Korg PA50, PA50sd 11. SONG PLAY OPERATING MODE

70 Song Play operating mode
The Songs and the Standard MIDI File format
11. SONG PLAY OPERATING MODE
The Song Play operating mode is where you can listen to
Songs (played directly from the card), and play along with
the Song on the four Realtime (Keyboard) tracks (Upper 1-3,
Lower). Since the Pa50SD is equipped with two onboard
sequencers, you can play two Songs at the same time. This is
very useful to mix between two Songs during a live perfor-
mance.
THE SONGS AND THE STANDARD MIDI FILE
FORMAT
The native Song file format of the Pa50SD is the Standard
MIDI File (SMF), an universal standard set by all manufac-
turers. You can read these files with any musical instrument
or computer.
A difference could be in the sound played by each track. If
you recorded a Song with the Pa50SD (Song mode), using
only General MIDI programs, you can play the same Song on
virtually any other musical instrument or computer. If you
used KORG native programs, you cannot reproduce the same
sounds on instruments from other brands.
When you read SMFs in Song Play mode, there is no problem
reading files made using only General MIDI sounds. Sounds
could be different when playing a Song made on a different
instrument: despite the wide compatibility of Pa50SD with
other, non-standard formats, differences may arise.
If so, go to the Song operating mode and load the SMF. Then,
manually reassign the non-matching Programs, replacing
them with similar Programs on the Pa50SD. Then, save the
SMF again, and you will be able to play it in Song Play mode
with the correct Programs.
TRANSPORT CONTROLS
You can use the separate transport controls for each of the
two onboard sequencers. Use the SEQ1 controls for
Sequencer 1, and SEQ2 controls for Sequencer 2. See
“SEQUENCER TRANSPORT CONTROLS - SEQ1 and
SEQ2” on page 18 for more information).
MIDI CLOCK
In Song Play mode the MIDI Clock is always generated by the
internal sequencer, even if the Clock parameter is set to
External (see “Clock” on page 127). Pa50SD transmits only
the MIDI Clock message generated by Sequencer 1.
SWITCHING BETWEEN SEQUENCERS DURING
EDITING
When you enter Edit mode, you can edit the selected
sequencer’s parameters. Go to the main page of Song Play
mode, and select the S1 (A buttons) or S2 (B buttons) to
select the sequencer you wish to edit (see “Main page” on
page 72).
SELECTING A SONG COMPOSING ITS
PROGRESSIVE NUMBER
Each Song on a card (up to 9,999) has a progressive number
assigned. You can see this number before the Song’s name in
the Song Select page.
While in the Main, Song Select, or Lyrics page, the STYLE
section doubles as a numeric keypad. You can use it for com-
posing the 4-digit number corresponding to the Song you
wish to select; the folder selected in the Song Select page will
become the current folder. This way, you can speed up the
Song retrieval.
Selecting a Song in the Song Select page
1. Open the Song Select page.
2. Select the card and open the folder containing the Song
to be selected. This folder will be used also in the Main
and Lyrics page.
3. Compose the 4-digit number corresponding to the Song
you wish to select (for example: if the Song is number
“1043”, dial 1, 0, 4, 3).
After the fourth digit has been inserted, the window
automatically disappears, and the Song is selected.
• If the Song number is just 1, 2 or 3-digit long, dial the
number, then press ENTER to confirm (for example: if
the Song is number “52”, dial 5, 2, ENTER).
Note: If no Song corresponds to the dialed number, the
“Song not available” message appears. Press any button to
make it disappear.
Selecting a Song in the Main page
While the S1 or S2 field is selected, compose the number
corresponding to the Song you wish to select. The current
folder is the one selected in the Song Select page.
Selecting a Song in the Lyrics page
Compose the number corresponding to the Song you wish
to select. The current folder is the one selected in the Song
Select page.
REALTIME AND SEQUENCER TRACKS
The Pa50SD is equipped with a double sequencer. Each Song
can play a maximum of 16 tracks, for a total of 32 sequencer
tracks.
In addition, you can play on the keyboard with four addi-
tional Realtime tracks (Upper 1-3 and Lower). You can edit
the Volume, Mute status, and Program selection for these
tracks on the main page of the Song Play mode.
When you enter Song Play mode from the Style Play mode,
the Realtime tracks are the same as the Style Play mode. A
0001 MYSONG.MID
Song number:
000-