Using a Korg M3 as a master controller

[case]

Hi guys/gals

This is something that may actually already have been answered, but I ran into the “meta-problem” that you cannot search for the word “M3” or even “M3-61” on the forum, so I was stuck with “Korg” which gave 27000 hits...

So to the real problem: My trusty XP80 exhaled last month, and much as I miss it, I am also willing to move forward (a bit), so when I stumbled over this reasonably priced M3 close by, I jumped at it - after having been doing some reading and YouTubing of course.. Alas, back home with the new wonder, I cannot figure out how to make it
(1) split the kb btw an internal patch and a selected patch on an external module (a jv1010 of course) with the external module listening to a different midi channel than the m3’s main ch, and
(2) send all notes and controls to the module’s midi channel and turn off “local control” - on a per-combi basis and without changing any global params of course, and preferably also without sending PC# and bank changes to the module.

I may simply have made the mistake of assuming that these things would of course be straightforward, let alone possible. I have had a good wrestle with the two manuals which I find rather, ahem, convoluted, even coming from a Roland heritage... and have had little success so far, so if anyone can help shed some light on these issues, I would be most grateful.

Cheers & thx 1M,
/C

[meatballfulton]

From p. 73 of the Operation Manual:

Timbre Parameters MIDI page

Status

This controls the status of MIDI and the internal tone generator for each Timbre. Normally, if you’re playing an internal Program, this should be set to INT.

If the status is set to Off, EXT, or EX2, that internal sounds will not be played. Off simply disables the Timbre entirely. The EXT and EX2 settings allow the Timbre to control an external MIDI device.
For details, please see “Status” on page 151 of the Parameter Guide.

Bank Select (when status=EX2)

When the Status is set to EX2, these parameters allow you to transmit MIDI Bank Select messages for changing banks on external MIDI devices.

MIDI Channel

Timbres that you wish to play from M3’s keyboard must be set to the global MIDI channel. Your playing on the keyboard is transmitted on the global MIDI channel, and will sound any timbre that matches this channel. Normally you will set this to Gch. When this is set to Gch, the MIDI channel of the timbre will always match the global MIDI channel, even if you change the global MIDI channel.

So you can set up a Combi that has no tracks set to INT and have all 16 tracks drive the JV. You can take such a combi and use it as a template for the sequencer.

Have fun!

[case]

Yeah seems I have it (almost) figured out now. Two things that tricked me was (1) when you hit save, you apparently have to re-select the current combi in order to make it active or whatnot, and (2) the M3 sends something to the JV that mutes the current patch so that you have to turn the patch knob back and forth to have it actually sound. The first is - just how it works I guess, and I haven’t quite sorted out #2 yet - but apart from those two little buggers, it seems to work now. Thanks for the input meatballfulton

/c

[meatballfulton]

I think you will find that the M3 sends a program change message to the JV when you load the combi. Try using EX2 and set the Bank Select to some bank that the JV doesn't use (check the JV manuals for bank MSB/LSB settings).