® Forte ® Forte 7 ™ GETTING STARTED GUIDE This Getting Started Guide is designed to cover both the Forte and Forte7 pianos. These instruments share common features and the term “Forte” is used to cover a description of both. Where there are differences, we use the name “Forte7” to help instruct owners of that instrument. This Guide will help you hook up the Forte to your sound system and MIDI system, give you a quick overview, and show you how to start playing music with the Forte.
Before You Start… Before You Start… Don’t connect anything until you make sure the Forte is properly and safely situated. If your Forte keyboard has been out in the cold, give it time to warm up to room temperature before starting it, since condensation may have formed inside. Setting up the Forte/Forte7 1. Set the keyboard on a hard, flat, level surface. 2. Four adhesive-backed rubber feet are provided with Forte.
The Rear Panel Using the Forte/Forte7 Using the Forte/Forte7 1. Power up the Forte using the power switch on the rear left side of the instrument, and then raise the Master Volume slider, and mixer/amp volume. Your Forte keyboard starts up in Program Mode by default. Press one of the buttons under the “Mode” label to the right of the display to switch Modes. Master Volume Slider Mode Selection 2.
The Rear Panel The AC Power Jack The AC Power Jack Please refer to “Setting up the Forte/Forte7” on page GS-1. The USB Ports Use the “Computer” USB ports to connect the Forte to a computer/tablet in order to do the following: • Use the Forte as a MIDI controller to play software instruments on a computer. • Use a computer program to sequence multitrack songs on the Forte. • Use a computer/tablet to manage the user data contents of the Forte. • Update the software and sounds of the Forte.
The Rear Panel Basic MIDI Port Hookup Basic MIDI Port Hookup To use the Forte as a MIDI controller for another sound module, use a MIDI cable to connect the MIDI port marked “OUT” to the MIDI input port of the module that you want to control. To control the Forte using another MIDI controller, use a MIDI cable to connect the MIDI port marked “IN” to the MIDI output port of the controller that you will be using.
The Rear Panel The Pedal Jacks Pedals are all independently assignable within each Zone of every Multi. On the back panel the Pedals are labeled as SWITCH 1/2/3, corresponding to the SW 1/2/3 labelling on the top panel.
The Rear Panel The Pedal Jacks The Forte supports a single switch pedal or half-damper pedal on each of the SW1, SW2 and SW3 jacks. NOTE : It is not recommended to plug CC pedals into the SW inputs. Due to the flexible switch pedal support, CC pedals may not operate as expected in these inputs. If you are not using a Kurzweil switch pedal, make sure it’s connected before you turn on the Forte.
The Rear Panel The Pedal Jacks The CC1 (Volume) and CC2 Jacks Use the CC pedal jacks to connect continuous control (or CC) pedals. A CC pedal is a physical controller typically used to control multi-state (i.e., “continuous”) parameters such as volume or wah. The Kurzweil CC-1 continuous control pedal will work best with Forte, but it is also possible to use some third-party continuous control pedals designed for synthesizers. NOTE : Only CC pedals should be connected to the CC pedal input.
Connecting to Your Audio System The Audio Jacks (A & B Audio Outputs) The Audio Jacks (A & B Audio Outputs) Please refer to “Connecting to Your Audio System” below. The Headphones Jack Use the Headphones jack to listen to the Forte on stereo headphones. On the Forte the headphone jack is located at the front left of the instrument, under the Pitch & Modulation wheels. On the Forte7 it is on the left end of the instrument, on the rear panel.
Connecting to a Computer The Headphones Jack Forte connected to a mixer, powered speakers and headphones “A” AUDIO OUTPUTS NOTE: Headphone jack on the Forte7 is on the rear panel Connecting to a Computer To connect the Forte to a computer/tablet, simply connect the Forte using the provided cable or a compatible one. If you wish to use your own cable, make sure that it is a Type-A-to-Type-B USB cable (the USB port of Forte being Type B).
Front Panel Overview The Headphones Jack Front Panel Overview 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 GS-10 Channel/Zone buttons Five programmable switches Multi Zone mute buttons Master EQ/Compressor Volume slider Transpose buttons Tap Tempo & Variation buttons Pitch & Modulation wheels Nine programmable sliders Save button 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Soft Buttons LCD display LCD adjust Rotary dial (Alpha wheel) Mode buttons Category buttons User button Previous/Next buttons Favorites buttons
Front Panel Overview EQ/Compressor EQ/Compressor The EQ and Compressor buttons and knobs control the master effects that are applied to the “A” Audio Outputs. Display and Soft Buttons The 480 x 272 pixel color display provides the main user interface for the Forte. The buttons immediately below the display are the soft buttons and their functions change depending upon what screen is displayed. The functions of the soft buttons on each screen are described in the bottom row of the display.
Selecting Programs and Multis Selecting Programs Selecting Programs and Multis The Forte supports two types of sounds. The first type is a Program, and these are normally a single instrument, such as a piano, or an organ. A Program is similar to a “preset” or “patch” on other synthesizers. The Forte has an extensive range of factory Programs, and additional memory for further user Programs. Both factory and user Programs are arranged into 20 categories. The other type of sound is the more complex Multi.
Selecting Programs and Multis Selecting Multis Selecting Multis To play a Multi, simply press the Multi Mode Button and the Multi Mode Button LED will light. Use the Alpha Wheel or Previous/Next Buttons to browse Multis, or enter a Multi ID number by using the Category buttons as a numeric keypad. Multis are not categorized, so the Keypad button’s LED is always lit in Multi Mode and the Category buttons will always function as a numeric keypad.
Modes Program Mode Modes The Forte has five main modes; Program Mode, Multi Mode, Multi Edit, Global Mode and Storage Mode. Program Mode The Forte always powers up in Program Mode, and this is where single sounds can be played straight from the keyboard, or multitimbrally via MIDI. Controller Conventions Generally the factory Programs have the following controllers assigned. Forte Controller Conventions Synthesis Effects Variation 2 Layer On/Off Variation 3 Layer On/Off AmpEnv Impact Rel.
Modes Multi Mode Splits and Layers Programs can be Split into Multis, so that keys in one region of the keyboard play a different program than another region. Programs can also be Layered into Multis, so that more than one Program can be played by striking one key. Press the Split or Layer soft button to create a Split or Layer Multi containing the current Program. You will then be able to add up to three additional programs to create a Split or Layered Multi containing up to four Programs.
Modes Storage Mode System Reset In the unlikely event that something goes wrong with the settings or software of your Forte, or if you just want to start fresh, you can return the Forte to the factory default state by doing a System Reset. NOTE : System Reset will erase ALL of the USER Programs and Multis, so it is important to back up your sounds before attempting to reset Forte. Factory Program/Multis are not affected. Storage Mode Storage Mode facilitates loading and saving objects for the Forte.
Modes Storage Mode GS-17
® It’s the sound. ® ©2014 Young Chang Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. Kurzweil® is a product line of Young Chang Co., Ltd. Kurzweil®, Young Chang®, V. A. S. T.®, Forte™, and FlashPlay™ are trademarks of Young Chang Co., Ltd. All other trademarks and copyrights are property of their respective companies. Product features and specifications are subject to change without notice. U.S. Patents 6,806,413, 6,978,288, 8,263,849 You may legally print up to two (2) copies of this document for personal use.
