Korg Comprehensive M50 Manual: Your Guide to Programs and Chord Triggers

M50 EasyStart

Selecting and Playing Programs and Combis

1.Press either the PROG or COMBI button.

2.In the display, touch the “Category” box on the top of the display.

This is on the “Main” tab in Program Mode, and the “Prog 1-8” tab in Combi mode.

3.Choose the type of sound using the tabs on the left and right sides of the center menu in the display, and either touch the desired sound in the display, or use the panel controls to select a sound.

4.Either play the keys, or press one of the four CHORD TRIGGER buttons, located just below the four knobs.

Note: You can stay right here in the Category page while you try out sounds… No need to touch “OK” until you’ve found the one you want

to work within Program or Combi Play mode!

Use the Chord Triggers!

Those four Chord Trigger buttons are very powerful. They can act as individual notes or drum sounds, and they can also trigger eight-note chords. To start, check out some drums…

1.Go to Program Mode, and select any drum kit from the category search (the Drums category is on the lower right side).

2.Press to turn the DRUM TRACK and ARP ON/OFF buttons OFF (unlit).

3.Try playing the pads. They are automatically mapped to kick, snare, closed hat and open hat.

You’ll find this is the case with nearly every drum kit. Just call up the kit, and play away!

Okay, these pads can trigger drum sounds. But did you know that they can also play entire eight-note chords?

Check it out…

1.Go to the category search in Program Mode again, and select a pitched sound, like an acoustic guitar or a piano.

2.Play the triggers to hear the different chords. There are preset chords assigned to the triggers - for every sound in the M50!

Cool… but what if you want to use your OWN chords?

Work with the Chord Assign Function:

1.Press the CHORD ASSIGN button (it will light) > Play up to eight notes at once…To create a massive chord, just hold down the first key you want to use, and then press the other seven individually. Try holding down the sustain pedal, and really-spread your 8-note voicing out across the keyboard to create some really…cool and/or demented chord assignments…

2.Hit the trigger you want to use to store the new chord voicing, and then hit that trigger again to hear it played back.

These triggers are great when playing the M50 live… You can use them to provide left-hand accompaniment, while you solo with the right hand. You can also trigger arpeggio elements, or play a quick drum solo…or control external sounds!

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