Korg Electribe EM-1 User manual

Thank you purchasing the Korg
ELECTRIBE·M EM-1. In order to
enjoy long and trouble-free use,
please read this manual carefully
and use the instrument correctly.
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To ensure long, trouble-free operation, please read this manual carefully.
Precautions
Location
Using the unit in the following locations can result in a malfunction.
• In direct sunlight
• Locations of extreme temperature or humidity
• Excessively dusty or dirty locations
• Locations where excessive vibration exists
Power supply
Please connect the designatedAC adaptor to anAC outlet of the correct voltage. Do not connect it to
an AC outlet of voltage other than that for which your unit is intended.
Interference with other electrical devices
This product contains a microcomputer. Radios and televisions placed nearby may cause reception
interference. Operate this unit at a suitable distance from radios and televisions.
Handling
To avoid breakage, do not apply excessive force to the switches or controls.
Care
If the exterior becomes dirty, wipe it with a clean, dry cloth. Do not use liquid cleaners such as
benzene or thinner, cleaning compounds or flammable polishes.
Keep this manual
After reading this manual, please keep it for later reference.
Keeping foreign matter out of your equipment
• Never set any container with liquid in it near this equipment. If liquid gets into the equip-
ment, it could cause a breakdown, fire, or electrical shock.
• Be careful not to let metal objects get into the equipment. If something does slip into the
equipment, unplug the AC adaptor from the wall outlet. Then contact your nearest Korg
dealer or the store where the equipment was purchased.
THE FCC REGULATION WARNING (for U.S.A.)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the in-
structions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Unauthorized changes or modification to this system can void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.
CE mark for European Harmonized Standards
CE mark which is attached to our company’s products of AC mains operated apparatus until December 31, 1996 means it
conforms to EMC Directive (89/336/EEC) and CE mark Directive (93/68/EEC).And, CE mark which is attached after January
1, 1997 means it conforms to EMC Directive (89/336/EEC), CE mark Directive (93/68/EEC) and Low Voltage Directive (73/
23/EEC).
Also, CE mark which is attached to our company’s products of Battery operated apparatus means it conforms to EMC Direc-
tive (89/336/EEC) and CE mark Directive (93/68/EEC).
Concerning data
In rare cases, incorrect operation may cause the contents of memory to be lost. Please save important
data on a system that can record System Exclusive data, like a sequencer or a data filer (storage device).
Korg Corporation can accept no responsibility for any damages resulting from loss of data.

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Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................. 6
Main features ................................................................................................................ 6
The data you create on the EM-1 ........................................................................................................ 6
Make connections and play! ........................................................................................7
Example connections................................................................................................................................ 7
Preparing to play ....................................................................................................................................... 7
2. Front and rear panel ............................................................... 8
Common section ...........................................................................................................8
Effect/Delay section ......................................................................................................9
Part common section....................................................................................................9
Synth filter section..................................................................................................... 10
Part Select section ..................................................................................................... 10
Sequence Control section......................................................................................... 10
Step Key section ........................................................................................................ 11
Connector section...................................................................................................... 12
3. Basic operation (Quick Start)................................................13
Conceptual diagram of the EM-1 .............................................................................. 13
Listening to a Song.................................................................................................... 13
Listening to Patterns.................................................................................................. 14
Trying out the functions ............................................................................................ 14
Changing the tempo of a song or pattern ............................................................................................ 14
• Using the dial to change the tempo ................................................................................................ 14
• Using the Tap Tempo key to change the tempo .............................................................................. 14
Pressing keys to play the sound of a Part............................................................................................ 15
Playing the sound of a drum part ...................................................................................................... 15
Playing the sound of a synth part (the Keyboard function)............................................................... 15
Modifying (editing) the sound of a part ................................................................................................ 16
Editing the sound of a drum part ....................................................................................................... 16
Editing the sound of a synth part....................................................................................................... 16
Editing the effect or delay ...................................................................................................................... 17
Playing the sound of a part along with a song or pattern .................................................................. 17
Editing the sound of a part, effect, or delay while hearing a song or pattern ................................. 18
Modifying (editing) a rhythm or phrase pattern................................................................................... 18
Realtime recording............................................................................................................................. 19
Step Recording .................................................................................................................................. 20
Saving a pattern that you create............................................................................................................ 21
Using a Motion Sequence....................................................................................................................... 22
Playing with Pattern Set.......................................................................................................................... 23
Using the EM-1 as a tone generator module ........................................................................................ 23
Synchronizing the playback with other ELECTRIBE models ............................................................. 24
4. Pattern mode ..........................................................................25
Selecting a pattern ..................................................................................................... 25
Setting the playback tempo ...................................................................................... 25
• Using the dial to change the tempo .................................................................................................... 25
• Using theTap Tempo key to change the tempo ................................................................................. 25

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Playing a pattern (Pattern Play) ................................................................................ 25
The timing at which patterns will change............................................................................................. 25
Playing from the beginning of a pattern (Reset & Play) ..................................................................... 25
About the tempo when you switch patterns (Tempo Lock)................................................................ 26
Selecting a part ........................................................................................................................................ 26
Drum parts ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Synth parts ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Accent parts ....................................................................................................................................... 26
The Part Mute function............................................................................................................................ 26
The Part Solo function ............................................................................................................................ 26
Creating a pattern ...................................................................................................... 27
Assigning a wave..................................................................................................................................... 27
Editing the sound of a part..................................................................................................................... 27
Drum part ........................................................................................................................................... 27
Synth part........................................................................................................................................... 28
Accent parts ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Editing the effect or delay ...................................................................................................................... 29
EFFECT ............................................................................................................................................. 29
DELAY ................................................................................................................................................ 30
Length, Scale/Beat settings ................................................................................................................... 31
Setting the Length.............................................................................................................................. 31
Setting the Scale/Beat ....................................................................................................................... 31
Swing settings ......................................................................................................................................... 32
Setting the RollType ............................................................................................................................... 32
Creating a Pattern.................................................................................................................................... 32
Realtime recording ............................................................................................................................. 32
Step recording.................................................................................................................................... 32
Note editing ........................................................................................................................................ 32
Adding accents to the pattern (Accent)................................................................................................ 34
Motion sequence ........................................................................................................ 34
Playing a motion sequence .................................................................................................................... 34
Recording a motion sequence ............................................................................................................... 35
Checking motion sequence data ........................................................................................................... 35
Convenient functions for editing patterns............................................................... 35
Transposing a phrase (Transpose)........................................................................................................ 35
Moving data within a part (Move Data) ................................................................................................. 36
Copying a part (Copy Part) ..................................................................................................................... 37
Data Copy within a pattern ..................................................................................................................... 37
Copying the sound of a part (Copy Sound) ........................................................................................ 37
Erasing motion sequence data from the part, effect, or delay (Clear Motion) ................................. 38
Erasing pattern data from a part............................................................................................................ 38
Erasing data during playback or recording (Erase)........................................................................... 38
Erasing all data from a part (Clear Part) ........................................................................................... 38
Exchanging data between parts (Swap Part) .......................................................................................39
Editing motion sequence data .................................................................................. 39
Selecting a motion sequence................................................................................................................. 39
Editing the parameter values of a motion sequence .......................................................................... 40
Pattern Set................................................................................................................... 40
Using Pattern Set to perform (Pattern Set Play) .................................................................................. 40
Chain Play of pattern sets.................................................................................................................. 40
Assigning a pattern to a Pattern Set ..................................................................................................... 41
Saving a pattern (WRITE) .......................................................................................... 41

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5. Song mode .............................................................................42
Selecting a song......................................................................................................... 42
Setting the playback tempo ...................................................................................... 42
• Using the dial to set the tempo ........................................................................................................... 42
• Using the tap tempo key to set the tempo ......................................................................................... 42
• Using theTempo Lock key to fix the song tempo ............................................................................. 42
Playing a song (Song Play) ....................................................................................... 42
Fast-forward or rewind a song ............................................................................................................... 42
Switching songs ...................................................................................................................................... 42
Playing from the beginning of a position or song (Reset & Play) ..................................................... 42
Creating a song .......................................................................................................... 43
Creating a song from scratch ................................................................................................................ 43
Erasing song data (Clear Song) ........................................................................................................ 43
Specifying a pattern for each position ............................................................................................... 43
Specifying the Note of each pattern...................................................................................................... 43
Editing a song .......................................................................................................................................... 44
Inserting a pattern at a specified position (Insert Pattern)................................................................ 44
Deleting a pattern from a specified position (Delete Pattern) ........................................................... 44
Changing the pattern for a specific position...................................................................................... 44
Recording knob movements or your performance in a song (Event Recording).............................. 45
Deleting event data from a song........................................................................................................ 45
Checking for song event data ............................................................................................................ 45
Saving a song (WRITE).............................................................................................. 45
6. Global mode ...........................................................................46
Metronome settings ................................................................................................... 46
Synchronizing the EM-1 with external MIDI devices (MIDI Clock) ........................ 46
Synchronizing the EM-1 to a master external MIDI device (Ext)........................................................ 46
Synchronizing an external MIDI device to the EM-1 as master (int).................................................. 46
Setting the MIDI channel of each part (MIDI ch) ..................................................... 47
Setting the MIDI note number of a drum part.......................................................... 47
MIDI filter settings ...................................................................................................... 47
Adjusting the pitch bend range ................................................................................ 47
Transmit/receive dump data...................................................................................... 48
Memory Protect (Protect) .......................................................................................... 48
Saving your changes in Global mode (WRITE)....................................................... 48
7. Appendices.............................................................................49
About MIDI .................................................................................................................. 49
Troubleshooting ......................................................................................................... 50
Error messages .......................................................................................................... 51
Restoring the factory set data .................................................................................. 51
Specifications ............................................................................................................. 51
Index ............................................................................................................................ 52
Pattern Name List....................................................................................................... 54
Song Name List .......................................................................................................... 54
MIDI Implementation Chart ....................................................................................... 55
Wave Name List .......................................................................................................... 56