Legacy Model
Downloads and support materials maintained here as a courtesy to owners.
OVERVIEW |
Start with the heritage of the venerable PC3, add KORE 64™ and the Artis® German D Grand Piano and you have the powerhouse, PC3A.
SOUNDS
Artis® German 9′ Grand Piano
Samples of amazing tone, realism, and expression fuel the V.A.S.T.® PC3 sound engine. Perfectly matched with a weighted Fatar TP40L action.
KORE 64™ Powered
Factory Installed! Stunning Synths, Electric Guitars, Horns, Drums and Percussion to expand your sonic pallet.
KB3 ToneReal™ Organs
Modeled after classic organs. Featuring all the controls you want and more, including 9 realistic drawbars.
1300+ Factory Programs!
A wealth of sounds from classic to modern. A serious collection starting with the Artis® German 9′ Grand Piano, PC3 Series Vintage Electric Pianos, Clavinets, Synthesizers, rich and realistic String Sections and Orchestras, Guitars, Percussion and much more.
Powerful FX Engine
Hundreds of award-winning Reverbs, Delays, Choruses, Flangers, Phasers, Distortions, Rotary Amplifiers, Compressors and more available at your finger tips. Global Master EQ and Multiband Compressor built-in.
CONTROLS
Setup Mode = Control Central
Layer and split combinations to inspire. Setups give you the tools to take command of your live performances, featuring up to 16 independent zones, effects, controller assignments, triggerable pattern-based “Riffs” and 16 arpeggiators!
29! Programmable Physical Controllers
9 Sliders, 10 Switches, 2 Wheels, mono pressure, Super Ribbon input, breath controller input, 3 Switch Pedal Inputs, 2 Continuous Control Pedal Input.
(1 sustain/switch pedal is included).
USER INTERFACE
Quick Access
Organize and bookmark your sound catalog as needed. Recall selections with one button press.
Easy Access Transpose Buttons
Convenient -/+ controls located right on-screen.
USB Plug ‘n Play
Saving, loading, OS updates and MIDI functionality are all made easy on the PC3A with both on-board USB Host and Device ports.
Software Editors
Get deeper into editing your PC3A Programs, Setups and Effects!
All specifications subject to change without notice.
SPECS |
All specifications subject to change without notice.
| Keyboard: | 88-note, fully-weighted hammer-action, with velocity and aftertouch sensitive keys, featuring a quick release spring, striking an ideal balance of playability between piano type parts and synth/organ parts. (Fatar TP40L) |
| Display: | 240 x 64 angled, backlit CCFL w/ dedicated back panel brightness and contrast controls. |
| Polyphony: | 128 Voice Polyphony, dynamically allocated, lightning fast performance. |
| Multitimbral: | 16 parts (one per MIDI channel). |
| Architecture: | Dynamic VAST: Powerful synthesis engine, with user programmable DSP algs and routing. More DSP power than even our K Series instruments.
VA1 Inside: anti-aliasing, power-shaped oscillators and DSP processing from Kurzweil’s VA1 concept synth, capable of delivering authentic analog emulations as well as incredibly complex new sounds. Cascade Mode: lets the user route one layer through the DSP of any other layer within a program – up to 32 consecutive layers deep! |
| Sound ROM Expansion Slots: | Includes KORE 64™ and the German D Grand EXP Piano built-in. |
| Desktop Editor: | Mac and PC platforms |
| Factory Presets: | 1453 Stunning Factory Presets. |
| Factory MIDI Setups: | 216 factory programmed MIDI setups – featuring up to 16 independent zones, effects, independent controller assignments, triggerable pattern-based “Riffs” and arpeggiator settings. |
| File Compatibility: | Loads from:
-PC3K: All objects except samples. -PC3LE: All objects. -K2 Series: The majority of Setups, Programs, and Keymaps (no sample loading; see the manual for details). |
| General MIDI: | Standard. |
| User Memory: | 16,000 locations for user objects. |
| Sequencer: | Unlimited tracks (on import); 960 PPQ resolution. Song editing functions include both event and track-based tools like quantize, swing, remap, controller scaling and more. Controller chasing and a global “set song length” functions are also featured. |
| Effects: | 16 insert effects distributed over 11 busses, two auxiliary sends and two Master Effects (saved with each song and setup); featuring hundreds of our award winning effects – reverbs, delays, chorus, flange, phaser, EQs, distortions, Leslie simulators, compressors, and more. |
| Master FX Section: | User controllable master EQ section and master compressor for quick adjustments during live performance or putting the final touches on your studio mix. (These do not use up the insert effect resources.) |
| Controllers: | Pitch wheel, modulation wheel, 9 front panel sliders/drawbar controllers, 10 front panel switches (momentary or toggle, software selectable), 3 switch pedal input, 2 continuous control pedal inputs, mono pressure, Super Ribbon input, breath controller input. Controller values can be “captured” and stored as part of a program. |
| Arpeggiator: | 16 full-featured independent arpeggiators with multiple latch modes, selectable play order, velocity, duration, tempo, and sync functions as well as pre-recorded beats and musical phrases. |
| Riffs: | 16 unique “Riff” generators, used for triggering MIDI sequenced phrases, beats, or complete multi-track arrangements from notes on the keyboard and/or any on-board physical controller. |
| Analog Outputs: | Four 1/4″ balanced TRS analog (24-bit DACs). |
| Headphones: | 1 rear panel 1/4″ headphone output. |
| Digital Outputs: | 24-bit, stereo S/PDIF featuring 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192-kHz modes.
(externally clockable) |
| MIDI: | In, Out, Thru (hardware switchable to copy of MIDI Out). |
| USB Computer Port: | MIDI over USB. Also allows the PC3A to load/save data directly to and from a Mac/PC as well as perform OS updates. |
| USB Storage Port: | Supports USB thumb-drives for loading/saving user data as well as performing OS updates. |
| FREE OS Updates: | Flash ROM upgradeable via direct-USB or thumb-drive. |
| Included Accessories: | Power cable, Switch pedal, USB cable, (4) self adhesive feet. |
| Height: | (4.33″) (11.00 cm) |
| Depth: | (13.98″) (35.50 cm) |
| Length: | (54.33″) (138 cm) |
| Weight: | (54 lb.) (24.50 kg) |
| Power: | Internal AC power supply.
Selectable 120/240V AC operation. |
IMAGES |
VIDEOS |
PC3A Demonstration
Performance by Nick Smith
1. FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW
An introduction to the front panel user-interface and navigation methods
2. PROGRAM MODE : OVERVIEW
Introduction to the Program mode
3. PROGRAM MODE : EDITOR (Part1)
Introduction to editing, keymaps and layers
4. PROGRAM MODE : EDITOR (Part2)
V.A.S.T. – Variable Architecture Synthesis Technology – working with algorithms
5. PROGRAM MODE : EDITOR (Part3)
Modulation and real-time control of synth engine DSP
6. PROGRAM MODE : EDITOR (Part4)
Control Sources
7. PROGRAM MODE : EDITOR (Part5)
Working with envelopes
8. PROGRAM MODE : EDITOR (Part6)
FUNs – FUNction Generators – control-source processing
9. EFFECTS BASICS
Introduction to effects concepts, structure and resource allocation
10. EFFECTS CHAINS
Effects chain creation and editing
11. EFFECTS MANAGEMENT
Effects applications, routing, aux overrides and master effects section
12. WORKING WITH FX PRESETS
Preset and Chain Basics
13. EFFECTS MODS
Effects modulation routings and real-time controls
14. EFFECTS : SPECIAL EFFECTS
Kurzweil’s exclusive “Pitcher” effects algorithm
15. SETUP MODE : INTRO
Overview of the Setup Mode
16. SETUP MODE : ZONE MUTES
Zone enabling/disabling
17. SETUP MODE : EDITOR
Building Setups – working with Zones and Controller functions
18. PC3 SOUND-EDITOR: INTRODUCTION
An introductory presentation of the PC3 desktop editing software
KORE 64 ROM Expansion for PC3/PC3K Series
Demo/Review
FAQs |
DOWNLOADS |
User Manuals
PC3A Musician’s Guide (V3) – 7.1 MB
Primary Owner’s Manual (pdf)
2018-09-12
PC3A Getting Started Guide – 1.6MB
Quick Start Reference
2015-04-15
PC3A Musician’s Guide -V3 (.epub) – 13.3 MB
Primary owner’s manual (.epub)
2018-09-12
PC3A Complete Factory Object Lists (1.15) – 503 KB
Listing of all factory Multis, Programs, FX Chains etc (.xls)
2018-09-20
OS Updates
PC3A v1.15 Update – 4.4 MB
Contains: O/S v 2.42.24747, Objects v2.49.3, Installation Instructions, Release Notes
2018-09-12
Software Editors
PC3A Series – Desktop Editor (Mac) – 10 MB
v2.93 of the PC3A desktop editing software for the Mac
REQUIRES: PC3A v1.11 or later
(PC3A Series only, not for PC3 or PC3K)
2015-06-23
PC3A Series – Desktop Editor (PC) – 6.2 MB
v2.93 of the PC3A desktop editing software for the PC
REQUIRES: PC3A v1.11 or later
(PC3A Series only, not for PC3 or PC3K)
2015-06-23
PC3A Series – iPad Editor – 53.1 MB
(links to App Store store for download)
2015-07-02
