Arranger Keyboard Chord Control

[Rufus]

Well as I posted on a different thread I got my PA4X yesterday and it's amazing!

But I do have a question for anybody else who uses arrangers - for a majority of songs what settings so you use to signal the chord? Have the left hand trigger it on the lower end of the keyboard with no voice assigned to the lower end?

So far I've messed around with having the entire keyboard trigger chords, which limits what I can play. Not ideal but easy/fun way to start.

I'm finding that I have to trigger the chord change slightly before the beat. So if the keyboard section triggering the chord also has a voice assigned, the voice would also be off the beat. The only solution I can see is to have the part of the keyboard that triggers the chords have no actual voice assigned. Am I missing something?

 

[Biggles]

Some basics.

Do read the first few chapters of the Manual and watch the Tutorial Videos that I advised you about in the other thread

When you have done that

In Style play mode

Select the Style associated with the song you are wanting to play.

Press the Split button

The Keyboard Sets associated with the Upper 1, 2 and 3 and Lower are shown on the LCD screen.

The Lower is is the sounds which will be to the left of the split.

Press Memory so its tell tale led is lit

Press Intro 2

Press Style to Keyboard Set button so that it is fully on.

Play the Chord, this sets the keyboard

Press Start

Now play the song


PS
It is a year since I had a Korg PA so my memory on the order of the actions may be a little rusty.

Intro 1 give a preset Intro, Intro 2 gives a few bars where you trigger the chords, Intro 3 gives a 1 bar intro

Var 1-4 get busier as you move through them during a song, Endings work in same manner as Intros

Keyboard Sets start with the first and as the sone progresses you can select which you want.

If the Style to Keyboard Set light is set to flash when you move from Var 1 to Var 2 the Keyboard set automatically moves from 1 to 2

You can set how to trigger Chords in Global

 

[Rufus]

Thanks Biggles.

I've watched the full set of video manuals on YouTube and have been referencing the PDF manual quite frequently.

I think I have enough references to figure out how the keyboard functions, I was more asking for advice on when to use each function. It seems to me the setup most often useful would be to trigger chords with the left hand on the lower end without a voice assigned to the lower end. And leaving the right hand free to play whatever I want. Was just looking for clarification if this is the most common way people use an arranger keyboard.

The advice I'm looking for doesn't have to be specific to the PA4X.

 

[Biggles]

Arrangers are flexible, you can have them accompany you as you want.

Ie
Full backing, or left hand bass or simply just the drum track.

Try searching out and playing using one of the Freestyle Styles, these jaybe offer more of what you seek.