Korg TRITON Extreme TRITON Extreme User manual

2E

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Thank you for purchasing the Korg TRITON Extreme music workstation/sampler .
To ensure trouble-free enjoyment, please read this manual carefully and use the instrument
as directed.
About this manual
The owner’s manuals and how to use
them
The TRITON Extreme come with the following
owner’s manuals.
• Quick Start
• Operation Guide
• Parameter Guide
• Voice Name List
Quick Start
Read this manual first. This is an introductory guide
that will get you started using the TRITON Extreme. It
explains how to play back the demo songs, select
sounds, use convenient performance functions, and
perform simple editing. It also gives examples of using
sampling and the sequencer.
Operation Guide
This manual describes each part of the TRITON
Extreme and what it does, how to make connections,
basic operation, and a summary of each mode. It also
explains, for each mode, the basics of editing your
sounds, recording on the sequencer, and sampling. The
arpeggiator, effects, and MIDI are also explained.
This manual also contains other information such as a
troubleshooting guide and specifications.
Parameter Guide
The Parameter Guide contains explanations and other
information regarding the operations of the parame-
ters and settings on the TRITON Extreme. The expla-
nations are organized by mode, and page.
Explanations and other information on the effects and
their parameters are also provided for each effect.
Refer to this guide when an unfamiliar parameter
appears in the display, or when you need to know
more about a particular function.
Voice Name List
This lists the multisamples and drumsamples that are
built into the TRITON Extreme, and the factory preset
combinations, programs, drum kits, and user arpeggio
patterns.
Refer to these lists when you wish to know more about
the preloaded sounds.
Conventions in this manual
References to the TRITON Extreme
The TRITON Extreme is available in 88-key, 76-key and
61-key models, but all three models are referred to
without distinction in this manual as “the TRITON
Extreme.” Illustrations of the front and rear panels in
this manual show the 61-key model, but the illustra-
tions apply equally to the 88-key and 76-key models.
Abbreviations for the manuals QS, OG, PG, VNL, EM
The names of the manuals are abbreviated as follows.
QS: Quick Start
OG: Operation Guide
PG: Parameter Guide
VNL: Voice Name List
EM: EXB-MOSS Owner’s Manual (included with the
EXB-MOSS option)
Keys and knobs [ ]
References to the keys, dials, and knobs on the TRI-
TON Extreme’s panel are enclosed in square brackets
[ ]. References to buttons or tabs indicate objects in
the LCD display screen.
Parameters in the LCD display screen “ ”
Parameters displayed in the LCD screen are enclosed
in double quotation marks “ ”.
Boldface type
Parameter values are printed in boldface type.
Content that is of particular importance is also printed
in boldface type.
Procedure steps 1 2 3 ...
Steps in a procedure are listed as 1 2 3 ...
☞ p. ■
These indicate pages or parameter numbers to which
you can refer.
Symbols
, ,
These symbols respectively indicate cautions, advice,
and MIDI-related explanations.
Example screen displays
The values of the parameters shown in the example
screens of this manual are only for explanatory pur-
poses, and may not necessary match the values that
appear in the LCD screen of your instrument.
MIDI-related explanations
CC# is an abbreviation for Control Change Number.
In explanations of MIDI messages, numbers in square
brackets [ ] always indicate hexadecimal numbers.

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Table of Contents
About this manual.......................................ii
Introduction................................................ 1
Main features......................................................................1
Front and rear panel..........................................................3
Names and functions of objects in the LCD screen......8
Overview of the TRITON Extreme’s modes................10
About polyphony ............................................................12
Basic operation.................................................................13
Setup....................................................... 15
Connections......................................................................15
Turning the power on/off..............................................18
Playing and editing programs
(Program Mode)....................................... 19
Program structure............................................................19
Playing a program P0: Play............................................20
Program editing...............................................................23
Oscillator settings P1: Edit-Basic...................................24
Pitch settings P2: Edit-Pitch ...........................................26
Filter settings P3: Edit-Filter...........................................27
Amplifier settings P4: Edit-Amp...................................28
LFO settings P5: Edit-Common LFO............................29
Arpeggiator settings P7: Edit-Arpeggiator..................30
Insert Effect settings P8: Edit-Insert Effect...................30
Master Effect and Valve Force settings
P9: Edit-Master Effect..................................................30
More about Alternate Modulation................................30
Auto Song Setup function..............................................30
Playing and editing combinations
(Combination Mode)................................. 31
Combination structure....................................................31
Playing a combination P0: Play.....................................32
Combination editing .......................................................33
Timbre 1–8 program, pan and volume
P1: Edit-Program/Mixer.............................................34
Settings for status, MIDI channel, and pitch parameters
P2: Edit-Trk Param ......................................................35
MIDI filter settings P3: Edit-MIDI Filter ......................36
Layer, split, and velocity switch settings/Controller
settings P4: Edit-Zone/Ctrl........................................36
Arpeggiator settings P7: Edit-Arp. ...............................37
Insert Effect settings P8: Edit-Insert FX........................37
Master Effect and Valve Force settings
P9: Edit-Master FX.......................................................37
Auto Song Setup function..............................................38
Producing songs (Sequencer mode) ...........39
Features of the sequencer............................................... 39
The structure of Sequencer mode................................. 40
Preparations for recording............................................. 41
Recording methods......................................................... 43
Song editing methods..................................................... 50
Creating and playing a Cue List ................................... 53
Creating and recording RPPR (Realtime Pattern Play/
Record).......................................................................... 55
Recording the sound of a combination or program... 58
Caution and other functions in Sequencer mode....... 59
Sampling (Open Sampling System)............61
Features of sampling on the TRITON Extreme .......... 61
How Sampling mode is organized............................... 62
Samples and Multisamples............................................ 63
Preparations for sampling ............................................. 64
Sampling and editing in Sampling mode.................... 68
Sampling in Program, Combination, or Sequencer
modes............................................................................ 80
SMF (Standard MIDI File) playback............85
How Song Play mode is structured.............................. 85
Playing SMF data ............................................................ 86
Playback using the Jukebox function........................... 87
Playing along with SMF data ........................................ 88
Settings for the entire TRITON Extreme
(Global mode) ..........................................89
How Global mode is structured.................................... 89
Basic Setup P0: Basic Setup............................................ 89
MIDI-related settings P1: MIDI..................................... 90
Pedal and other controller settings P2: Controller..... 90
Creating original scales P3: User Scale......................... 91
Drum kit settings P5: Drum Kit .................................... 92
Arpeggiator settings P7: Edit-Arpeggiator.................. 94
Effect and Valve Force settings ................103
Routing settings and effect settings............................ 104
Valve Force settings...................................................... 109
Loading and saving data, creating audio CDs,
and editing Wave files
(Media mode, etc.)..................................113
Types of data that can be saved .................................. 113
Writing to internal memory......................................... 114
The pages of Media mode............................................ 116
Saving on media Media, Save ..................................... 117
File copying, deleting, and formatting
(Media, Utility) .......................................................... 119
Loading data Media, Load........................................... 121

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Use sampled Wave files to create an audio CD and play
it: Media, Make Audio CD, Play Audio CD.......... 123
Editing a Wave file: Media, Edit WAVE.................... 125
Viewing information about media: Media,
Media Info...................................................................125
Handling CompactFlash and Microdrive media...... 125
Restoring the factory settings...................127
Restoring the factory settings...................................... 127
Loading the EXB-MOSS data....................................... 128
Other functions.......................................129
Setting the function of [SW1] and [SW2] ................... 129
Setting the B-mode functions of REALTIME
CONTROLS [1]–[4].................................................... 129
Adjusting the contrast (brightness) of the
LCD screen ................................................................. 129
Using tap tempo control............................................... 130
Shortcuts......................................................................... 130
Appendices.............................................131
Troubleshooting ............................................................131
Media that can be used with the TRITON Extreme. 137
Specifications and options ...........................................138
Options............................................................................ 139
System requirements for computer connection........ 139
MIDI implementation chart......................................... 140
Index................................................................................ 141

1
Introduction
Main features
The TRITON Extreme is a music workstation/sampler
that features the
HI (Hyper Integrated) synthesis system
as its tone generator.
It provides high-quality preset multisamples/programs/
combinations together with a broad range of integrated
features such as an effect section, 16-track MIDI
sequencer, sampling, dual polyphonic arpeggiators,
RPPR, four-channel audio input/six-channel audio out-
put, and song play functionality.
You can modify the sound in realtime by using a wide
range of performance controllers such as the joystick, rib-
bon controller, REALTIME CONTROLS and ARPEGGIA-
TOR knobs, and pedals that you connect.
You can also expand the TRITON Extreme’s capabilities
by installing the MOSS modeling synthesizer or by add-
ing more sample memory (RAM).
The TRITON Extreme music workstation is a powerful
tool for music production or live performance.
HI (Hyper Integrated) synthesis system
The HI (Hyper Integrated) synthesis system is a PCM tone
generator system with full digital signal processing that
guarantees pristine sound, and featuring enormous flexi-
bility in musical expression, modulation, and effect rout-
ing.
*The TRITON Extreme contains an analog vacuum tube
circuit (Valve Force). When you use Valve Force, the
signal is converted into analog form at that point.
Tone generator section:
• 160 Mbytes of preset PCM ROM contains 962
multisamples and 1,175 drumsamples.
•The TRITON Extreme is shipped with 16 Mbytes of
RAM (you can expand this to a maximum of 96
Mbytes), letting you use samples or multisamples you
sampled/resampled or loaded in Media mode.
• The sampling frequency is 48 kHz, and the maximum
polyphony is 60 voices (a maximum of 120 voices can
be used depending on the PCM sounds you use).
Filter/synthesis section:
• Either a 24 dB/oct Resonant Low Pass or a 12 dB/oct
Low Pass & High Pass type filter can be used. A wide
variety of filter effects can be achieved, from active
sounds with aggressive resonance to subtle tones
using a high pass filter.
•Abroad range of editing parameters gives you precise
control over every aspect of the sound.
Effect section:
• Five insert effects (stereo-in/stereo-out), two master
effects (mono-in/stereo-out), and a three-band master
EQ (stereo-in/stereo-out) can all be used
simultaneously. You can select and edit any of 102
types of effect algorithms.
• The effect routing is highly flexible. Effects can be
routed freely to the individual inputs and outputs.
Alternate Modulation and
Effect Dynamic Modulation:
• The synthesis section (filter etc.) provides Alternate
Modulation capabilities, and the effect section
provides Effect Dynamic Modulation. This allows you
to freely apply modulation to parameters that affect
the pitch, filter, amp, EG, LFO, and effects etc.
• LFO, delay time and other effect parameters can be
synchronized to an external MIDI clock. You can also
synchronize sounds and effects to the tempo of the
internal sequencer or the arpeggiator.
Valve Force circuit:
• This section includes an analog low-frequency boost
circuit plus a vacuum tube amp that uses a 12AU7
(ECC82) vacuum tube. One vacuum tube is used to
support stereo-in/stereo-out. Proprietary Korg
technology is used to generate warm and powerful
sound with the rich overtones and smooth distortion
typical of vacuum tubes, while retaining clarity and
definition.
Programs and combinations
Programs:
•In addition to 1,536 user programs, 256 programs (and
9 drum kits) for GM2 compatibility are provided as
ROM presets.
You can use a rich array of editing parameters, effects,
Valve Force, and the arpeggiator to modify the 1,536
user programs and create your own original programs.
When the TRITON Extreme is shipped from the fac-
tory, user memory contains 1,344 high-quality pro-
grams that cover a wide range of needs. When the
EXB-MOSS option is installed, 128 programs for use
with the Korg MOSS tone generator will also be avail-
able.
•The TRITON Extreme provides 144 user drum kits as
well as 9 ROM drum kits compatible with GM2. The
factory settings contain 50 preloaded drum kits that
cover a wide range of musical styles.
You can create your own drum kits by assigning each
key to any one of the 1,175 drum samples or to an orig-
inal sample that you sampled or loaded in from media.
For the sound assigned to each key, you can make filter
and amp settings, and even route the sound to effects
or individual audio outputs.
• You can easily create programs using multisamples or
samples that you yourself sampled/resampled or
loaded in Media mode. You can then use these
programs in combinations and songs. You can also use
samples as drum instruments in a drum kit.
Combinations:
•The TRITON Extreme provides 1,536 user
combinations. Each combination can combine up to
eight layered/split/velocity-switched programs,
together with settings for effects, the Valve Force
circuit, and the two arpeggiators. Combinations let
you create very complex sounds that could not be
produced by a program alone. You can also use an
external sound module as part of a combination.
When the TRITON Extreme is shipped, user memory
contains a versatile range of 1,280 preloaded
combinations.
Introduction
Program
Combination
SequencerSamplingSong PlayGlobalEffectMedia, etcPresetOther