KENTON CS-50 Retrofit Kit Instructions
- June 11, 2024
- KENTON
Table of Contents
KENTON CS-50 Retrofit Kit
USING THE MIDI INTERFACE
When you turn on the synthesizer for the first time, you will be in omni-on
mode for receive (all channels). Selecting any MIDI channel will automatically
select omni-off. See below and the next page for factory default settings.
When you select a MIDI receive channel, this will be stored in memory and will
be remembered for when you next turn on the synth. All parameters listed on
the next page are stored in non-volatile memory.
If you want to put the machine back to the factory default settings at any
time, switch the synth on whilst holding the red push button pressed – hold
for a couple of seconds then release.
SWITCH
The switch on the control panel is to enable you to route the output of the
CS-50/60 sub-oscillator through the MIDI Mod Wheel or Aftertouch before it
goes to the VCO, VCF & VCA routing levers, instead of going direct as it
normally would. This enables you to have MIDI control of the LFO signal level.
With the switch in the up/off position the CS-50/60 behaves completely as
normal. However, with the switch in the down/on position, the VCO, VCF & VCA
routing levers select the sub-oscillator destination as usual but no effect
will be noticed until the MIDI Mod Wheel is advanced or aftertouch is used.
So, with the switch down/on you must have at least one of the routing levers
set to on for the effect of MIDI mod wheel or aftertouch to become apparent.
RED PUSH BUTTON
Two modes are available by pushing the red push button.
-
SET-UP MODE
Setting MIDI channels and assignments. Give the red push button one short press – then release. Follow this on the connected MIDI keyboard with a note or sequence of notes as detailed on page 2. After selecting a MIDI channel, you will be automatically returned to playing mode but after making other assignments you will need to press the ENTER key (Top C) to return to playing mode. This is to enable you to make the multiple key presses required when re- assigning sources to destinations. (N.B. set-ups are stored in non-volatile memory). -
TRANSPOSE MODE
Press and hold the red push button for four seconds – then release. Middle C will sound on the synth and continue to sound until you press a key on the connected MIDI keyboard; the note that you press will be the new middle C for MIDI IN. You can set any value up to two octaves up or down. Settings outside this range will be ignored. Note that transpose mode cannot be entered from within setup mode.
ASSIGNING MIDI CONTROL SOURCES TO DESTINATIONS
SOURCES DESTINATIONS (d)=factory default
AFTERTOUCH off / modulation (d) / p.bend / vcf
CONTROLLER X off / vcf (d) / unused
CONTROLLER Y off / vcf / unused (d)
VELOCITY off (d) / vcf / vca
MIDI VOLUME off / vca (d)
Sources can control more than one destination at once, but a destination can only be controlled by one source at a time. Thus, if velocity is currently controlling VCF and then you switch aftertouch to VCF, velocity will then control nothing until re-assigned.
THESE KEY PRESSES ARE MADE ON THE CONNECTED MIDI KEYBOARD, not on the CS-50/60 itself
C | Receive channel | 1 [ Bottom C ] MIDI note number 36 |
---|---|---|
Db | ” “ | 2 |
D | ” “ | 3 |
Eb | ” “ | 4 |
E | ” “ | 5 |
F | ” “ | 6 |
Gb | ” “ | 7 |
G | ” “ | 8 Selecting a receive channel |
Ab | ” “ | 9 will automatically put the |
A | ” “ | 10 MIDI into omni off mode. |
Bb | ” “ | 11 That is, it will receive on |
B | ” “ | 12 the selected channel only. |
C | ” “ | 13 |
Db | ” “ | 14 |
D | ” “ | 15 |
Eb | ” “ | 16 |
E | Omni on mode | (default) |
F | Not Used – – – | |
Gb | ” “ | |
G | ” “ | |
Ab | ” “ | |
A | ” “ | |
Bb | ” “ | |
B | ” “ | |
C | ” “ | |
Db | ” “ | |
D | ” “ | |
Eb | ” “ | |
E | ” “ | |
F | ” “ | |
Gb | ” “ | |
G | ” “ | |
Ab | ” “ | |
A | ” “ | |
Bb | ” “ | |
B | ” “ | |
C | ” “ | |
Db | ” “ | |
D | ” “ | |
Eb | “ “ | |
E | ” “ | |
F | p.bend & mod wheel | OFF |
Gb | p.bend | ON (default) |
G | mod wheel | ON (default) |
Ab | controller Y | ignored (see page 3 re controller Y) |
A | “ | vcf |
Bb | “ | unused (default) |
B | controller X | ignored (see page 3 re controller X) |
C | “ | vcf (default) |
Db | “ | unused |
D | MONO aftertouch | ignored |
Eb | “ | modulation (default) |
E | “ | p.bend (up only) |
F | “ | vcf |
Gb | “ | unused |
G | velocity | ignored (default) |
Ab | “ | vcf |
A | “ | vca |
Bb | MIDI volume | ignored |
B | “ | vca (default) |
C | ENTER key | Press and release. [ Top C ] MIDI note number 96 |
NOTES
-
Controller X can be any MIDI controller but its default is CC#16. After giving the red push button one short press to enter SET-UP mode, operate the required MIDI controller before pressing the C or Db key that will assign it to ‘VCF’ or ‘unused’. If you do not operate a controller before pressing the C or Db key, then controller X will respond to MIDI controller 16 – that is General purpose controller 1 (10 hexadecimal) 0
-
Controller Y can be any MIDI controller but its default is CC#17. After giving the red push button one short press to enter SET-UP mode, operate the required MIDI controller before pressing the A or Bb key that will assign it to ‘VCF’ or ‘unused’. If you do not operate a controller before pressing the A or Bb key, then controller Y will respond to MIDI controller 17 – that is General purpose controller 2 (11 hexadecimal)
-
Controller X/Y will take priority over other control messages, so if controller X/Y is the mod wheel, mod wheel messages will operate whatever controller X/Y is currently assigned to, instead of operating modulation.
-
Receive channel and omni-on setting will return you directly to playing mode, all other keys will let you stay in SET-UP mode until you press the ENTER key (Top C)
-
The ENTER key (Top C) also resets all controllers to their default values – off in most cases – on for volume -centre for pitch bender.
-
After giving the red push button one short press to enter set-up mode, the first assignment that you make for any given source (after-touch for example) will cancel all other destinations currently assigned to that source – if you want to make multiple assignments, you will have to do this in the same set-up session, in other words, before you press top C. For example, irrespective of what aftertouch was previously assigned to, pressing F (and release) will assign it to VCF only – to make aftertouch also bend pitch, you will have to press E (and release) before pressing the top C which will ENTER the information and store it in non-volatile memory.
OTHER SET-UPS WILL REMAIN UNALTERED UNLESS SPECIFICALLY CHANGED -
Control change commands recognised – (numbers in decimal)
- 121 reset all controllers 01 modulation wheel
- 123 all notes off 07 Main volume
- 124 omni mode off (always poly) 64 sustain pedal
- 125 omni mode on (always poly) 65 portamento
- 126 (mono mode) = all notes off 94 select transpose mode
- 127 (poly mode) = all notes off 95 select set-up mode
- nnn Controller X (user defined where nnn = any controller) – Controller X default = CC#16
- nnn Controller Y (user defined where nnn = any controller) – Controller Y default = CC#17
-
Other commands recognised – (numbers in hexadecimal)
8nH notes off 9nH notes on & velocity
BnH control change (see above) CnH program change
DnH channel pressure (aftertouch) EnH pitch-bend change
FEH active sensing
MIDI CONTROL OF RED PUSH BUTTON
The red push button can be “pressed” for making channel & routing
assignments via MIDI as MIDI switch number 95 (5Fh) for regular program mode
or 94 (5Eh) for transpose mode. The selection of the push button is enough, it
doesn’t matter what the data value is.
In hexadecimal BX – 5F – 00 = program mode
In hexadecimal BX – 5E – 00 = transpose mode
Where X is the current MIDI channel.
[N.B. whilst in program/transpose modes the MIDI is in omni on mode]
MIDI CONNECTORS
MIDI IN should be connected to a MIDI OUT or a MIDI THRU similarly MIDI OUT should be connected only to a MIDI IN and a MIDI THRU should also be connected only to a MIDI IN.
MIDI OUT is the signal from the synthesizer (or drum machine etc.) that is to be sent to another instrument. MIDI IN is a received signal that contains MIDI information from another synth, and MIDI THRU is an exact copy of information arriving at the MIDI IN socket. This allows several instruments to be connected together.
If you want to wire your own MIDI cables the following information may be useful.
- Although a 5 pin connector is used, only two connections plus an earth connection are required.
- If you look at the din plug from the wiring side you will see that the pins are numbered. From left to right (or clockwise) these are 1 – 4 – 2 – 5 – 3.
- The pins numbered 1 & 3 are not used.
- The screen (earth) is connected to pin 2 (centre pin)
- Pin 4 of one plug should be connected to pin 4 of the other
- Pin 5 of one plug should be connected to pin 5 of the other
- You should now have a working MIDI lead
- It is preferable to label one end of the cable MIDI IN & the other end MIDI OUT, to avoid confusion.
WARRANTY
All Kenton MIDI Kits come with a 12 month (from purchase date) back to base warranty, (i.e. customer must arrange and pay for carriage to and from Kenton Electronics Ltd).
Unit 13, First Quarter, Blenheim Road, Epsom, Surrey KT19 9QN Tel: +44 (0)20
8544 9200 tech@kenton.co.uk
e. & o. e. CS605106/20220305/JKP