Kurzweil K2500, Manual

MIDI Mode

Program Change Formats

10-10

Program Change Formats

Straight out of the box, the K2500 has more programs than the MIDI program change 
specification can handle (MIDI lets you send program change numbers from 0 to 127 or 1 to 128 
only). So we’ve designed a system that makes program selection more flexible. This is true 
whether you’re selecting programs from the K2500’s front panel, or via MIDI.

Program Change Type

For use with:

0–127

Older MIDI devices that accept program change commands in the 
range from 0–127 only.

Extended

Other K2500s (or K2000s) similarly set, plus all other instruments 
that use the Bank Change controller

Kurzweil

K1200s, and 1000s with version 5 software

QA Bank E

Other K2500s (or K2000s) similarly set, when in Quick Access 
mode

QA Bank K

K1200s and v5 1000s, when in Quick Access mode

QA 0–127

With the K2500 in Quick Access mode, when using it with older 
MIDI devices

First of all, the K2500’s programs (and all of its objects) are numbered and grouped according to 
a decimal system, that is, in multiples of ten. This is much easier to keep track of than the 
binary-oriented groupings of many synths, which feature banks of 8, 16, or 64 programs.

Next, the K2500 gives you 999 program change numbers to work with. These are organized into 
ten banks of 100 each (the memory banks). A program’s object ID is its program change 
number, as discussed in Chapter 5. This makes it easy to keep track of your programs. The 
K2500 can use several different formats for interpreting Program change commands. The 
values for the program change Type parameters on the XMIT and RECV page determine which 
format is used, and the one you should select depends on your MIDI system.

If you expect you’ll always change programs from your K2500’s front panel, you can finish this 
paragraph and skip the next few sections. In this case, selecting programs is as simple as 
entering the program change number (the program’s object ID) on the alphanumeric pad, and 
pressing ENTER. Even program numbers above the usual MIDI limit of 127 can be selected this 
way.

0-127 Program Change Type

The next simplest system involves connecting your K2500 to an “old” MIDI device—one that 
was built before the MIDI Controller 0 program change format was developed. If your MIDI 
controller is one of these (if its manual doesn’t mention MIDI Controller 0 program changes, it’s 
an “old style” machine), you might want to set the program change Type parameter to a value 
of 0–127. This will enable you to select programs 0–127 from the controller. This limits your 
range of program selection, but it configures the K2500 to respond predictably to the controller. 
(You’ll have to select higher-numbered programs from the K2500’s front panel) Of course, you 
can still use the Extended format explained below, but in many cases you’ll have to send two 
program change commands to get the program you want.

Note:  you can define how the K2500 will respond to and transmit MIDI Controller commands 
using the Bank Select parameter, described on page 10-7.