Kurzweil Music Systems PC161, PC1SE, PC1X User's Guide
Kurzweil PCR-2
Classic Keys Expansion board for the PC1
User’s Guide
November 7,2005
TM
©2005 All rights reserved. Kurzweil is a product line of Kurzweil Co., Ltd; Kurzweil, PC1
and KDFX are trademarks of Kurzweil Co., Ltd. All other products and brand names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Product features and
specifications are subject to change without notice.
Part Number: 91041 1 Rev . C
Kurzweil International Contacts
Contact the nearest Kurzweil office listed below to locate your local Kurzweil representative.
Kurzweil Co., Ltd.
178-353 Gajwa-dong Seo-gu, Incheon, Korea
Tel: 82-32-580-1500
Fax: 82-32-584-4863
A N D Music Corp.
10107 S. Tacoma Way, A3
Lakewood, WA 98499, USA
Tel: (253) 589-3580
Fax: (253) 589-3585
Young Chang Canada Corp.
250 Victoria Park Ave. Suite # 105
Toronto, Ontario Canada M2H 3P7
Tel: (905) 948-8052
Official distributors in other countries are listed on our website.
World Wide Web Home Page:
http://www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com
This User’s Guide is valid for both the 88-key PC1x and the 61-key PC161 models. For statements that apply
equally to both models, the generic name, PC1, will be used. Otherwise the specific model name, either PC1x or
PC161, will be used.
PC1 Classic Keys User’s Guide
The Classic Keys ROM option equips your PC1 with authentic reproductions of “vintage” keyboard
sounds, which over the years have become essential to the modern keyboardist. The PC1 Classic Keys
ROM contains samples of the following instruments: Hohner Clavinet (Treble Pickup Setting and
Release Thump), Mellotron (Strings, Choir and Flute) ARP Solina String Ensemble, Hohner Pianet,
Yamaha CP-80 Electric Grand Piano (Soft and Hard Strikes), and RMI Electra-Piano (Piano, Harpsi and
Accenter). Classic Keys also makes use of the PC1 base ROM samples, and includes new “vintage”
Rhodes and Wurlitzer programs.
Each program in this set was created using high-quality audio samples as a starting point. The PC1’s synthesis engine allowed us to apply a variety of powerful sound-sculpting tools, which included velocity
layers and cross-fades, envelopes, FUNs and LFOs. The finishing touches were added with the PC1’s
effects engine, which utilizes the same technology as our acclaimed KDFX (for the K2500/K2600 keyboards) and our award-winning KSP8 processor. Effects pedals, speaker cabinets and recording techniques have all been faithfully replicated, giving the Classic Keys programs a level of detail and realism
never before achieved in any “vintage” keyboard emulation. We were able to precisely recreate the timbres from many live and studio recordings, which have helped define the “vintage” sound. Therefore, a
number of the program names in Classic Keys have been derived from song titles and not keyboard
model numbers.
PC1 Classic Keys User’s Guide
We have included a detailed chart, which lists the controller assignments for each program and setup. If a
program has been taken from a specific recording, the artist's name and song title have been provided as
well. In addition to this information, we have also put together a brief description for each of the instruments sampled for Classic Keys.
Infinity Looping Tools, a product of Antares Audio Technologies, were used in the creation of some of these sounds
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PC1 Classic Keys User’s Guide
Hohner Clavinet
Most famous for having been used on Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “T ell Me
Something Good”, and on nearly all of Bob Marley’ s hits, the Clavinet had originally been conceived by
Ernst Zacharias of Hohner, to be the next stage in the evolution of the clavichord. The electro-mechanical
keyboard so well known for its “funky 70’s sound”, had been intended to play Bach.
The Clavinet’s 60-note keyboard extended from F1 to E6, and its action was light to the touch. Under
each key was a metallic string, which would be pressed down onto an “anvil” when the key was struck.
The string would vibrate as long as it remained in contact with the anvil, and was dampened immediately
upon key release. T wo sets of magnetic pick-ups, which resembled the “treble” and “rhythm” pickups on
an electric guitar, produced an electrical signal, which was fed to the output of the instrument.
The Model C, introduced in 1968, and the more popular Model D6, introduced in 1971, were the two
most widely used versions. The D6 featured a series of six rocker switches, which controlled tone and
pick-up selection. Labeled “Brilliant”, “Treble”, “Medium”, and “Soft”, the first four switches were connected to a series of band-pass filters. The next two switches enabled each of the pick-ups. Both could be
selected, with the choice of them being in or out of phase. The D6 also featured a sliding “mute” lever,
which controlled how fast a held note would decay.
Classic Keys features samples of the “treble” pick-up along with a “release thump”, while the PC1 base
ROM already contains samples of the “rhythm” pick-up. Many of the Clavinet programs in Classic Keys
were designed to imitate the D6’s various switch combinations, making use of the PC1’s own MIDI
knobs and switches.
ARP Solina String Ensemble
The Solina String Ensemble, built for ARP by the Dutch organ manufac turer , Emin ent, was the most well
known string synthesizer of the mid-seventies, amid a field of similar, less successful competitors. Its distinctive string sound has appeared on a wide variety of recordings, having been used by Herbie Hancock,
The Band, Vangelis, Pink Floyd, Parliament/Funkadelic, New Order , and many other well-known artists.
Housed in a sleek wood enclosure, the Solina was capable of producing haunting, ethereal strings in the
upper register, and lush pads in the lower register.
The String Ensemble was not a true polyphonic synthesizer, and employed a “divide down” single oscillator (common in electronic organs) to generate a polyphonic saw wave. All of its voices were fed into a
single envelope generator which afforded the user control over attack (labeled Crescendo) and release
(labeled Sustain). A button labeled, Modulation, enabled the famous “Bucket Brigade” chorus circuit,
which added to the warm quality of the Solina’ s sound. Many of the S tring Ensemble programs in Classic
Keys use the PC1’s MIDI Knobs and switches to emulate the Solina’s front panel controls.
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PC1 Classic Keys User’s Guide
The Mellotron
Also famous for its string sound, the Mellotron, later renamed the Novatron, was manufactured in the
U.K., by Streetly Electronics, from 1962-1986. A predecessor to the modern digital sampler, the Mellotron used strips of analog tape, one for each key, to reproduce actual recorded sounds. Every key had its
own corresponding motor and tape head, which were engaged when the key was depressed. When the
key was released, the tape was rewound. A new note on the same key could not be triggered until the tape
had completely finished rewinding. The tapes used were not looped, and each sound had a fixed length of
eight seconds. In most cases, there were at least three tracks on each tape, in succession, and the user was
able to select one of these “presets”. The Mark II (produced 1964-1967) and later the M400 (produced
1970-1986) were the most widely used models. The Mark II was equipped with dual 35 note keyboards,
with the one on the left designated to play rhythms and fills, and the one on the right to play “lead”. The
left manual and “rhythm section” were dropped after the mark II. The M400, by far the biggest seller, featured a single 35-note keyboard, and was housed in a distinctive white cabinet.
While cumbersome, and often plagued by mechanical difficulties, the Mellotron was a breakthrough in its
day, providing reproductions of real acoustic sounds, free of any polyphony constraints, other than the
number of notes one could physically play . Although intended to imitate other timbres, the Mellotron had
an identifiable warm sound of its own, and blended effectively with other instruments in a mix.
Made famous first by The Beatles (flutes on Strawberry Fields), and later by The Moody Blues, David
Bowie and Led Zeppelin, the Mellotron was featured on numerous recordings from the late sixties
through the seventies. Its sound has often been associated with progressive rock, as it was used extensively by bands like Yes, Genesis, and King Crimson.
Classic Keys features the three most popular Mellotron sounds: strings, flute and choir. Each sample has
been meticulously tuned and looped. We felt that it was appropriate to eliminate the eight second limit,
along with the delayed attack (waiting for the heads and motor to engage) in order to make the sounds
more playable. Also, most of the Mellotron programs in Classic Keys are touch sensitive, another departure from the original. Our goal was to maximize the playability of the sounds, without compromising
their authenticity.
Hohner Pianet
Although featured prominently in a number of classic rock songs by The Beatles, Three Dog Night, The
Zombies and others, the Hohner Pianet remains a lesser-known instrument, its sound having often been
mistakenly attributed to the Wurlitzer.
Produced from c.1962-1980 in various console models, the Pianet series differed from the Rhodes and
Wurlitzer in a few important areas. Sound was produced by metal reeds, which were plucked by a set of
adhesive pads. Also distinguishing the Pianet, was the absence of a sustain pedal.
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PC1 Classic Keys User’s Guide
Note: Hohner also manufactured the much more rare Electra-Piano (not to be confused with the RMI
Electra-Piano) which featured an enclosure resembling that of an upright piano. Reported to have a hammer mechanism very much like the one found in the Rhodes, the Hohner Electra-Piano featured a built-in
amp and four speakers. Led Zeppelin made this sound famous, employing it in a number of hits. Using
our Pianet samples and bit of processing, we were able to craft some realistic imitations of the Hohner
Electra-Piano, and we’ve included them in the Pianet section of Classic Keys.
Yamaha CP-80
Known commonly as the “electric grand”, the CP-80 (88 notes), along with it’s smaller counterpart, the
CP-70 (76 notes), was the product of clever engineering combined with traditional piano-making craftsmanship. Inside the CP-80, are the basic workings of a real acoustic piano, which have been altered to fit
into a smaller enclosure. On the outside, the CP-80 looks like a “grand” version of the Rhodes, covered in
tolex, with the top portion extending in the rear to accommodate the piano harp inside. Up until the mid1980’ s, when sampled pianos became available, the CP-70/80 was the only instrument capable of providing a decent substitute for a real piano. While it served this purpose well, the CP-70/80 had some unique
features, which allowed it to have its own very distinct sound when desired.
With single strings on the lower notes, and double strings on the rest, the CP-70/80 included a modified
Yamaha grand piano action and employed piezo-electric transducers in lieu of pickups. The original CP
series featured bass and treble tone controls and a tremolo circuit. Later, seven bands of EQ, balanced
outputs and MIDI capabilities were added (CP-70/80B and M models). Often used with chorus and compression effects, the CP-80 was known for having more “punch” than an acoustic piano. Production
began in 1977 and ended in 1987.
RMI Electra-Piano
Built by Rocky Mount Instruments, a division of the Allen Organ Company, from 1967-1980, the RMI
Electra-Piano is the one electric piano represented in Classic Keys, which did not produce sound by electro-mechanical means. With an electronic tone-generator for each note, un-weighted plastic keys, which
were not touch-sensitive, and a set of “stops” for sound selection, the RMI more closely resembled an
organ than anything else. Both sustain and volume pedals were included with the unit. Most were black
tolex-covered consoles with 61 (later 68) keys, and rested on a set of metal legs.
There were five stops on the RMI, which controlled the tone: Piano, Piano PP, Harpsi, Harpsi PP, and
Lute. There were two additional stops; Accenter, which added in an attack “thump” as well as Organ
Mode, which extended the decay of held notes.
Though not capable of producing a realistic piano sound, the RMI did provide a viable “electric harpsichord/clavichord” tone. In addition, the overall sound of the RMI was warm, yet manageable, and lent
itself nicely to the use of effects processors and pedals. The RMI appeared on a variety of albums in the
early and mid seventies, and was featured prominently in the music of the progressive rock bands Genesis
and Yes.
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PC1 Classic Keys User’s Guide
PC161 or PC1x Version 2 Operating System Feature
CC Pedal Parameter
Many of the patches in the Classic Keys expansion board make use of controller 04 - Foot, as a "wah"
pedal. However, the typical assignment for the CC Pedal in Program Mode is controller 11 - Expression.
While it is possible to reassign the CC Pedal in the Internal Setup, which is used by the Program mode,
you may find that you want to change the assignment more frequently and conveniently. The CC Pedal
parameter allows you to quickly override the current assignment.
The CC Pedal parameter follows the Local Control parameter in the Global Settings menu. To view or
change the CC Pedal parameter, press the Global button, and then the right cursor button. The display
will show the following:
Global Settings
CC Pedal: Int. Setup
The choices for this parameter are "Int. Setup" or "Foot(MIDI4)".
If "Int. Setup" is selected, then the CC Pedal in Program mode will follow the assignment from the Inter-
nal Setup. If "Foot" is selected, then the CC Pedal in Program mode will be assigned to controller 4, and
the Classic Keys program that use a wah pedal will function properly.
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PC1 Classic Keys User’s Guide
Controller Assignments
Here are a few of the guidelines which were used in determining control and knob assignments for the
programs in Classic Keys. These general rules should make it relatively easy to adjust the most basic pro-
gram settings when first scrolling and playing through the complete set of sounds. Keep in mind that
these are general rules, and there will be some exceptions. You can refer to the table which we have provided, to view the complete controller assignment information for each program.
ModWheel Controls tremolo depth on most electric piano programs, controls envelope
Knob A (MIDI 91) Controls FX A wet/dry.
Knob B (MIDI 93) Controls FX B wet/dry. (Note: Most programs in Classic Keys over-ride this
Knob C (Data/MIDI 06) Controls brightness (lopass or bandpass filter freq.) on many programs. Also
shape on most ARP programs, and doubles as a "wah" controller on any
"wah" programs, for those users who do not have or use the Continuous
Controller pedal.
control in order to allow the program output to go through FX A and then
into FX B in series, as a chain.
used to control the volume of certain layers within a program.
Knob D (MIDI 13) Controls filter resonance on many programs. Controls tremolo, phaser, and
LFO rates. Also used to control the volume of certain layers within a
program.
Sw2 (MIDI 09) This switch is located just to the right of the "Octave Shift" button, below the
MIDI Knobs. Used sparingly - consult Controller Assignment Table.
Sw4 (MIDI 29) Located just above the pitchwheel. Used to enable layers on many programs.
Also used to enable certain effects such as phaser or chorus, when they are
generated in the synth engine (not the effects engine).
FtSw 1 (MIDI 64/Sustain) Functions as a sustain pedal on almost all programs. Enables synth effect on
a select few.
CC Pedal (*MIDI 04/Foot)Functions as a "wah" pedal on all of the "wah" programs. To use the CC
Pedal as a “wah” pedal with ROM2, make sure that the CC Pedal
parameter is set to “MIDI 04/Foot” in the Global menu.
* CC Pedal is set to MIDI 11/ Expression as the default.
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Classic Keys Programs
Classic Keys Programs
Prog Program Name Controller Description
000 CP80 Enhanced Modwheel Tremolo Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (filter cutoff freq)
Knob D Filter Resonance
SW 2
SW 4
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
001 Gabriel's Melt Modwheel Extra Chorus Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (Filter Cutoff Freq)
Knob D Filter Resonance
SW 2
SW 4
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
Imitates Peter Gabriel's signature chorused CP-80 sound from
"Melt" and "Security" albums.
Prog Program Nam e Controller Description
003 Brighter CP Modwheel
Knob A FX-A wet/dry: enable chorus
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (filter cutoff freq)
Knob D Filter Resonance
SW 2
SW 4
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
Inspired by chorused CP-80 on
Toto's "Dune"soundtrack.
004 CP Chorus Layers Modwheel Tremolo Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry (Enable 4 Tap
Delay)
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (Filter Cutoff Freq)
Knob D Tremolo Rate
SW 2
SW 4 Disable Chorus Layer
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
002 80's EQ ChorusCP Modwheel
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (Bandpass Freq)
Knob D Bandpass Width
SW 2
SW 4
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
Recreates the sound used by
Geoff Downes on The Buggles'
"Video Killed The Radio Star".
005 Power CP Modwheel Tremolo Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (Filter Cutoff Freq)
Lyr 2
Knob D Tremolo Rate
SW 2
SW 4 Detune Lyrs, Enable Chorusing
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
006 Dark Chorus CP Modwheel Chorus Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (filter cutoff freq)
Knob D Filter Resonance
SW 2
SW 4
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
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Classic Keys Programs
Prog Program Name Controller Description
007 Inside Out CP Modwheel Tremolo Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (Filter Cutoff Freq)
Knob D Tremolo Rate
SW 2
SW 4 Enable Extra Chorus
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
Reproduction of the dense CP
sound on Phil Collins' "Inside
Out".
008 Pianet Classic Modwheel Tremolo Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (filter cutoff freq)
Knob D Tremolo Rate
SW 2
SW 4
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
009 She's Not There Modwheel Tremolo Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Parametric Mid EQ freq lyr 1
Knob D Brightness (Bandpass Freq) Lyr
2
SW 2
SW 4
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
Models Rod Argent's Pianet
sound from the Zombies' "She's
Not There".
Prog Program Nam e Controller Description
010 3 Dog Zeppelin Modwheel Vibrato Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C
Knob D Vibrato Rate
SW 2
SW 4 Resonance Boost
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
Imitates sound from Three Dog
Night's "Joy To The World".
Modwheel enables warbly sound
from "Mama told Me Not To
Come". SW4 enables resonance
boost, imitating John Paul Jones'
sound on Led Zeppelin's "Misty
Mountain Hop".
011 Flaming Hohner Modwheel Tremolo Depth
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (filter cutoff freq)
Knob D Tremolo Rate
SW 2
SW 4
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
012 No Quarter Pnt Modwheel
Knob A FX-A Wet/Dry
Knob B FX-B Wet/Dry
Knob C Brightness (filter cutoff freq)
Knob D Filter Resonance
SW 2
SW 4 Disable filter LFO
CC Pedal
SW pedal 1
10
Recreates John Paul Jones' "bubbly" EP sound on Led Zeppelin's
"No Quarter".
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