Kurzweil K2500 Version 4.21b Operating System Information

V4.21b Notes

This zipped archive contains the latest operating system for your Kurzweil K2500 Series Instrument. This is "beta" software for 2500's with the KDFX option. The installation of the KDFX option adds additional flash memory which is required for this software. This software contains a number of new features, as well as some bug fixes:

VERY IMPORTANT: This software is stable, and we do not expect any major new bugs to be introduced... but... the software has not been completely approved by our Quality Assurance department. Due to the fact that it's still beta software, our technical support staff cannot handle problems that may occur while using it. It is made available to you at your own risk. If you encounter any problems, the best thing to do would be to re-load a released version (4.04). You can send us bug reports via email to kurzweilsupport@youngchang.com.

When the "official version is released, the documentation will be included as a .PDF file. For this version, the notes below document the features.

New Feature Summary:

1) "RAM Tracks" feature allows easy sampling in sync with the on-board sequencer. After sampling, the software places the sample into a keymap and program layer, and data in the song track, to allow sync of vocal overdubs, guitar leads, etc. The actual interface may still change before we ship it. 128M of sample memory allows over 25 track minutes at 44.1kHz.

2) Keyboard naming feature allows MIDI note events to be used to name objects. This can be turned off, or can be on with auto advance, or no auto advance.

3) Improved pitch shift and time warp DSP functions in the sample editor. These are now faster and higher quality.

4) Dynamics DSP function added to sample editor. This is optimized to allow looping of decaying sounds, but can be used for general compression.

5) Arpeggiator Sync feature allows arpeggiator to stay in sync with song mode or external clock. If Arp Sync is Off, arp re-syncs when the latch is triggered. If Arp Sync is On, the arp does not re-sync, except when song starts.

6) Song Sync feature allows song changes to be queued up, only taking place when the playing song completes. This allows songs to be scrolled through in performance, choosing the next song while the current one plays. This feature also allows key-triggered arrangement steps to be key-triggered early, and not changing steps until the end of the current bar. This provides the ability to keep the beat steady while key arranging in a live situation. The bar length can be set by changing the time signature for each step in the arrangement, or globally for the entire song.

7) Control of Arpeggiator parameters through on-board controllers. Now you can vary most arpeggiator parameters by assigning sliders or other front panel controls to a choice of ArpOrder, ArpBeats, ArpShift, ArpLimit, ArpLmtOption, ArpVel, and ArpDur. Of course tempo and tap tempo are available.

8) A new arp latch mode, called AutoHold, provides a key latch that holds the latched keys when all keys go up, but clears all latched notes when a new key goes down. This is a very commonly used mode many people have asked for.

9) Adds ISO 9660 format support for CD's. This allows you to read CD's in the standard format. Previously we required an "image" of the hard disk format. Macro, Backup and Copy functions support the new format too.

10) Supports looped WAV files, both import and export. Also correctly handles tuning of WAV and AIFF files.

11) Vocoder feature allows up to 24 bands of vocoding from an external source (if sampling option is installed), or from internal sample playback. This was previously available as a hidden feature, but now can be enabled from Master Mode.

12) Bugs fixed : Fixes SCSI problem with certain drives, where the drive would either work slowly or not at all. All drives will be slightly faster. Fixes many other bugs, including one where the "Keep" function in Song Mode would hang.

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NEW OBJECTS - With the release of v4.21b, we are also releasing new Objects files - version 4.03. Although, you do not have to update the objects when updating the OS, we do recommend that you update to these new Object files. The new versions contain a few minor changes.

The new object files are found at ftp://ftp.youngchang.com/pub/Kurzweil/Pro_Products/K2000-K2vx-K2500/K2500/ROM_Objects/KDFX
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Version 4.21b

Detailed info for each new feature:

1) RAM Tracks feature:

The new feature makes it easier to sample in sync with the on-board sequencer; allowing you to record vocals, guitar overdubs, etc. to go with your song. 

If the song is playing when you start recording in the sampler, the system keeps track of that moment in time, and when the song is stopped, or sampler is stopped, the system asks if you want to put the sample "in the song". If you answer yes, the system will ask a few more questions, then automatically set things up to play in sync.

Generally you would want to put the first "RAM track" sample on an empty song track, in which case the system creates a program and keymap for you. Additional RAM tracks would often go on the same song track, in which case the system adds the new sample to the existing keymap, and adds a layer to the existing program. Having each sample on it's own layer allows you to put different DSP on each sample if desired. If you put the RAM track on a drum channel, then you can have 32 RAM tracks per song track, otherwise 3 RAM tracks per song track. 

Each time you record a RAM track, the system will ask you to strike the triggering key, which must be different for all RAM tracks assigned to the same song track. This key is different than the root key, it's the key number used to actually trigger the event in the sequence. The system makes sure that the sample plays back at the right pitch, regardless of which trigger key you select.

The RAM track will only play back if the song is started at a point *before* the trigger event. This means you can't locate into the middle of a song and get the RAM tracks to play, unless you record many small pieces (ie, intro, verse1, verse2, chorus, verse3, chorus etc.). Still, it can be a useful feature if you can live with this limitation, or do the extra work of recording shorter parts.

You can use threshold recording to allow the sampler to start when the player (singer, guitarist, etc.) comes in. 

If you start the sampler during the countoff, the sample start point will be adjusted to make it start at 1:1.000, but the alt start point will still point to the start of the sample data.

If you start with Song #1, the system will prompt you to save the song to a RAM location after the RAM track is recorded.

For very long parts, you probably want to record it as several smaller parts, due to the lack of real synchronization, ie the playback rate of the sample is not exactly the same as the record rate. It's very close, but over time there is a small amount of drift (about 0.5 ms per minute). For short songs, it works well, but it is something you want to be aware of.

Mono and stereo sampling can be combined on the same program, since each sample goes into it's own program layer.

2) Keyboard Naming feature:

This feature makes it easier to name objects, or type in strings any place you need them. 

Any dialog that allows you to enter a name now has an option "KbdNaming" on the top line of the display. Keyboard Naming is Off by default, to prevent any accidental data entry. Use the Chan/Bank buttons (to the left of the display) to change the mode of this option. After a power off or soft reset, this option is reset to Off automatically, so you will need to turn it on once per editing session. 

Choices are "Off", "On", and "Adv". 

When set to On, note events control the underlined character, but you must advance to the next character manually, either via the soft buttons, cursor keys, or using certain MIDI notes. This is good for beginners. 

When set to Adv, the cursor advances to the next character after you type one. This is much faster, but you need to know the mapping pretty well.

The mapping was chosen to be logical and easy to remember. Letters a-z are on the white keys. Numbers and punctuation are on the black keys. There are some special function keys too, on the ends. The system was designed to work with a 61 note keyboard.

Letters:
"a" is on A2, "b" is on B2, etc. The rest of the letters are simply laid out linearly on the white keys. ("j" is on C4, "z" is on E6). To get capital letters, use the sustain pedal, or keys F2 or G6 as a "shift" character.

The Shift function is momentary - you have to hold the pedal or Shift key while pressing another key, just like on your computer keyboard. The Display will show "Shift" while the shift function is engaged.

Numbers:
"1" is on F#2, "2" is on G#2, etc., going linearly up the black keys to "9" on C#4 and "0" on D#4. If you use the Shift function (sustain pedal, or keys F2 or G6), you will get the same punctuation you see on the numbered keys on a computer keyboard. (For example, Shift 7=&, Shift 4=$).

Special keys:
Cursor Left is D2 or A6
Cursor Right is E2 or B6
Space is G2 or F6
Shift is F2 or G6 (or sustain pedal)
Delete is C#2
Insert is D#2
Backspace is A#4 (this is a new function)
Enter is F#6

The other black keys (F#4 through D#6, except A#4) fill out the rest of the punctuation:
F#4 -	Shift F#4 _
G#4 =	Shift G#4 +
C#5 ;	Shift A#5 :
D#5 '	ShiftD#5 "
F#5 ,	Shift F#5 <
G#5 .	Shift G#5 >
A#5 /	Shift A#5 ?
C#6 [	Shift C#6 `
D#6 ]	Shift D#6 \

At some point we will make a nice chart. Maybe some labels too...

3) Improved Pitch Shift and Time Warp sample editor DSP functions:
These are very similar to the old functions, but are at least twice as fast, and provide better quality. They are much more usable in general. The "quick = 0" option is unchanged. "quick = 1" tends to use bigger pieces than "quick=2", and hence is a bit faster, but can be a bit grainier.

4) Dynamics DSP function added to sample editor (press the DSP soft button and you can scroll to this function):

This function is optimized to help you loop decaying samples, but can be used as a general purpose compressor or limiter.

Thresh: This is the threshold. It is expressed relative to the maximum amplitude in the selected edit region, so you don't have to worry about what the actual sample level is. 

Comp: This is the ratio, but expressed as a percentage. 100% is a limiter, so if you select a thresh of -12dB, 100% will compress 12dB. 50% is similar to a ratio of 2:1, and in this example would compress approximately 6dB. Simply multiply the threshold by the "comp" percentage to figure out about how much compression would occur.

Time: This is the release time. Adjust this to control "pumping". Times in the range 250ms to 1000ms tend to work well, but any time will work. The attack time is always medium fast, and uses look-ahead, which means you can't make attacks more exaggerated by letting them "get by" the compressor. But it means that things will be better tamed in general.

The output level is automatically set to make the peak value in the edit region the same as it was, so the result is, the softer parts are turned up by the compression amount.

5) Arpeggiator Sync feature:

This allows the arpeggiator to stay in sync with song mode or external clock.

Arp Sync is set on the Arp page in the Control Setup (for Program Mode), or per Setup, (in Setup Mode). 

If Arp Sync is Off, the arp always re-syncs when the latch is triggered. 

If Arp Sync is On, the arp does not re-sync, except when a song starts. That way, even if you play late or early, the arp stays in sync.

6) Song Sync feature:

Song Sync is set on the Common page in the Control Setup (for Program Mode), or per Setup (in Setup Mode).

When Song Sync is Off, the song mode behaves as it always has; any change to the current playing song happens immediately, and key triggered arrangement steps happen when the key goes down.

When Song Sync is On, it allows song changes to be queued up, only taking place when the playing song completes. This allows songs to be scrolled through in performance, choosing the next song while the current one plays. 

When Song Sync is On, it also allows key-triggered arrangement steps to be key-triggered early, and will not change steps until the end of the current bar. This provides the ability to keep the beat steady while key arranging in a live situation. The bar length can be set by changing the time signature for each step in the arrangement, or globally for the entire song.

7) Control of Arpeggiator parameters through on-board controllers:

Now you can vary most arpeggiator parameters by assigning sliders or other front panel controls to a choice of ArpOrder, ArpBeats, ArpShift, ArpLimit, ArpLmtOption, ArpVel, and ArpDur. Of course tempo and tap tempo are available. In the Setup editor, any controller can now be assigned to these new functions if desired.

8) A new Arpeggiator Latch mode:

A new Arpeggiator Latch mode called AutoHold, provides a key latch that holds the latched keys when all keys go up, but clears all latched notes when a new key goes down. This is a very commonly used mode many people have asked for.

9) ISO 9660 format support:

Adds ISO 9660 format support for CD's. This allows you to read CD's in the standard format. Previously we required an "image" of the hard disk format.

ISO9660 support key points:

a) Backup, Copy, and Macro all support this new format.
b) The software supports CD-ROM XA (Mode 2) as well as CD-ROM (Mode 1)
c) The software supports multi-session CD's, but some older CD-ROM drives may not support multi-session. In this case you will only see the first session.
d) File naming conventions that work: ISO 9660 level 1, MS DOS, and Joliet. 
e) Do not select "use Macintosh extensions" when making ISO 9660 CD's. We may be able to fix this in the future, but for now it does not work with our system.
f) Do not select "append version numbers" when making ISO 9660 CD's.
g) The maximum "path-length" (total file name, including directory names and slashes) is 64 characters, which means that files in highly nested directories may not be loadable.
h) Unicode characters do not display correctly.

10) Supports looped WAV files, both import and export. Also correctly handles tuning of WAV and AIFF files. 

Saving a WAV file will now export the loop info, if any. Importing a looped WAV file will now get the loop data, if any. The software only handles one loop per sample, so the first loop found in a WAV file is used. The tuning now works correctly.

11) Vocoder feature:

Allows up to 24 vocoder bands. Each band requires two voices, so a 24 band vocoder uses all of the 2500's polyphony.

Vocoder mode can be turned On or Off on the Mast2 page (available now in Master mode). When it is Off, vocoder programs will not work correctly. When it is On, vocoder programs will work, but programs using either "SHAPE2" or "AMP MOD OSC" DSP functions will not work correctly.

Included in this zipped archive is a Vocoder file which contains Setups and Programs designed to do vocoding. A text file documenting this feature in detail is also included.

12). The Reset function on the Master page has been moved to the Mast2 page.

13) Bugs fixed:

a) Fixes problem where certain SCSI drives would be very slow.
b) Fixes "Keep" bug in song mode, where keep function  would sometimes freeze.
c) Fixes local on/off problem over MIDI. Cakewalk and some other sequencers send a MIDI local off message, which was being handled incorrectly.
d) Fixes SMDI problem when on the sampler page, would cause the 2500 to hang.
e) Reverses the sense of the MIDI portamento time control (CC 5), to meet the MIDI spec.
f) Fixes a problem with certain Akai CD's where the samples have a playback rate set to zero.
g) Fixes a SMDI problem when Live Mode is on.
h) Now uses Studio 198 for programs that have no KDFX programming, which allows separate outputs to work without any reprogramming.

A number of other bugs are fixed as well.

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The complete procedure for installing the operating system is included in Chapter 2 of the K2500 Performance Guide. For your convenience, here's a summary of the procedure:

1. Copy the file K25V421.KOS onto a DOS formatted floppy.

2. Start the K2500

3. Press and release the Exit key while the "Please wait..." message is displayed. This brings up the K2500 Boot Loader.

4. Insert the operating system floppy, then use "Install System" from the K2500 Boot Loader to install the new operating system.

5. As noted above, new Objects files are also available for installation. The Read Me file for the Objects contains info on installing them.

6. When the installation is finished, choose "Run System" from the Boot Loader. 

While you won't normally need to reinstall the operating system, you should still put the disk in a safe place, just in case you may need it again.

Note: you can also install these files from a DOS or Kurzweil formatted SCSI disk. When the display asks which device you want to install from, change the parameter to the appropriate SCSI ID. You can only install files from a SCSI disk which is 1 gig or smaller.

We recommend performing a hard reset after installing and running the new system. Choose the Reset soft button from the Master page. (Save any RAM objects to disk before performing a reset.)



V2.64b Notes

This version fixes two known bugs in v2.52. Although we believe this version to be free of any other major bugs, as with any beta release, we strongly recommend that you backup your data in case of any unexpected data loss.

Bugs fixed:
1. Mod wheel messages were being filtered out when coming in on the Local Keyboard Channel (important for rack users). Mod wheel messages are now received correctly.
2. A communications problem was occurring between the Kurzweil and Steinberg's Recycle software. This now works correctly.



V2.52 Notes

The main feature of v2.52 is KB3 Mode, an astonishingly realistic tone wheel organ model.

KB3 documentation can be downloaded at:

ftp://ftp.youngchang.com/pub/Kurzweil/Pro_Products/K2000-K2vx-K2500/K2500/Documentation/KB3.ZIP

KB3 Mode Sticker - For K2500 Keyboard owners, KB3 Mode includes an adhesive sticker which is placed above the 8 buttons and control sliders. This sticker defines special functions for those buttons when playing a KB3 program. The sticker is included when the entire KB3 package is purchased. (The package includes the OS disk, all 5 Objects disks, a printed manual, and the sticker. The cost is $65). Since you have downloaded the files and documentation for no charge, you can purchase the sticker by itself from our Accessories company at (800) 400-6658. The cost is $15. In addition, the last page of the .PDF file contains a full size black & white reproduction of the sticker which you can cut out and tape to the keyboard, if you do not wish to purchase the sticker.



V2.31 Notes

If you are upgrading from v2.08 or v2.13, below is a list of features previously added in v2.31. If you are upgrading from version 1 of the operating system, you will want to get the current version of the manual. You can download it from our FTP site (it is also in .PDF format) or purchase it through our Accessories company at (800) 400-6658.


Version 2.31 adds  support for the KDS Output Option, which enables you to connect your K2500 with a Digital Multi-Track interface (DMTi). (See below for more info on the KDS option.*)

 For units with sampling option plus the KDS Out or KDFX options: When you choose an Input of "Digital" on the Sample page, there are several new options. 

The "Src" parameter has three new options: "Ext," "Int," and "Rtn". "Ext" means that the source is coming through one of the external inputs, coaxial or optical, as in previous versions of the operating system. "Int" selects whatever is assigned to bus A, before going through the internal effects. "Rtn" lets you  sample through the return pair of the KDS Output; see the DMTi User's Guide for more information. 

The new "Out" parameter has two options: "A/D" and "Dir." The "A/D" parameter routes the output through the internal effects, as in previous versions of the K2500 operating system. "Dir" selects whatever is assigned to bus A, before going through the internal effects. Use "Src: Int" with "Out: Dir" for direct internal digital sampling.

The Out parameter and the new values for the Src parameter will only be seen if the sampling option plus the KDS Out or KDFX is installed.

 "Verify" has been added to the Disk page. This option, which is off by default, double-checks the data integrity of all your backup, copy, and save operations. Verification also, however, increases the time required for these operations; you may not need to use it if you have a stable SCSI setup.

 You can now copy multiple files with the Copy operation in Disk mode, instead of only a single file. As with other Disk mode operations, use the Select soft button to select multiple files to copy.

 On the Utilities Page in Disk Mode, there is a new utility labeled Info. This will display information about the currently selected drive.

 When formatting a floppy, when the formatting is done, the display will give you an option to insert another floppy and format it.

Additional enhancements:

 Enhanced CD-ROM drive support. V2.31 now supports a much greater variety of CD-ROM drives by supporting "2048 bytes per block". NEC CD-ROM drives are still not supported.

 Optimized SCSI driver logic for improved speed under certain circumstances.

 Intonation table changes now affect held notes in real-time.

 Improved Iomega JAZ and Zip drive compatibility - when the drive goes to sleep, you can now wake up the drive from the K2500.

 Improved voice stealing when using the stereo samples, including the stereo piano ROM 
block.



* KDS Out Option. The KDS out will give you 8 channels of Digital Audio, through a special jack which can be connected to the DMTi (Digital Multi-Track Interface). The KDFX option also contains a KDS out. However, a separate KDS Out option is also available, allowing access to the DMTi without having to add the KDFX.

