----- Original Message -----

From: David Sagan

To: kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 12:12 AM

Subject: [kawaisynths] Re: K4 lcd problem...

David here! So at first I was thinking replace the internal battery
like Matt suggested, so I opened up the synth to check everything.
Turns out the connector was loose, probably because it came loose
during shipping. My K4 works great now, thanks a lot guys!

--- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, "David Sagan"
<polishplayer246@...> wrote:
>
> I just purchased a used K4 and something's wrong with the LCD. I
turn
> on the synth, and 16 solid black squares are displayed in the top
row,
> nothing in the bottom row. However, the buttons and sounds work
fine.
> I downloaded the manual from the Kawai website, but couldn't find
> anything. Has anyone had a similar problem, or does anyone know
how to
> fix this?
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!
>
> David S.
>

Hey All,

I am so glad I found this group....I own a K4....We recently moved out
of state and either I lost my power adapter or its packed away in some
box that I have yet to find.....I have no idea what I need....I tried
to purchase a new power adapter for a yamaha keyboard....It doesnt
work....I have no idea what I am looking for.....If someone could
inform me, I would greatly appreciate it....I know that I cant get my
keyboard to power up....I have tried 3 different adapters 12 volts and
it wont power up at all.....HELPPPPPPPPPPPP...Thanks Guys

Chrissy

after playing around with the Kawai K1 I came to the conclusion, that
it's not really a inspiring Synth(I'm mostly using it as a midi
keyboard now...). So I was wondering if anyone ever tried to circuit
bent this thing?

I'd like to do this to my K4 as well =o]



Daniel wrote:
> after playing around with the Kawai K1 I came to the conclusion, that
> it's not really a inspiring Synth(I'm mostly using it as a midi
> keyboard now...). So I was wondering if anyone ever tried to circuit
> bent this thing?
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>

I found another yahoo group
(http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/circuitbending/?yguid=268237457)
where someone bended a Kawai K1m.
Maybe there someone could help you with the K4, but I think you'll
just have to try it yourself.


--- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, Computer Controlled <acidted@...>
wrote:
>
> I'd like to do this to my K4 as well =o]
>
>
>
> Daniel wrote:
> > after playing around with the Kawai K1 I came to the conclusion, that
> > it's not really a inspiring Synth(I'm mostly using it as a midi
> > keyboard now...). So I was wondering if anyone ever tried to circuit
> > bent this thing?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

Hello from Italy,

I'm new here and I subscribed to this group because I have a K1.

Unfortunately I have a problem with it.

When I try to edit a patch (tried only with "Multi" since I need a
patch for sequencing) the values of the parameters continue to change
by themselves without me having touched a single button.

If, for example, I try to modify the name of the patch I see the
selected letter randomly change even if I haven't yet touched the "+"
or "-" buttons. The continue their ballet even if I push the buttons.
So it's impossibile to select a particular value.

Same happens with any other parameter.

Any clue?

I haven't changed the battery in 15 years but the memory banks are
still there and this should not affect the unit when is turned on. Or not?

Thanks for any help!

Valerio

Hi all,

I'm doing an order for some ROMs on the k5synth group. I wonder if
anyone is interested here as well. I can buy new ROMs and program them
with the K5 V1.3 OS and K5m V1.2.

I just got the K4 V1.4 and K4r V1.4 ROMs, so I think that this is a
better place to find K4 owners than the K5 group...

The price is going to be about $6 CAD (less than $6 USD) + shipping,
PayPal will be accepted.

I decided to do this in the K5 group because Kawai US charges $50 USD
for ROMs and W.D. Greenhill (Kawai Europe's outsourced repair service)
charges about 25 GBP for a ROM exchange.

Kawai Europe gives the ROM files for free, but not everyone has a ROM
programmer as far as I know.

Cheers,
Antoine

I still need an XD-5 V1.3 ROM for myself, and Kawai Europe doesn't
have it. Anyone got it?

--- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, "James Z" <jaz_men@...> wrote:
>
> I'm taking a stab at this ......   but dose the K1 have a 'joy-stick'?

It does and...

> I'm wondering if you were to move the joystick to a different
position (an area that may not have carbon built up and is dirty), and
give it a try.

...this was the problem! I moved the joystick to a different position
and everything worked again.

I will try to clean it (should I use the dry or wet type of contact
cleaner?) but for now the problem (a patch for sequencing) is solved.

Many thanks!!!

--- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, "James Z" <jaz_men@...> wrote:
>
> I'm taking a stab at this ......   but dose the K1 have a 'joy-stick'?

It does and...

> I'm wondering if you were to move the joystick to a different
position (an area that may not have carbon built up and is dirty), and
give it a try.

...this was the problem! I moved the joystick to a different position
and everything worked again.

I will try to clean it (should I use the dry or wet type of contact
cleaner?) but for now the problem (a patch for sequencing) is solved.

Many thanks!!!

Has anyone found a way to get a decent portamento (I'm thinking ELP
Lucky Man here) from a stock K1? Any other Moog type sound patches?

Deny
Miami

Hi all,

I just got an XD-5 I bought a week ago. Well, everything seems to work
fine, except that the RELEASE parameter does nothing at all and
SUSTAIN totally ignores that I released the key, it doesn't act like
the manual states. What could be wrong?

my 20+ year old k1 has just started going out of tune, both the tuning
and octaves are changing randomly.  thinking it's the battery which has
never been changed.  any ideas?

Hi,

if the battery was screwed, you would lose your presets or the preset
memory would get corrupt. It should not affect the synth's operation
when it's turned on. If the tuning changes too, it might be a power
supply issue. If the octaves change as well, then it's probably a bad
solder joint or component. Look for leaking capacitors, and retouch
every solders around the voltage regulator section. A bad solder joint
could be found by knocking lightly on the components with a non-metallic
object(a screwdriver handle for example) and listening for changes in
the sound at the same time.

Antoine

jimtzu2 a écrit :
> my 20+ year old k1 has just started going out of tune, both the tuning
> and octaves are changing randomly.  thinking it's the battery which has
> never been changed.  any ideas

thanks, i guess i'll open it up and see what's going on inside.  i
only used it as a simple controller, it was never much but always
stable.  i'm amazed that it's lasted this long.



--- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, Antoine Deschênes <antdes45@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> if the battery was screwed, you would lose your presets or the
preset
> memory would get corrupt. It should not affect the synth's
operation
> when it's turned on. If the tuning changes too, it might be a
power
> supply issue. If the octaves change as well, then it's probably a
bad
> solder joint or component. Look for leaking capacitors, and
retouch
> every solders around the voltage regulator section. A bad solder
joint
> could be found by knocking lightly on the components with a non-
metallic
> object(a screwdriver handle for example) and listening for changes
in
> the sound at the same time.
>
> Antoine
>
> jimtzu2 a écrit :
> > my 20+ year old k1 has just started going out of tune, both the
tuning
> > and octaves are changing randomly.  thinking it's the battery
which has
> > never been changed.  any ideas
>

i just joined this group having recently got a k1m
i see there have been sporadic discussions of adding filters to this
clearly an easy option is run it into the pc and use a free vst
such as classic filter
theres not that many cheap hardware options
i have just tried using a 'fat' oberheim string patch
ie a multi of it +itself one octave apart
with an alesis philtre in a set up linked to the other modfx units
(i have them all except the metavox) and got some pretty spectactular
sounding results (with other fx as reverb on the end)
the other option is to try more dj oriented stuff like a korg kaos
pad, alesis airfx or the discontinued stanton thing with the mouse
ball controller in it
or if you have some guitar pedals you could try it on an autowah

I'll try vst then...

on the other hand, have you got an alesis bitrman too?
I was thinking about one of these thing...
how do you judge it? is it worth the 100 and more euros they go for
now (discontinued...)?

please consider I wouldn't buy it only to use it with k1 but also
with others keys and synths and bass and maybe voice too...


--- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, "dantalianalysis"
<dantalianalysis@...> wrote:
>
> i just joined this group having recently got a k1m
> i see there have been sporadic discussions of adding filters to
this
> clearly an easy option is run it into the pc and use a free vst
> such as classic filter
> theres not that many cheap hardware options
> i have just tried using a 'fat' oberheim string patch
> ie a multi of it +itself one octave apart
> with an alesis philtre in a set up linked to the other modfx units
> (i have them all except the metavox) and got some pretty
spectactular
> sounding results (with other fx as reverb on the end)
> the other option is to try more dj oriented stuff like a korg kaos
> pad, alesis airfx or the discontinued stanton thing with the mouse
> ball controller in it
> or if you have some guitar pedals you could try it on an autowah
>

would it be a good idea if users uploaded their own bank
compilations
i have been thru all the k1 patches i could find from the
cards archive to the user one on this book and it was a wearying
job with a lot of duplicationsi have narrowed it down to 64
chosen mainly as real sounding instruments like flute etc
interesting sounding ..ie fat synths and special fx
and i have made 32 multis of my own out of this
with some interesting tuning and pitch shift combos
the main problem i have is saving and renaming the multis
i cant seem to rename the multis on the various librarians
i have

i have all the modfx bar the metavox but i picked up
most of them for 20 english quid or so as they were
being discontinued
bitrman mostly supplies distortion and ring mod
if that is the price now used its not worth it
although if you already have several modfx
then the value of one more is kind of higher
most of the fx could be achived by vst with
sfx machine lite combined and decimator bit crusher
plugs in which are free
in theory one might be better off using the fx
section of a synth although i have never got far
that way...still an mfb lite synth is a fully
functional filter and a monophonic synth
for only 50% more than the bitrman
given that a k1 has quite lo fi qualties to start with
the benefits of a bitrman are not so clear as for
things with 16 bit you and besides some patches in the
k1 can create these kinds of effects


--- somethingkillingyou <somethingkillingyou@...>
wrote:

> I'll try vst then...
>
> on the other hand, have you got an alesis bitrman
> too?
> I was thinking about one of these thing...
> how do you judge it? is it worth the 100 and more
> euros they go for
> now (discontinued...)?
>
> please consider I wouldn't buy it only to use it
> with k1 but also
> with others keys and synths and bass and maybe voice
> too...
>
>
> --- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com,
> "dantalianalysis"
> <dantalianalysis@...> wrote:
> >
> > i just joined this group having recently got a k1m
> > i see there have been sporadic discussions of
> adding filters to
> this
> > clearly an easy option is run it into the pc and
> use a free vst
> > such as classic filter
> > theres not that many cheap hardware options
> > i have just tried using a 'fat' oberheim string
> patch
> > ie a multi of it +itself one octave apart
> > with an alesis philtre in a set up linked to the
> other modfx units
> > (i have them all except the metavox) and got some
> pretty
> spectactular
> > sounding results (with other fx as reverb on the
> end)
> > the other option is to try more dj oriented stuff
> like a korg kaos
> > pad, alesis airfx or the discontinued stanton
> thing with the mouse
> > ball controller in it
> > or if you have some guitar pedals you could try it
> on an autowah
> >
>
>
>



       ___________________________________________________________
Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out there knows the answer. Try it
now.
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/

1)it's around 100 euro NEW, some sellers still have these!
I wouldn't spend 100 euro for something used that costed 1/4 of that
new! it's new, with 2 years warranty...
2)I said, I wouldn't use it just with my K1!

--- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, Samuel Cameron
<dantalianalysis@...> wrote:
>
> i have all the modfx bar the metavox but i picked up
> most of them for 20 english quid or so as they were
> being discontinued
> bitrman mostly supplies distortion and ring mod
> if that is the price now used its not worth it
> although if you already have several modfx
> then the value of one more is kind of higher
> most of the fx could be achived by vst with
> sfx machine lite combined and decimator bit crusher
> plugs in which are free
> in theory one might be better off using the fx
> section of a synth although i have never got far
> that way...still an mfb lite synth is a fully
> functional filter and a monophonic synth
> for only 50% more than the bitrman
> given that a k1 has quite lo fi qualties to start with
> the benefits of a bitrman are not so clear as for
> things with 16 bit you and besides some patches in the
> k1 can create these kinds of effects
>
>
> --- somethingkillingyou <somethingkillingyou@...>
> wrote:
>
> > I'll try vst then...
> >
> > on the other hand, have you got an alesis bitrman
> > too?
> > I was thinking about one of these thing...
> > how do you judge it? is it worth the 100 and more
> > euros they go for
> > now (discontinued...)?
> >
> > please consider I wouldn't buy it only to use it
> > with k1 but also
> > with others keys and synths and bass and maybe voice
> > too...
> >
> >
> > --- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com,
> > "dantalianalysis"
> > <dantalianalysis@> wrote:
> > >
> > > i just joined this group having recently got a k1m
> > > i see there have been sporadic discussions of
> > adding filters to
> > this
> > > clearly an easy option is run it into the pc and
> > use a free vst
> > > such as classic filter
> > > theres not that many cheap hardware options
> > > i have just tried using a 'fat' oberheim string
> > patch
> > > ie a multi of it +itself one octave apart
> > > with an alesis philtre in a set up linked to the
> > other modfx units
> > > (i have them all except the metavox) and got some
> > pretty
> > spectactular
> > > sounding results (with other fx as reverb on the
> > end)
> > > the other option is to try more dj oriented stuff
> > like a korg kaos
> > > pad, alesis airfx or the discontinued stanton
> > thing with the mouse
> > > ball controller in it
> > > or if you have some guitar pedals you could try it
> > on an autowah
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>       ___________________________________________________________
> Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out there knows the
answer. Try it
> now.
> http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/
>

things on websites are often not still for sale
i have known sites that claim to be selling
modfx boxes
but thats just lack of tidy housekeeping in retail
they haven't always really got them
as they expect to order them from a supplier
Sam
--- somethingkillingyou <somethingkillingyou@...>
wrote:

> 1)it's around 100 euro NEW, some sellers still have
> these!
> I wouldn't spend 100 euro for something used that
> costed 1/4 of that
> new! it's new, with 2 years warranty...
> 2)I said, I wouldn't use it just with my K1!
>
> --- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, Samuel Cameron
> <dantalianalysis@...> wrote:
> >
> > i have all the modfx bar the metavox but i picked
> up
> > most of them for 20 english quid or so as they
> were
> > being discontinued
> > bitrman mostly supplies distortion and ring mod
> > if that is the price now used its not worth it
> > although if you already have several modfx
> > then the value of one more is kind of higher
> > most of the fx could be achived by vst with
> > sfx machine lite combined and decimator bit
> crusher
> > plugs in which are free
> > in theory one might be better off using the fx
> > section of a synth although i have never got far
> > that way...still an mfb lite synth is a fully
> > functional filter and a monophonic synth
> > for only 50% more than the bitrman
> > given that a k1 has quite lo fi qualties to start
> with
> > the benefits of a bitrman are not so clear as for
> > things with 16 bit you and besides some patches in
> the
> > k1 can create these kinds of effects
> >
> >
> > --- somethingkillingyou <somethingkillingyou@...>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I'll try vst then...
> > >
> > > on the other hand, have you got an alesis
> bitrman
> > > too?
> > > I was thinking about one of these thing...
> > > how do you judge it? is it worth the 100 and
> more
> > > euros they go for
> > > now (discontinued...)?
> > >
> > > please consider I wouldn't buy it only to use it
> > > with k1 but also
> > > with others keys and synths and bass and maybe
> voice
> > > too...
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com,
> > > "dantalianalysis"
> > > <dantalianalysis@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > i just joined this group having recently got a
> k1m
> > > > i see there have been sporadic discussions of
> > > adding filters to
> > > this
> > > > clearly an easy option is run it into the pc
> and
> > > use a free vst
> > > > such as classic filter
> > > > theres not that many cheap hardware options
> > > > i have just tried using a 'fat' oberheim
> string
> > > patch
> > > > ie a multi of it +itself one octave apart
> > > > with an alesis philtre in a set up linked to
> the
> > > other modfx units
> > > > (i have them all except the metavox) and got
> some
> > > pretty
> > > spectactular
> > > > sounding results (with other fx as reverb on
> the
> > > end)
> > > > the other option is to try more dj oriented
> stuff
> > > like a korg kaos
> > > > pad, alesis airfx or the discontinued stanton
> > > thing with the mouse
> > > > ball controller in it
> > > > or if you have some guitar pedals you could
> try it
> > > on an autowah
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
___________________________________________________________
> > Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out there
> knows the
> answer. Try it
> > now.
> > http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/
> >
>
>
>



       ___________________________________________________________
Want ideas for reducing your carbon footprint? Visit Yahoo! For Good 
http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/environment.html

FWIW, I've circuit-bent a K1m, with good results.  I managed to find 25
points for a DB25 breakout cable.  I've got a photo of the chip to
exploit on this group:

<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/circuitbending>

--- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, "dantalianalysis"
<dantalianalysis@...> wrote:
>
> i just joined this group having recently got a k1m
> i see there have been sporadic discussions of adding filters to this
> clearly an easy option is run it into the pc and use a free vst
> such as classic filter
> theres not that many cheap hardware options
> i have just tried using a 'fat' oberheim string patch
> ie a multi of it +itself one octave apart
> with an alesis philtre in a set up linked to the other modfx units
> (i have them all except the metavox) and got some pretty spectactular
> sounding results (with other fx as reverb on the end)
> the other option is to try more dj oriented stuff like a korg kaos
> pad, alesis airfx or the discontinued stanton thing with the mouse
> ball controller in it
> or if you have some guitar pedals you could try it on an autowah
>

i have experience of an xs-1/kc-10 and a k1m
and looked at the module of a k4
it looks as if kawai constantly use pretty much the same samples
as these models don't generate sounds as such
are the samples literally taken from oberheim, korg etc, synths
this seems to be the implication of the soundfont that can be
downloaded freely of k4 source waves which are explicitly named
after other manufacturers models
i am curious about the copyright issues here...if these samples
were taken from other manufacturers synth was there no objection to
it?

--- In kawaisynths@yahoogroups.com, "dantalianalysis"
<dantalianalysis@...> wrote:
>
> i have experience of an xs-1/kc-10 and a k1m
> and looked at the module of a k4
> it looks as if kawai constantly use pretty much the same samples
> as these models don't generate sounds as such

The K1 series was an 'enhanced' additive synthesis device similar to
the Roland D-series.  It used samples for attack and additive
synthesis for the rest of the envelope.  The K4, on the other hand,
it entirely PCM sample-based (which is why I was able to exploit 75
circuit-bending points from the three ROM chips in the K4r, rather
than the 25 points I was able to exploit on the K1m's sample ROM
containing only attacks)

> are the samples literally taken from oberheim, korg etc, synths
> this seems to be the implication of the soundfont that can be
> downloaded freely of k4 source waves which are explicitly named
> after other manufacturers models
> i am curious about the copyright issues here...if these samples
> were taken from other manufacturers synth was there no objection to
> it?
>

They definitely were not taken from other manufacturers synths.  Korg
and Yamaha may have shared samples for a time when Korg was owned by
Yamaha, but Kawai has always been its own company, and these
companies are very protective of their sample banks.  Even Roland
won't allow the obsolete and long-out-of-production MT-32's ROM to be
used in a software emulation project by a programmer who wanted to
make an MT-32 emulator.

just on a historical note...i read that the Roland MT-32 cease
and desist action on emulators was overturned when it turned out that
roland did not have verfiiable ownership/patesnts for the MT-32
sounds
thanks for the info about the wavs in the boxes

its pretty obvious the k1 is a poor man's M1
i only have the digital pc based M1 recreation
but I enjoy playing with the K1 more as the M1 seems more bland
but maybe if i had both boxes it would be different
this leads me to another thing..
degradation plug ins on computers do not seem to produce very
comparable results with actually having a bit of old gear with low
sample and bit rates
instead of gettiong a rounger sound they seem to just produce
breaking up and disotrtion
i refer to free vst plug ins...and native degradation in the NI
FM7, software studios and the SP12-ulation on Emu's DSP Emulator X

Hi,
i have red in one advertisment, K1 II transmits note-off velocity. I have
tried it - and it is true - MIDI monitor in MIDI Quest displays always
different Note-off Velocity according release speed. http://synt.szm.com//
Note-off.jpg   It is a great news for me...

Jozef