SP5-8 OVERVIEW

With a newly designed, great-feeling 88-note graded hammer-weighted action and over 800 of Kurzweil’s best preset sounds, the SP5-8 offers the high-end sound palette of a professional workstation combined with the easy workflow and simplicity of a stage piano.

It’s STILL the Sound…

Of course the SP5-8 includes a varied assortment of piano presets – concert grands with shimmering reverb (halls, rooms, chambers), perfectly compressed and EQ’d studio pianos, classic barrel-house and tack uprights as well as richly layered combinations with strings and pads. Also included are dozens of detailed vintage instrument emulations; electric pianos (some of which use 30+ velocity-switched layers), Clavinets, Mellotrons and electric grands, in addition to a broad selection of KB3 organs and KVA virtual analog synths. Rounding out the SP5-8’s sound set are our renowned Kurzweil string sections, plus orchestral, brass, winds, mallets, percussion, drums, guitar and bass presets. The end result is a strong, well-rounded sonic tool-kit that is all killer with no filler.

And the Feel

The high quality feel of the SP5-8’s action is matched only by its versatility; the LK40GH action allows players to experience exceptional realism while playing piano presets but also provides the speed and ease required for electric piano, organ, Clavinet and synth parts. Several choices are available for velocity maps, from Very Hard to Very Light, to accommodate all playing styles.

What You Need, Where You Need It

The SP5-8’s user interface has been custom tailored to suit the needs of players in a variety of real world settings. With 5 sliders plus a 3-tiered Shift button, you’ll have easy access to 15 real-time synth and/or effects parameters. Intuitive Entry allows you to quickly customize your sounds, whether you’re assigning an effect to a slider or setting the key ranges for a Split/Layer zone. For lightning-fast, gig-ready sound selection, the SP5-8’s 20 User Favorite slots (1 per sound category for both programs and setups) provide one-touch access to the sounds you use most frequently.

Turn on and Plug In

With world-class effects and professional-grade balanced TRS outputs, the SP5-8 puts out a powerful, pristine signal that’s perfect for professional recordings or live amplification without the need for additional processing. The SP5-8 offers full MIDI functionality over USB as well as the ability to quickly save/load user sounds and OS updates with seamless computer integration. And 16-part multi-timbral capability allows the SP5-8 to serve as a powerful composition tool, with hundreds of sounds at your fingertips, keeping your inspiration flowing, whether it’s a quick sketch or a full-blown production.

All specifications subject to change without notice.

SPECS

All specifications subject to change without notice.

Keyboard: 88-key, fully-weighted graded hammer-action with velocity and pressure sensitive adjustable keys (LK40GH)
Display: 2×20 character LCD w/ front-panel contrast adjust
Polyphony: 64 Voice Polyphony, dynamically allocated
Multitimbral: 16 parts (one per MIDI channel)
Quick Split/Layer: Easy access with adjustable relative volume (up to 4 zones)
Factory Presets: 861 (taken from the acclaimed PC3 sound set, including select KB3 organs and KVA synths)
User Presets: 64
Factory MIDI Setups: 65
User MIDI Setups: 64 (with 4 programmable zones for splits and layers)
Effects: Dozens of complex effect chains taken from the PC3, with everything from concert hall reverbs to amplifier simulations and rotary effects
Controllers: Pitch wheel
Modulation wheel
5 front panel sliders (with a 3-tiered shift button)
1 programmable front panel switch
2 mono switch pedal inputs
1 continuous control pedal input
Analog Outputs: Two 1/4″ balanced TRS analog (24-bit DACs)
Headphones: 1 rear panel 1/4” headphone output
MIDI: In, Out
USB: Complete MIDI functionality over USB
User program/setup file transfer to/from PC/Mac
Operating System updates from PC/Mac
FREE OS Updates: OS updates over USB
Included Accessories: Power cable, Switch pedal, USB cable, (4) self adhesive feet
Height: (4.7″) (12cm)
Depth: (13.8″) (35cm)
Length: (54.8″) (139.2cm)
Weight: (46.3 lb.) (21.0 kg)
Power: External 15VDC 1.0A power supply

IMAGES

AUDIO


 Bass



Clavier



Drums



E. Piano



Guitar



Lead



Mellotron



Misc



Orchestral



Organ



Pad



Percussion



Piano



Pop Brass



Synth



Voice


FAQs

Basic Concepts & User Interface

Question:
How can I organize my favorite Program selections?

Answer:

There are a few ways to corral ones favorite Programs.

Setting a Category Favorite

Much like car radio station presets, the SP5 lets you set a favorite Program within each Instrument Category. The Program you choose will be the first recalled each time you next press that Category button (be sure KEYPAD is off).

    1. While in Program Mode, select a Category button.
    2. Use the data wheel or the +/- value buttons to select the Program you want as a favorite for that Category.
    3. Press and hold the Category button for a few seconds. You will see the following pop-up message in the display confirming it was set as the Category favorite:
Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
Favorite saved

NOTE: You can only save Programs that belong to the Category. If you try to save a favorite and the Program does not belong to the Category, you will see the following pop up message in the display.

Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
Not in this category

Creating a Sequential List of Favorite Programs

(starting in Program mode)

    1. Using whatever selection method you like choose the first Program you wish to copy to the User Program bank.
    2. Press SAVE.
    3. On screen the SP5 will suggest the first empty User location (ID) it finds to save “to” (the range of available User IDs is 1024-1087). “ProgramName” will be the name of the Program you are copying (saving).
Save Prog over: 1/2 
1024 "ProgramName"

You can accept the suggestion OR manually type in, or scroll to, any ID # from 1024-1087 you prefer. If you choose to type things in, you need to commit things by pressing ENTER (scrolling on the other hand requires no pressing of Enter).

    1. Press SAVE again to finalize your choice.
Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
1024*ProgramName

Note: the asterisk (*) is an additional visual cue that this is a USER-saved object.

  1. Go back to step 1 and repeat as many times as needed – up to 64 entries max (manual ref. pg. 6-10)

To navigate your favorites later, in Program mode simply press USER (aka the “TUV” button) and this will force the display to ONLY show your saved USER bank contents. From there grab the data wheel or use the +/- buttons to move forwards/backwards through the list. One nice feature here is the system will only show you occupied ID entries. In other words let’s say you save a few items that number 1024, 1025, 1027. Notice 1026 is missing. When you scroll this list 1026 is automatically skipped as it is empty.

ORGANIZATION TIPS:

-Borrowing on the fact that unoccupied User ID’s are skipped when scrolling, consider leaving a few blank spaces in between selections in your User list. Inevitably you will need to make changes to this list at some point. By leaving a few purposeful ‘blanks’ it makes it easier later to insert a few new selections in between existing ones.

-If you ever need to Delete a User Program you can either:

a) just save a new selection to that same ID. The old one will get replaced.

b) alternatively, if you just want to erase the location, select it, press KEYPAD, then press DELETE, then Next/+ (manual ref. pg. 6-12).

-If you ever want to Rename a User Program – select the program in question, press SAVE, then press the Chan/Param UP arrow button. You will see the “Rename Prog” screen where you can then use the alphanumeric keypad entry to type in a new name. Press Save again to commit (manual ref. pg. 6-11).

Question:
How can I organize my favorite Setup selections?

Answer:

There are a few ways to corral ones favorite Setups.

Choosing Setup Favorites

Much like car radio station presets, the SP5 lets you store a favorite Setup to each of the 20 Instrument Category buttons (Piano – Misc).

    1. While in Setup Mode, choose the a Setup you wish to set as a favorite.
    2. Press and hold a given Category button for a few seconds to capture the current Setup to that button location. You will see the following pop-up message in the display confirming it was set as the Category favorite:
Setup Xpose:0       
Favorite saved
  1. To later recall the selected Setup, simply press the corresponding Category button (be sure KEYPAD is off).

Creating a Sequential List of Favorite Setups

(starting in Setup mode)

    1. Using whatever selection method you like choose the first Setup you wish to copy to the User Setup bank.
    2. Press SAVE.
    3. On screen the SP5 will suggest the first empty User location (ID) it finds to save “to” (the range of available User IDs is 1024-1087). “SetupName” will be the name of the Setup you are copying (saving).
Save Setup over: 1/2
1024 "SetupName"

You can accept the suggestion OR manually type in, or scroll to, any ID # from 1024-1087 you prefer. If you choose to type things in, you need to commit things by pressing ENTER (scrolling on the other hand requires no pressing of Enter).

    1. Press SAVE again to finalize your choice.
Setup Xpose:0       
1024*SetupName

Note: the asterisk (*) is an additional visual cue that this is a USER-saved object.

  1. Go back to step 1 and repeat as many times as needed – up to 64 entries max (manual ref. pg. 7-8)

To navigate your favorites later, in Setup mode simply press USER (aka the “TUV” button) and this will force the display to ONLY show your saved USER bank contents. From there grab the data wheel or use the +/- buttons to move forwards/backwards through the list. One nice feature here is the system will only show you occupied ID entries. In other words let’s say you save a few items that number 1024, 1025, 1027. Notice 1026 is missing. When you scroll this list 1026 is automatically skipped as it is empty.

ORGANIZATION TIPS:

-Borrowing on the fact that unoccupied User ID’s are skipped when scrolling, consider leaving a few blank spaces in between selections in your User list. Inevitably you will need to make changes to this list at some point. By leaving a few purposeful ‘blanks’ it makes it easier later to insert a few new selections in between existing ones.

-If you ever need to Delete a User Setup you can either:

a) just save a new selection to that same ID. The old one will get replaced.

b) alternatively, if you just want to erase the location, select it, press KEYPAD, then press DELETE, then Next/+ (manual ref. pg. 7-10).

-If you ever want to Rename a User Setup – select the Setup in question, press SAVE, then press the Chan/Param UP arrow button. You will see the “Rename Setup” screen where you can then use the alphanumeric keypad entry to type in a new name. Press Save again to commit (manual ref. pg. 7-9).

Question:
Where can I obtain a list of the factory preset Programs & Setups for the SP5-8?

Answer:

Under the

Question:
How can I customize the name of a user Program or Setup?

Answer:

To rename any given Program or Setup:

    1. Select the desired Program/Setup to rename.Ex: (here we are renaming User Program #1024):
      Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
      1024*Pro Piano

 

    1. Press SAVE – on screen you will see something like:
      Save Prog over: 1/2 
      1024 Pro Piano
      

 

    1. Press the Chan/Param UP (∧) button and you will see:
      Rename Prog as: 2/2 
      Pro Piano
      

 

    1. Use the secondary alphanumeric functions of the Category buttons to edit the current name as needed. In our example here we have renamed our program “My Piano”.
      Rename Prog as: 2/2 
      My Piano
      

      Button Notes:

      Button Function
      Previous(-) Next(+) move the cursor left and right
      +/- toggles upper/lower case
      Space erases the current character
      Insert adds a blank character space, shifting all the characters to the right one space to the right
      Delete removes a character space, shifting all the characters to the right one space to the left

 

  1. When done inputting the new name, press SAVE again to commit.

Notes:

Names can total up to 16 characters in length.

Names that are longer than 15 characters in length cause the ID number and name to scroll marquee-style in the display.

Global Mode

Question:
How can I adjust the velocity response (sensitivity) of the keys to suit my taste?

Answer:

Adjusting the Velocity Map allows you to globally customize the sensitivity of the piano keys’ response to your preferred playing style. There are 10 different settings (maps) to choose from:

  • Linear (default setting)
  • Light 1
  • Light 2
  • Light 3
  • Hard 1
  • Hard 2
  • Hard 3
  • Piano Touch
  • Easy Touch
  • GM Receive

Please see pg. 9-2 in the SP5 Musician’s Guide for a description of each. Ultimately, trying out each will be the best method to determine your favorite.


Steps to Select a Different VMap:

  1. Press GLOBAL, then the Chan/Param Up (∧) arrow button until you see:
    Global          2/30
    VelocityMap:Linear
  2. Press either the Previous(-) OR Next(+) to scroll (backwards or forwards respectively) through the above list of choices. The selection takes effect immediately upon selection.

    For example here we selected the “Piano Touch” map:

    Global          2/30
    VelocityMap:PianoTouch
  3. Press PROGRAM or SETUP to exit the Global mode.

Note: This setting change will be remembered across power cycles.

Question:
How can I organize my favorite Program selections?

Answer:

There are a few ways to corral ones favorite Programs.

Setting a Category Favorite

Much like car radio station presets, the SP5 lets you set a favorite Program within each Instrument Category. The Program you choose will be the first recalled each time you next press that Category button (be sure KEYPAD is off).

  1. While in Program Mode, select a Category button.
  2. Use the data wheel or the +/- value buttons to select the Program you want as a favorite for that Category.
  3. Press and hold the Category button for a few seconds. You will see the following pop-up message in the display confirming it was set as the Category favorite:
  4. Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    Favorite saved
    

NOTE: You can only save Programs that belong to the Category. If you try to save a favorite and the Program does not belong to the Category, you will see the following pop up message in the display.

Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
Not in this category

Creating a Sequential List of Favorite Programs

(starting in Program mode)

  1. Using whatever selection method you like choose the first Program you wish to copy to the User Program bank.
  2. Press SAVE.
  3. On screen the SP5 will suggest the first empty User location (ID) it finds to save “to” (the range of available User IDs is 1024-1087). “ProgramName” will be the name of the Program you are copying (saving).
  4. Save Prog over: 1/2 
    1024 "ProgramName"
    

    You can accept the suggestion OR manually type in, or scroll to, any ID # from 1024-1087 you prefer. If you choose to type things in, you need to commit things by pressing ENTER (scrolling on the other hand requires no pressing of Enter).

  5. Press SAVE again to finalize your choice.
  6. Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    1024*ProgramName
    

    Note: the asterisk (*) is an additional visual cue that this is a USER-saved object.

  7. Go back to step 1 and repeat as many times as needed – up to 64 entries max (manual ref. pg. 6-10)

To navigate your favorites later, in Program mode simply press USER (aka the “TUV” button) and this will force the display to ONLY show your saved USER bank contents. From there grab the data wheel or use the +/- buttons to move forwards/backwards through the list. One nice feature here is the system will only show you occupied ID entries. In other words let’s say you save a few items that number 1024, 1025, 1027. Notice 1026 is missing. When you scroll this list 1026 is automatically skipped as it is empty.

ORGANIZATION TIPS:

-Borrowing on the fact that unoccupied User ID’s are skipped when scrolling, consider leaving a few blank spaces in between selections in your User list. Inevitably you will need to make changes to this list at some point. By leaving a few purposeful ‘blanks’ it makes it easier later to insert a few new selections in between existing ones.

-If you ever need to Delete a User Program you can either:

a) just save a new selection to that same ID. The old one will get replaced.

b) alternatively, if you just want to erase the location, select it, press KEYPAD, then press DELETE, then Next/+ (manual ref. pg. 6-12).

-If you ever want to Rename a User Program – select the program in question, press SAVE, then press the Chan/Param UP arrow button. You will see the “Rename Prog” screen where you can then use the alphanumeric keypad entry to type in a new name. Press Save again to commit (manual ref. pg. 6-11).

Question:
Where can I obtain a list of the factory preset Programs & Setups for the SP5-8?

Answer:

Under the

Question:
How can I edit/adjust the Programs of the SP5?

Answer:

Though the SP5 is more a stage piano, less a true synthesizer, it does permit tweaking its factory presets to a limited degree via a handful of preset ‘virtual’ parameters. These parameters are made available via the various front panel sliders and SW button. The parameters offered vary from program to program and were chosen to best compliment each sound. You will encounter a range of choices, covering both synth-style parameters (filters, envelopes, etc) along with FX-related components (reverb, delays, etc). In addition, on KB3 programs, you will find the sliders act as individual tone-wheel drawbars (as silk screened on the front panel). In all cases, the screen displays the function of each slider, and the SW button, when moved/activated.

It is important to note that you cannot change what specific parameters are offered by the UI. You can only adjust the values for those available.


Let’s dissect a preset program to see how this works.

  1. In Program Mode, select a program to tweak – for our example here we’ll use #81 Classic Comp:
  2. Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    81 Classic Comp

  3. Moving a slider will display on screen the parameter that slider is set to control and its value. For ex, here we have moved Slider 1/A – you’ll see/hear that this controls the cutoff frequency for a Low Pass Filter:
  4. Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    LP Filter Freq:75

  5. Let’s try another. Move Slider 1/B – you’ll see/hear that this controls the resonance for the same Low Pass Filter:
  6. Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    LP Filter Res:102

  7. Let’s try some FX. Move Slider 1/E** – you’ll see/hear that this controls the wet/dry amount for the reverb assigned to this program:
  8. Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    Aux FX Wet/Dry:53

    (**Note: the use of Slider 1/E to control the Aux FX wet/dry is standard across most programs. Notable exceptions are KB3 programs where Slider 3/E is used instead).

  9. This particular program also features an optional distortion effect. Press the SW button – you’ll see/hear that this enables the distortion:
  10. Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    Enable Distortion:127

  11. Now move Slider 1/D – you’ll see/hear that this controls the distortion ‘drive’ (as long as the SW button is ‘On’ (red):
  12. Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    Distortion Drive:26

    And so on. Experiment. Try all the sliders. In this particular program for ex, you will also find controls like:

    • Slider 3/D = Hi Freq Damping (reverb)
    • Slider 3/E = Reverb Time
    • Slider 2/D = Delay Wet/Dry
    • Slider 3/A = Delay Feedback
    • Slider 3/B = Delay Time

    Note: You will find in some programs certain sliders are ‘unused’, not assigned to do anything internally but they will still transmit data via MIDI. In those instances the corresponding MIDI Continuous Controller (CC) will be displayed. For example you may see something like:

    Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    MIDI 16:90	

  13. Once you have adjusted the various parameters to a point you would like to keep the changes you can then save the new program creation to the User bank. Notice how the SAVE button was illuminated with the very first change you made, indicating the program has been altered but not yet stored. To store your creation, press SAVE.
  14. On screen the SP5 will suggest the first empty User location (ID) it finds to save “to” (the range of available User IDs is 1024-1087).
  15. Save Prog over: 1/2 
    1024 "ProgramName"
    

    You can accept the suggestion OR manually type in, or scroll to, any ID # from 1024-1087 you prefer. If you choose to type things in, you need to commit things by pressing ENTER (scrolling on the other hand requires no pressing of Enter). “ProgramName” will, initially, be the name of the Program you began editing (you can rename things later if desired).

  16. Press SAVE again to finalize your choice.
  17. Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    1024*ProgramName
    

    The system adds an asterisk (*) in between the ID and program name as a visual cue that this is a USER-saved object.

To then later retrieve any custom saved Program, press the USER bank button, then either scroll through your selections and/or use the KEYPAD button to input specific ID’s.

Question:
How can I customize the name of a user Program or Setup?

Answer:

To rename any given Program or Setup:

  1. Select the desired Program/Setup to rename.

    Ex: (here we are renaming User Program #1024):

    Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
    1024*Pro Piano
  2. Press SAVE – on screen you will see something like:
    Save Prog over: 1/2 
    1024 Pro Piano
    
  3. Press the Chan/Param UP (∧) button and you will see:
    Rename Prog as: 2/2 
    Pro Piano
    
  4. Use the secondary alphanumeric functions of the Category buttons to edit the current name as needed. In our example here we have renamed our program “My Piano”.
    Rename Prog as: 2/2 
    My Piano
    

    Button Notes:

    Button Function
    Previous(-) Next(+) move the cursor left and right
    +/- toggles upper/lower case
    Space erases the current character
    Insert adds a blank character space, shifting all the characters to the right one space to the right
    Delete removes a character space, shifting all the characters to the right one space to the left
  5. When done inputting the new name, press SAVE again to commit.

Notes:

Names can total up to 16 characters in length.

Names that are longer than 15 characters in length cause the ID number and name to scroll marquee-style in the display.

Question:
I am using my SP5-8 with a DAW or external controller and need to understand what combination of MIDI Bank and Program change messages to send to it to call up the sounds I need.

Answer:

Here is what the Kurzweil needs to receive when selecting programs via MIDI:

  1. MIDI Bank message

    By default*, the SP5 uses MIDI Bank message cc#32 (aka Bank LSB) value = 0-127, to send/receive bank info.

    *(BankSel: 0/32 – set in the Global menu)

  2. MIDI Program Change message

    Following the Bank message, a standard Program Change is used value= 0-127 to select the desired program from within the designated bank.

The table below shows the MIDI Bank (column 1) and Program Change (column 2) values needed to select any given Kurzweil Program (column 3) via MIDI. Note all banks are 128 entries deep:

Values Sent To Kurzweil Kurzweil Program Selected
MIDI Bank #
(cc#32 value)
Program Change ID Range
0 0-127 0-127
1 0-127 128-255
2 0-127 256-383
3 0-127 384-511
4 0-127 512-639
5 0-127 640-767
6 0-127 768-895
7 0-127 896-1023
8 0-127 1024-1151
etc

Examples:

Ex 1: You want to call up #465 Solo Tuba:

From your DAW (or alternate controller), you send:

MIDI Bank (cc32) = 3
*Program Change = 81

*Note: 465 – (3×128) = 81

(i.e. Program #465 is the 81st program in Bank 3)

Ex. 2:You want to call up #898 HotTubeGospel:

From your DAW (or alternate controller), you send:

MIDI Bank (cc32) = 7
*Program Change = 2

*Note: 898 – (7×128) = 2

(i.e. Program #896 is the 2nd program in Bank 7)

Program Mode

Question:
How can I adjust the velocity response (sensitivity) of the keys to suit my taste?

Answer:

Adjusting the Velocity Map (VMap) allows you to globally customize the sensitivity of the piano keys’ response to your preferred playing style. There are 10 different settings (maps) to choose from:

  • Linear (default setting)
  • Light 1
  • Light 2
  • Light 3
  • Hard 1
  • Hard 2
  • Hard 3
  • Piano Touch
  • Easy Touch
  • GM Receive

Please see pg. 9-3 in the SP4 Musician’s Guide for a description of each. Ultimately, trying out each will be the best method to determine your favorite.


Steps to Select a Different VMap:

  1. Press GLOBAL, then the Chan/Param Up (∧) arrow button until you see:VMap:Linear
  2. Press either the Previous(-) OR Next(+) to scroll (backwards or forwards respectively) through the above list of choices. The selection takes effect immediately upon selection.For example here we selected the “Piano Touch” map:VMap:PianoTouch
  3. Press PROGRAM or SETUP to exit the Global mode.

Note: This setting change will be remembered across power cycles.

Question:
On the SP4, what MIDI Continuous Controllers (CC) are used to remotely control the KB3 parameters?

Answer:

Via the SP4 MIDI IN (or USB-MIDI*) you can access the full compliment of KB3 program parameters to enhance your real-time performance as well as sonic tweaking.

(*Note: the SP4 Type B USB port does not provide bus power.)

TIP: tweaked programs can be saved to user memory simply by pressing Save, selecting a desired User Bank location, then pressing Save again.

The table below details the 23 accessible KB3 parameters and their associated MIDI CC numbers.


Kurzweil SP4 KB3 MIDI Implementation List

KB3 Parameter MIDI CC#
Drawbar 1 14
Drawbar 2 15
Drawbar 3 16
Drawbar 4 17
Drawbar 5 28
Drawbar 6 19
Drawbar 7 20
Drawbar 8 21
Drawbar 9 22
Swell Pedal 11
Distortion Drive 1
Aux FX Wet/Dry 18
Leak Level 24
Rotary Fast/Slow 64 (or 80)
Rotary Brake 81
Chorus/Vibrato On/Off 82**
Chorus/Vibrato Select 83
Chorus/Vibrato Depth 85
Percussion On/Off 86
Percussion Level 87
Percussion Decay 88
Percussion Pitch 89
KeyClick On/Off 90

Download a PDF of the above table for portable reference.


Notes:

  • ** “Farfisa” and “Doors Vox” programs use cc#29 to enable/disable the Chorus/Vibrato.
  • The original “Organ” Sound Bank file (SP4ORG01) posted online has been updated/replaced by SP4ORG01b, addressing a problem where the controllers for drawbar 5 and the Aux FX were swapped. Be sure to

    Question:
    How can I delete and/or move individual Programs/Setups in the SP4 user memory?

    Answer:

    Deleting Programs & Setups

    IMPORTANT: First be sure you are running v2.00 or better of the SP4 OS as a specific Delete function was added in OS v2.

    To DELETE an individual Program/Setup:

    1. Select the Program/Setup to delete128 MyStrings
    2. Press SAVE
    3. Press Chan/Param up TWICE – you will see “Delete ###?”Delete 128 ?
    4. Press the NEXT/+ button to commit128 Empty
    5. Repeat as needed

    For details, please see “The Save Button” on pg. 2 of the new V2 Addendum manual (included in the V2 update download kit and posted online here)


    Moving Programs & Setups

    The SP4 does not permit true moving of objects but similar can be achieved by simply copying (saving) a desired Program/Setup to a new location* and deleting the original.

    *CAUTION: when saving a Program/Setup to a new location you will overwrite any current occupant at the destination location (if applicable) so be sure of our choice before committing.

    To MOVE an individual Program/Setup:

      1. Select the Program/Setup to move128 MyStrings
      2. Press SAVE – you will see the scrolling message:Save as:128 MyStrings
      3. Using the +/- or Sound Select buttons, select the desired NEW ID# location to Save to:Save as:156 MyStrings Here we have chosen to save Program #128 to location #156.
      4. Press SAVE again to execute – you will see:156 MyStrings
      5. Go back to the original Program/Setup location and delete the now unwanted copy (following the steps above under “Deleting Programs & Setups”)
    1. Repeat as needed

Question:
All of the factory KB3 Tonewheel organs use the switch pedal for leslie rotor speed. Can I change this to traditional sustain functionality?

Answer:

The behavior of the switch pedal is hard-coded into the programs themselves. Simpler in design, the SP4 user-interface does not permit editing of these program/controller functions directly.

As such, an alternate set of these KB3 programs, with the sustain pedal already enabled for traditional sustain functionality, was created and is available for loading into user memory. The file “KB3 w/ Sustain” is available on the SP4 Downloads page (under Sound Banks).

Select your SP4 model:

Question:
Where can I obtain a list of the factory preset Programs & Setups for the SP4-8?

Answer:

Under the

Question:
I have heard the SP4 can load additional programs. Where can I obtain these?

Answer:

There are quite a few sources:

Sound Banks:

First know that we have already posted a good amount of free categorized “Sound Bank” selections online – see the link below for you specific model; look under “Free Sound Banks”:

  • SPS4-8
  • KSetList (a forum hosted by one of our own engineers) the entire PC3LE library is made available, in a one-program-per-file format, to make it easy to locate whatever individual sounds you may be after.

SoundTower

Also worthy of note, SoundTower (3rd party Desktop Editor developer) offers a full desktop editing software package for the SP4 which will allow you to not only edit things to great degree beyond the native UI also but port in all sorts of PC3 based content much more easily.

Community

Beyond all this too, realize the big deal about the SP4 is that it can load most sounds saved off of a PC3, PC3LE or PC3K (exception no RAM samples), so if you are looking for particular content not immediately available, including custom sounds from other users, you may want to get involved with some of the online communities where lots of sharing as well as commercial opportunities exist. See the list of “User Forum/Resources” listed on our Community page for specific links.

Note: there are specific details in the SP4 V2 Addendum Manual (available at the same model-download links mentioned above), starting on pg.5 discussing the transfer of PC3 objects into the SP4.

Question:
I would like to create a dual-manual B3 setup but am having difficulty calling up the 2nd B3 program. How does this work?

Answer:

In short, this cannot be done (with the SP4 alone- details below). KB3 organs are special in that they use an entirely different technology to generate sound – as such you can only play ONE KB3 organ at a time (i.e. B3 organs, #24-29 and those downloadable off our site). If you attempt to select more than one at the same time (i.e. splits/layers), the selection will not load (you will hear a basic piano selected on that channel in its place).

A few basic guidelines to keep in mind regarding KB3 preset use in multitimbral scenarios:

  • Only 1 KB3 program can be used at a time
  • When used in a Setup (split/layer combination) KB3 Programs should be used on zone 1/channel 1
  • KB3 programs consume a lot of polyphony, so are best used solo or in simpler combinations like a bass/organ split.
  • KB3 programs consume a lot of FX DSP so when used in combination with other sounds, they can often rob the other programs of their FX.

With the above in mind, any application requiring more than one B3 style organ would mean employing some sort of external sound source (2nd keyboard, module, VI) to handle the duties of the secondary organ.

With an external MIDI sound source connected to the SP4 MIDI OUT, such a Setup on the SP4 could look like:

Zone 1 – plays an internal SP4 KB3 sound

Local Prog:24*
*any KB3 selection of your choice

Channel:1

Dest:Local

Zone 2 (or 3 or 4) – plays an external B3 sound on an external MIDI device

Channel:2* *or other unused channel

Dest:MIDI

Adding on to the above, per zone, you could independently:

  • alter the key range (LoKey and HiKey)
  • use Bank/ProgChg messages to automate the selection external sounds (MIDI Bank and Prog)
  • transpose a zone (Xpose)
  • set the volume and pan (EntryVol and Pan)
  • etc.

Be sure to see chpt. 8 in the SP4 Musician’s Guide for details on Setup editing.

Question:
When I power up my SP4, Program Mode seems broken; the keys are transposed, the keyboard is split, various physical controllers do not work, etc.

Answer:

The most likely cause for this is you have inadvertently edited or overwritten factory Setup #126 Internal Voices:
(In Setup Mode – Bank: User / Group: H / Sound Select: G)

126 Internal Voi

Fortunately no harm done. Setup #126 though is “special” and should generally be left unedited.

Setup #126 (aka the Control Setup) governs what controller assignments, keyrange, transpositions etc apply globally to Program mode. In fact, you can think of Program mode as a special 1-zone Setup. Something has to define for Program mode what all the pedals, knobs, keys etc do. That is Setup 126’s job. In altering it in any way, you tamper with the default behavior in Program mode.

For some advanced applications, one might purposefully edit Setup 126 to achieve certain global functions in Program mode. However for most users it should be left as-is. If accidentally altered, simply deleting it is the solution. Details below on how to Delete individual Objects can be learned about here.

Question:
I am using the SP4 with a DAW or external controller and need to understand what combination of MIDI Bank and Program change messages to send to the SP4 to call up the sounds I need.

Answer:
All references to the “SP4” apply equally to both the SP4-8, SP4-7, SP76II and SPS4-8.

Here is what the SP4 needs to receive when using Bank and Program changes to select programs via MIDI:

    1. by default*, the SP4 uses MIDI Bank message cc#32 (aka Bank LSB) value = 0-127, to send/receive bank info.*(BankSelect: 0/32 – as set in the Global menu)

 

  1. following the Bank message, a standard Program Change is used value= 0-127 to select the desired program from within the designated bank.

The table below shows the MIDI Bank (column 1) and Program Change (column 2) values needed to select any given SP4 Program (column 4) via MIDI. Note all MIDI banks are 128 entries deep:

Values Sent To SP4 SP4 Program Selected
MIDI Bank #
(cc#32 value)
Program Change SP4 Bank ID Range
(screen #)
0 0-63 Bank 1 0-63
0 64-127 Bank 2 64-127
1 0-63 User 128-191

Examples:

Ex.1: You want program “99 Comp’d Phaser” (from Bank 2) to be called up on ch 1:

From your DAW (or alternate controller), on ch. 1 you send:

MIDI Bank (cc32) = 0
Program Change = 99

Ex. 2:You want to call up a Program you have loaded in User Bank, ID#190, on ch 3:

From your DAW (or alternate controller), on ch. 3 you send:

MIDI Bank (cc32) = 1
Program Change = *62

*Note: 190 – 128 = 62

(i.e. Program #190 is the 62nd program in MIDI Bank 1)

Troubleshooting

Question:
How can I restore my SP5 to its factory defaults?

Answer:

Caution: Hard resetting will erase all user memory ! Need be, back up any custom programming before proceeding (please see pg. 9-7 of the SP5-8 Musician’s Guide for details on using the “Save All” feature.

There are two methods for performing a hard reset on an SP5 Series keyboard:

Global Mode Method: (with the SP5 powered up in normal operating modes)

  1. Press GLOBAL, then the Chan/Param Down button until you see:
    Global         26/30
    Hard Reset ?        
    

  2. Press Next/+, you’ll see:
    Global         26/30
    Confirm ?        
    

  3. Press Next/+ again – briefly you will see:
    Global         26/30
    Resetting...        
    

    The SP5 will then reboot and be completely reset back to factory defaults.


System Mode Method: (useful if you are unable to perform the Global mode method)

  1. Power the SP5 OFF and disconnect any USB connections.
  2. Press/Hold the SHIFT button while you turn the SP5 ON.
  3. Release the SHIFT button once you see the scrolling title screen:
    SP5_8 System Mode   
    Version  vX.XX

    You will then see:

    SYSTEM MODE      1/5
    Run SP5_8        
    

  4. Press Chan / Param UP or DOWN until you see:
    SYSTEM MODE      4/5
    System Reset        
    

  5. Press Next/+ once. The SP5 will display:
    System Reset        
    Delete all user objects?

  6. Press Next/+ again. The SP5 will display:
    System Reset        
    Please wait...
    

    …followed by:

    System Reset        
    Done
    

  7. Power the unit off, and back on again normally.
  8. The SP5 will then reboot and be completely reset back to factory defaults.

Question:
I am having difficulties getting my Windows PC running Vista/Win7/8 to output MIDI to my Kurzweil via USB. Do I need to install a driver?

Answer:

No. The current line of Kurzweil products have a standard class-compliant USB-MIDI implementation. They do not require the installation of any additional drivers.

Some background to be aware of:

Microsoft has been steadily REMOVING MIDI FEATURES from Windows since Vista. In Windows XP, Microsoft provided a MIDI Mapper control panel which allowed end users to select a MIDI output device. Since Vista this has not been available. As such, certain apps (like Windows Media Player – WMP) can no longer play MIDI songs triggering external MIDI devices because WMP is only routed to the internal Microsoft GS Synthesizer.

This means the MIDI app you choose to use must natively offer its own built-in MIDI mapping abilities OR you could possibly install a 3rd party MIDI mapper whose purpose is to replace the MIDI routing abilities removed from Windows. Fortunately,
these days, most commercial MIDI software products for PC, such as Cubase or Cakewalk, have a configuration screen which includes the MIDI device mapping necessary to route to an external MIDI device.

Effects

Question:
How can I choose a new Aux FX chain for my Setup and adjust the send levels per zone?

Answer:

The SP5 offers one global Aux FX per Setup with individually adjustable Send Levels per zone.

The Aux FX used in a given Setup is determined by the:

The amount of chosen Aux FX heard in each zone is determined by the:


Aux Effect Channel

When the “Aux Effect Override” parameter (see below) is set to “0 None”, the Aux Effect Channel parameter specifies which Program’s built-in Aux FX Chain will be used as the one Aux FX Chain for the entire Setup. For ex, if the Aux Effect Channel parameter is set to Ch1, then the built-in Aux FX associated with whatever program is on channel 1 of your Setup will be what gets used for all zones of the setup.

You can set the Aux Effect Channel to any of the MIDI channels currently in use within the Setup. By default, the Aux Effect Channel is set to channel 1 in the factory Setups.

Here’s how to change the the Aux Effect Channel:

  1. With the desired Setup selected, press [Edit Setup].
  2. Press the [Chan/Param] button DOWN twice. You will see “AuxFXCh” (Common parameter 2):
    EditSetup Comm  2/3
    AuxFXCh:1
  3. Use the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons, data wheel and/or alphanumeric keypad to choose the desired MIDI channel.

    For ex. here we have chosen channel 2. As such, the Aux FX built-in to the program on channel 2 will be what is used for all zones of this Setup.

    EditSetup Comm  2/3
    AuxFXCh:2
  4. Press [SAVE] to store your changes.

Aux Effect Override

Instead of using the Aux FX of one of the existing Programs in your Setup (Aux Effect Channel, above), the Aux FX Chain for your setup can also be manually selected choosing from amongst hundreds of built-in FX combinations (for a complete list of FX Chains, download the “

  • With the desired Setup selected, press [Edit Setup].
  • Press the [Chan/Param] button DOWN three times. You will see “AuxFX”:
    EditSetup Comm  1/3
    AuxFX:0 None
  • Set to ‘0 None’ by default, this indicates no manual selection has been made and currently the Aux FX being heard are those as set by the AuxFXCh selection (above).

  • Use the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons, data wheel and/or alphanumeric keypad to select a new FX Chain for this Setup.

    For ex. here we have chosen FX Chain “5 Small Hall”. As such, “5 Small Hall” will be the FX Chain used in this Setup.

    EditSetup Comm  1/3
    AuxFX:5 Small Hall
  • Press [SAVE] to store your changes.

  • Aux Send Levels

    Once you have determined what FX Chain is to be used for your Setup, adjusting the Aux Send Levels is the final step. This allows you to determine how much of the chosen effect (wet/dry) will get applied to each zone.

    Here’s how to set the Aux Send Level per zone:

    1. With the desired Setup selected, press [Edit Setup].
    2. Press the [Chan/Param] button UP until you see “AuxSendLvl” (parameter 9):
      EditSetup Zn:1  9/89
      AuxSendLvl:Prog

    3. Choose the zone you wish to adjust (1-4): press+hold ENTER while pressing the corresponding Zone button (above Sliders).

      For ex. here we have chosen Zone 3.

      EditSetup Zn:3  9/89
      AuxSendLvl:Prog

      Note: by default the AuxSendLvl may be set to “Prog” (program). This means the current zone is using the preset default FX levels as set within the given Program.

    4. Use the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons, data wheel and/or alphanumeric keypad, to change the Aux Send Level to any desired amount (range = 0-127). Remember this is the send level for just this current zone:

      For ex. here we have chosen “75”.

      EditSetup Zn:3  9/89
      AuxSendLvl:75
    5. Go back and repeat steps 3 and 4 until all zones are set as desired.
    6. Press [SAVE] to store your changes.

    MIDI Controllers

    Question:
    What pedals can I use with my Kurzweil instrument?

    Answer:

    Switch Pedals

    A foot switch pedal from any manufacturer is compatible with our keyboards. Japanese pedals are wired in reverse polarity from American pedals. But all our products check the pedal polarity on power up and reverse themselves if needed, so as long as the pedal is plugged in before you turn on the unit, any pedal will work (be certain to not step on the pedal during power up as this can interfere with the auto-calibration).

    In addition, some keyboards use mono jacks for each switch pedal input, whereas other keyboards use a single stereo jack for two pedals.

    The PC3 Series, K2 Series, K1 series, PC2 Series, SP2 Series, SP5, PC88, and KME61 use mono jacks for each pedal. The standard single pedal available from Kurzweil is the KP-1.

    The SP4, SPS4-8, PC1, SP3X, SP76/88 Series, Rumour/Mangler, Mark ProOneiS, Mark ProTwoiS, RG Series, and Troubador use a single stereo jack for dual pedal units (not sold by Kurzweil). It is still possible to plug a single, mono plug pedal into these units but you will only have access to one of the pedals. If the pedal is plugged in all the way, it will be the Left pedal, and if the plug is pulled out slightly, it will be the right pedal. A stereo (M) to dual-mono (F) “Y” adapter can also be employed to permit the use of two, single pedals.


    Continuous Controller Pedals

    Our keyboards require a pedal with a TRS 1/4″ connector and 10k linear potentiometer. Most manufacturers EXCEPT Yamaha and Korg make pedals with the same specifications and should work. Yamaha and Korg pedals typically use an exponential potentiometer and therefore will not work correctly. The CC-1 pedal is available from Kurzweil. You can order a pedal through your local Kurzweil dealer.

    CC-1 Wiring Spec

    The Control Pedal must be wired to a single stereo (TRS) 1/4″ plug as follows:

    • Wiper to tip connection of 1/4″ plug
    • Top end of resistance element to Ring connection
    • Bottom end of resistance to Sleeve connection

    CCpedal_Wiring.gif

    Question:
    On the SP5, what MIDI Continuous Controllers (CC) are used to remotely control the various parameters?

    Answer:

    With any programmable external MIDI controller connected to the SP5 MIDI IN (or USB MIDI) you can access the various program parameters to enhance your real-time performance as well as sonic tweaking.

    TIP: tweaked programs can be saved to user memory simply by pressing Save, selecting a desired User Bank location, then pressing Save again.

    The table below details the parameters and their associated MIDI CC numbers (note KB3 programs offer additional specialized controls).


    Kurzweil SP5 Default MIDI CC List

    Physical Controller KB3 Parameter MIDI CC#
    Wheels/Keys/Buttons
    PitchWheel Pitch Bend Pitch Bend
    ModWheel Distortion Drive 1
    Pressure monopressure
    Sw button Rotary Fast/Slow 80

    Sliders

    Slider 1/A Drawbar 1 14
    Slider 1/B Drawbar 2 15
    Slider 1/C Drawbar 3 16
    Slider 1/D Drawbar 4 17
    Slider 1/E (reverb wet/dry) Drawbar 5 18
    Slider 2/A Drawbar 6 19
    Slider 2/B Drawbar 7 20
    Slider 2/C Drawbar 8 21
    Slider 2/D Drawbar 9 22
    Slider 2/E Swell 23
    Slider 3/A Leak Level 24
    Slider 3/B 25
    Slider 3/C 26
    Slider 3/D (hi freq damp) (hi freq damp) 27
    Slider 3/E (reverb time) (reverb wet/dry) 28
    Pedals
    SW Pedal 1 (sustain) Rotary Fast/Slow 64
    SW Pedal 2 (sostenuto) 66
    CC Pedal (expression) Swell Pedal 11

    MIDI Only

    Rotary Brake 81
    Chorus/Vibrato On/Off 82**
    Chorus/Vibrato Select 83
    Chorus/Vibrato Depth 85
    Percussion On/Off 86
    Percussion Level 87
    Percussion Decay 88
    Percussion Pitch 89
    KeyClick On/Off 90

    Notes:

    • ** “Farfisa” and “Doors Vox” programs use cc#29 to enable/disable the Chorus/Vibrato.

    Setup Mode

    Question:
    How can I adjust the velocity response (sensitivity) of the keys to suit my taste?

    Answer:

    Adjusting the Velocity Map allows you to globally customize the sensitivity of the piano keys’ response to your preferred playing style. There are 10 different settings (maps) to choose from:

    • Linear (default setting)
    • Light 1
    • Light 2
    • Light 3
    • Hard 1
    • Hard 2
    • Hard 3
    • Piano Touch
    • Easy Touch
    • GM Receive

    Please see pg. 9-2 in the SP5 Musician’s Guide for a description of each. Ultimately, trying out each will be the best method to determine your favorite.


    Steps to Select a Different VMap:

    1. Press GLOBAL, then the Chan/Param Up (∧) arrow button until you see:
      Global          2/30
      VelocityMap:Linear
    2. Press either the Previous(-) OR Next(+) to scroll (backwards or forwards respectively) through the above list of choices. The selection takes effect immediately upon selection.

      For example here we selected the “Piano Touch” map:

      Global          2/30
      VelocityMap:PianoTouch
    3. Press PROGRAM or SETUP to exit the Global mode.

    Note: This setting change will be remembered across power cycles.

    Question:
    How can I create a basic keyboard split and/or layer?

    Answer:

    The SP5 Setup mode is the ideal place to construct performance splits and layers. Each Setup permits the combination of up to 4 unique program zones. Setups can be built completely from scratch from within Setup mode itself or, for a faster start, using the dedicated front-panel “Split” and “Layer” buttons which simplify the process.

    (complete parameter details can be found in Chpt. 7 & 8 of the User Manual).

    Here is the basic flow for the creation of Setups starting with the “Split” and “Layer” functions:

    1. From Program mode, select the initial sound you wish to start with – for ex below we have selected a piano program:
      Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
      1 Pro Piano
    2. Press either the “Split” or “Layer” front-panel button and you will see default selections, something like:
      If creating a Split (left-hand sound): OR If creating a Layer:
      Split            1/4
      Prog:236 Motown Bass
      Layer            1/3
      Prog:634 Add a Pad 2
    3. Using the data wheel, category/keypad and/or [previous/-] [next/+] buttons, select the desired sound for the left split or layer.
    4. At this point you can simply skip ahead to step 5 and save this Setup combination as-is -OR- before saving you could also:

      Adjust the volume balance between zones:

      Press the Chan/Param button up (∧) once. You will see “Vol:0”.
      This parameter is a balance between the two zones. Use the data wheel or [previous/-] [next/+] buttons to adjust. A value of “0” means equal volume. Negative settings lower the split/layer level. Positive values lower the primary zone. Pressing the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons together resets the value back to “0”.

      Split OR Layer
      Split            2/4
      Vol:0
      Layer            2/3
      Vol:0

      Alter the Split point (if a Split zone):

      Press the Chan/Param button up (∧) again. You will see “Key:B3” (the default split point). You can use the data wheel or [previous/-] [next/+] buttons to adjust OR press and hold the ENTER button while striking the desired piano note. Pressing the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons together resets the value back to “B3”.

      Split
      Split            3/4
      Key:B3

      Transpose the Split/Layer zone octave:

      Press the Chan/Param button up (∧) again. You will see “Transpose:0”. Use the data wheel or [previous/-] [next/+] buttons to adjust the octave (+/- 12, 24 ST). Pressing the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons together resets the value back to “0”.

      Split OR Layer
      Split            4/4
      Transpose:0
      Layer            3/3
      Transpose:0
    5. Press SAVE, you will see something like:
      Save Setup over: 1/2
      1024 Pro Piano

      Note: the ID chosen here (1024 in our example) is the first empty User Setup ID the system finds. Using the data wheel, [previous/-] [next/+] buttons or numeric keypad, you can change this destination to any of the available 64 User Setup IDs (1024-1087) as needed. The initial name used here is derived from the primary zone selection but can be edited (see below).

    6. Press Chan/Param button once up (∧) to rename this Setup:
      Rename Setup as: 2/2
      My Setup

      Use the alphanumeric buttons and/or data wheel to enter letters/numbers; use [previous/-] [next/+] buttons to advance the cursor. Here we simply renamed the setup “My Setup”.

    7. Press SAVE button again when done. The Setup, as named, will be stored to User memory.
      Setup Xpose:0       
      1024*My Setup

      Note the asterisk (∗) between the ID# and Setup name. This is a handy reminder that this is a user-created setup (vs a built-in factory preset).

    To recall this Setup for use, press Setup (if not already in Setup mode) and use the data wheel, numeric keypad or [previous/-] [next/+] buttons to call up the ID chosen in step 5. This setup can, of course, also be saved as a Favorite
    for even faster recall.


    Power User Tips:

    Once you have built your basic Setup, you may want to refine it further by editing the Setup directly. Any edits made that you wish to keep need to be SAVED when done (see step 7 above).

    • Selecting the desired zone to edit:

      – in Edit Setup, press and hold the Select/Enter button along with the corresponding Zone button (1-4) to select it for editing. In the top center of the display, you can see which zone is currently selected. In our example below, Zone 2 (Zn:2) was chosen:

      EditSetup Zn:2  1/89
      Local Prog:106 E_Bass
    • Selecting the desired parameter to edit:

      – in Edit Setup, take note of the pair of numbers in the upper right hand corner (XX/89) where “XX”= the current, on screen parameter number and “89” equals the total number of individual zone parameters available. The SP5 offers a total of 89 per-zone parameters. You can flip through the various parameter “pages” using the Chan/Param up(∧) and down(∨) buttons located to the right of the display. A complete list of all of the available Setup editing parameters can be found in the SP5 Musician’s Guide starting on pg. 8-3.

      In our example below, on Zone 2, we have selected the MIDI “Channel” (parameter 2) for editing and changed it to channel 7:

      EditSetup Zn:2  2/89
      Channel:7

      TIP: Pressing the Chan / Param Up (∧) and Chan / Param Down (∨) buttons simultaneously jumps parameters to specific jump points in the list, making navigation faster. The jump points are: Local Program, Transpose, Low Key, ModWheel Destination, Slider1 Destination, Slider6 Destination, Slider11 Destination, Foot Switch Destination, Aux Effect Override (Common).

    • To create more setups in this same vein (templates):

      – in Edit Setup, select the desired zone to edit.

      – select Local Program (“Local Prog”, parameter 1)

      – select a new program for the selected zone – for ex. below we selected program #236 Motown Bass for Zone 2:

      EditSetup Zn:2  1/89
      Local Prog:236 Motown Bass

      – repeat for additional zones as needed.

      – re-save to a NEW ID location, effectively making a copy with just the new sound selection(s) made but maintaining all the other established parameter settings (split points, sliders, pedals, etc).

    • Transpose a Zone:

      – in Edit Setup, select the zone to transpose.

      – select the Transpose (“Xpose”) parameter (parameter 10).

      – using the data wheel, [previous/-] [next/+] buttons or numeric entry, set as needed (in semitones) – for ex. below we transposed Zone 2 down, 3 semitones:

      EditSetup Zn:2 10/89
      Xpose:-3ST
    • Disabling the sustain pedal for left-hand bass:

      In most split-bass layouts, you would typically want to disable the sustain pedal in the bass zone so that use of the sustain pedal only affects your right-hand parts (by default, the pedal is active in all zones):

      – in Edit Setup, select the ‘bass’ zone (in our example below that is zone 2).

      – select* the “FtSw: Dest” parameter (parameter 73). You will see “FtSw:Dest: Sustain”:

      EditSetup Zn:2 73/89
      FtSw:Dest:Sustain

      – using the data wheel and/or [previous/-] [next/+] buttons, set this to read “None”.

      EditSetup Zn:2 73/89
      FtSw:Dest:None

      *TIP: instead of scrolling one parameter at a time, use Intuitive Entry to select the desired controller – press + hold the ENTER button and then, at the same time, briefly activate/move the controller in question. This immediately pulls up that controller on screen, ready for editing.

    • KB3 Programs in Setup Mode:

      Unlike all other programs in the SP5, only ONE KB3 program can be used at a time and it can only be used on the designated KB3 Channel. The default KB3Channel is “1” but can be changed to any (1-16) as needed:

      EditSetup Comm   3/3
      KB3Channel:1

      The KB3Channel parameter is one of 3 ‘common’ editing parameters (those that apply to all zones) found in the Setup editor. The fastest way to access the Common (“Comm”) parameters to to start in Zone 1 and press the Chan/Param (∨) down button to scroll backwards through the list of editing parameters.

    • If incorporating external MIDI devices:

      – in Edit Setup, select the desired zone to edit.

      – select the Destination parameter (“Dest” – parameter 3):

      EditSetup Zn:1  3/89
      Dest:Local+MIDI

      – using the data wheel and/or [previous/-] [next/+] buttons set the “Destination” for each zone to either:

      ‘LOCAL’ (for playing internal SP5 sounds):

      EditSetup Zn:1  3/89
      Dest:Local

      or ‘MIDI’ (for triggering external units):

      EditSetup Zn:1  3/89
      Dest:MIDI

      – repeat for each zone in use.

      – for external MIDI-only zones, you may also want to set “BankMode” (parameter 6), “MIDI Bank” (parameter 4) and “MIDI Prog” (parameter 5) as needed to select the desired sound from the slaved unit.

    • Setting Zone Volumes:

      To set a static volume for a given zone,

      – in Edit Setup, select the desired zone to edit.

      – select the “EntryVol” parameter (parameter 12).

      – set as desired (range 0-127):

      EditSetup Zn:1 12/89
      EntryVol:127

      – repeat for each zone as needed.

    • Use a physical controller (Slider, CCPedal, etc) as a real-time zone volume control:

      As an addition to the static volume setting detailed above, you can assign a Slider or CC Pedal to act as real-time volume control in select zones.

      – in Edit Setup, select the desired zone to edit.

      – select* the desired controller to use as as volume control – in our example below we employ Slider 1:

      EditSetup Zn:1 24/89
      Slider1:Dest:None

      *TIP: instead of scrolling one parameter at a time, use Intuitive Entry to select the desired controller – press + hold the ENTER button and then, at the same time, briefly activate/move the controller in question. This immediately pulls up that controller on screen, ready for editing.

      – set the “Dest” (Destination) to “Volume” (cc#7):

      EditSetup Zn:1 24/89
      Slider1:Dest:Volume

      Be aware this is just for the current zone and thus will only control the level for the current zone – repeat similar steps for any additional zones as needed. Note too, if you choose to assign the SAME controller to volume in more than one zone, that one controller will control both zones simultaneously, in parallel.

      – (optional, but important) – it is recommended setting the “Exit Value” for your chosen controller to “127” to assure full MIDI volume is restored on this channel when navigating away from this Setup (and thus avoid unexpected moments of silence or greatly differing levels). Navigate up from the given controller’s “Dest” page, select the ExitValue parameter and set to “127” – example below:

      EditSetup Zn:1 26/89
      Slider1:Exit:127

    Question:
    How can I organize my favorite Setup selections?

    Answer:

    There are a few ways to corral ones favorite Setups.

    Choosing Setup Favorites

    Much like car radio station presets, the SP5 lets you store a favorite Setup to each of the 20 Instrument Category buttons (Piano – Misc).

    1. While in Setup Mode, choose the a Setup you wish to set as a favorite.
    2. Press and hold a given Category button for a few seconds to capture the current Setup to that button location. You will see the following pop-up message in the display confirming it was set as the Category favorite:
    3. Setup Xpose:0       
      Favorite saved
      
    4. To later recall the selected Setup, simply press the corresponding Category button (be sure KEYPAD is off).

    Creating a Sequential List of Favorite Setups

    (starting in Setup mode)

    1. Using whatever selection method you like choose the first Setup you wish to copy to the User Setup bank.
    2. Press SAVE.
    3. On screen the SP5 will suggest the first empty User location (ID) it finds to save “to” (the range of available User IDs is 1024-1087). “SetupName” will be the name of the Setup you are copying (saving).
    4. Save Setup over: 1/2
      1024 "SetupName"
      

      You can accept the suggestion OR manually type in, or scroll to, any ID # from 1024-1087 you prefer. If you choose to type things in, you need to commit things by pressing ENTER (scrolling on the other hand requires no pressing of Enter).

    5. Press SAVE again to finalize your choice.
    6. Setup Xpose:0       
      1024*SetupName
      

      Note: the asterisk (*) is an additional visual cue that this is a USER-saved object.

    7. Go back to step 1 and repeat as many times as needed – up to 64 entries max (manual ref. pg. 7-8)

    To navigate your favorites later, in Setup mode simply press USER (aka the “TUV” button) and this will force the display to ONLY show your saved USER bank contents. From there grab the data wheel or use the +/- buttons to move forwards/backwards through the list. One nice feature here is the system will only show you occupied ID entries. In other words let’s say you save a few items that number 1024, 1025, 1027. Notice 1026 is missing. When you scroll this list 1026 is automatically skipped as it is empty.

    ORGANIZATION TIPS:

    -Borrowing on the fact that unoccupied User ID’s are skipped when scrolling, consider leaving a few blank spaces in between selections in your User list. Inevitably you will need to make changes to this list at some point. By leaving a few purposeful ‘blanks’ it makes it easier later to insert a few new selections in between existing ones.

    -If you ever need to Delete a User Setup you can either:

    a) just save a new selection to that same ID. The old one will get replaced.

    b) alternatively, if you just want to erase the location, select it, press KEYPAD, then press DELETE, then Next/+ (manual ref. pg. 7-10).

    -If you ever want to Rename a User Setup – select the Setup in question, press SAVE, then press the Chan/Param UP arrow button. You will see the “Rename Setup” screen where you can then use the alphanumeric keypad entry to type in a new name. Press Save again to commit (manual ref. pg. 7-9).

    Question:
    Where can I obtain a list of the factory preset Programs & Setups for the SP5-8?

    Answer:

    Under the

    Question:
    How can I customize the name of a user Program or Setup?

    Answer:

    To rename any given Program or Setup:

    1. Select the desired Program/Setup to rename.

      Ex: (here we are renaming User Program #1024):

      Prog Xpose:0   Ch:1 
      1024*Pro Piano
    2. Press SAVE – on screen you will see something like:
      Save Prog over: 1/2 
      1024 Pro Piano
      
    3. Press the Chan/Param UP (∧) button and you will see:
      Rename Prog as: 2/2 
      Pro Piano
      
    4. Use the secondary alphanumeric functions of the Category buttons to edit the current name as needed. In our example here we have renamed our program “My Piano”.
      Rename Prog as: 2/2 
      My Piano
      

      Button Notes:

      Button Function
      Previous(-) Next(+) move the cursor left and right
      +/- toggles upper/lower case
      Space erases the current character
      Insert adds a blank character space, shifting all the characters to the right one space to the right
      Delete removes a character space, shifting all the characters to the right one space to the left
    5. When done inputting the new name, press SAVE again to commit.

    Notes:

    Names can total up to 16 characters in length.

    Names that are longer than 15 characters in length cause the ID number and name to scroll marquee-style in the display.

    Question:
    How can I select SP5-8 Setups via MIDI Bank/Program Change?

    Answer:

    Here are the steps:

    1. Press the GLOBAL mode button.
    2. Press the Chan/Param arrow button down until you see parameter 24/30 “LclKbdChan” (Local Keyboard Channel:
      Global         24/30
      LclKbdChan:None
    3. Set the “LclKbdChan” to the MIDI channel you plan to send the Bank/Pchg messages on. This will be the one and only channel that will be used for selecting Setups via MIDI.

      For example, here we chose channel 12.

      Global         24/30
      LclKbdChan:12
    4. Press SETUP to enter Setup mode.

    Once in Setup mode, below is what messages the SP5-8 needs to receive (on the chosen LclKbdChan) in order to select any given Setup:

    1. MIDI Bank message

      By default*, the SP5-8 uses MIDI Bank message cc#32 (aka Bank LSB) value = 0 or 8, to receive bank info.

      *(BankSel: 0/32 – set in the Global menu)

    2. MIDI Program Change message

      Following the Bank message, a standard Program Change is used to select the desired Setup from within the designated bank.

    The table below shows the MIDI Bank (column 1) and Program Change (column 2) values needed to select the designated SP5-8 Setups (column 3). Note all banks are 128 entries deep (even though not all are filled):

    Values Sent To SP5-8 SP5-8 Setup Selected
    MIDI Bank #
    (cc#32)
    Program Change ID Range
    0 0-65 0-65
    0 126 126
    8 0-63 1024-1087

    Note: If you send the SP5-8 a Bank/PChg combination that is either outside of the ranges specified in this table OR if no Setup exists yet at the ID# in question, then it will simply not respond.


    Examples:

    Ex 1: You want to call up Setup #32:

    From your DAW (or alternate controller), on the chosen LclKbdChan (step 3 above) you send:

    MIDI Bank (cc32) = 0
    *Program Change = 32

    Ex 2: You want to call up Setup #1024:

    From your DAW (or alternate controller), you send:

    MIDI Bank (cc32) = 8
    *Program Change = 0

    *Note: 1024-(128×8)= #0.

    (ie Setup #1024 is the 0th Setup in MIDI Bank 8.)

    Ex. 3:You want to call up Setup #1087:

    From your DAW (or alternate controller), you send:

    MIDI Bank (cc32) = 8
    *Program Change = 63

    *Note: 1087 – (128×8) = 63

    (i.e. Setup #1087 is the 63rd Setup in MIDI Bank 8)

    Question:
    How can I choose a new Aux FX chain for my Setup and adjust the send levels per zone?

    Answer:

    The SP5 offers one global Aux FX per Setup with individually adjustable Send Levels per zone.

    The Aux FX used in a given Setup is determined by the:

    The amount of chosen Aux FX heard in each zone is determined by the:


    Aux Effect Channel

    When the “Aux Effect Override” parameter (see below) is set to “0 None”, the Aux Effect Channel parameter specifies which Program’s built-in Aux FX Chain will be used as the one Aux FX Chain for the entire Setup. For ex, if the Aux Effect Channel parameter is set to Ch1, then the built-in Aux FX associated with whatever program is on channel 1 of your Setup will be what gets used for all zones of the setup.

    You can set the Aux Effect Channel to any of the MIDI channels currently in use within the Setup. By default, the Aux Effect Channel is set to channel 1 in the factory Setups.

    Here’s how to change the the Aux Effect Channel:

    1. With the desired Setup selected, press [Edit Setup].
    2. Press the [Chan/Param] button DOWN twice. You will see “AuxFXCh” (Common parameter 2):
      EditSetup Comm  2/3
      AuxFXCh:1
    3. Use the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons, data wheel and/or alphanumeric keypad to choose the desired MIDI channel.

      For ex. here we have chosen channel 2. As such, the Aux FX built-in to the program on channel 2 will be what is used for all zones of this Setup.

      EditSetup Comm  2/3
      AuxFXCh:2
    4. Press [SAVE] to store your changes.

    Aux Effect Override

    Instead of using the Aux FX of one of the existing Programs in your Setup (Aux Effect Channel, above), the Aux FX Chain for your setup can also be manually selected choosing from amongst hundreds of built-in FX combinations (for a complete list of FX Chains, download the “

  • With the desired Setup selected, press [Edit Setup].
  • Press the [Chan/Param] button DOWN three times. You will see “AuxFX”:
    EditSetup Comm  1/3
    AuxFX:0 None
  • Set to ‘0 None’ by default, this indicates no manual selection has been made and currently the Aux FX being heard are those as set by the AuxFXCh selection (above).

  • Use the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons, data wheel and/or alphanumeric keypad to select a new FX Chain for this Setup.

    For ex. here we have chosen FX Chain “5 Small Hall”. As such, “5 Small Hall” will be the FX Chain used in this Setup.

    EditSetup Comm  1/3
    AuxFX:5 Small Hall
  • Press [SAVE] to store your changes.

  • Aux Send Levels

    Once you have determined what FX Chain is to be used for your Setup, adjusting the Aux Send Levels is the final step. This allows you to determine how much of the chosen effect (wet/dry) will get applied to each zone.

    Here’s how to set the Aux Send Level per zone:

    1. With the desired Setup selected, press [Edit Setup].
    2. Press the [Chan/Param] button UP until you see “AuxSendLvl” (parameter 9):
      EditSetup Zn:1  9/89
      AuxSendLvl:Prog

    3. Choose the zone you wish to adjust (1-4): press+hold ENTER while pressing the corresponding Zone button (above Sliders).

      For ex. here we have chosen Zone 3.

      EditSetup Zn:3  9/89
      AuxSendLvl:Prog

      Note: by default the AuxSendLvl may be set to “Prog” (program). This means the current zone is using the preset default FX levels as set within the given Program.

    4. Use the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons, data wheel and/or alphanumeric keypad, to change the Aux Send Level to any desired amount (range = 0-127). Remember this is the send level for just this current zone:

      For ex. here we have chosen “75”.

      EditSetup Zn:3  9/89
      AuxSendLvl:75
    5. Go back and repeat steps 3 and 4 until all zones are set as desired.
    6. Press [SAVE] to store your changes.

    DOWNLOADS

    User Manuals

    SP5 Series Musician’s Guide – 5.2 MB
    Primary owner’s manual (pdf)
    2012-11-21

    SP5 Series Factory Objects List – 185 KB
    Listing of Factory Programs, Setups and FX Chains (.pdf+.xls)
    2012-11-21

    OS Updates

    SP5-8 v2.20 Update – 2.9 MB
    Contains: O/S, Installation Instructions, Release Notes
    2013-02-19

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