Kurzweil Music Systems PC3, PC361, PC3X User Manual

Page 1

Musician’s Guide

(includes PC3, PC3X, PC361, and X-Pro)

©2009 All rights reserved. Kurzweil ® is a product line of Young Chang Co., Ltd. Young Chang®, Kurzweil ®, V. A. S. T. ®, PC3®, KDFX®, Pitcher®, and LaserVerb®, KSP8 ™, K2661™, K2600™, K2500™, and K2000™ are trademarks of Young Chang 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.

You may legally print up to two (2) copies of this document for personal use. Commercial use of any copies of this document is prohibited. Young Chang Co. retains ownership of all intellectual property represented by this document.

910511 – V1.32 March 2009

Page 2

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER

NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL

The lightning flash with the arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated

"dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and

maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product.

IMPORTANT SAFETY & INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING TO THE RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK, OR INJURY TO PERSONS

WARNING: When using electric products, basic precautions should

always be followed, including the following:

1. Read all of the Safety and Installation Instructions and Explanation of Graphic Symbols before using the product.

2. This product must be grounded. If it should malfunction or break down, grounding provides a path of least resistance for electric current to reduce the risk of electric shock. This product is equipped with a power supply cord having an equipment-grounding conductor and a grounding plug. The plug must be plugged into an appropriate outlet which is properly installed and grounded in accordance with all local codes and ordinances.

DANGER: Improper connection of the equipment-grounding

conductor can result in a risk of electric shock. Do not modify the plug provided with the product - if it will not ﬁt the outlet, have a proper outlet installed by a qualiﬁed electrician. Do not use an adaptor which defeats the function of the equipment-grounding conductor. If you are in doubt as to whether the product is properly grounded, check with a qualiﬁed serviceman or electrician.

3. WARNING: This product is equipped with an AC input voltage selector. The voltage selector has been factory set for the mains supply voltage in the country where this unit was sold. Changing the voltage selector may require the use of a different power supply cord or attachment plug, or both. To reduce the risk of ﬁre or electric shock, refer servicing to qualiﬁed maintenance personnel.

4. Do not use this product near water - for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, or the like.

5. This product should only be used with a stand or cart that is recommended by the manufacturer.

6. This product, either alone or in combination with an ampliﬁer and speakers or headphones, may be capable of producing sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss. Do not operate for a long period of time at a high volume level or at a level that is uncomfortable. If you experience any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should consult an audiologist.

7. The product should be located so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation.

8. The product should be located away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, or other products that produce heat.

9. The product should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the product.

10. This product may be equipped with a polarized line plug (one blade wider than the other). This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact an electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the plug.

11. The power supply cord of the product should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time. When unplugging the power supply cord, do not pull on the cord, but grasp it by the plug.

12. Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings.

13. The product should be serviced by qualiﬁed service personnel when:

A. The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged; B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the product; C. The product has been exposed to rain; D. The product does not appear to be operating normally or

exhibits a marked change in performance;

E. The product has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.

14. Do not attempt to service the product beyond that described in the user maintenance instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualiﬁed service personnel.

15. WARNING: Do not place objects on the product’s power supply cord, or place the product in a position where anyone could trip over, walk on, or roll anything over cords of any type. Do not allow the product to rest on or be installed over cords of any type. Improper installations of this type create the possibility of a ﬁre hazard and/or personal injury.

RADIO AND TELEVISION INTERFERENCE

WARNING: Changes or modiﬁcations to this instrument not expressly

approved by Young Chang could void your authority to operate the instrument.

IMPORTANT: When connecting this product to accessories and/or other

equipment use only high quality shielded cables.

NOTE: This instrument 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 instrument 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 par ticular installation. If this instrument does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the instrument off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the instrument and the receiver.

• Connect the instrument into an outlet on a circuit other than the one

to which the receiver is connected.

• If necessary consult your dealer or an experienced radio/television

technician for additional suggestions.

NOTICE

This apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

AVIS

Le present appareil numerique n’emet pas de bruits radioelectriques depassant les limites applicables aux appareils numeriques de la class B prescrites dans le Reglement sur le brouillage radioelectrique edicte par le ministere des Communications du Canada.

Page 3

Important Safety Instructions

1) Read these instructions

2) Keep these instructions.

3) Heed all warnings.

4) Follow all instructions.

5) Do not use this apparatus near water.

6) Clean only with dry cloth.

7) Do not block any of the ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including ampliﬁers) that produce heat.

9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not ﬁt into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10) Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

11) Only use attachments/accessories speciﬁed by the manufacturer.

12) Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table speciﬁed by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

13) Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

14) CAUTION: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type (CR2032).

15) Refer all servicing to qualiﬁed service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

Warning - To reduce the risk of ﬁre or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or mois-

ture. Do not expose this equipment to dripping or splashing and ensure that no objects ﬁlled with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the equipment.

To completely disconnect this equipment from the AC Mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug from the AC receptacle.

iii

Page 4

Kurzweil International Contacts

Contact the Kurzweil ofﬁce listed below to locate your local Kurzweil representative.

Kurzweil Music Systems 19060 S. Dominguez Hills Dr. Rancho Dominguez California 90220 USA

telephone: (310)637-2000 fax: (310)637-2025

http://www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com

Kurzweil Co., LTD iPark Building #102, Floor 9 Jeongja-Dong 9, Bundang-Gu Soungnam-Shi, Gyeonggi-Do 463-859 South Korea

http://www.ycpiano.co.kr http://www.youngchang.com

Page 5

Kurzweil International Contacts .....................................................................................................................................iv

Chapter 1 Introduction

Keeping Current...............................................................................................................................................................1-1

Overview of the PC3 .......................................................................................................................................................1-2

How the PC3 Works ........................................................................................................................................................1-2

VAST Synthesis ................................................................................................................................................................1-3

KB3 Tone Wheel Emulation............................................................................................................................................1-3

VA-1 Programs .................................................................................................................................................................1-3

How to Use This Manual................................................................................................................................................1-4

Do I Have Everything?....................................................................................................................................................1-4

Boot Loader.......................................................................................................................................................................1-4

Battery................................................................................................................................................................................1-4

Options ..............................................................................................................................................................................1-5

Sound ROM Cards....................................................................................................................................................1-5

Pedals .........................................................................................................................................................................1-5

Ribbon Controller .....................................................................................................................................................1-5

Breath Controller ......................................................................................................................................................1-5

Chapter 2 Startup

Make Connections ...........................................................................................................................................................2-1

Make Music.......................................................................................................................................................................2-1

Startup—the Details ........................................................................................................................................................2-2

Before You Start.........................................................................................................................................................2-2

Connecting the Power Cable (Line Cord) .............................................................................................................2-2

Connecting Audio Cables........................................................................................................................................2-2

Connecting MIDI ......................................................................................................................................................2-3

Pedals .........................................................................................................................................................................2-4

Breath..........................................................................................................................................................................2-4

Ribbon ........................................................................................................................................................................2-5

Switching On the Power..........................................................................................................................................2-5

xD Cards ....................................................................................................................................................................2-6

USB Port.....................................................................................................................................................................2-6

Setting the Clock .......................................................................................................................................................2-6

PC3 Programs...................................................................................................................................................................2-7

Selecting Programs...................................................................................................................................................2-7

Easy Audition............................................................................................................................................................2-7

Program Mode Display............................................................................................................................................2-7

VAST Programs.........................................................................................................................................................2-8

KB3 Programs............................................................................................................................................................2-8

Setups ................................................................................................................................................................................2-9

Quick Access.....................................................................................................................................................................2-9

The Other Modes ...........................................................................................................................................................2-10

Software Upgrades ........................................................................................................................................................2-10

Chapter 3 User Interface Basics

Mode Selection .................................................................................................................................................................3-1

Mode Buttons ...................................................................................................................................................................3-2

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Bank Buttons.....................................................................................................................................................................3-2

Sliders ................................................................................................................................................................................3-3

Program and Category Buttons .....................................................................................................................................3-4

Picking favorites .......................................................................................................................................................3-4

Pitch Wheel and Mod Wheel .........................................................................................................................................3-5

Navigation ........................................................................................................................................................................3-6

The Display................................................................................................................................................................3-6

Pages...........................................................................................................................................................................3-6

The Top Line ..............................................................................................................................................................3-6

The Bottom Line........................................................................................................................................................3-6

The Soft Buttons........................................................................................................................................................3-7

The Cursor Buttons ..................................................................................................................................................3-7

The Chan/Layer Buttons.........................................................................................................................................3-7

The Edit Button .........................................................................................................................................................3-8

The Exit Button .........................................................................................................................................................3-8

Data Entry.........................................................................................................................................................................3-9

The Alpha Wheel ......................................................................................................................................................3-9

The Plus/Minus Buttons .........................................................................................................................................3-9

The Alphanumeric Pad............................................................................................................................................3-9

Double Button Presses ...........................................................................................................................................3-10

Intuitive Data Entry....................................................................................................................................................... 3-11

Changing the Current Layer in Multi-Layer Programs.................................................................................... 3-11

Search...............................................................................................................................................................................3-12

Quick Song Recording and Playback..........................................................................................................................3-12

Chapter 4 The Operating Modes

What the Modes Are........................................................................................................................................................4-1

Selecting Modes ...............................................................................................................................................................4-1

Finding Square One..................................................................................................................................................4-2

Using the Modes ..............................................................................................................................................................4-2

Program Mode ..........................................................................................................................................................4-2

Setup Mode................................................................................................................................................................4-2

Quick Access Mode ..................................................................................................................................................4-3

Effects Mode..............................................................................................................................................................4-3

MIDI Mode ................................................................................................................................................................4-3

Master Mode .............................................................................................................................................................4-3

Song Mode.................................................................................................................................................................4-3

Storage Mode ............................................................................................................................................................4-3

Chapter 5 Editing Conventions

Introduction to Editing ...................................................................................................................................................5-1

What’s an Object? .....................................................................................................................................................5-1

Object Type and ID ..........................................................................................................................................................5-2

Saving and Naming.........................................................................................................................................................5-2

ROM Objects..............................................................................................................................................................5-3

Memory Objects........................................................................................................................................................5-4

Keyboard Naming ....................................................................................................................................................5-5

Deleting Objects ...............................................................................................................................................................5-6

Dependent Objects ...................................................................................................................................................5-6

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Saving and Loading Files—Storage Mode...................................................................................................................5-6

Special Button Functions ................................................................................................................................................5-7

Chapter 6 Program Mode

VAST and KB3 Programs................................................................................................................................................6-1

VAST Program Structure ................................................................................................................................................6-2

KB3 Program Structure ...................................................................................................................................................6-4

KB3 Mode ..................................................................................................................................................................6-4

Real-time Controls in KB3 Mode............................................................................................................................6-5

Playing KB3 Programs .............................................................................................................................................6-5

KB3 Mode Buttons (Mute Buttons)........................................................................................................................6-5

MIDI Control of KB3 Programs..............................................................................................................................6-6

The Program Mode Page ................................................................................................................................................6-9

Control Setup ............................................................................................................................................................6-9

The Soft Buttons in Program Mode......................................................................................................................6-10

Controller Entry Values in Program Mode .........................................................................................................6-10

Editing VAST Programs ................................................................................................................................................6-11

The Soft Buttons in the Program Editor .............................................................................................................. 6-11

The MODE Buttons in the Program Editor.........................................................................................................6-12

Algorithm Basics............................................................................................................................................................6-13

Common DSP Control Parameters.......................................................................................................................6-14

Alt Input for Algorithms (Cascade Mode)..........................................................................................................6-17

Dynamic VAST........................................................................................................................................................6-18

The KEYMAP Page........................................................................................................................................................6-19

Keymap ....................................................................................................................................................................6-19

Transpose (Xpose)...................................................................................................................................................6-19

Key Tracking (KeyTrk)...........................................................................................................................................6-19

Velocity Tracking (VelTrk) .....................................................................................................................................6-20

Method (AltMethod)..............................................................................................................................................6-20

Stereo ........................................................................................................................................................................6-20

Timbre Shift .............................................................................................................................................................6-21

Playback Mode........................................................................................................................................................6-21

Alternative Controller (AltControl).....................................................................................................................6-21

Alternative Switch (AltControl and AltMethod)...............................................................................................6-21

The LAYER Page ............................................................................................................................................................6-22

Low Key (LoKey)....................................................................................................................................................6-23

High Key (HiKey)...................................................................................................................................................6-23

Low Velocity (LoVel) ..............................................................................................................................................6-23

High Velocity (HiVel) .............................................................................................................................................6-23

Pitch Bend Mode (Bend)........................................................................................................................................6-23

Trigger (Trig)............................................................................................................................................................6-23

Delay Control (DlyCtl)...........................................................................................................................................6-23

Minimum Delay (MinDly), Maximum Delay (MaxDly)...................................................................................6-24

Enable .......................................................................................................................................................................6-24

Enable Sense (S) ......................................................................................................................................................6-24

Opaque.....................................................................................................................................................................6-25

Sustain Pedal (SusPdl) ...........................................................................................................................................6-25

Sostenuto Pedal (SosPdl) .......................................................................................................................................6-25

Freeze Pedal (FrzPdl) .............................................................................................................................................6-25

Ignore Release (IgnRel)..........................................................................................................................................6-25

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Hold Through Attack (ThrAtt).............................................................................................................................6-26

Hold Until Decay (TilDec).....................................................................................................................................6-26

The PITCH Page.............................................................................................................................................................6-26

The AMP Page................................................................................................................................................................6-26

The Algorithm (ALG) Page ..........................................................................................................................................6-27

The DSP Control (DSPCTL) Page................................................................................................................................6-28

The DSP Modulation (DSPMOD) Page ......................................................................................................................6-29

The OUTPUT Page ........................................................................................................................................................6-30

Pan ............................................................................................................................................................................6-31

Pan Mode .................................................................................................................................................................6-31

Output: Pan, Gain, and Mode............................................................................................................................... 6-32

Pan Table ..................................................................................................................................................................6-32

Crossfade and Crossfade Sense (XFadeSense) ...................................................................................................6-32

Drum Remap...........................................................................................................................................................6-32

Exclusive Zone Map...............................................................................................................................................6-33

The COMMON Page .....................................................................................................................................................6-33

Pitch Bend Range Up and Down..........................................................................................................................6-34

Monophonic ............................................................................................................................................................6-34

Legato Play ..............................................................................................................................................................6-35

Portamento ..............................................................................................................................................................6-35

Portamento Rate .....................................................................................................................................................6-35

Attack Portamento..................................................................................................................................................6-36

Globals......................................................................................................................................................................6-36

Output: Gain, Pan, and Pan Mode.......................................................................................................................6-36

Demo Song...............................................................................................................................................................6-36

The LFO Page .................................................................................................................................................................6-37

Minimum Rate ........................................................................................................................................................6-38

Maximum Rate........................................................................................................................................................6-38

Rate Control.............................................................................................................................................................6-38

LFO Shape................................................................................................................................................................6-38

LFO Phase................................................................................................................................................................6-38

The ASR Page .................................................................................................................................................................6-39

Trigger ......................................................................................................................................................................6-39

Mode.........................................................................................................................................................................6-39

Delay.........................................................................................................................................................................6-40

Attack .......................................................................................................................................................................6-40

Release......................................................................................................................................................................6-40

The Function (FUN) Page.............................................................................................................................................6-40

The Amplitude Envelope (AMPENV) Page...............................................................................................................6-41

Attack Segment Times............................................................................................................................................6-42

Attack Segment Levels...........................................................................................................................................6-42

Decay Segment........................................................................................................................................................6-43

Release Segments....................................................................................................................................................6-43

Loop Type ................................................................................................................................................................6-43

Number of Loops....................................................................................................................................................6-43

The Envelope 2 (ENV2) and Envelope 3 (ENV3) Pages...........................................................................................6-43

The Envelope Control (ENVCTL) Page......................................................................................................................6-44

Adjust .......................................................................................................................................................................6-45

Key Tracking............................................................................................................................................................6-45

Velocity Tracking.....................................................................................................................................................6-46

Source, Depth ..........................................................................................................................................................6-46

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Impact.......................................................................................................................................................................6-46

The Program FX (PROGFX) Page................................................................................................................................6-46

Insert.........................................................................................................................................................................6-47

Aux 1, Aux 2............................................................................................................................................................6-47

Output ......................................................................................................................................................................6-47

Auxiliary Send Parameters....................................................................................................................................6-47

Aux1 Mod, Aux2 Mod ...........................................................................................................................................6-48

The Layer FX (LYR_FX) Page .......................................................................................................................................6-49

The Controllers (CTLS) Page........................................................................................................................................6-50

Function Soft Buttons....................................................................................................................................................6-51

Set Controllers (SetCtl)...........................................................................................................................................6-51

New Layer (NewLyr).............................................................................................................................................6-51

Duplicate Layer (DupLyr).....................................................................................................................................6-51

Import Layer (ImpLyr)...........................................................................................................................................6-51

Delete Layer (DelLyr).............................................................................................................................................6-51

Name ........................................................................................................................................................................6-52

Save...........................................................................................................................................................................6-52

Delete........................................................................................................................................................................6-52

Dump........................................................................................................................................................................6-52

Editing VAST Programs With KVA Oscillators .........................................................................................................6-52

Basic Use of KVA Oscillators.................................................................................................................................6-52

Setting KVA Oscillator Type..................................................................................................................................6-53

Advanced Use Of KVA Oscillators.......................................................................................................................6-55

Editing KB3 Programs...................................................................................................................................................6-59

The Tone Wheels (TONEWL) Page .............................................................................................................................6-59

Upper Tone Wheel Keymap ..................................................................................................................................6-59

Upper Volume Adjust ............................................................................................................................................6-60

Number of Tone Wheels ........................................................................................................................................6-60

Organ Map...............................................................................................................................................................6-60

Wheel Volume Map ................................................................................................................................................6-60

Globals......................................................................................................................................................................6-60

Lower Transpose / Upper Transpose..................................................................................................................6-60

The Drawbars (DRAWBR) Page ..................................................................................................................................6-61

Mode.........................................................................................................................................................................6-61

Steps..........................................................................................................................................................................6-61

Volume .....................................................................................................................................................................6-61

Tune ..........................................................................................................................................................................6-61

The Set Drawbars (SetDBR) Soft Button.....................................................................................................................6-61

The PITCH Page.............................................................................................................................................................6-62

The AMP Page................................................................................................................................................................6-62

The PERC1 Page.............................................................................................................................................................6-63

Percussion................................................................................................................................................................6-63

Volume .....................................................................................................................................................................6-63

Decay ........................................................................................................................................................................6-63

Harmonic .................................................................................................................................................................6-64

VelTrack....................................................................................................................................................................6-64

LowHarm.................................................................................................................................................................6-64

HighHarm................................................................................................................................................................6-64

StealBar.....................................................................................................................................................................6-64

The PERC2 Page.............................................................................................................................................................6-64

PercLevel, DecayTime, OrgLevel .........................................................................................................................6-65

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The KEYCLK Page.........................................................................................................................................................6-65

KeyClick...................................................................................................................................................................6-65

Volume .....................................................................................................................................................................6-65

Decay ........................................................................................................................................................................6-65

VelTrk........................................................................................................................................................................6-66

Pitch ..........................................................................................................................................................................6-66

Random....................................................................................................................................................................6-66

ReTrigThresh ...........................................................................................................................................................6-66

Note Attack..............................................................................................................................................................6-66

Note Release ............................................................................................................................................................6-66

The MISC Page...............................................................................................................................................................6-67

PreampResp.............................................................................................................................................................6-67

Leakage ....................................................................................................................................................................6-67

LeakMode ................................................................................................................................................................6-68

SpeedCtl...................................................................................................................................................................6-68

VibChorCtl...............................................................................................................................................................6-68

VibChorSel...............................................................................................................................................................6-68

VolAdjust .................................................................................................................................................................6-68

BendRngUp, BendRngDn .....................................................................................................................................6-68

Sustain ......................................................................................................................................................................6-68

Sostenuto..................................................................................................................................................................6-68

LesliePedal...............................................................................................................................................................6-69

The EQ Page ...................................................................................................................................................................6-69

The OUTPUT Page ........................................................................................................................................................6-69

The Program FX (PROGFX) Page................................................................................................................................6-70

The LFO, ASR, and FUN Pages ...................................................................................................................................6-70

Programming Tips .........................................................................................................................................................6-70

Chapter 7 Setup Mode

The Control Setup............................................................................................................................................................7-2

Zone-status LEDs in Setup Mode...........................................................................................................................7-4

Soloing a Zone...........................................................................................................................................................7-5

The Setup Editor ..............................................................................................................................................................7-5

The Channel/Program (CH/PROG) Page...................................................................................................................7-6

Program......................................................................................................................................................................7-6

Channel ......................................................................................................................................................................7-7

MidiBank....................................................................................................................................................................7-7

MidiProg ....................................................................................................................................................................7-8

Status ..........................................................................................................................................................................7-8

Destination.................................................................................................................................................................7-8

BankMode..................................................................................................................................................................7-9

EntryProgChg............................................................................................................................................................7-9

Arpeggiator ...............................................................................................................................................................7-9

The Key/Velocity (KEY-VEL) Page.............................................................................................................................7-10

Low Key (LoKey), High Key (HiKey) .................................................................................................................7-11

Transpose .................................................................................................................................................................7-11

Note Map ................................................................................................................................................................. 7-11

Velocity Scale (VelScale).........................................................................................................................................7-12

Velocity Offset .........................................................................................................................................................7-13

Velocity Curve (VelCurve).....................................................................................................................................7-15

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Low Velocity (LoVel), HighVelocity (HiVel) .......................................................................................................7-17

The Pan/Volume (PAN/VOL) Page...........................................................................................................................7-18

Entry Volume, Exit Volume...................................................................................................................................7-18

Entry Pan, Exit Pan.................................................................................................................................................7-18

The BEND Page.............................................................................................................................................................. 7-19

Bend Range (Semitones) and Bend Range (Cents): Up and Down .................................................................7-19

Aux Bend 1 Up and Aux Bend 1 Down...............................................................................................................7-20

Aux Bend 2 Range ..................................................................................................................................................7-20

Controllers ......................................................................................................................................................................7-20

Continuous Controllers .........................................................................................................................................7-21

Switch Controllers ..................................................................................................................................................7-22

The Controller Destination List ............................................................................................................................7-22

Shift Key Number, Shift Key (ShKeyNum, ShiftKey) .......................................................................................7-27

Continuous Controller Parameters ......................................................................................................................7-30

Switch Controller Parameters...............................................................................................................................7-31

The WHEEL Page...........................................................................................................................................................7-33

The SLIDER and SLID2 Pages .....................................................................................................................................7-34

The Continuous Control Pedal (CPEDAL) Page.......................................................................................................7-35

The Pressure (PRESS) Page...........................................................................................................................................7-36

The Footswitch Pages (FT SW1, FT SW2, FT SW3)...................................................................................................7-37

The Arpeggiator Switch (ARP SW) Page....................................................................................................................7-38

The SWITCH Page.........................................................................................................................................................7-39

The RIBBON Page..........................................................................................................................................................7-40

The Ribbon Conﬁguration (RIBCFG) Page ................................................................................................................7-41

Ribbon Conﬁguration ............................................................................................................................................7-41

Position Mode (PosMode) .....................................................................................................................................7-41

Spring .......................................................................................................................................................................7-42

Center .......................................................................................................................................................................7-42

The Arpeggiator (ARPZON) Page...............................................................................................................................7-42

Active........................................................................................................................................................................7-43

Low Key (LoKey) and High Key (HiKey)...........................................................................................................7-44

Latch .........................................................................................................................................................................7-44

Order.........................................................................................................................................................................7-45

Beats..........................................................................................................................................................................7-45

Duration ...................................................................................................................................................................7-45

Shift Pattern (ShiftPatt) ..........................................................................................................................................7-46

Shift...........................................................................................................................................................................7-47

Limit .........................................................................................................................................................................7-47

Limit Option............................................................................................................................................................7-47

Glissando .................................................................................................................................................................7-48

Velocity .....................................................................................................................................................................7-48

Real-time Control of Arpeggiator Parameters....................................................................................................7-51

The COMMON Page .....................................................................................................................................................7-52

Tempo .......................................................................................................................................................................7-53

Clock Source............................................................................................................................................................7-53

Arpeggiator Global (ArpGlobal) ..........................................................................................................................7-54

Arpeggiator Sync (ArpSync).................................................................................................................................7-54

Aux FX Channel......................................................................................................................................................7-54

Mutes........................................................................................................................................................................7-54

KB3 Channel............................................................................................................................................................7-55

Riffs ..................................................................................................................................................................................7-55

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The RIFF1 Page...............................................................................................................................................................7-55

Riff.............................................................................................................................................................................7-56

Song ..........................................................................................................................................................................7-56

Start...........................................................................................................................................................................7-56

Stop ...........................................................................................................................................................................7-57

Transpose/Root Note.............................................................................................................................................7-57

SrcTrk........................................................................................................................................................................7-57

Re Channel...............................................................................................................................................................7-57

The RIFF2 Page...............................................................................................................................................................7-58

Trigger ......................................................................................................................................................................7-58

Release......................................................................................................................................................................7-59

Conditional Release (CondRel).............................................................................................................................7-59

Local..........................................................................................................................................................................7-59

Loop..........................................................................................................................................................................7-59

BPM ..........................................................................................................................................................................7-59

SyncZone..................................................................................................................................................................7-60

SyncType ..................................................................................................................................................................7-60

Duration ...................................................................................................................................................................7-60

Velocity .....................................................................................................................................................................7-61

Offset ........................................................................................................................................................................7-61

Real-time Control of Riff Parameters...................................................................................................................7-61

The FX Pages: FX, AUXFX1, AUXFX2, and MASTFX ..............................................................................................7-62

The Programmable Switch Pages: SWPRG1 to SWPRG8 ........................................................................................7-62

The Utility Soft Buttons.................................................................................................................................................7-62

Name ........................................................................................................................................................................7-62

Save...........................................................................................................................................................................7-62

Delete........................................................................................................................................................................7-63

Dump........................................................................................................................................................................7-63

New Zone (NewZn) ...............................................................................................................................................7-63

Duplicate Zone (DupZn) .......................................................................................................................................7-63

Import Zone (ImpZn).............................................................................................................................................7-63

Delete Zone (DelZn)...............................................................................................................................................7-63

Recording A Setup To Song Mode...............................................................................................................................7-64

Chapter 8 Quick Access Mode

Making Your Own QA Banks.........................................................................................................................................8-2

Locking the Current QA Bank ................................................................................................................................8-2

The QA Editor ...........................................................................................................................................................8-3

Chapter 9 Effects

Basic Overview.................................................................................................................................................................9-1

Effects Stages and Routing......................................................................................................................................9-1

Processor Power Allocation ....................................................................................................................................9-2

A Note on Modes......................................................................................................................................................9-3

Aux Override.............................................................................................................................................................9-3

Master Effects ............................................................................................................................................................9-4

Effects Mode .....................................................................................................................................................................9-5

The CHANFX Page..........................................................................................................................................................9-5

The AUXFX1 and AUXFX2 Pages .................................................................................................................................9-5

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Override .....................................................................................................................................................................9-6

Chain ..........................................................................................................................................................................9-6

Output ........................................................................................................................................................................9-6

Mod Override............................................................................................................................................................9-6

Send Levels and Pre/Post Ins.................................................................................................................................9-6

The MASTER Page ..........................................................................................................................................................9-7

Mode...........................................................................................................................................................................9-7

Order...........................................................................................................................................................................9-7

Master FX...................................................................................................................................................................9-7

The Chain Editor..............................................................................................................................................................9-8

The MAIN Page ...............................................................................................................................................................9-8

Editing Effect-blocks ................................................................................................................................................9-9

The MOD Pages ...............................................................................................................................................................9-9

Box ..............................................................................................................................................................................9-9

Param..........................................................................................................................................................................9-9

Adjust .........................................................................................................................................................................9-9

Source .........................................................................................................................................................................9-9

Depth ..........................................................................................................................................................................9-9

FXLFO, FXASR, and FXFUN pages ............................................................................................................................9-10

Effects Parameters..........................................................................................................................................................9-10

General Parameters .......................................................................................................................................................9-10

Delays ..............................................................................................................................................................................9-12

Complex Echo .........................................................................................................................................................9-12

Spectral Multitap Delays .......................................................................................................................................9-13

Gated Ducking Delay.............................................................................................................................................9-13

DegenRegen.............................................................................................................................................................9-13

Equalizers (EQ) ..............................................................................................................................................................9-13

Enhancers.................................................................................................................................................................9-14

EQ Morpher.............................................................................................................................................................9-14

Compressors, Expanders, and Gates ..........................................................................................................................9-14

Expansion ................................................................................................................................................................9-15

Multiband Compression........................................................................................................................................9-15

Gates .........................................................................................................................................................................9-15

Super Gate ...............................................................................................................................................................9-16

Chorus .............................................................................................................................................................................9-16

Flanger.............................................................................................................................................................................9-17

Quantize + Flange...................................................................................................................................................9-17

LaserVerb.........................................................................................................................................................................9-17

Filters ...............................................................................................................................................................................9-18

Resonant Filter ........................................................................................................................................................9-18

Envelope Filter ........................................................................................................................................................9-18

Triggered Filter........................................................................................................................................................9-18

LFO Filter.................................................................................................................................................................9-19

Distortion ........................................................................................................................................................................9-19

Polydistort ...............................................................................................................................................................9-20

Rotating Speakers ..........................................................................................................................................................9-20

Vibrato/Chorus.......................................................................................................................................................9-22

Tremolo and AutoPan ...................................................................................................................................................9-22

AutoPan ...................................................................................................................................................................9-22

Tremolo.....................................................................................................................................................................9-22

Pitcher..............................................................................................................................................................................9-23

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Ring Modulation............................................................................................................................................................9-23

Stereo Simulation...........................................................................................................................................................9-24

Stereo Image ............................................................................................................................................................9-24

Stereo Analyze................................................................................................................................................................9-24

FXMod Diagnostic .........................................................................................................................................................9-25

Mono Algorithms...........................................................................................................................................................9-25

Chapter 10 MIDI Mode

The TRANSMIT Page....................................................................................................................................................10-1

Control Setup ..........................................................................................................................................................10-2

Destination...............................................................................................................................................................10-2

Channel ....................................................................................................................................................................10-2

Transpose .................................................................................................................................................................10-2

Velocity Map............................................................................................................................................................10-3

Pressure Map...........................................................................................................................................................10-3

Program Change (ProgChang) .............................................................................................................................10-3

Change Setups (ChgSetups)..................................................................................................................................10-4

The RECEIVE Page........................................................................................................................................................10-4

Basic Channel ..........................................................................................................................................................10-4

MIDI Receive Mode (MIDI Mode).......................................................................................................................10-4

All Notes Off............................................................................................................................................................10-5

Program Change Mode (PrgChgMode) ..............................................................................................................10-5

Velocity Map............................................................................................................................................................10-5

Pressure Map...........................................................................................................................................................10-5

System Exclusive ID (SysExID) ............................................................................................................................10-5

Bank Select...............................................................................................................................................................10-5

Local Keyboard Channel (LocalKbdCh) .............................................................................................................10-6

The Channels Page ........................................................................................................................................................10-6

Enable .......................................................................................................................................................................10-6

Program....................................................................................................................................................................10-7

Pan ............................................................................................................................................................................10-7

Volume .....................................................................................................................................................................10-7

Program Lock, Pan Lock, Volume Lock ..............................................................................................................10-7

Program Change Formats.............................................................................................................................................10-8

Extended Program Changes .................................................................................................................................10-8

QAccess....................................................................................................................................................................10-9

The Soft Buttons in MIDI Mode................................................................................................................................. 10-11

Program Change (PrgChg).................................................................................................................................. 10-11

Reset Channels (RsetCh)...................................................................................................................................... 10-11

Panic .......................................................................................................................................................................10-11

Chapter 11 Master Mode

Master Mode Page 1 ......................................................................................................................................................11-1

Tune .......................................................................................................................................................................... 11-2

Transpose .................................................................................................................................................................11-2

Buttons Mode ..........................................................................................................................................................11-2

Drum Remap........................................................................................................................................................... 11-2

Digital Output (Dig. Out)...................................................................................................................................... 11-2

Aux Out Pair Mode ................................................................................................................................................ 11-3

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Tempo ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11-3

Clock Source............................................................................................................................................................ 11-3

Output Clock........................................................................................................................................................... 11-3

Digital Output Volume (Dig. out volume).......................................................................................................... 11-3

FX Mode................................................................................................................................................................... 11-3

Master Mode Page 2 ......................................................................................................................................................11-4

Velocity Map (Vel Map) .........................................................................................................................................11-4

Pressure Map (Press Map)..................................................................................................................................... 11-5

Intonation................................................................................................................................................................. 11-6

Key Action Map...................................................................................................................................................... 11-7

Default Sequence ....................................................................................................................................................11-7

Demo Button ...........................................................................................................................................................11-8

Numeric Entry......................................................................................................................................................... 11-8

Master Table Lock ................................................................................................................................................... 11-8

Intonation Key (Int.Key)........................................................................................................................................ 11-8

General MIDI........................................................................................................................................................... 11-8

The Soft Buttons in Master Mode (Page 1 and Page 2) ..........................................................................................11-10

Save.........................................................................................................................................................................11-10

About...................................................................................................................................................................... 11-10

OBJECT ..................................................................................................................................................................11-10

CLOCK................................................................................................................................................................... 11-12

TapTmp ..................................................................................................................................................................11-13

Utils......................................................................................................................................................................... 11-14

Loader..................................................................................................................................................................... 11-14

Reset........................................................................................................................................................................ 11-15

Chapter 12 Song Mode and the Song Editor

Getting Started with the Sequencer.............................................................................................................................12-1

What is a Sequencer?..............................................................................................................................................12-1

Song Mode: The MAIN Page .......................................................................................................................................12-1

Current Song (CurSong)........................................................................................................................................12-2

Tempo .......................................................................................................................................................................12-2

Recording Track (RecTrk) ......................................................................................................................................12-3

Program (Prog)........................................................................................................................................................12-3

Track Number (Trk:#) ............................................................................................................................................12-3

Volume (Vol)............................................................................................................................................................12-4

Pan ............................................................................................................................................................................12-5

Mode.........................................................................................................................................................................12-6

Location (Locat) ......................................................................................................................................................12-6

Mode Indicators (+ and x): ....................................................................................................................................12-6

Activity Indicators..................................................................................................................................................12-6

Track Status Indicators...........................................................................................................................................12-7

Track Channels ........................................................................................................................................................12-7

Soft Buttons on the MAIN Page ...........................................................................................................................12-7

The Save Changes Dialog......................................................................................................................................12-8

Song Mode: The BIG Page .......................................................................................................................................... 12-10

Time In....................................................................................................................................................................12-10

Time Out ................................................................................................................................................................ 12-11

Song End ................................................................................................................................................................ 12-11

Loop........................................................................................................................................................................ 12-11

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Punch...................................................................................................................................................................... 12-11

Metro ......................................................................................................................................................................12-11

Song Mode: The FX Pages ..........................................................................................................................................12-11

Song Mode: The MIXER Page....................................................................................................................................12-12

The Rec, Play, and Stop Soft Buttons .................................................................................................................12-12

The Keep Soft Button ...........................................................................................................................................12-12

The Done Soft Button...........................................................................................................................................12-13

Song Mode: The METRO Page ..................................................................................................................................12-13

Metronome ............................................................................................................................................................12-13

CountOff ................................................................................................................................................................12-13

Program..................................................................................................................................................................12-13

Channel ..................................................................................................................................................................12-14

Strong Note............................................................................................................................................................12-14

Strong Vel...............................................................................................................................................................12-14

Soft Note ................................................................................................................................................................12-14

Soft Vel....................................................................................................................................................................12-14

The Rec, Play, and Stop Soft Buttons .................................................................................................................12-14

The Done Soft Button...........................................................................................................................................12-14

Song Mode: The Filter Pages (RECFLT and PLYFLT).............................................................................................12-15

Notes.......................................................................................................................................................................12-15

LoKey .....................................................................................................................................................................12-15

Hi.............................................................................................................................................................................12-15

LoVel .......................................................................................................................................................................12-16

Hi.............................................................................................................................................................................12-16

Controllers .............................................................................................................................................................12-16

Controller...............................................................................................................................................................12-16

LoVal.......................................................................................................................................................................12-16

Hi.............................................................................................................................................................................12-16

PitchBend...............................................................................................................................................................12-16

ProgChange ...........................................................................................................................................................12-16

MonoPress .............................................................................................................................................................12-16

PolyPress................................................................................................................................................................12-16

The Rec, Play, and Stop Soft Buttons .................................................................................................................12-16

The Done Soft Button...........................................................................................................................................12-17

Song Mode: The MISC Page.......................................................................................................................................12-17

Control Chase........................................................................................................................................................12-17

Quant......................................................................................................................................................................12-17

Grid.........................................................................................................................................................................12-18

Swing......................................................................................................................................................................12-18

Release....................................................................................................................................................................12-18

Key Wait .................................................................................................................................................................12-18

Song Mode: The STATS Page .....................................................................................................................................12-18

The Song Editor............................................................................................................................................................12-19

Song Editor: The COMMON Page ............................................................................................................................12-19

Tempo .....................................................................................................................................................................12-20

TimeSig...................................................................................................................................................................12-20

FX Track..................................................................................................................................................................12-20

DrumTrack .............................................................................................................................................................12-20

MidiDst ..................................................................................................................................................................12-20

Soft Buttons on the COMMON Page.................................................................................................................12-21

Song Editor: The TRACK Page ..................................................................................................................................12-21

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Common Parameters for Edit Song: Track Functions .....................................................................................12-22

Region/Criteria Box Parameters ........................................................................................................................12-22

Soft Buttons on the TRACK Page.......................................................................................................................12-23

Song Editor: Track Functions .....................................................................................................................................12-24

Erase .......................................................................................................................................................................12-24

Copy .......................................................................................................................................................................12-24

Bounce ....................................................................................................................................................................12-25

Insert.......................................................................................................................................................................12-26

Delete......................................................................................................................................................................12-26

Quantize.................................................................................................................................................................12-27

Shift.........................................................................................................................................................................12-28

Transpose ...............................................................................................................................................................12-28

Grab ........................................................................................................................................................................12-29

Change ...................................................................................................................................................................12-30

Remap.....................................................................................................................................................................12-31

Song Editor: The EVENT Page...................................................................................................................................12-31

Initial Program, Volume, Pan..............................................................................................................................12-32

Location..................................................................................................................................................................12-32

Bar, Beat, and Tick.................................................................................................................................................12-32

Event Type and Value ..........................................................................................................................................12-32

Soft Buttons on the EVENT Page .......................................................................................................................12-33

Tempo Track ..........................................................................................................................................................12-33

Chapter 13 Storage Mode

Storage Mode Page ........................................................................................................................................................13-1

Using xD Cards.......................................................................................................................................................13-2

Directories.......................................................................................................................................................................13-2

Path ...........................................................................................................................................................................13-2

Disk Drive Information..........................................................................................................................................13-3

Common Dialogues.......................................................................................................................................................13-3

The Select Directory Dialogue ..............................................................................................................................13-3

The File Name/New Directory/Rename Dialogue ..........................................................................................13-4

The STORE Page ............................................................................................................................................................13-4

The Store Advanced Page......................................................................................................................................13-5

The LOAD Page .............................................................................................................................................................13-6

Loading Individual Objects...................................................................................................................................13-6

Loading Methods....................................................................................................................................................13-8

The Utilities (UTILS) Page..........................................................................................................................................13-10

Soft Buttons on the Utilities Page.......................................................................................................................13-10

Chapter A Specifications

MIDI Implementation Chart .........................................................................................................................................A-1

Speciﬁcations ...................................................................................................................................................................A-2

Appendix B PC3 Bootloader

Using the Bootloader Menu ................................................................................................................................... B-1

Updating PC3 Software and Objects .................................................................................................................... B-2

PC3 Diagnostics ....................................................................................................................................................... B-3

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System Reset............................................................................................................................................................. B-3

File Utilities............................................................................................................................................................... B-3

Restoring the PC3 File System............................................................................................................................... B-4

Appendix C Changing PC3 Voltage

Removing the fuse holder ......................................................................................................................................C-1

Appendix D PC3 Objects (V 1.31)

Programs ..........................................................................................................................................................................D-1

Setups ...............................................................................................................................................................................D-9

Effect Presets with Algorithms....................................................................................................................................D-11

How to Use These Tables......................................................................................................................................D-11

Reverbs....................................................................................................................................................................D-11

Delays......................................................................................................................................................................D-15

Chorus .....................................................................................................................................................................D-17

Flange ......................................................................................................................................................................D-18

Phaser ......................................................................................................................................................................D-18

Trem / Panner / Spatial........................................................................................................................................D-19

Rotary ......................................................................................................................................................................D-19

Distortion ................................................................................................................................................................D-20

Dynamics ................................................................................................................................................................D-21

EQ / Filters .............................................................................................................................................................D-21

Chorus / Combi.....................................................................................................................................................D-23

Flange / Combi......................................................................................................................................................D-24

Effect Chains..................................................................................................................................................................D-26

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Chapter 1 Introduction

Greetings. Your new instrument offers amazing acoustic, electric, and synthesizer sounds, combined with advanced programming features that will let you create almost any sound you can imagine. This manual covers the PC3 in its 88, 76, and 61-note conﬁgurations (PC3x, PC3, and PC361), as well as the X-Pro, which adds a beautiful cabinet and powerful sound system to the package. For the most part, anywhere we talk about the PC3 in this manual we mean any of these instruments.

The PC3 comes loaded with 64 MB of ROM sounds, powered by Kurzweil’s newest custom chip set – cutting edge technology that nobody else has. In addition to the great sounds and programming features, the PC3 is fully equipped with performance features you’ll use at every gig. For example, there are nine conveniently situated sliders for accurately emulating the drawbars on a tone wheel organ such as a Hammond B3™. And the PC3’s 24 dedicated sound select buttons, along with its Quick Access banks will let you instantly choose and change sounds whenever you like.

Introduction

Keeping Current

If you’ve used other Kurzweil gear, you’ll have no trouble getting up and running quickly. Bear in mind, however, that the PC3’s beauties are more than skin-deep; you’ll want to read this manual, as well as the materials at the www advantage of your instrument.

Keeping Current

Check for new documentation and operating system upgrades before you start using your instrument. When new software is available for the PC3, it will be posted at

www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com. You’ll use the PC3’s Boot Loader (described in this manual)

to upgrade your instrument to use the new software.

Pictured below is the 88-key PC3x.

.kurzweilmusicsystems.com website to take full

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Page 20

Introduction

Overview of the PC3

The PC3’s 800+ programs include the Orchestral and Contemporary sound blocks, General MIDI (GM), Stereo Triple Strike Piano, Classic Keys for realistic vintage electric piano sounds, and new String Sections. Multi-zone performance setups are also provided; many of these setups use note triggers to play factory-recorded songs that provide grooves and arpeggiation that make great templates for performance or recording. An on-board sequencer with front panel transport buttons lets you record your ideas any time inspiration strikes. This sequencer (Song mode) lets you play back MIDI type 0 or 1 sequences, record and play back your own songs, and record multi-timbral sequences received via MIDI.

Before we get into explaining VAST, here are a few of the features that by themselves make the PC3 an impressive stage and studio machine. It has 128-voice polyphony and is fully multitimbral, so that different programs can be played on each MIDI channel. There’s an on-board digital effects processor providing multiple simultaneous effects, including real-time effects control, internally or via MIDI. In fact, the PC3 offers more effects processing power than Kurzweil’s much-lauded KSP8 studio effects processor.

In addition to the standard stereo audio output pair, there are two additional balanced analog outputs, as well as a digital output. All of the outputs are available to you simultaneously. For backup, storage, and moving ﬁles, there’s an xD card slot on the back panel of the PC3. The provided USB port lets you connect the PC3 to a computer for ﬁle transfer and MIDI.

How the PC3 Works

The PC3 integrates three MIDI-driven components: a MIDI controller (the keyboard, or an external MIDI controller), a sound engine, and an effects processor that employs the same effects used in Kurzweil’s KSP8. The sound engine responds to the MIDI events generated by the MIDI controller, and turns them into sounds that are processed within the variable architecture of the algorithms—or by oscillators for KB3 programs. The resulting sound can then be routed through the PC3’s effects and to the audio outputs.

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VAST Synthesis

The PC3’s Variable Architecture Synthesis Technology (V.A.S.T.) lets you build sounds from realistic instrumental samples and sampled synth waveforms—then modify the nature of those sounds through a wide variety of digital signal-processing (DSP) functions. The PC3 also generates its own synth waveforms, which can be combined with the samples or used on their own.

While many other synthesizers may offer a ﬁxed set of DSP tools (typically ﬁltering, pitch, and amplitude modulation) the PC3’s Variable Architecture lets you arrange a combination of DSP functions from a long list of choices. The functions you choose deﬁne the type of synthesis you use.

Each layer of every program has its own DSP architecture, which we call an algorithm . Within each algorithm, you can select from a variety of DSP functions. Each function can be independently controlled by a variety of sources including LFOs, ASRs, envelopes, a set of unique programmable functions (FUNs), as well as any MIDI control message. The many different DSP functions and the wealth of independent control sources give you an extremely ﬂexible, truly vast collection of tools for sound creation and modiﬁcation.

New with the PC3 are powerful editing features we call Dynamic V.A.S.T. and Cascade Mode .

Introduction

VAST Synthesis

• Dynamic V.A.S.T. allows you to “wire” your own algorithms, combining different DSP functions in any order you like, including parallel and serial conﬁgurations.

• Cascade Mode lets you route any layer of a program into the DSP of any other layer. Any of the 32 layers of a program can go into any other layer.

When you’re ready to jump in and start creating programs, turn to Chapter 6.

KB3 Tone Wheel Emulation

In addition to VAST synthesis, the PC3 offers many oscillator-based programs that give you the classic sound of tone-wheel organs like the Hammond B3. KB3 mode, as we call it, is completely independent of VAST, and has its own set of editing procedures. Nine dedicated sliders on the PC3’s front panel give you real-time drawbar control over these organ sounds. Buttons above the sliders control rotating speaker speed, percussion, and other organ features.

The quickest way to get to the KB3 programs is by pressing the KB3 button (above the sliders, to the left of the screen). The blue LED in the KB3 button will light when the current program is a KB3 program.

VA-1 Programs

The VA-1 (Virtual Analog Synthesizer) programs included with the PC3 offer realistic emulations of classic analog synthesizers, built from Kurzweil’s unique anti-aliased DSPgenerated oscillators. The PC3’s power-shaped oscillators let you transition smoothly from one waveform into another in real time, without using cross-fades.

VA-1 programs are scattered throughout the PC3. Look for them in the Synth Category and the Classic Keys Bank. You’ll see “KVA Oscillator” appear in the Keymap screen on the left hand side of the display.

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Introduction

How to Use This Manual

This manual describes how to connect and power up your PC3, getting around the front panel, and a brief description of the operating modes. For information on editing and advanced programming features, refer to additional material provided on the Kurzweil website:

The best way to read this manual is with your PC3 in front of you. By trying the examples we give to illustrate various functions, you can get a quick understanding of the basics, then move on to the more advanced features.

Do I Have Everything?

Your PC3 shipping carton should include the following in addition to your instrument:

• Power cable

• Sustain pedal

• USB cable

• Getting Started manual (this book)

• Warranty card

If you don’t have all of these components, please call your Kurzweil/Young Chang dealer.

http://www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com

You may also want to purchase an xD memory card for storage (32MB – 256MB will work, Type S or no type stated, formatted FAT16), and an xD card interface for your computer, if one is not built in.

Boot Loader

When you need to update the PC3’s software or run diagnostic tests, you’ll use the Boot Loader. To bring up the Boot Loader, hold down the Exit button (below the cursor buttons, to the right of the display) while powering on your PC3. Refer to Appendix B for details on the Boot Loader.

Battery

The PC3 uses a CR2032 battery to power its clock. The battery should last ﬁve years, and a message will tell you when the battery needs replacing. The access panel on the bottom of the PC3 (which you can easily remove with a screwdriver) allows you to get at the battery for removal and replacement.

CAUTION: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type (CR2032).

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Options

Ask your Kurzweil dealer about the following PC3 options:

Sound ROM Cards

The PC3 has sockets for 64 MB and 128 MB ROM expansion cards that you can install yourself (the expansion kits come with complete instructions).

Pedals

The PC3 has jacks for three switch pedals (for functions like sustain or program/setup changes) and two continuous pedals (for functions like volume control and wah). Your Kurzweil dealer stocks the following optional pedals:

FS-1 Standard box-shaped switch pedal KFP-1 Single piano-style switch pedal KFP-2M Double piano-style switch pedal unit CC-1 Continuous pedal

Introduction

Options

Ribbon Controller

There’s a dedicated modular jack (like a telephone jack) on the rear panel of the PC3 for connecting this 600-mm (24-inch) ribbon controller. You can conﬁgure the PC3 to use the ribbon as a single large controller, or a three-section controller with independent settings for each section.

Breath Controller

You can plug a Yamaha (or equivalent) breath controller into the dedicated jack on the PC3’s rear panel.

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Introduction

Options

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Chapter 2 Startup

If hooking up new gear is familiar to you, and you just want to get going, here’s a quick description of what you need to get started with your PC3. If you need more information, thorough descriptions of each step follow.

Make Connections

1. Set the keyboard on a hard, ﬂat, level surface. Make sure to leave plenty of room for ventilation.

2. Four adhesive-backed rubber feet are provided with your PC3. If you want to attach them to the bottom of the PC3 (recommended to prevent scratching your tabletop), carefully turn the keyboard over, remove the paper backing from the rubber feet and attach them now, near each corner, all on the same level.

Startup

Make Connections

3. Connect the power cable.

4. Make sure your sound system is at a safe volume level. Also make sure that the PC3’s

5. Plug in a pair of stereo headphones or run standard (1/4-inch) audio cables from your

Make Music

1. Power up your PC3, raise the level of the MASTER VOLUME slider, and check out some

MASTER VOLUME slider (on the far left side of the front panel) is all the way down.

ampliﬁer or mixer to the MIX audio outputs on the PC3. (Use the Main Left out for mono.) Balanced (“TRS” or “Stereo”) cables are recommended.

of the programs and setups. The PC3 starts up in Program mode by default. Press one of the mode buttons to the left of the display to switch modes.

2. If you hear distortion, reduce the gain on your mixing board, or use the pad if it has one.

3. Scroll through the program list with the Alpha Wheel, or the dedicated Category and Program buttons, and try the PC3’s many sounds.

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Startup

Startup—the Details

This section walks you through the hookup of your PC3. We’ll take a look at the rear panel, then describe the power, audio, and other cable connections.

Before You Start...

Don’t connect anything until you make sure your PC3 is properly and safely situated. Also, if your PC3 has been out in the cold, give it time to warm up to room temperature before starting it, since condensation may have formed inside the PC3. It is normal for the rear panel near the MIDI jacks to become warm after a while.

Connecting the Power Cable (Line Cord)

The PC3 runs on AC power: 100, 120, 230, or 240 volts at 50–60 Hz. Your dealer will set the voltage switch to match the voltage in your area. The voltage level is set with a selector on the rear panel of the PC3. Unless you are sure it needs to be changed, you shouldn’t adjust this.

When you’ve connected the cable at the PC3 end (as you face the back of the PC3, the power connection is at the right), plug it into a grounded outlet. If your power source does not have the standard three-hole outlet, you should take the time to install a proper grounding system. This will reduce the risk of a shock.

2-2

Connecting Audio Cables

Analog

After you’ve turned down the level on your sound system, connect the PC3’s analog audio outputs to your sound system using a pair of stereo or mono audio cables. Mono cables will always work, but if you’re going into balanced inputs, use stereo cables for a better signal-tonoise ratio and a bit more volume. The PC3’s analog outputs are balanced, and generate a “hotter” signal than some previous Kurzweil instruments.

You’ll ﬁnd four 1/4-inch balanced audio output jacks on the rear panel. For now, connect one end of each audio cable to your mixing board or PA system inputs, and connect the other end to the jacks marked Main Left and Right on the rear panel of the PC3. If you have only one input available, use the PC3’s Main Left output to get the full signal in mono.

In Master mode you can set the Aux outputs to duplicate the Main Outs – useful for monitoring and other operations. They are always in stereo, as is the headphone out.

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Startup

Startup—the Details

Digital

For digital audio output from the PC3, connect a 75-Ohm coaxial cable from the PC3’s RCA Digital Out jack to the AES or S/PDIF input of the receiving device. You may need an RCA-toXLR adapter to connect with the receiving device. If the receiving device receives only optical signals, you’ll need a converter as well. The PC3’s Master Page (press the Master mode button) lets you select a range of useful sample rates for the digital output.

The RCA jack labeled "Sync In" allows you to synchronize the PC3's S/PDIF Digital Audio output sample rate to an external S/PDIF source. Although no audio signal is received by the "Sync In" jack, its clock is received and may be used to set the output sample rate. For more, please see Master Mode Page 1: Digital Output on page 11-2. NOTE: Sync In is NOT a "Word Clock" input. Only a valid S/PDIF signal is recognized.

Connecting MIDI

The simplest MIDI conﬁguration uses a single 5-pin MIDI cable: either from the MIDI Out port of your PC3 to the MIDI In port of another instrument, or from the MIDI Out port of another MIDI controller to the MIDI In port of the PC3. There are all sorts of possible conﬁgurations, including additional synths, personal computers, MIDI effects processors, and MIDI patch bays. Depending on your system, you may want to use the PC3’s MIDI Thru port to pass MIDI information from a MIDI controller to the PC3 and on to the next device in your system. You can also connect MIDI devices to the PC3’s MIDI Out port, which can send channelized MIDI information from the keyboard or through the PC3 from your MIDI controller.

The MIDI Thru port can be conﬁgured to serve as an additional MIDI Out by sliding the nearby switch to the Out position.

You can also use the PC3’s USB port to send and receive MIDI. By default the PC3 will show up as a USB MIDI device. If you choose USB Temporary Drive from Storage mode, the PC3 will temporarily (while on that Storage mode page) become a “virtual storage device” and USB MIDI will be disabled. Different host programs on your computer may indicate various errors as the USB MIDI device is no longer present. Leaving Storage mode will restore USB MIDI functionality.

USB MIDI and 5-pin MIDI can be used at the same time; the MIDI signals will be combined into a single 16-channel MIDI stream.

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Startup

Startup—the Details

Pedals

Plug your switch or continuous pedals into the corresponding jacks on the PC3’s rear panel. We recommend using the Kurzweil pedals described on page 1-5, but you can use almost any switch or continuous pedal, as long as it adheres to the following speciﬁcations (as most pedals do):

Breath

Switch pedals Continuous pedals 10-kOhm linear-taper potentiometer,

-inch tip-sleeve plug

-inch tip-ring-sleeve plug

with the wiper connected to the tip.

If you use a third-party (non-Kurzweil) switch pedal, make sure it’s connected before you turn on your PC3. This ensures that the pedal will work properly (it might function backward—off when it’s down and on when it’s up—if you turn on your PC3 before plugging in the pedal). Similarly, don’t press any of your switch pedals while powering up, because the PC3 veriﬁes each pedal’s orientation during power up. If you’re pressing a pedal, you might cause it to work backward.

The pedals are independently programmable within each zone of every setup. Here are the default settings for the ﬁve pedals you can use with the PC3:

Switch Pedal 1 Controller 64 (Sustain) Switch Pedal 2 Controller 66 (Sostenuto) Switch Pedal 3 Controller 67 (Soft) Continuous Control Pedal 1 Controller 11 (Expression / Volume) Continuous Control Pedal 2 Controller 4 (Foot Pedal) produces a “wah” effect in many setups

The 3.5mm jack labeled Breath accepts a standard breath controller, which sends standard MIDI Breath (MIDI 2) messages. The PC3’s preset programs and setups don’t respond to breath, but if you have other instruments that do respond to Breath, you can control them from the PC3 via MIDI.

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You can also program the PC3 so that the breath controller sends a different MIDI message. This would enable you to use a breath controller to affect the PC3, but then other instruments receiving MIDI from the PC3 would no longer respond to the PC3’s breath controller (unless you also programmed them to receive the same MIDI Controller that the PC3’s breath controller is sending).

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Ribbon

Plug the optional Kurzweil Ribbon Controller into the modular Ribbon jack on the rear panel. The ribbon controller itself should rest on a ﬂat surface; it ﬁts nicely between the keys and the buttons and sliders on the front panel.

The ribbon is a continuous controller. You can program the ribbon controller to send MIDI Controller messages 1–127, as well as several specialized messages. It generates values of 0–127 for whatever MIDI Controllers you assign it to send. Just press it, and slide your ﬁnger along the ribbon to change the value of the message it’s sending.

You can conﬁgure the ribbon to have one control section that runs its entire length, or to have three sections of equal length. It sends its highest values when you press it at the end where the cable connects. When you conﬁgure it to have three sections, each section sends its highest values at the end closest to the cable.

Caution: The modular jack is designed for connection to the Kurzweil Ribbon Controller option only. Don’t plug any other modular plugs into the Ribbon jack.

Switching On the Power

The PC3’s power switch is on the rear panel, adjacent to the power cable connection.

Startup

Startup—the Details

When you power up, the display brieﬂy shows some startup information. The Program mode display then appears. It looks like the diagram below, though your PC3 may be different from the example.

The ﬁrst time you power up (or after a reset), your instrument will be set to operate on MIDI Channel 1 (as shown at the far right of the top line above).

Set the volume at a comfortable level. You’ll get the best signal-to-noise ratio if you keep the PC3 at full volume, and adjust the level from your mixing board. You may also want to adjust the display contrast and brightness. There are two small knobs on the rear panel of the PC3 for this purpose.

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Startup

Startup—the Details

xD Cards

USB Port

You can use xD memory cards for backing up, archiving, sharing your work, and updating your software (32MB – 256MB will work, Type S or no type stated, formatted FAT16). The xD card slot is on the back panel of the PC3, but it is easily accessible from the front of the instrument. The gold contacts on the card must be facing up when you insert it; the PC3 can’t read a card when it is inserted upside down.

Caution: Do not remove an xD card while the blue Storage Unit Busy LED (above the alpha wheel) is lit. Removing a card while this blue LED is lit can cause data corruption.

Next to the card slot on the back panel of the PC3 is a USB port. The USB port works for MIDI (transmit and receive) or to connect your PC3 to a computer for ﬁle transfer. By default, the USB port is set to MIDI mode. You cannot, however, use a USB ﬂash (or thumb) drive with the PC3’s USB port.

We recommend that you use the USB cable provided with your PC3 and do not use extension USB cables. The PC3’s Type B USB port is only intended for connection to a USB Type A port.

In USB Storage mode, a "KurzweilPC3" virtual drive will appear on your computer desktop. One important thing to know here is that this is a virtual drive. You can save to this drive from the PC3, but you must immediately transfer that ﬁle to your desktop (or other folder). You must

copy data from the PC3 virtual drive to your computer’s drive or else the data will be lost.

When you leave Storage Mode, there will be a prompt telling you that the PC3 is turning back into a USB MIDI device - which you have to acknowledge. If you haven’t copied the ﬁle(s) to your desktop (or other place on the computer) it won’t be on the virtual disk when you leave storage mode.

Depending on your computer’s operating system, you may sometimes see a scary device removal warning on your desktop (for example, when the PC3 leaves the Boot Loader). You may disregard such a message without worries of damage to your PC3 or computer.

Setting the Clock

The ﬁrst time you start up your PC3 is probably a good time to set the instrument’s clock to your current local time. Do this from the Master Page.

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The clock will time-stamp your ﬁles that have been stored to xD cards or via USB.

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PC3 Programs

The PC3 powers up in Program mode, where you can select and play programs (called patches, presets, or voices on other instruments). Programs are preset sounds composed of up to 32 layers of samples or waveforms. If you’ve left Program mode, just press the Program mode button or Exit button to return.

Selecting Programs

When you are in Program mode, there are four basic ways to select a PC3 program:

• Press one of the Bank buttons (above the sliders on the left side of the front panel) to select a bank, then press a Category button and a Program button to choose within the bank. The Category and Program buttons are on the front panel, between the screen and the alpha wheel.

• Type the program’s ID (number) on the alphanumeric buttonpad, then press Enter. If you make a mistake, press Clear, then start over.

• Scroll through the list using the Alpha Wheel

• Scroll through the list using the Plus or Minus button under the Alpha Wheel, or the cursor buttons (the arrow buttons to the right of the display).

Startup

PC3 Programs

The PC3 has various settings for responding to MIDI Program Change commands from external sources. These are explained in Chapter 10, so we won’t go into them here. You should be able to change programs by sending Program Change commands from your MIDI controller.

Easy Audition

Any time you want to hear what a program sounds like, highlight the program’s name (while in Program mode) then press the Play/Pause button to play a brief sample. The Demo Button parameter on the Master Mode II page must be on for Easy Audition to work; the parameter is on by default. Master mode is described in Chapter 11.

Program Mode Display

Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the Program mode display. It gives you some helpful basic information, like the MIDI transposition, what MIDI channel you’re on, and which program is currently selected.

Info Box

There’s a box at the left side of the display. The info box, as it’s called, displays information about the current program (there’s also an info box for Setup mode).

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Startup

PC3 Programs

VAST Programs

Soft buttons

On most PC3 screens, the bottom line of the display identiﬁes the function of each of the buttons beneath the display. We call these buttons soft buttons, because they do different things depending on what’s currently showing in the display.

In Program and Quick Access modes, you can change octaves with the Octav- and Octav+ buttons under the display. The Info soft button shows you relevant details about the current item. The Xpose-/Xpose+ buttons are a shortcut for quick transposition in semitone (half step) increments. You can use them to transpose the entire PC3 as much as three octaves up or down. The top line of the display shows the current amount of transposition (Xpose). Press both Xpose buttons simultaneously to return transposition to zero.

The Panic button (or a double press of Cancel and Enter at the bottom of the alphanumeric keypad) sends an All Notes Off message and an All Controllers Off message—both to the PC3 and over all 16 MIDI channels. You won’t need it often, but it’s nice to have.

A “normal” VAST program is what most of the factory programs are. The info box contains details about the different layers in each program, usually indicating the keymap used in each layer. The line under the keymap name indicates the layer’s keyboard range. In this case, only the ﬁrst two displayed layers extend across the entire keyboard (A 0 to C 8). The ∞ symbol to the right of each layer shows that the keymap is a stereo keymap.

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KB3 Programs

KB3 (organ) programs differ from VAST programs in that they don’t have layers. Instead they rely on oscillators that mimic the tone wheels used in many popular organs. Consequently, the info box shows only the waveform used in the program. Because of their architecture, KB3 programs require different processing within the PC3. KB3 programs play only on a single channel at a time (VAST programs will work ﬁne on that channel, too).

The quickest way to get to the KB3 programs is by pressing the KB3 button that’s above the sliders.

When you’re ready to start doing your own programming, check out Chapter 6.

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Setups

Startup

Setups

Setups are preset combinations of programs. Setups can have up to 16 zones, each of which can be assigned to any range of the keyboard (overlapping or split). Each zone can have its own program, MIDI channel, and MIDI control assignments, as well as riff and arpeggiator settings.

Press the Setup mode button to the left of the display. Its LED will light, telling you that you’re in Setup mode. Notice that the Setup mode display is similar to the Program mode display. If the setup has four or fewer zones, the box at the left shows you the programs assigned to each of the setup’s four zones, and which MIDI channel is used for each program. If the setup is composed of more than four zones, then the box displays the ﬁrst four zones; at the top of the box will be text showing the total number of zones. See page 7-1 for a more detailed description.

Many setups include arpeggiation and note-triggered songs to create some pretty amazing grooves that you can use as is, or as templates for your own material. As you play with these setups, experiment with the sliders and other controllers for a wide range of effects. Some of these grooves keep playing after you’ve released the keys that got them going. When you want to stop them, select another setup, or press the Setup mode button (or Stop for riffs).

Quick Access

A really convenient way to select programs and setups is to use Quick Access mode, where you select a Quick Access bank from a list of factory preset or user-programmed banks. Each bank contains ten memory slots, or entries, where you can store any combination of programs or setups. While you’re in Quick Access mode, you can select any program or setup in the bank with buttons 0 through 9 or the cursor keys.

The PC3 comes with a few Quick Access banks already programmed so you can get an idea of how they work. You’ll probably create your own Quick Access banks to help you select programs and setups with a minimum of searching. Press the Quick Access mode button to the left of the display. Its LED lights, to tell you you’re in Quick Access mode.

The top line of the display tells you which Quick Access bank is selected. Use the Chan/Layer buttons (to the left of the display) to scroll through the banks. The names of each of the ten entries in the bank are listed in the center of the display. Many of their names will be abbreviated. The currently selected entry’s full name is shown near the bottom of the display. The amount of transposition is displayed to the left of the entry name. If the current entry is a program, you’ll see the current keyboard (MIDI) channel displayed to the right of the entry’s name. If it’s a setup, you’ll see the word Setup.

The entries on the Quick Access page are arranged to correspond to the layout of the numeric buttons on the alphanumeric pad.

When you’re ready to create your own Quick Access banks, turn to Chapter 8 to learn about the Quick Access Editor.

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Startup

The Other Modes

There are ﬁve other mode buttons on the front panel. See Chapters 3 and 4 for more detailed descriptions of the modes.

Effects mode Enable/disable effects presets, and set Aux overrides.

MIDI mode Conﬁgure the PC3 for sending and receiving MIDI information.

Master mode Deﬁne performance and control settings.

Song mode Record and edit sequences (songs); play Type 0 and Type 1 MIDI

Storage mode Load and save programs, setups, sequences, and other objects via USB or

Software Upgrades

Part of the beauty of the PC3 is the ease with which you can upgrade its operating system and objects (programs, setup, etc.) using the boot loader to install upgrades into ﬂash ROM. You can perform the upgrade through USB or by transferring from an xD card.

sequences.

XD card.

At Kurzweil and Young Chang, we have a long history of support for our instruments; the K250, K1000, K2000, K2500, and K2600 have been repeatedly enhanced, and these improvements have always been made available to instrument owners in the form of software upgrades.

Upgrading your PC3’s software is simple, painless, and—generally—free! As upgraded software becomes available, you can either get ﬁles from your Young Chang dealer or download the new stuff from the Web.

To stay in touch, check out our Web site:

http://www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com/

When you’ve acquired an upgrade, you can install it yourself in a matter of minutes. Use the Boot Loader, as described in Appendix B.

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Chapter 3 User Interface Basics

This chapter will show you how to get around the front panel of your PC3. Your interactions can be divided into three primary operations: mode selection, navigation, and data entry. There is also an assignable control section.

User Interface Basics

Mode Selection

The PC3 is always in one of eight primary operating modes. Select a mode by pressing one of the mode buttons — they’re to the left of the display. Each mode button has an LED that lights to indicate the current mode. Only one mode can be selected at a time.

Program mode Select and play programs, and modify them with the Program Editor.

Setup mode Select and play setups (16 keyboard zones with independent MIDI

Quick Access mode Select from a list of preset banks, each containing a list of ten programs

Effects mode Enable/disable effects or set Aux overrides.

MIDI mode Deﬁne how your PC3 sends and receives MIDI information, and

Master mode Deﬁne performance and control characteristics for the entire PC3.

channel, program and control assignments), and modify them with the Setup Editor.

and/or setups that can be viewed in the display for easy selection. Modify the preset banks and create your own with the Quick Access Editor.

conﬁgure each channel to receive independent program, volume, and pan messages that override the normal Program mode settings.

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User Interface Basics

Mode Buttons

Song mode Use the PC3’s sequencer to record and play back your keyboard

Storage mode Interface with the PC3’s xD card reader or USB port to load and save

The PC3’s tone wheel organ emulation is called KB3 mode. You automatically enter this mode when you select a KB3 program. The KB3 Bank button takes you there directly.

Mode Buttons

performance, play Type 0 and Type 1 MIDI sequences, and record multitimbral sequences received via MIDI.

programs, setups, samples, and more.

When you press a mode button, its LED lights up to indicate that the mode has been selected. If pressing a mode button does not light its LED, press the Exit button one or more times, then try again.

Additional labeling for each mode button indicates special functions that relate to some of the PC3’s editors.

Bank Buttons

The Bank buttons, situated in the top left corner of the PC3’s front panel, let you choose different banks of programs (e.g., KB3 programs or Classic Keys programs). Within each bank, you can use the Program and Category buttons (to the right of the display) to select individual programs.

The Bank buttons have special functions in KB3 mode, indicated by labels beneath each button.

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Sliders

User Interface Basics

Sliders

In KB3 mode, the PC3’s nine sliders emulate an organ’s drawbars. For example, slider A emulates an organ’s 16’ drawbar. In other modes, the sliders can be used to send values for different MIDI controllers. In either case, you may have to move the slider past the current value for its selected function before slider movement will have any effect.

Most VAST programs use the sliders for these functions:

A Data Filter frequency, Brightness

B MIDI 13 Filter resonance, Tremolo rate control

C MIDI 22 Layer volume, Envelope control, Lo EQ

D MIDI 23 Layer volume, Envelope control, Hi EQ

E MIDI 24 Layer volume for thumps and release

F MIDI 25 FX control 1

G MIDI 26 FX distortion drive

H MIDI 27 FX distortion warmth

I MIDI 28 Reverb / delay control

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User Interface Basics

Program and Category Buttons

Use the Program and Category buttons, in conjunction with the Bank buttons, to directly select PC3 programs. Each of the 16 categories contains 8 programs.

Picking favorites

When you select a program within a category, your selection will be remembered. For example, choose program 3 in the Organ category (press Category: Organ, then Program: 3). Now move to the strings by pressing the Category: Strings button. If you press the Category: Organ button again, you will be returned to program 3 in the Organ category. In this way, each category can have a “favorite” program.

You can make program selections within each category ahead of time. This way, you’ll be able to access the program you want in any category simply by pressing appropriate category button.

Important things to remember about your “favorites”:

• You must save your PC3’s Master Table to remember your selections across power cycles. See Chapter 11 for information about the Master Table.

• Your selections are bank-dependent. In other words, you can save eight in the Base 1 bank, eight in the Exp 1 bank, etc.

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Pitch Wheel and Mod Wheel

ARP SW

Pitch Mod

User Interface Basics

Pitch Wheel and Mod Wheel

To the left of the PC3’s keyboard are the Pitch Wheel and the Mod Wheel, as well as the SW and Arp buttons.

Push the Pitch Wheel away from you to raise the pitch of the note(s) you are playing. Pull it towards you to lower the pitch. Most programs are set so that the pitch wheel will raise and lower pitch by a whole step, although some programs use the pitch wheel to lower pitch by as much as an octave. The Pitch Wheel has a spring so that it will snap back to place (i.e., back to the original pitch) when you release it.

The Mod Wheel performs a variety of functions. Different programs may use it for ﬁlter sweeps, tremolo/vibrato, wah, or layer volume.

The Arp button turns on and off the PC3’s Arpeggiator.

The SW button (MIDI 29) can be programmed to do a variety of things. Often it is used for layer enable or effect enable.

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User Interface Basics

Navigation

The navigation section of the front panel consists of the display and the buttons surrounding it. These navigation buttons will take you to every one of the PC3’s programming parameters.

The Display

Your primary interface with the PC3 is its backlit graphic display. As you press various buttons, this ﬂuorescent display reﬂects the commands you enter and the editing changes you make. The ample size of the display (240-by-64 pixels) enables you to view lots of information at one time.

Pages

Within each mode, the functions and parameters are organized into smaller, related groups that appear together in the display. Each one of these groups of parameters is called a page. Each mode has what we call an entry-level page; it’s the page that appears when you select that mode with one of the mode buttons. Within each mode and its editor(s), the various pages are selected with the navigation buttons. There are many pages, but there are a few features common to each page.

The illustration below shows the entry-level page for Program mode.

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The Top Line

On the top line of most pages, there’s a reminder of which mode you’re in and which page you’re on. Many pages display additional information in the top line, as well. The Program-mode page above, for example, shows you the current amount of MIDI transposition and the currently selected MIDI channel. The top line is almost always “reversed”—that is, it has a white background with blue characters.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is divided into six (sometimes fewer) sets of reversed characters that serve as labels for the six buttons directly beneath the display. These labels—and the functions of the buttons—change depending on the currently selected page. Consequently the buttons that select these functions are called “soft” buttons.

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The Soft Buttons

The soft buttons are called “soft” because their functions change depending on the currently selected mode and page. Sometimes they perform speciﬁc functions, like changing MIDI channels in Program mode. In the Program Editor and other editors, they’re also used to move to different pages of programming parameters. If a soft button’s label is in all capital letters (KEYMAP, for example), pressing the corresponding soft button takes you to a page of parameters. If the soft button is labeled in lower-case or mixed-case letters (Save, for example), the soft button performs some kind of function.

The Cursor Buttons

To the right of the display are four buttons arranged in a diamond fashion. These are called the cursor buttons. They move the cursor around the currently selected page, in the direction indicated by their labels. The cursor is a highlighted (reversed) rectangle (sometimes it’s an underscore). It marks the value of the currently selected parameter.

User Interface Basics

Navigation

Programming the PC3 involves selecting various parameters and changing their values. Select parameters by highlighting their values with the cursor. You can change the highlighted value with any of the data entry methods described in the data entry section below.

The Chan/Layer Buttons

To the left of the display are two buttons labeled Chan/Layer. Their function depends on the current mode. In Program mode, for example, they shift through the MIDI channels, showing the program assigned to each channel. This changes the MIDI channel the PC3 uses internally, as well as the channel you’re using to send information to other synths connected to the PC3’s MIDI Out port (MIDI slaves). Changing the current MIDI channel also changes the corresponding setting on the MIDI mode TRANSMIT page. When you press both Chan/Layer buttons at the same time you will be returned to Channel 1, Check out the chart on page 3-10 for more shortcuts you can make with double button presses.

When you’re in the Program Editor, the Chan/Layer buttons let you view each layer in the program. You can see the corresponding parameters in each layer by scrolling through the layers with these buttons. In the Setup Editor, the Chan/Layer buttons scroll through the zones in the current setup. In Quick Access mode, they scroll through the Quick Access banks, and in Song mode they scroll through recording tracks.

We’ll let you know, when applicable, what the Chan/Layer buttons do.

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User Interface Basics

Navigation

The Edit Button

The Edit button activates each of the PC3’s editors, and acts as a shortcut to many pages within the Program Editor. Pressing the Edit button tells the PC3 that you want to change some aspect of the object marked by the cursor. For example, when a program is selected and you press Edit, you enter the Program Editor. If a setup is selected, you enter the Setup Editor.

There are editors accessible from just about every operating mode. To enter an editor, choose one of the modes (mode selection), and press Edit. An editing page for that mode will appear. You can then select parameters (navigation) and change their values (data entry). If the value of the selected parameter has its own editing page, pressing the Edit button will take you to that page. For example, in the Program Editor, on the PITCH page, you might see LFO1 assigned as the value for Pitch Control Source 1. If you select this parameter (the cursor will highlight its value—LFO1 in this case), then press the Edit button, you’ll jump to the page where you can edit the parameters of LFO1. Naturally, you can ﬁnd every page in the current editor by using the soft buttons, but often it’s easier to use the Edit button shortcut.

The Exit Button

Press Exit to leave the current editor. If you’ve changed the value of any parameter while in that editor, the PC3 will ask you whether you want to save your changes before you can leave the editor. See Chapter 5 for information on saving and naming. The Exit button also takes you to Program mode if you’re on the entry level page of one of the other modes. If at some point you can’t seem to get where you want to go, press Exit one or more times to return to Program mode, then try again.

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Data Entry

The data entry section of the front panel includes the Alpha wheel, the Plus/Minus buttons, and the 14-button alphanumeric pad.

The Alpha Wheel

The Alpha Wheel is especially useful because it can quickly enter large or small changes in value. If you turn the Alpha Wheel one click to the right, you’ll increase the value of the currently selected parameter by one increment. One click to the left decreases the value by one increment. If you turn it rapidly, you’ll jump by several increments. You can also use the Alpha Wheel to enter names when you’re saving objects.

The Plus/Minus Buttons

These buttons are located just under the Alpha Wheel. The Plus button increases the value of the currently selected parameter by one, and the Minus button decreases it by one. These buttons are most useful when you’re scrolling through a short list of values, or when you want to be sure you’re changing the value by one increment at a time. One press of the Plus or Minus button corresponds to one click to the right or left with the Alpha Wheel. These buttons will repeat if pressed and held.

User Interface Basics

Data Entry

Pressing the Plus and Minus buttons simultaneously will move you through the current list of values in large chunks instead of one by one. Don’t confuse these buttons with the +/- button on the alphanumeric pad. This button is used primarily for entering negative numeric values and switching from uppercase to lowercase letters (and vice versa).

The Alphanumeric Pad

As its name implies, this set of 14 buttons lets you enter numeric values, and to enter names one character at a time. Depending on where you are, the PC3 automatically enters letters or numerals as appropriate (you don’t have to select between alphabetic or numeric entry).

When you’re entering numeric values, press the corresponding numeric buttons, ignoring decimal places if any (to enter 1.16, for example, press 1, 1, 6, Enter). The display will reﬂect your entries, but the value won’t actually change until you press Enter. Before pressing Enter, you can return to the original value by pressing Cancel. Pressing Clear is the same as pressing 0 without pressing Enter.

When entering names, you can use the Left/Right cursor buttons or the <<< / >>> soft buttons to move the cursor to the character you want to change. Use the labels under the alphanumeric buttons as a guide to character entry. Press the corresponding button one or more times to insert the desired character above the cursor. The Cancel button is equivalent to the >>> soft button, and Enter is the same as OK. The Clear button replaces the currently selected character with a space. The +/- button toggles between uppercase and lowercase letters.

There’s also a convenient feature called keyboard naming, which lets you use the keyboard to enter characters in names. See page 5-5.

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User Interface Basics

Data Entry

Double Button Presses

Pressing two or more related buttons simultaneously executes a number of special functions depending on the currently selected mode. Make sure to press them at exactly the same time.

In this mode

or editor…

Program mode

Setup mode

Song mode

Storage mode

Program Editor Chan/Layer Select Layer 1.

Any Editor

Save Dialog Plus/Minus buttons Toggle between next free ID and original ID.

Rename Dialog

…pressing these

buttons

…does this:

simultaneously…

ARP, SW Brings up quick arpeggiator conﬁguration page.

Octav-, Octav+ Reset MIDI transposition to 0 semitones. Double-press again to go

to previous transposition.

Chan/Layer Set current MIDI channel to 1. Sets layer 1 in Program editor.

Plus/Minus Step to next Program bank (increments of 128).

Up/Down cursor buttons Starts playback of demo song for current Program. Stop with Stop

transport button.

Left/Right cursor buttons Brings up Tap Tempo page.

Plus/Minus Moves through list of Setups in increments of 128.

Chan/Layer Set zone 1.

Left/Right cursor buttons Brings up Tap Tempo page.

Up/Down cursor buttons Toggle between Play and Stop.

Chan/Layer Select all tracks on any TRACK page in Song Editor.

Left/Right cursor buttons Brings up Tap Tempo page.

Left/Right cursor buttons Select all items in a list. Move cursor to end of name in naming

dialog.

up/down cursor buttons Clear all selections in a list. Move cursor to beginning of name in

naming dialog.

Plus/Minus Scroll through the currently selected parameter’s list of values in

regular or logical increments (varies with each parameter).

2 leftmost soft buttons Reset MIDI transposition to 0 semitones. Double-press again to go

to previous transposition.

Center soft buttons Select Utilities menu.

2 rightmost soft buttons Reset MIDI transposition to 0 semitones. Double-press again to go

to previous transposition.

Left/Right cursor buttons Display Tap Tempo page.

Up/Down cursor buttons Toggle between Play and Stop of current song.

Cancel/Enter Panic (sends all notes/controllers off message on all 16 channels).

Plus/Minus buttons Moves cursor to the end of the name.

Left/Right cursor buttons Moves cursor to the end of the name.

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Intuitive Data Entry

Many parameters have values that correspond to standard physical controllers. In many cases, you can select these values “intuitively,” rather than having to scroll through the Control Source list. Do this by selecting the desired parameter, then holding the ENTER button while moving the desired physical control.

For example, on the LAYER page in the Program Editor, you can set the range of the currently selected layer as follows: use the cursor buttons to move the cursor to the value for the LoKey parameter, press (and hold) the Enter button, then press the note you wish to be the lowest note for the currently displayed layer. The note you triggered will appear as the value for the LoKey parameter. Repeat the process for the HiKey parameter.

Another example: select Program 199 while in Program mode. Press Edit to enter the Program Editor. Press the PITCH soft button to select the PITCH page. Move the cursor to the Src1 parameter. Hold the Enter button, and move the Pitch Wheel. PWheel will be selected as the value for Src1.

You can also use the keyboard to choose control sources, since most key numbers correspond to a value on the control source list. If you have a certain control source that you use over and over (for example, LFO1), this can be the quickest way to enter its value. To do this: highlight a parameter which uses a value from the control source list, hold down Enter, then strike the key corresponding to the control source you want to choose. LFO1, for example, is assigned to B5.

User Interface Basics

Intuitive Data Entry

Also, for almost every parameter, you can hold the Enter button and move the Data Slider (Slider A) to run through the range of values for the currently selected parameter. This is not as precise as the Alpha Wheel, but much faster.

Changing the Current Layer in Multi-Layer Programs

When editing a multi-layer program, you can quickly switch between layers by holding the Enter button, then striking a key. The PC3 will change the current layer to that key’s layer. If the key is part of more than one layer, subsequent key strikes will cycle through each layer that has that key in its range.

Note: This method for changing the current layer in a multi-layer program will NOT work if the currently highlighted parameter has a note number or control source for its value. In this case, the key you strike will function as described in Intuitive Data Entry, above.

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User Interface Basics

Search

There’s a convenient way to ﬁnd any string of characters within the currently selected list, or range of values. Hold the Enter button and press any of the numeric buttons. A dialog appears.

Type in the string of characters you want to ﬁnd. For example, if you’re looking at the program list and you want to ﬁnd all programs containing the word “Horn,” you would type h-o-r-n. This function is not case-sensitive; it will ﬁnd upper and lower case characters regardless of what you type.

When you’ve typed the string of characters you want to ﬁnd, press Enter. The PC3 searches through the current list of objects or values, ﬁnds all items that match the string of characters you typed, and displays the ﬁrst one it ﬁnds. Hold Enter and press one of the Plus/Minus buttons to search for the next higher- or lower-numbered object that contains the string of characters.

The string you select remains in memory. You can store and select a string of characters with each of the numeric buttons. Hold Enter and press one of the numeric buttons at any time to select that string for a search. When the string appears, you can change it, or just press Enter to ﬁnd that string.

Quick Song Recording and Playback

There are three buttons—labeled Record, Play/Pause, and Stop—below the mode selection buttons. They control the recording and playback of songs from any mode; you don’t have to be in Song mode to record or play back. However, you’ll need to make sure that the Demo Button parameter on Master Mode Page 2 is set to “Off.” Otherwise these buttons are used for Easy Audition (see page 2-7). Master Mode is described in Chapter 11.

Using these buttons affects the current track of the current song—that is, the song and track that were selected the last time you were in Song mode. When you record, the recording track and recording mode are determined by the current settings in Song mode; likewise for the playback mode when you’re playing a song.

When the sequencer status is STOPPED (neither the Record-button LED nor the Play/Pausebutton LED is lit or ﬂashing), press Record to put the sequencer in REC READY status. The Record-button LED lights (red). Then press Play/Pause to start recording. The Play/Pausebutton ﬂashes (green) to indicate the tempo. Any countoff is determined by the current Songmode setting for the CountOff parameter. Press Play/Pause or Stop to end recording and go to the Save dialog, where you can save the song, or discard it.

When the sequencer status is STOPPED, press Play/Pause to begin playing the current song. Press Play/Pause again to pause playback, and again to resume. Press Stop to end playback.

See Chapter 12 for more information on Song Mode.

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Chapter 4 The Operating Modes

In this chapter we’ll discuss the theory behind the mode concept, and we’ll describe the basic operating features of each mode.

What the Modes Are

The modes exist to make the PC3 logical to work with. With as many performance and programming features as the PC3 has, it’s helpful to break them into groups. These groups are called modes. There are eight primary modes; they’re described brieﬂy in the section called Using the Modes on page 4-2, then the rest of the manual is dedicated to explaining each primary mode in turn.

Each mode is named for the kind of operations you perform while in that mode, and each mode’s editor (if any) contains all of the parameters related to editing the type of object found in that mode. In Setup mode, for example, you select setups (and only setups) for performance or editing. All of the setup-editing parameters are grouped together on the Setup-Editor page, which is accessible through Setup mode.

The Operating Modes

What the Modes Are

Selecting Modes

When the PC3 is on, it’s always operating in one of the eight primary modes represented by the LED-highlighted buttons to the left of the display—or in one of the editors corresponding to the current operating mode. Pressing one of the mode buttons selects the corresponding mode. This is the mode’s entry level. At the entry level, the LED of the selected mode is lit. Only one mode can be selected at a time.

From any primary mode, you can get to any other primary mode simply by pressing one of the mode buttons. If you’re in an editor, however, you must press Exit to return to the mode’s entry level before selecting another mode.

All of the modes except Storage mode give you access to one or more editors for changing the values of the parameters within that mode. Press the Edit button to enter the editor of the currently selected mode. When you do this, the mode LED goes out.

It’s possible to enter another mode’s editor without leaving the currently selected mode. For example, if you press Edit while in Setup mode, you’ll enter the Setup Editor. The Setup-Editor page will appear, and the Program parameter will be highlighted by the cursor. If you press Edit again, you’ll enter the Program Editor, where you can edit the currently selected program. While you can edit and save programs as you normally would, you’re still in Setup mode, and you can’t select another mode at this point. When you exit the Program Editor, you’ll return to the Setup-Editor page. Press Exit again, and you’ll leave the Setup Editor, returning to the Setup-mode page.

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The Operating Modes

Using the Modes

The following table lists the procedures for moving between modes and editors. Note that the Exit button won’t always take you where the table says it will; it often depends on how you got where you are. The table assumes that you’ve entered a given editor via its corresponding mode. You’ll always return to Program mode eventually if you press Exit repeatedly.

Current Mode/ Editor Status

Any mode All other modes Press corresponding mode button

Program mode Program Editor Press Edit

Program Editor

Setup mode Setup Editor Press Edit

Setup Editor

Quick Access mode Quick Access Editor Press Edit

Quick Access Editor Quick Access mode Press Exit

Song mode

Most editors Previous mode or editor Press Exit

Available Modes/ Editors

Program mode Press Exit

Effects Editor On PROGFX page, select Insert, then press Edit

Setup mode Press Exit

Program Editor On CH/PRG page: select LocalPrg parameter; press Edit

Song Editor Select CurSong parameter; press Edit

Program Editor Select Program parameter; press Edit

How to Get There

Finding Square One

If, at any time, you don’t know where you are, and the mode LEDs are all unlit, press Exit one or more times. This will return you to the entry level of whatever mode you were in, and if you press Exit enough times, you will always return to Program mode, the startup mode. If you’ve made any changes, you’ll be asked whether you want to save before leaving any editor. Press the No soft button or the Exit button if you don’t want to save. If you want to save, press the

Rename or Yes soft button, and you’ll see the Save dialog, which is described in Saving and Naming on page 5-2.

Using the Modes

You can play your PC3 regardless of the mode you’re in. The PC3’s MIDI response is almost always active. Even so there are three modes that are more performance-oriented than the others. These are Program, Setup, and Quick Access modes. We’ll describe each of the eight modes brieﬂy in this section.

Program Mode

The PC3 starts up in Program mode, where you can select, play, and edit programs. The Program mode entry-level page shows the currently selected program, as well as a small segment of the program list.

The Program Editor takes you to the core of the PC3’s sound editing parameters.

Setup Mode

Setup mode lets you select, play, and edit setups. Setups consist of up to 16 separate zones, split or overlapping, each having its own program, MIDI channel, and control parameters. Setups are great for performance situations, whether you’re playing multiple PC3 programs or controlling additional synths connected to the PC3’s MIDI Out port. Chapter 7 describes Setup mode.

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If you’re using a different MIDI controller, you can make use of Setup mode even if your MIDI controller can transmit on only one MIDI channel at a time. To do this, go to the RECEIVE page in MIDI mode (by pressing the RECV soft button while in MIDI mode), and set the Local Keyboard Channel parameter to a value that matches the transmit channel of your MIDI controller. When you select Setup mode, the PC3 will interpret incoming MIDI information according to the settings for the currently selected setup. See the discussion of the Local Keyboard Channel parameter in Chapter 10 for details.

Quick Access Mode

Another feature for live performance, Quick Access mode enables you to combine programs and setups into banks of ten entries. Each of these programs or setups can be selected with a single alphanumeric button. Different banks are selected with the Chan/Layer buttons. There’s a selection of factory preset banks, and you can use the Quick Access Editor to create your own banks and store them in the PC3’s memory. There’s a full description in Chapter 8.

You can also use Quick Access banks as a way to remap incoming or outgoing Program Change commands.

Effects Mode

Effects mode sets the behavior of the PC3’s effects processor. The Effects mode page lets you tell the PC3 how to select effects conﬁgurations called chains. Chapters 9 shows you how.

The Operating Modes

Using the Modes

MIDI Mode

You’ll use MIDI mode to conﬁgure the PC3’s interaction with other MIDI instruments, by setting parameters for transmitting and receiving MIDI. You’ll also use it to conﬁgure your PC3 for multi-timbral sequencing. On the CHANNELS page, you can assign a program to each channel, and enable or disable each channel’s response to three types of MIDI control messages: Program Change, volume and pan. See Chapter 10.

Master Mode

Master mode, described in Chapter 11, contains the parameters that control the entire PC3. Global settings for tuning, transposition, velocity and aftertouch sensitivity, and other preferences are adjusted here. You can also get to GM Mode from here and set the sample rate for the PC3’s digital output.

Song Mode

Song mode enables you to play sequences (songs) stored in the PC3’s memory, and provides a fully featured sequencer that you can use to record songs. You can also record multi-timbrally via MIDI, or load standard MIDI ﬁles (Type 0 or 1). The Song Editor also enables you to modify existing sequences stored in memory. See Chapter 12.

Storage Mode

Storage mode lets you load and save programs and other objects using an xD card. See Chapter 13.

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The Operating Modes

Using the Modes

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Chapter 5 Editing Conventions

Introduction to Editing

Programming (editing) the PC3 always involves three basic operations: mode selection, navigation, and data entry.

First, select the mode that relates to the object you want to edit—a program, a setup, etc. Then select the object you want to edit, and press the Edit button to enter the editor within that mode. An editor contains all the parameters that deﬁne the object you’re programming.

Next, you navigate around the editor’s page(s) with the soft buttons, and select parameters with the cursor (arrow) buttons. When you’ve selected a parameter (its value is highlighted by the cursor), you can change its value with one of the data entry methods. When you change a value, you’ll normally hear its effect on the object you’re editing. The PC3 doesn’t actually write your editing changes to memory until you save the object you’re working on. It then allows you to choose between writing over the original object, or storing the newly edited version in a new memory location.

Editing Conventions

Introduction to Editing

What’s an Object?

If you’ve been wondering what we mean by the term “object,” it’s an expression we use for anything that can be named, saved, deleted, or edited. Here’s a list of all the types of objects:

Programs Factory-preset or user-programmed sounds stored in ROM or ﬂash

Algorithms Factory-preset or user-programmed V.A.S.T. DSP Functions stored in

Setups Factory-preset or user-programmed MIDI performance presets consisting

Songs Sequence ﬁles loaded into memory, or MIDI data recorded in Song mode.

Chains Factory-preset or user-programmed conﬁgurations of the PC3’s onboard

Quick Access banks Factory-preset or user-programmed banks of ten entries each, that store

Intonation maps Factory-preset or user-programmed pitch offsets for each note in all

memory. A program is one or more layers of sound, with programmable DSP functions applied to the keymaps within each layer.

ROM or ﬂash memory. An Algorithm contains the DSP conﬁguration and settings that are used in a program.

of up to 16 zones, each with its own program, MIDI channel, and controller assignments, and (optionally) arpeggiation speciﬁcations.

digital audio effects processor.

programs and setups for single-button access in Quick Access mode.

octaves. Set from master mode, intonation maps are used to change the PC3’s intonation in all modes.

Shift patterns Factory-preset or user-programmed sequences of note shift information,

used by the arpeggiator for detailed arpeggiations, or by the Shift Key Number controller destination.

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Editing Conventions

Object Type and ID

Velocity patterns Factory-preset or user-programmed sequences of note velocity shift

Master tables The values that are set for the global control parameters on the Master

Name tables Contains a list of dependent objects needed by the other objects in a ﬁle at

Object Type and ID

The PC3 stores its objects in memory using a system of ID numbers that are generally organized into banks. Each object is identiﬁed by its object type and object ID; these make it unique. An object’s type is simply the kind of object it is, whether it’s a program, setup, song, or whatever. The object ID is a number from 1 to the maximum that distinguishes each object from other objects of the same type. For example, within a bank you can have a setup, a program, and an effect, all with ID 201; their object types distinguish them. You can’t, however, have two programs with ID 201.

information, used by the arpeggiator for detailed velocity triggering in arpeggiation.

mode page, as well as the settings for the parameters on the Transmit, Receive, and Channels pages in MIDI mode, and the programs currently assigned to each MIDI channel.

the time the ﬁle was saved.

Object Type Object ID Object Name

Program 201 Hot Keys

Setup 404 Silicon Bebop

Velocity Map 1 Linear

ROM (factory preset) objects have ID numbers in a number of banks. When you save objects that you’ve edited, the PC3 will ask you to assign an ID. If the original object was a ROM object, the PC3 will suggest the ﬁrst available ID in the User Bank (starting at 1025). If the original object was a memory object, you’ll have the option of saving to an unused ID, or replacing the original object. Double press the - and + buttons (beneath the alpha wheel) to select the next available user location.

Objects of different types can have the same ID, but objects of the same type must have different IDs to be kept separate. When you’re saving an object that you’ve edited, you can assign the same ID to an existing object of the same type, but if you do, the new one will be written over the old one. For example, if you assign an ID of 1 to a program you’ve edited, the PC3 will ask you if you want to “replace” the ROM program currently stored with that ID.

Many parameters have objects as their values—the Intonation parameter on the Master mode page, for example. In this case, the object’s ID appears in the value ﬁeld along with the object’s name. You can enter objects as values by entering their IDs with the alphanumeric pad. This is especially convenient for programs, since their ID numbers are usually the same as their MIDI program change numbers.

The object type and ID enable you to store hundreds of objects without losing track of them, and also to load ﬁles from storage without having to replace ﬁles you’ve already loaded.

Saving and Naming

When you’ve edited an object to your satisfaction, you’ll want to store it in memory. There’s a standard procedure for saving and naming, which applies to all objects. You can press the Save soft button, of course, but it’s easier to press the Exit button, which means “I want to leave the

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Editing Conventions

Saving and Naming

current editor.” If you haven’t actually changed anything while in the editor, you’ll simply exit to the mode you started from. If you have made changes, however, the PC3 will ask you if you want to save those changes. This is the ﬁrst Save dialog, the Exit page. Press Cancel to resume editing, No to exit the editor, or Yes to save your edits and move to the Save page.

The Rename soft button on the Save page takes you immediately to the naming dialog, where you assign a name to the object you’re saving. You haven’t saved yet, but you’ll be able to after you’ve named the program.

The cursor underlines the currently selected character. Press the <<< or >>> soft buttons to move the cursor without changing characters. Press an alphanumeric button one or more times to enter a character above the cursor. The characters that correspond to the alphanumeric buttons are labeled under each button. If the character that appears is not the one you want, press the button again. Press the +/- button on the alphanumeric pad to switch between upper and lower case characters.

Press 0 one or more times to enter the numerals 0 through 9. Press Clear (on the alphanumeric pad) to erase the selected character without moving any other characters. Press the Delete soft button to erase the selected character. All characters to the right of the cursor will move one space left. Press the Insert soft button to insert a space above the cursor, moving all characters to the right of the cursor one space to the right.

Press the Cancel soft button if you decide not to name the object. Press OK when the name is set the way you want to save it.

In addition to the letters and numerals, there are three sets of punctuation characters. The easiest way to get to them is to press one of the alphanumeric buttons to select a character close to the one you want, then scroll to it with the Alpha Wheel. Here’s the whole list:

! “ # $ % & ’ ( ) * + , - . / 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

: ; < = > ? @ A through Z

[ \ ] ^ _ ` a through z. (space).

Pressing the Plus/Minus buttons simultaneously is a short cut to the following characters: 0, A, a and (space).

If you’re wondering how we came up with this sequence of characters, it’s composed of ASCII characters 33 through 122.

When you press OK, the ﬁnal Save dialog appears, where you assign an ID to the edited object. If you change your mind about the name, press the Rename soft button for another try.

Note: For an additional naming method, see Keyboard Naming below.

ROM Objects

If the object you started from was a ROM (factory preset) object, the PC3 will automatically suggest the next available (unused) ID as the ID for the edited object. If that’s the ID you want, press the Save soft button, and the object will be stored in memory with that ID. Otherwise, you can select any ID from 1 to the maximum. This page also gives you the opportunity to return to the naming dialog (as described in the previous section) or, by pressing the Object soft button, to access the Object Utilities (described in Chapter 13).

If you select an ID that’s already in use, the PC3 will tell you that you’re going to replace the ROM object that’s already been assigned that ID. If you don’t want to do that, you can select a different ID. Or you can press the Plus/Minus buttons simultaneously to toggle between the ID

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Editing Conventions

Saving and Naming

Memory Objects

that the PC3 suggested and the original ID. Or press the Cancel soft button to cancel the operation.

If you decide not to cancel or change the ID, and you press the Replace soft button, the PC3 will write your newly edited object over the existing ROM object. Actually, it only appears that way, since you can’t truly write to ROM. The ROM object will reappear if you delete the newly edited object (there are soft buttons in each editor for deleting objects).

If the original object was a memory object, the PC3 will assume you want to replace it, and will suggest the same ID as the original object. (In all modes other than Song mode, a diamond icon preceding an item’s ID indicates a memory object). As with ROM objects, you can cancel, replace, or change the ID and save to an unused ID. If you replace a memory object, however, it’s deﬁnitely gone!

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Keyboard Naming

The keyboard naming feature makes naming objects convenient, by letting you use the keyboard (or your MIDI controller) to enter the name of the object you’re modifying.

When you’re in a Rename dialog, use either of the Chan/ Layer buttons to change between the keyboard naming states: Off (disabled), On, and Adv (Advance).

When set to On or Adv, the keys (MIDI note numbers, actually) correspond to all the characters shown on page 5-3. There are also equivalents to the cursor movement, insertion, deletion, and OK (Enter) buttons.

On requires you to move the cursor to enter each letter, just as you have to do when using the normal data entry methods for naming. Adv automatically moves the cursor one space to the right each time you strike a key, just like a typewriter or computer keyboard. This is the most convenient setting.

Move cursor to start of name

Move cursor left one space

Move cursor right one space

(Shift)

(Space)

a A b B c C d D e E

f F g G h H

i I

j J

k K

l L

m M

n N o O p P q Q

r R

s S

t T u U v V

w W

x X y Y z Z

(Space)

(Shift)

Move cursor left one space

Move cursor right one space

Move cursor to end of name

(Standard 88-note Keyboard)

A0 to C8

tch Wheel Absolute Value

Editing Conventions

Saving and Naming

Delete; move characters left one space Insert; move characters right one space

1 ! 2 @ 3 #

4 $ 5 %

6 ^ 7 & 8 *

9 ( 0 (zero) )

- (Hyphen) _ (Underscore) = (Equals) + (Backspace)

; (Semicolon) : (Colon) ' (Apostrophe) '' (Quote)

, (Comma) < . (Period) > / (Slash) ?

[ (Left bracket) ` (Back quote) ] (Right bracket) \ (Backslash)

(OK, Enter) Delete; move characters left one space Insert; move characters right one space

Use the (Shift) keys or Sustain pedal to enter upper-case and special characters

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Editing Conventions

Deleting Objects

Within most editors, there are soft buttons for deleting objects. When you want to delete an object, press the Delete soft button, and the PC3 will ask you if you want to delete the object. (At this point in the dialog, you can select another object with any of the data entry methods.) Press OK if you want to delete it, or press Cancel if you don’t. The PC3 won’t let you delete ROM objects (also known as “factory” objects).

Memory objects, on the other hand, are gone when you delete them! If you’ve “replaced” a ROM object by saving a memory object with the same ID, the ROM object is invisible, but still there. Deleting the memory object stored at the same ID will restore the ROM object.

You’ll often delete objects to gain memory space, or to organize the memory banks before saving objects to storage. To delete multiple objects, use the Delete Objects utility available in Master mode. It’s described on page 11-11.

Dependent Objects

A dependent object is an object that’s linked in memory with at least one other object. For example, if you create a setup that uses a program that you also created, that program is a dependent object of the setup.

When you start to delete an object that has dependent objects, the Delete dialog gives you a choice: Delete dependent objects? If you press Yes , the PC3 will delete the object and all its dependent objects when you execute the Delete function. In our example, if you were deleting the setup you created, and you chose to delete dependent objects, the dependent program would get deleted as well. If you press No at the Delete dependent objects? prompt, the PC3 deletes only the object, but keeps the dependent objects. In our example, the setup would get deleted, but the dependent program would remain.

When deleting objects and their dependents, the PC3 deletes only those dependent objects that aren’t dependent on other objects that you’re not deleting. For example, suppose you have two setups that contain the same program. If you delete one of the setups, and delete dependent objects with it, the setup gets deleted, but the program that’s contained in the other setup remains in memory.

Saving and Loading Files—Storage Mode

Saving a ﬁle simply involves selecting objects or a complete bank of objects to be stored as a single ﬁle. All objects with IDs within that range will be saved to the ﬁle. When you load a ﬁle, the PC3 asks you which bank will receive the ﬁle. You can load a ﬁle into any of the sixteen banks, regardless of the bank it was saved from. The PC3 will automatically reassign the object IDs.

See Chapter 13 for more information on loading and saving ﬁles.

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Special Button Functions

The Mode buttons and the Chan/Layer buttons have additional functions, depending on the mode or editor you’re in. The table below describes some of these special button functions.

Button Mode or Editor

Program Mute 1

Mutes Layer 1 of current program

Editing Conventions

Special Button Functions

Program Editor Song Mode

Setup Mute 3

Q Access Solo

Effects FX Bypass

MIDI Mute 2

Master Mute 4

Song Mute Active

Storage Compare

Chan / Layer In Program Editor, these two buttons scroll

Edit Whenever cursor is highlighting an editable

Mutes Layer 3 of current program

Solos current layer

Bypasses (mutes) current program’s FX preset (plays program dry)

Mutes Layer 2 of current program

Mutes Layer 4 of current program

Mutes active layer of current program

Negates effect of unsaved edits and plays last-saved (unedited) version of object being edited

through layers of current program; in Setup Editor, scroll through zones of current setup; in Quick Access mode, scroll through entries in current Quick Access bank

object or parameter, takes you to corresponding editor or programming page

Change recording track

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Editing Conventions

Special Button Functions

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Chapter 6 Program Mode

Programs are the PC3’s performance-level sound objects. They’re preset sounds equivalent to the patches, presets, voices, or multis that you ﬁnd on other synths.

Program mode is the heart of the PC3, where you select programs for performance and editing. The PC3 is packed with great sounds, but it’s also a synthesizer of truly amazing depth and ﬂexibility. When you’re ready to start tweaking sounds, the Program Editor is the place to start.

The PC3 offers two new powerful editing features: Cascade Mode and Dynamic VAST.

• Cascade Mode lets you route any layer of a program into the DSP of any other layer. Any of the 32 layers of a program can go into any other layer.

• Dynamic VAST lets you “wire” your own algorithms. You can combine different DSP functions in any order you like, including parallel and serial conﬁgurations.

Program Mode

VAST and KB3 Programs

It is important to understand the difference between VAST programs and KB3 programs.

VAST programs contain up to 32 layers, each of which contains a keymap or KVA oscillator. Keymaps consists of a number of samples assigned to a particular keyboard range. KVA oscillators use powerful DSP to generate a range of simple and complex waveforms (see Editing VAST Programs With KVA Oscillators on page 6-52 for more details.)

KB3 programs use a much different architecture. There are no layers or algorithms, just a set of oscillators (designed to emulate the tonewheels in a Hammond Organ) that start running as soon as you select a KB3 program.

The next two sections give more detailed descriptions of the differences in structure between VAST programs and KB3 programs. There are several performance features (and a few issues) unique to KB3 programs; these are discussed on page 6-4. After that, there are descriptions of the Program mode features that are common to both types of programs.

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Program Mode

VAST Program Structure

You might want to take a look at Figure 6-1 on page 6-3, which depicts the hierarchy of a VAST program, from individual samples all the way up to setups, which can contain up to 16 programs.

Every VAST program contains at least one layer. A layer consists of a keymap and an algorithm for processing the samples contained in the keymap. Each sample is a separate digital recording of some kind of sound: musical, vocal, industrial, any sound at all. Individual samples are assigned to speciﬁc key ranges (from A 2 to D 3, for example), and are also assigned to be triggered at speciﬁc attack velocities. These assignments constitute the keymap.

When you trigger a note, the PC3 looks to the keymap of each layer of the currently active VAST program(s) to determine which samples to play. The sound engine then fetches the requested samples and generates a digital signal representing the sound of the samples. This signal ﬁrst passes through the ﬁve DSP functions that make up the algorithm. It then passes through the PC3’s effects processor, and ﬁnally appears—with some level of effects applied to it—at one or more of the audio outputs.

The layer is the VAST program’s basic unit of polyphony, that is, each layer constitutes one of the 128 voice channels the PC3 can activate at any time. If you have a program that consists of two layers covering the note range from A 0 to C 8, each key you strike triggers two voice channels.

Note: One exception to this structure is when using a KVA oscillator, the sound source for that layer is not derived from a keymap, but is generated at the algorithm stage (though keymap information is still used to set key range and maximum amplitude.) After this, the structure is the same as described above. See Editing VAST Programs With KVA Oscillators on page 6-52 for more details.

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Program Mode

VAST Program Structure

Zone1Zone2Zone3Zone4Zone5Zone6Zone7Zone

16 keyboard zones— each with independent program, MIDI channel, and control assignments

Selected for performance and editing in Program mode; up to 32 layers per program

A keymap processed through an algorithm, modulated by control sources

Figure 6-1 VAST Program Structure

Up to 128 sample roots, assigned to play at programmable key and velocity ranges

Individual digital sound recordings stored in ROM; stereo samples use two voices of polyphony

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Program Mode

KB3 Program Structure

There’s nothing quite like the sound of the classic Hammond™ B-3 tone wheel organ, especially when played through a Leslie™ rotating speaker system. We’ve done extensive testing and analysis with several tone wheel organs, and created our own models to emulate the unique tone wheel sound. We even took into account the way that older organs start to sound different (and arguably better) as their capacitors begin to leak—and we included a parameter that lets you vary the amount of grunge (leakage) in your sound.

KB3 programs use oscillators to emulate the tone wheel sound. Each oscillator operates independently, and has its own pitch and amplitude control. You can control how many oscillators are used for a KB3 program. There are two oscillators per voice, for a total of 256. You can use up to 91 of them in a KB3 program (the 92nd is reserved to produce key click). Because the oscillators start running as soon as you select a KB3 program, there are always voices available—unlike VAST programs, which start “stealing” notes when you reach the polyphony limit.

The oscillators—we’ll call them tone wheels from here on—are divided into an upper and lower group. The upper tone wheels use the samples in the PC3’s keymaps to generate sound, while the lower tone wheels use sine waves. You can change the keymap of a KB3 program’s upper tone wheels to produce a large array of sounds. By changing the keymap from sine to a saw wave it is possible to emulate the sound of classic combo organs like the Vox™ and Farﬁsa™ models.

KB3 Mode

KB3 programs are different enough from VAST programs that we use the term KB3 mode to describe what’s going on when you play a KB3 program. Whenever you play a KB3 program, you are in KB3 mode. The blue LED in the KB3 button will light when the current program is a KB3 program.

If you want to create your own KB3 program, start by editing an existing KB3 program.

You can play KB3 programs only on a single channel at a time.

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Real-time Controls in KB3 Mode

You have real-time control over many components of KB3 programs directly from the front panel. The sliders emulate the drawbars that are so essential to the tone wheel sound, while the buttons above them (they’re called the Mute buttons, because they normally mute and solo zones in Setup mode) can control the KB3 effects: Leslie, vibrato, chorus, and percussion.

When you’re in Program mode, the Mute buttons always control KB3 effects. In a setup containing a KB3 program, if you want the Mute buttons to control KB3 effects, you’ll have to edit the setup, because in Setup mode, the Mute buttons mute and unmute zones by default.

1. Go to Setup mode, and select the setup you want to edit. Press Edit.

2. Press either more soft button until you see the COMMON soft button. Press it, and your display should show the following screen:

Program Mode

KB3 Program Structure

3. Select the Mutes parameter and change its value to KB3 Control.

4. Don’t forget to save.

Playing KB3 Programs

One of the standard performance features of many tone wheel organs is the set of drawbars for emulating the stops on a pipe organ. Moving the drawbars controls the amplitude of either the fundamentals or the harmonics of the notes (out to increase amplitude, in to decrease it).

The PC3’s sliders serve as the nine drawbars found on most tone wheel organs. Pushing the sliders up is the equivalent of pushing the drawbars in (removing fundamentals or harmonics).

Subharmonics Fundamental Harmonics

16'

Slider A Slider B Slider C Slider D Slider E Slider F Slider G Slider H Slider I

/3'

8' 4'

Table 6-1 Standard Drawbar Settings for the Hammond B3

KB3 Mode Buttons (Mute Buttons)

When the Mute buttons are enabled for KB3 control, their LEDs indicate the status of the various effects for the current KB3 program. This status is saved as part of each program. You can change the effects in real time by pressing the buttons (or by sending the appropriate MIDI Controller values from your MIDI controller).

2 2/3'

1 3/5' 1 1/3'

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Program Mode

KB3 Program Structure

In normal operational modes, using the Mute buttons to change a program’s KB3 effects doesn’t affect the program; the effects return to their programmed settings the next time you select the program. If, however, you’re in an editor when you change the effects, you’re actually editing the program. If you like the changes, you can save the program with the new KB3 effects settings. If you don’t like the changes, you can exit without saving, and the program will revert to its previous settings.

The Mute buttons also send MIDI Controller information to the PC3’s MIDI Out port. See Column 2 of Table 6-3 to check which Controller numbers the buttons send.

Of course, you can change the programmed settings for the KB3-mode buttons. For each of the buttons, there’s a corresponding parameter in the Program Editor.

Effect Category

1 Rotary Fast / Slow MISC: SpeedCtl

Vibrato

3 Chorus / Vibrato MISC: VibChorSel Disabled if Button 2 is off

4 Depth 1 / 2 / 3 MISC: VibChorSel Disabled if Button 2 is off

6 Volume Loud / Soft PERC: Volume Disabled if Button 5 is off

Percussion

7 Decay Fast / Slow PERC: Decay Disabled if Button 5 is off

8 Pitch High / Low PERC: Harmonic Disabled if Button 5 is off

Button Name

On / Off MISC: VibChorCtl

On / Off PERC: Percussion

Table 6-2 KB3 Mode Buttons and Corresponding Parameters

MIDI Control of KB3 Programs

When you’re playing a KB3 program from an external MIDI source, there are two things to keep in mind:

• Certain MIDI Controller numbers always control speciﬁc KB3 features

• The value of the LocalKbdCh parameter affects how KB3 programs respond to MIDI Controller messages

Corresponding Page and Parameter

Comments

6-6

Controller Numbers

Table 6-3 lists the MIDI Controller numbers that control KB3 features. The ﬁrst column lists the Controller numbers that KB3 programs always respond to (the PC3 also sends these Controller numbers to its MIDI Out port when you’re using the local keyboard channel—we’ll say more about that on page 6-7).

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MIDI

Controller

KB3 Program Feature

Drawbar1 6

Drawbar2 13

Drawbar3 22

Drawbar4 23

Drawbar5 24

Drawbar6 25

Drawbar7 26

Drawbar8 27

Drawbar9 28

Expression Pedal 11

Percussion On/Off 73

Percussion High/Low 72

Percussion Loud/Soft 71

Percussion Fast/Slow 70

Rotating Speaker Slow/Fast 68

Vibrato/Chorus On/Off 95

Vibrato/Chorus Selector 93

Key Click Level 89

Leakage Level 90

Number

PC3

Program Mode

KB3 Program Structure

Table 6-3 KB3 MIDI Controller Assignments

Local Keyboard Channel

The local keyboard channel enables the PC3 to receive MIDI information on a single channel, then rechannelize that information so you can play and control all 16 zones of a setup, even if your MIDI source transmits on only one channel. When you’re in Program mode, the local keyboard channel remaps incoming information to the PC3’s current channel (the one shown in the top line of the display).

The LocalKbd parameter (on the RECEIVE page in MIDI mode) deﬁnes the local keyboard channel. When you’re in Program mode, and playing a KB3 program, you may want to leave LocalKbd set to None, which is its default value. In this case the MIDI Controller messages for KB3 control listed in Table 6-3 are certain to work.

There are some possible disadvantages to this, however. First, the PC3 doesn’t relay incoming MIDI to its MIDI Out port. Perhaps more importantly, if you change the channel on your MIDI source, the PC3 plays the program on the channel used by your MIDI source—regardless of the PC3’s current channel. For example, if your MIDI source transmits on Channel 1, and you set the PC3’s current channel to 2, you’ll still play the program assigned to Channel 1. If that’s the way you like it, there’s no problem.

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Program Mode

KB3 Program Structure

You may ﬁnd it more convenient to use the local keyboard channel. In this case, the PC3 remaps incoming MIDI to the PC3’s current channel, so in Program mode, you’ll always play the program on the PC3’s current channel. Incoming MIDI also gets sent to the PC3’s MIDI Out port. On the other hand, in this case your MIDI source’s transmitting channel must match the PC3’s local keyboard channel for anything to work. Furthermore, for KB3 programs, some of the MIDI Controller numbers listed in Table 6-3 won’t necessarily work.

Things are a bit different for playing setups. In this case, you must use the local keyboard channel to be able to play and control all of the setup’s zones. Set LocalKbd to match the channel your external MIDI source is using (so if, for example, your MIDI source transmits on Channel 1, set LocalKbd to 1). All MIDI information that the PC3 receives on the local keyboard channel gets remapped to the channels and control destinations used by the zones in the setup.

The PC3 also remaps certain MIDI Controller messages that it receives on the local keyboard channel, so that they correspond (in most cases) to the default assignments for the PC3’s physical controllers (Mod Wheel, sliders, ribbons, etc.). While this ensures that the physical controllers work in a consistent and relatively standard fashion for most setups and VAST programs, it necessitates a few adjustments to make incoming MIDI Controller messages control the KB3 features listed in Table 6-3. Without these adjustments, some of the KB3 features won’t respond to MIDI Controller messages—this is true when you’re playing programs as well as when you’re playing setups.

To make everything work properly, you need to make sure that all the appropriate physical controllers are assigned for KB3 control. Physical controller assignments are handled by setups, and are deﬁned by parameters on several pages in the Setup Editor. Each zone of a setup has its own controller assignments. Programs don’t have controller assignments, so they “borrow” them from a special setup that’s reserved for that purpose. This setup is called the Control Setup; it’s determined by the value of the ControlSetup parameter (on the TRANSMIT page in MIDI mode). You can read about Control Setups in detail on page 6-9.

When you’re playing a setup on the local keyboard channel, each zone that uses a KB3 program must have the appropriate physical controller assignments. When you’re playing a KB3 program, Zone 1 of the Control Setup must have the appropriate physical controller assignments.

One ﬁnal word—for now—about using the local keyboard channel: all the MIDI information received on the local keyboard channel also gets sent—after being remapped—to the PC3’s MIDI Out port. There’s a discussion of the local keyboard channel in Chapter 10.

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The Program Mode Page

The top line of the Program mode entry-level page shows your mode location, the present MIDI transposition, the MIDI bank number and MIDI program number of the highlighted program, and the current MIDI channel.

The info box at the left of the Program mode page gives you information about the current program. Generally, the info box shows the keymap assigned to each layer. The line beneath the name of the keymap indicates the keyboard range of that layer. In the diagram above, for example, there’s one layer that extends from C 0 to C 8—the default range. The representation of these layer ranges is approximate; they’re intended to let you know if you have a layered keyboard (lines overlapping) or a split keyboard (lines not overlapping). The info box can display up to four layers at a time. If the current program has more than four layers, you can view their keymaps by pressing and holding down the Enter button and scrolling with the Chan/Layer buttons.

Program Mode

The Program Mode Page

For KB3 programs, the info box shows the keymap used for the upper tone wheels.

Note: For VAST layers using KVA oscillators, the info box may or may not show the name of the oscillator being used. See Advanced Use Of KVA Oscillators on page 6-55 for more details.

Control Setup

The Control Setup deﬁnes what the PC3’s physical controllers (wheels, sliders, pedals, etc.) do while you’re in Program mode. It’s a convenient way to apply the controller assignments in your setups globally. Just choose an existing setup to be the Control Setup using the ControlSetup parameter on the MIDI mode TRANSMIT page.

While you’re in Program mode, many of the controller assignments for Zone 1 of the Control Setup also apply to the programs you play (this is true for MIDI control messages as well, unless you have turned off MIDI control).

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Program Mode

The Program Mode Page

If you don’t like the way the physical controllers work in Program mode, you can either select a different Control Setup, or edit the existing one. Any changes you make to the current Control Setup will also affect the way that setup works in Setup mode.

There are a few important points to remember about the Control Setup:

• The current Control Setup governs controller assignments for all modes except Setup, where

• The current Control Setup is used by all programs in Program mode.

• You cannot change the Control Setup from within Program mode.

• The Control Setup doesn’t affect the sound of a program, only the assignments of certain

• Almost all of the VAST programs in the PC3 are designed to respond to the controller

each setup has its own unique assignments.

physical controllers. The samples and keymaps assigned to a program are unaffected by the Control Setup. While you’re in Program mode, the PC3 ignores the programs assigned to the setup that you choose as the Control Setup.

assignments in the default Control Setup (126 Internal Voices). Therefore you’ll want to use 126 Internal Voices as the Control Setup in most cases. However, if you want to change the controller assignments for any program or set of programs (either VAST or KB3), use a Control Setup that has the controller assignments you want.

The Soft Buttons in Program Mode

Use the Octav– and Octav+ soft buttons to transpose up or down by a full octave. Pressing both Octav buttons simultaneously returns the transposition to its original setting.

Pressing the Panic soft button sends an All Notes Off message and an All Controllers Off message on all 16 MIDI channels.

Press the Info soft button to see all of the controller assignments of the current program. Scroll down the page using the Alpha Wheel or the Plus/Minus buttons.

The Xpose-/Xpose+ buttons are a shortcut for quick transposition in semitone (half step) increments. You can use them to transpose the entire PC3 as much as three octaves up or down. The top line of the display shows the current amount of transposition (Xpose). Pressing both Xpose buttons simultaneously returns the transposition to zero. The Xpose buttons transpose the PC3, as well as any MIDI devices connected to the PC3’s MIDI Out port. Changing the transposition with the soft buttons also changes the corresponding setting on the MIDI mode TRANSMIT page.

Controller Entry Values in Program Mode

To capture entry values for sliders, go to the Controllers page by pressing the CTLS soft button in the program editor. The soft button next to it, “SetCtl,” allows you to capture the values of your sliders, Mwheel and MIDI 29 (the SW button, located above the Mod Wheel).

Similarly, when using a KB3 program, you can capture the entry values for the drawbars (the sliders) by pressing the “SetDBR” soft button in the KB3 program editor (this button is located next to the DRAWBR soft button).

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Editing VAST Programs

The Program Editor is where you begin to modify the PC3’s resident sounds, and to build your own sounds around sample keymaps or KVA oscillators (see Editing VAST Programs With KVA Oscillators on page 6-52 for some differences.) There’s virtually no limit to the sounds you can create using the tools in the Program Editor.

Note: This section describes the Program Editor as it applies to VAST programs. See Editing KB3 Programs on page 6-59 for information about editing KB3 programs.

To enter the Program Editor, start in Program mode and press Edit. The Program-mode LED will go out, and the KEYMAP (Keymap) page will appear.

Program Mode

Editing VAST Programs

The top line of the display gives you the usual reminder of your location. It also tells you which layer you’re viewing, and how many layers there are in the program. You can use the Chan/Layer buttons to scroll through the layers, if the program has more than one.

Here’s a method for jumping quickly to a speciﬁc layer in a program—it’s especially useful in multi-layered drum programs. Hold the Enter button and strike a key. The display will show the layer(s) assigned to that key. If more than one layer is assigned to the same key, repeatedly striking the key (while continuing to hold the Enter button) will cycle through all layers assigned to that key. This method will work in most places within the Program Editor, but there is an exception: if the parameter you have highlighted has a note number or control source as its value, then holding Enter and striking a note will call up that note or control source. For all other parameters, however, this method will switch between layers.

The Soft Buttons in the Program Editor

The Program Editor’s soft buttons are labeled by the words that appear in the bottom line of the display. These buttons have two important jobs in the Program Editor: selecting pages, and selecting speciﬁc functions. If a soft button is labeled in all uppercase letters, pressing it will take you to the page it describes. If the button is labeled in mixed uppercase and lowercase letters, pressing it will execute the software function described by the label. Pressing the LAYER soft button, for example, will take you to the Layer page, while pressing the Save soft button will initiate the process for saving the currently selected program.

There are more pages and functions in the Program Editor than there are soft buttons. Therefore, two of the soft buttons are dedicated to scrolling through the list of pages and functions. If you don’t see the button for the page or function you want to select, press one of the soft buttons labeled more, and the labels will change. This doesn’t change the currently selected page, it merely changes the selection of available soft buttons.

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Program Mode

Editing VAST Programs

Two of the soft buttons in the Program Editor are special cases. They’re the soft buttons that select the editing pages for the ﬁrst and last DSP functions (Pitch and Level, respectively) of the current program’s algorithm. One of these soft buttons is labeled PITCH, and pressing it will take you to the DSPCTL (DSP Control) page with the Pitch parameter highlighted. The other one of these soft buttons is labeled AMP, and pressing it will take you to the DSPCTL page with the Level parameter highlighted.

Additionally, pressing the DSPCTL soft button will take you to the DSPCTL page.

The MODE Buttons in the Program Editor

When in the Program editor, each of the MODE select button has a different function. Beside each button is the name of its function in the Program editor. When activated, the button’s LED will light up.

Mute 1, 2, 3, and 4

Each of the top four MODE select buttons serve to mute one of the current program’s ﬁrst four layers. Pressing the Program button mutes layer 1, pressing the MIDI button mutes layer 2, pressing the Setup button mutes layer 3, and pressing the Master button mutes layer 4.

Solo

Pressing the Q Access button solos the current layer.

Mute Active

Pressing the Song button mutes the current layer.

FX Bypass

Pressing the Effect button bypasses all effects. Note, however, that if either of the Aux Overrides in Effects mode are active, then those effects are still applied.

Compare

Pressing the Storage button calls up the Compare Editor, which recalls the program pre-edit settings, allowing you to compare your edited program with the original program. Pressing the Storage button again returns you to the Program editor.

Using the Compare Editor makes no changes to the current program.

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Algorithm Basics

Press the ALG soft button in the Program Editor to take you to the Algorithm (ALG) page. The basic deﬁnition: an algorithm is the “wiring” (signal path) of a sample to the audio outputs, through a series of digital signal processing (DSP) functions that you select. The PC3’s algorithms are the core of Variable Architecture Synthesis Technology. The DSP functions are synthesis tools (ﬁlters, oscillators, etc.) that you assign to the various stages of the algorithm. The DSP functions you choose determine the type of synthesis you use.

Each of the 59 available algorithms represents a preset signal path. With our new Dynamic VAST feature, you can edit any preset signal path and make your own, unique algorithms, but that will be explained further on in this section. Take a look at Algorithm 1 in the diagram below. It’s one of the simplest algorithms.

Program Mode

Algorithm Basics

The DSP functions are represented by the rectangular blocks. The lines connecting the blocks together indicates the ﬂow of the digital signal from left to right; they represent what we call the “wire” of the algorithm: the actual physical path that the signal follows through the algorithm. Selecting different algorithms can be compared to connecting different DSP functions with different wiring diagrams.

Think of the left side of each block as its input, and the right side as its output. Depending on the algorithm, the signal may split into two wires, enabling part of the signal to bypass certain portions of the algorithm. Split wires may rejoin within the algorithm, or they may pass all the way through as split signals. If the last block has two wires at its output, we call it a doubleoutput algorithm. If it has one wire, it’s a single-output algorithm, even if there are two wires in earlier portions of the algorithm.

Each block of the algorithm represents a certain function in the signal path. In every noncascaded algorithm (see Alt Input for Algorithms (Cascade Mode) below), the signal ﬂows ﬁrst through a one-stage DSP function that controls the pitch of the samples in the keymap (this function is represented as a block labeled PITCH in the upper right-hand corner of the display). In fact, the ﬁrst DSP function in each algorithm always controls pitch, even though it doesn’t apply in every instance and, as will be explained later in this section, it is bypassed in cascaded algorithms. Similarly, the last DSP function always controls the ﬁnal amplitude of the signal (this function is represented as a block labeled AMP in the upper right-hand corner of the display).

The number of function-parameters a DSP function can have depends on the relative size of its function-block on the Algorithm page; for instance, a function-block that is three slots long can have up to three function-parameters, whereas a function-block that is two slots long can have up to two function-parameters. For each function-parameter, there’s a corresponding “subpage” on both the DSPCTL and DSPMOD pages. On the DSPCTL subpages, there are ﬁne adjust and hard-wired parameters with which you can make ﬁxed adjustments to the function-parameter. On the DSPMOD subpages, there are programmable parameters that you can assign to any control

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Program Mode

Algorithm Basics

Common DSP Control Parameters

source in the Controller List to modulate the function-parameter. The above italicized parameter-types are described in Common DSP Control Parameters on page 6-14. More information on the subpages can be found in The DSP Control (DSPCTL) Page on page 6-28 and The DSP Modulation (DSPMOD) Page on page 6-29.

Highlighting any of the function-blocks on the ALG page and pressing the Edit button takes you to the DSPCTL page.

The type of DSP function available for any function block depends on the algorithm. Some of the specialized functions like the PANNER are always located just before the ﬁnal AMP function. Others, like the three-input functions, appear only in algorithms that are structured for three-input functions.

You can change the nature of each layer of a program simply by assigning different DSP functions to the layer’s algorithm. Your level of control goes much deeper than that, however. Each DSP function has one or more parameters to which you can patch a variety of control sources to modify the behavior of the DSP functions themselves.

The parameters on the various control-input pages are very similar; in fact, there are six parameters that appear on almost every page. Consequently we refer to them as the common DSP control parameters. Although the parameters on the control-input pages differ slightly from function to function, you can expect to see some or all of the common DSP control parameters whenever you select the control-input page for any of the DSP functions.

6-14

You’ll recognize the common DSP control parameters, along with several other parameters. Keep in mind that there’s a set of common control parameters for each of the DSP functions; in this case we’re describing them only as they apply to the pitch control function.

Function-parameter

Unlike the other ﬁve common DSP parameters, the function-parameters are accessible on both the DSPCTL page and the DSPMOD page. They are listed along the left-hand side of each page; any changes made to them on one page are reﬂected in the other. The label of each functionparameter depends on its function in the current program’s algorithm. For example, the Pitch function’s function-parameter is labeled Pitch; whereas the two-block Lopass function’s function-parameters are labeled LP Frq and LP Res.

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Program Mode

Algorithm Basics

By adjusting the function-parameter, you can add a ﬁxed amount of adjustment to any DSP function. For the Pitch function, adjusting the function-parameter will change the pitch in semitone increments. Use this as a starting point to set the pitch where you want it to be normally. This will shift the pitch of the currently selected layer, and will affect the playback rate of sampled sounds. Sampled sounds have an upper limit on pitch adjustment. It’s normal for the pitches of sampled sounds to “pin” (stop getting higher) when you adjust the pitch upward in large amounts. The oscillator waveforms can be pitched higher. Any sound can be pitched downward without limit.

The primary use of adjusting the function-parameter or ﬁne adjust parameter (which will be explained under the next heading) is to offset the cumulative effects of the other DSP function parameters. For example, you might set a high value for key tracking (deﬁned below) for a dramatic change in effect across the keyboard. The effect might be too much at one end of the keyboard, however, so you could use one of the adjust parameters to reduce the initial amount of that effect.

The PC3 always uses real values of measurement, rather than just arbitrary numbers, for adjustable parameters. This means that you specify pitch in semitones (ST) and cents (ct), and amplitude in decibels (dB).

Remember that the parameters on the control-input pages are cumulative—they can add to or subtract from the effects of the other parameters on the page, depending on their values. For example, even if you’ve adjusted the pitch of a sample so high that it pins, the effects of the other parameters may bring the pitch back down to a workable range.

Only the function-parameters can be modulated by a control source.

Fine Adjust Parameter

You can add slight detuning to the pitch with the ﬁne adjust parameters. Notice that there are actually two ﬁne adjust parameters for the Pitch function: one that changes the pitch in cents (100ths of a semitone), and one that changes it according to its frequency (in increments of Hertz—cycles per second). Since we’re discussing the universal control sources here, and not speciﬁcally pitch, we’ll move on for now, as the Hz parameter applies only to pitch-related functions. See The PITCH Page on page 6-26 for a more thorough description of Hz.

Hard-wired Parameters

Key Tracking

This is a quick way to get additional control based on the MIDI note number of each note you trigger. Key tracking applies a different control signal value for each note number. In the case of pitch, key tracking enables you to change the tuning of each note relative to its normal pitch.

Middle C is the zero point. Regardless of the key tracking value, there is no effect on Middle C. If you set a nonzero value for key tracking, the effect increases for each note above or below Middle C. In the case of pitch, for example, say you assign a value of 5 cents per key for the key tracking parameter. Triggering Middle C (C 4 on the PC3) will play a normal C 4. Triggering C# 4 will play a note 5 cents higher than C# 4. Triggering D 4 will play a note 10 cents higher than D 4, and so on. Notes below Middle C will be tuned lower than their normal pitches. If you set a negative value for key tracking, notes above Middle C will be tuned lower than their normal pitches.

Keep in mind that key tracking on the PITCH page works in conjunction with the key tracking parameter on the KEYMAP page. This is why you can set the KeyTrk parameter on the PITCH page to 0ct/key, and notes still increase in pitch by 100 cents/key as you go up the keyboard. It’s because the KeyTrk parameter on the KEYMAP page is already set at 100 cents per key.

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Program Mode

Algorithm Basics

Velocity Tracking

A positive value for velocity tracking will raise the pitch as you trigger notes with higher attack velocities. This is great for getting a trace of detuning based on your attack velocity, especially in drum programs, where you can make the pitch of the drum samples rise slightly with highervelocity Note Ons, just as drums do when you strike them harder. Negative values will lower the pitch as you increase the attack velocity.

Programmable Parameters

Source 1 (Src1)

This parameter takes its value from a long list of control sources including every MIDI control number, a host of LFOs, ASRs, envelopes and other programmable sources.

Src1 works in tandem with the parameter beneath it on the page: Depth. Choose a control source from the list for Src1, then set a value for Depth. When the control source assigned to Src1 is at its maximum, the pitch will be altered to the full depth you set. For example, if you set Src1 to MWheel, and set Depth to 1200 ct, the pitch will rise as you push the Mod Wheel up on your PC3 or MIDI controller, reaching a maximum of 1200 ct (12 semitones, or one octave).

Source 2 (Src2)

This one’s even more programmable. Like Src1, you choose a control source from the list. But instead of setting a ﬁxed depth, you can set a minimum and maximum depth, then assign another control source to determine how much depth you get. Try this example. (Make sure Src1 is set to OFF ﬁrst, so the two sources don’t interact.) Start with Program 199, and press Edit. Press the PITCH soft button to select the PITCH page. Set the Src2 parameter to a value of LFO1, then set the Minimum Depth parameter to 100 ct, and Maximum Depth to 1200 ct. Then set the Depth Control parameter to MWheel. This lets you use the Mod Wheel to vary the depth of the oscillation in pitch generated by the LFO.

Now, when the Mod Wheel is down, the pitch will oscillate between a semitone (100 ct) up and a semitone down (the default waveform for LFO1 is a sine wave, which goes positive and negative). With the Mod Wheel up, the pitch will oscillate between an octave up and an octave down.

Since the Mod Wheel is a continuous control, you can achieve any amount of depth control between the minimum and maximum. If you had set the Depth Control to Sustain, for example, then you’d get only two levels of depth control: the maximum (1200 cents) with your MIDI controller’s sustain pedal down, or the minimum (100 cents) with the sustain pedal up.

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Alt Input for Algorithms (Cascade Mode)

Cascade mode is a particularly powerful feature of the PC3 that allows you to create unique algorithms of previously unattainable levels of complexity. The following three ﬁgures show the signal path of a program conﬁgured using the PC3’s new Cascade mode:

Program Mode

Algorithm Basics

On the ALG (Algorithm) page of every layer, the Alt Input parameter lets you select any other layer to go through the current layer’s DSP. You can set it up so that layer 1 goes into layer 2 into 3 (as shown above). If you turn down the volume on layers 1 and 2, then you are hearing true cascading—it’s like a big chain with each algorithm feeding into the next, and what you hear is layer 3’s output. You can also have the volumes of all three layers turned up, which will mix the signal of all three layers. You could, in the same program, also decide to run layer 4 into 5 into 6 into 13 into 25 if you wanted. Any of the 32 layers can go into any other layer.

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Program Mode

Algorithm Basics

Dynamic VAST

The Cascade mode algorithms (very much like triple mode on a K2600) start at ID 101. Note in the above ﬁgures how algorithm 101 looks very similar to algorithm 1. Each Cascade mode algorithm corresponds to its non-cascade equivalent, which has the same ID number minus 100. For example, algorithm 105 is a cascade mode version of algorithm 5. On the Alg page, select which layer you want to have running through your cascade layer with the Alt Input parameter. Make sure to turn down the Amp volume on your source layers if you only want to hear what's coming out of the ﬁnal cascade layer.

The Dynamic VAST editor is yet another particularly powerful feature of the PC3 that allows you to edit the wiring of an algorithm. With Dynamic VAST, literally thousands of wiring schemes are possible. Using Cascade mode in conjunction with Dynamic VAST gives you almost inﬁnite control over your program’s sound and behavior by enabling you to create your own unique, complex algorithms.

To enter the Dynamic VAST editor, select the ALG (Algorithm) page by pressing the ALG soft button. Highlight the Algorithm parameter, select an algorithm, and press the edit button. This action calls up the Edit Algorithm (EditAlg) page in which you can edit the wiring of the selected algorithm.

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Parameter Range of Values Default

Inputs 1, 2 1

Outputs 1, 2 1

Number of Blocks 1 to 4 2

Output Mode Normal, Sep. L/R Normal

In addition to having a selectable function, each function block has three editable parameters: number of inputs, number of outputs, and block size (the Output Mode parameter is an editable parameter of the algorithm as a whole). When you ﬁrst enter the EditAlg page, there will be a cursor in the parameter ﬁeld, and the ﬁrst block of the algorithm will be highlighted. To select a block for editing, move the cursor down the display until no parameter ﬁeld is highlighted; then, using the < and > buttons, highlight the block you wish to edit. Press the ^ button to move the cursor back into the parameter ﬁelds, and then select the parameter you wish to edit.

The Output Mode parameter determines the number of outputs from the algorithm. With Output Mode set to Normal, the algorithm has one output. With Output Mode set to Sep. L/R, the algorithm has two outputs, each of which is sent to a separate stereo channel.

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To edit the signal path, select either an input of a block or an output of the entire algorithm. By scrolling with Alpha Wheel or the - and + buttons, you can see every possible conﬁguration for that selected signal path.

The KEYMAP Page

Press the KEYMAP soft button to call up the KEYMAP page. The parameters on this page affect sample root selection, i.e., which samples are played on which keys.

Program Mode

The KEYMAP Page

Parameter Range of Values Default

Keymap Keymap List 1 Piano f Left

Transpose -128 to 127 semitones 0

Key Tracking ± 2400 cents per key 100

Velocity Tracking ± 7200 cents 0

Alt Method Switched, Continuous Switched

Stereo Off, On Off

Timbre Shift ± 60 semitones 0

Playback Mode Norm, Rvrs, Bidirectional, Noise Normal

Alt Control Control Source List Off

Keymap

Assign a keymap from ROM to the current layer. Keymaps are collections of samples assigned to note and velocity ranges.

Transpose (Xpose)

Transpose the current keymap up as much as 127 semitones (ten octaves and a perfect ﬁfth) or down as much as 128 semitones (ten octaves and a minor sixth).

Key Tracking (KeyTrk)

This is one of the six common DSP control parameters. On the KEYMAP page, key tracking affects the interval between notes. The default value of 100 cents (a cent is a hundredth of a semitone) gives you the normal semitone interval between each note. Higher values increase the interval; lower values decrease it. Negative values will cause the pitch to decrease as you play higher notes.

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Program Mode

The KEYMAP Page

Velocity Tracking (VelTrk)

Method (AltMethod)

Stereo

When you make changes to this parameter, you’ll need to keep in mind that KeyTrk on the KEYMAP page works in conjunction with KeyTrk on the PITCH page. Therefore, you’ll need to check the KeyTrk value on both pages to see how key tracking works within a program. Unless you’re looking for nonstandard note intervals, the values of the KeyTrk parameters on the PITCH and KEYMAP pages should add up to 100 cents.

This is another common DSP control parameter. As with the other parameters on the KEYMAP page, this shifts the position of the keymap. Different attack velocities will play different pitch shifts of the sample root assigned to that note range. If the shift is great enough, the next higher or lower sample root will be played, which in some cases (many drum programs, for example) will play an entirely different sound. Positive values will play higher pitches of the sample root when you use hard attack velocities (they shift the keymap downward), while negative values will play lower pitches.

See Alternative Switch (AltControl and AltMethod) below.

You’ll use this parameter when you’re working with stereo samples.

When you set this parameter to On, the KEYMAP page changes slightly:

An additional Keymap parameter appears. The two keymap parameters are distinguished as Keymap 1 and Keymap 2. The KEYMAP page parameters will affect both keymaps. When the Stereo parameter is set to On, the OUTPUT page for the current layer will show an additional pair of Pan parameters.

The PC3 contains both stereo and mono samples. Keymaps designed for stereo use are labeled with names beginning with “Stereo” or ending in “Left,” “Right,” “L,” or “R.” For stereo keymap playback, set Stereo “On” and assign corresponding Left and Right keymaps to Keymap1 and Keymap2 respectively. For keymaps beginning with “Stereo,” assign the same keymap to both Keymap1 and Keymap2. If you select the same keymap for Keymap1 and Keymap2, the PC3 automatically uses the left side for Keymap1 and the right side for Keymap2.

Once you have the keymaps assigned, go to the OUTPUT page and set the panning for each sample as desired. Keep in mind that using stereo keymaps reduces the polyphony of the program. For example, if you had a two-layer program with stereo keymaps in each layer, each note you play would use 4 of your 128 voices, allowing a total of 32 notes before all the voices have been used.

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If you’re not using stereo samples, you should set this parameter’s value to Off.

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Timbre Shift

This parameter works only on multi-sample keymaps, and changes the root selection for each key you play. With this parameter you can radically alter the current layer’s timbre (basic sound characteristics). The nature of the change depends on the timbre itself, so this parameter calls for experimentation. Basically, timbre shifting changes a note’s timbre by imposing different harmonic qualities onto the note. A timbre-shifted note retains its original pitch, but its harmonics are those of the same timbre at a higher or lower pitch. Positive values for this parameter tend to brighten a sound, while negative values darken.

Here’s an example. If you shift the timbre up 4 semitones, then playing C 4 will result in the pitch C 4, but will actually play the sample normally assigned to G# 3, and shift its pitch up four semitones. This will increase the playback rate of the sample, so although the pitch remains normal, the timbre is brighter. You’d get the same effect by setting the Xpose parameter on the KEYMAP page to -4 semitones, then setting the Adjust on the PITCH page to +4 semitones. For multi-sample layers with narrow key ranges, large amounts of timbre shifting will cause different sample roots to be played back.

Playback Mode

This gives you numerous options for manipulating the samples in the current layer as you trigger them. Normal leaves the samples unaffected, while Reverse plays them in reverse. At a value of Reverse, the samples will continue to loop as long as notes are sustained. To play them just once in reverse, you would adjust the length of the layer’s amplitude envelope (explained later in this chapter). BiDirect (bidirectional) causes the samples to loop inﬁnitely, alternating between normal and reversed playback. Noise replaces the samples with a white noise generator.

Program Mode

The KEYMAP Page

Alternative Controller (AltControl)

See Alternative Switch (AltControl and AltMethod) below.

Alternative Switch (AltControl and AltMethod)

Many, but not all, PC3 sample roots have been pre-assigned a carefully chosen, ﬁxed alternate sample start or end point that can be selected using the Alternate Switch feature (AltControl and AltMethod parameters). This feature allows you to control the sample playback start/end time triggered by any control source.

Use the AltControl parameter to specify a control source that will cause the sample to begin or end at the Alt point. Then use the AltMethod parameter to choose between switched and continuous calculation of the Alt point. If the value of AltMethod is Switched, the PC3 will use the Alt point when the relevant control source is at a value greater than 64 at Note Start. If AltMethod is Continuous, the Alt point will vary depending on the value of the relevant control source at Note Start.

As an example, suppose you’re working with a ﬂute keymap and wish to control the amount of chiff heard at the beginning of the sound. On the KEYMAP page in the Program Editor, set AltControl to MWheel. Now the Mod Wheel controls how much of the initial sample attack is used. If you set AltMethod to Switched and move the Mod Wheel at least half-way up, at Note Start the sample will begin at the pre-set alternate start point (in this case, slightly past the initial chiff). If you set the AltMethod to Continuous, the PC3 will interpolate the sample’s starting point based on the position of the Mod Wheel. If the Mod Wheel is 75% of the way up at Note Start. the sample will begin 75% of the way between normal and alternate start points.

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Program Mode

The LAYER Page

Emulating Legato Play

If you place the Alt point after the initial attack transients of the sample, then you can use the Alt Switch to emulate legato playing in an acoustic instrument. As an example, set Keymap to 14 Flute. Now set the AltControl parameter to Chan St (Channel State). Now if you play notes separately, the initial breathy chiff will be heard. But if you play the notes legato (connecting them smoothly), the Alt point is used and you do not hear the chiff. This is because the Chan St is turned on as long as any note is being held. Most of the PC3’s ROM samples have their Alt points set for purposes of legato play. In most cases the difference in attacks is subtle, but for some sounds, like drums, the difference can be more noticeable.

The LAYER Page

Press the LAYER soft button to call up the LAYER page. Here you’ll set a number of parameters that affect the current layer’s keyboard range, attack and release characteristics, and response to various controls.

Parameter Range of Values Default

Low Key C -1 to G 9 C 0

High Key C -1 to G 9 C 8

Low Velocity ppp to fff ppp

High Velocity ppp to fff fff

Bend Off, Key, All All

Trig Normal, Reversed Normal

Delay Control Control Source list Off

Minimum Delay 0 to 25 seconds 0

Maximum Delay 0 to 25 seconds 0

Layer Enable Control Source list On

Enable Sense Enable Min Enable Max

Opaque Layer Off, On Off

Sustain Pedal Off, On, On2 On

Sostenuto Pedal Off, On On

Freeze Pedal Off, On On

Ignore Release Off, On Off

Hold Through Attack Off, On Off

Hold Until Sustain Off, On Off

Normal, Reversed ± 127 ± 127

Normal 64 127

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Low Key (LoKey)

This sets the lowest active note for the current layer. This parameter’s value cannot be set higher than the value for HiKey. The standard MIDI key range is C 1—G 9 (0-127). Middle C is C 4 (ISP).

High Key (HiKey)

Here you set the highest active note for the current layer. This parameter’s value cannot be set lower than the value for LoKey.

Low Velocity (LoVel)

With this parameter you deﬁne the lowest attack velocity at which the layer will be enabled (generate a sound). The values for this parameter and the next are expressed in the standard musical dynamics markings, similar to the values available for the velocity maps. Attack velocities that are below this threshold will not trigger notes. If you set this parameter’s value higher than the HiVel value, the layer will not play at all.

High Velocity (HiVel)

Similarly, this will set the highest attack velocity at which the layer will be enabled. Attack velocities above this threshold will not trigger notes in this layer.

Program Mode

The LAYER Page

Using LoVel and HiVel, you can set up velocity switching between up to eight layers. If you need even more, you can do it using the Enable and Enable Sense (S) parameters (page 6-24).

Pitch Bend Mode (Bend)

This determines how Pitch bend control messages will affect the current layer. A value of All bends all notes that are on when the Pitch bend message is generated. A value of Key bends only those notes whose triggers are physically on when the Pitch bend message is generated (notes held with the sustain pedal, for example, won’t bend). This is great for playing guitar solos on top of chords—play a chord, hold it with the Sustain pedal, then play your licks and bend them all you want; the chord won’t bend with it. A value of Off disables Pitch bend for the current layer.

Trigger (Trig)

Set Trig to Rvrs to have notes triggered on key-up. The initial velocities of notes triggered this way are determined by the release velocities of the keys that trigger them. The default setting is Norm.

Delay Control (DlyCtl)

Here you select, from the Control Source list, a control source that will delay the start of all notes in the current layer. The length of the delay is determined by MinDly and MaxDly (described below). You’ll assign a continuous control like MWheel for the DlyCtl parameter when you want to vary the delay time, and a switch control if you want the delay to either be its minimum value (switch off), or its maximum (switch on). The delay control will affect only those notes triggered after the delay control source is moved; the delay time is calculated at each note start, based on the status of the delay control source at that time.

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Program Mode

The LAYER Page

Minimum Delay (MinDly), Maximum Delay (MaxDly)

Enable

The length of the delay is determined by these two parameters. When the control source assigned to DlyCtl is at its minimum, the delay will be equal to the value of MinDly. The delay will be equal to the value of MaxDly when the control source is at its maximum. If DlyCtl is set to OFF, you get the minimum delay. If it’s set to ON, you get the maximum delay. This doesn’t change the note’s attack time, just the time interval between the Note On message and the start of the attack. The delay is measured in seconds.

This assigns a control source to activate or deactivate the layer. When the value of the assigned control source is between the minimum and maximum thresholds set by the Sense (S) parameter, the layer is active. When the value of the assigned control source is below the minimum or above the maximum, the layer is inactive. By default, many layers have the Enable parameter set to ON, so the minimum and maximum thresholds don’t matter. They’re relevant only when Enable is set to a speciﬁc control source (like MWheel).

Some local control sources (KeyNum and AttVel, for example) are not valid for the Enable parameter. In these cases, you should use the global equivalent (GKeyNum and GAttVel in this example).

Enable Sense (S)

This parameter determines how and when a layer is enabled by the control source assigned for the Enable parameter. Enable Sense has three values: orientation, minimum, and maximum.

Suppose for a moment that you’re editing a program, and in the current layer you’ve set the value of Enable to MWheel, which causes the Mod Wheel to control whether the layer is active. The default values for Enable Sense are as follows: orientation is Norm; minimum is 64, and maximum is 127. This means that when the Mod Wheel is less than halfway up, the layer is disabled. The layer plays only when the Mod Wheel is more than halfway up.

Change the orientation to Rvrs, and the layer plays only when the Mod Wheel is less than halfway up. Change the orientation back to Norm, and change the minimum to 127. Now the layer plays only when the Mod Wheel is all the way up.

You could use this parameter to set up a two-layer program that would let you use a MIDI control to switch between layers, say a guitar sound and a distorted guitar. Both layers would have their Enable parameters set to the same control source, say MWheel. One layer would have its Enable Sense orientation set to Norm, and the other would have it set to Rvrs. Both layers would have their Enable Sense minimums set to 64, and their maximums to 127. The ﬁrst layer would play when your Mod Wheel was above its midpoint, and the second layer would play when the Mod Wheel was below its midpoint. (You could achieve the same effect by having the Enable Sense orientation in both layers set to Norm, and the minimum and maximum values set as follows: minimum 0 and maximum 63 for one layer; minimum 64 and maximum 127 for the other.)

Using this parameter in conjunction with the Enable parameter, you can easily create velocityswitching for as many layers as you have in your program. This is useful for drum programs, since you can deﬁne a different velocity-trigger level for each of the 32 layers available in drum programs.

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First, set the Enable parameter for the Layer 1 to a value of GAttVel (global attack velocity). This causes the layer to play based on the attack velocity of your keystrokes. Then set the Enable Sense (S) parameter to a value of Norm, and adjust its minimum and maximum values (the two numerals to the right of Norm) to a narrow range. Don’t use negative values, since they don’t apply when you’re using GAttVel as the layer enabler.

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Repeat this for each layer in the program. Bear in mind that if you want to set up 32 different velocity levels for a program, with equal intervals between each layer, then you have a range of 4 for each level (Layer 1 is 0–3, Layer 2 is 4–7, and so on). It won’t be easy to play precisely enough to trigger the layer you want. On the other hand, if you’re using Song mode or an external sequencer, you can edit attack velocity levels, and get exactly the results you want.

Opaque

An opaque layer blocks all higher-numbered layers in its range, allowing only the opaque layer to play. This is an easy way to change a small range of notes in a program, leaving the original sound playing above and below the new sound.

Start with a one-layer program, and create a new layer (Layer 2) with the NewLyr soft button. On the KEYMAP page for Layer 2, select the keymap you want to use, then on the LAYER page, set Layer 2’s range (say, C 3 to D 3), and set its Opaque parameter to On. Then go to Layer 1, and duplicate it (with the DupLyr soft button); the duplicate layer becomes Layer 3. You now have a three-layer program. Delete Layer 1 (the original layer); Layer 2 (the new layer you created) becomes Layer 1, and Layer 3 becomes Layer 2. Now Layer 2 blocks out Layer 3 (the duplicate of the original layer) at the notes C 3–D 3.

Sustain Pedal (SusPdl)

When this parameter is on, the layer will respond to all sustain messages (Controller destination 64, Sustain). When off, the current layer will ignore sustain messages. On2 means that the sustain pedal will not catch the release of a note that is still sounding when the sustain message is received; this can be very useful in a program that uses amplitude envelopes with a long release time.

Program Mode

The LAYER Page

Sostenuto Pedal (SosPdl)

When Sostenuto is on, the layer will respond to all sostenuto messages (Controller destination 66, Sostenuto). When off, the layer ignores sostenuto messages. Sostenuto, as you may know, is a feature found on pianos that have three pedals. Pressing the Sostenuto pedal on a piano (usually the middle pedal) sustains the notes whose keys you were holding down when you pressed the pedal. Notes played after the pedal is already down do not get sustained.

Freeze Pedal (FrzPdl)

This parameter activates or deactivates the layer’s response to Freeze pedal messages (Controller destination 69, Freeze). The Freeze pedal control causes all notes that are on to sustain without decay until the Freeze pedal control goes off. If a note is already decaying, it will freeze at that level.

Ignore Release (IgnRel)

When on, the layer will ignore all Note Off messages received by the PC3. This should be used only with sounds that decay naturally, otherwise the sounds will sustain forever. When IgnRel is off, the layer responds normally to Note Off messages. This parameter can come in handy when your PC3 is slaved to a drum machine or sequencer, which sometimes generates Note Ons and Note Offs so close together that the envelope doesn’t have time to play before the note is released. You’ll also want to use this parameter when you’re playing staccato, and the sound you’re playing has a long amplitude envelope. This parameter should be used only with notes that eventually decay to silence. Sustaining sounds will sustain forever.

Do not use Ignore Release with Monophonic programs (page 6-34).

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Program Mode

The PITCH Page

Hold Through Attack (ThrAtt)

When on, this parameter causes all notes in the layer to sustain through the entire ﬁrst attack segment of their amplitude envelopes, even if the notes have been released. If you have a sound with a slow attack, or an attack that’s delayed with the delay control, setting this parameter to On will make sure your notes reach full amplitude even if you’re playing fast. When set to Off, notes will release as soon as you release the note (generate a Note Off). If the ﬁrst attack segment of the layer’s amplitude envelope is very short, you probably won’t notice a difference between values of On and Off.

Hold Until Decay (TilDec)

When on, this parameter causes all notes in the layer to sustain through all three attack segments in their amplitude envelopes even if the notes have been released. Looped amplitude envelopes will not loop, however, if the notes are released before reaching the end of the ﬁnal attack segment. Notes will go into their normal releases if they are released after the envelope has looped. When set to Off, notes will release as soon as a Note Off message is generated.

The PITCH Page

Pressing the PITCH soft button takes you to the DSPCTL page with the Pitch function highlighted. See The DSP Control (DSPCTL) Page on page 6-28 for more information on the Pitch function.

The AMP Page

Pressing the AMP soft button takes you to the DSPCTL page with the Amp function (labeled as “Level”) highlighted. See The DSP Control (DSPCTL) Page on page 6-28 for more information on the Amp function.

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The Algorithm (ALG) Page

Press the ALG soft button to call up the Algorithm (ALG) page. The top line of the display gives you the usual mode reminder, and tells you which layer you’re looking at, as well as how many layers are in the current program. You can view the ALG pages of any other layers in the program by using the Chan/Layer buttons.

The central portion of the page shows the algorithm for the currently selected layer. You see the number of the algorithm (from 1 to 28, 101 to 131, and the IDs for any user-deﬁned algorithms) and a graphic representation of the signal path, as well as the currently selected DSP functions within the signal path.

Program Mode

The Algorithm (ALG) Page

To use a different algorithm, select the Algorithm parameter and use any data entry method to select a different one. To change the DSP function within an algorithm, move the cursor to the block you want to change, then use the Alpha Wheel or Plus/Minus buttons. There’s a staggering number of combinations of algorithms and DSP functions alone, not to mention the numerous controls that can be used to modify the DSP functions.

Note: Changing a layer’s algorithm can affect the layer’s sound drastically. It’s a good idea to bring down the volume of your PC3 or your sound system before changing algorithms.

See Algorithm Basics on page 6-13 for information on editing algorithms.

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Program Mode

The DSP Control (DSPCTL) Page

Before reading further, be sure to read Algorithm Basics on page 6-13 and Common DSP Control Parameters on page 6-14.

Press the DSPCTL soft button to call up the DSP Control (DSPCTL) page, which is displayed below:

Function Parameter Range of Values Default

Pitch -128 to 127 semitones 0

Fine Adjust ± 100 cents 0

Pitch

(Function) (Function-Parameter) (Depends on Function) (Depends on Function)

Level

Hertz Adjust ± 10.00 Hertz 0

Key Tracking ± 2400 cents/key 0

Velocity Tracking ± 7200 cents 0

Level -96 to 24 decibels -6

Key Tracking ± 2.00 decibels/key 0

Velocity Tracking ± 96 decibels 35

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Each ﬁeld in the left-hand column of the page is a function-parameter of the current layer’s algorithm. You can coarsely adjust the function-parameter in these left-hand ﬁelds—as noted in Common DSP Control Parameters, any adjustments made to the function-parameters on the DSPCTL page are reﬂected in the corresponding function-parameters on the DSPMOD page. The right-hand side of the DSPCTL page is the subpage of the highlighted function-parameter— on the subpage are the ﬁne adjust parameters and hard-wired parameters. To access the parameters on the subpage, highlight the function-parameter you wish to edit, and then press the > button to move the cursor into the subpage.

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The label of a function-parameter depends on its corresponding function-block in the current layer’s algorithm. The above DSPCTL page corresponds to the following algorithm:

The DSP Modulation (DSPMOD) Page

Before reading further, be sure to read Algorithm Basics on page 6-13 and Common DSP Control Parameters on page 6-14.

Press the DSPMOD soft button to call up the DSP Modulation (DSPMOD) page, which is displayed below:

Program Mode

The DSP Modulation (DSPMOD) Page

Parameter Range of Values Default

Source 1 Control Source List Off

Depth

Source 2 Control Source List Off

Depth Control Control Source List Off

Minimum Depth

Maximum Depth

(Depends on Function)

Each ﬁeld in the left-hand column of the page is a function-parameter of the current layer’s algorithm. You can coarsely adjust the function-parameter in these left-hand ﬁelds—as noted in Common DSP Control Parameters, any adjustments made to the function-parameters on the DSPMOD page are reﬂected in the corresponding function-parameters on the DSPCTL page. The right-hand side of the DSPCTL page is the subpage of the highlighted function-parameter— on the subpage are the programmable parameters. To access the parameters on the subpage, highlight the function-parameter you wish to edit, and then press the > button to move the cursor into the subpage.

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Program Mode

The OUTPUT Page

Each function-parameter’s subpage contains the programmable parameters of the highlighted function-parameter. By assigning control sources to modulate a function-parameter, you can enable real-time control of your program’s sound and behavior. You can assign Src1 to any control source, and can specify its maximum value with the Depth parameter. Src2 is different— you can assign it to any control source, but can also assign a control source to its maximum value with the DptCtl parameter. You can then specify the range of Src2’s depth with the MinDepth and MaxDepth parameters.

Note: The PC3 features an easy shortcut for quickly assigning any of the PC3’s realtime controllers (sliders, wheels, buttons, etc.) to a currently selected parameter (such as the Src1 and Src2 parameters above.) Simply hold the Enter button and move the desired controller.

The label of a function-parameter depends on its corresponding function-block in the current layer’s algorithm. The above DSPMOD page corresponds to the following algorithm:

The OUTPUT Page

Press the OUTPUT soft button to get to the OUTPUT page, where you set the layer’s pre- and post-FX panning. There are actually four different conﬁgurations of the OUTPUT page; which one you see depends on whether the current layer uses a stereo keymap, and whether it uses program FX or layer-speciﬁc effects (more on this in The Program FX (PROGFX) Page on page 6-46 and The Layer FX (LYR_FX) Page on page 6-49).

Regardless of the page’s conﬁguration, there are parameters for adjusting the pan position, the pan mode, the pan table (if any), the crossfade control, and the crossfade sense. Layers that use stereo keymaps, or that use layer-speciﬁc FX, have additional parameters on their OUTPUT pages. The following page is for a mono keymap program that uses program FX:

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Pan

Program Mode

The OUTPUT Page

Parameter Range of Values Default

Pan (or Pan 1) ± 64 0

(Pan 2) ± 64 63

Pan Mode Fixed, +MIDI, Auto, Reverse +MIDI

(Output Pan) ± 64 0

(Output Gain) -96 to 48 decibels 0

(Output Pan Mode) Fixed, +MIDI +MIDI

Pan Table Pan Table List 0 None

Crossfade Control Control Source List Off

Crossfade Sense Normal, Reversed Norm

Drum Remap Off, Kurz1, Kurz2 Off

Exclusive Zone Map Zone Map List 0 None

Use this parameter to position the current layer’s pre-FX signal. Negative values pan the signal to the left channel, positive values pan to the right, and a value of zero pans to the center. To adjust the post-FX, ﬁnal-stage gain and panning of the current program, go to the COMMON page and adjust the Output parameters (see The COMMON Page on page 6-33); or to adjust a layer’s post-FX audio signal individually, go to the LYR_FX page and set the Layer FX Mode parameter to Layer-Specific FX (see The Layer FX (LYR_FX) Page on page 6-49), and then return to the OUTPUT page and adjust the output parameters.

An additional pan parameter (Pan2) appears if you have the Stereo parameter on the KEYMAP page set to a value of On.

Pan Mode

When the mode is Fixed the pan position remains as deﬁned with the Pan parameter, ignoring MIDI pan messages. When the mode is +MIDI, MIDI pan messages (MIDI 10) will shift the sound to the left or right of the Pan parameter setting. Message values below 64 shift it left, while those above 64 shift it right. A setting of Auto assigns the pan setting of each note based on its MIDI note number. In this case, Middle C (MIDI note number 60) is equivalent to the Pan parameter’s setting. Lower notes shift increasingly left, while higher notes shift increasingly right. A setting of Reverse shifts low notes right, and high notes left. MIDI pan messages will also affect the pan position when values of Auto and Reverse are selected.

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Program Mode

The OUTPUT Page

Output: Pan, Gain, and Mode

When the Layer FX Mode parameter is set to Layer-Speciﬁc FX on the LYR_FX page, three additional parameters appear on the OUTPUT page: Out Pan, Out Gain, and Out Pan Mode.

These parameters are analogous to the output parameters on the COMMON page, but are layerspeciﬁc—the COMMON output parameters apply to all layers. You can use the output parameters on the OUTPUT page to adjust the panning and gain of the post-FX signal of the current layer.

Pan Table

The factory preset pan tables are key-speciﬁc panning schemes by which the note that each key produces is uniquely panned. These tables are particularly useful for producing the stereo image of a drum set when creating percussion programs, or for producing the stereo image of a piano when creating piano programs.

Crossfade and Crossfade Sense (XFadeSense)

The Crossfade parameter lets you select a control source to fade the current layer’s amplitude from zero to maximum. When XFadeSense is Normal, the layer is at full amplitude when the Crossfade control is at minimum. With XFadeSense set to Reverse, the layer is at zero amplitude when the Crossfade control is at minimum.

This parameter is similar to the Src1 and Depth parameters for the Amp function on the DSPCTL and DSPMOD pages, but the attenuation curve for the Crossfade parameter is optimized speciﬁcally for crossfades.

To crossfade two layers in the same program, assign the same control source for the CrossFade parameters in both layers, then set one of their XFadeSense parameters to a value of Norm, and the other’s to Rvrs.

Drum Remap

The Drum Remap parameter should generally not be changed. This parameter lets the PC3 know how drum programs are mapped so that drum sounds can be properly remapped when using the General MIDI (GM) drum map (see below.) Kurz1 designates that the current drum program was originally a PC2 program, and that it uses the PC2 drum map (programs 113-119 use this map.) Kurz2 designates that the current drum kit uses the new PC3 drum map (all other factory drum programs use this map: 120, 241-248, 369-376.) The new drum map is similar to that of the PC2, except tom-tom sounds have been moved into octave C3-C4, so they are more easily playable with the main kick and snare drum sounds in that octave. When editing a kit,

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make sure to follow the layout of the drum map being used if you want to be able to properly remap the kit to the GM drum map. Programs that have the Drum Remap parameter set to Off will not be viewed by the PC3 as drum programs and will not be affected when remapping to the GM drum map.

In most keyboards and synthesizers, drum programs are mapped as dictated by the General MIDI (GM) industry standard. The GM drum map isn’t optimally intuitive in terms of playability, so we developed our own unique keymap that is more intuitive and lends better to performance. However, the GM drum map is so commonplace that many players feel most comfortable playing drum programs with the GM drum map. So, we designed the PC3 such that you can remap drum programs to the GM drum map. You can set drum programs to remap to the GM drum map in Master Mode. On the Master Mode I screen set the drum remap parameter to GM. To return drum programs to their original maps, set this parameter to None. See Drum Remap on page 11-2 in the Master Mode chapter for more information.

Exclusive Zone Map

The Exclusive Zone Map is another parameter that applies principally to drum programs. When using a drum program, you may want the closed hi-hat sounds to “cut off” open hi-hat sounds. Since you can remap the keymaps of drum programs, this parameter remaps “cut off keys” accordingly.

Like Drum Remap, you can use this parameter on any program, but you probably won’t want to do this.

Program Mode

The COMMON Page

The COMMON page is reached by pressing the COMMON soft button in the Program Editor. Here’s where you ﬁnd 12 frequently-used parameters that affect the entire current program, not just the current layer.

Notice that when the Monophonic parameter is set to its default value of Off, the four monophonic parameters do not appear on the page.

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Program Mode

The COMMON Page

Pitch Bend Range Up and Down

Parameter Range of Values Default

Pitch Bend Range Up ± 7200 cents 200

Pitch Bend Range Down ± 7200 cents -200

Monophonic Off, On Off

(Legato Play) Off, On Off

(Portamento) Off, On Off

(Portamento Rate) 1 to 3000 keys per second 70

(Attack Portamento) Off, On On

Globals Off, On Off

Output Gain -96 to 24 decibels 0

Output Pan ± 64 0

Output Pan Mode Fixed, +MIDI +MIDI

Demo Song Demo Song List 0 None

Use these parameters to deﬁne how much the pitch will change when you move your Pitch Wheel. For both Pitch Bend Range parameters, positive values will cause the pitch to bend up, while negative values will cause the pitch to bend down. Large positive values can cause samples to bend to their maximum upward pitch shift before the Pitch Wheel is fully up (or down). This will not happen when bending pitch down.

Monophonic

When off, the program is polyphonic—it can play up to 128 notes at a time. Notice that when the Monophonic parameter is off, the LegatoPlay parameter and the three Portamento parameters do not appear on the COMMON page. This is because only monophonic programs can use portamento.

When On, the program will play only one note at a time. This makes it possible to use and to determine the behavior of the portamento feature. Do not set Ignore Release On (page 6-25) when you are using Monophonic programs, since the lack of Note Off messages will prevent you from switching programs properly.

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Legato Play

When Legato Play is on, a note will play its attack only when all other notes have been released. This is useful for realistic instrumental sounds.

Portamento

This parameter is either on or off. The default value of Off means that portamento is disabled for the current program.

Portamento is a glide between pitches. On actual acoustic instruments like violin and bass, it’s achieved by sliding a ﬁnger along a vibrating string. On most keyboards that offer portamento, it’s achieved by holding down a key that triggers the starting note, then striking and releasing other keys. The pitch glides toward the most recently triggered note, and remains at that pitch as long as the note remains on. The PC3 gives you two ways to get portamento. See the Attack Portamento parameter below.

When you’re applying large amounts of portamento to multi-sampled sounds (Acoustic Guitar, for example), the PC3 will play more than one sample root as the pitch glides from the starting pitch to the ending pitch. This may cause a small click at each sample root transition. You can reduce the number of clicks you’ll hear by entering the Program Editor and adjusting the KeyTrk parameter on both the KEYMAP and PITCH pages. The quickest way is to set the KeyTrk value on the KEYMAP page to 0, and to 100 on the PITCH page. This will stretch the sample root that plays at C 4 across the entire keyboard. Now any amount of portamento will play only one sample root, and the clicks will disappear.

Program Mode

The COMMON Page

There’s a tradeoff here, since many sounds will change in timbre as these single sample roots are pitch-shifted during the portamento. This will be most noticeable for acoustic instrument sounds, and may not be noticeable at all for single-cycle waveforms like sawtooth waves. Furthermore, some samples will not glide all the way up to the highest notes—there’s a limit to the amount of upward pitch-shifting that can be applied to samples. If this doesn’t work for you, you can compromise between the number of clicks and the amount of timbre change by further adjusting the KeyTrk parameters on the KEYMAP and PITCH pages.

As long as the combined values of the KeyTrk parameters on both pages add up to 100, you’ll have normal semitone intervals between keys. If you set both parameters to values of 50, for example, the sound will still play normally, and you’ll have several sample roots (about half the number of the original sound) stretched evenly across the keyboard, instead of just one. This will give you fewer clicks than in the original sound, but not as much change in timbre as setting the KEYMAP KeyTrk value all the way to 0. Set the KEYMAP KeyTrk parameter higher to reduce the change in timbre, or set the PITCH KeyTrk value higher to reduce the number of clicks. Just make sure the combined values add up to 100, to preserve the normal intervals between notes.

Portamento Rate

The setting for Portamento rate determines how fast the current note glides from starting pitch to ending pitch. The value of this parameter tells you how many seconds the note takes to glide one semitone toward the ending pitch. At a setting of 12 keys/second, for example, the pitch would glide an octave every second. The list of values is nonlinear; that is, the increments get larger as you scroll to higher values.

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Program Mode

The COMMON Page

Attack Portamento

Globals

This parameter toggles between two types of portamento. When set to On, the PC3 remembers the starting pitch so you don’t have to hold a note on to achieve portamento. The pitch always glides to each new note from the previously triggered note. When set to Off, the pitch will glide to the most recently triggered note only when the previous note is still on (in other words, you must use legato ﬁngering).

This is another toggle, which affects LFO2, ASR2, FUNs 2 and 4. When off, these three control sources are local; they affect each individual note in the layers that use them as a control source. They begin operating each time a note in that layer is triggered.

When the Globals parameter is set to On, these control sources become global, that is they affect every note in every layer of the current program, they’re not speciﬁc to any one layer. When these control sources are global, they begin operating as soon as the program is selected. When Globals are on, LFO2, ASR2, and FUNs 2 and 4 will appear on their respective pages preceded by the letter G to indicate that they’re global.

You’ll use global control sources when you want to affect all notes in a program uniformly, and local control sources when you want to affect each note independently. For example, you’d use a global LFO controlling pitch to create a Leslie effect on an organ sound, since you want the affect applied to all the notes you play. You’d use a local LFO controlling pitch to create a vibrato for a solo violin, since you want to be able to vary the rate and depth of the vibrato for each note.

Output: Gain, Pan, and Pan Mode

The Output parameters on the COMMON page allow you to adjust the ﬁnal-stage gain and panning of the post-FX signal. Use the OutGain parameter to cut or boost the signal. Use the OutPan parameter to pan the signal; negative values pan the audio signal to the left channel, positive values to the right, and a value of zero pans to the center.

When the OPanMode is set to Fixed the pan position remains as deﬁned with the OutPan parameter, ignoring MIDI pan messages. When the OPanMode is set to +MIDI, MIDI pan messages (MIDI 10) will shift the sound to the left or right of the Pan parameter setting. Message values below 64 shift it left, while those above 64 shift it right.

Demo Song

The Demo Song parameter allows you to choose the demo song for the current program. The demo song is a short, pre-programmed song that gives you a demonstration of the program in a musical context. You can play a program’s demo song in any page in the Program mode by pressing the Play/Pause button, and stop the song by pressing the Stop button (both buttons are located under the MODE buttons on the front panel).

When in the Program mode entry-level page, you can hear a demo song in whatever program you want by pressing the Play/Pause button with one program selected, and then selecting another program. None of the KB3 programs have demo songs, but by this method, you could, for example, hear the demo song for program 83 Big Old Jupiter played with the KB3 program 53 Testify.

Note: You can also trigger and stop demo songs with a simultaneous double button press of the up and down cursor buttons.

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The LFO Page

LFOs are low-frequency (i.e., subsonic frequency) oscillators. You’ll use the LFO page to deﬁne the behavior of the two LFOs available to each layer. LFOs are periodic (repeating) control sources. The basic elements are the rate and shape, which deﬁne how frequently the LFO repeats, and the waveform of the modulation signal it generates.

With the PC3, you can set upper and lower limits on each LFO’s rate, and assign a control source to change the LFO’s rate in realtime, if you wish.

Because of its periodic nature, the LFO is perfect for creating effects like vibrato (cyclic variation in pitch) and tremolo (cyclic variation in amplitude). When you’re editing LFOs, or any control source, remember that it must be assigned to control some parameter before you’ll hear the effects of your edits.

LFO1 is always local, meaning that it’s triggered with each Note On event, and runs independently for each note in the layer. LFO2 is local by default, but can be made global. This is done on the COMMON page, by setting the Globals parameter to On, which causes LFO2, ASR2, FUN2 and FUN4 all to become global. Global controls uniformly affect every note in each layer.

Program Mode

The LFO Page

Parameter Group (Available for each of LFO1 and LFO2)

Minimum Rate 1/4 note, 1/8 note, 1/8 triplet, 1/16 note,

Maximum Rate 0 to 24 Hz 0.00

Rate Control Control Source List Off

LFO Shape LFO Shape List (Ref. Guide) Sine

LFO Start Phase 0, 90, 180, 270 Degrees 0

Range of Values Default

0.00

0 to 24 Hz

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Program Mode

The LFO Page

Minimum Rate

This is the slowest rate at which the LFO runs. When its Rate Control is set to OFF, or when the control source assigned to it is at its minimum, the LFO runs at its minimum rate. As previously mentioned, the values 1/4 note, 1/8 note, 1/8 triplet, and 1/16 note sync the Minimum Rate with the PC3’s system tempo. Of course, if you choose to tempo sync your LFO, then the LFO rate is ﬁxed, and you can specify neither Maximum Rate nor Rate Control. The display changes thusly:

Maximum Rate

This is the fastest possible rate for the LFO. When its Rate Control is set to ON, or when the control source assigned to it is at its maximum, the LFO runs at its maximum rate.

Rate Control

Assign any control source in the list to modulate the LFO’s rate between its minimum and maximum. A continuous control like the Mod Wheel is a natural choice, enabling you to get just about any rate between minimum and maximum. But you can use a switch control too, to get just the minimum or maximum with nothing in between. Assigning MPress as the rate control for an LFO vibrato gives you an easy way to increase the vibrato rate in realtime, as you can on many acoustic instruments.

LFO Shape

The shape of the LFO waveform determines the nature of its effect on the signal its modulating. An easy way to check the effects of the different LFO shapes is to set LFO1 as the value for the Src1 parameter on the PITCH page, and set the Depth for Src1 to 400 cents or so. Then go to the LFO page, set the Min and Max rates for LFO1 at 0.00 Hz and 4.00 Hz or so, and set the Rate control to MWheel. Now play your MIDI controller and you’ll hear the LFO’s rate change when you move its Mod Wheel. Select different LFO Shapes and check out the effect on the pitch.

LFO Phase

Use this parameter to determine the starting point of the LFO’s cycle. One complete cycle of the LFO is 360 degrees. 0 degrees phase corresponds to a control signal value of 0, becoming positive. Each 90-degree increment in the phase represents a quarter-cycle of the LFO.

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When an LFO is local, the phase parameter gives you control over the starting point of the LFO for each note (for example, you could make sure every vibrato started below the pitch you played instead of at the pitch you played). The LFO’s phase also affects global LFOs, although it’s often indistinguishable, since global LFOs start running as soon as the program containing them is selected, even if you don’t play any notes.

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The ASR Page

ASRs are three-section unipolar envelopes—attack, sustain, and release. The PC3’s ASRs can be triggered by a programmable control source, and can be delayed. ASR1 is always a local control. ASR2 is local by default, but becomes global if the Globals parameter on the COMMON page is set to On. ASRs are frequently used to ramp the depth of pitch or amplitude in a vibrato or tremolo, enabling delays in those effects. The ASR page consists of two rows of ﬁve parameters, one row for each of the ASRs.

Program Mode

The ASR Page

Trigger

Mode

Parameter Range of Values Default

Trigger Control Source List Off

Mode Normal, Hold, Repeat Normal

Delay 0 to 30 seconds 0 seconds

Attack 0 to 30 seconds 0 seconds

Release 0 to 30 seconds 0 seconds

This deﬁnes the control source that starts the current layer’s ASRs. The ASR starts when the trigger switches from off to on. If the Trigger parameter is set to ON, a global ASR starts running immediately when you select a program that contains it. A local ASR starts running as soon as you trigger a note in the layer that contains it. Switch controls are better suited for ASR triggers because of their binary (on/off) nature. A continuous control will trigger the ASRs when its signal value is above its midpoint.

This parameter sets the sustain section of the ASR. The ASR’s mode determines what the ASR does when it ﬁnishes its attack section. If the Mode parameter is set to Normal, the ASR will run directly from its attack section to its release section (no sustain). At a setting of Repeat, the ASR will cycle through the attack and release sections, then loop forward and cycle through again until the ASR’s trigger switches off. If the mode is set to Hold, the ASR maintains its position at the end of the attack section until the ASR’s trigger switches off. The ASR then goes into its release section. If the ASR’s trigger switches off before the attack section is complete, the ASR goes directly to its release section.

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Program Mode

The Function (FUN) Page

Delay

When the ASR’s trigger switches on, the ASR will start immediately if this parameter is set to zero. Nonzero values will cause a corresponding delay between the ASR trigger and the start of the ASR.

Attack

This deﬁnes how long the ASR takes to ramp up from minimum to maximum effect on whatever it’s patched to.

Release

This deﬁnes how long the ASR takes to fade to minimum from its maximum. If the ASR’s trigger switches off before the ASR has reached maximum, the ASR releases from that level.

The Function (FUN) Page

FUN is short for function. The PC3’s four FUNs greatly extend the ﬂexibility of the control sources. Each FUN accepts input from any two control sources, performs a selectable function on the two input signals, and sends the result as its output, which can be assigned like any other control source. Using the FUNs involves deﬁning them on the FUN page, then assigning one or more of them as control sources. The FUN page looks like this:

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There are three parameters for each FUN. Inputs a and b can be any control source from the Control Source list. The control sources you want to combine are the ones you’ll assign as the values for these parameters.

The Function parameter determines what mathematical function is applied to the two inputs. When a FUN has been assigned as a control source, the PC3 reads the values of the two control sources deﬁned as Inputs a and b. It then processes them according to the setting for the Function parameter, and the resulting value is the FUN’s output.

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The Amplitude Envelope (AMPENV) Page

Amplitude envelopes have three sections: attack, decay, and release. The attack section determines how long each note takes to reach its assigned amplitude level after you trigger a Note On event. The decay section determines how quickly and how much a sustained sound fades before a Note Off is triggered. The release section determines how quickly a sound fades to silence after a Note Off is triggered.

Press the AMPENV soft button to reach the Amplitude Envelope page. For many programs, it will look like the diagram below, which tells you that the amplitude for the current layer is the default, “natural” ROM amplitude envelope that’s applied to each sample and waveform during its original development process. You’ll leave the amplitude envelope in Natural mode when you don’t want to change the way the current layer’s loudness develops.

Program Mode

If you want to build your own amplitude envelope, just turn the Alpha Wheel a click. The value Natural will change to User, and a set of AMPENV parameters will appear. The sound will change when you do this, because the default settings for the User envelope, as shown in the diagram below, take effect as soon as you leave Natural mode. Returning to Natural mode applies the original amplitude envelope once again.

Many programs feature User envelopes with appropriate envelope settings. This is usually the case for programs that use samples of acoustic instruments, since it provides a convenient starting point for you to adjust the envelopes.

You’ll tweak the parameters on the AMPENV page when you want to shape the amplitude characteristics of your sounds. A graphic view of the amplitude envelope will appear on the display to give you a visual sense of the envelope’s characteristics. The dots along the envelope graphic indicate the breakpoints between the envelope’s various segments. The small horizontal arrow represents the end of the decay section. The small downward-pointing arrow represents the beginning of the release section.

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Program Mode

The Amplitude Envelope (AMPENV) Page

Because the PC3’s ROM samples are stored in a compressed format, applying an altered amplitude envelope can change more than just the amplitude of your sound, since it also changes the rate at which the samples are decompressed for playback. When the samples are made to play back with altered envelopes, the timbres can evolve in new and interesting ways.

The AMPENV page’s top line gives you the usual location reminder, points out the currently selected layer, and tells you the relative scale of the envelope’s graphic view. The envelope graphic shrinks in scale as the segment times get longer. This auto-zoom feature maximizes the available display space. Try lengthening one of the segment times. The envelope graphic will stretch to ﬁll the display from left to right. When it ﬁlls the display, it will shrink to half its size, and the top line will indicate that the scale has changed (from [1/1] to [1/2], for example).

Each parameter on this page has two values, as listed below. For the envelope segments, the ﬁrst (upper) value is the duration of the segment, and the second is the amplitude level at the completion of the segment. For the Loop parameter, the values deﬁne how the envelope loops, and how many times the loop cycles.

Parameter Group Parameter Range of Values

Attack Segment 1, 2, 3

Decay Segment

Release Segment 1, 2, 3

Loop

Time 0 to 60 seconds

Level 0 to 100%

Time 0 to 60 seconds

Level 0 to 100%

Time 0 to 60 seconds

Level

Type Off, Forward, Bidirectional

# of loops Inﬁnite, 1 to 31 times

0 to 150% (Release Segment 3 is always set to 0%)

Attack Segment Times

These indicate how long it takes for the current layer’s amplitude to reach its ﬁnal level from its starting level.

Attack Segment Levels

These are the ﬁnal levels that each segment achieves at completion. The levels are expressed as percentages of the maximum possible amplitude for the current layer. Attack segment 1 always starts at zero amplitude, and moves to its assigned level in the time speciﬁed by its time value. So the default settings of 0 seconds and 100% mean that the ﬁrst segment of the attack section moves instantly from zero amplitude to 100% amplitude. Increase the time of Attack segment 1 if you want the sound to ramp up more slowly.

Attack segments 2 and 3 affect the sound only when you set a nonzero value for time. They will then move to their assigned levels in the time speciﬁed. Their starting levels are equal to the ﬁnal levels of the preceding segment.

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Kurzweil Music Systems PC3, PC361, PC3X User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Kurzweil International Contacts

Introduction

Keeping Current

Overview of the PC3

How the PC3 Works

VAST Synthesis

KB3 Tone Wheel Emulation

VA-1 Programs

How to Use This Manual

Do I Have Everything?

Boot Loader

Battery

Options

Sound ROM Cards

Pedals

Ribbon Controller

Breath Controller

Make Connections

Startup

Make Music

Startup—the Details

Before You Start...

Connecting the Power Cable (Line Cord)

Connecting Audio Cables

Analog

Digital

Connecting MIDI

Pedals

Breath

Ribbon

Switching On the Power

xD Cards

USB Port

Setting the Clock

PC3 Programs

Selecting Programs

Easy Audition

Program Mode Display

Info Box

VAST Programs

Soft buttons

KB3 Programs

Setups

Quick Access

The Other Modes

Software Upgrades

User Interface Basics

Mode Selection

Mode Buttons

Bank Buttons

Sliders

Program and Category Buttons

Picking favorites

Pitch Wheel and Mod Wheel

Navigation

The Display

Pages

The Top Line

The Bottom Line

The Soft Buttons

The Cursor Buttons

The Chan/Layer Buttons

The Edit Button

The Exit Button

Data Entry

The Alpha Wheel

The Plus/Minus Buttons

The Alphanumeric Pad

Double Button Presses

Intuitive Data Entry

Changing the Current Layer in Multi-Layer Programs

Search

Quick Song Recording and Playback

What the Modes Are

The Operating Modes

Selecting Modes