Can't find the right answers to your questions on these pages? The quickest way of getting an answer is probably the Korgy Park Forum or the Korgy Park Mailing List which I and hundreds of other korgies read regularly. Also if you have some knowledge you'd like to share with others you know who to tell it to.
First, you'll obviously need a Korg X5 compatible synthesizer. The X5D can play back all the songs, but the X5 can't play the songs marked as type "X5D" accurately as it doesn't have all the sounds of the X5D (see compatibility). The NS5R could technically play back all the songs, but in practice only those songs that use X5/X5D preset sounds work painlessly. Some day I'll mark those songs somehow, but you can get started by loading the songs by O.C. Priyanto. 1.1 Settings
1.2 SoundsIf there is a System Exclusive (*.syx) file with the song, then send it to your Korg with a SysEx utility. It is in raw binary format, not X-Edit's or any other utility's custom format, and can include programs and/or multi mode settings, sometimes even global mode settings. Most sequencers can handle SysEx files. If the song uses preset sounds, then make sure you have the (right) presets loaded on your synth. Not sure how to send the SysEx file? If your sequencer doesn't have a facility for loading and sending SysEx messages, then get a SysEx utility from www.download.com (search for "System Exclusive"). Install the program to your computer. Load the .syx-file to the utility and send it to your Korg. It's really that simple! But remember that sending a new sound bank to the X5 erases all the sounds from bank A. You can of course get your preset sounds back (Global mode page 05A). 1.3 Playing the songPlay the midi-file with a sequencer or with a midi-file player (Media Player on Windows, MIDIPlay on the Amiga etc.). That's it really, just enjoy the music if you can! :) Please note that some songs (Savannah, Cee-HC) don't like it if you press any buttons on your Korg while playing so it's better to let the song play through and just listen.
Korg X5D is the keyboard version of the X5DR. Both are 100% compatible with the X5, which is the keyboard version of the 05R/W. The D-models have more polyphony (64 notes instead of 32) and more PCM-samples in ROM (8 megabytes instead of 6). Other than that they are identical with the X5 and the 05R/W. This means that everything made for the X5 and 05R/W (sounds, software and songs) should work with the D-models. But alas, the reverse is not true because of the extra sounds in the X5D(R). That's why you can't listen to the songs marked as type "X5D" with an X5, unless you remap the sounds. To help you do that I have the preset bank of the X5D available here. Not all of those programs use the extra samples of the X5D, so with some luck you can listen to those X5D-songs quite easily! Proud owner of a brand new N-series synth, like the NS5R? Then you should know that it is soundwise perfectly compatible with the X5D(R), except that the NS5R has some extra sounds and other cool features, but the down side is that it doesn't understand X5 sysexes! Note: the only incompatibility between the 05R/W and the X5-series is that the 05R/W does not recognise the second part of the multi mode data dump of the X5-series, which contains track settings. The first part, effect settings, works fine though.
Yes, actually there are several. Here are the main ones: A more complete list can be found on the Links page. Product Support is available at product_support@korgusa.com.
Yes, it is possible to convert sounds from some other Korg synths to X5 format. First of all, 05R/W sounds are of course perfectly compatible with X5 sounds. X5D sounds can use the extra multisounds that are not found in the X5 or 05R/W, so they can't be directly converted.
There's an utility for Windows 3 that converts from 01W sounds to X3 format: X3to01W.exe. You can use XEdit (for Windows) to convert PCG files (X3 and N364) to X5 format. I think the i-series synths are directly compatible with the X3, but I'm not sure. The NS5R has more multisounds compared to the X5D, so most of it's programs are impossible to convert to X5 format. Korg's Trinity and Prophecy use a new sound engine, which means we can't get our hands on those fab sounds without actually buying those synths!
First you better download the Korg PC/IF-driver for Windows 95 (Windows driver version 1.3 which officially supports Win95). Note for Win98 users: There have been problems installing the Win95 driver into Win98 - for some people it works, for some it doesn't. If even the new Korg driver doesn't work for you then you can try the universal drivers from the Software page. Somebody reported that he first installed the Alesis driver, then the Korg driver and finally removed the Alesis driver, after which the Korg driver worked in his Win98! Note for Windows NT/2000/XP users: The Korg driver for Win95 will not work with WinNT or Win2000. Get the Win2000 driver from the Software page. Installing it should be just a matter of double-clicking it, or then you can try to right-click the inf-file and select Install. Special note for Windows XP users: The Win2000 driver should work for you, but Windows XP seems to be quite picky about the PCI/F cable. So, if your system locks up while trying to use the driver, check if your cable has an extra pin connected, and disconnect it. Of course original Korg cables will work without modifications. (See the correct wiring of the cable.) If all else fails, buy a MIDI adaptor cable and plug it into the joystick port of your sound card. This is how I do it myself, because then you don't need the Korg PCIF-driver at all. The Joost Nieuwenhuijse method
The Eric Hey methodYou must do the following in order for your Korg MIDI drivers to work with Windows '95. First, take the two files "korgsmv1.386" and "korgsmd1.drv" and copy them to "c:\windows\system", then:
You can load new sound banks into the Korg but what do you do when you want back those original factory preset sounds? Easy, just go to Global mode page 05A, which lets you load back all the presets. Note that you can also load a single program or combination if you want which is very useful! The Korg X5D(R) has all new sounds in its Bank A compared to the X5, but it has the original X5 soundbank in its ROM too. You can load it in from the beforementioned page 05A of Global mode, where it says 05A PRESET DATA ALL Pre-A OK? Change "Pre-A" to "Pre-B" (Factory Preset B), select "Ok?", press Yes and confirm that you are sure. This procedure loads the original 100 programs and combinations from the X5 and 05R/W into Bank A. In addition it resets Multi mode and loads in some settings for Global mode. You can find the details in you manual, but the most important ones are Global page 02D/02E, PRG:NUM and EX:DIS. Those settings are fine for playing General MIDI songs, but for X5-songs like mine they won't work! To enable using Bank A sounds you must use PRG:ENA and for receiving System Exclusive messages you need EX:ENA (see Playing the X5 Songs). If you want back your X5D(R) sounds, just load Preset A. Please note that loading erases all data that you had in your synth, so save all important data beforehand!
The X5 has a host port which can be connected to the serial port of your computer, but you need a dedicated cable for this. You can of course buy the cable from your local dealer, but it is cheaper to build one by yourself. Further reading: Midi hardware projects page at Hardware Web. AG-001 serial-to-host cable for the PCHere are the instructions for building the serial cable for the PC, provided by Kim Viljanen, thanks a lot! This cable won't work with Macs because they have a different serial port (see below). You need two connectors: a Mini DIN 8-pin and a D-SUB 9-pin. Connect them to each other as shown in the following picture. (The picture is also found in the Korg X5 Manual)  So you connect pins 3-2, 4-5 and 5-3, and short circuit pins 7 and 8. The pin order of the connectors (as seen from the outside) is as follows. Note: the order shown below really is correct, although it may seem illogical!
Of course if you don't know what you're doing you should ask a knowledgeable friend to build the cable for you. AG-002 serial-to-host cable for the MacMac users have easier time getting themselves a PC I/F cable - they don't even have to build one to save money. Why? Because the cable is actually a normal printer cable, that's why. Just go to your local Mac dealer and buy one.
These very useful tips were sent to me by Mark Tewkesbury, thanks! The modulation wheel is useful for adding vibrato to a sound, but it can also be used for controlling any midi controller you want. Just go to page 10A of global mode to set the controller number. The bad thing is that it only sends out the controller data via midi without affecting the sound. This is not a problem if you have your synth hooked up to a sequencer which sends the data back to the X5 (just remember to set your synth to Local: off). But what if you don't? What if you perform live without a sequencer? A simple solution to this problem is to take a midi cable and connect the midi-out of the X5 straight to the midi-in of the X5. Ta-daa! Now you can use the mod wheel to control things like brightness or release time or any other controller you want. Don't forget Local: off, though, or you'll get your notes doubled. When the X5D is used on its own and the modulation wheel is set to aftertouch a large number and variety of parameters can be controlled. This means that for each program the modulation wheel could be set to do quite a few different things like control VDF cutoff, VDF modulation intensity, pitch bend, pitch modulation and of course effects - or a combination of any of these at the same time. There are settings in the aftertouch control window and in various other windows for each program. The aftertouch curve in Global mode can be changed so that the modulation wheel produces aftertouch messages differently, for example it can produce aftertouch in steps which with the right settings will produce pitchbend in semitone steps. Also the aftertouch settings still work in multimode.
Korg USA has an online manual [korg.com] available at their site. It's in PDF format, so you'll need Acrobat Reader from Adobe (free download). If you have trouble connecting to Korg USA, then try this link [ajs.letku.net] for an alternative download site. The online manual is for the X5DR, but as that synth is virtually identical with the X5D, X5 and 05R/W, you should have no problem understanding the manual regardless of your Korg model. You can most probably get the paperback manual from Korg, either directly, or by contacting your local Korg dealer. They'll probably charge a nice amount of cash for it - I've heard of figures like USD 75. There is a guy selling (used) manuals for a huge number of synths (and other equipment). Another chance could be to track a fellow X5 owner living close to you with the help of the Korgy Park Forum, and copy the things you need from his manual.
Depending on the type of problem there are several things you can try. Here's a few tips.
|