Korg PA1000 questions

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I am working with a Korg PA1000, and have a number of questions about it.

Some of them likely belong in other sections, but I would like to post them here as a group, and then be guided by forum members and admins in terms of whether and where questions should have separate threads and/or be relocated.

1) does there exist a memory map for this keyboard, such that I can know what data is stored where ?

2) is there a way to produce a memory contents printout, as in a piece of paper listing each of the elements stored in each location, with details like what subcomponents are buried in each one and how much they use in resources ?

3) is it possible to access the keyboard's memory via midi interface in a PC ? how would that be physically set up ?

4) what is the max sd card size this keyboard will handle ? ( I have seen reports of 256 GB. When I try to format a 512, I get an "access denied" message)

5) is it ok to update the os/firmware w/ samples still in memory ? will leaving them in cause issues ? ( I have seen a YT video where everything is manually deleted before the upgrade process is launched)

6) will the data be deleted in the process of updating the os ?

7) will the full backup written to the internal disk auto load and restore everything that was previously there ? { I have seen mention of this)

8) the full backup process only gives the option of writing to the internal disk. can I copy the full backup file to usb/sd ?

9) is there a guide for how to decode style/song files ?

10) is there a guide for how to edit style/song files ? I saw a piece of software called PA Manager, but it's kinda pricey, as in outrageously pricey

11) how many different kinds of file are there in the pa1000 file system ?

12) what is each used for, and what are their formats ?


Now that's a whole bunch of questions, and I'm sure that some of that wisdom will answer multiple questions.

I am curious as to why there are no subforums dedicated to particular manufacturers, since I imagine it will be far more likely that I will find members with specific knowledge in that way.

TIA for all (kind) responses.
 
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Good grief.
1 no
2 no
3 no
4 you should be OK with a 128Gb which is the largest I have used.
5 no
6 yes, EVERYTHING will be overwritten
7 no, unless you create the correct file for user data you loose it all.
8 it does not only write to the internal disk, tap on Up until you see All the available drives, navigate to the location you want and save the file there
9 not as such, but there is a guide on how to create Styles from scratch and you can use that to back engineer the process
10 Korg have their own software, it is called Songbook Editor
11 no idea
12 Korg’s standard file system in the Pa series up to and including the 4X is .set

The reality of using a Korg Pa is that you save your chosen Style, with the keyboard sets, pads, tempo etc into the Songbook. That way you simply load from there and play your song, it is a very quick and easy process. This is why there is Songbook Editor, you can do all you need within the app.
 
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Good grief.
1 no
2 no
3 no
4 you should be OK with a 128Gb which is the largest I have used.
5 no
6 yes, EVERYTHING will be overwritten
7 no, unless you create the correct file for user data you loose it all.
8 it does not only write to the internal disk, tap on Up until you see All the available drives, navigate to the location you want and save the file there
9 not as such, but there is a guide on how to create Styles from scratch and you can use that to back engineer the process
10 Korg have their own software, it is called Songbook Editor
11 no idea
12 Korg’s standard file system in the Pa series up to and including the 4X is .set

The reality of using a Korg Pa is that you save your chosen Style, with the keyboard sets, pads, tempo etc into the Songbook. That way you simply load from there and play your song, it is a very quick and easy process. This is why there is Songbook Editor, you can do all you need within the app.
You're a brave man to tackle all that in such a short space of time.
 
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Regarding #3 specifically... there's a detailed MIDI implementation document in, or as an appendix to the reference manual. There are certain memory areas that can be accessed by sending MIDI messages (for example, to turn on and off Bass Inversion, or retrieve a specific registration.)

I think the days of manufacturers providing memory maps and direct access to memory are long over. First due to ever-increasing complexity, and second to prevent someone from 'cracking' the board and putting the whole OS, interface, etc., up for download on the dark web!
 
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Good grief.
1 no
2 no
3 no
4 you should be OK with a 128Gb which is the largest I have used.
5 no
6 yes, EVERYTHING will be overwritten
7 no, unless you create the correct file for user data you loose it all.
8 it does not only write to the internal disk, tap on Up until you see All the available drives, navigate to the location you want and save the file there
9 not as such, but there is a guide on how to create Styles from scratch and you can use that to back engineer the process
10 Korg have their own software, it is called Songbook Editor
11 no idea
12 Korg’s standard file system in the Pa series up to and including the 4X is .set

The reality of using a Korg Pa is that you save your chosen Style, with the keyboard sets, pads, tempo etc into the Songbook. That way you simply load from there and play your song, it is a very quick and easy process. This is why there is Songbook Editor, you can do all you need within the app.
Thank you so much for your reply.

Just to be sure I am clear,

5) no harm will come from leaving any user data in the machine, since everything will be wiped
7) what is "the correct file" ? where do I need to save it ? will the file be detected and restored on reboot, or do I have to restore it manually after the OS update ?
10) from the PA Manager website it seems that their software does a lot of things Songbook Editor will not do. Am I missing something ?

I found a company named Chicken Systems, which has a program named Korg Creator. The web pages contain a wealth of information. What I saw is outdated, but I am going to have a conversation with them real soon.
 
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Regarding #3 specifically... there's a detailed MIDI implementation document in, or as an appendix to the reference manual. There are certain memory areas that can be accessed by sending MIDI messages (for example, to turn on and off Bass Inversion, or retrieve a specific registration.)

I think the days of manufacturers providing memory maps and direct access to memory are long over. First due to ever-increasing complexity, and second to prevent someone from 'cracking' the board and putting the whole OS, interface, etc., up for download on the dark web!
Thanks for the reply. I have to believe that the guys who make Korg Manager have an awful lot of that information, which they either reverse engineered (less likely since they'd be buried in lawsuits), or received through an arrangement with Korg (more likely, and it undoubtedly creates a revenue stream for Korg as well). At that price point, there's plenty to go around.

I would also take odds that all of that information is tucked away in one dark corner of the web or another.

Nobody is going to start making and selling a FrankenKorg. It shouldn't be such a big deal. Frankly, the vendors who supply their customers with the most information often have the most happy and loyal following.
 
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Thank you so much for your reply.

Just to be sure I am clear,

5) no harm will come from leaving any user data in the machine, since everything will be wiped
7) what is "the correct file" ? where do I need to save it ? will the file be detected and restored on reboot, or do I have to restore it manually after the OS update ?
10) from the PA Manager website it seems that their software does a lot of things Songbook Editor will not do. Am I missing something ?

I found a company named Chicken Systems, which has a program named Korg Creator. The web pages contain a wealth of information. What I saw is outdated, but I am going to have a conversation with them real soon.
bump.

Biggles (or anyone else), waiting on your confirmation/answers to the above on 5,7 and 10
 

happyrat1

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The nicest thing about a Roland or a Studiologic is all the freebie upgrades you get from the factory after purchase.

I refuse to pay extra for prerequisite software and firmware upgrades that should be included in the price.

Two more things I have against Yamamamahhahahahah and KORG. :p
 
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firmware updates to Korg keyboards are free.

the software I mentioned above is written and sold by a third party, not Korg.

of all the keyboard manufacturers, I don't know that any of them let you into their system any deeper than Korg, except maybe Moog if you have one of those monsters with a gazillion patch ports and cords.
 
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If I wanted to do it badly enough, I suppose that I could tear out the internal Korg disk and lay that out, then clone the ROMs, maybe to EEPROMs so that I could use all of those wasted slots in the factory sounds.

I would much rather spend my time actually playing music.
 

happyrat1

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First of all, I refuse to install Korg's stupid driver software on any of my machines. I wrestled with it almost a decade ago and it left feces all over my operating system.

And was the last version of the Nautilus a FREE (as in beer!) upgrade, or did they bill the poor suckers who bought one seperately?

Kurzweil let's you map the VAST OS from top to bottom and their manuals are written in readable English.

Unfortunately they seem to be losing market share in NATO countries these days.
 

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