Korg FISA SUPREMA

[JerryPH]

● The use of “Scenes” on the Fisa instead of “Sets & “UPG’s” on the 8X. I always made my changes to “UPG’s”.
I never figured out “Sets”
● Doing a memory backup. With the 8X, you have to backup both the “Sets” and the “UPG’s”.
With the Fisa, there is one command -> “Export Backup”
● The 8X backup files always had the same name. FR_8X_SET_ALL.FR8 for “Sets” and UPG_ALL.UPA for “UPG’s”.
I kept each backup in a separate folder with a name and dated it. The 8X date for all file backups was 1/1/2013.
The Fisa allows for an independent name for each backup.

There are other improvements for the Fisa on screen editor VS. the 8X on screen editor.

Different words for basically the same thing.
Sets should be considered different accordions (even though some had orchestral ornamentations). UPGs are collections of instruments. In the end, for me they are interchangeable... just MORE slots to place customized sounds in, just identified differently. 1400 registrations for sets and 1400 registrations for UPGs.

I can export sets and UPGs both separately or together. I prefer to do it all at once in one file... the .UPA file because that is the only file that saves system changes in the same location like showing my name in the window at startup or any special bellows settings, etc...

The date thing... only a minor annoyance. I place my backups in folders that are dated anyways (ie: 2024-12-13 - FR-8X Backups). You CAN change the name to anything you want in the menuing system... or change it afterwards like I do. The timestamp is a minor annoyance but is no hinderance to identifying it, and if you know how, can change it if it really bothers you.

When I first got my 8X, SETS, UPG, and so on were all foreign to me, we all figure it out and then get comfy with it. Korg calls them scenes. They could be called a Murder of Crows for all the importance a word is... it's just a way to identify a collection of some kind and once a person is used to it, its not as intimidating anymore.

Every manufacturer has their way of calling "things". Everyone wants to be unique and special, I just take it as it was meant and work around things be it UPG or SCENE... its all good!

 

[Thomas N]

Starting out from "scratch" to build a sound set would take me hours to develop. I purchased Richard Noel's UPG's for the 8X. He builds 99% of the sound I want. Then I make minor adjustments (customize) the sound to what appeals to my liking. Sometimes it's only adjusting the volume between the Left and Right hand registers. I never do any adjustments using the knobs on my 8X. I leave all knobs at a fixed "default" position and then make all adjustments in software. That way, when I select a UPG it is exactly the way I programmed it.

Definitely can see that as useful, John.

I use my FR-8X primarily as an accordion. I know that sounds goofy to some, but it's how I play. I have a Montage M8x for all of my orchestrations using Logic as it is far more advanced than any digital accordion will ever be. And it gets deep. Far too deep for me even to approach in a decade. Yamaha has these incredible one to two minute video clips on using the Montage M. I think there are 125 of them now. They are incredible for quickly learning how to achieve some parameter edit or change. And they are necessary. The Korg Fisa is way less complex.

I've had the FR-8X for a decade now, and for the first three months I played around with the orchestra sounds. I used a Sax and Mandolin for solo registers. The Clarinet. It was fun for a bit. Then I just slowly moved away from it and moved strictly to accordion sounds with an acoustic bass or jazz bass and guitar chord. I do layer an organ (and now vibes LOL!) under a couple accordion sounds but that's about it.

So customized user sets are not as important to me personally. But the reaction of the bellows, ability to have realistic drums playing along, and the quality of the actual accordion sounds are paramount to me. The UI isn't even that important to me as most things can be adapted to and customized to your individual needs rather quickly.

 

[John M]

. . . I've read interesting comments about the Korg user interface. One note was that you cannot use the 13 treble registers to go between scenes. I do this for my FR-8X often, using the first 5 treble registers to jump between my UPGs. Apparently, on the Korg you cannot do this and must use either the Master bar to advance through the Scenes or actually hit the Scenes button corresponding to where you want to jump. . .

I could be wrong, but in reading the Fisa Owner's manual, this is how I think it works. I sure wish I had a Fisa to try this out.
It seems that most use the Master Bar to go through the Scenes (this is programmable)
You are right. You cannot use the register switches to jump between scenes. However, once you are in a scene, you have 14 register switches that can be anything you want (like the 8X UPG’s)
This is how I picture the 8X vs. Fisa:
● The Fisa has 100 Banks. Each Bank has 6 Scenes. That’s a total of 1600 600 scenes
● The 8X has 100 Banks. Each Bank has 14 UPG’s. 8X total capacity = 100 X 14 = 1400 UPG's
● Each Scene, on the Fisa, has 14 registers. Think of each register as a UPG on the 8X
● So, on the Fisa, one Bank (6 Scenes) is equivalent to 6 X 14 = 84 UPG’s on the 8X
● Or, for a total capacity of the Fisa, 100 Banks is the equivalent to 100 X 6 X 14 = 8400 UPG's on the 8X

This is how I use my 8X now when I play for a group. My selection is from 56 UPG sounds in 4 Banks. I switch between the 4 Banks using the Left & Right arrow “Set” buttons
If I had a Fisa, I would Program Scenes A, B, C, and D with the 56 UPG sounds that I had in my 8X. I would also have Scenes E & F available for additional programming.
These 6 Scenes are all in One Bank” – and there are 100 Banks. I don’t know if I have this right – Wish I had a Fisa to try out.

Cory – HELP – Am I on track with this?

 

[Thomas N]

I could be wrong, but in reading the Fisa Owner's manual, this is how I think it works. I sure wish I had a Fisa to try this out.
It seems that most use the Master Bar to go through the Scenes (this is programmable)
You are right. You cannot use the register switches to jump between scenes. However, once you are in a scene, you have 14 register switches that can be anything you want (like the 8X UPG’s)
This is how I picture the 8X vs. Fisa:
● The Fisa has 100 Banks. Each Bank has 6 Scenes. That’s a total of 1600 scenes
● The 8X has 100 Banks. Each Bank has 14 UPG’s
● Each Scene, on the Fisa, has 14 registers. Think of each register as a UPG on the 8X
● So, on the Fisa, one Bank (6 Scenes) is equivalent to 6X14 = 84 UPG’s on the 8X

This is how I use my 8X now when I play for a group. My selection is from 56 UPG sounds in 4 Banks. I switch between the 4 Banks using the Left & Right arrow “Set” buttons
If I had a Fisa, I would Program Scenes A, B, C, and D with the 56 UPG sounds that I had in my 8X. I would also have Scenes E & F available for additional programming.
These 6 Scenes are all in One Bank” – and there are 100 Banks. I don’t know if I have this right – Wish I had a Fisa to try out.

Cory – HELP – Am I on track with this?

Good stuff John. That's helpful and completely workable. I'm the same as you using the Left/Right arrow Set buttons to move through UPG banks. Then a two-second hold of the Exit button to get out of the UPG view and see what I have loaded.

I browsed through the entire Korg manual when it was released a couple months ago, mainly stopping at sections I felt were different than the Roland I have been using the past few years. They all have way more sounds, combinations, scenes and UPGs than I would use in a lifetime.

 

[John M]

. . . Then a two-second hold of the Exit button to get out of the UPG view and see what I have loaded. . .

You are probably aware aware of this, but if you "toggle" the UPG button, you go from UPG mode to the opening screen mode and then back.

 

[Thomas N]

You are probably aware aware of this, but if you "toggle" the UPG button, you go from UPG mode to the opening screen mode and then back.

I am but that removes you from the UPG mode, which I always remain in since I use the registers to switch UPGs.

Edit: I think I see what you are getting at. Just hit it twice. Makes sense.

 

[Pbraido]

I could be wrong, but in reading the Fisa Owner's manual, this is how I think it works. I sure wish I had a Fisa to try this out.
It seems that most use the Master Bar to go through the Scenes (this is programmable)
You are right. You cannot use the register switches to jump between scenes. However, once you are in a scene, you have 14 register switches that can be anything you want (like the 8X UPG’s)
This is how I picture the 8X vs. Fisa:
● The Fisa has 100 Banks. Each Bank has 6 Scenes. That’s a total of 1600 scenes
● The 8X has 100 Banks. Each Bank has 14 UPG’s
● Each Scene, on the Fisa, has 14 registers. Think of each register as a UPG on the 8X
● So, on the Fisa, one Bank (6 Scenes) is equivalent to 6X14 = 84 UPG’s on the 8X

This is how I use my 8X now when I play for a group. My selection is from 56 UPG sounds in 4 Banks. I switch between the 4 Banks using the Left & Right arrow “Set” buttons
If I had a Fisa, I would Program Scenes A, B, C, and D with the 56 UPG sounds that I had in my 8X. I would also have Scenes E & F available for additional programming.
These 6 Scenes are all in One Bank” – and there are 100 Banks. I don’t know if I have this right – Wish I had a Fisa to try out.

Cory – HELP – Am I on track with this?

Your math is a little out John - The Fisa has 100 Banks. Each Bank has 6 Scenes. That’s a total of 1600 scenes - I think that makes 600 not 1600

 

[John M]

Your math is a little out John - The Fisa has 100 Banks. Each Bank has 6 Scenes. That’s a total of 1600 scenes - I think that makes 600 not 1600

Thanks for the catch. You're right on the 600 Scenes. S-o-o. with 14 registers (UPG's on the 8X) in each Scene that is the equivalent of 600 X 14 = 8,400 8X UPG's on the Fisa. That's a lot!
Thanks again, I will edit my above post.

 

[JerryPH]

Honestly… 2800 or 8400, who do you know that ever even uses HALF of what a FR-8X uses?

Anyone here have 1400+ registrations… and uses them all?

 

[John M]

I make use of most of the memory Banks on my 8X. I like all my User Programs in one place – in the memory of my 8X. Of course, I also have back ups on Flash drives.

I have my 8X memory allocated like this:
● The User Programs I use readily are in Banks 1, 2, 3 & 4
● Richard Noel Banks are in 5-36
● Banks 41, 42, 43 & 44 Are Repeat Copies Of Banks 1, 2, 3 & 4. I use Banks 41-44 as a “test bed” for modifications. When I am satisfied with a mod, I move that UPG to the appropriate register in Banks 1-4
● Banks 51-58 are Roland’s Original Factory UPG’s and the UPG’s that were on the used 8X I bought
● Banks 61-67 are UPG’s I received from a friend
● Banks 68-80 are Michael Bridges’ UPG’s
● Banks 81-87-are Joe Natolis' UPG’s
● Banks 88-99-are for future use.

Do I use all of these UPG’s all the time? No. However, periodically I will go through them to see how they sound. I will get to one I hadn’t used for some time and like it. Then, I will replace a UPG in Banks 1-4 with it.

I would welcome the extra memory that is available in the Fisa

 

[Pbraido]

I make use of most of the memory Banks on my 8X. I like all my User Programs in one place – in the memory of my 8X. Of course, I also have back ups on Flash drives.

I have my 8X memory allocated like this:
● The User Programs I use readily are in Banks 1, 2, 3 & 4
● Richard Noel Banks are in 5-36
● Banks 41, 42, 43 & 44 Are Repeat Copies Of Banks 1, 2, 3 & 4. I use Banks 41-44 as a “test bed” for modifications. When I am satisfied with a mod, I move that UPG to the appropriate register in Banks 1-4
● Banks 51-58 are Roland’s Original Factory UPG’s and the UPG’s that were on the used 8X I bought
● Banks 61-67 are UPG’s I received from a friend
● Banks 68-80 are Michael Bridges’ UPG’s
● Banks 81-87-are Joe Natolis' UPG’s
● Banks 88-99-are for future use.

Do I use all of these UPG’s all the time? No. However, periodically I will go through them to see how they sound. I will get to one I hadn’t used for some time and like it. Then, I will replace a UPG in Banks 1-4 with it.

I would welcome the extra memory that is available in the Fisa

If you want extra room for User Programs on the 8X just save them to your flash drive and leave a bank open on the 8X where you can load them to I know its a bit more work but then you can have an unlimited amount of user programs

 

[JerryPH]

If you want extra room for User Programs on the 8X just save them to your flash drive and leave a bank open on the 8X where you can load them to I know its a bit more work but you then you can have an unlimited amount of user programs

I was thinking close to the same thing... how many *.UPA's could one save on a flash drive? Well, on a 2gb thumb drive likely a thousand or so... so if one needs room (I could see someone like Richard Noel with hundreds and hundreds of variations to his sets over time), all could fit on that flash drive and for all intents and purposes, that number is unlimited.

Even with John's repeats, there are unused sets at 31-38 and 88-100 (that makes 18 sets or 18X30), 252 registrations available... and then the sets are not even mentioned... which if they are the factory ones WITH the included sets in the expansions means there are approximately 57 sets taken up, leaving 43 sets or (43X14) 602 registrations there as well.

Mine are organized in a little looser state and I didn't invest in Mr Bridge's or Natoli's sets, but I did get the Noel set and play around a bit in the editor for myself.

SETs
1-37 are the factory sets
38-39 are Super VI and Gola imitations
40-45 are the Dallapé sets
47-53 are the AccOrchestra sets
54-57 are the Balkan sets
58-66 are the German sets I pulled and made work from the FR-4X files
67-68 are a couple extra sets from Richard Noel as a kind gift
69-100 are empty.

UPGs
1-2 are the factory originals
3-32 are the Richard Noel UPGs
33-34 FR-4x Alpine sounds
35-36 Oberkrainer sounds
37 Alpmakai sounds
38-100 are empty but this varies as I play with about 10-20 sets at any given time, then document and erase them.

For the most part I have 50 UPGs or 700 registrations (and 434 registrations in the SETs section), free on my setup.

 

[John M]

If you want extra room for User Programs on the 8X just save them to your flash drive and leave a bank open on the 8X where you can load them to I know its a bit more work but then you can have an unlimited amount of user programs

That's what I will do. I have not reached my "overflow" point yet.

 

[Thomas N]

I feel.....inadequate. I have 5 UPGs and that's it. And the 5th one has a tuba bass and German accordion for the abhorrent occasional polka request.

 

[Ventura]

interesting how you all differ on your approach..

for me, i know how accordion shifts work, second nature
don't have to think about it. Therefore, my first order is to
simply make the best Excelsior set of shifts, then the best
Scandalli set of shifts, then the best Polka set of shifts,
and the best Gypsy Jazz/Mrusette set

so then, basically, i have 4 useful accordions that save me having'
to carry 4 acoustic accordions everywhere i go, and can pretty
much do 99% of normal accordion gigs

next, i standardize the orchestral sounds under those 4 accordion sets,
so that i can remember where the sax is and the vibes are etc.
while using any of these 4 accordions..

now for the user programs/sets that is absolutely song/show/set
dependent.. i have setlists i have been using for ages that are
good transitions of songs, speeds, flavors for various needs.
Then it is easy to craft a scene or upg or shift for a specific song,
and then a set of songs, and then have them in order so between
songs i simply "press the next shift and am ready to continue..
many of these sets are fully midi'd backgrounds and my players
will run those sets non-stop

the result is on a gig i don't have to do much thinking, or
remember much of anything but which notes to play

so regardless of how complex a piece of equipment is,
my goal is to simplify/focus it for live use, rather than have it encroach
on my thought process because it is a huge mess of possibilities

most all song specific programs use the master bar to shift between
verse/chorus flavorings

these setlist sets of shifts are stored same as the 3 accordions and i can
use them at need, and take up the majority of writeable locations

of course there is one bare set saved with everything neutered so i can
always start something from scratch

occasionally a gig has requests or different ordering of songs.. i just
do a set for that gig, save it use it but i don't keep it forever, because
it is just something else to remember

some songs can require more than 2 scenes of sound flavors
or layers of tones, on the FR7 the easy way to have like 4 changes
ready is to do 2 adjacent sets (like 30 and 31) as mirrors at first,
then make the adjustments.. it is pretty easy to slyly shift up and back
between sets actually

stored in my various setlist sets are literally hundreds of what
i consider to be optimum and appropriate sound arrangements
for everything from Bananarama's "Venus" through Frankie Avalon's "Venus"

that is my approach.. i just don't have any desire to need to
have vague stuff without specific purpose that i would need
to define or write down to remember what or where it is..
and again this is part of why i can't imagine (personally) ever
using someone elses UPG's or other programming because
when and what song and what set will any of it be useful for ?

actually all my setlist-specific programming is named for each song
it is intended for,

that's how and why i do it.. your mileage may vary

 

[John M]

This Forum is amazing. Everyone's independent approach to using the accordion.
So many different ideas. I usually pickup a new better way to do what I am doing from each post.

 

[Pbraido]

interesting how you all differ on your approach..

for me, i know how accordion shifts work, second nature
don't have to think about it. Therefore, my first order is to
simply make the best Excelsior set of shifts, then the best
Scandalli set of shifts, then the best Polka set of shifts,
and the best Gypsy Jazz/Mrusette set

so then, basically, i have 4 useful accordions that save me having'
to carry 4 acoustic accordions everywhere i go, and can pretty
much do 99% of normal accordion gigs

next, i standardize the orchestral sounds under those 4 accordion sets,
so that i can remember where the sax is and the vibes are etc.
while using any of these 4 accordions..

now for the user programs/sets that is absolutely song/show/set
dependent.. i have setlists i have been using for ages that are
good transitions of songs, speeds, flavors for various needs.
Then it is easy to craft a scene or upg or shift for a specific song,
and then a set of songs, and then have them in order so between
songs i simply "press the next shift and am ready to continue..
many of these sets are fully midi'd backgrounds and my players
will run those sets non-stop

the result is on a gig i don't have to do much thinking, or
remember much of anything but which notes to play

so regardless of how complex a piece of equipment is,
my goal is to simplify/focus it for live use, rather than have it encroach
on my thought process because it is a huge mess of possibilities

most all song specific programs use the master bar to shift between
verse/chorus flavorings

these setlist sets of shifts are stored same as the 3 accordions and i can
use them at need, and take up the majority of writeable locations

of course there is one bare set saved with everything neutered so i can
always start something from scratch

occasionally a gig has requests or different ordering of songs.. i just
do a set for that gig, save it use it but i don't keep it forever, because
it is just something else to remember

some songs can require more than 2 scenes of sound flavors
or layers of tones, on the FR7 the easy way to have like 4 changes
ready is to do 2 adjacent sets (like 30 and 31) as mirrors at first,
then make the adjustments.. it is pretty easy to slyly shift up and back
between sets actually

stored in my various setlist sets are literally hundreds of what
i consider to be optimum and appropriate sound arrangements
for everything from Bananarama's "Venus" through Frankie Avalon's "Venus"

that is my approach.. i just don't have any desire to need to
have vague stuff without specific purpose that i would need
to define or write down to remember what or where it is..
and again this is part of why i can't imagine (personally) ever
using someone elses UPG's or other programming because
when and what song and what set will any of it be useful for ?

actually all my setlist-specific programming is named for each song
it is intended for,

that's how and why i do it.. your mileage may vary

That's pretty much the way I do it on gigs also with set lists and I too prefer to make my own user programs as that way I know exactly what's in them and what to adjust should I find something dosent quite sound right on a gig

 

[Giovanni]

interesting how you all differ on your approach..

for me, i know how accordion shifts work, second nature
don't have to think about it. Therefore, my first order is to
simply make the best Excelsior set of shifts, then the best
Scandalli set of shifts, then the best Polka set of shifts,
and the best Gypsy Jazz/Mrusette set

so then, basically, i have 4 useful accordions that save me having'
to carry 4 acoustic accordions everywhere i go, and can pretty
much do 99% of normal accordion gigs

next, i standardize the orchestral sounds under those 4 accordion sets,
so that i can remember where the sax is and the vibes are etc.
while using any of these 4 accordions..

now for the user programs/sets that is absolutely song/show/set
dependent.. i have setlists i have been using for ages that are
good transitions of songs, speeds, flavors for various needs.
Then it is easy to craft a scene or upg or shift for a specific song,
and then a set of songs, and then have them in order so between
songs i simply "press the next shift and am ready to continue..
many of these sets are fully midi'd backgrounds and my players
will run those sets non-stop

the result is on a gig i don't have to do much thinking, or
remember much of anything but which notes to play

so regardless of how complex a piece of equipment is,
my goal is to simplify/focus it for live use, rather than have it encroach
on my thought process because it is a huge mess of possibilities

most all song specific programs use the master bar to shift between
verse/chorus flavorings

these setlist sets of shifts are stored same as the 3 accordions and i can
use them at need, and take up the majority of writeable locations

of course there is one bare set saved with everything neutered so i can
always start something from scratch

occasionally a gig has requests or different ordering of songs.. i just
do a set for that gig, save it use it but i don't keep it forever, because
it is just something else to remember

some songs can require more than 2 scenes of sound flavors
or layers of tones, on the FR7 the easy way to have like 4 changes
ready is to do 2 adjacent sets (like 30 and 31) as mirrors at first,
then make the adjustments.. it is pretty easy to slyly shift up and back
between sets actually

stored in my various setlist sets are literally hundreds of what
i consider to be optimum and appropriate sound arrangements
for everything from Bananarama's "Venus" through Frankie Avalon's "Venus"

that is my approach.. i just don't have any desire to need to
have vague stuff without specific purpose that i would need
to define or write down to remember what or where it is..
and again this is part of why i can't imagine (personally) ever
using someone elses UPG's or other programming because
when and what song and what set will any of it be useful for ?

actually all my setlist-specific programming is named for each song
it is intended for,

that's how and why i do it.. your mileage may vary

Written and spoken like a real GIGster gig sets thats how many pro's work ..........................I'm not a pro but that is the method I use I got that advice from a top Yamaha keyboard demonstrator ........................................I do not have to search for anything !! it's all there !! and can be found very quickly nothing worse than seeing an entertainer struggling to find stuff !!

 

[Tom]

Dam. All I do is pick up my unpolished accordion by the straps and play it. I tried with some great help from some great people, but my brain melted. No one yells “layer some unreverb accordions over the orchestral patch!!!” All they yell is “Play the Beer Barrel!” Cheeseheads where I come from are simple folk. I’m not one of you wizards I guess, but it’s great to see what you’re doing! Korg would be wasted on me, already have the Roland for silent practice.

 

[dak]

Korg would be wasted on me, already have the Roland for silent practice.

Have you tried putting batteries in?