Korg Concert C-540 User manual

CONCERT C 540
User’s Manual
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User’s Manual
Mode d’emploi
Bedienungseinleitung
Manuale di istruzioni
EnglishFrancçaisDeutschItaliano
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DIGITAL PIANO
C-540
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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 of excessive vibration
• Close to magnetic fields
Power supply
Please connect the designated AC adapter to an AC 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
Radios and televisions placed nearby may experience reception inter-
ference. Operate this unit at a suitable distance from radios and televi-
sions.
Handling
To avoid breakage, do not apply excessive force to the switches or con-
trols.
Care
If the exterior becomes dirty, wipe it with a clean, dry cloth. Do not use
liquid cleaners such as benzene or thinner, or 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 equipment, 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 adapter from the wall outlet. Then
contact your nearest Korg dealer or the store where the equipment was pur-
chased.
THE FCC REGULATION WARNING (USA ONLY)
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 instructions, may cause harmful interfer-
ence 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 fol-
lowing 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.
Notice regarding disposal (for EU)
If this “crossed-out wheeled bin” symbol is shown on the
product or in the operating manual, you must dispose of the
product in an appropriate way. Do not dispose of this product
along with your household trash. By disposing of this product
correctly, you can avoid environmental harm or health risk. The correct
method of disposal will depend on your locality, so please contact the
appropriate local authorities for details.
*Company names, product names, and names of formats etc. are the
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CONSUMERS
This product has been manufactured according to strict specifications
and voltage requirements that are applicable in the country in which it
is intended that this product should be used. If you have purchased this
product via the internet, through mail order, and/or via a telephone sale,
you must verify that this product is intended to be used in the country in
which you reside.
WARNING: Use of this product in any country other than that for
which it is intended could be dangerous and could invalidate the manu-
facturer’s or distributor’s warranty.
Please also retain your receipt as proof of purchase otherwise your
product may be disqualified from the manufacturer’s or distributor’s
warranty.
Unauthorized changes or modification to this system can void the user’s
authority to operate this equipment.
DISCLAIMER
The information contained in this manual has been carefully revised
and checked through. Due to our constant efforts to improve our prod-
ucts, the specifications might differ to those in the manual. Korg is not
responsible for any eventual differences found between the specifica-
tions and the contents of the instruction manual - the specifications
being subject to change without prior notice
WARRANTY
KORG products are manufactured according to the strictest electrical
and mechanical regulations that exist in various countries of the world.
These products are warranted by the KORG distributor only in each
country. Any KORG product that is not sold with the manufacturer’s or
distributor’s warranty, or without a serial number, cannot benefit from
servicing under the warranty. This regulation is for the consumer’s own
protection.
ASSISTANCE AND SERVICE FOR MUSICIANS
For repairs, contact your nearest Authorized KORG Service Center. For
more information on KORG products, and to find software and acces-
sories for your piano, please contact your local Authorized KORG dis-
tributor.
KORG ON THE INTERNET
Korg Inc.: “http://www.korg.co.jp”
Korg USA: “http://www.korg.com”
Korg UK: “http://www.korg.co.uk”
Korg Canada: “http://www.korgcanada.com”
DATA RESET
When the instrument is turned off, all parameters are reset.
© 2007 Korg Inc. Printed in Japan.
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EnglishEnglish
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Main features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Control panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Connecting to external audio devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Open the key cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Turning the instrument on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Using the music stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Using the headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Listening to the Demo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Basic functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Playing a single sound (Single mode) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Playing two sounds at the same time (Layer mode) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Playing different sounds with the left and right hand (Split mode) .15
Using the pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Transposing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Changing the brilliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Turning the effects on/off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Using performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Choosing performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Changing the sounds assigned to a performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Editing a performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The metronome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Starting and stopping the metronome, adjusting the tempo . . . . . . . 20
Tempo and time signature display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Adjusting the tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Choosing a time signature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Drum patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Adjusting the metronome level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Adjusting the drum pattern’s reverb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Selecting the accent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Saving the metronome settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Playing back a song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Accessing the Song Play mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
How to select a song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
How to start playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Starting from a different measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Muting/unmuting a recorder’s part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Changing the song’s tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Play along with the song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Cycle Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Recording a song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Quick recording procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Step 1: Entering the Record mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Step 2: Selecting sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Step 3: Setting the record options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Step 4: Setting the time signature and tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Step 5: Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Step 6: Second-pass recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Changing sounds to a recorded song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Changing tempo to a recorded song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Pedal Punch recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Auto Punch recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Saving the song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Editing a song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Setting Cycle Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Erasing a track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Cutting measures at the end of the song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Quantizing the song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Transposing the song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Deleting the song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Saving the song after editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Editing sounds and performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Accessing the Sound edit mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Exit from the Sound edit mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Saving a sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Saving a performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Setting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Adjusting the panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Adjusting the effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Setting the reverb effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Setting the chorus or modulation effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Setting the insert effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Setting the octave transposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Adjusting the fine tune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Programming the pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Selecting a scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Resetting the current sound and performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Global settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Touch settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Turning the internal speakers on or off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Master tuning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Brilliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Default split point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Assigning functions to the pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Quarter Tone (SubScale realtime programming) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Fast Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Mute Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Turning the keyboard on or off (Local Control) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
MIDI Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
MIDI IN Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
MIDI OUT Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
MIDI Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Data transfer via the USB port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Erasing songs from the User Song album . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
General Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
System version number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
What is MIDI? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
What is MIDI Over USB? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
What can you do with MIDI? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
MIDI connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Standard MIDI settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Using the C-540 as a multitimbral tone generator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Program Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Control Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Installing the Korg USB MIDI Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Connecting the C-540 to a personal computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
KORG USB-MIDI Driver system requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Please note before use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Windows: Installing the KORG USB-MIDI Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Mac OS X: Installing KORG USB-MIDI Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Assembling the stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Cautions for assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Assembling procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Check after assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Polyphony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Technical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
MIDI Implementation Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
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Introduction > Main features
4
Introduction
Main features
Wide range of sounds
Forty different and expressive high-quality sounds, including
a Stereo Concert Grand Piano. You can use the Layer and Split
functions to simultaneously play a combination of two
sounds. Sounds and sound combinations can be freely modi-
fied.
Performances
Sound combination can also be saved into performances, giv-
ing you an additional set of 30 timbres (3 banks of 10 perfor-
mances). Performances also store a custom split point, for
custom combinations of sounds over the keyboard.
Four zones keyboard
The new high-quality, realistic Korg RH3 keyboard features
four zones with different weights. This gives you the same re-
alism and feeling as a grand piano keyboard.
Touch control
You can choose from nine different settings to adjust how the
sound will respond to your keyboard playing dynamics.
Pedal effects
The C-540 provides the same three pedals as a grand piano,
controlling the soft, sostenuto, and damper functions respec-
tively. The damper pedal simulates the natural string reso-
nances and noises of an acoustic piano, by means of the
innovative Korg EPx (Piano eXperience) technology. Both the
damper and soft pedals let you vary the amount of the effect by
how far you press down on them (“half-pedal” function). In
addition, pedals can be freely assigned to other functions, like
starting the recorder or changing the speed of the rotary speak-
er.
Piano eXperience
While existing piano sampling techniques have resembled an
audio snapshot, our new “Piano eXperience” technology is
more of a hologram, accurately reproducing every dimension-
al detail of the sound. All piano sampling for the C-540 is done
in stereo to preserve the natural imaging of the sound. Differ-
ent dynamic levels are captured to extend the instrument's ex-
pressive vocabulary.
Going even further, the C-540 uses the sound of the key being
released and the hammer returning, as well as the sympathetic
damper resonance of the strings to create all of the subtle shad-
ings that create a superior instrument sound. This attention to
detail defines the sound of the new C-540, providing an instru-
ment that can interpret every nuance of touch into a meaning-
ful musical gesture.
Piano eXperience (or EPx) effects are particularly evident in
sounds like GrandPiano, BriteGrand and MelloPiano.
One-hundred eighty-five songs
The C-540 includes a huge library of songs, based on famous
pieces and lesson books. These songs are perfectly suitable for
piano lessons, being recorded into two separate parts (left
hand on Part 1, right hand on Part 2) that you can easily turn
off and play on the keyboard. In addition, you can change the
metronome’s tempo and let a defined passage play in cycle.
SongBook included
The SongBook album is also included as a printed music book
– a great resource for practicing and playing along with your
preferred tunes.
Onboard recorder
A multi-track, easy-to-use onboard recorder, lets you record
your own songs, or read Standard MIDI Files that you can
transfer via the integrated USB port from an external comput-
er.
Metronome
The built-in metronome allows you to select the time signa-
ture, tempo, and volume, and use a bell sound as the accent. It
can even give you a drum accompaniment in a musical style of
your choice (drum patterns).
Data transfer via USB
When connected to a personal computer via the USB port, the
C-540’s internal memory can be seen as a USB disk. This way,
you can backup your data, or transfer files between the C-540
and the personal computer.
MIDI capabilities
The C-540 supports the MIDI protocol, the standard that al-
lows music data to be transferred between musical instru-
ments and computers. MIDI allows two or more devices to
control or be controlled by each other, and also allows you to
use the C-540 as a 16-part multitimbral tone generator.
MIDI over USB
The USB port also carries MIDI data, so that you can connect
the C-540 directly to your personal computer with a single ca-
ble and without the need of a dedicated MIDI interface. A ded-
icated KORG USB MIDI Driver is freely available for full use
of the C-540’s MIDI features.
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Introduction > Main features
5
EnglishEnglish
Temperaments
In addition to the Equal temperament, the C-540 allows you to
select nine alternative temperaments, for historically accurate
performance of classical music, or experimenting. When se-
lecting an acoustic piano sound, the typical Stretched Tuning
is automatically selected.
Adjustable pitch
The Transpose function lets you change the pitch of the piano,
and the Master Tuning function allows you to make fine tune
adjustments.
Effects
The C-540 provides built-in digital effects that can simulate
the natural ambience of a concert hall (reverb) and add rich-
ness to the sound (chorus). In addition, each sound includes
an insert effect (delay, phaser, equalizer, rotary speaker,
etc…), that is specially suited to each particular sound.
Powerful integrated amplification
The C-540 includes a powerful, 2 ×35 Watt amplifier, with
four speakers. This gives the most authentic sound reproduc-
tion, together with enough volume deliver the full power of an
acoustic piano.
Two sets of headphones
You can connect two stereo headphones, to play with your
teacher or another musician. Connecting a headphone set au-
tomatically disconnects the speakers, so there is no risk to dis-
turb others when practicing by night.
C540_Book.fm Page 5 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Control panel > Main features
6
Control panel
MASTER VOLUME
knob: Adjusts the vol-
ume for the speakers,
the Output and the
Phones connectors
PERFORMANCE button:
Enters/exits Performance
mode. While in this mode,
the sound selection buttons
are used to choose perfor-
mances instead of single
sounds. See page 18.
BANK button: Selects one
of the available banks for
the currently selected
sound, or one of the
three performance
banks.
SPLIT button: Turns Split mode on or off. When in
Split mode, a sound is assigned to your right hand,
and a different one to the left hand. Keep it pressed
and play a note on the keyboard to choose a differ-
ent split point. See page 15.
SOUND SELECTION buttons: Press a button to select a sound (Sin-
gle mode). You can press two buttons at the same time, to play
two sounds at the same time on the keyboard (Layer mode). Press
SPLIT to play a sound with your right hand, and a different one
with your left hand (Split mode). See page 13.
When the PERFORMANCE indicator is turned on (Performance
mode), these buttons allow for selection of performances. See
page 18.

 /

 (Scroll) but-
tons: Move the cursor
in the display, from
one parameter to the
following or the previ-
ous one. The cursor is
indicated by a point-
ing arrow (
) next to
a parameter’s name.
Display: Shows the vari-
ous sound names and
parameters.
POWER switch: On/Off
switch. When in the
Standbay position, the
piano is turned off.
C540_Book.fm Page 6 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Control panel > Main features
7
EnglishEnglish
+/YES / -/NO (Value) but-
tons: Change the value
of the parameters
appearing in the display.
The editable parameter
is shown by the cursor
(
) placed on its left, or
(when editing text) with
the character/cipher in
edit flashing. By keeping
them pressed, the values
start changing automati-
cally, first slowly, then
slightly faster. By press-
ing them together, the
parameter is reset to its
default value.
While in the Main page,
these buttons can be
used to select a different
bank for the current
sound.
EDIT button: Press it
to access the Edit
mode relevant to
the current type of
data selected in the
display. Four Edit
modes are avail-
able: Sound (see
page 38), Perfor-
mance (see
page 38), Song (see
page 34) and Global
(see page 47). Glo-
bal edit mode can
be accessed by
keeping the EDIT
button pressed for
more than one sec-
ond).
EXIT button: Press it to
exit Edit mode, or to
return to the Main page
from other pages. When
exiting from the Edit
mode, the Save proce-
dure will be recalled.
When a drum pattern is
assigned to the Metro-
nome, and it is running,
this button doubles as a
Fill In control (see
page 21, page 30).
REVERB but-
ton: Turns the
reverb on/off.
This adds
ambience to
the sound.
Keep it
pressed for
more than one
second to
access the
Reverb edit
page (see
page 17).
TEMPO buttons:
Adjust the metro-
nome tempo. The +
button makes it
faster, while the –
button makes it
slower.
MET.SET buttons:
Pressed together,
they give access to
metronome editing.
See page 20.
TRANSPOSE button:
Press this button to open
the Transpose page and
change the master trans-
pose value. When the
indicator is turned on,
transposition is active.
Changes made after
pressing this button are
not saved to memory,
and are reset when turn-
ing the instrument off.
See page 16.
CHORUS but-
ton: Turns the
chorus on/off.
This makes the
sound richer.
Keep it pressed
for more than
one second to
access the Cho-
rus edit page
(see page 17).
BRILLIANCE button: Press
this button to open the Bril-
liance page and change the
brilliance value. When the
indicator is turned on, a bril-
liance variation is active.
Changes made after press-
ing this button are not
saved to memory, and are
reset when turning the
instrument off. See page 17.
DEMO buttons: Pressed
together with the CHORUS
button it gains access to the
Demo mode, where you can
listen to the demo songs.
Select the songs with the
sound selection buttons (see
page 11). You can play
along the demo songs.
SONG SELECT button:
Press this button to open
the Song Selection page
(see page 23).
NEW SONG buttons:
Pressed together with
the SONG PLAY button
creates a new Song (see
page 27.
RECORDER but-
tons: Control the
playback or record-
ing of the songs.
See page 23,
page 27.
METRONOME but-
ton: Turns the metro-
nome click on/off. The
tempo and time sig-
nature depend on the
chosen values, or the
selected song (see
page 20).
SONG PLAY
button: Press
this button to
gain access to
the Song Play
mode (see
page 23).
C540_Book.fm Page 7 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Connections > Main features
8
Connections
MIDI (IN, OUT) connectors:
Connectors that are used to
connect other MIDI devices
(sequencer, keyboards, etc.).
OUT: Data output (to be
connected to the MIDI IN
connector of another MIDI
device). IN: Data input (to be
connected to the MIDI OUT
connector of another MIDI
device).
Pedals connec-
tor: Connect the
supplied pedals
to this connector.
OUTPUT (L/MONO, R) connec-
tors: Audio outputs. Connect
these connectors to an external
amplifying system. (With a hi-fi
system use the LINE, AUX, CD or
TAPE connectors, not the
PHONO connector). To amplify
the C-540 in mono, connect the
single L/MONO connector. Use
the MASTER VOLUME knob to
set the output volume.
USB connector: Type B (slave),
USB 1.1-compliant, standard
connector. Connects to a per-
sonal computer (PC or Mac).
Can be used for data transfer
(see page 53), or USB Over
MIDI use (see page 56).
AC ADAPTER
connector:
Connect the
supplied AC/
DC adapter to
this connec-
tor.
PHONES connector: Con-
nect one or two pairs of
headphones to these jacks.
The integrated speakers
will turn off.
INPUT (L/MONO, R) connectors:
Line audio inputs. Connect to
these connectors an external
audio source, such as a CD, MP3
or tape player, or another key-
board. To connect a microphone,
you need an external microphone
preamplifier or a mixer.
Warning: Avoid connecting the
output of a power amplifier to
these inputs!
C540_Book.fm Page 8 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Connections > Connecting to external audio devices
9
EnglishEnglish
Connecting to external audio devices
Connecting to an external amplification system
Use the OUTPUT connectors, if you like to connect your C-
540 to a high-quality mixer, stereo hi-fi, or a couple of active
monitors. When using a stereo hi-fi, connect the OUTPUTs to
the LINE, AUX, CD or TAPE inputs (never use the PHONO
inputs). For mono amplification, connect only the L/MONO
output.
Connecting other audio devices to the C-540
Use the INPUT connectors, to connect a computer, mixer,
drum machine, synthesizer, MP3 or tape player, to your C-
540, and hear their sound run through its speakers. For mono
amplification, connect only the L/MONO output. Do not con-
nect the output of a power amplifier!
L/MONO
R
AUX IN
INPUT
OUTPUT
C540_Book.fm Page 9 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Before you begin > Open the key cover
10
Before you begin
Open the key cover
To open the key cover, use both hands to gently raise its front
edge. To close the key cover, hold the front edge and gently
pull it forward. The cover is designed to close slowly. Do not
force it shut (see Fig.1).
Note: The key cover may be damaged if you use excessive force
when opening or closing it (see Fig.2).
Note: Be careful not to pinch your fingers or hand while open-
ing or closing the key cover.
Note: Before you open the key cover, make sure that no foreign
objects such as papers or coins are on the top of the key cover
itself. Otherwise, these objects may fall into the instrument.
Note: The speed at which the key cover closes may vary, de-
pending on the surrounding temperature and humidity.
Turning the instrument on
Connect the supplied power cord to the dedicated socket un-
der the rear of the instrument. Then, plug it into a wall socket.
You don’t need to worry about the local voltage, since the C-
540 uses a universal power adapter.
After having connected the power cable, press the POWER
switch. When the instrument is turned on, the buttons on the
control panel and the display will light up.
To turn the instrument off, press the POWER switch again.
Using the music stand
Opening and closing the music stand
Tilt the music stand up-
right, and use the two
stoppers located on the
rear to hold the music
stand in place.
To lower the music stand,
release the stoppers and rest the music stand on the flat top.
Using the score holders
To keep a music book open, use the two score holders in front
of the music stand. Push on the shorter side to make them slide
up. Push on the longer side to make them slide down. Do not
apply excessive strength or weight to the holders, or you will
risk to break them.
Fig.1 Fig.2
C540_Book.fm Page 10 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Before you begin > Adjusting the volume
11
EnglishEnglish
Adjusting the volume
Rotate the MASTER VOLUME knob towards the right to in-
crease the volume; towards the left to decrease the volume. The
maximum value is “10”; the minimum (silence) is “0”. This
control adjusts the output level of the headphones, the internal
speakers and of the OUTPUTs.
It does not control the volume of an audio device connected to
the INPUT connectors. Use the audio device’s own controls to
set its volume.
It is always better to start with a low volume and then increase
gradually.
Using the headphones
For playing or practicing during night hours, or when you
don’t want to be heard by others in the same room, connect
one or two pairs of high-quality headphones (32Ωimpedance
suggested) to the appropriate PHONES connectors. These
connectors are standard 1/4” phone jacks. If your headphones
have a mini-jack adapter, grasp the adapter when plugging in
or out the headphones.
Warning: When using headphones, protect your hearing by
avoiding extended listening at high volumes.
Note: When not using them, you can append your headpho-
hones to the dedicated hook under the piano.
Listening to the Demo
The C-540 contains 20 pre-recorded demo songs. Listen to
them to experience the rich sound and expressive potential of
this instrument. Here is a list of the available demo songs:
During the demo playback you can’t use any other buttons.
However, you can still play the keyboard to play along with the
demo songs.
Listen to all songs at once
You can listen to all demo songs with a single command.
1. Press the DEMO buttons together. The sound selection in-
dicators will blink sequentially from left to right. The
Demo page will appear in the display:
2. Wait some seconds, without pressing any button. The first
demo song will begin to play. The indicator corresponding
to the demo song currently in play will turn on. The name
of the song will be shown in the display:
All demo songs will be played back one after the other.
After the last song, the playback will begin again from the
first song.
3. To pause the current song, press the PLAY/PAUSE button.
Press it again to restart playback from the same position.
4. To stop the playback and exit the demo mode, press the
EXIT button.
Listen to a specified song
You can select just one demo song to be played back.
1. First of all, you must select one of the demo song banks.
• To select the first bank (Bk1, songs 1-10), press the DEMO
buttons once. The indicators will blink sequentially, from
left to right. The Demo page will appear in the display:
• To select the second bank (Bk2, songs 11-20), press the +/
YES button.
• To return to the first bank, press the -/NO button.
2. Press one of the sound selection buttons to select the cor-
responding demo song in the selected bank. The demo is
based on the sound associated with the button. The indi-
Button Bank 1 (1-10) Bank 2 (11-20)
PIANO 1 GrandPiano1 GrandPiano2
PIANO 2 Honky-Tonk Piano Pad
E.PIANO 1 El. Piano 1 El. Piano 2
E.PIANO 2 Digi Piano Vintage EP
HARPSI/CLAV Harpsichord Clav.
VIBES/GUITAR Vibes Ac. Guitar
ORGAN 1 Jazz Organ1 Jazz Organ2
ORGAN 2 Full Pipe Pipe Flute
STRING/CHOIR Strings Choir
BASS Ac. Bass El. Bass
Note: All demo songs are Korg Originals.
DEMO:-----------


Bk1 Press Sound
DEMO:GrandPiano1


Bk1 Press Sound
DEMO:-----------


Bk1 Press Sound
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Before you begin > Listening to the Demo
12
cator on the selected demo button will stay on, while the
other indicators will turn off.
3. After the end of the selected song, all the songs will be
played back in cycle.
4. If you want to select a different song, press one of the
sound selection buttons.
5. To pause the current song, press the PLAY/PAUSE button.
Press it again to restart playback from the same position.
6. To stop the current song without exiting from the Demo
mode, press STOP. Choose a different song and wait for it
to start playing back.
7. To stop the playback and exit the Demo mode, press the
EXIT button.
C540_Book.fm Page 12 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Basic functions > Playing a single sound (Single mode)
13
EnglishEnglish
Basic functions
Playing a single sound (Single mode)
When you turn the instrument on, it is in Single mode.
The single Grand Piano sound is selected, and plays over the
full keyboard. Its name is shown in the display: You can replace it with any of the 40 sounds supplied with the
instrument. See the list of sounds in the following table (more
details on each sound are on page 274):
Selecting a sound
You can use the sound selection buttons to select a different
sound.
1. Press one of the sound selection buttons in order to select
a sound type.
The indicator on the button you pressed will light. The
name of the selected sound will appear in the display:
2. Use the BANK button to select one of the available banks
for the selected sound (see table above). When the last
bank has been selected, press it again to select the base
sound again.
As an alternative, use the +/YES button to scroll the sound
bank list forward; the -/NO button to scroll it backwards.
Main


GrandPiano 4/4
120
Main sound
Button
Sound
Bank 1 Bank 2 Bank 3 Bank 4 Bank 5 Bank 6
PIANO 1 GrandPiano* BriteGrand* Rock Piano Piano&Str.
PIANO 2 Honky-Tonk MelloGrand* Piano&Pad Elec.Grand M1 Piano
E.PIANO 1 Tine EP 1 SuitTineEP DynoTineEP Tine EP 2
E.PIANO 2 Dig. EP 1 Dig. EP 2 Reed EP TremReedEP
HARPSI/CLAV Harpsi 8' Harpsi 16' Clav Synth Clav
VIBES/GUITAR Vibes 1 Vibes 2 Nylon Gtr.
ORGAN1 Jazz Organ Perc.Org.1 Perc.Org.2
ORGAN2 Church Org Pipe Flute Pipe Tutti
STRINGS/CHOIR Strings Slow Str. String Pad Choir ScatVoices Vocal Pad
BASS Ac. Bass El. Bass Fretless B Bass&Ride
* Note: The EPx effects are not available when you are in Layer mode.
12345
678910


GrandPiano 4/4
120
Sound name
C540_Book.fm Page 13 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Basic functions > Playing two sounds at the same time (Layer mode)
14
Playing two sounds at the same time (Layer mode)
You can play two sounds at the same time on the keyboard. It
is like having two “overlapping” sounds. This is called the Lay-
er mode.
Keep in mind that, when in Layer mode, the total number of
voices that you can play at the same time is reduced, depend-
ing on the total number of oscillators used by the selected
sounds.
Entering the Layer mode
To access Layer mode from any other mode, press together
two sound selection buttons. The lowest-numbered sound in
the following diagram will be the Main sound, while the high-
est-numbered sound will be the Layer sound:
The name of the two sounds will appear in the display:
Exit from the Layer mode
To exit Layer mode, press a single sound selection button, or
the SPLIT button. You will return to the Single mode, with a
single sound playing on the keyboard, or to the Split mode,
with a sound on the left and one on the right of the split point.
Selecting a different pair of sounds
To select different sounds, press a different pair of sound selec-
tion buttons. The last selected bank of sounds corresponding
to the new buttons will be selected.
Selecting a different bank for the Main sound
You can select a different bank for the Main sound.
1. Be sure the cursor is in the first line of the display. If it isn’t,
use the SCROLL 
 button to move it there:
2. Use the BANK button to select a different bank. As an al-
ternative, use the +/YES and -/NO buttons to choose a dif-
ferent bank.
Selecting a different bank for the Layer sound
You can select a different bank for the current Layer sound.
1. Use the SCROLL 
 button to move the cursor to the Lay-
er sound.
2. Use the BANK button to select a different bank. As an al-
ternative, use the +/YES and -/NO buttons to choose a dif-
ferent bank.
3. If you desire so, use the SCROLL 
 buttons to move the
cursor back to the Main sound.
Balancing layered sounds
You can adjust the sound’s volume balance.
• Keep the Main sound button pressed, to increase its vol-
ume and (after the maximum value has been reached)
decrease the volume of the Layer sound. Release the but-
ton when done.
• Keep the Layer sound button pressed, to increase its vol-
ume and (after the maximum value has been reached)
decrease the volume of the Main sound. Release the but-
ton when done.
While the volume is changing, a meter is shown in the display:
Layer
Main
12345
678910


GrandPiano 4/4
Strings 120
Main sound
Layer sound


GrandPiano 4/4
Strings 120
Cursor


GrandPiano 4/4
Strings 120
GrandPiano 4/4


Strings 120
Scroll 

M:90 
        
L:127 
          
Main sound’s volume
Layer sound’s volume
C540_Book.fm Page 14 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Basic functions > Playing different sounds with your left and right hand (Split mode)
15
EnglishEnglish
Playing different sounds with your left and right hand
(Split mode)
You can play a sound with your right hand (the Main sound),
and a different one with the left hand (the Left sound). This is
called the Split mode.
Entering the Split mode
To access Split mode from any other mode, press the SPLIT
button. The Main sound of the Single or Layer mode will be as-
signed to the right half of the keyboard (Main area, shown in
the first line of the display), and a Bass sound will be assigned
to the left half of the keyboard (Left area, shown in the second
line of the display).
While the Ac.Bass sound will be chosen as the Left sound the
first time you enter Split mode, the last selected sound will be
assigned if you return to Split mode later.
Exit from the Split mode
To exit Split mode, press the SPLIT button again to return to
the Single mode, or press two sound selection buttons together
to enter Layer mode.
Choosing a different split point
If the selected split point is too high or too low, you can choose
a different one. Please note that you can set a default split
point, to have it ready each time you turn the instrument on
(see “Default split point” on page 48).
1. Keep the SPLIT button pressed. The current split point is
shown in the display while you keep the button pressed.
2. Play a note to set a different split point.
3. Release the SPLIT button.
Selecting a different Main sound
You can select a different Main sound after accessing the Split
mode. Use the sound selection buttons as you would do to se-
lect a sound in Single mode.
Selecting a different bank for the Main sound
You can select a different bank for the Main sound after ac-
cessing the Split mode.
1. Be sure the cursor is in the first line of the display. If it isn’t,
use the SCROLL 
 button to move it there:
2. Use the BANK button to select a different bank. As an al-
ternative, use the +/YES and -/NO buttons to choose a dif-
ferent bank.
Selecting a different Left sound
You can select a different Left sound after accessing the Split
mode.
1. Keep the SPLIT button pressed. The indicator of the Left
sound lights up.
2. Use the sound selection buttons to select a different sound.
3. Release the SPLIT button.
As an alternative, use the display controls:
1. Use the SCROLL 
 buttons to move the cursor to the Left
sound.
2. Use the sound selection buttons as you would do to select
a sound in Single mode.
3. Use the 
 buttons to move the cursor back to the Main
sound.
Selecting a different bank for the Left sound
You can select a bank for the Left sound after accessing the
Split mode.
1. Keep the SPLIT button pressed. The indicator of the Left
sound lights up.
2. Use the BANK button to select a different bank.
3. Release the SPLIT button.
Split Point
Main
Left


GrandPiano 4/4
Ac.Bass 120
Main sound
Left sound


SplitPoint: F#3


GrandPiano 4/4
Ac.Bass 120
Cursor


GrandPiano 4/4
Ac.Bass 120
GrandPiano 4/4


Ac.Bass 12
Scroll 

C540_Book.fm Page 15 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Basic functions > Using the pedals
16
As an alternative, use the display controls:
1. Use the SCROLL 
 buttons to move the cursor to the Left
sound.
2. Use the BANK button to select a different bank. As an al-
ternative, use the +/YES and -/NO buttons to choose a dif-
ferent bank.
3. If you want, use the SCROLL 
 buttons to move the cur-
sor back to the Main sound.
Balancing sounds in Split mode
You can adjust the sound’s volume balance.
• Keep the Main sound button (the one whose indicator is
turned on) pressed, to increase its volume and (after the
maximum value has been reached) decrease the volume of
the Left sound. Release the button when done.
• Keep the SPLIT button pressed, or press the SCROLL 

button to move the cursor to the second line of the dis-
play. The indicator of the Left sound lights up. Then, keep
the Left sound button pressed, to increase its volume and
(after the maximum value has been reached) decrease the
volume of the Main sound. Release the button when done.
While the volume is changing, a meter is shown in the display:
Using the pedals
The C-540 has three assignable pedals, usually acting as damp-
er, sostenuto, and soft. However, you can assign the pedals dif-
ferent functions (see page 44 for sound-level assignment, or
page 49 for global programming).
With the default settings, you can use these pedals to add ex-
pression to your playing, as on a traditional piano.
(1) Damper pedal
The damper pedal simulates the natural string resonances of
an acoustic piano. Pressing this pedal will sustain the sound,
producing a richly resonant decay. You can control the damp-
er’s depth by how far down you press on the pedal (“half-ped-
aling”).
Sounds like GrandPiano, BriteGrand and MelloGrand also
trigger EPx effects while in Single and Split mode. However,
these effects are not available when you are in Layer mode.
(2) Sostenuto pedal
Pressing this pedal will apply the damper effect only to the
notes that are already being held down on the keyboard, and
will sustain only those notes. The damper effect will not be ap-
plied to any additional notes that you play while holding down
the Sostenuto pedal (apart for the notes already held).
(3) Soft pedal
Pressing this pedal will make the tone softer. You can control
the soft effect depth by how far down you press on the pedal
(“half-pedaling”)
Transposing
In some cases, a song may be written in a difficult key (e.g.,
many black keys), or you may wish to shift the pitch to match
another instrument or vocalist. In such cases, you can trans-
pose (shift the pitch) so that you can use an easier fingering, or
use the same familiar fingering to play at a different pitch. This
is called the Transpose function.
For example if you transpose upward by one semitone, playing
the notes shown at the lower left will produce the pitches
shown at the right.


GrandPiano 4/4
Ac.Bass 120
GrandPiano 4/4


Ac.Bass 12
Scroll 

M:108 
        
L:127 
          
Main sound’s volume
Left sound’s volume
1
2
3
Soft
Sostenuto Damper
C540_Book.fm Page 16 Friday, September 14, 2007 12:12 PM