Search and FAQ - Kurzweil K1000and K1200

FAQ

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What sounds (programs / patches) are included in the various modules?
For lists of programs (patches/sounds) click on the items listed in the Patch Lists in the menu. More lists are included in the 'Programs (patches)'  page. You can also use the search feature at the top of this page. Search for the program name. If the name exists in one of the program lists it will be in the results page.  If the program is found in one of the comma separated values files (csv) used for many program lists, you can Open the file with a spreadsheet program like MS Excel or OpenOffice.org Calc. See Programs/list description for details.

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What other sounds (programs / patches) are available?
For lists of programs (patches/sounds) contributed by users, click on the User Programs menu item.

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How do I load programs from this web site into my Kurzweil Expander or Keyboard?
You need a librarian, editor or object mover application for your personal computer. Librarians for the Kurzweil 1000 series expanders and keyboards are listed in the Software page.  You will also need Midi connection between your computer and the expander or keyboard. If you have MS Windows check out Kurlewin.

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What is the difference between sample, program, patch, instrument, table, object, parameter and sound?
Sample: A sample is a digital recording of a real instrument or a digital representation of a waveform. Kurzweil 'sampled' or recorded many real instruments for the K1000 series keyboards and expanders. These samples were then placed in ROMs (read only memory) and these ROMS become the basic source of the sounds produced by the units. You can only change the samples in the K1000 series by adding or changing physical ROM chips on the circuit boards. Click on the Module Evolution menu item to see which sample ROMS were in which units.
Program: A program is a table of variables that instructs the K1000 unit how to process a sample and create the sound produced by the unit. Each of K1000 series comes with a set of programs that are stored in a ROM chip - thus providing the unit with a basic set of instruments or sounds. The user can also add programs (from scratch) or my modifying the ROM programs. These user programs are stored in RAM (random access memory) in the unit.
Patch: In the Kurzweil 1000 world, a patch is called a program. Kurzweil uses the word program instead of patch in their documentation. The two terms are used interchangeably by many.
Instrument: Usually this refers to a program/patch. A sample of an instrument is processed by the program to produce the sound you hear. Program names sometimes have the name of an instrument (I.E. 'Hard Struck Piano').
Table: In addition to programs, the K1000 series has various tables which contain data that instructs the K1000 how to behave. The Master Table contains data about the overall unit. Intonation tables specify different scales. Velocity tables specify loudness versus how hard you strike keys. There many more tables the user can modify.
Object: The term 'object' is used to refer to Samples, Programs and Tables. Kurzweil used an object oriented programming language to develop the K1000 series - thus the use of 'object' is common throughout their documentation.
Parameter: Parameters are the individual variables you can change in a program, table or other objects. Some variables are actually tables (objects) contained within other tables.
Sound: Some users refer to the samples as sounds. Other users refer to the programs or patches as sounds. In fact, a sound (what you hear) is the result of the combination of samples, programs, tables, and other variables you can change in the K1000 series.
Setup: Some users refer to the programs or patches as a setups. The newer units have a 'performance setup' (3 zones of the key range, each with a program and MIDI channel). There are some tables that change the 'setup' of the unit, then there are the Setup Tables - tables in the operating system ROM (or RAM) that link the patches to the samples or control the K1000 behavior. Only a few experts really know what a setup is :)

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What is the difference between program numbers, program IDs and program lists?
Note: This is a brief introduction. See details in K1000ProgRef.PDF (early models) or K1200Pro.pdf   (revision 5 products)
Program numbers: Program numbers are the numbers used to select a program (patch) from the front panel of your Kurzweil module or keyboard. These are also called Midi program numbers because they are the numbers used to select a program using Midi.
Program IDs Program IDs are the locations in ROM or RAM where a program is stored in the unit. Programs stored in ROM and shipped with the product occupied locations 1-63 and 128 up (for revision 1- 4 products) and occupied locations from 1 up in the revision 5 products. RAM programs (temporary, modified or new programs) were stored in locations 64 to 127 in the revision 1 - 4 products and in location 255 down in the revision 5 products.
Program Lists: The link between the program numbers and program IDs is accomplished in program lists. These are tables (called objects by kurzweil) that map the program number to a particular program stored in ROM or RAM.
In the early units (rev 1 - 4) these objects were named Program Maps and had 128 locations - thus represented 128 program numbers. Each location in the map stored the ID of the program to be used. Thus, location 2 (program 2) might have the ID 45 which means that the program with ID 45 was mapped to program number 2. The users could specify which one of many Program Maps was to be used at any given time. 
In revision 5, Kurzweil introduced Program lists (or Banks)  At any given time there can be 10 banks available for use. Each Program list has 99 locations in which program IDs are stored. The user specifies which program to call up from the front panel by enter a number from 1 to 999. The appropriate list is then accessed (list 0 to 9) and the location in that list maps the Program ID. For instance, if a user enters 344, then list 3 (300 to 399) is accessed, If location 44 in that list contains 123, then the program with ID 123 will be used. To select program 344 from Midi, the user first selects Midi program 103 (list 3), then selects Midi program 44. 

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Does this site have a downloads area - what is in that area and where is it?
Since all of the important downloads have now been directly linked, the download area has been restricted to protect the site from hackers. If you feel there are some files that you want that are not otherwise accessable send a note the the contact listed on the home page.

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There are so many products and programs (patches). Can one make sense of all this?
No! Well, at least the webmaster has not.  A few of the really experienced owners who own many of the Kurzweil 1000 series products have. Try reading the evolution page and browse the programs (patches) page - that may help. Or it may just make things worse. Have fun trying! If you are really brave, get a librarian program (see software page), download all the programs on the site and try each one in you Kurzweil 1000 product - just kidding!

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Where can I get chips burned for my upgrade?
EPromPro.com offers chip burning services. Check out the details on the links page.