Korg m50-73 User Guide

Page of 120
Playing and editing Programs
40
Keyboard Track
Most acoustic instruments get brighter as you play 
higher pitches. At its most basic application, keyboard 
tracking re-creates this effect by increasing the cutoff 
frequency of a lowpass filter as you play higher on the 
keyboard. Usually, some amount of key tracking is 
necessary in order to make the timbre consistent across 
the entire range.
The M50 keyboard tracking can also be much more 
complex, since it allows you to create different rates of 
change over up to four different parts of the keyboard. 
For instance, you can:
• Make the filter cutoff frequency increase very 
quickly over the middle of the keyboard, and then 
open more slowly–or not at all–in the higher 
octaves.
• Make the cutoff frequency increase as you play 
lower on the keyboard.
• Create abrupt changes at certain keys, for split-like 
effects.
How Key Track works: Keys and Ramps
The keyboard tracking works by creating four ramps, 
or slopes, between five keys on the keyboard. 
For details, please see “How it works: Keys and 
Ramps,” on page 32 of the Parameter Guide.
Using the Amp section
The Amp section includes controls for volume, pan, 
and the driver circuit.
You can control the volume using the Amp EG, LFO 1/
2, Key Track, and velocity, along with other AMS 
sources.
Each Oscillator has its own Amp section: Amp1 for 
OSC1, and Amp2 for OSC2.
Background - what does “Amp” mean?
Different sounds have characteristic shapes to their 
volume levels.
For example, the volume of a piano note begins at a 
high volume the instant you play the note, and then 
decreases gradually. 
The volume of an organ note, on the other hand, 
remains constant as long as you continue pressing the 
key. 
The volume of a note on a violin or wind instrument 
can be varied during the note by the musician (i.e., by 
regulating the amount of pressure on the bow or the 
force of the breath).
Pan
Pan
The main Pan parameter controls the stereo position 
after the signal has passed through the oscillator, filter, 
and amp.
Normally you’ll set this to C064, so that the sound is 
centered equally between the left and right speakers. 
To create a stereo effect when Oscillator Mode is set to 
Double
, set the Amp1/Driver 1 page Pan to L001, and 
the Amp2/Driver2 page Pan R127. This will make 
OSC1 go to the left speaker, and OSC2 go to the right 
speaker.
With a setting of Random, the pan will change 
randomly each time you play a note on M50, 
producing an interesting effect.
Pan - Use DKit Setting
Use DKit Setting
 applies when Oscillator Mode is set 
to Drums.
If this is checked, the Program can use a different pan 
position for each drum sound, as specified by the 
Drum Kit. If this is unchecked, all drum sounds will 
use the Program’s pan position. 
The factory presets and GM drum kits use individual 
pan positions for the different drums, so normally it’s 
best to leave this checked.
Amp modulation
The basic volume level is set by the Amp Level 
parameter. You can then alter this using the 
modulation sources below:
Volume
Time
Piano
Volume decays gradually
Volume
Time
Organ
Volume remains constant 
until note is released