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 download and use the current “b” revision file.

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

Answer:

Under the DOWNLOADS Tab on the SP4 Product page (under ‘User Manuals’) you will find a link titled “SP4 Series Factory Objects List”. The download contains both .pdf and .xls files listing all system objects (programs, setups, effects, etc).

Question:
What is the procedure to load additional Sound Banks into the SP4? I am having difficulty loading more than one file at a time.

Answer:

Note: All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SPS4-8 and SP76II models.

IMPORTANT:

 

• Loading of any additional content requires v2.00 of the O/S or better. This tutorial assumes you have v2.00 already installed. Update your SP4-8, SPS4-8 and/or SP4-7 as needed.
• New content always loads into the USER banks; factory objects are NOT affected.
• Although you can load multiple files into the SP4, the load interface only permits loading one file at a time. Each file must be loaded individually using the Load [fill] option

 

 

 

Load “Fill” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin the loading process, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

 

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Load [fill]?” function:Load [fill]?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 screen will display:Press Next for loading
   3. On your computer copy (drag and drop) the desired file to the SP4 temporary removable drive (remember only one file). Wait for it to finish copying.

 

1. 1. **Press Next/+ to initiate the load process. The SP4 screen will display:Loading… When finished loading the SP4 screen will display:File loaded Your computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.
   2. To play the newly loaded content press Program then the “Bank” button to select the User bank.

 

1. Go back to step 2 and repeat as needed for additional loads.

---

**Notes:

• Pressing Previous/- will cancel the load operation and recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue.
• If no file is in the SP4 temporary drive during the load, the display will show the message “Load error”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue pressing Next will retry.
• If the SP4 User bank is full (max 64 program slots), the display will show the message “Load error”.
• If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

---

Video Step-by-Step:

Question:
How do I know if I need to update my SP4 O/S and what are the steps to do so?

Answer:

Note: All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SPS4-8 and SP76II models.

First, to check the O/S version you currently have installed in your SP4:

1. power the unit on
2. press the GLOBAL mode button
3. press the Chan/Param Down (∨) button until you see the current O/S and Object versions displayed (scrolling):OS: 2.10.685 Obj: 2.10.1

You should update if your unit displays an O/S version less than the latest available online:
(SP4-8 Downloads Here, SPS4-8 Downloads Here, SP4-7 Downloads Here)

At the links above, under “O/S Updates”, download the current update package posted. The update is performed via direct USB-to-computer connection. Step-by-step installation instructions and a complete revision history are included within the download. The entire procedure takes only minutes.

In addition, below is a video walk through of the process:

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”:

• SP4-8
• SPS4-8
• SP4-7

Each file link description displays what specific programs are included. A link to the loading instructions are also included within each download file.

KSetList

In addition, on the 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:
How can I save (backup) all my SP4’s user data?

Answer:

Note: All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SPS4-8 and SP76II models.

This tutorial assumes you have v2.00 (or greater) already installed. Update your SP4-8, SPS4-8 and/or SP4-7 (SP76II) as needed.

The SP4 saves user content via direct USB connection to any Mac or PC. The SP4 saves all data from both User Banks (Program and Setup) into one file named “ALLOBJTS.SPX”.

“Save All” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Save All ?” function:Save All ?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 display will show “Press Next for saving”:Press Next for saving
   3. Press Next/+ to initiate the save process. The SP4 screen will display:Saving… When finished saving, the SP4 will display:The file is in the temporary driveYour computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.At which point, COPY** (drag and drop) the resultant “ALLOBJTS.SPX” file out of the SP4 temporary removable drive mounted on your computer to any location on your computer hard drive where you wish to store this file long term.**IMPORTANT: It is critical you copy the “ALLOBJTS.SPX” out of the temporary removable drive onto your computer hard drive *before* you exit the Global menu as the temp drive will be ejected and .SPX file erased when you do.
      
   4. Once the “ALLOBJTS.SPX” has been copied to your computer hard drive, press Program to Exit the Global mode. Your computer will again issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.

1. Using your computer, it is recommended you rename the “ALLOBJTS” portion of the filename to something unique (keep the .SPX extension). As each save the SP4 creates uses the same “ALLOBJTS” filename, this will be useful in keeping your files identifiable and out of conflict.

Notes: Pressing Previous/- will cancel the save operation and recall the “Save All ?” dialogue. If no user objects are in memory when a save is attempted, the display will show the message “Nothing saved”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Save All ?” dialogue pressing Next will retry. If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Save All ?” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

---

Loading a Backup File Back In

This section will detail how to restore (load) a full system backup file (ALLOBJTS.SPX).

Note: restoring a backup will erase all Programs/Setups currently in the User banks, replacing the User banks with the backup file’s contents (factory banks are not affected). Before proceeding, be sure any User Programs/Setups in the SP4 that you wish to keep are already themselves backed up (see procedure above).

(If you just want to add more programs/setups to the user banks, without erasing present contents, use the “Load Fill” option instead.)

Load “Overwrite” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin the loading process, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Load [overwrite]?” function:Load [overwrite]?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 screen will display:Press Next for loading
   3. On your computer copy (drag and drop) the desired .SPX backup file to the SP4 temporary removable drive (only one file can be loaded). Wait for it to finish copying.

1. Press Next/+ to initiate the load process. The SP4 screen will display:Loading… When finished loading the SP4 screen will display:File loaded Your computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.
2. To play the newly loaded content press Program and/or Setup then the “Bank” button to select the User bank. Your computer will again issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.

Notes: Pressing Previous/- will cancel the load operation and recall the “Load (overwrite)” dialogue. If no file is in the SP4 temporary drive during the load, the display will show the message “Load error”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (overwrite)” dialogue pressing Next will retry. If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (overwrite)” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

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. 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)

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:
How can I stop the SP4 from sending out MIDI Bank and Program Changes?

Answer:

1. Press GLOBAL, then the Chan/Param Up (∧) arrow button until you see:ProgChg:On
2. Press either the Previous(-) OR Next(+) to set ProgChg to OFFProgChg:Off
3. Press PROGRAM or SETUP to exit the Global mode.

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

Question:
How can I restore my SP4 to its factory defaults?

Answer:

All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SP76II as well.

Caution: Hard resetting will erase all user memory ! Need be, back up any custom programming before proceeding (please see “Saving User Data (BackUp)” for details.

There are two methods for performing a hard reset on an SP4 Series keyboard:

Global Mode Method: (with the SP4 powered up in normal operating modes)

1. press GLOBAL, then the Chan/Param Down button until you see:Hard Reset ?
2. press Next/+, you’ll see:Confirm ?
3. press Next/+ again – you will see:Loading… …as the SP4 reboots and following, will be completely reset.

---

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

1. 1. Power the SP4 OFF.
   2. Press/Hold the SHIFT button while you turn the SP4 ON.
   3. Release the SHIFT button once you see the scrolling title screen:SP4 bootloader vX.XXYou will then see:Run SP4
   4. Press Chan / Param UP until you see:System Reset
   5. Press Next/+ once. The SP4 will display:Delete User Objects?
   6. Press Next/+ again. The SP4 will display:Resetting… followed by:Reset Complete
   7. power the unit off, and back on again normally.

The unit will then reboot, at which point it will be completely reset back to factory defaults.

Question:
What is the procedure to load additional Sound Banks into the SP4? I am having difficulty loading more than one file at a time.

Answer:

Note: All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SPS4-8 and SP76II models.

IMPORTANT:

• Loading of any additional content requires v2.00 of the O/S or better. This tutorial assumes you have v2.00 already installed. Update your SP4-8, SPS4-8 and/or SP4-7 as needed.
• New content always loads into the USER banks; factory objects are NOT affected.
• Although you can load multiple files into the SP4, the load interface only permits loading one file at a time. Each file must be loaded individually using the Load [fill] option

 

Load “Fill” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin the loading process, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Load [fill]?” function:Load [fill]?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 screen will display:Press Next for loading
   3. On your computer copy (drag and drop) the desired file to the SP4 temporary removable drive (remember only one file). Wait for it to finish copying.

1. 1. **Press Next/+ to initiate the load process. The SP4 screen will display:Loading… When finished loading the SP4 screen will display:File loaded Your computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.
   2. To play the newly loaded content press Program then the “Bank” button to select the User bank.

1. Go back to step 2 and repeat as needed for additional loads.

---

**Notes:

• Pressing Previous/- will cancel the load operation and recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue.
• If no file is in the SP4 temporary drive during the load, the display will show the message “Load error”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue pressing Next will retry.
• If the SP4 User bank is full (max 64 program slots), the display will show the message “Load error”.
• If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

---

Video Step-by-Step:

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”:

• SP4-8
• SPS4-8
• SP4-7

Each file link description displays what specific programs are included. A link to the loading instructions are also included within each download file.

KSetList

In addition, on the 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:
How can I save (backup) all my SP4’s user data?

Answer:

Note: All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SPS4-8 and SP76II models.

This tutorial assumes you have v2.00 (or greater) already installed. Update your SP4-8, SPS4-8 and/or SP4-7 (SP76II) as needed.

The SP4 saves user content via direct USB connection to any Mac or PC. The SP4 saves all data from both User Banks (Program and Setup) into one file named “ALLOBJTS.SPX”.

“Save All” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Save All ?” function:Save All ?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 display will show “Press Next for saving”:Press Next for saving
   3. Press Next/+ to initiate the save process. The SP4 screen will display:Saving… When finished saving, the SP4 will display:The file is in the temporary driveYour computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.At which point, COPY** (drag and drop) the resultant “ALLOBJTS.SPX” file out of the SP4 temporary removable drive mounted on your computer to any location on your computer hard drive where you wish to store this file long term.**IMPORTANT: It is critical you copy the “ALLOBJTS.SPX” out of the temporary removable drive onto your computer hard drive *before* you exit the Global menu as the temp drive will be ejected and .SPX file erased when you do.
      
   4. Once the “ALLOBJTS.SPX” has been copied to your computer hard drive, press Program to Exit the Global mode. Your computer will again issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.

1. Using your computer, it is recommended you rename the “ALLOBJTS” portion of the filename to something unique (keep the .SPX extension). As each save the SP4 creates uses the same “ALLOBJTS” filename, this will be useful in keeping your files identifiable and out of conflict.

Notes: Pressing Previous/- will cancel the save operation and recall the “Save All ?” dialogue. If no user objects are in memory when a save is attempted, the display will show the message “Nothing saved”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Save All ?” dialogue pressing Next will retry. If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Save All ?” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

---

Loading a Backup File Back In

This section will detail how to restore (load) a full system backup file (ALLOBJTS.SPX).

Note: restoring a backup will erase all Programs/Setups currently in the User banks, replacing the User banks with the backup file’s contents (factory banks are not affected). Before proceeding, be sure any User Programs/Setups in the SP4 that you wish to keep are already themselves backed up (see procedure above).

(If you just want to add more programs/setups to the user banks, without erasing present contents, use the “Load Fill” option instead.)

Load “Overwrite” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin the loading process, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Load [overwrite]?” function:Load [overwrite]?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 screen will display:Press Next for loading
   3. On your computer copy (drag and drop) the desired .SPX backup file to the SP4 temporary removable drive (only one file can be loaded). Wait for it to finish copying.

1. Press Next/+ to initiate the load process. The SP4 screen will display:Loading… When finished loading the SP4 screen will display:File loaded Your computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.
2. To play the newly loaded content press Program and/or Setup then the “Bank” button to select the User bank. Your computer will again issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.

Notes: Pressing Previous/- will cancel the load operation and recall the “Load (overwrite)” dialogue. If no file is in the SP4 temporary drive during the load, the display will show the message “Load error”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (overwrite)” dialogue pressing Next will retry. If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (overwrite)” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

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. 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)

Question:
How do I know if I need to update my SP4 O/S and what are the steps to do so?

Answer:

Note: All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SPS4-8 and SP76II models.

First, to check the O/S version you currently have installed in your SP4:

1. power the unit on
2. press the GLOBAL mode button
3. press the Chan/Param Down (∨) button until you see the current O/S and Object versions displayed (scrolling):OS: 2.10.685 Obj: 2.10.1

You should update if your unit displays an O/S version less than the latest available online:
(SP4-8 Downloads Here, SPS4-8 Downloads Here, SP4-7 Downloads Here)

At the links above, under “O/S Updates”, download the current update package posted. The update is performed via direct USB-to-computer connection. Step-by-step installation instructions and a complete revision history are included within the download. The entire procedure takes only minutes.

In addition, below is a video walk through of the process:

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 download and use the current “b” revision file.

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. 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:

• SPS4-8 Downloads
• SP4-8 Downloads
• SP4-7 (aka SP76II) Downloads

Question:
Where can I obtain a list of the factory preset Programs & Setups for the SP4-7?

Answer:

Under the DOWNLOADS Tab on the SP4 Product page (under ‘User Manuals’) you will find a link titled “SP4 Series Factory Objects List”. The download contains both .pdf and .xls files listing all system objects (programs, setups, effects, etc).

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”:

• SP4-8
• SPS4-8
• SP4-7

Each file link description displays what specific programs are included. A link to the loading instructions are also included within each download file.

KSetList

In addition, on the 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. 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)

Question:
How can I restore my SP4 to its factory defaults?

Answer:

All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SP76II as well.

Caution: Hard resetting will erase all user memory ! Need be, back up any custom programming before proceeding (please see “Saving User Data (BackUp)” for details.

There are two methods for performing a hard reset on an SP4 Series keyboard:

Global Mode Method: (with the SP4 powered up in normal operating modes)

1. press GLOBAL, then the Chan/Param Down button until you see:Hard Reset ?
2. press Next/+, you’ll see:Confirm ?
3. press Next/+ again – you will see:Loading… …as the SP4 reboots and following, will be completely reset.

---

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

1. 1. Power the SP4 OFF.
   2. Press/Hold the SHIFT button while you turn the SP4 ON.
   3. Release the SHIFT button once you see the scrolling title screen:SP4 bootloader vX.XXYou will then see:Run SP4
   4. Press Chan / Param UP until you see:System Reset
   5. Press Next/+ once. The SP4 will display:Delete User Objects?
   6. Press Next/+ again. The SP4 will display:Resetting… followed by:Reset Complete
   7. power the unit off, and back on again normally.

The unit will then reboot, at which point it will be completely reset back to factory defaults.

Question:
What is the procedure to load additional Sound Banks into the SP4? I am having difficulty loading more than one file at a time.

Answer:

Note: All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SPS4-8 and SP76II models.

IMPORTANT:

• Loading of any additional content requires v2.00 of the O/S or better. This tutorial assumes you have v2.00 already installed. Update your SP4-8, SPS4-8 and/or SP4-7 as needed.
• New content always loads into the USER banks; factory objects are NOT affected.
• Although you can load multiple files into the SP4, the load interface only permits loading one file at a time. Each file must be loaded individually using the Load [fill] option

 

Load “Fill” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin the loading process, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Load [fill]?” function:Load [fill]?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 screen will display:Press Next for loading
   3. On your computer copy (drag and drop) the desired file to the SP4 temporary removable drive (remember only one file). Wait for it to finish copying.

1. 1. **Press Next/+ to initiate the load process. The SP4 screen will display:Loading… When finished loading the SP4 screen will display:File loaded Your computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.
   2. To play the newly loaded content press Program then the “Bank” button to select the User bank.

1. Go back to step 2 and repeat as needed for additional loads.

---

**Notes:

• Pressing Previous/- will cancel the load operation and recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue.
• If no file is in the SP4 temporary drive during the load, the display will show the message “Load error”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue pressing Next will retry.
• If the SP4 User bank is full (max 64 program slots), the display will show the message “Load error”.
• If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

---

Video Step-by-Step:

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.

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

Answer:

The SP4 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:

• • Aux Effect Channel

and

• Aux Effect Override

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

• Aux Send Level

---

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. 1. With the desired Setup selected, press [Edit Setup].

1. Press the [Chan/Param] button DOWN once. You will see “AuxFXCh”:

   AuxFXCh:1

2. Use the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons 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.

   AuxFXCh:2

3. 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 “SP4 Series Factory Objects List“).

Here’s how to manually select an FX Chain for your Setup:

1. 1. With the desired Setup selected, press [Edit Setup].
   2. Press the [Chan/Param] button DOWN twice. You will see “AuxFX”:

      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).

1. Use the [previous/-] [next/+] buttons 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.

   AuxFX:5 Small Hall

2. 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. 1. With the desired Setup selected, press [Edit Setup].
   2. Press the [Chan/Param] button UP until you see “AuxSendLvl”:

      AuxSendLvl:Prog

   3. Choose the zone you wish to adjust (1-4) by pressing the corresponding Zone button. The selected Zone button will light.For ex. here we have chosen Zone 3.

      

      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 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”.

      AuxSendLvl:75

   5. Go back and repeat steps 3 and 4 until all zones are set as desired.

1. Press [SAVE] to store your changes.

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

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 download and use the current “b” revision file.

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:

• SPS4-8 Downloads
• SP4-8 Downloads
• SP4-7 (aka SP76II) Downloads

Question:
What are the primary feature comparisons between the current Pro keyboards?

Answer:

	FORTE 8 FORTE 7	FORTE SE	ARTIS 8 ARTIS 7	ARTIS SE	PC4	PC3A8 PC3A7 PC3A6	PC3K8 PC3K7 PC3K6	PC3LE8 PC3LE7 PC3LE6	SP6	SP1	SPS4- 8 SP4-8 SP4-7
Keybed ¹	88 FW 76 FW –	88 FW	88 FW 76 SW –	88 FW – –	88 FW	88 FW 76 SW 61 SY	88 FW 76 SW 61 SY	88 FW 76 SW 61 SW	88 FW	88 FW	88 FW 88 FW 76 SW
Polyphony	128 — KB3 is polyphony free	128	128	128	256	128	128	64	128	256	64
Display	480 x 272 color LCD	240 x 64 LCD	240 x 64 LCD	2×20 char LCD	480 x 272 color LCD	240 x 64 LCD	240 x 64 LCD	240 x 64 LCD	128 x 64 LCD	3 char LED	1×16 char LCD
Wooden End Caps	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Flash Play™	16 GB	2 GB	No	No	2 GB	No	No	No	2 GB	No	No
Sample Memory	3.3 GB	188 MB	No	No	2 GB	No	128 MB	No	No	No	No
Piano ² Samples	⋅GD ⋅JC7 ⋅TS	⋅GD* ⋅JC7* ⋅TS	⋅GD* ⋅TS	⋅GD* ⋅TS	⋅GD* ⋅JC7* ⋅TS	⋅GD* ⋅TS	⋅TS ⋅GD* (sold separately)	TS	⋅GD* ⋅JC7* ⋅TS	GD*	TS
String Resonance	KSR ³	KSR ³	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	KSR ³	Yes	No
Factory Programs	322	512	256	256	1000+	1453	1074	1061	256	16	128
Factory Setups/Multis	186	182	256	128	50+	216	150	256	130	0	64
User Programs	3072	1024	256	256	4096	2560	2560	2560	1024	5 (Favorites)	64
User Setups/Multis	3072	1024	256	256	4096	2560	2560	2560	1024	5 (Favorites)	64
Setup/Multi Zones	16	8	4	4	16	16	16	16	4	4	4
General MIDI	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
KORE 64® ⋅Programs ⋅Kmap/Smps	Some Yes	Some Yes	Some Yes	Some Yes	Some Yes	Yes Yes	Sold Separately	No No	Some Yes	No Yes	No No
V.A.S.T. Editing	Yes	Yes	via Editor software	via Editor software	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	via Editor software	No	via Editor software
FM Engine	Yes (v4)	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
FX Units	32	32	16	16	32	16	16	10	32	4	10
FX Editing	Full	Full	Limited	Limited	Full	Full	Full	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited
Master FX	Comp + EQ (dedicated knobs)	EQ (dedicated knobs)	EQ (dedicated knobs)	EQ (dedicated knobs)	Comp + EQ	Comp + EQ	Comp + EQ	No	No	EQ	No
Software Editor	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	For sale	Free	No	For sale
PC3 Compat.	Most objects (no edited ROM samples)	Most objects (no edited ROM samples)	Most objects (no samples)	Most objects (no samples)	Most objects (no edited ROM samples)	All objects (no samples)	All objects	Most objects (no samples)	Most Programs (no samples)	No	Most Programs (no samples)
Legacy K2 Compat. **	Programs Keymaps Samples (no compat file)	Programs Keymaps Samples (no compat file)	No	No	Programs Keymaps Samples (no compat file)	Setups Programs Keymaps (no compat file)	Setups Programs Keymaps Samples (includes K2 compat file)	Setups Programs Keymaps (no compat file)	No	No	No
Categorized Programs	Complete	Complete	Complete	Complete	Complete	Partial	Partial	Complete	Complete	Complete	Complete
Surf-n-Select Sound Navigation	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Favorites / QA Entries	990	10	10	6	990	25,600	25,600	25,600	5	5	No
Sequencer	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
RIFFs	16	0	0	0	16	16	16	16	0	0	0
Arpeggiators	16	8	0	0	16	16	16	16	4	0	0
MIDI CC Step Sequencer	16 (v4)	0	0	0	16	0	0	0	0	0	0
External Storage	USB-to-PC USB Drive	USB-to-PC USB Drive	USB-to-PC USB Drive	USB-to-PC USB Drive	USB-to-PC USB Drive	USB-to-PC USB Drive	USB-to-PC USB Drive	USB-to-PC USB Drive	USB-to-PC USB Drive	No	USB-to-PC
Analog Outputs	Main + Aux	Main	Main	Main	Main + Aux	Main + Aux	Main + Aux	Main	Main	Main	Main
Analog Inputs (MP3 input)	1/8″ with FX	1/8″ with FX	1/8″	1/8″	(2) 1/4″ 1/8″ with FX	No	No	No	No	(2) 1/4″	No
Digital Out	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (with sync)	Yes (with sync)	Yes (no sync)	No	No	No
Aftertouch	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Programmable Sliders	9 (+LED ladders)	9	9	4	9	9	9	0	0	0	0
Programmable Knobs	0	0	0	0	9	0	0	5	4	0	1
Programmable Buttons	10	11	6	2	10	10	10	7	1	0	0
CC Pedal inputs	2	1	1	1	2	2	2	1	1	1	1
Switch Pedal inputs	3	2 (dual jack)	2 (dual jack)	2 (dual jack)	2	3	3	2	2 (dual jack)	1	1 (dual jack)
Half-Damper ***	Yes (pianos)	Yes (pianos)	MIDI only	MIDI only	Yes (pianos)	No	No	No	Yes (pianos)	No	No
Drum Pads	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0	0	0
Ribbon input	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Breath Controller input	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No

---

Notes:

¹ Keyboard Mechanisms: FW = fully-weighted hammer-action / SW = semi-weighted / SY = synth action.

² GD = German D, JC7 = Japanese C7, TS = Triple Strike.

³ KSR = “Kurzweil String Resonance”.

* These pianos are an optimized version of the Forte® Grand pianos, derived from the same quality content but using less samples.

** Cannot load K2 Series KB3 or Triple Mode Programs. Edited ROM sample headers as well as some DSP algorithms and tools cannot be converted. Please see owner’s manuals for details.

*** Half-damper pedal sold separately.

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:
How can I stop the SP4 from sending out MIDI Bank and Program Changes?

Answer:

1. Press GLOBAL, then the Chan/Param Up (∧) arrow button until you see:ProgChg:On
2. Press either the Previous(-) OR Next(+) to set ProgChg to OFFProgChg:Off
3. Press PROGRAM or SETUP to exit the Global mode.

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

Question:
How can I restore my SP4 to its factory defaults?

Answer:

All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SP76II as well.

Caution: Hard resetting will erase all user memory ! Need be, back up any custom programming before proceeding (please see “Saving User Data (BackUp)” for details.

There are two methods for performing a hard reset on an SP4 Series keyboard:

Global Mode Method: (with the SP4 powered up in normal operating modes)

1. press GLOBAL, then the Chan/Param Down button until you see:Hard Reset ?
2. press Next/+, you’ll see:Confirm ?
3. press Next/+ again – you will see:Loading… …as the SP4 reboots and following, will be completely reset.

---

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

1. 1. Power the SP4 OFF.
   2. Press/Hold the SHIFT button while you turn the SP4 ON.
   3. Release the SHIFT button once you see the scrolling title screen:SP4 bootloader vX.XXYou will then see:Run SP4
   4. Press Chan / Param UP until you see:System Reset
   5. Press Next/+ once. The SP4 will display:Delete User Objects?
   6. Press Next/+ again. The SP4 will display:Resetting… followed by:Reset Complete
   7. power the unit off, and back on again normally.

The unit will then reboot, at which point it will be completely reset back to factory defaults.

Question:
What is the procedure to load additional Sound Banks into the SP4? I am having difficulty loading more than one file at a time.

Answer:

Note: All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SPS4-8 and SP76II models.

IMPORTANT:

• Loading of any additional content requires v2.00 of the O/S or better. This tutorial assumes you have v2.00 already installed. Update your SP4-8, SPS4-8 and/or SP4-7 as needed.
• New content always loads into the USER banks; factory objects are NOT affected.
• Although you can load multiple files into the SP4, the load interface only permits loading one file at a time. Each file must be loaded individually using the Load [fill] option

 

Load “Fill” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin the loading process, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Load [fill]?” function:Load [fill]?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 screen will display:Press Next for loading
   3. On your computer copy (drag and drop) the desired file to the SP4 temporary removable drive (remember only one file). Wait for it to finish copying.

1. 1. **Press Next/+ to initiate the load process. The SP4 screen will display:Loading… When finished loading the SP4 screen will display:File loaded Your computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.
   2. To play the newly loaded content press Program then the “Bank” button to select the User bank.

1. Go back to step 2 and repeat as needed for additional loads.

---

**Notes:

• Pressing Previous/- will cancel the load operation and recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue.
• If no file is in the SP4 temporary drive during the load, the display will show the message “Load error”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue pressing Next will retry.
• If the SP4 User bank is full (max 64 program slots), the display will show the message “Load error”.
• If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (fill)” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

---

Video Step-by-Step:

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”:

• SP4-8
• SPS4-8
• SP4-7

Each file link description displays what specific programs are included. A link to the loading instructions are also included within each download file.

KSetList

In addition, on the 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:
How can I save (backup) all my SP4’s user data?

Answer:

Note: All references to the “SP4” apply equally to the SPS4-8 and SP76II models.

This tutorial assumes you have v2.00 (or greater) already installed. Update your SP4-8, SPS4-8 and/or SP4-7 (SP76II) as needed.

The SP4 saves user content via direct USB connection to any Mac or PC. The SP4 saves all data from both User Banks (Program and Setup) into one file named “ALLOBJTS.SPX”.

“Save All” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Save All ?” function:Save All ?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 display will show “Press Next for saving”:Press Next for saving
   3. Press Next/+ to initiate the save process. The SP4 screen will display:Saving… When finished saving, the SP4 will display:The file is in the temporary driveYour computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.At which point, COPY** (drag and drop) the resultant “ALLOBJTS.SPX” file out of the SP4 temporary removable drive mounted on your computer to any location on your computer hard drive where you wish to store this file long term.**IMPORTANT: It is critical you copy the “ALLOBJTS.SPX” out of the temporary removable drive onto your computer hard drive *before* you exit the Global menu as the temp drive will be ejected and .SPX file erased when you do.
      
   4. Once the “ALLOBJTS.SPX” has been copied to your computer hard drive, press Program to Exit the Global mode. Your computer will again issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.

1. Using your computer, it is recommended you rename the “ALLOBJTS” portion of the filename to something unique (keep the .SPX extension). As each save the SP4 creates uses the same “ALLOBJTS” filename, this will be useful in keeping your files identifiable and out of conflict.

Notes: Pressing Previous/- will cancel the save operation and recall the “Save All ?” dialogue. If no user objects are in memory when a save is attempted, the display will show the message “Nothing saved”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Save All ?” dialogue pressing Next will retry. If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Save All ?” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

---

Loading a Backup File Back In

This section will detail how to restore (load) a full system backup file (ALLOBJTS.SPX).

Note: restoring a backup will erase all Programs/Setups currently in the User banks, replacing the User banks with the backup file’s contents (factory banks are not affected). Before proceeding, be sure any User Programs/Setups in the SP4 that you wish to keep are already themselves backed up (see procedure above).

(If you just want to add more programs/setups to the user banks, without erasing present contents, use the “Load Fill” option instead.)

Load “Overwrite” Procedure:

1. 1. To begin the loading process, first turn on the SP4 and your computer, then connect a USB cable from the SP4’s rear panel USB port to a USB port on your computer.

1. 1. On the SP4, press Global, then press the Chan/Param up (∧) or down (∨) arrow buttons until you find the “Load [overwrite]?” function:Load [overwrite]?
   2. Press the Next/+ value button below the display. A temporary removable drive named “SP4” will mount on the computer and the SP4 screen will display:Press Next for loading
   3. On your computer copy (drag and drop) the desired .SPX backup file to the SP4 temporary removable drive (only one file can be loaded). Wait for it to finish copying.

1. Press Next/+ to initiate the load process. The SP4 screen will display:Loading… When finished loading the SP4 screen will display:File loaded Your computer will issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.
2. To play the newly loaded content press Program and/or Setup then the “Bank” button to select the User bank. Your computer will again issue a “device removal” message – you can cancel/ignore this.

Notes: Pressing Previous/- will cancel the load operation and recall the “Load (overwrite)” dialogue. If no file is in the SP4 temporary drive during the load, the display will show the message “Load error”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (overwrite)” dialogue pressing Next will retry. If the SP4 is not connected to a computer, the display will show the error message “Please connect the computer”. Pressing Previous/- will recall the “Load (overwrite)” dialogue – pressing Next will retry to connect.

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. 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)