Forte Getting Started Guide Rev3
Contents
1. A AUDIO OUTPUTS NOTE Headphone jack on the Forte7 is on the rear panel Connecting to a Computer The Headphones Jack GS 9 Forte connected to a mixer powered speakers and headphones A AUDIO OUTPUTS Connecting to a Computer To connect the Forte to a computer tablet simply connect the Forte using the provided cable or a compatible one If you wish to use your own cable make sure that it is a Type A to Type B USB cable the USB port of Forte being Type B By default the Forte will act as a MIDI controller rather than a hard drive when connected to a computer NOTE Some devices like the iPad will require you to purchase adaptors to connect a USB cable NOTE Headphone jack on the Forte7 is on the rear panel Front Panel Overview The Headphones Jack GS 10 Front Panel Overview 1 Channel Zone buttons 11 Soft Buttons 2 Five programmable switches 12 LCD display 3 Multi Zone mute buttons 13 LCD adjust 4 Master EQ Compressor 14 Rotary dial Alpha wheel 5 Volume slider 15 Mode buttons 6 Transpose buttons 16 Category buttons 7 Tap Tempo amp Variation buttons 17 User button 8 Pitch amp Modulation wheels 18 Previous Next buttons 9 Nine programmable sliders 19 Favorites buttons 10 Save button Front Panel Overview EQ Compressor GS 11 EQ Compressor The EQ and Compressor buttons and knobs control the master effects that are applied to the A Audio Outpu2. Sostenuto Soft SW Ped 3 SW Ped 2 SW Ped 1 Wheels Variation Var Pad Wah Enable Pitch Mod More Less Reverb Amount Delay Amount Mod Amount or Depth Dist Amount Drive Other Reverb Enable Delay Enable Mod Chorus Enable Distortion Other Enable AmpEnv Attack Filter Freq or EQ Filter Res or EQ AmpEnv Decay or Release AmpEnv Release or Trem Vib Rate AmpEnv Impact Trem Vibrato LFO Shape Rel Samples On Off Variation 2 Layer On Off Variation 3 Layer On Off Effects Synthesis Forte Controller Conventions CC Pedals CCPed 1 CCPed 2 SW1 SW2 SW3 Expression Wah Tremolo Amount Pad Filter Freq Pitch Up Down Saving Programs If you make changes to the current Program using any of the controllers Sliders Wheels or Switches the Save button s LED lights to indicate that a change has been made to that Program The Save button is located left of the display To save a copy of the Program with the changes you ve made press the Save button once and the Save Dialog will be displayed The Save Dialog allows you to choose an ID number that will be associated with the program you are saving Modes Multi Mode GS 15 Splits and Layers Programs can be Split into Multis so that keys in one region of the keyboard play a different program than another region Programs can also be Layered into Multis so that more than one Program can be played by striking one key Press th
3. Forte and Forte7 Modes Storage Mode GS 17 2014 Young Chang Co Ltd All rights reserved Kurzweil is a product line of Young Chang Co Ltd Kurzweil Young Chang V A S T Forte and FlashPlay are trademarks of Young Chang Co Ltd All other trademarks and copyrights are property of their respective companies Product features and specifications are subject to change without notice U S Patents 6 806 413 6 978 288 8 263 849 You may legally print up to two 2 copies of this document for personal use Commercial use of any copies of this document is prohibited Young Chang Co retains ownership of all intellectual property represented by this document Part Number 910565 002 Rev B It s the sound
4. IDI 67 CC Pedal 1 CC1 Expression Volume MIDI 11 CC Pedal 2 CC2 Foot MIDI 4 The SW1 Sustain SW2 and SW3 Jacks Use the pedal jacks to connect switch pedals A switch pedal is a physical controller typically used to control two state i e on off parameters such as sustain sostenuto soft and Mute Zone NOTE Do not to step on the switch pedals when powering up the Forte as the state of the pedal is detected as part of the power up sequence The Rear Panel The Pedal Jacks GS 6 The Forte supports a single switch pedal or half damper pedal on each of the SW1 SW2 and SW3 jacks NOTE It is not recommended to plug CC pedals into the SW inputs Due to the flexible switch pedal support CC pedals may not operate as expected in these inputs If you are not using a Kurzweil switch pedal make sure it s connected before you turn on the Forte This ensures that the pedal will work properly it might function in reverse off when it s down and on when it s up if you turn on your Forte before plugging in the pedal Similarly don t press any of your switch pedals while powering up as the Forte verifies each pedal s orientation during power up If you re pressing a pedal you might cause it to work in reverse Connecting a Dual Switch Pedal You can connect a dual switch pedal with a single stereo plug such as the Kurzweil KFP 2S into the SW1 and SW2 jacks You will need a Y adapter with a ster
5. This Getting Started Guide is designed to cover both the Forte and Forte7 pianos These instruments share common features and the term Forte is used to cover a description of both Where there are differences we use the name Forte7 to help instruct owners of that instrument This Guide will help you hook up the Forte to your sound system and MIDI system give you a quick overview and show you how to start playing music with the Forte A full manual for either instrument can be obtained in electronic format from www kurzweil com Specifications Forte and Forte7 are Kurzweil s new 128 voice pianos featuring FlashPlay technology and are Kurzweil s most advanced stage pianos to date Some of the key specifications and improvements over Kurzweil s previous instruments include New FlashPlay technology Support for up to 16GB of Sound ROM Two new high definition pianos New high definition electric pianos Improved modelled organ emulation More effects resources 4 3 480x272 pixel color display High speed USB ports New improved user interface design It s the sound Forte GETTING STARTED GUIDE Forte 7 Before You Start GS 1 Before You Start Don t connect anything until you make sure the Forte is properly and safely situated If your Forte keyboard has been out in the cold give it time to warm up t
6. are recommended if your mixer or amp supports balanced inputs 7 Make sure your sound system is at a safe volume level Also make sure that the Forte Master Volume slider on the far left side of the front panel is all the way down The Rear Panel Using the Forte Forte7 GS 2 Using the Forte Forte7 1 Power up the Forte using the power switch on the rear left side of the instrument and then raise the Master Volume slider and mixer amp volume Your Forte keyboard starts up in Program Mode by default Press one of the buttons under the Mode label to the right of the display to switch Modes Master Volume Slider Mode Selection 2 If you are connected to a mixing board and hear distortion reduce the gain level on your mixing board or use the pad a switch that decreases the input audio signal level typically by 20dB if it has one 3 To hear the capabilities of the Forte you can play the demo songs Press the Hybrid and Misc Category buttons simultaneously to listen to a demo song 4 In Program Mode scroll through the Programs using the Alpha Wheel the Previous and Next buttons or press a Category button to audition the sounds in the Forte The Forte has short demos for each of the factory Programs To hear a Program Demo for the current Program press the Voices and Mallets Category buttons simultaneously The Rear Panel The power switch and most of the Forte Forte7 connections are located on the rear pane
7. d other parameters related to transmitting and receiving MIDI are set within the MIDI pages Info The Info page displays the currently installed operating system and object versions Use this page to check if your Forte is up to date with the most recent software and sounds posted at kurzweil com Modes Storage Mode GS 16 System Reset In the unlikely event that something goes wrong with the settings or software of your Forte or if you just want to start fresh you can return the Forte to the factory default state by doing a System Reset NOTE System Reset will erase ALL of the USER Programs and Multis so it is important to back up your sounds before attempting to reset Forte Factory Program Multis are not affected Storage Mode Storage Mode facilitates loading and saving objects for the Forte Saving to External Storage Programs and Multis that you have created can be saved to a USB Flash Drive or a computer tablet Loading from External Storage Programs and Multis can be loaded onto the Forte from USB Flash Drives or a computer tablet This allows you to load new sounds from Kurzweil or other developers or to load sounds that you have previously saved Updating the Forte Forte7 Please check online at www kurzweil com for Forte updates Detailed instructions on updating the Forte are available with the update package It is important that these instructions are followed closely for trouble free updating of the
8. dals and Switches can control each of the factory Programs and Multis to produce variations to the sound When one of these controls is used the Forte LCD will display information about the parameter that control is assigned to Don t forget to try out these controls as you explore the factory sounds on the Forte Favorites The Forte also features Favorites Buttons to quickly recall your favorite sounds The Favorites buttons store a set of 10 Programs and or Multis To assign the currently selected Program or Multi to a Favorites button press and hold the desired Favorites button for a few seconds until the display indicates that the Favorite has been saved To recall a Favorite Program or Multi simply press one of the Favorites buttons The Favorites buttons will work from whichever mode you are currently in changing to Program Mode or Multi Mode automatically if required To view the names of Programs and Multis stored as favorites press the View soft button until you see the Favorites listed at the bottom of the display Modes Program Mode GS 14 Modes The Forte has five main modes Program Mode Multi Mode Multi Edit Global Mode and Storage Mode Program Mode The Forte always powers up in Program Mode and this is where single sounds can be played straight from the keyboard or multitimbrally via MIDI Controller Conventions Generally the factory Programs have the following controllers assigned SW Pedals Sustain
9. e Split or Layer soft button to create a Split or Layer Multi containing the current Program You will then be able to add up to three additional programs to create a Split or Layered Multi containing up to four Programs Multi Mode Multi mode allows you to play Multis which are arrangements of up to 4 Programs split and or layered in Zones across selected ranges of the keyboard The volume of the Program in each Zone can be easily adjusted while you are playing by using sliders A through D and each Zone can be muted and enabled by using the Zone Mute buttons above these sliders You can create custom assignments for the remaining sliders buttons and foot controllers to control effects and synthesis parameters of each Program Multi Edit Mode Multi Edit Mode is used to modify the many parameters that make up Multis including Program Selection Volume Pan Controller assignments effects and the layering and split options Multi Edit Mode allows for powerful customizations of the many built in sounds available on Forte and allows you to make new and unique sound combinations for your own performances and compositions Global Mode Global Mode gives you access to the global parameters of the Forte It allows you to edit the master settings of the unit It also allows you to restore factory defaults on the unit by performing a Hard or Soft Reset Some of the more common settings are summarized below MIDI Settings MIDI channels modes an
10. eo 1 4 inch jack and two mono 1 4 inch plugs Plug the Y adapter into the SW1 and SW2 jacks then connect the dual switch pedal to the Y adapter If the Sustain and Sostenuto functions are swapped then swap the two mono plugs If you re not familiar with traditional piano technique the sostenuto center pedal on a grand piano allows one to hold chords in the bass while continuing to play the melody without the latter notes sustaining Any keys that are down when you depress the pedal will sustain when you let go of the keys but new notes played afterward will not be sustained Releasing the pedal puts things back to normal Of course it can be programmed to do other functions as well The Rear Panel The Pedal Jacks GS 7 The CC1 Volume and CC2 Jacks Use the CC pedal jacks to connect continuous control or CC pedals A CC pedal is a physical controller typically used to control multi state i e continuous parameters such as volume or wah The Kurzweil CC 1 continuous control pedal will work best with Forte but it is also possible to use some third party continuous control pedals designed for synthesizers NOTE Only CC pedals should be connected to the CC pedal input Connecting to Your Audio System The Audio Jacks A amp B Audio Outputs GS 8 The Audio Jacks A amp B Audio Outputs Please refer to Connecting to Your Audio System below The Headphones Jack Use the Headphones jack to listen to the F
11. ic MIDI Port Hookup To use the Forte as a MIDI controller for another sound module use a MIDI cable to connect the MIDI port marked OUT to the MIDI input port of the module that you want to control To control the Forte using another MIDI controller use a MIDI cable to connect the MIDI port marked IN to the MIDI output port of the controller that you will be using Using Forte MIDI Out Using Forte MIDI In For other MIDI connection scenarios please refer to the Forte User Manual The Pedal Jacks Use the five pedal jacks to connect controller pedals to the Forte Although optional Kurzweil pedals are recommended it is possible to use most switch or controller pedals that adhere to the following specifications Switch Pedals 1 4 inch tip sleeve mono plug Continuous Control CC Pedals 10 kOhm linear taper potentiometer 1 4 inch tip ring sleeve stereo plug with the wiper connected to the tip The Rear Panel The Pedal Jacks GS 5 Pedals are all independently assignable within each Zone of every Multi On the back panel the Pedals are labeled as SWITCH 1 2 3 corresponding to the SW 1 2 3 labelling on the top panel In this manual the Switch Pedals will be referred to as per the top panel SW1 SW2 and SW3 Here are the default control settings for the five pedals used by the Forte Switch Pedal 1 SW1 Sustain MIDI 64 Switch Pedal 2 SW2 Sostenuto MIDI 66 Switch Pedal 3 SW3 Soft M
12. is from the front panel Use the following guide to audition the factory sounds on the Forte Selecting Programs The Forte always powers up in Program Mode with selection by Category as the default Use the Alpha Wheel or Previous Next buttons to browse programs in the current category Each Category has a factory default program generally the first in each Category However the user can set the Category default by selecting the desired program pressing and holding the current Category button for a few seconds until the display indicates that the Category default program has been saved You can also enter specific program numbers in Keypad mode by pressing the Keypad button the Keypad button LED will light beneath the Category section In this mode the Category buttons function like a standard alphanumeric keypad In Keypad mode the list of Programs is sorted by ID number only instead of by Category and ID Using the Alpha Wheel or Previous Next buttons will select the previous or next used Program ID regardless of category To exit Keypad mode press the Keypad button again The Keypad LED will turn off and the Forte reverts back to Category mode Another useful feature in the Forte is the ability to access a short demo song for the currently selected Program by Pressing the Voices and Mallets Category buttons simultaneously To return to Program Mode from a different mode simply press the Program Mode button In Program Mode pres
13. l The headphone connection on the Forte is located on the front left side underneath the Pitch amp Modulation wheels On the Forte7 it is on the left side on the rear panel The Rear Panel The AC Power Jack GS 3 The AC Power Jack Please refer to Setting up the Forte Forte7 on page GS 1 The USB Ports Use the Computer USB ports to connect the Forte to a computer tablet in order to do the following Use the Forte as a MIDI controller to play software instruments on a computer Use a computer program to sequence multitrack songs on the Forte Use a computer tablet to manage the user data contents of the Forte Update the software and sounds of the Forte Use the Storage USB Port to store custom Programs and Multis on a USB flash drive Be sure to check the Kurzweil Music Systems website at www kurzweil com for new documentation and software updates before using your new instrument The MIDI Ports In Thru Out Use the MIDI ports to communicate with other MIDI modules and controllers The Out port is the MIDI transmitting port and the In port is the MIDI receiving port Use the Thru port to pass MIDI data through the Forte to other instuments or modules By sliding the switch on the rear panel from Thru to Out the Forte sends MIDI Out messages on both the Thru and Out ports The USB ports can also be used to transmit MIDI messages The Rear Panel Basic MIDI Port Hookup GS 4 Bas
14. o room temperature before starting it since condensation may have formed inside Setting up the Forte Forte7 1 Set the keyboard on a hard flat level surface 2 Four adhesive backed rubber feet are provided with Forte Carefully turn the keyboard over onto a soft surface remove the paper backing from the rubber feet and attach them NOTE Unless the instrument will always be used with a keyboard stand attachment of the rubber feet is strongly advised Otherwise protruding screws may scratch the tabletop 3 Connect the AC power cord to the Forte Before plugging the cable into the power outlet check that the power is compatible with the Forte The Forte runs on AC power and works with voltages from 100 240 volts at 50 60 Hz The voltage level is detected and set automatically by the Forte If your power source does not have the standard three hole outlet you should take the time to install a proper grounding system This will reduce the risk of a shock If your power outlet is not within these ranges it is recommended you use an appropriate adaptor 4 Plug the power cable into the wall 5 Plug the Switch Pedal into the marked SW1 Sustain Pedal jack on the Forte rear panel 6 Connect stereo headphones to the headphone jack on the front left panel or connect the audio outputs to your mixer or amplifier inputs using standard 1 4 inch audio cables use the Left out for mono Balanced TRS or Stereo cables
15. orte on stereo headphones On the Forte the headphone jack is located at the front left of the instrument under the Pitch amp Modulation wheels On the Forte7 it is on the left end of the instrument on the rear panel You will need a 1 4 inch to 1 8 inch adapter in order to use headphones that have a smaller mini plug connector Connecting to Your Audio System After you ve turned down the level on your sound system connect the Forte analog audio outputs to your sound system using a pair of balanced TRS or stereo or unbalanced TS or mono audio cables Unbalanced cables will always work but if you re going into balanced inputs use balanced cables for a better signal to noise ratio and a bit more volume The Forte analog outputs are balanced You ll find four 1 4 inch balanced audio output jacks on the rear panel the A Audio Output pair and the B Output pair Connect one end of each audio cable to your mixing board or PA system inputs and connect the other end to the A Audio Output jacks marked Left Mono and Right on the rear panel of the Forte If you have only one input available use the Forte s Left Mono output to get the full signal in mono Use the jack marked Headphones located on the front left of the instrument to listen to Forte on headphones When headphones are plugged in sound still comes through the Left and Right audio jacks Forte connected to powered speakers and headphones
16. sing a Category button will select a Category Default Program for that Category The Category Default Program can be set by the user for each Category By default the Forte has the Category Default Program for each Category set to the first Program of each Category To change the Category Default Program first select the desired Program Next press and hold the Category button of the currently selected Category for a few seconds until the display indicates that the Category Default Program has been saved Selecting Programs and Multis Selecting Multis GS 13 Selecting Multis To play a Multi simply press the Multi Mode Button and the Multi Mode Button LED will light Use the Alpha Wheel or Previous Next Buttons to browse Multis or enter a Multi ID number by using the Category buttons as a numeric keypad Multis are not categorized so the Keypad button s LED is always lit in Multi Mode and the Category buttons will always function as a numeric keypad User Programs and Multis In Program or Multi Mode press the User button to view User edited Programs or Multis that you have saved or loaded to the Forte The LED on the User button will light you can then use the Alpha Wheel or Previous Next buttons to scroll through only user Programs or Multis Press the User button again to stop viewing only user Programs or Multis or press a Category button or use keypad mode to enter a factory ID number Controller Info The Sliders Wheels Pe
17. ts Display and Soft Buttons The 480 x 272 pixel color display provides the main user interface for the Forte The buttons immediately below the display are the soft buttons and their functions change depending upon what screen is displayed The functions of the soft buttons on each screen are described in the bottom row of the display Sliders and Buttons In Program Mode the sliders and buttons are used to control various Program parameters the last four sliders and buttons are typically used for controlling effects When KB3 Programs are being played the sliders and buttons control organ functions labeled in blue In Multi Mode the first four sliders and buttons control Multi Zone volumes and Zone Mutes LED Ladders The LED Ladders show the current value of the slider When you change Programs or Multis that value of the slider may differ from the physical position of the slider Category Buttons and Number Pad These buttons are used for navigating categories in Program Mode and for entering numbers in various places Generally the Forte automatically adjusts what these buttons will be used for but in cases where there are two entry methods available the mode of the buttons can be changed with the Keypad button Programs can be selected by Category or after pressing the Keypad Button by typing in the ID number Favorites Buttons The Favorites buttons can be programmed to immediately take you to your Favorite Programs and M
18. ultis To assign the currently selected Program or Multi to a Favorites button press and hold the desired Favorites button for a few seconds until the display indicates that the Favorite has been saved Cheek Block Controls The Cheek Block on the Forte has a Pitch Wheel Modulation Wheel Tap Tempo button Variation Button and Transpose buttons as well as the headphone connector On the Forte7 these controls are located on the left side of the front panel and the headphone connector is located on the left side of the rear panel Selecting Programs and Multis Selecting Programs GS 12 Selecting Programs and Multis The Forte supports two types of sounds The first type is a Program and these are normally a single instrument such as a piano or an organ A Program is similar to a preset or patch on other synthesizers The Forte has an extensive range of factory Programs and additional memory for further user Programs Both factory and user Programs are arranged into 20 categories The other type of sound is the more complex Multi A Multi is a combination of Programs arranged as layers and splits across the keyboard They are similar to setups from the Kurzweil PC series SP series and K2 series and are similar to Combis or Multis from other synthesizers The Forte has a range of factory Multis and additional memory for further user Multis The Forte has been designed so that it is quick and easy to select Programs and Mult
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