Kurzweil
Hx Px Gx Sx 1000 series (1987)

A set of rackmount expanders with sampled sounds from the Famous K250 each focused on different sounds typology at fraction price of the original iconic synth.

MODULE The 1000 expanders series are a 2 units rackmount unit.
Main panel features a 16 x 2 lines lCD display, 9 push buttons and a single knob for main volume.


Back panel terminal connectors:

- main analog outputs

- Midi interface

VOICE boards based on Motorola MC68000 relative polyphony depends on related model (usually from 20 to 24 channels) and a DAC BB PCM56P. A basic 1000 program is composed by 4 PCM layers each with indivual level, pan and zone assignment.

TIP: It is possible to chain (link) many units to raise the polyphony.

WAVETABLE each Kurzweil 1000 modules contains 2/ 4 MB of samples with crystal-clear quality sample rate. ROM sets can be expanded with optional memory chips blocks.

MODELS:

- 1000 PX Professional Expander - A 24 note polyphonic module featuring 120 presets ranging from Grand Piano and Strings to Choir, Organs, Acoustic Bass, Vibes, Woodwinds and Brass. - 1000 SX String Expander: 20 note polyphonic module offering 99 preset sounds: from Professional Ensemble Strings to Solo Violin, Solo Cello and Pizzicato Strings. - 1000 HX Horn expander: 20 note polyphonic module packed with 100 presets including Trumpet, Trumpet Mutes, trombones and saxophone. - 1000 GX Guitar expander: 20 note polyphonic module with acoustic and electric sounds. - 1000 AX Acoustic expander: acoustic sounds - 1000 EX Ensemble (no info) - K1000 keyboard: PX1000 version with 76 weighted keys

 

 

LFO 2 modulators for oscillators pitch and filter cutoff

LFO features7 shapes with polarity inversion option: sine, cosine, saw, triangle, square, noise and random

 

EG section features 2 EGs each with a 3-segments ASR and editable loop points.

 

PERFORMANCE multitimbral unit manages 16 parts each with individual Midi channel settings and split function. MIDI extensive implementation with control changes freely assignable to functions like LFO. Special function SCOPE allows to monitor incoming Midi data on all channels

SCALES 5 included presets: Equally tempered, Just, Harmonic, Indian, Arabic + 12 slots for custom scales.

EFFECTS no dedicated DSP: effect is faked using voices, reducing polyphony.

There are basically 5 kind of effects (plus variation and combination) available with basic edit: phaser, leslie, vibrato, echo and chorus

MEMORY :

64 RAM slots Memory system works with a lithium battery.

EDIT It is not possible to edit deeply pararameters except some very minor functions, for this task you need some external old software for Atari ST or some old PC with DOS.

- Atari Objectmover (atari) - K-edit (atari) - Mac Objectmover files (old mac) - Kurle (for MS dos and win98)

AUDIO DEMO a special demo contribution by David Etheridge with description which also wrotes a very nice article on SOS magazine, now no more online, but we saved it to PDF file. GET IT

Devon Sound Track	This is a soundtrack I composed some years ago for a British newspaper covering the Devon area, hence a few nautical quotes which will be obvious musically. At the time, when the video presentation was shown with music, apparently one of the newspaper's directors said 'I didn't know we could afford Rick Wakeman for this" - which was a very nice complement! The original used an OSCar for the lead synth, plus JX10 brass; I've transferred the sounds to the Pro 2 (Just like a mini and various brass patches), everything is 1000 modules with the exception of the Supertramp electric piano which is from my Yamaha DX5, plus Boss DR660 drums.
Samba GX and pro1	A Pat Metheny style samba, using the Metheny library guitar on the GX and Amaysing flute from the Pro 1 for the solo in the middle. DR660 drums again.
Hall Strings Two Pro 1s	This demonstrates the advantages of more than one module; the Hall Strings line is played on one module, and you can hear the notes cutting off as it exceeds the polyphony. Then it's played again using 2 Pro 1s - notice the difference.
Big Band Jive Two Pro 2 horns	Big Band Jive using Pro 2 horns, with a smattering of JX10 horns for contrast. DR660 tambourine.
Godfather Style Waltz	Featuring acoustic guitars and ensemble and solo strings. DR660 tambourine.
Frazier for Big Band	The theme from Frazier for big band. This is a GM MIDI file from the Just Jazz web site, which is a free download. I suspect that it's been sequenced from the Hal Leonard big band library chart!  I changed the GM patch numbers to suitable equivalents on the Pro 1, 2 and GX.  It sounds far better here than on a GM module.