ISLA Instruments KordBot User manual

User Guide

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User Guide
Copyright © 2017 ISLA Instruments. All Rights Reserved.
www.islainstruments.com
Revised 9.20.2017

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Power Up ...............................................................................................................................6
Play Modes .............................................................................................................................6
Play Modes – Key + MOD .................................................................................................................... 6
Play Modes – Diatonic Mode ................................................................................................................. 8
Progression Suggestion .............................................................................................................. 9
Play Modes – Diatonic Strum................................................................................................................. 9
Play Modes – Polyphonic Keys ..............................................................................................................10
User Chord creation in quick mode ...................................................................................................10
Notes for entering user chords, quick mode...........................................................................................10
File Manager ...........................................................................................................................11
Mounting and Unmounting..................................................................................................................11
Formatting.................................................................................................................................11
Create System Card.........................................................................................................................11
Save / Load System Data ...................................................................................................................11
Saving System Data.................................................................................................................12
Loading System Data................................................................................................................12
Settings ...............................................................................................................................13
MIDI IO Setup ..............................................................................................................................13
Setups .....................................................................................................................................13
Changing MOD keys.................................................................................................................13
Changing NOTE keys ................................................................................................................14
Changing MEM keys.................................................................................................................14
Foot Controller Configuration................................................................................................................14
Expression Pedal....................................................................................................................14
Foot Switch.........................................................................................................................14
Arpeggio Builder............................................................................................................................15
Arpeggiator’s Inner Self .............................................................................................................15
Contents

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Patterns............................................................................................................................15
Using the Arpeggio Builder ..................................................................................................................16
Editing Note Patterns (Yellow) .......................................................................................................16
Editing Velocity Patterns (Green) .....................................................................................................16
Editing Rhythm patterns (Purple) ....................................................................................................17
Scale Builder ...............................................................................................................................17
KordBot Common Built In Functions.......................................................................................................19
Arp Division ................................................................................................................................19
Arp Note Len ...............................................................................................................................19
Arp Speed..................................................................................................................................19
Arp Swing..................................................................................................................................19
Chord Hold Time............................................................................................................................19
Chord Spread...............................................................................................................................19
MIDI CC ....................................................................................................................................20
Slider damping .............................................................................................................................20
Tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Velocity humanize ..........................................................................................................................20
Velocity offset..............................................................................................................................20
Arp On/Off/Even ...........................................................................................................................20
Arp Style U/D ..............................................................................................................................20
Arp Note Pat ...............................................................................................................................21
Arp Quantize ...............................................................................................................................21
Arp Repeat / Latch..........................................................................................................................21
Arp Rthm pat...............................................................................................................................21
Arp Vel pat .................................................................................................................................21
Chord Hold On/Off..........................................................................................................................21
MIDI CC ....................................................................................................................................21

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Midi Clock Out..............................................................................................................................21
Midi In Ports ...............................................................................................................................21
Midi Out Port...............................................................................................................................21
Midi Sync Int/Ext ...........................................................................................................................21
Q Notes/Measure ..........................................................................................................................21
Push Changes ..............................................................................................................................21
Turn Changes ..............................................................................................................................22
Diatonic Progression Editing .............................................................................................................22
Diatonic Theory.........................................................................................................................23
Scales .....................................................................................................................................23
Chords.....................................................................................................................................24
Diatonic Progressions.......................................................................................................................24
Appendix X – MIDI Continuous Controller Values ...........................................................................................25

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Power Up
After powering up your KordBot unit you should see the screen shown in
Figure 1. This is the main menu screen from which all KordBot functions are
accessed. Rotary Encoder A is used to navigate to the desired icon.
Play Modes
There are 4 play modes available with the current KordBot firmware: Key +MOD,
Diatonic Mode, Diatonic Strum and Polyphonic Keys. These modes allow you the
freedom to configure and use the KordBot in many ways, from live performance
to studio recording and anything between. Each mode has configuration options
to allow you to tailor your workflow to whatever suits you best. Plus, the sys-
tem can be saved, so you can store and retrieve configurations at your leisure.
Each mode has a common graphical interface. There are 8 encoder rotary posi-
tion indicators in the center of the screen. The functions available by push-
ing the encoder switch are shown at the top of the screen. Finally, there is a
hot-key menu and a status grid at the bottom of the screen. See Figure 2.
The 8 “push” functions and the 8 “rotary” functions can be assigned to var-
ious KordBot control functions as well as all MIDI Continuous Controller
(MIDI CC) functions. The available MIDI CC control subset for the encod-
er push functions are limited to MIDI CC messages which were designed for
two-state conditions, such as toggling Portamento on or off. For more in-
formation see Appendix X “Supported MIDI Continuous Controllers.”
For a list of available rotary and push KordBot control func-
tions, see page X-Y “KordBot Common Built In Functions.”
Play Modes: Key + MOD
Key +MOD mode uses the pre-programmed chord modifier keys in conjunction
with the NOTE keys of the piano style keyboard (see “Parts Of The KordBot on
page X-Y). Pressing and holding a NOTE key (for example C) sets the “root” note.
Then, pressing a chord modifier key (for example m7) will cause the KordBot to emit
a chord known as a Cm7 or C minor seventh chord. Like wise pressing a D NOTE
key along with the Maj9 chord modifier key will produce a DMaj9 or D Major 9th
chord. Note that the LEDs under the NOTE keys will also light up to show you the
notes in the chord you’ve just played. So for the Cm7 chord, the NOTE keys for C,
Eb, G and Bb will light. For D9 you should see the NOTE keys D, F#, A, C# and E light
Play Mode
Instantly access the KEY+MOD, Diatonic, Diatonic Strum
and Polyphonic Keyboard play modes. This is where
you will spend most of your time on KordBot®. See
page X-Y “Play Modes” for more information.
Sequencer
~ Future version of firmware ~ See page X-Y
“Sequencus Maximus” for more information.
File Manager
Access all the SD Card functions – Mount and Unmount the
drive, Format, Create System Disk and Save and Load Setups.
See page X-Y “The File Manager” for more information.
Settings
This is the place to go when you want to select MIDI communications
over USB / Wireless or MIDI DIN inputs and outputs. This is
also where you are able to configure MIDI channels for each
key of the KordBot®. You can configure the Footswitch and the
Expression pedals under this menu. Finally, you will be able to
build musical elements with the Arpeggio and the Scale Builder.
In a future firmware release, you will also be able to access the
Chord Builder. See page X-Y “Settings” for more information.
About
Informational scrolling screen about the KordBot®
Figure 1

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up. Also, the display will show the note name, octave and chord type played. This
appears in the bottom status line, to the left of the mode indicator (Key +MOD).
In addition, you can press one of the f keys 1-4 to play an inversion of the chord.
So, pressing the Maj MOD key, f1 and then the C NOTE key you can play a CMaj
or C Major chord in the first inversion. The C NOTE will light because you pressed
it, but then you’ll also see the E, G and C an octave above light up. A C Major in the
first inversion has the notes E, G and C. Likewise the second inversion is G, C and
E, which you can get by pressing the Maj, f2 and C keys. Third and fourth inver-
sions are available but note that for chords with only 3 notes, the third inversion
actually repeats the root position of C, E and G, only an octave higher. If you try
using inversions with more complex chord MOD keys – such as the Maj9, you’ll see
that the notes are all the same, but in order according to the inversion selected.
Key +MOD mode was designed to offer the largest palette of 32 chord types
and up to 4 inversions per type, for a total of 128 chord type variations. If
you can’t find the sound you’re looking for in that batch, don’t worry: else-
where in this guide you can learn how to easily create your own chords.
Each mode has the ability to store up to 12 chords in the MEM key pads (M1-M12).
For the Key +MOD mode, this is simply done. First, play any chord – you just have
to play it, not keep the keys pressed. Next, press the SHIFT key and press one of
the MEM pads M1- M12. The chord that was played last is now stored into the slot
you chose, including the scale or key note you played. So, for instance, if you press
the chord modifier dim7 and key note D keys, it forms a D°7 ( D diminished 7th)
If you wish to store an inversion of the chord, press the INVERSION key AND the
SHIFT key and then press the MEM pad you want to save the inversion to. So, as in the
above example, if you press the chord modifier dim7 and key note Dkeys, to form a
D°7 ( D diminished 7th), then wanted to save the first inversion of that chord, press f1,
SHIFT and then the MEM key you wish to save it to. Note that you can also “mix and
match”. Any chords you enter into MEM slots will be available in all the other modes.
You may also elect to save a chord template to a MEM key. Chord tem-
plates do not store the key note and act essentially like the MOD keys. It
means you must press a note key along with the MEM key to play a chord.
The advantage here is you can carry this stored key to other modes – for in-
stance you might want to have a 7sus4 chord in memory so that you can
add that to your available choices of chords in, say, the Diatonic Mode.
To save the chord as a template play the desired chord modifier and any note (the
note will be ignored). For instance, pressing the “Maj 9” and a “C”. Then simply press
the ALT and SHIFT keys at the same time and finally press the MEM key you wish to
save it to. Note that in the current firmware, you may not store inversions of chord
templates (but you can play them back with inversions). In KEY+MOD mode, play
the template back by pressing the MEM key and any note key. If you hold the MEM
key down and change notes, the chord will re-play with the new note selected.
Changing octaves in the Key +MOD mode is simple. Pressing the oc-
tave up or octave down changes the octave of the notes played on
the NOTE keys. Holding ALT and pressing the octave up or down
keys shifts the octave of whatever is stored in the MEM pads.
AA BCD
H
G
F
E
Figure 2
Encoders

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That is the basic concept of the Key +MOD mode. Much, much more can be
done in this mode, using the built-in KordBot functions. Things like arpeggiation,
chord spreading, tempo change and velocity imodifications all designed to en-
hance your playing experience. Since these functions can be used in other modes,
they are covered in depth in the section “KordBot Common Built In Functions”.
Play Modes – Diatonic Mode
The Diatonic mode is the most complex mode that KordBot offers. While
it may seem daunting, once you get the hang of it, you will be able to ex-
plore musical areas few other MIDI controllers have ventured into.
To jump to the Diatonic mode, from any other mode, press the ALT key. The hot-
key menu on the bottom will then show the fn key to press to jump to the Diatonic
mode. The screen will refresh and you should see all the same controls as before,
with the mode in the lowest right status box noting “Diatonic” for the mode.
In this mode, the layout of the MOD keys is different from the Key +MOD mode.
Here, each row of 8 MOD keys are comprised of 7 diatonically related (normal-
ly) chords, based on a scale. Using the advanced setup features, you can make
these 7 chords related, unrelated, random or whatever you desire. But the ba-
sic reason for the mode is that the MOD keys alone generate chords. The NOTE
keys allow the user to play along with the chords, providing 6-note polyphony.
If you would like to refresh your memory, or learn about diaton-
ic theory, please refer to the chapter “Diatonic Theory”
The default key and scale rows on the KordBot are C Major, G Yo, C Natural Minor
(Aeolian mode) and Ab Blues. The default progression for each row is also the de-
fault for that scale type. The key and scale can be changed by choosing from a list.
But there are also 10 “User” progressions. In those 10, you can change the scale
to any pre-programmed scale, or you can build your own scale. Then you can also
change the chord type for each of the 7 ‘slots’. Currently you can pick from any of
the chord modifier key chord types (Maj through 9sus4). In a future release you
will also be able to create your own chord templates and choose those as well.
For now, we’ll look at the default C Major row – the top row of MOD keys.
Refer to the section on “Diatonic Progression Editing” for more advanced fea-
tures. Also, since all the encoder functions are shared by each play mode, you
might want to look at the section “KordBot Common Built In Functions”.
In the top row, the chords are laid out in standard diaton-
ic progression for a Major scale in the key of C.
MOD key legend Maj 67Maj7 9Maj9 Maj11
Chord C Maj D m Em F Maj G Maj A min B dim
Jazz notation Iii iii IV Vvi vii°
Nashville Number 12m 3m 456m 7°
With just this small ‘palette’ of chords, you have the ability to play literally mil-
lions of songs. There are an uncountable number of hits that use just the I, IV and
V chords. Throw in the vi chord and you have an uncountable number more.
Each mode has the ability to store up to 12 chords in the MEM key pads (M1-M12).
For the Diatonic mode, this is done similarly to the Key +MOD mode. . First, play any
chord – you just have to play it, not keep the keys pressed. Note, you do not need to
press a key note, since diatonic chords already know which note is their key note.
Next, press the SHIFT key and press one of the MEM pads M1- M12. The chord
that was played last is now stored into the slot you chose. If you wish to store
an inversion of the chord, press the inversion key AND the SHIFT key and then
press the MEM pad you want to save the inversion to. So, for instance, if you
press an Em (third key on the top row in the default Diatonic mode) chord and
then wanted to save the first inversion of that chord, press f1, SHIFT and then
wv Iii iii IV Vvi vii°
I√√√√√√√
ii √ √ √ √
iii √ √
IV √ √ √ √
V√ √ √
vi √√√
vii° √ √ √

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the MEM key you wish to save it to. Note that you can also “mix and match”.
Any chords you enter into MEM slots will be available in all the other modes.
You may also elect to save the chord as a template but since the Diatonic
mode also allows a polyphonic keyboard, playing the stored chord back re-
quires pressing the MEM key after a note is pressed. This is because the play-
ing of keyboard notes must be prioritized over playing a MEM chord.
To save the chord as a template play the desired chord (the chord’s key note will be
ignored). Then simply press the ALT and SHIFT keys at the same time and finally press
the MEM key you wish to save it to. Note that in the current firmware, you may not
store inversions of chord templates (but you can play them back with inversions).
Changing octaves in the Diatonic mode is simple. Pressing the octave up
or octave down changes the octave of the notes played on the NOTE keys.
Holding SHIFT and pressing the octave up or down keys shifts the oc-
tave of the MOD keys. Holding ALT and pressing the octave up or down
keys shifts the octave of whatever is stored in the MEM pads.
Progression Suggestion
Music theory also has a concept that, in every diatonic progression there are
“allowed” movements to other chords. This set of rules has been broken more
often than not, but KordBot has included this feature because it can stimu-
late all sorts of creativity. In future versions of the firmware, the user will be
able to create their own map of suggestions to mate up with any user scales
and user chords. This is because the traditional 17th century method was de-
signed around a very limited set of scales – mostly the Major scale.
To activate the Progression Suggestion mode, simply press the last MOD key in any
row. A message box lets you know it’s been activated. Press OK and then press the
Maj MOD key to play a C Maj chord. All the LEDs in that row light up, indicating that,
from the I chord in a Major scale, you are ‘allowed’ to progress to any other chord. If
you next press the Dm chord (the MOD key labeled ‘6’) you will see that the number
of choices has dwindled to a total of 4. You can hit the Dm (ii) chord again, or choose
from the F Maj (IV), G Maj (V) or B dim (vii°) chords. In any sequence, the total pro-
gression you develop would make Mozart a happy guy, since you followed the rules.
Play Modes – Diatonic Strum
Diatonic strum mode works mostly like regular Diatonic mode – the chord modifier
keys are set up to produce harmonically related chords and the note keys offer 6
note polyphony. The major difference is how the MOD and MEM keys are played.
These keys are held and the user’s finger activates the notes by using the touch sen-
sitive slider strip on the right of the KordBot. The touch strip responds to 12 zones
which are capacitance sensors. Bringing your finger near a zone will activate the
note associated with that zone. Wiping the finger causes a strumming effect and
can be done right or left and start and stop anywhere along the strip. Also one can
‘pick’ the zones much like a guitar player or banjo player plucks the strings. One of
the KordBot controls available is a touch strip sensitivity control. At the default level,
generally the finger will activate 2 notes at a time. Adjusting the ‘Slider damping’ val-
ue changes the sensitivity of each zone, allowing different expression capabilities.
The sequence of the 12 notes assigned from left to right are controlled by the
Arpeggio note pattern setting. The movement right to left moves down the
arpeggio and from the left the pattern ascends. The velocity humanize and
offset values also affect each note as they would during an arpeggio.
Since the touch strip is tied to the arpeggio, you can set the play mode to allow the
strip to stay on after releasing a MOD or MEM key by turning the Chord hold to ON and
the Arp repeat to LATCH. Using the Arp note length setting will increase or decrease
the ‘ring out’ of the note. This is most effective during the simulated picking mode as
a short tap emits a short pluck and a tap and hold lets the note stay on (depending
of course on the destination patch’s sustain setting). With Arp note length set to
max, the short tap lets the note ring out thru the release cycle on the destination.
Changing octaves in the Diatonic strum mode is simple. Pressing the oc-
tave up or octave down changes the octave of the notes played on the
NOTE keys. Holding SHIFT and pressing the octave up or down keys shifts
the octave of the MOD keys. Holding ALT and pressing the octave up or
down keys shifts the octave of whatever is stored in the MEM pads.

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Play Modes – Polyphonic Keys
Polyphonic key mode turns all the MOD keys into single note keys. This is useful
for working with a destination unit which allows you to set up triggers based on
a MIDI note. For instance, you might trigger a bank of 16 sound samples with the
MIDI notes from 0 to 15. In that case, the top 2 MOD key rows would be set up to
play notes 0-15. Also, since each key is capable of having its own MIDI channel and
destination, you could have the top row of notes 0-7 assigned to different chan-
nels on a USB port and 8-15 assigned to output over channel 10 on the MIDI DIN.
Up to 6 notes can be played at once, so you could trigger hits and still play a
melody at the same time on yet another MIDI channel. The KordBot was de-
signed to be flexible and configurable for most things you can imagine.
User Chord Creation In Quick Mode
The storing of MEM key chords is a bit different in this mode.
Essentially, you will be “recording” up to 16 notes that are stored
in KordBot chord format. Therefore, the process is:
1. Press SHIFT and the MEM key you want to store the chord
to. Note that the MEM key will stay lighted.
2. Play up to 16 single notes from the NOTE keys. The sequence that you enter
them in is the sequence they will be played back in an arpeggio, when the ar-
peggiator is set to note pattern 0 and the U or Up arpeggio style is used.
3. On the 16th note, the recording will stop automatically and save
the chord. If you desire fewer notes in the chord you may press
the lighted MEM key to stop recording and save the chord.
4. Optionally, for less than 16 notes, you can use one of the inversion keys to
make a saved inversion of the chord you entered. Just make sure to hold the
desired inversion key down as you press the MEM key to stop recording.
You may also save a custom chord as a template. Again, inversions cannot be used if
you wish to save the chord as a template. The big advantage in having a custom tem-
plate comes when you use this chord in the KEY+MOD mode because it expands on
the 32 MOD keys already provided. To enter a custom chord and save it as a template:
1. Press SHIFT and the MEM key you want to store the chord
to. Note that the MEM key will stay lighted.
2. Play up to 16 single notes from the NOTE keys. The sequence that you enter
them in is the sequence they will be played back in an arpeggio, when the ar-
peggiator is set to note pattern 0 and the U or Up arpeggio style is used.
3. Before reaching the 16th note, press and hold the ALT key. After the 16th note
is entered, the template version of the chord you designed will be saved.
4. Optionally, for fewer than 16 notes, press and hold the ALT key
while stopping the recording by pressing the lit MEM key.
Notes For Entering User Chords, Quick Mode:
You can enter a minimum of 1 note to a maximum of 16 notes per MEM key.
To replace a stored chord simply record over it.
The chords you create in this mode will remain in the MEM key
even if you go to another mode. This way you can bring cus-
tom chords quickly into Diatonic strum mode, for instance.
When you play back your chord, since it has no name, the chord type status will
show as “polySave”. Also the note status will show the first note in the sequence.
Changing octaves in the Polyphonic mode is simple. Pressing the octave up
or octave down changes the octave of the notes played on the NOTE keys as
well as the notes of the MOD keys. Holding ALT and pressing the octave up
or down keys shifts the octave of whatever is stored in the MEM pads.

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The File Manager
The KordBot uses an SD card as an external storage drive. With the File Settings
menu, the user can mount or unmount the drive, format a new SD card, create a
system disk and save and load the entire configuration of the unit. SD cards of 2
and 4Gbytes are supported. Users may use 8Gbyte cards, but the SD driver limits
storage to 4 Gbytes, which should be enough room for a lot. A lot a lot. Lots of a lot.
Mounting and Unmounting
Before data can be written to or read from the SD card, the KordBot needs to
know about the SD card. Mounting is a term that basically means the sys-
tem opens the card and reads its configuration information so it knows how
to perform operations with the media. Unmounting is just the reverse of
that; it allows the KordBot to clean up any files that still need to be closed
and to release certain resources. It is highly recommended that you Unmount
any mounted card prior to removing it or powering off the KordBot.
Once the card is mounted it will show the amount of free space. If the SD card
is write protected, that will also be shown. The write-protect tab must be in
the ‘unlocked’ position in order to format, create a system disk or save the sys-
tem data. If the card is locked, it still can read the system files, however.
Formatting
The SD card must be formatted prior to use. You can use a pre-formatted card if you
wish, however the KordBot names the volume so that you can easily recognise it on
other systems. We have tested with 2, 4 and 8 Gbyte cards and haven’t any problems.
Not sure if 8G cards actually use all 8G, even though the KB reports the size correctly.
Create System Card
Once formatted, the SD card needs to be prepared with necessary files for KordBot
to successfully work with the card. While you can add folders and store other data
on the SD card, it is recommended that you devote an SD card to just KordBot use.
Save / Load System Data
Once formatted and having been initialized as a KordBot system, the SD card is
ready to receive system data. This step saves all system settings from encoder
settings and positions to MIDI routings and channels, arpeggio settings, custom
scales, chords, arpeggios, foot pedal settings, etc. - Basically it creates a snapshot
of the entire system. In future firmware, these will be saved in named folders so
that you would be able to perform a system load for any setup you have saved and
switch configurations without needing ‘patch charts’ or memorizing settings.
Saving System Data
Initially after creating a system disk there is a blank category with one proj-
ect: CATEGRY0/PROJECT0. It is advisable to save the default KordBot set-
tings in this slot. When it comes time to save your own projects, you can create
new slots to save named projects in. There is enough room for 100 catego-
ries each with 100 projects – a total of 1,000 slots to store your projects in!
continued on next page

12
To start, click on the File Manager’s Save System Data menu. The Save screen
will appear. Encoder A can be used to select an existing Category, or to create
a new one by selecting >New Category. The New Category naming dialog ap-
pears and you may use encoders A through H to roll up a name. Click on the
letter or number to select it, forming the name. Pressing Ok will create the new
Category. Since this is a new Category, you must roll down to it and click Encoder
Ato select it. The Save To: name should then show this new category.
Next, use encoder E to select >New Category and enter a name for the new
project. Again, select the new slot with the encoder (E) and click to select it.
The Save To: name should not show the category name and the project name.
You will also see a message that [0] files are in this project – since it was
just created. Now, by pressing the Ok button, the KordBot will save all sys-
tem files into this slot. Afterwards, you will see confirmation of the save.
Loading System Data
Loading projects is very similar to the save process. Use Encoder A to se-
lect the category you want. Next use encoder E to select the project.
The Open From: area will show your progress as you select the items. Once you
have chosen the category and project, press Ok and the system will begin load-
ing the files. When KordBot is done, you will see a load confirmation message.

13
Settings
The Settings menu allows the user to configure much of the KordBot to tailor the
system as desired. MIDI Input/Output routing and channel set ups for individual keys,
banks or segments of banks is available here.
Setup for the functions of the foot switch and the expression ped-
al, along with their MIDI channel settings is also available in this menu.
Three builders also live here. Bob, unfortunately, isn’t one of them. The ad-
vanced Arpeggio builder lets the user create up to 10 arpeggio note pat-
terns, 10 velocity patterns and 10 rhythm patterns. The scale build-
er is used in conjunction with Diatonic Mode and allows the creation of
user scales. The chord builder will be available in a future release.
MIDI IO Setup
The MIDI IO setup is a simple screen that allows you to select MIDI DIN, USB and
Wireless MIDI inputs and outputs. Pressing the control keys shown on-screen
allows the toggling of the checkbox next to the input or output types desired.
MIDI Channel Setups
All screens are the same for each mode, but the data is saved in differ-
ent areas of the system. Therefore you can have different channel set-
tings in Polyphonic mode, Diatonic mode and Key +MOD mode.
Changing MOD Keys
In order to assign values for MOD keys, navigate to the MOD tab with SHIFT+f1, if
not already there. Select the key you wish to change by pressing it on the KordBot.
The circle representing that key on-screen will turn white, indicating it has been
selected. Choose the type of port as shown on-screen, with f1, f2 or f3. For each
checked box, you can change the MIDI channel number for that port with the oc-
tave up and down keys. For instance, if f1 and f2 are checked both the MIDI port
and the USB MIDI channel numbers will increase or decrease when you use the
octave keys. Once you have the desired ports and channel for that key, you can
select another key and change its values. Note that you also have the option of
using ALT+f4 to assign the changed values to all MOD keys, or use SHIFT+f4 to
assign that value to all the keys in the same horizontal row as the selected key.
Once done with the MOD keys, you can either save the changes with the Ok button,
discard the changes by pressing the Cancel button or continue on to other key banks.
continued on next page

14
Changing NOTE Keys
Pressing SHIFT+f2 switches to the note key setup tab. The process is the
same here as outlined in the MOD key, above except the SHIFT+f4 se-
lection. In this case, the octave in which the currently selected key is in
will have all its values changed, just like the rows in the MOD keys.
Once done with the MOD keys, you can either save the changes with the Ok button,
discard the changes by pressing the Cancel button or continue on to other key banks.
Changing MEM Keys
Pressing SHIFT+f3 switches to the memory pad key setup tab. The pro-
cess is the same here as outlined in the MOD key, above.
Once done with the MOD keys, you can either save the changes with the Ok button,
discard the changes by pressing the Cancel button or continue on to other key banks.
Foot Controller Configuration
The two pedal inputs at the rear of the KordBot are configured with this screen. The
input labeled “F.SWITCH” is for a mechanical switch type pedal. The “PEDAL” input
is for a passive resistor based ‘volume’ or ‘expression’ pedal. Care must be taken to
connect these devices correctly. The system will be confused and may be damaged if
an expression pedal is plugged into the F.SWITCH or vice versa. Also, the best results
are achieved if the pedals are plugged into the KordBot prior to applying power.
Pressing the f1 key allows the user to toggle between the expres-
sion pedal settings and the foot switch settings tabs.
Expression Pedal
The expression pedal is an analog value which is best used to control items
that have a range of values from off to full on. Currently, only MIDI CC (con-
tinuous controller) messages are supported. Future versions of the firm-
ware may have additional options, such as controlling the KordBot built in
functions like chord spread, velocity offset or arpeggio note length.
Each MIDI CC can be routed to different channels of the MIDI DIN, USB and
Wireless connections. Note that these are only sent if the respective port is
enabled in the MIDI I/O screen. So if you have USB out turned off, the set-
ting of the USB channel here is ignored. Please note that MIDI CC messag-
es from 120 to 127 are Channel Mode Messages and the channel number for
those messages are ignored, since the controller value is sent to all channels.
Note that the default setting is for the pedal to use the Volume MIDI
CC message, MIDI CC # 7. Some devices (such as the Korg Minilogue)
use this CC message in a non-standard way, such that you may need
to check your device’s settings if the volume is not affected.
Using SHIFT+f1, the user may elect to reverse the foot pedal’s values. Normally,
a pedal in its fully up position emits the lowest value and positioned ful-
ly down is the maximum value. By checking the invert pedal box, KordBot will
flip the value so that the lowest value occurs when the pedal is fully down
and the maximum value is sent with the pedal fully in its up position.
Foot Switch
The foot switch generates a digital value of either on or off. Generally, it is on when
pressed and off when not pressed. This, as in the expression pedal, can be ‘flipped’
by checking the ‘invert footswitch’ box with SHIFT+f1. This means the pedal
would generate an off signal when pressed and an on signal when not pressed.
A smaller subset of the MIDI CC messages are available because the list is limited
to those MIDI CC messages that represent digital on/off values, such as the sus-
tain pedal (MIDI CC# 64, which is the default value). As with the expression pedal,
check your device to make sure that you select the correct controller number.

15
Arpeggio Builder
The arpeggio builder is probably the most complex screen the KordBot has. Technically,
it is actually a “broken chord” designer, since an arpeggio is a specific type of broken
chord. For simplicity and due to it mostly being referred to as an arpeggio, that’s
what we’ll stick with. It is intended for advanced manipulation of the note, velocity
and rhythm patterns available in the arpeggiator. While it may seem daunting at first,
once you get the hang of it, your arpeggios will be like nothing else on the planet.
Arpeggiator’s Inner Self
Understanding exactly how the arpeggiator works is critical to being able to create
your own patterns. This section is for reference, so come back to it at your leisure.
Patterns
The first component of the arpeggiator is the pattern. This is the se-
quence of notes, velocities and rhythms you will hear when the ar-
peggiator is running. The notes, velocity and rhythm values are ap-
plied based on where the arp is at any given time in its sequence.
Each arpeggiator pattern sequence position can contain an assignable value
for a chord note, another for velocity and a third to create a rhythm. The note,
velocity and rhythm values all exist in their own patterns, so you can mix and
match. You select the pattern each element uses in the play modes, so, for in-
stance, you can use note pattern 0, velocity pattern 8 and rhythm pattern 2.
The note indicator is a value which picks one of the notes from the cur-
rent chord’s structure. Velocity and rhythm values are used direct-
ly at whatever value you set them to in each position. They are a sim-
ple list of values. The actual note to be played in each position is calculated
from the chord data and requires a little bit more to understand.
A C Maj chord would be C-E-G. Therefore the note position 0 of the arpeggia-
tor note pattern 0 would be “C”. Position 1 would contain the “E” and posi-
tion 2 the “G”. Internally, the KordBot adds the octave to the top of the chord,
so position 3 has the C an octave higher than the position 0 note. This is
calculated ‘behind the scenes’ to create a normal arpeggio sequence.
Likewise, if the chord is a C dim chord, the notes are C-Eb-Gb. Position
0 has the “C”, position 1 has an “Eb” and position 2 has a “Gb”.
This means that the sequence will change in length, depending on how many notes
are in the chord. A C 7 chord would have its 7th in the position 3 slot, rather than
the octave C. The “Arp EVEN” setting, discussed in the Arpeggio section of the
Common Built In Functions, allows you to change this behavior by making all chords
play the same number of positions (adjustable with the Chord spread function).
These diagrams represent a single cycle of the arpeggiator. In the simple case
of the “U” style and pattern 0, once the cycle is complete, the arpeggiator goes
back to the beginning. i.e. the pattern for the C 7 chord is 0,1,2,3,4,0,1,2,3,4.
The style type dictates how the pattern is used. So if the “D”, or “down” style

16
is chosen, the sequence is 4,3,2,1,0,4,3,2,1,0. For the “UD” or “up/down” style
it would first run up then down as in 0,1,2,3,4,3,2,1,0,1,2,3,4. Note that in this
case, the top and bottom notes are only played once, for a smooth transition.
Using the “*” versions of the style, the top and/or bottom notes are played twice,
as in “U*D*” where the pattern is 0,0,1,2,3,4,4,3,2,1,0,0,1,2,3,4 and so on.
Using the Arpeggio Builder
When the Arpeggio Builder is first opened, it is set up to show note pattern 0, with an
arp style of “U” selected and the data for a C Maj chord loaded (shown in the status
display area as it would in the play screen – as “C3 M”). To change to a different note
pattern, use SHIFT+f1 to cycle through the 10 available patterns (0-9). To switch to
the velocity patterns, select f2. At that point you can cycle through the 10 velocity
patterns using SHIFT+f2. Likewise, f3 brings up the rhythm patterns and SHIFT-f3
selects the pattern. In this way you can coordinate the patterns if you so desire.
For instance you might want to work on the number 5 patterns for all 3 elements
so they always work together. Alternatively, you may just want to cycle through
and see which pattern combinations look interesting, for future exploration.
At the top, the status display area shows the position in which
the edit cursor currently sits. It also shows the currently select-
ed play speed, arpeggio style and current chord name.
The red shaded rectangle shows the length of the currently chosen chord. The dark
yellow rectangle indicates the effect of extending the chord by way of the chord
spread function. The total length that this chord will play at is the length of the red
box plus the length of the yellow box. This feature is included simply for testing the
arpeggio on this screen, rather than having to jump back and forth to the play screen.
The controls for testing playback are shown on the lower part of the screen.
Pressing a MOD key and a NOTE key operates like the Key + MOD mode. To stop
the note playing, hit the fn key that corresponds to mode you are editing – f1 for
chord note sequence, f2 for velocity or f3 for rhythm. Encoder A’s rotary knob is
used to move the edit cursor back and forth. Pushing Encoder A toggles the edit
mode for the current position. Chord spread is effected by turning encoder B and
pressing it toggles the use of the arp EVEN control. Finally, encoder C’s knob is
used to adjust a relative speed of playback (at 9 levels from -20 to +20). Pushing
encoder C allows you to pick the style of the arp - “U”, “D”, “UD” and so on.
The yellow line on the graph represents the chord sequence note pattern. The
green line represents the velocity offset for the arp velocity pattern at each po-
sition. The purple lines represent the arp rhythm pattern positions. These can be
selected for editing by the radio buttons on the lower right side of the screen.
Editing Note Patterns (Yellow)
In pattern 0, we see the notes are all steadily rising from low to high. This rep-
resents a true “arpeggio” in musical terms. As the “edit cursor” is moved (using
Encoder A), you will see a change in the note pitch value and the number under-
neath it. The note pitch value shows the letter name of the note to be played at
this position as well as its octave number (based on the currently loaded chord).
The number below that is the sequence number of the note to be played from
the chord data. The sequence number is what is stored in the note pattern.
For instance, in note pattern 0, if the loaded chord is an A3 M (A Major in the 3rd
octave) the position 2 letter name will be E3 and the chord position will be 2.
In note pattern 1, however, the position 2 letter is C#/Db3 and the chord posi-
tion shows as 1. So in pattern 0 the arpeggio with a “U” style plays the notes
A3(0), C#3(1), E3(2) and A4(3) (which is a ‘standard’ arpeggio pattern in music).
In note pattern 1, the note sequence is A3(0), E3(2), C#3(1) and A4(3) (tech-
nically a ‘broken chord’ in musical terms). The chord is the same, but the or-
der in which the arpeggiator plays the notes of the chord is different.
Normal Chord Position 0 (A3) 1 (C#3) 2 (E3) 3 (A4) 4 (C#4)
Pattern 0 0 (A3) 1 (C#3) 2 (E3) 3 (A4) --
Pattern 1 0 (A3) 2 (E3) 1 (C#3) 3 (A4) --
Pattern 2 0 (A3) 2 (E3) 4 (C#4) 1 C#3) --
To change the sequence, move the edit cursor to the desired position and click the
Encoder A button. The screen will go into edit mode. Turning Encoder A now raises
or lowers the yellow line in that position. The note value with its octave number will
change to show what the output would be. Remember, this is for the currently select-
ed chord. The number below that is the sequence note position number for all chords.

17
This is an important point and is critical to understanding the arpeggios.
In the section above entitled “Arpeggiator’s Inner Self”, I show how the posi-
tion number for a C Maj chord relates to a C 7 chord. One can see that posi-
tion 3 in the C Maj chord is a “C”, but in the C 7 chord that position holds a Bb.
Likewise, if you move the edit cursor into position 3 and play a C Maj chord,
the edit cursor shows that position holds a note/octave of “C4”. Playing a C
7 chord and examining position 3, it shows as an “A#/Bb3”. As it should be.
Position 3 is saying, in effect, “play the 3rd note in the chord’s list of notes”.
Once you are done editing, press Encoder A again to exit ed-
iting of the position. From there, you may continue editing the
note pattern or switch to velocity (f2) or rhythm (f3).
Editing Velocity Patterns (green)
Editing velocity patterns works the same way as editing notes. Move the edit
cursor to the desired position and click the Encoder A button. The difference is
that raising the value increases the overall velocity for that note position and
lowering it subtracts from the overall velocity. Since the velocity is also affect-
ed by other things like the Velocity offset and Velocity humanize functions, you
may need to adjust other settings in order to hear the changes made here.
The value shown by the edit cursor is 0 for no change and a negative (low-
er velocity) when you go below 0. It’s, of course, positive if you go above
0. The minimum value is -112 and the maximum is +112 in steps of 16.
Once you are satisfied with the value, click Encoder A again to leave
the editing of that position. From there, you may continue edit-
ing the note pattern or switch to notes (f1) or rhythm (f3).
Editing Rhythm patterns (purple)
Editing rhythms is a bit different. The purple lines are representing the dis-
tance between arpeggio notes. Normally this is a quarter note. When ed-
iting the rhythm, there are several things to keep in mind.
1) Any note can be ‘pushed’ forward or backward in time, in 16th note steps. But as
in mathematics, what you take away on one side must be added to the other side to
maintain the spacing. So if you ‘push’ note position 3 to the left by one eighth note, the
KordBot does the math automatically and adds an eighth note on the other side. This
ensures that the next note knows where the quarter note beat is. If this didn’t hap-
pen, then all notes following position 3 would hit an eighth note sooner, for example.
2): It is possible to “crush” the pattern, moving more than 1 note over the top of an-
other. This is an experimental feature and must be used carefully. Note below how
spaces are “stolen” from the end of the pattern. Therefore, it is possible to “run off
the end” if the chord size +the chord spread is longer than the crushed pattern.
Scale Builder
The Scale builder allows you to create your own scales, comprised
of up to 12 notes. At present only the first 7 are used. Future firm-
ware is planned which will be able to access all 12 notes.
For the time being, this screen will be used in conjunction with the Diatonic mode
“diatonic progression editing” screen. The first 7 notes of the scale will be used to
create the pitch of the chords in a sequence. The progression editor will then be

18
able to use these notes and will allow the chord type for each pitch to be chosen.
M1 and M7 MEM pads allow you to move through the list of 10 user
chords. The top of the screen shows which notes are currently used in the
scale by highlighting in white. The numbers on the selected notes re-
fers to the order in which they appear in the scale sequence.
Below that is the actual list of note names. Pressing f4 will toggle this dis-
play between note names and music interval names. The interval names
and meanings are available in the Diatonic Theory section’s chart of in-
terval names and are relative to whatever note is in the first slot.
Use the octave up and down keys to move to any of the 12 note slots. Press a NOTE
key to enter a note in that position. Alternatively, you can pick a starting point and
just press NOTE keys, and the KordBot will advance to the next slot (wrapping back
to the start, if necessary). Pressing the f1 key will delete the note in the current
slot, leaving a blank which can then be filled by pressing a different NOTE key.
When you are satisfied with your changes, press “Ok”. This will bring up the dialog
allowing you to enter a name for this chord. The top 4 encoders (A-D) allow selection
of the first 4 characters and encoders E-H select the last 4 characters. Roll up the
character you desire and press the encoder push button to select the letter or num-
ber. When done, press Ok and you will receive confirmation that the chord is saved.
From that point, you may edit more scales, or press “Done” to exit
the screen. When you next enter the Diatonic progression editor, the
chord will be listed under the name you saved the scale under.