Recently got myself a second-hand Ketron SD2 module. Great sounds as everyone knows by now and at give-away prices, but my problem is universal I guess, I can fairly easily access the 128 GM sounds, but how can I possibly access the other three banks with apparently great sounds as well, using my Korg PA-500 as master ?
Any advice would be more than welcome.

cheers,
John Smies

Hi John
I and everyone else has had this problem. I used to have the map and a controller, but was too much work.

I got the vArranger and now life is a breeze.

http://www.varranger.fr/Home_Page.php

Hi John.

All KORG keyboards have the ability to call up any sound you want from any external module by transmitting MSB/LSB and Program Change data.

You only need to set the track status to external and it will then allow you to send very specific MSB/LSB and Program Change data that have nothing to do with it's own internal sounds.

For example, if you send MSB 10, Program 1 then the SD2 will go to bank C program 001.

Regards
James.

Hi James,

This might come as a shock to you, knowing my experience in programming on many a keyboard in the past and currently on the PA-500 but you have lost me already !
I understand about switching the PA to external but then I get a nine digit number and I can alter it only be either typing in three new digits,(and then it defaults to piano)or selecting another sound by selecting another sound directly from the Korg performance bank, never getting to where I want to go. Obviously I am a novice here......

Bernie,
thanks for the suggestion but I am an old fashioned kind of guy who has not even linked the computer to my keyboard set up.
I got the SD2 second-hand , and for the price I paid I could get about half of the vArranger programme, so that is not on the cards for me really.

Hi John.

There are 3 sets of numbers. 000.000.000

The first 3 are the MSB numbers.
The second are the LSB numbers.
The third are the program numbers.

The numbers you need to change are the 1st and 3rd set of numbers.

For the first set of numbers you have the following.

000=Bank A
001=Bank B
002=Preset Bank
010=Bank C

The third set of numbers are the sounds listed in your manual. Each has a number beside it so Piano in bank A is listed as 1, but you have to send 001.

So if you wanted sound 87 from bank C you need to send....
010.000.087

Hope that helps.

Cheers
James

It sure does James, and I am very grateful for your simple and effective explanation.
Can you also go thru the SD2 sounds one by one without having to feed the nine digit midi number every time for every sound, or do you need a Midi masterkeyboard for that ?

I must say I have always been enthousiastic about both Korg and Ketron (Solton) but this ultra budget combination is really something.
Shortly I will also add a Behringer UMX49 small masterkeyboard and that should clinch it.
The Korg PAs are simply amazing keyboards and the PA-500 does absolute miracles in relation to its price tag. And the very least can be said for the Ketron SD2 module.
There is no accounting for tastes I know, but
I'll go for the "two K's " anytime..........