Overview
Expand Korg T3EX, T2EX and T1 sound capabilities by loading your own audio samples and create, edit and manage your own custom-made multisounds.
Now anyone with a compatible Korg T-Series workstation, a Windows PC and the T-Series Multisound Programmer software can upload their own unique and custom samples and create their own fresh and innovative multisounds. No longer will Korg T-Series owners have to rely on Korg sound expansion cards, third-party publishers or those fortunate few with Korg DSM-1 sampling modules to create and release new sounds for the T-Series workstation.
Multisounds
What is a Multisound?
A multisound is the name given by Korg to a collection of audio samples, with each sample configured to be played back within a specific key range (or "zone") on the keyboard.
Multisounds are used as the foundation sound for every T-Series Program patch. Korg T-Series workstations come standard with 190 ROM-based multisounds - a list of these factory multisounds can be found at the end of the Korg Music Workstation T1 T2 T3 Reference Guide.
With the T-Series Multisound Programmer Korg T3EX, T2EX and T1 owners can now unleash their creativity by making multisounds that they want to hear.
T-Series Capabilities
T-Series System Requirements for Custom Multisounds
To allow for custom audio samples and multisounds the workstation required on-board storage. For the Korg T-Series workstation, this storage is referred to as PCM RAM. The Korg T1 workstation came standard with 1Mbyte of PCM RAM. Korg T3 and T2 owners had the option to have this 1Mbyte of PCM RAM installed (using Korg's EXK-T RAM expansion kit), after which these upgraded workstations were referred to as the T3EX and T2EX respectively. Later, the Korg T3EX and T2EX would come factory-shipped with the PCM RAM pre-installed.
How are samples uploaded to the T-Series workstation?
The T-Series Multisound Programmer software uses the MIDI Sample Dump Standard (SDS) to upload sample data to the workstation's PCM sample RAM.
How are custom Multisounds created on the T-Series workstation?
The T-Series Multisound Programmer software implements a variety of T-series MIDI commands in order to program the workstation with custom multisounds.
How many user samples can a T-Series workstation hold in PCM RAM?
The T-series workstation allows up to 100 user samples to be loaded into the on-board PCM RAM (as long as the total size of all the samples does not exceed the 1Mbyte of storage capacity).
How many user-defined multisounds can a T-Series workstation's PCM RAM hold?
A T-series workstation can hold up to 28 user-defined multisounds.
How many samples can be assigned to a custom multisound?
A user-defined multisound can have up to 100 sample waveforms assigned to it.
How much sample storage space does the 1Mbyte PCM RAM provide?
The T-Series workstation stores each sample point in a 16-bit (2 byte) "word", which means that the 1Mbyte (1048576 bytes) of PCM RAM allows for the storage of a total of 524288 sample points. Or, to put it another way, a T-Series workstation with PCM sample RAM can hold approximately:
- 32.8 seconds of 16kHz samples.
- 23.8 seconds of 22.05kHz samples.
- 16.4 seconds of 32kHz samples.
- 11.9 seconds of 44.1kHz samples.
- 10.9 seconds of 48kHz samples.
- 5.5 seconds of 96kHz* samples.
*96kHz is the highest sample rate that a T-Series workstation is capable of playing.
Yes, the workstations allows for the uploading and playback of samples which are configured with sustain loop start- and end- points.
Features
Sample Dump
The T-Series Multisound Programmer's convenient "Sample Dump Send" function, allows the user to easily upload any compatible WAV format sample files to the T-Series workstation's PCM RAM. The function will also send any sustain loop information associated with the sample. The T-Series Multisound Programmer can also be configured to automatically name the uploaded sample, allowing for easy identification of each uploaded sample and saving the user time from having to manually label each uploaded sample.
Waveform Processing
During the "Sample Dump Send" operation, the T-Series Multisound Programmer can perform on-the-fly waveform processing on the sample being transferred. Waveform processing options include:
- Normalise - the sample waveform is amplified to the maximum level possible without causing waveform clipping. This ensures that the uploaded sample waveforms are at the same audio level as the workstation's own ROM-based waveforms.
- DC Offset Removal - the DC bias of the waveform is adjusted so that it's mean amplitude is zero. See Wikipedia's Audio DC Bias article describing the benefits of DC bias adjustment.
- Invert - inverts the waveform.
The T-Series Multisound Programmer allows for the creation, editing and deletion of custom multisounds on the T-Series workstation. You can then add, replace or remove samples associated with the user-created multisounds. The custom multisounds can use samples from the PCM RAM, a PCM Card or the T-Series' internal "Drum Sound" samples (a list of the 85 "Drum Sound" samples can be found at the end of the Korg Music Workstation T1 T2 T3 Reference Guide).
The T-Series Multisound Programmer allows the user to adjust the properties of each of the samples associated with a multisound. These sample properties include:
- Original Key - the key which will play the sample at it's native pitch.
- Top Key - the topmost key that will still play the sample.
- Level - the audio level (volume) that the sample will be played back at.
- Tune - fine pitch adjustment for the sample.
- Decay - the decay rate during the sustain period of the sample's playback.
- Filter - tone control for the sample.
- Fixed Pitch - by default, the sample's pitch is transposed across it's key range, however, if required, the pitch can be fixed to play back at the sample's native pitch across the assigned key range.
Multisound Management
The T-Series Multisound Programmer also provides the ability to save and load multisound configurations to and from your computer. These multisound configuration files can either be saved as raw MIDI sysex or in standard MIDI File Format. Multisound configuration files saved in MIDI File Format can be used by your DAW or MIDI sequencer to send the configuration to the T-Series workstation.
Screenshots
T-Series Multisound Programmer's Main window showing the multisound editing and management interface.
T-Series Multisound Programmer's Main window showing the list of custom samples loaded into the workstation's PCM RAM.
T-Series Multisound Programmer's Sample Dump Send window while uploading custom samples to the workstation's PCM RAM.
Downloads
You can download the latest version of the T-Series Multisound Programmer from the Downloads page.
View the T-Series Multisound Programmer - Getting Started guide.