Pa4x Turn On Settings (My Settings)

whcanetoad · Post by **whcanetoad** » Fri Dec 25, 2015 3:48 pm

I want my microphone settings to come on when I turn on my Pa4x...it seems like the "My Settings" function sets the turn-on Keyboard Settings (right/left hand sounds, transposition, style, etc), but not the Mic settings...is there a way to have the selected Mic settings come on when the instrument is turned on?

Thanks,

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Paolo@Korg · Post by **Paolo@Korg** » Fri Dec 25, 2015 6:05 pm

Hi,

Press the SHIFT+MIC shortcut to go to the Global > Mic Setup > Setup page. There, choose the global Voice Preset.

Return to the main page, and choose the Mic pane. Be sure the Global checkbox is selected.

If you had to change the Global checkbox status, keep the MY SETTING button pressed for about one second to save the default settings.

Paolo

whcanetoad · Post by **whcanetoad** » Fri Dec 25, 2015 6:32 pm

Paolo

Thank you again!

I love the Pa4x...I have a Tyros 5 that I also like a lot, but I'm giving the "edge" to the Korg!

I am using the EC5 foot pedal and notice a very slight delay when I kick on the Style Start/Stop function...any idea why that would be or how to eliminate the delay?

jpires · Post by **jpires** » Tue Aug 29, 2017 12:42 am

Hello
I'm having the same problem with ps1 pedal but mine is on song play
There is a little delay
JP

mstodola · Post by **mstodola** » Tue Aug 29, 2017 9:01 pm

This is only a guess, but I think the EC5 uses momentary switches. Some switches are normally closed(NC), and some are normally open(NO). I haven't used my pedal board for a while so I don't know which the EC5 is. It is a case of leading or trailing edges of the square wave that is created. If the sequence/song starts on the leading edge, then when you first step on the switch everything will start on time. But if it starts on the trailing edge, then when you let up on the switch it will start the sequence/song.

See if the song or sequence starts when you push down and hold the switch or when you let up on the switch. This should give you your answer.

Mitch

Jonyblues · Post by **Jonyblues** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 9:34 pm

Hi guys, in regards to the delay with the EC5 footswitch, yes, I noticed that years ago too (all the way back to my Korg i2 days). At that time, I simply bought a boss fs-5u pedal and used that for all of my start/stop needs. I found that it was definitely more instant to react than the EC5 pedals.

I've just compared one of those pedals to the EC5 on my Pa4x and feel that the response of the fs-5u seems to be better. Am not sure if it is anything to do with the technical reasons that mstdola mentions in the thread or if it's just because the spring/mechanism is different/firmer on the boss pedal (or perhaps you just don't have to push the pedal down so far before it sends its message).

So, it may be worth trying one out just to see if you also notice the difference. The slight problem that you may encounter though (which you should be aware of before you buy one) is that on the PA4x there is only one assignable pedal

(I think there used to be 2 on the Korg i series). So, if you, like me, also use an expression pedal in that socket (which I use for doing great pitch bends on guitars/harmonicas/sax etc.), you're out of luck.

The other problem, if using an fs-5u in song play mode is that, it appears (I only looked quickly) that the pedal can only be assigned to control either player 1 OR player 2 (not both). And, if this is the case that may be a big problem too!

This may sound a little weird, but I also found that pushing any of these pedals while wearing shoes with firm/hard soles (rather than spongy/rubbery soles) can also speed up the reaction time of the pedal by a fraction of a second. So, that may be worth a try too.

Finally, in regards to the difference between the start times in the sequencer or the song play modes that jpires mentioned. I tested this too and found that some midi files in song play mode added four whole beats or more before the song started playing (depending on how they were programmed), whereas the sequencer section generally started instantly with exactly the same file but on the first beat of the music.

I subsequently, tried switching on the fast play option in the global settings and very interestingly, initially, it didn't change the file start location in the song play mode (i.e. it still left a gap).

However, after switching it (and a few other items) on a couple of times, I found that suddenly, it works fully, as one would expect. I.e. it starts instantaneously, exactly the same way as the sequencer does. So, it's worth toggling it on and off, if it doesn't change anything immediately. FYI, I've subsequently, switched the keyboard on and off several times and the fast play function seems to be working perfectly.

Hope this helps guys.

Best wishes,
Jon

jpires · Post by **jpires** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 12:30 pm

Hi Jon
Thanks for your explanation, it was very helpful, like I say in sequencer mode it's a instant start, but when I switch to song play mode it adds a full 4 bars, for instance , I have a song that in sequence mode there is a break of all instrument at beat 49, and in song play it breaks at 50. It was driving me crazy because I didn't know what was going on. but now I know.
I'm going to try your suggestion on turning the fast play on and off and the Pa4x on and off to see if it helps.

Cheers
JP

Jonyblues · Post by **Jonyblues** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 5:29 pm

Hi JP, am glad to be of help. Yes, the more that you describe your problem, the more that I am convinced that enabling the fast play button is your solution.

FYI, even when you get the fast play button working, you will find that the measures may still read differently between the sequencer and the song play mode though.

I.e. With fast play switched on, a certain midi file may be shown as starting on measure one in the sequencer, however, the exact same file may show as starting on measure two (or something else) in the song player. That's why you saw the difference in where the breaks occur (i.e. bar 49 or bar 50).

I guess, what's happening is that the sequencer counts measure 1 from where the notes start and the song player in song play mode counts all blank/silent bars of the midi file (whether you hear them or not).

Hope this helps and that you manage to get your fast play button working/active, as I'm 100% sure this will help you.

Best wishes,
Jon

mstodola · Post by **mstodola** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:31 pm

Did anyone try what I suggested? If you push and hold the switch does the song start? Or does it start when you let up on the switch? That will tell you what you need to know. Switching out pedals is much more difficult than doing the simple test I described. Does the Boss fs-5u have a polarity switch?

I designed a switch for myself once for this exact problem. It provided a pulse instead of just a low (if the switch is normally open) or a high (if the switch is normally closed). The pulse created a quick leading and trailing edge which worked for all my drum machines I used in the past. Some would start when I pushed and held the momentary switch so everything started on time. Some would not start until I let up on the switch which would always delay the start time.

I haven't tried playing songs with the Pa4X yet to know how the switch responds. But thanks for the heads up.

mstodola · Post by **mstodola** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:47 pm

I just discovered that the roland switch pedals are wired with a negative polarity (normally closed) and Korg switch pedals are wired with a positive polarity (normally open). This would explain why the roland/boss switch worked. It provided the trailing edge of the pulse that obviously starts the song. It's sad that Korg has wired it this way. The EC5 is not a newly created switch, maybe it's not that compatible.

Jonyblues · Post by **Jonyblues** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:48 pm

Hi Mstodola, in answer to your question. Yes, the FS-5U does have a polarity switch.

Having investigated the EC5 more with the PA4x, I am sure that it works as intended and is probably very consistent with how it has worked with all of the previous models. So, overall it is definitely fully compatible.

Also, even though I've been frustrated by the reaction time for years, I don't believe that the EC5 has any real tech problems except for the fact that it is not quite as fast to react as other pedals.

I'm really pleased to say though that I have, after 20 plus years of putting up with the frustration of the EC5 reaction time not being as fast as I want, just figured out how to solve the problem and make it work super-fast and be highly sensitive to button pushes.

Interestingly, it only took me 5 minutes (and the undoing of 11 screws) on the bottom of the EC5 to see that the reason that the EC5 reacts slowly is purely a mechanical reason. Each pedal on the EC5 has to be depressed about 4-5mm before a black piece of rubber physically pushes the pot/switch (am not sure of the tech term) on the small circuit board.

So, I wondered what would happen if I stuck a very thin item on top of the black rubber (to reduce the gap before it makes contact). So, as a test, I bought some very small sticky felt pads (the type that stop scratches on furniture) and cut them down, so that they are about half as thick (to approximately half a mm max - any thicker than that and they don't work!) and then simply stuck them on top of each black rubber square (part of the pedal mechanics).

The result was that, now, every pedal only has to be pushed down about 1mm instead of the original 4-5 and they then trigger whatever function you have setup. In other words, this has now totally changed the sensitivity of the whole EC5 and it now reacts as fast (or possibly even faster) than the boss pedals or any other pedal that I've ever used.

Like you, I'd assumed that the whole problem with the EC5 was to do with electrical issues but now I know that this really simple, 5 minute fix, makes the EC5 feel, to me, 100% more useful and 1000% more reactive.

The only thing to watch out for now is not to accidentally touch any of the pedals with your foot, as they are super-reactive.

I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Jon

jpires · Post by **jpires** » Fri Sep 01, 2017 12:20 pm

Hi Mstodola, to answer to your question.
For me when I step and hold the song start, my delay its not that bad,
but I get better response on a sequencer mode than song play.
I guess I can leave with it, I got push the pedal a little sooner.
sometimes as a musicians your timing is so good you always step on that pedal on time. like I say I got to get used to it until I find the solution.
thanks
JP

mstodola · Post by **mstodola** » Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:38 pm

Thank you all for answering my questions. I can see I didn't understand the problem. Thank you for clearing that up.

So the delay is very small. That is good. I may in the future, when I have time, open up the EC5 and have a look. I'm glad it works correctly.

Mitch

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