Korg Oasys User Manual

197
Using KARMA
Overview - What is KARMA?
KARMAstandsforKayAlgorithmicRealtimeMusic
Architecture,namedafteritsinventor,StephenKay.
TheKARMAfunctiongeneratesMIDIdata,using
manydifferentalgorithmsseamlesslyintegratedto
provideapowerful“musicgenerationengine.”Based
onthenotesandchordsyouplay,KARMAgenerates
phrasesandpatternsinreal‐time,generatingnot
just
notesbutMIDIcontroldataaswell.TheKARMA
architectureallowsthevariousalgorithmstobe
reconfiguredandvariedinrealtime,asyouplaythem.
Forexample,youcancreatethedynamictempo
changesthatoccurwithinaharpglissando,the
synchronizedchangesinvolumeandtonethatoccur
as
partofabrassphrase,therandomnesswithina
drumphrase,thecrescendoanddiminuendoofafill‐
in,changesinphraseortoneofatechnogroove,
complexinterweavingphrasesthatwouldbe
impossibletoplayonakeyboard,guitarstrumming
andfinger‐pickingsimulationswithnatural‐sounding
changes,and
backinggroovesthatfollowyour
keyboardplayinginrealtime–allunderyourcontrol.
KARMAletsyouproducephrasesandpatternsatafar
moremusicalandflexiblelevelthanconventional
arpeggiatorsorpatternplaybackfunctions.
OntheOASYS,theKARMAfunctionisdesignedto
workincloseconjunctionwiththe
numerousother
functions,givingyouunbelievableperformancepower
onstageorinthestudio.
The structure of the KARMA function
TheKARMAfunctionconsistsofthefollowingmajor
parts.
KARMA modules
AKARMAmoduleusesaGE(GeneratedEffect)to
createaphraseorpattern.
InProgrammode,onlyoneKARMAmodule(A)is
used.InCombinationorSequencermodes,four
KARMAmodules(A,B,C,D)canbeused.For
example,eachmodulemightbeusedtogenerate
phrasesandpatterns
foraseparatesound,suchas
drums,bass,guitar,andpiano.
InProgrammode,theKARMAmoduletransmits
andreceivesallMIDIdataontheGlobalMIDI
channelspecifiedby“MIDIChannel.”
InCombinationandSequencermodes,theMIDI
datafromeachKARMAmoduleistransmittedand
receivedonthe“InputChannel”
and“Output
Channel”specifiedforeachmodule.
GE (Generated Effect)
ThephrasesandpatternsproducedbyaKARMA
modulearecreatedbyaGE(GeneratedEffect).
Basedonnotedatafromthekeyboard,theGEuses
variousinternalparameterstocontrolhowthenote
datawillbedeveloped,andhowrhythm,chord
structure,andvelocityetc.willbecontrolledto
generate
aphraseorpattern.MIDIcontrolchangesand
pitchbenddatacanalsobegeneratedin
synchronizationwiththephraseorpattern.Asa
capabilityuniquetotheOASYS,theKARMAfunction
cangenerateMIDIexclusivemessagestocontrolwave
sequencing,whichswitchesbetweenmultisamplesetc.
ofaprograminrealtime.
Thisletsyoucreatephrases
andpatternsinwhichthetonecolorandnotepitches
changeindependently.
TheOASYSprovidesalargenumberofGEsthatcan
beusedforavarietyofinstruments,performance
techniques,andmusicalstyles.
GE RTP – Real Time Parameters
AGEconsistsofovertwohundredinternal
parameters.IneachGE,upto32oftheseinternal
parametersarepre‐selectedasthemostsuitable
parametersforuseincontrollingthephraseorpattern.
Theseparametersarecalledthe“GErealtime
parameters.”
Tone
generator
MIDI IN
KARMA function
GE
(Generated Effect)
KARMA module
parameters
MIDI OUT
Phrases or
patterns

Korg Oasys Specifications

General

Type	Workstation
Timbrality	16 parts
Velocity Sensitivity	Yes
Aftertouch	Yes
RAM	1GB
Synthesis Types	HD-1, AL-1, CX-3, STR-1
Oscillators	Varies by synthesis type
LFO	Multiple LFOs per program
Filter	Varies by synthesis type
Effects	12 insert effects, 2 master effects
Sequencer	16-track MIDI
Sampling	Yes, with 16-bit/48kHz resolution
Display	10.4-inch color touch screen
Keyboard	88-key or 76-key weighted action
Storage	40GB internal hard drive
Connectivity	MIDI In/Out/Thru, USB, S/PDIF