Alternate Mode malletKAT PRO With Sounds User manual

Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 - 6
About This Manual
Unpacking
Registration Card
Mounting
Cases
Optional Accessories and Other KAT Products
Product Overview
2. CONNECTIONS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 - 8
Power
Headphone Out
Volume Knob
Breath Control Input
Audio Outs
Audio Inputs
Footswitch Inputs
FootControl Inputs
MIDI In
MIDI Out
Expander Inputs
3. MAKING A SOUND ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 - 11
Controlling External Sound Sources
Making Other Sounds
Play Mode Display
4. EDITING --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 - 34
General Editing Concepts
How to Edit
Editing Tips
Editing Pad Layout
Editing Pad Descriptions
Accessing Setup Auxiliary Settings
Accessing Global Auxiliary Settings
Listing of Internal Sound Programs
5. BASIC USER SETUPS --------------------------------------------------------------------- 35 - 39
Making Sure You’re Set Up Right
Get the Pads to Play the Sounds You Want
Get the Pads to Play with the Velocity Response You Want
Get the Pads to Play with the Gate Time You Want
Polyphony
Setting Up Your Footswitches
Setting Up Your FootControl Pedals
Controlling Volume
Moving Around Through Your Setups
Getting Drum Sounds

6. ADVANCED USER SETUPS ----------------------------------------------------------- 40 - 44
Layer Modes
Hang
Layer (Double)
Split
Pressure Modes
Normal
Dampen
Aftertouch
Other Tricks
External Sound Sources
Program Change Banks
FootControl and Breath Control
7. MIDI PRIMER -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 45 - 48
Connections
Signals
Concepts & Commands
MIDI Channels, MIDI Notes, MIDI Velocity
MIDI Note On, MIDI Note Off,
Program Change, System Exclusive (Dumps)
So What’s the Big Deal?
All You Really Need to Know to Get Going With MIDI
MIDI For Percussion
MIDI Delay
8. APPENDIX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 49 - 64
A: Trouble-Shooting Help - What if it isn’t working?
B: Glossary of Terms
C: Setup Templates
D: MIDI Implementation Chart
E: System Exclusive Documentation
F: Velocity Curve Documentation
G: Instructions for Inserting New Software
H: Warranty / Care and Maintenance
I: KAT Inc. / KAT Customer Service
J: Breath Controller Adjustments
9. INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 67

1. Introduction. Welcome to the malletKAT PRO With Sounds. Plug in your AC
Adaptor, your headphones and play. Freedom at last! It’s quick,
it’s simple, it’s convenient, and it sounds great!
Congratulations on your purchase! You have purchased a product that
has grown and expanded over the 9 years since it was introduced.
What started out in 1986 as the innovative and advanced
malletKAT is still the most powerful and responsive keyboard
controller in the world. However, now it also comes complete with
over 300 studio quality percussion, orchestra, and keyboard sounds.
The malletKAT PRO continually grows in response to your changing
needs.
With KAT’s continuing War On Obsolescence, all of our customers enjoy
continual growth in their purchases because of our upgrade releases.
The With Sounds option, for example, is a modification, not a
totally new purchase where you have to throw away your previous
controller. We consciously try to plan our products for growth, as
technology develops we try to add it in.
The malletKAT PRO has changed physically with improvements in
the FSR playing surface, additional jacks for foot control, breath
control, and is now expandable up to 5 octaves with increased
sensitivity and dynamic range.
The new malletKAT PRO features include a special “Hang Mode” and a
“Dampening Mode.” The editing has been changed to be very quick
and intuitive. All of the functions you use regularly have been
made quickly accessible without a lot of screen advancing.
Now, the internal sound card gives you the ability to be self contained.
With headphones for practicing and stereo line outs to the band’s
board, getting around with your mallet instrument has a new level
of convenience.
Right now we are working on even more features and capabilities for
your malletKAT PRO. We tell you this so that you’ll know that as
the malletKAT PRO evolves even further in the years to come - our
future innovations will be made available to you too! We won’t
forget you!
ABOUT THIS MANUAL:This manual will get you started playing immediately and then help
you dig in and learn how to get the most out of your new purchase.
Chapter 1 contains introductory information and a product overview.
Chapter 2 describes the external Connections on your malletKAT PRO.
Chapter 3 gets to the heart of the matter and gets you Making Sounds
and playing on your malletKAT PRO.
Chapter 4 explains how you can Edit (change) the settings on the
malletKAT PRO.
Chapter 5 is about creating Basic User Setups for yourself.
Chapter 6 is about creating Advanced User Setups with interesting
results.
Chapter 7 is a basic MIDI Primer which details what MIDI is, how to
use it to control external devices, and special facets of MIDI as it
relates to percussion.
The Appendix has additional help and details.
3

1. Introduction
UNPACKING: When you unpack your malletKAT PRO With Sounds, you should find
the following:
1 3-octave malletKAT PRO With Sounds 1 manual
1 locking 1.2A AC Adaptor 2 KF1 footswitches
REGISTRATION CARD: You should find a registration card enclosed in your manual. Please fill
it out and send it in so we can keep track of you for product updates,
new product information, and the KATtales Newsletter.
MOUNTING: There is a wide variety of stands that you can use to support your
malletKAT PRO. The “cross stand” type of stands work well. Just
try one out to verify that it’s adjustable to the height you like and
breaks down to a reasonable size so as to be transportable. KAT
sells a “550 Stand” that was selected for the malletKAT PRO.
Using the optional DKB mounting bracket, the malletKAT PRO can be
mounted on a variety of KAT drum stands and stand parts. The
DKB mounts to the bottom of the malletKAT PRO with 4 (1/2” x
10/32”) screws. Consult our latest KATalog or your dealer.
Where and how you mount your malletKAT PRO is largely a matter of
personal taste.
CASES: A special malletKAT PRO case is available from KAT. The life of your
instrument will reflect the care that you give it.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES and OTHER KAT PRODUCTS:
MKC - malletKAT PRO Case
DKB - KAT Controller Mounting Bracket
AC Adaptors - European & U.S.
Assorted stands and stand parts
KF1 - Single Footswitches
KF3 - Triple Footswitch
Breath Controller
MIDI Quick Notes - Quick reference guide for chords
Instructional Videos
KAT Players Videos
KAT T-shirt & Jackets
Trigger Pads...
proPAD - multi-zone FSR Pad
rimKAT - dual-zone FSR Pad
poleKAT - dual-zone FSR Pad
flatKAT - single zone Pads
Trigger Pedals...
fatKAT - self contained trigger pedal
hatKAT - Hi Hat / Controller pedal
miniKICK - compact BD trigger Pad
kicKAT - BD trigger Pad for real acoustic feel
Acoustic Drum Triggers...
4

1. Introduction
KST1 - Shell mount triggers for Toms
KDT1 - Head mount triggers for all drums
KDT210 - Heavy duty trigger for Snares & Toms,
modular design and easily removable
KDT250 - Bass Drum version of above
Other Controllers...
drumKAT 3.5 - The most powerful and advanced drum
controller in the world
drumKAT EZ - 10 pad controller, w/ Expander inputs
DK10 - Simple to use 10 pad drum controller
trapKAT - Big, 24 pad, drum controller
CD ROMS - Vintage, Ditto Disks, KATkits
Software Products (drumTUTOR, trapTUTOR)
PRODUCT OVERVIEW: The malletKAT PRO With Sounds is a velocity sensitive MIDI
controller with a layout that is comfortable for mallet players.
The playing surface responds to a wide dynamic range and is very
comfortable to play on. The playing pads are made of a sponge
rubber that was selected to resist wear and tear. These pads
provide a comfortable rebound with mallet sticks, and quiet the
mallet impact sound.
There are three Footswitch inputs. One gets you in and out of EDIT.
When you hit any of the pads with the Edit Footswitch depressed,
you can make changes to the settings in your malletKAT PRO.
The other two footswitch inputs allow you to sustain sounds and control
the special “Hang Mode.”
The MIDI IN jack allows you to retrieve saved Setups that you
previously saved to a “DataDisk” or other storage device. The
MIDI IN jack also allows you to merge information from another
controller (or sequencer) through to the MIDI OUTs. Also the MIDI
IN jack allows you to access the internal sounds from an external
controller or sequencer (see p.31).
There are two MIDI OUT jacks that carry the same information. One is
mounted on the side to give you more options when routing your
cables.
A Breath Control input works with the BC-2 Breath Controller.
Two FootControl inputs allow the use of expression or volume pedals to
add extra expression to your playing. The Foot Control Inputs can
also be used to Advance and Backup through your Setups with your
feet.
The malletKAT PRO has a backlit display with four lines of sixteen
characters per line. The four lines allow you to see a lot of
information in an easy-to-read format. Even the viewing angle of
the display is adjustable.
The software in the malletKAT PRO allows you unbelievable control
and potential. The malletKAT PRO has two independent
Controllers that you may use to Split the keyboard (one sound on
the left side of the keyboard and another sound on the right) or
5

1. Introduction
Double the keyboard (all pads play two sounds simultaneously). A
special Hang Mode allows you to play a chord (while the Sustain 2
footswitch is depressed) and then solo with a different sound
(Sustain 2 footswitch released) while the chord sustains.
Since standard marimba mallet playing can’t “sustain tones,” the
malletKAT PRO provides the ability to automatically sustain
notes from 15 milliseconds (.015 seconds) to 6.4 seconds for you.
Otherwise string and horn sounds would be only very short little
whispers.
The malletKAT PRO has 8 velocity curves which are used to correlate
your playing dynamics (how hard or soft you play) to MIDI
Velocity information (how soft or loud a note to play) with 127
individual levels.
As you step through the various Setups in your malletKAT PRO With
Sounds, you can instantly access the different features the
malletKAT PRO is capable of performing. The 128 Factory Setups
have been carefully programmed to give you a wide variety of
settings as you get a great cross-section of the internal sounds
available to you. The 128 User Setups allow you to customize
settings to your personal taste as well as copy in some of the 128
Factory Setups.
From the factory, the User Setups are set in a General MIDI format
where the sounds are arranged to conform to the General MIDI
specification.
The Factory Setups do not conform to the General MIDI standard - we
decided to make the best Setups we could using the best of the
internal sounds. So, instead of getting only 1 Vibraphone and
getting a helicopter and gun shots (required by the General MIDI
spec) you will find several different Vibraphone Setups.
With the malletKAT PRO, you can control external devices such as
synthesizers, drum machines, samplers, sequencers, transcription
software on personal computers, and so on. You can connect the
malletKAT PRO up to an array of instruments and control them all
simultaneously. By simply stepping into the next Setup, you not
only can change which devices you are controlling, but you can also
change the programs selected on those instruments as well.
The built-in sound card gives you a new convenience you will
appreciate. Pack up your mallet case and you are complete!
The malletKAT PRO With Sounds was conceived to answer the mallet
player's need for a transportable, responsive, and powerful means
to enter the exciting world of electronic percussion. It will enhance
your possibilities and unleash your imagination so that your
playing and creativity can reach a new level. Enjoy!
6

2. Connections.
POWER (back):The malletKAT PRO With Sounds comes supplied with an external AC
Adaptor with a locking plug on one end and a separate AC cord on
the other end (takes up only one outlet of a power strip).
Specifications are 1 to 1.2 Amp, 9V, positive tip, 2.1mm diameter.
Optional AC Adaptors are available for other countries, so if you
travel, contact us for information about these other adaptors.
After you have connected the power cable from the malletKAT PRO
With Sounds to a clean power source and locked the plug into the
back of your malletKAT, switch on the power switch on the back
right of the instrument. If your instrument does not turn on, refer to
the troubleshooting section in the Appendix for help.
HEADPHONE OUTPUT (front):Plug in your headphones and try them out. If you have high
efficiency headphones, you may need to keep the volume turned
down to avoid overdriving. If you connect an audio source into the
Audio Inputs (back) you will hear a mix of the internal sounds and
your external sound source on your headphones.
The headphone input jack expects a 1/4” plug. If your headphone has
a mini plug, a conversion plug is available from Radio Shack and
stereo departments of most Department stores.
VOLUME BUTTONS (front):Adjusts the volume of both the headphones and the Audio Outs (in
the back). The overall volume is also affected by the Volume
setting in the Setup for each Controller and by the position of the
expression pedals (see p.38).
Once you have the power connected, headphones plugged in and the
volume adjusted, you can start playing!
BREATH CONTROL INPUT (front):The Breath Control input accepts a signal from the
Yamaha BC2 Breath Controller. This allows you to do Pitchbend,
Modulation, etc. with your mouth! The actual training of the
Breath Controller is shown on p.28.
AUDIO OUTs (back):The Audio Outs carry stereo, line-level outputs from a mix of the
Internal Sounds & the Audio Inputs. The volume of these outputs
are controlled by both the external volume knob and internal Setup
settings for Volume (see p.38). If you connect audio into the Left Out
only you will get a mono mix of the Left and Right sides.
AUDIO INPUTs (back):These are stereo, line-level inputs from an external sound source (like a
CD player or audio from another instrument) that gets mixed with
the audio out of the internal sound card and sent to the Headphones
and Audio Outs. If you connect into the Left In only you will mix
that audio signal into both the Left and Right Audio Outs.
FOOTSWITCH INPUTS (back):There are three footswitch inputs on the malletKAT PRO With
Sounds: One is used to do editing (make changes to your settings)
and the other two are used for sustain. The two sustain inputs are
assignable to different control functions (see p.22)
Two KAT KF1 footswitches are supplied with your malletKAT PRO
7

2. Connections
With Sounds. Additional KF1 footswitches, a triple footswitch
(KF3) and a special VFP footswitch are available from KAT. KAT
footswitches may be plugged and unplugged and moved to other
inputs with the power on.
If you are not using KAT footswitches, plug in the footswitch before
turning on the malletKAT PRO With Sounds. The malletKAT will
read the type of footswitch you are using on power-up and
automatically adjust for the type you have.
FOOTCONTROL INPUTS (back):Most expression and volume pedals will operate nicely if you
train the malletKAT PRO to recognize them (see p.27).
An expression/volume pedal which works perfectly with your
malletKAT PRO, the “CP1”, is available from KAT.
These inputs can be selected to do Setup increment and decrement
functions (see p.30).
MIDI IN (back):The malletKAT PRO has a MIDI IN jack to receive MIDI information
from another controller, a sequencer, or a computer. The malletKAT
PRO can merge and/or filter this information and send it to the
MIDI OUT jacks. See p.31 for selecting how Program Changes
received at your MIDI IN jack affect the sounds on your internal
sound source.
MIDI OUT (back):The malletKAT PRO has two MIDI OUT jacks. To control external
sound sources, plug a MIDI cable into one of these MIDI OUT jacks
and connect the other end into the MIDI IN jack on your sound
source. These jacks are the lifeline that carries all your
performance information to your external sound sources .
EXPANDER INPUTS (back):The Expander Inputs allow you to expand your 3-octave malletKAT
PRO With Sounds to 4 or 5 octaves.
Simply connect an Expander cable (a 7 pin din cable is supplied with
expanders) from the Expander OUT of an optional Expander Octave
to the Expander IN on your malletKAT PRO With Sounds.
8

3. MAKING A SOUND.
It’s a simple matter to start playing your new malletKAT PRO With
Sounds right away because it has 128 Factory Setups, specifically
programmed to knock your socks off. All you have to do is the
following:
•Connect the AC Adaptor to the back of the malletKAT PRO
With Sounds, screw down the locking collar on the plug, and
plug the AC cord into an AC outlet.
•Turn on the power to your malletKAT PRO With Sounds.
•Plug in headphones.
•Play!
If your malletKAT PRO With Sounds does not play properly, see the
helpful suggestions in the Appendix p.49-50 or call us at 413-594-
7466, we’ll be glad to help you get started.
For additional control:
•Connect one footswitch to the Edit FTSW input on the back of the
malletKAT PRO With Sounds. Connect the second footswitch
into the Sustain FTSW 1 input on the back of the malletKAT
PRO With Sounds.
CONTROLLING EXTERNAL SOUND SOURCES:
•Connect a MIDI cable between the MIDI OUT on the back of the
malletKAT PRO With Sounds and the MIDI IN of your sound
source.
• Set the sound source to receive MIDI data on Channel 1.
• Plug headphones into your sound source or connect the audio out of
your sound source to an amplifier and speakers (or to the Audio
In on your malletKAT PRO With Sounds).
•Play!
MAKING OTHER SOUNDS:
To make other sounds, you will select other Setups on your malletKAT
PRO With Sounds. This will automatically select other Programs
in your sound source - thereby giving you other sounds.
Right now, the malletKAT PRO is probably in Factory Setup 1 (F001).
To select another Setup, hit the Forward Function pad twice (the
Function pads are the two smaller pads above your highest “C”, on
the right hand side of the malletKAT PRO With Sounds). That
increments the malletKAT PRO through its Setups - which should
select different sounds (Programs) on your sound source.
Not very hard was it! (Hit the Backward Function pad twice and you
decrement through the Setups!)
So, use this method to wander through the Setups and play on the
malletKAT PRO With Sounds and you’ll get an idea of the variety
available to you!
(Why two hits of the Function pads?? Two hits are required to
make sure it is intentional! One accidental hit might cause you to
change sounds when you didn’t really want to.)
9

3. Making A Sound
PLAY MODE DISPLAY: If you are in PLAY MODE (you’re in PLAY MODE whenever you’re not
depressing the EDIT footswitch) the display will look like:
(Normal,
Dampen or
Aftertouch)
(Program #)
F001 Hang Norml
Controller1 Poly
Bth Vibraphone
Bk01 Pg012 Vo080
(001-128)
(000-127)
(Poly or
Mono)
(Factory/User)
(Hang,
Split or
Double)
(Bank #)
(Sound
Name) (1 or 2)
(Both,
Internal,
External)
This PLAY MODE screen actually tells you a lot about how your
malletKAT PRO is set up. The most important settings are shown
here. So, as you try each Setup, this screen will give you an
overview of what is happening in each Setup on whichever
Controller you last selected.
The top line shows which Setup the malletKAT PRO is in. A Setup is a
collection of performance settings that describe a total “setup” of
the malletKAT PRO With Sounds. There are 128 Factory Setups &
128 User Setups in the malletKAT PRO With Sounds. The “F” or
“U” at the beginning of the top line tells you whether Factory or
User Setups are selected. The three digit # following the F or U
tells which Setup your malletKAT PRO With Sounds is currently
using. (see p.13)
The next entry shows which Layer Mode is currently selected. The
Layer Mode defines how the two independent controllers are
currently being utilized. The possible Layer Modes are: HANG,
SPLIT, or DOUBLE.
In Split, the keyboard is split into a right and left side. Controller
2 plays on the pads on the left side of the split and Controller 1 is
the right side of the split. You can access two sounds, separately on
one keyboard.
In Double both Controller 1 and Controller 2 are played by every
pad on the keyboard. You get two sounds (or pitches) on each pad.
Hang is a special mode where you play Controller 1 on the whole
keyboard unless you have the Sustain 2 footswitch depressed -
then you play Controller 2 on the whole keyboard. The added
twist is that you can have the Controller 2 notes sustain until you
re-depress the Sustain 2 footswitch again - so the notes “hang”
while you play other notes on Controller 1. (Re-depress the Sustain
2 footswitch and the hung notes stop “hanging”.) (see p.40-p.41)
10