Using Outboard Gear with Korg D

Using Outboard Gear with Korg D-Series

All Korg D-series units come equipped with an auxiliary mono send. Some users have complained of hard drive noises being heard and amplified through this aux send. This tutorial is a solution for those of you who want stereo aux’s or are having trouble with noise.

The monitor outs and Cue function are some of the most neglected features on the D-Series. These simple tools were set-up for monitoring purposes, but can be used as a workaround for connecting and using outboard gear. Here’s how:

For this example we want to connect a stereo reverb unit to the D-series. We wish to use the preamps of the D-series (tracks 5/6), then send this stereo signal to the outboard gear, and then back again into the D-series (track7/8) without causing a feedback loop. Tracks 7/8 will be our final destination for the recorded material with effects. Tracks 7/8 are set-up for inputs 7/ 8.

As you can see we will need 4 empty tracks for this operation!

1) Turn down the master faders on your D-series

2) Connect the Monitor outs on the D-Series to the inputs on your outboard gear

3) Connect the sends of the outboard gear back into the D-Series. For this example, connect to inputs 7/8 on your D-Series

4) Push the Solo/Monitor button

5) Touch screen Monitor Tab and touch screen Master LR to disable it (not darkened)

6) Touch screen Cue to activate it, now darkened

7) Touch screen Level right next to Cue, turn up tracks 5 and 6 to 100. Make sure all other tracks level is 0. Pan track 5 to left and track 6 to right (stereo)

8) Set tracks 5/6 to red (record) status

9) Set tracks 7/8 to red (record) status

10) Turn up the faders on Track 5,6,7 and 8. Adjust trim for track 7 and 8. You will hear flanging (doubling). Don’t worry, simply adjust your levels

11) Push the record button and begin recording your tracks. Once done, put tracks 7/8 on Green (play) status and listen. No flanging and with outboard effects recorded! Use the erase track function to erase what was recorded on track 5/6.

If you wish to add outboard effects to previously recorded D-series material then simply repeat steps 1-7 above. Now change:

8) Set tracks 5 and 6 to green (play) status

9) Set tracks 7 and 8 to red (record) status

10) Turn the faders down all the way on tracks 5/6. Turn the faders up and adjust the trim on tracks 7/8. You will not hear flanging on this example.

11) Push record button and record your tracks. Once done, put tracks 7/8 on Green (play) status and listen.

Steve Knowles

Product Support, Korg Canada