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How to Get Better Piano Sounds
1. Before you start spending money, try editing the Prog yourself. For example, the two basic pianos (A01, B01) have effects turned on. Try turning them off! (EDIT PROG, Page 8). In the 01/Wpro, both pianos have chorus and reverb, and the chorus really blunts the attack.
Some suggest changing the VDF setting (EDIT PROG, Page 2, Line 1). The factory default is 7. Values from 9 to 20 or 25 may lessen any dullness.
If you want a more rock-sounding piano, try adjusting the Velocity Sense for both the VDF (Page 2) and VDA (Page 4).
If you can't get a sound you like, your options include:
2. Get an 01/Wpro or proX. Notice in the Versions table that the pro models have 32Megabits (4MB = 4 MegaBytes) of additional PCM memory. The added memory holds 9 more Drum Sounds plus one Multisound, a piano that reportedly sounds much better than the piano in non-pro models. If you can't or don't want to buy a pro...
3. Get a Piano/Keyboard PCM Card . Korg sold this card that plugs in the PCM DATA slot to add new Sounds. Korg literature says the PCM Card and 01/Wpro samples are the same, so if you already own a pro or proX, getting this card will not change your piano sound (though you will get samples of other instruments).
4. Get a small rack-mount sound module (a synth without the keyboard), bolt it to your 01, then run a MIDI cable from the 01 MIDI OUT to the sound module MIDI IN. You may have to play around with the controls to get everything to work, but it may be cheaper and easier than getting an 01 PCM card.
5. Get some new Progs (not Multi-Sounds). For example, the GM disk has six different piano Progs on it. You might find one you like or edit one to your liking.
Pictures and instructions for programming the 01 MIDI piano (A1 Bright Piano) and PCM Card piano (C81 CloseGrand) were put together by Robert Viands at his NoGodForMe site. Although C81 needs the PCM card, the settings may work for the 01w/pro and 01w/proX, which have the same piano sample as the PCM card.
Q: Can anyone direct me to a source for a convincing GRAND PIANO sound for the O1/W? The factory piano sounds leave much to be desired, especially richness in the lower octaves.
A: Build a new Combi this way: layer both the 8 and 16 Piano Programs, mixed to fairly equal levels. Add in a bit of Strings 07 at a lower level to taste, which gives it a little extra beef that adds to an illusion of acoustic resonance and will appear as a separate element only when you hold a chord for a while. It's an addition without being a too-prominent piano-&-strings mix of the type you hear so often. Run it through the Exciter and either Room or Hall reverb in series. Tweak the EQ to boost the bass a bit, it'll speak up!
I should take the time to post the major parameters of this Combi I use as a solo voice. It has a touch of honky-tonk to it, maybe, and is a bit bright, but it's still powerful and responds well to fine-tuning. The bass range isn't perfect in its decay characteristics, but it's plenty ballsy.
{Tip from: HellPope Huey, hellpopehuey@subgenius.com, 2001Aug05}
Korg sold a PCM Card set called Piano Keyboard. (click here for details
about PCM cards). This XSC-3S set came with a PCM Card (XSC-803) and Prog/Combi
Card (XPC-03). As the sales literature said:
| "The PCM card of this practical set contains seven keyboard multisounds,
each occupying a large portion of the card's memory. The highlight of the
set is a soft, classical-sounding piano with a keyboard response that will
topple your notion of what a 'synthesized piano' sounds like."
"The piano multisound of the XPC-3S PCM card has been added {to the 01/Wpro and proX} as a standard feature." |
| C00 | A. Piano 2 | Sampled grand piano sound. Best used with classical pieces. |
| C01 | Harpsichord 2 | Single-stop version of multisampled harpsichord. |
| C02 | Clav 2 | Thick and hot clav sound. Good for Rock/Funk groovin'. |
| C03 | Pipe Organ3 | Another version of the church organ. |
| C04 | Tine Piano | Its attack is emphasized in the lower range. |
| C05 | Tine Piano LP | Loop only of Tine Piano. |
| C06 | Organ 4 | Multi-purpose rock organ sound. Useful for a wide variety of sounds in Program/Combination. |
| Note: | The above text is based on "exact text on insert".
I've made minor edits to aid readability. |
User comments
"ALL of the sounds of this card
are really outstanding. The piano is an awesome piano sample in all ranges,
even today's technology this sample is really impressive. The harpsichord
is really good and realistic. Has a super fat clav, and a very good/useful
organ sound, if you have an 01, you need this card!!!!" (2002Jul31, John
Rogers)
"I was disappointed by the piano sounds of my 01W (was looking for the M1 style piano but instead we had new and pretty lame samples). I read many good reviews on this XSC-3S card package for the 01W and decided to buy it... Got a very cheap price (35 USD including expensive shipping) and it's worth EVERY penny ! Insert the cards, click 3 times on the Bank smarty and you're all set !" (00Feb14)
"The piano sounds are really nice. Except maybe on the upper keys where
the sampling is really weak. But you have at least 3 octaves where to play.
Really appreciated the layered piano with smooth pad (#C91 - Nice Piano).
This really is a good piano + good pad, and not a very good pad *hiding*
a
poor piano. Got so pleased with the pianos that I didn't even investigate
on the organs and the clavs...
If you can get a hand on this card, don't hesitate. This really makes
it a pleasure for piano chorus." (00Feb14)
... "the *always-heard* M1 typical piano sound is not in this set." (00Feb14)
| 00* PianoStrin JS
01* Card2Piano JS 02 Soft & Fat 03* Less Lee JS/AT 04* CardClav1 JS 05 Magic Bell 06* HouseBass1 07* Full Pipe1 JS 08 BX3 Medium JS/AT 09 Tine Out 10 Cold Night 11* Two Pianos JS 12 Dirty Bows 13 SoftTrem 1 JS/AT 14* SnglHarpsy JS 15 Vibe+MalMT JS 16 JoeWSPBass VDA 17* Piper Org. JS 18 Full Organ JS/AT 19 NewTines AT 20* NonSynLips JS 21 PianExpres JS 22* Choir Boys JS 23* Organ 1 AT 24 FretedClav 25 WShapeBell 26 SynthBass1 27* Full Pipe2 JS 28 Chorus BX3 AT 29 Why Piano VDA 30 Poly Pad 31* XfadePiano JS 32 Orch Brass VDA |
33 Big Cheese AT
34* FullHarpsy JS 35 SteelDrum 36 FatBowBass 37 OrganReeds JS 38 Org Prc 4" JS/AT 39 StingPiano JS 40 Fantasy II JS 41 BritePiano JS 42 BrsSynSwep 43 SoftTrem 2 JS/AT 44* Wah Clavs JS/VDA 45 PingAttack JS 46 SynthBass2 47 PipeOrgan2 48* Rotaring AT 49 One Rose VDA 50 Lub Pad 51* PianoForte JS 52 AnaBrass AT 53 New Wave JS 54* DbleHarpsy JS 55 Metal Loop 56 SynthBass4 57* Piper4Org. JS 58 M1 PercOrg AT 59 70's EP VDA 60 Room Kit JS 61* FX1 Piano JS 62 Trionfale JS 63 BuckOrgan JS/AT 64* Card Clav2 JS 65 BellMagic |
66 Seq.Bass VDA
67 PipeOrgan1 68 Green Eyes AT 69* HardFingerJS/VDA 70* PalPositio JS 71 FX2 Piano JS 72 Strings PC VDA 73 Rotarian AT 74 Zip Piano JS 75 ToyPiano JS 76 NewSlapBss JS 77* Piper6Org. JS/AT 78 Rock Organ AT 79 ThickPiano 80 Digi Tine VDA 81* CloseGrand JS 82 Melody&Arm JS 83 Drawbars* AT 84* PhasedClav JS 85 TineBell VDA 86 Elec. Bass 87 Calliope 88 Synth BX3 VDA 89 80's Piano 90 The End... 91* Pianospace JS 92 Orch Horn JS 93 Puff EP VDA 94* StopHarpsy JS 95 D 37 & 13 96 PorkPieHat JS 97* Full Pipe3 JS/AT 98 Boomerang JS/VDA 99 Mr.Tines |
| 00 Jungle Jim SL
01 L+R Piano SL 02 PuffHorns SL 03 TwoManual SL/AT 04 Harpsi&Ens AT 05 Dustbells VDA 06 Bass $ Pad SL/AT 07 Postiv 1 JS/SL 08 RockOrgan1 JS/AT 09 Tiny Road VDA 10 Envelopes SL 11 Love Songs VDA 12 SoftAnaBrs SL 13 FullOrgan SL/AT 14 NewClav SL 15 Bell Vibe SL 16 SuperSlap SL/AT 17 Postiv 2 JS/SL 18 WSofPale JS/SL/AT 19 The Tines SL 20 Big&Brash SL 21 After 12PM JS/SL 22 HallString SL 23 The Gospel SL/AT 24 HarpsiPlus JS/SL 25 ClockWorks SL 26 FlopHouse SL 27 Postiv 3 JS/SL 28 PercOrgan1 SL/AT 29 Tine&Pad SL 30 Breath Pad SL 31 Midi Grand SL 32 Ana Brassy SL |
33 Soft Jass SL/AT
34 Slap&Clav SL/AT 35 WS Bell SL 36 Synergy SL/AT 37 Mixture 1 JS/SL 38 GreenEyed SL/AT 39 Fine Tine SL 40 Ostinano SL 41 JustMoving VDA 42 Large Orch SL 43 SoapOpera SL/AT 44 SnyClavPC JS/SL/VDA 45 Steel-Band 46 Bassology SL 47 Mixture 2 JS/SL 48 Jazz&Perc SL/AT 49 FM-Piano VDA 50 Tagalog SL 51 Piano&Bow SL 52 Big Ending SL 53 Jass1 Drwb SL/AT 54 Barouque JS/SL 55 Pole&Pad SL 56 HybridBass SL 57 Mixture 3 JS/SL 58 Full&Perc SL/AT 59 PuffPiano VDA 60 HomeComing SL 61 The Pianos SL 62 Ana Lips VDA 63 Jass2 Drwb SL/AT 64 BigHarpsi JS/SL 65 ModernJass JS |
66 SynSplit SL
67 Tutti 1 JS/SL 68 RockOrgan2 SL/AT 69 SuperEP VDA 70 Sin Split SL 71 TheClassic SL 72 Air Ways SL 73 Lower&Upr1 SL/AT 74 Stinger SL 75 BellXpress SL 76 Birdman SL 77 Tutti 2 JS/SL 78 OverDrive SL/AT 79 Digiano SL 80 Delicato SL 81 Ping&Sting SL 82 ScratchPad SL 83 Lower&Upr1 SL/AT 84 Old Road SL 85 TheNursery SL 86 West 59th SL 87 Tutti 3 JS/SL 88 PercBars SL/AT 89 RealThing SL 90 The Freeze SL 91 Slow Blues JS/SL 92 Orchestral SL 93 Regular 1 SL/AT 94 LightTines SL 95 BellCarpet VDA 96 St.James SL 97 Mixt~Tutti JS/SL 98 PercOrgan2 SL/AT 99 EP&Strings SL |
All Data Produced by Michael Geisel, Michele Paciulli, and Athan Gillias.
Effect Dynamic Modulation Control Source:
JS-Joystick, AT-After Touch. SL-Value Slider, VDA=VDA EG, PD=Foot Pedal
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