ISLA Instruments KordBot Manuale utente

KORDBOT USERS GUIDE

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INSTANT GRATIFICATION 4

PLAY MODES 6

KEY + MOD 7

DIATONIC MODE 8

DIATONIC STRUM 10

POLYPHONIC KEYS 10

COMMON FUNCTIONS 12

PUSH/TURN CHANGES 13

SETTINGS 15

MIDI SETUP

MOD KEYS/NOTE KEYS/MEM KEYS

FOOT CONTROLLER CONFIGURATION

EXPRESSION PEDAL/FOOT SWITCH

ARPEGGIO BUILDER 17

PATTERNS 20

SCALE BUILDER 21

DIATONIC PROGRESSION EDITING 22

DIATONIC THEORY 23

SCALES 24

CHORDS 25

DIATONIC PROGRESSIONS 25

FILE MANAGER 27

MOUNTING AND UNMOUNTING

FORMATTING

CREATE SYSTEM CARD

SAVE / LOAD SYSTEM DATA 28

MIDI

MIDI CC VALUES 29

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INSTANT GRATIFICATION

It’s always nice to be able to check something out without needing to read a manual, or struggle at all so here is a

quick start guide for jumping right into the KordBot in order to check it out right away and get a basic sense of what

it’s capable of.

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1. Connect the AC power supply, or the USB cable to either a USB/Power adapter or your computer and power up

the unit. It takes a moment to boot, so don’t panic. It’s not broken.

2. Connect a midi cable out of the KordBot into the synth you’d like to play, or if you’re using software in a DAW

then just boot your machine and load up your software.

3. By default KordBot starts off on MIDI channel 1, so make sure your destination synth is receiving on channel 1

4. Enter PLAY MODE by holding down ENCODER A (the ﬁrst knob, top row, beside the screen) and you will be

presented with KEY+MOD play mode Here you can use the encoders to play chords, and explore the

arpeggiator to your heart’s content.

5. Switch modes by holding the ALT button and selecting your mode with the fn (FUNCTION) buttons. Choose

between KEY + MOD Mode (chords and arpeggios), DIATONIC MODE (scales and chords of a guitar or string

instrument), DIATONIC STRUM MODE (diatonic mode with a strum feature using the ribbon style strum strip)

and POLYPHONIC MODE (standard keyboard controller mode.)

6. Choose a scale using one of the 32 SCALE buttons

7. Play keys on the keyboard and explore.

Be sure and take a look at the functions available on the screen. Each main function corresponds with the encoders

on the KordBot and can be adjusted and set however you like best. These functions are editable and customizable to

do whatever you’d like them to do (more about that later) but while you’re getting to know the KordBot it’s a good idea

to mess around with the arp note length, hold, and the other immediate functions of whichever mode you’re in. These

settings can all be saved and recalled to make the KordBot useful in more than one situation, and in more than one

way.

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PLAY MODES

POWER UP

When powering up the KordBot the home screen is presented. Here the operation mode is selected. Choose which

section you would like to use by either scrolling Encoder A, or using the left and right arrow keys. Select the section

by pressing Encoder A.

PERFORMANCE MODE

This is where you play the KordBot as an instrument. Using the KordBot as a midi controller, creating

scales and arpeggios and strums

SEQUENCER MODE

Not implemented in the current version of the ﬁrmware (3.08.00 BETA) but will soon offer an onboard

sequencer for internal phrases and patterns within the KordBot.

FILE MANAGER

This is the section for saving and loading your ﬁles to SD card

SETTINGS

This is the section for MIDI SETTINGS, CHORD BUILDER, ARPEGGIO BUILDER, SCALE BUILDER,

PEDAL and FOOT CONTROL.

ABOUT

This is a scrolling credits section with acknowledgements and information all about the KordBot

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PLAY MODES

There are 4 play modes available with the current KordBot ﬁrmware: KEY + MOD, DIATONIC MODE, DIATONIC

STRUM and POLYPHONIC KEYS.

These modes allow you the freedom to conﬁgure and use the KordBot in many ways, from live performance to studio

recording and anything between. Each mode has conﬁguration options to allow you to tailor your workﬂow to

whatever suits you best. Plus, the system can be saved, so you can store and retrieve conﬁgurations at your leisure.

Each mode has a common graphical interface. There are 8 encoder rotary position indicators in the center of the

screen. The functions available by pushing the encoder switch are shown at the top of the screen. Finally, there is a

hot-key menu and a status grid at the bottom of the screen.

The 8 “push” functions and the 8 “rotary” functions can be assigned to various KordBot control functions as well as all

MIDI Continuous Controller (MIDI CC) functions.

The available MIDI CC control subset for the encoder push functions are limited to MIDI CC messages which were

designed for two-state conditions, such as toggling Portamento on or off. See the list of supported MIDI CC functions

in the MIDI section of this manual for more information.

KEY + MOD

Key + MOD mode uses the pre-programmed chord modiﬁer keys in conjunction with the NOTE keys of the piano

style keyboard (see “Parts Of The KordBot on page X-Y). Pressing and holding a NOTE key (for example C) sets the

“root” note. Then, pressing a chord modiﬁer key (for example m7) will cause the KordBot to emit a chord known as a

Cm7 or C minor seventh chord. Like wise pressing a D NOTE key along with the Maj9 chord modiﬁer key will produce

a DMaj9 or D Major 9th chord. Note that the LEDs under the NOTE keys will also light up to show you the notes in

the chord you’ve just played. So for the Cm7 chord, the NOTE keys for C, Eb, G and Bb will light. For D9 you should

see the NOTE keys D, F#, A, C# and E light up. Also, the display will show the note name, octave and chord type

played. This appears in the bottom status line, to the left of the mode indicator (Key + MOD).

In addition, you can press one of the f keys 1-4 to play an inversion of the chord. So, pressing the Maj MOD key, f1

and then the C NOTE key you can play a CMaj or C Major chord in the ﬁrst inversion. The C NOTE will light because

you pressed it, but then you’ll also see the E, G and C an octave above light up. A C Major in the ﬁrst inversion has

the notes E, G and C. Likewise the second inversion is G, C and E, which you can get by pressing the Maj, f2 and C

keys. Third and fourth inversions are available but note that for chords with only 3 notes, the third inversion actually

repeats the root position of C, E and G, only an octave higher. If you try using inversions with more complex chord

MOD keys – such as the Maj9, you’ll see that the notes are all the same, but in order according to the inversion

selected.

Key + MOD mode was designed to offer the largest palette of 32 chord types and up to 4 inversions per type, for a

total of 128 chord type variations. If you can’t ﬁnd the sound you’re looking for in that batch, don’t worry: elsewhere in

this guide you can learn how to easily create your own chords.

Each mode has the ability to store up to 12 chords in the MEM key pads (M1-M12). For the Key + MOD mode, this is

simply done. First, play any chord – you just have to play it, not keep the keys pressed. Next, press the SHIFT key

and press one of the MEM pads M1-M12. The chord that was played last is now stored into the slot you chose,

including the scale or key note you played. So, for instance, if you press the chord modiﬁer dim7 and key note D

keys, it forms a D°7 ( D diminished 7th)

If you wish to store an inversion of the chord, press the INVERSION key AND the SHIFT key and then press the

MEM pad you want to save the inversion to. So, as in the above example, if you press the chord modiﬁer dim7 and

key note D keys, to form a D°7 ( D diminished 7th), then wanted to save the ﬁrst inversion of that chord, press f1,

SHIFT and then the MEM key you wish to save it to. Note that you can also “mix and match”. Any chords you enter

into MEM slots will be available in all the other modes.

You may also elect to save a chord template to a MEM key. Chord templates do not store the key note and act

essentially like the MOD keys. It means you must press a note key along with the MEM key to play a chord. The

advantage here is you can carry this stored key to other modes – for instance you might want to have a 7sus4 chord

in memory so that you can add that to your available choices of chords in, say, the Diatonic Mode.

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To save the chord as a template play the desired chord modiﬁer and any note (the note will be ignored). For instance,

pressing the “Maj 9” and a “C”. Then simply press the ALT and SHIFT keys at the same time and ﬁnally press the

MEM key you wish to save it to. Note that in the current ﬁrmware, you may not store inversions of chord templates

(but you can play them back with inversions). In KEY+MOD mode, play the template back by pressing the MEM key

and any note key. If you hold the MEM key down and change notes, the chord will re-play with the new note selected.

Changing octaves in the Key + MOD mode is simple. Pressing the octave up or octave down changes the octave of

the notes played on the NOTE keys. Holding ALT and pressing the octave up or down keys shifts the octave of

whatever is stored in the MEM pads.

That is the basic concept of the Key + MOD mode. Much, much more can be done in this mode, using the built-in

KordBot functions. Things like arpeggiation, chord spreading, tempo change and velocity modiﬁcations all designed

to enhance your playing experience. Since these functions can be used in other modes, they are covered in depth in

the section “KordBot Common Built In Functions”.

DIATONIC MODE

The Diatonic mode is the most complex mode that KordBot offers. While it may seem daunting, once you get the

hang of it, you will be able to explore musical areas few other MIDI controllers have ventured into.

To jump to the Diatonic mode, from any other mode, press the ALT key. The hotkey menu on the bottom will then

show the fn key to press to jump to the Diatonic mode. The screen will refresh and you should see all the same

controls as before, with the mode in the lowest right status box noting “Diatonic” for the mode.

In this mode, the layout of the MOD keys is different from the Key + MOD mode. Here, each row of 8 MOD keys are

comprised of 7 diatonically related (normally) chords, based on a scale. Using the advanced setup features, you can

make these 7 chords related, unrelated, random or whatever you desire. But the basic reason for the mode is that the

MOD keys alone generate chords. The NOTE keys allow the user to play along with the chords, providing 6-note

polyphony.

The default key and scale rows on the KordBot are C Major, G Yo (not a typo, the Yo scale is a traditional folk scale

see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo_scale), C Natural Minor (Aeolian mode) and Ab Blues. The default

progression for each row is also the default for that scale type. The key and scale can be changed by choosing from

a list. But there are also 10 “User” progressions. In those 10, you can change the scale to any pre-programmed scale,

or you can build your own scale. Then you can also change the chord type for each of the 7 ‘slots’. Currently you can

pick from any of the chord modiﬁer key chord types (Maj through 9sus4). In a future release you will also be able to

create your own chord templates and choose those as well.

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For now, we’ll look at the default C Major row – the top row of MOD keys. Refer to the section on “Diatonic

Progression Editing” for more advanced features. Also, since all the encoder functions are shared by each play mode,

you might want to look at the section “KordBot Common Built In Functions”.

In the top row, the chords are laid out in standard diatonic progression for a Major scale in the key of C.

With just this small ‘palette’ of chords, you have the ability to play literally millions of songs. There are an uncountable

number of hits that use just the I, IV and V chords. Throw in the vi chord and you have an uncountable number more.

Each mode has the ability to store up to 12 chords in the MEM key pads (M1-M12). For the Diatonic mode, this is

done similarly to the Key + MOD mode: First, play any chord – you just have to play it, not keep the keys pressed.

Note, you do not need to press a key note, since diatonic chords already know which note is their key note.

Next, press the SHIFT key and press one of the MEM pads M1- M12. The chord that was played last is now stored

into the slot you chose. If you wish to store an inversion of the chord, press the inversion key AND the SHIFT key and

then press the MEM pad you want to save the inversion to. So, for instance, if you press an Em (third key on the top

row in the default Diatonic mode) chord and then wanted to save the ﬁrst inversion of that chord, press f1, SHIFT and

then the MEM key you wish to save it to. Note that you can also “mix and match”. Any chords you enter into MEM

slots will be available in all the other modes. You may also elect to save the chord as a template but since the

Diatonic mode also allows a polyphonic keyboard, playing the stored chord back requires pressing the MEM key after

a note is pressed. This is because the playing of keyboard notes must be prioritized over playing a MEM chord.

To save the chord as a template play the desired chord (the chord’s key note will be ignored). Then press the ALT and

SHIFT keys at the same time and press the MEM key you wish to save it to. Note that in the current ﬁrmware, you

may not store inversions of chord templates (but you can play them back with inversions).

Changing octaves in the Diatonic mode is simple. Pressing the octave up or octave down changes the octave of the

notes played on the NOTE keys. Holding SHIFT and pressing the octave up or down keys shifts the octave of the

MOD keys. Holding ALT and pressing the octave up or down keys shifts the octave of whatever is stored in the MEM

pads.

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PROGRESSION SUGGESTION

Music theory also has a concept that, in every diatonic progression there are “allowed” movements to other chords.

This set of rules has been broken more often than not, but KordBot has included this feature because it can stimulate

all sorts of creativity. In future versions of the ﬁrmware, the user will be able to create their own map of suggestions to

mate up with any user scales and user chords. This is because the traditional 17th century method was designed

around a very limited set of scales – mostly the Major scale.

To activate the Progression Suggestion mode, simply press the last MOD key in any row. A message box lets you

know it’s been activated. Press OK and then press the Maj MOD key to play a C Maj chord. All the LEDs in that row

light up, indicating that, from the I chord in a Major scale, you are ‘allowed’ to progress to any other chord. If you next

press the Dm chord (the MOD key labeled ‘6’) you will see that the number of choices has dwindled to a total of 4.

You can hit the Dm (ii) chord again, or choose from the F Maj (IV), G Maj (V) or B dim (vii°) chords. In any sequence,

the total progression you develop would make Mozart a happy guy, since you followed the rules.

DIATONIC STRUM

Diatonic strum mode works mostly like regular Diatonic mode – the chord modiﬁer keys are set up to produce

harmonically related chords and the note keys offer 6 note polyphony. The major difference is how the MOD and

MEM keys are played.

These keys are held and the user’s ﬁnger activates the notes by using the touch sensitive slider strip on the right of

the KordBot. The touch strip responds to 12 zones which are capacitance sensors. Bringing your ﬁnger near a zone

will activate the note associated with that zone. Wiping the ﬁnger causes a strumming effect and can be done right or

left and start and stop anywhere along the strip. Also one can ‘pick’ the zones much like a guitar player or banjo

player plucks the strings. One of the KordBot controls available is a touch strip sensitivity control. At the default level,

generally the ﬁnger will activate 2 notes at a time. Adjusting the ‘Slider damping’ value changes the sensitivity of each

zone, allowing different expression capabilities.

The sequence of the 12 notes assigned from left to right are controlled by the Arpeggio note pattern setting. The

movement right to left moves down the arpeggio and from the left the pattern ascends. The velocity humanize and

offset values also affect each note as they would during an arpeggio.

Since the touch strip is tied to the arpeggio, you can set the play mode to allow the strip to stay on after releasing a

MOD or MEM key by turning the Chord hold to ON and the Arp repeat to LATCH. Using the Arp note length setting

will increase or decrease the ‘ring out’ of the note. This is most effective during the simulated picking mode as

a short tap emits a short pluck and a tap and hold lets the note stay on (depending of course on the destination

patch’s sustain setting). With Arp note length set to max, the short tap lets the note ring out thru the release cycle on

the destination.

Changing octaves in the Diatonic strum mode is simple. Pressing the octave up or octave down changes the octave

of the notes played on the NOTE keys. Holding SHIFT and pressing the octave up or down keys shifts the octave of

the MOD keys. Holding ALT and pressing the octave up or down keys shifts the octave of whatever is stored in the

MEM pads.

POLYPHONIC KEYS

Polyphonic key mode turns all the MOD keys into single note keys. This is useful for working with a destination unit

which allows you to set up triggers based on a MIDI note. For instance, you might trigger a bank of 16 sound samples

with the MIDI notes from 0 to 15. In that case, the top 2 MOD key rows would be set up to play notes 0-15. Also,

since each key is capable of having its own MIDI channel and destination, you could have the top row of notes 0-7

assigned to different channels on a USB port and 8-15 assigned to output over channel 10 on the MIDI DIN.

Up to 6 notes can be played at once, so you could trigger hits and still play a melody at the same time on yet another

MIDI channel. The KordBot was designed to be ﬂexible and conﬁgurable for most things you can imagine.

10

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