Dharma at Big Sur – Festival Time!

Q: We’re getting closer to the festival now, and I am seeking some more information regarding the presentation of Adam’s Dharma at Big Sur concert. I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on the specifics of the sampler programming for the Kurzweil keyboards so that I can determine if my only available solution, currently, will be adequate for this concert.

I have tracked down two keyboards here (Kurzweil K2661). The specification calls for K2500 or latest with a backwards check on compatibility. The keyboard size however is smaller than 88 note, but these keyboards do have the full 128MB installed and should have no trouble with older programs.

My questions are –> who has the programs/files/harddrive, how do we get them, and will these keyboards be adequate for this concert??

A: Thanks for the message. Please visit this link for tech details. Note, the violinist (name deleted here) normally brings an in-ear monitoring system with them – they also might require a wedge monitor. Please contact them directly for details.

Two K2661’s are great. You will be fine with the 61-note keyboard range – for both sampler 1 + 2.

Boosey will supply the Kurzweil software along with the parts. If for some reason you need to download the banks please contact Boosey to obtain the server link.

Kurzweil samplers will read from PC formatted storage devices. So, in the case of the K2661 you have two choices – you can connect an external ZIP drive to the back of the sampler and load from a PC formatted ZIP cartridge – the one you just copied the two Kurzweil banks to. Or, you can load via SmartMedia Cards (again PC formatted, which is usually their default format from the factory). You can read the K2661 manual online as per formatting the SmartMedia Card, or any other technical questions regarding their sampler:

ftp://ftp.kurzweilmusicsystems.com/pub/Kurzweil/Pro_Products/K2661/Documentation/MG_K2661.PDF

From the Boosey server, download and copy these two banks onto a storage device media (ZIP or SmartMedia) from your local computer, connect ZIP drive {set rear switches to SCSI ID 5 and termination on} (or insert SMedia Card). Press DISK button on the K2661, then set “Current Disk” to either “SMedia” or SCSI ID 5 (ZIP drive). Then press soft button under “Load”. Select the 200…299 range. Hit “OK” a couple times and “Overwrite”. Banks will load and you are off… When done loading, the first Dharma patches will show up on K2661 Program 200.

Please note, everytime you power off the K2661 it will loose it’s samples in memory. You must load everytime!

If the floppy or ZIP software, sent by Boosey along with the parts, is damaged in transit you can download via Boosey’s server.

Once on Boosey’s download server, you will notice a full K2500 bank folder as well as floppy folders. For the floppies, you can copy their contents onto PC formatted floppy discs, from any PC with an internal floppy drive, or USB floppy drive. Mac and/or PC’s are universal here, just make sure to use DOS formatted media. Please make sure not to change the file names. As discussed above, as an alternative to floppy, you can copy the “full” bank onto a ZIP cartridge, or sim, larger PC formatted media.

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Son of Chamber Symphony – what’s needed?

Q: I thought I read about the information for the Keyboard Sampler, but now I can’t find that information anywhere. What are the technical specification for the sampler? Is there a software download? Sorry if I am just being blind right now and can’t find it. 🙂

Thanks!

A: Thanks for the message. It’s the same sampler technology as Chamber Symphony, only the Kurzweil K2000/K2500/K2600 sampler should have a minimum of 8Mb sample RAM, not 4Mb as in the original Chamber Symphony. Kurzweil tech specs can be found here.

There is also a version for Native Instruments Kontakt software sampler. Kontakt tech specs can be found here.

All of our custom software (Kontakt multis and Kurzweil banks) can be downloaded from Boosey & Hawkes. Please contact them for details.

If the software, sent by Boosey along with the parts, is damaged in transit you can download it:

Once on Boosey’s download server, you will notice a full K2000 bank folder as well as floppy folders. For the floppies, you can copy their contents onto PC formatted floppy discs, from any PC with an internal floppy drive, or USB floppy drive. Mac and/or PC’s are universal here, just make sure to use DOS formatted media. Please make sure not to change the file names. As an alternative to floppy, you can copy the “full” bank onto a ZIP cartridge, or sim, larger PC formatted media.

All custom Kontakt multis can be downloaded here too.

Chamber Symphony – what, no more Yamaha synths?

Q: I am helping with technical details for an upcoming performance of the Chamber Symphony.  We met yesterday to review the score, and I couldn’t help but notice the score calls for a Yamaha SY77 keyboard, of which we happen to have one.
Is it still viable to use that keyboard for this piece?  It would greatly simplify our lives if it is still an option.   I’m looking at other options, but would love it if we could use the SY77.

A: Chamber Symphony was originally composed in 1992 and called for a Yamaha SY (SY77 or SY99) synthesizer. As this series of Yamaha keyboard is no longer available, we have adapted and migrated the patches to Kurzweil samplers, as well as the Kontakt software sampler.

Currently, you have two options 1.) Kurzweil keyboard sampler version or 2.) software sampler version (for Native Instruments Kontakt).

1.) Kurzweil keyboard sampler version:

Please make sure the Kurzweil sampler has the required amount of sample RAM or our custom samples will not load properly. Tech requirements can be found here.

If the software, sent by Boosey along with the parts, is damaged in transit you can download it. Please contact Boosey for details.

Once on Boosey’s download server, you will notice a full K2000 bank folder as well as floppy folders. For the floppies, you can copy their contents onto PC formatted floppy discs, from any PC with an internal floppy drive, or USB floppy drive. Mac and/or PC’s are universal here, just make sure to use DOS formatted media. Please make sure not to change the file names. As an alternative to floppy, you can copy the “full” bank onto a ZIP cartridge, or sim, larger PC formatted media.

2.) The second option is the Native Instruments Kontakt (currently version 4) software sampler. To download our custom Kontakt multi bank , please contact Boosey. Kontakt tech requirements can be found here.