Korg SV1 "sampling": (Where is JeffLearman?)

[MrSalmon]

Hi,

I am new and I joined in the hope to contact "JeffLearman" from Seattle.

 

It turns out this former member was banned?!

I don't know why and I have no other possibility of finding him.

 

I was looking for a way to add a new sound sample to the Korg SV1 and the only person I found, who said that it was possible, was "JeffLearman"

I would really love to learn how to add new sounds to the SV1.

In 2013 (it has been a while) JeffLearman wrote:

"[Caveat: Actually, there *is* a way you can get SV1 sounds from your computer, or at least, a reasonable approximation. That requires "sampling" the SV1, which is a pretty technical project and takes quite a bit of time and energy. I did this for my Ensoniq MR76 piano, and while it doesn't sound quite as good as the real thing, it's close enough and very handy. But I really don't think you want to wander down that path. Even if you do, you need to have a really good grasp of the issues you don't understand here yet, plus a bunch of new ones.]"

It seems as if it was quite some work but I would really like to learn how to do it.

 

Usually I fancy analog gear, but I really like the Korg SV1 as it gives you so many great samples and has a good feel.

It not only carries nice Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds but it also has become a unique thing on its own.

"Missing Pieces" by Jack White for instance, features a typical Korg SV1 sound.

I love plugging it into analog gear such as pedals and guitar amps.

Hence, I would really like to add one or several Mellotron variants, so I can play them with the band without setting up a computer using Midi.

 

It would be great if someone could help me. I would really appreaciate it!

Does someone know how to do it?

 

Or does someone know what happened to JeffLearman and can help getting in touch with him.

 

Thank you very much for all your efforts and your time and best wishes

 

MrSalmon

[Delaware Dave]

Hmmm. I was wondering about that myself a couple of years ago when he stopped posting. I kind of find it a little hard to believe that he would have been banned but anything's possible in this "anything you post offends someone" world.

[drawback]

Just a broad search found Jeff on ReverbNation and SongStuff. Have you tried that?

[Dave Bryce]

I am new and I joined in the hope to contact "JeffLearman" from Seattle.

 

It turns out this former member was banned?!

It was Jeff''s request that his account be suspended.

 

dB

[AnotherScott]

I was looking for a way to add a new sound sample to the Korg SV1 and the only person I found, who said that it was possible, was "JeffLearman"

No, he did not say it was possible "to add a new sound sample to the SV1," he said it was possible to "get SV1 sounds from your computer," which is a very different thing. He was describing having some version of your SV1 sounds loaded into your computer, so you could play those sounds without actually playing the SV1 itself. You cannot add new samples to the SV1 (though there are two downloadable soundpacks that include some sounds that were in the SV1 all along but were not used in the original 36 presets).

 

Hence, I would really like to add one or several Mellotron variants, so I can play them with the band without setting up a computer using Midi.

You're trying to add more Mellotron sounds to what you can play from the SV1, without setting up a computer? You can do it by setting up an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. Or some sound modules. If you want to go to town, check out the Mellotron Micro or the M4000D Rack at https://www.digitalmellotron.com/

[EscapeRocks]

Hence, I would really like to add one or several Mellotron variants, so I can play them with the band without setting up a computer using Midi.

 

You're trying to add more Mellotron sounds to what you can play from the SV1, without setting up a computer? You can do it by setting up an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. Or some sound modules. If you want to go to town, check out the Mellotron Micro or the M4000D Rack at https://www.digitalmellotron.com/

 

This.

 

 

If I wasn't using my MacMini for more than just VSTs, I'd just run my iPad and the Camera Connection kit directly into my YC61 or MODX8 (MODX8 most likely since it has the USB volume knob right there separately from Main Volume.)

 

Salmon, the above suggestions from these guys are spot on

[cp-the-nerd]

+1 to those saying adding samples to the SV-1 is not possible. But that's the beauty of the midi in/out, you can use the SV-1 as a controller for whatever you want regardless of its internal limitations.

[Dr Mike Metlay]

Hi and welcome, MrSalmon!

 

Based on what you wrote (namely that you mistook taking samples off the SV-1 for putting samples in), I suspect that you're simply starting down the path toward learning how to expand your sonic world, and your only problem is that you're still learning. From that perspective, putting new sounds on the SV-1 would seem like the simplest way to do what you want.

 

If that's the case, then yes, adding a second box might seem intimidating, simply because you can't just sit down, flip a switch, put on headphones, and play... you'll need a small mixer to blend the two sources together for your headphones. More cables, more power supplies, and more hassle. But it may be the only way to give you what you want.

 

If you do want to take that step, then I give a hearty +1 to the above suggestions, especially on an iPad -- which isn't surprising, considering what a huge proponent I am of iOS-based instruments for live music.

 

Find a recent-gen iPad (anything with Lightning, really, although newer ones will give you more power) at a pawn shop, or if you want something brand new, the latest-gen iPad (not mini or Pro or Air) is super cheap in the base model, which will do fine for you.

 

Get a copy of Streetlytron Pro, Streetlytron '65, Mellowsound, or Manetron, depending on cost vs. how many sounds/features you want. Hook up a Korg plugKEY, make the appropriate connections to your SV-1 and mixer -- bang, done, you've got all the Mellotron you want... And then you get to explore the hundreds of incredible sounds out there that can run from your iPad sitting on your SV-1, for very little money.

 

Good luck, and please don't hesitate to pose more questions! That's what MPN is here for.

[hirsute]

Hi and welcome, MrSalmon!

 

Based on what you wrote (namely that you mistook taking samples off the SV-1 for putting samples in), I suspect that you're simply starting down the path toward learning how to expand your sonic world, and your only problem is that you're still learning. From that perspective, putting new sounds on the SV-1 would seem like the simplest way to do what you want.

 

If that's the case, then yes, adding a second box might seem intimidating, simply because you can't just sit down, flip a switch, put on headphones, and play... you'll need a small mixer to blend the two sources together for your headphones. More cables, more power supplies, and more hassle. But it may be the only way to give you what you want.

 

If you do want to take that step, then I give a hearty +1 to the above suggestions, especially on an iPad -- which isn't surprising, considering what a huge proponent I am of iOS-based instruments for live music.

 

Find a recent-gen iPad (anything with Lightning, really, although newer ones will give you more power) at a pawn shop, or if you want something brand new, the latest-gen iPad (not mini or Pro or Air) is super cheap in the base model, which will do fine for you.

 

Get a copy of Streetlytron Pro, Streetlytron '65, Mellowsound, or Manetron, depending on cost vs. how many sounds/features you want. Hook up a Korg plugKEY, make the appropriate connections to your SV-1 and mixer -- bang, done, you've got all the Mellotron you want... And then you get to explore the hundreds of incredible sounds out there that can run from your iPad sitting on your SV-1, for very little money.

 

Good luck, and please don't hesitate to pose more questions! That's what MPN is here for.

 

The SV-1 also has audio inputs, so you could run the audio output of the ipad back into the SV-1 where it will go through to the SV-1 outputs. That would allow you to avoid adding a mixer to the setup.

[MrSalmon]

at: drawback

 

No I have not. Thank you very much.

Yet, it seems as if I was mistaken.

I really thought JeffLearman found a way to store samples on the SV1 and by that being able to mess with them using all the built in effects etc.

[MrSalmon]

Hi and welcome, MrSalmon!

 

Based on what you wrote (namely that you mistook taking samples off the SV-1 for putting samples in), I suspect that you're simply starting down the path toward learning how to expand your sonic world, and your only problem is that you're still learning. From that perspective, putting new sounds on the SV-1 would seem like the simplest way to do what you want.

 

If that's the case, then yes, adding a second box might seem intimidating, simply because you can't just sit down, flip a switch, put on headphones, and play... you'll need a small mixer to blend the two sources together for your headphones. More cables, more power supplies, and more hassle. But it may be the only way to give you what you want.

 

If you do want to take that step, then I give a hearty +1 to the above suggestions, especially on an iPad -- which isn't surprising, considering what a huge proponent I am of iOS-based instruments for live music.

 

Find a recent-gen iPad (anything with Lightning, really, although newer ones will give you more power) at a pawn shop, or if you want something brand new, the latest-gen iPad (not mini or Pro or Air) is super cheap in the base model, which will do fine for you.

 

Get a copy of Streetlytron Pro, Streetlytron '65, Mellowsound, or Manetron, depending on cost vs. how many sounds/features you want. Hook up a Korg plugKEY, make the appropriate connections to your SV-1 and mixer -- bang, done, you've got all the Mellotron you want... And then you get to explore the hundreds of incredible sounds out there that can run from your iPad sitting on your SV-1, for very little money.

 

Good luck, and please don't hesitate to pose more questions! That's what MPN is here for.

 

First of all: Thanks for responding so quickly, all you guys!

I really appreciate it!

 

A lot of great suggestions as an alternative approach.

 

at: Dr. Mike Metlay:

 

Yeah, you are right! I am a damn greenhorn.

Too bad that it does not seem to be possible. In the editor you can open all these different ".sv1" files like the sound packs by korg or of course your own stored sounds. So I figured that you could somehow create an ".sv1-file" with the new sample.

I tweaked many of them and chose my favorites from all three packs Korg has released (factory, sound pack 1 and sound pack 2).

 

Thanks for all the advice. This was all new to me. I did not know about the plugKEY which can substitute the interface and is more convenient for the road.

I have to see how much I want to spend. Unfortunately that is always an issue.

 

EDIT: The plugKeys seem to be rare. So some prices are very high. I have to keep looking for them.

iRig is another possibility or would simply using the usb cable also work?

If I use the midi input via the plugKey, do the affects of the Korg Sv1 apply to the midi sound? Can I use them as if the midi sample was a real sample on the Korg SV1?

[MrSalmon]

Just a broad search found Jeff on ReverbNation and SongStuff. Have you tried that?

 

Are you sure it is the same guy?

[AnotherScott]

Too bad that it does not seem to be possible.

Definitely not possible. There are boards where you can load new samples into them, but the SV1 is not among them.

 

EDIT: The plugKeys seem to be rare. So some prices are very high. I have to keep looking for them.

iRig is another possibility or would simply using the usb cable also work?

There are many possibilities. Plugkey was popular because it was one of the few that added convenient 1/4" jacks for getting the sound out, but assuming you have an iOS device that has a headphone jack, you can always get the sound out that way. There is an iRig device that works, it is the "iRig MIDI" and there are numerous other possibilities. You can also use a simple MIDI interface (of the type that many people already have for use on their computers), like a Roland UM One or similar, and use it with with the Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter . (That's the best adapter to use because it allows you to also keep the iOS device charged at the same time.)

 

If I use the midi input via the plugKey, do the affects of the Korg Sv1 apply to the midi sound? Can I use them as if the midi sample was a real sample on the Korg SV1?

No. MIDI has nothing to do with audio, and there is no such thing as a MIDI sample. Also you would not be using the MIDI Input of the SV1, you'd be using the MIDI Output. You'd be using the SV1 keys in order to play a sound that resides in the iPhone/iPad. The sound, as mentioned above, probably will be coming out of the heapdhone jack. As mentioned earlier, you could take that sound and bring it into the audio input of the SV1 (so you don't need to use a mixer or additional input on your amp), but the SV1 does not have the ability to process external audio input through its effects. (Again, some boards do, but the SV1 is not among them.)

[MrSalmon]

Thank you very much. I am learning...

[drawback]

Just a broad search found Jeff on ReverbNation and SongStuff. Have you tried that?

 

Are you sure it is the same guy?

 

I"ve never met him, but the avatar he uses on ReverbNation is the one he used here. The guy on SongStuff may be a different person, though.

[MrSalmon]

Too bad that it does not seem to be possible.

Definitely not possible. There are boards where you can load new samples into them, but the SV1 is not among them.

 

EDIT: The plugKeys seem to be rare. So some prices are very high. I have to keep looking for them.

iRig is another possibility or would simply using the usb cable also work?

There are many possibilities. Plugkey was popular because it was one of the few that added convenient 1/4" jacks for getting the sound out, but assuming you have an iOS device that has a headphone jack, you can always get the sound out that way. There is an iRig device that works, it is the "iRig MIDI" and there are numerous other possibilities. You can also use a simple MIDI interface (of the type that many people already have for use on their computers), like a Roland UM One or similar, and use it with with the Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter . (That's the best adapter to use because it allows you to also keep the iOS device charged at the same time.)

 

If I use the midi input via the plugKey, do the affects of the Korg Sv1 apply to the midi sound? Can I use them as if the midi sample was a real sample on the Korg SV1?

No. MIDI has nothing to do with audio, and there is no such thing as a MIDI sample. Also you would not be using the MIDI Input of the SV1, you'd be using the MIDI Output. You'd be using the SV1 keys in order to play a sound that resides in the iPhone/iPad. The sound, as mentioned above, probably will be coming out of the heapdhone jack. As mentioned earlier, you could take that sound and bring it into the audio input of the SV1 (so you don't need to use a mixer or additional input on your amp), but the SV1 does not have the ability to process external audio input through its effects. (Again, some boards do, but the SV1 is not among them.)

 

Thanks again.

One last question.

Do I need an interface or can I go directly out of the USB port of my Korg SV-1 into my iPad?

[MrSalmon]

Just a broad search found Jeff on ReverbNation and SongStuff. Have you tried that?

 

Are you sure it is the same guy?

 

I"ve never met him, but the avatar he uses on ReverbNation is the one he used here. The guy on SongStuff may be a different person, though.

 

I see, thank you.

[AnotherScott]

Do I need an interface or can I go directly out of the USB port of my Korg SV-1 into my iPad?

At a minimum, you would need that lightning adapter I linked to earlier (assuming your iPad has a lightning connector). In that case, a plain USB printer cable would probably work, but I don't know for sure. If the SV1 is class compliant, it will work. The SV1 does have installable drivers for Mac/PC, and you can't install a driver on an iPad... the question is whether it works without the driver (on some keyboards with drivers, the driver is not required for basic operation, so the fact that they offer a driver does not necessarily mean it won't work without it). Maybe someone has a more definitive answer, or you can just try it, and then buy the interface if it doesn't work.

[CEB]

Jeff was a model citizen here. Well respected. Nothing like me. I"m riff raff.

 

Last I remember he had just moved due to a new job. I think Seattle or some place in the Pacific Northwest. Jeff was an engineer and a smart dude. If anyone could have figured out how to do this it would probably be him. But it may have involved burning his own chip set.

[MrSalmon]

Do I need an interface or can I go directly out of the USB port of my Korg SV-1 into my iPad?

At a minimum, you would need that lightning adapter I linked to earlier (assuming your iPad has a lightning connector). In that case, a plain USB printer cable would probably work, but I don't know for sure. If the SV1 is class compliant, it will work. The SV1 does have installable drivers for Mac/PC, and you can't install a driver on an iPad... the question is whether it works without the driver (on some keyboards with drivers, the driver is not required for basic operation, so the fact that they offer a driver does not necessarily mean it won't work without it). Maybe someone has a more definitive answer, or you can just try it, and then buy the interface if it doesn't work.

 

I will go for the iRig as the Korg plugKey is hardt to get by, just to make sure that it will work. I have a 128gb iphone 5s and an ipad Air2 so I guess I will be good to go.

Thanks for all the good advice.

It is highly appreciated.

It is not 100% what I wanted but if it is the only possible way I will have to use other effects than the ones included in the Korg SV-1.

And the perspective that I not only have the Mellotron sounds then but also so many other things is definitely great! I have my ohone on me all the time anyway.

[MrSalmon]

Jeff was a model citizen here. Well respected. Nothing like me. I"m riff raff.

 

Last I remember he had just moved due to a new job. I think Seattle or some place in the Pacific Northwest. Jeff was an engineer and a smart dude. If anyone could have figured out how to do this it would probably be him. But it may have involved burning his own chip set.

 

It sounds as if he will be the guy if it is possible. I guess I will try to contact him just to get to the buttom of this.

Thanks for confirming!

[Mighty Motif Max]

Sounds like a plan.

[Jonathan Hughes]

No, it's not possible. This is not at all what he was talking about. Like others have stated he was saying that you could sample the sounds FROM the SV1 and have them available in software (like Kontakt) on your computer. At no point does he say you can get the sounds of your choosing into the SV1.

 

Here's what he says:

"Actually, there *is* a way you can get SV1 sounds from your computer, or at least, a reasonable approximation. That requires "sampling" the SV1, which is a pretty technical project and takes quite a bit of time and energy."

 

You're getting confused by his use of the word "from". He is NOT saying (and I can't stress the "NOT" enough) that you can take sounds from your computer and put them into the SV. He's saying that you can, through the process of sampling, get the sounds that are inside the SV1 into your computer. At which point you can play them FROM your computer.

 

 

CEB said "If anyone could have figured out how to do this it would probably be him." But that does not mean it's actually possible. The keyboard isn't made to do what you want it to do, and literally no one is going to be able to make new chips for it to give you the sounds you want (including Jeff Learman). There are numerous options mentioned in this thread that will let you play mellotron sounds from the SV. None of them involve tracking down Jeff Learman.

 

If this was a function that the SV1 provided, it would be advertised and discussed in the literature, because some people would want to use it.

[AnotherScott]

I will go for the iRig as the Korg plugKey is hardt to get

Just be aware that there are many different iRig products. You need an iRig MIDI (the sounds would come out of the iPhone's heapdhone port), or if you want it to be like the PlugKey that has its own audio outputs, I think an iRig Pro might work for you too.

 

e's saying that you can, through the process of sampling, get the sounds that are inside the SV1 into your computer. At which point you can play them FROM your computer.

Correct. Also, from there, you can load the sounds into some other keyboards. Not an SV1, though.

[MrSalmon]

Again, thank you guys. I have what I wanted. Maybe even more as I am enjoying being able to play more sounds through the Korg SV-1 than imagined.

 

The iRig Midi2 is great but as it was mentioned, it is too bad that charging is not possible at the same time.

Do you know whether a lightning splitter would do the trick?

Headphones can be connected while charging.

 

I bough the MellotronXL app and the StreetlytronPro.

Both have their pros and cons.

For me the MellotronXL sounds more like tape.

So I prefer this one. I also love the samples where a full band plays.

It"s fun.

 

But the Streetlytron has way more sounds and you can save the settings.

So I suggest: have them both.

 

By changing the midi channel one can get rid of the click sounds the SV1 makes.

Thanks guys.

I am flying.

[AnotherScott]

The iRig Midi2 is great but as it was mentioned, it is too bad that charging is not possible at the same time.

IIRC, they make (or at least used to make) an optional charging adapter for it. But it was not obvious to find, buried somewhere on their web site, not on the page about the iRig MIDI itself. You may want to scour the site for it, or maybe someone else here will have more definitive info.

[MrSalmon]

The iRig Midi2 is great but as it was mentioned, it is too bad that charging is not possible at the same time.

IIRC, they make (or at least used to make) an optional charging adapter for it. But it was not obvious to find, buried somewhere on their web site, not on the page about the iRig MIDI itself. You may want to scour the site for it, or maybe someone else here will have more definitive info.

 

Yeah, but relatively expensive. If the iRig power bridge ist what you mean.

[AnotherScott]

Yeah, but relatively expensive. If the iRig power bridge ist what you mean.

Yes, that sounds right.

[ITGITC]

Just FYI...

 

LearJeff is alive and well, living in North Carolina with his lovely wife.

 

That is all.

 

Tom

[stoken6]

Tom, please pass on on to Jeff best wishes from all of us at KC

 

Cheers, Mike.