE GROUP or PROGRAM GROUP keys. A demo song in the selected “Demo
Group’ will begin playing
selected “Demo Group” or counterclockwise to hear the previous song in the group
songs, touch the Piano “Demo Group” radio button on the TouchView screen
[PAUSE] key.

3. Use the “Play Mode” radio buttons on the screen to select playback of One song or All songs within the currently selected
demo group.

4. Press the [PLAY/STOP] key to stop playback. Press the [DEMO] key or the [EXIT] to exit demo mode and return to the
main page.

Ä

Ä Rotate the DIAL (Follow the light) once clockwise to advance to the next song within the

ÄÄ

Ä

Ä To hear one of the Piano demo

ÄÄ

Ä

Ä To pause the playback, press the

ÄÄ

! For information on practicing with the demo songs, and changing the keyboard sound during a demo performance, see

page 20-21 of the Owner’s Manual.

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