Master Mode

Master Mode Page 1

Chapter 11

Master Mode

Press the Master mode button to enter Master mode, which contains parameters affecting the

PC3’s overall performance.

When you exit Master Mode it saves a Master Table (unless MasterTableLock is On — more on this later) which is basically the state of the PC3, so it will remember what programs are assigned to what Channels and such. Explicit saving of the Master Table is also possible.

You can also enter the Boot Loader via Master Mode.

The Clock in the system will time- stamp your files if you set it correctly. Reset will delete all of your User objects. The Digital Out Mode goes up to 192K and Syncs to External Clock.

Also on the Master mode page is General MIDI Mode. Check www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com for more info.

Master Mode Page 1

On the Master mode page you’ll find parameters for setting the overall tuning and transposition of the PC3, sampling rate for digital output, and for several keyboard and programming adjustments.

Parameter

Tune

Transpose

Buttons Mode

Drum Remap

Digital Output

Aux Out Pair Mode

Tempo

Clock Source

Output Clock

Digital Output Volume

Range of Values

± 100 cents

-128 to 127 semitones

Off, On

None, GM

Digital Output List

Normal, Mirror Primary Outputs

20.00 to 300.00 BPM

Internal, External

Off, On

Variable, Fixed

Default

0

0

Off

None

48 KHz

Normal

120.00

Internal

Off

Variable

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Master Mode

Master Mode Page 1

Tune

Adjusting the value of this parameter tunes every program in the PC3 by the amount you specify. Tuning can be adjusted up or down 100 cents (one semitone) in one-cent increments.

This parameter is useful for getting in tune with recordings and acoustic instruments. Adjusting the tuning in Master mode does not change the settings on the PITCH page of individual programs, but will be added to any adjustments you make there. Master mode tuning adjustments affect only the PC3’s notes, and not notes sent via MIDI.

Transpose

Like the Tune parameter above, Transpose affects every PC3 program, but not those notes sent to the MIDI Out port. You can adjust the MIDI transposition on the TRANSMIT page in MIDI mode.

Buttons Mode

If you set the value of the Buttons Mode parameter to On, the System Exclusive (SysEx) messages generated by your button presses are sent to the MIDI Out port. This enables you to do two things: control a remote PC3, and record sequences of programming button presses to a sequencer or SysEx software package.

If you have the MIDI In port of another PC3 connected to the first one’s MIDI Out port, the second instrument will respond to every button press on the first instrument, just as if you were pressing the buttons of the second one. Keep in mind that both devices must be in exactly the same state (the same page in the same mode, with identical lists of RAM objects) when you start.

Otherwise the button presses you make on the

√first instrument may execute other functions on the second instrument.

Again, it’s important to keep in mind that the state of your PC3 must be identical to its state when you recorded the sequence of button presses. If you’ve added or deleted any objects stored in RAM, for example, the sequence of button presses will select different objects when you play back the button press sequence.

NOTE:

Make sure this parameter is set to Off before you initiate a SysEx dump of any kind. If this parameter is on when you start a dump, the buttons you press to begin the dump will also generate SysEx messages.

Drum Remap

As stated in the Program Mode chapter, in most keyboard and synthesizers, drum programs are mapped as dictated by the General MIDI (GM) industry standard. The GM drum map isn’t optimally intuitive in terms of playability, so we developed our own unique keymap that is more intuitive and lends better to performance. However, the GM drum map is so commonplace that many players feel most comfortable playing drum programs with the GM drum map. So, we designed the PC3 such that you can remap drum programs to the GM drum map and—if you’re more comfortable playing drum programs with older Kurzweil drum maps—previous PC series drum maps.

On the OUTPUT page in the Program editor, you can set Drum Remap to be Kurz1, Kurz2, or

Off

. The value of the Drum Remap parameter on this page—Master Page 1—determines whether the PC3 remaps to GM when Drum Remap in the Program editor is enabled. When the

Master Page Drum Remap is set to None, no remapping takes place in Program mode; set to

GM

, the PC3 remaps to GM in Program mode.

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Master Mode

Master Mode Page 1

Digital Output

This Digital Output parameter specifies the PC3's digital output sample rate. Internally clocked sample rates go from 44.1K up to 192K.

Externally synced sample rates cover 20-220KHz in 3 ranges. Be sure the external clock frequency is within the range you select.

Aux Out Pair Mode

The Aux Out Pair Mode parameter specifies the behavior of the Secondary Audio Outputs

(located on the back panel underneath the “Balanced Analog Outputs - AUX” label. Setting this parameter to Normal makes the Aux Outputs behave as such. Setting this parameter to Mirror

Primary Outputs

makes the Aux Outputs output the same audio signal as the Primary output.

Tempo

When Clock Source is set to Internal, the Tempo parameter sets the PC3 system’s tempo. The

Tempo parameter values are in units of bpm (beats per minute).

Clock Source

With the Clock Source parameter, you can set the PC3 to generate its own tempo by setting

Clock Source to Internal, or you can set the PC3 to sync up with the tempo from another device—assuming the device is sending MIDI clock data to the PC3 via MIDI or USB—by setting Clock Source to External.

Output Clock

To send a MIDI clock pulse through of the MIDI Out port, set this parameter to On. Otherwise, set it to Off.

Digital Output Volume

The Digital Output Volume parameter specifies the behavior of the PC3’s Digital Output. Setting this parameter to Variable makes the Digital Output respond to changes made on the volume slider. Setting this parameter to Fixed makes the Digital Output output a signal with a fixed volume.

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Master Mode

Master Mode Page 2

Master Mode Page 2

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Parameter

Velocity Map

Pressure Map

Intonation

Key Action Map

Default Sequence

Demo Button

Numeric Entry

Master Table Lock

Intonation Key

General MIDI

Range of Values

Velocity Map List

Pressure Map List

Intonation Table List

Key Action Map List

Song List

On, Off

Global, Bank

On, Off

C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B

On, Off

Default

Linear

Linear

Equal

0 Internal TP/40H

1 New Song

On

Global

Off

C

Off

Velocity Map

The Velocity Map determines the way the PC3 generates MIDI velocity information. Different maps generate different velocity values for the same attack velocity.

If you change the setting of the Velocity Map parameter, remember that it also has an effect on the transmit velocity map (which is on the MIDI mode TRANSMIT page).

Pressure Map

The Pressure Map determines the way the PC3 generates MIDI pressure information. Different maps generate different pressure values for the same physical pressure applied to a key.

If you change the setting of the Pressure Map parameter, remember that it also has an effect on the transmit pressure map (which is on the MIDI mode TRANSMIT page).

Intonation

Most modern western music uses what is known as equal temperament. This means that the interval between each semitone of the 12-tone octave is precisely the same as every other semitone. Many different intonation intervals have evolved over the centuries, however, and the

PC3 supplies you with 17 different intonation “tables” to choose from. By changing the value for this parameter, you select from among the intonation tables stored in the PC3’s memory. Each of these tables defines different intervals between each of the semitones in a single octave.

Master Mode

Master Mode Page 2

Scroll through the list of Intonation tables, and listen for the differences between semitones.

Some of the intervals between semitones may be quite different from equal intonation, but you’ll notice that all notes are precisely tuned with notes that are an octave apart. This is because the intonation tables set the intervals within a single octave, and apply those intervals to each octave.

List and Description of Intonation Tables

1 Equal

2 Classic Just

3 Just Flat 7th

4 Harmonic

5 Just Harmonic

6 Werkmeister

No detuning of any intervals. The standard for modern western music.

Tunings are defined based on the ratios of the frequencies between intervals.

The original tuning of Classical European music.

Similar to classic Just, but with the Dominant 7th flatted an additional 15 cents.

The perfect 4th, Tritone, and Dominant 7th are heavily flatted.

Named for its inventor, Andreas Werkmeister. It’s fairly close to equal temperament, and was developed to enable transposition with less dissonance.

7 1/5th Comma

8 1/4th Comma

9 Indian Raga

10 Arabic

11 BaliJava1

12 BaliJava2

13 BaliJava3

14 Tibetan

15 CarlosAlpha

16 Pyth/aug4

17 Pyth/dim5

Based on the tunings for traditional Indian music.

Oriented toward the tunings of Mid-Eastern music.

Based on the pentatonic scale of Balinese and Javanese music.

A variation on 1Bali/Java, slightly more subtle overall.

A more extreme variation.

Based on the Chinese pentatonic scale.

Developed by Wendy Carlos, an innovator in microtonal tunings, this intonation table flats each interval increasingly, resulting in an octave with quarter-tone intervals.

This is a Pythagorean tuning, based on the Greek pentatonic scale. The tritone is 12 cents sharp.

This is a Pythagorean tuning, based on the Greek pentatonic scale. The tritone is 12 cents flat.

In general, you should select a nonstandard intonation table when you’re playing simple melodies (as opposed to chords) in a particular musical style. When you use intonation tables based on pentatonic scales, you’ll normally play pentatonic scales to most accurately reproduce those styles.

Key Action Map

The Key Action Map determines the way the PC3 respond to key action. Different maps result in different responses from the PC3 for the same physical key action.

Generally speaking, you will not want to alter the Key Action Map. If you do, however, and want to change it back to the default map, simply enter a values of 0 in the Key Action Map parameter field.

Default Sequence

The Default Sequence parameter specifies the song that is used as a template for new and clear songs in Song mode.

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Master Mode

Master Mode Page 2

Demo Button

The Demo Button parameter determines whether or not pressing the Play/Pause button plays a demo song for the current program.

Numeric Entry

Global

means that any entry you make from the alphanumeric keypad will select the object indicated, regardless of the bank it is in. For example, in program mode type “36” of the alphanumeric keypad to select program 36.

If Numeric Entry is set to Bank, your selection will be limited to the currently selected bank. For instance, in Program mode, if you are in Orchestra bank and you enter “65”, then the current program becomes program 65 of the Orchestra bank, viz. 449 HornSect Layer.

Master Table Lock

With Master Table Lock set to Off, the PC3 will save the current Master mode configuration when you leave Master mode (and MIDI mode). Of course, you can save the configuration of the

Master mode pages at any time by pressing the Save soft button, but with Master Table Lock off, any changes that you make after saving will be automatically saved when you leave Master mode.

If you have a particular Master configuration that you would like to safeguard against the autosaving feature, set Master Table Lock to On. With the Master Table Lock on, the PC3 does not save any changes unless you press the Save soft button.

Intonation Key (IntonaKey)

This sets the tonic, or base note from which the currently selected intonation table calculates its intervals. If you select G as the intonation key, for example, and the intonation table you select tunes the minor 2nd down by 50 cents, then G

#

will be a quartertone flat relative to equal intonation. If you change the intonation key to D, then D

#

will be a quartertone flat. If you use nonstandard intonations, you’ll want to change the intonation key as you change the key you’re playing in. If the Intonation parameter is set to Equal, changing IntonaKey has no effect.

You can also set the intonation key from an external MIDI device. Note On events at C -1 through B -1 (MIDI note numbers 0 through 11) will set the intonation key at C through B, respectively.

To trigger notes in the range required to set the Intonation key, you can transpose the PC3 temporarily from its front panel, or from your MIDI controller if it has the ability. Alternatively, you could create a setup with just the lowest octave transposed down two octaves, then select it when you want to change the Intonation key. If you’re driving your PC3 from a sequencer, you could simply insert the appropriate note events anywhere in the sequence to change the intonation key.

General MIDI

This General MIDI parameter enables or disables GM mode.

Check the Kurzweil website www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com for instructions on configuring the PC3 for GM mode.

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Master Mode

The Soft Buttons in Master Mode (Page 1 and Page 2)

The Soft Buttons in Master Mode (Page 1 and Page 2)

Save

Pressing the Save soft button saves the current configuration of the Master Pages (both 1 and 2).

About

Pressing the About soft button calls up the general info page for the PC3. On this page is the version of the installed OS and factory object. Press any key to leave this page.

OBJECT

Pressing the OBJECT soft button calls up the OBJECT page. This page contains a list of all of the objects stored in memory. This is an easy way to check the object ID of any object you’ve created.

Object Utilities

Object Utility functions are useful for moving or copying objects into various banks, naming or renaming objects and deleting objects. To access these functions, press the OBJECT soft button while in Master mode.

Rename

The Rename utility allows you to rename an object without entering an editor. When you press

Rename

after highlighting the desired object, you will see a dialog prompting you for an object name, with a suggested default.

The default name that you see comes from the highlighted object in the object list, regardless of whether the highlighted object is actually selected. This makes it easy to copy the name of one object on to another.

As in all naming dialogs on the PC3, you can do a double-press of the Left/Right cursor buttons to put the naming cursor on the last character of the string. This is helpful when putting unique characters at the ends of names.

Left/Right

cursor button double-press -> Move cursor to the end of the name

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Master Mode

The Soft Buttons in Master Mode (Page 1 and Page 2)

Delete

The Delete Objects utility is very useful for reclaiming unused RAM in your PC3. This utility allows you to select any arbitrary group of objects for deleting. This can be a convenient way to delete individual or selected groups of objects. However, if you want to delete an entire bank or everything in RAM, the Delete soft button on the Master page is quicker.

If any of the selected objects have dependents that were not selected, you will see the question:

Delete dependent objects?

If you answer Yes to this question, all dependent objects of the selected objects are deleted, unless they are being used as dependents of other objects that are to remain in memory.

Answering No will delete only those objects that were selected.

CLOCK

Pressing the CLOCK soft button calls up the PC3 System Clock page.

TapTmp

Pressing the TapTmp soft button calls up the Tap Tempo page, where you can “tap” the system tempo with the Tap soft button. You can also assign a Tap Controller to be used as a tap tempo button when not in the Tap Tempo page.

Along the bottom four Program Category Select buttons, a lit LED moves from left to right at the tempo displayed on the Tap Tempo page.

You can also call up the Tap Tempo page from any other page by pressing the < and > buttons simultaneously.

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Master Mode

The Soft Buttons in Master Mode (Page 1 and Page 2)

Utils

Pressing the Utils soft button calls up the Utility page, which gives you access to two analytic and diagnostic tool. Additionally, pressing the two right-most soft buttons will call up the Utility page from any mode or editor. The Utilities page appears as shown below:

Pressing the MIDI soft button launches MIDIScope™, a useful subprogram that lets you monitor the MIDI messages from the PC3 and those received via MIDI. THis is a good way to make sure you’re receiving MIDI from MIDI masters. It’s also good for making sure your controls are assigned as you want them, checking your attack velocities, checking your controller values, etc.

Pressing the Voices soft button calls up the Voice Status page, which shows the PC3’s active voice channels as you play. The Voice Status pages displays each active voice as a solid rectangular block—for mono voices—or displays stereo pairs of voices as a > for the left channel voice and a < for the right channel voice. Whatever symbol the page displays, when the key of a voice is released, that voice’s symbol on the Voices Status page turns into a dot during the release portion of that voice’s envelope. When the voice decays to silence, it is no longer active, and the dot disappears. The Voice Status symbols appears as shown below:

The Voice Status page gives you an indication of the envelope level of each voice, though not necessarily the volume level. Nonetheless, this can give you a valuable indication of how your voices are being used. For example, if all or most of the voices are active, then there’s a good chance that when voice stealing takes place an audible voice will be reallocated.

The Voices utility works a bit differently for KB3 programs. The PC3 uses one voice of polyphony for every two tone wheels in a KB3 program. In the Voices utility, the voices used by the tone wheels appear as solid rectangular block, meaning that the voices are used for the KB3 program. They don’t get reallocated at any time, since they’re always on, even if you’re not playing any notes. Any voices not dedicated to a KB3 program behave normally. So if you have a setup that contains a KB3 program in one zone, and VAST programs in one or more other zones, you can monitor the voice allocation of the non-KB3 voices in the section of the display that isn’t constantly filled with solid rectangular blocks.

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Master Mode

The Soft Buttons in Master Mode (Page 1 and Page 2)

Loader

Pressing the Loader soft button calls up the Boot Loader. See Appendix B.

Reset

Press the Reset soft button if you want to return your PC3’s memory to the state it was in when you bought it.

CAUTION:

Resetting the PC3 system causes ALL parameters to be restored to default values and ALL user objects to be erased. The PC3 will ask you if you want to delete everything (meaning all RAM objects), and a pair of Yes/No soft buttons will appear. Press No if you want to keep any objects you have saved. Press Yes, and everything stored in RAM will be erased. After a few seconds, the PC3 will return to the Program mode page.

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