# PCM Banks

Every sample stored in the RAM banks of your SET: filter, search, listen, see the waveform, export WAV, compress to save memory and remove duplicate samples.

Web page: https://pasetexplorer.com/tutorials?c=pcm-banks

In this chapter:

- What a PCM sample is and what each column means
- Selecting one, several or a range of samples
- Compress and uncompress samples to save memory
- Find and remove duplicate samples safely
- Export samples as WAV files

## What are PCM banks?

The sounds of a KORG SET are built from **samples** — short recordings of a real instrument. The samples are stored in files called `RAM01.PCM`, `RAM02.PCM`… inside the SET’s `PCM` folder. Each of these files is a **PCM bank**. The PCM Banks section lists **every sample of every bank** in one table.

> **Note:** One sample can be used by several sounds. That is why deleting samples here is more delicate than deleting a sound — use Check Duplicates and [Check Unused](https://pasetexplorer.com/tutorials?c=setmanager#btn-check-unused) instead of deleting by hand.

## The PCM table and toolbar

![PCM Banks of a PA4X SET: “Blerim 15 MG” selected, its waveform below.](https://pasetexplorer.com/images/docs/pcm-banks.webp)

Numbered marks on this screenshot:

1. How many samples the SET has (713 here).
2. How many samples you have **selected**.
3. **All samples / Compressed / Decompressed** and **All Banks / RAM1, RAM2…** — show only some samples.
4. **Search sample…** — type part of a name. `Esc` clears it.
5. **Compress SET** (all samples, or only samples longer than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 seconds) and **Uncompress SET**.
6. **Check Duplicates** — finds identical samples stored more than once.
7. **Play PCM** plays the selected sample once · **Export WAV** saves the selection as WAV.
8. 40 samples per page: **page buttons** and a box to jump to a page.
9. **Loop S–E**: the loop start and end. “None” = the sample does not loop.
10. The **selected** sample.
11. Details of the selected sample: bank, sample rate, length, duration and loop start.
12. **Waveform Viewer** — the selected sample, with a dashed line where the **loop** starts.

| Column | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| Bank | Which PCM bank the sample is in (RAM1, RAM2…). |
| ID | The sample’s unique 16-digit identifier. |
| Name | The sample name. |
| Format | The data format of the sample (for example Fmt16 = 16-bit). |
| Compressed | Whether the sample is stored compressed. |
| Sample Rate | Recording rate, e.g. 44100 Hz or 48000 Hz. |
| Samples | The length in sample frames. |
| Loop S–E | Loop start – end, or None. |
| Duration | Length in seconds. |

### Selecting samples

- **Click** — select one sample (and show its waveform).
- `Ctrl` + **click** — add or remove one sample from the selection.
- `Shift` + **click** — select everything between the last click and this one.

## The right-click menu

![Right-click menu with three samples selected.](https://pasetexplorer.com/images/docs/pcm-context.webp)

Numbered marks on this screenshot:

1. Three samples selected with Ctrl + click.
2. The menu acts on the **whole selection**: Export as WAV, Compress (or Decompress) Selected, Delete.

| Item | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Play | Plays the sample once (only when one sample is selected). |
| Export as WAV | One sample → choose a file name; several → choose a folder. |
| Compress / Compress Selected | Stores the samples compressed (only on models that support compression). A **Compression Results** window shows what happened. |
| Decompress / Decompress Selected | Stores them uncompressed again. |
| Delete / Delete N Samples | Removes the samples from the .PCM files and RAM.KMP (after a confirmation). |

> **Warning:** Only delete samples by hand when you are sure no sound uses them. A sound that loses its sample becomes silent on those keys. The safe tools are **Check Duplicates** (below) and **Check Unused** in SetManager.

> **Every change here can be undone:** Deleting, compressing, decompressing and the duplicate clean-up all go to the SET A **working copy**. Your SET on disk changes only when you press **Save** in SetManager — and **Undo** takes a step back. See [Saving & Undo](https://pasetexplorer.com/tutorials?c=saving).

## Compress or uncompress to save memory

Keyboards with compression (PA700, PA1000, PA3X, PA4X) can store samples **compressed**, so more samples fit into their memory. When your SET is too big for the memory bar, compressing is the quickest fix.

**Step 1 — Choose what to compress**

Open **Compress SET ▾**: “Compress all samples” or only samples longer than **1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 seconds**. Long samples save the most memory.

**Step 2 — Confirm**

The program asks “Compress all samples? This may take a while.” Confirm and wait.

**Step 3 — Check the memory bar**

The memory bar at the top updates. Listen to a few sounds to make sure you like the result.

> **Note:** The compression tools appear only when the chosen keyboard model supports compression, and never for PA5X KSTs. **Uncompress SET** turns every compressed sample back to normal.

## Check Duplicates — free memory safely

Big SETs often contain the **same sample twice** (for example after copying sounds from other SETs). **Check Duplicates** finds identical audio and lets you keep one copy. Sounds that used a removed copy are **re-pointed** to the kept one, so they sound exactly the same.

![Check Duplicates on a PA4X SET: 15 groups, 633 KB to recover.](https://pasetexplorer.com/images/docs/pcm-duplicates.webp)

Numbered marks on this screenshot:

1. Summary: groups of identical samples, redundant copies, copies nobody uses and how much memory you can recover.
2. One **group**: the same audio stored twice.
3. **KEEP** = the copy that stays. **IN USE** = a sound uses it. Unused copies show **UNUSED**.
4. ▶ — listen to a copy to compare.
5. **Delete & Remap** — removes this copy and moves its sounds to the kept one. Unused copies show a simple **Delete**.
6. Changes are saved to the SET, and a backup of every changed file is kept.
7. **Delete All Unused** and **Delete & Remap All** — do every group at once.

**Tips:**

- Samples whose names only differ by the side — like “Shagy (06L)” and “Shagy (06R)” — are the left and right halves of a **stereo** sample. They are not duplicates and are not listed.
- Start with **Delete All Unused**: it cannot change how any sound plays.
- After a clean-up, open the Sound Library and play a few of the re-pointed sounds.

## Export samples as WAV

1. Select one or more samples (click, Ctrl + click, Shift + click).
2. Press **Export WAV** (or right-click → **Export as WAV**).
3. One sample: choose the file name. Several: choose a folder — each sample becomes its own `.wav`.

The WAV files are 16-bit mono at the sample’s own rate, ready for any DAW or sampler.