Getting started

What is PA SET Explorer?#

PA SET Explorer is a Windows program that lets you open, explore, combine and convert the SETs of KORG Pa arranger keyboards — and of the Medeli AKX / Zen expansions — on your computer, without the keyboard.

A KORG SET is the folder your keyboard saves to a USB stick: it holds your styles, sounds, samples, pads and performances. Normally you can only see what is inside on the keyboard itself, one screen at a time. PA SET Explorer shows you everything at once, lets you listen to it on your PC, and lets you move things between SETs with your mouse.

Think of it as a file manager made for musicians: you open your SET, you see every style and every sound, you drag what you want from another SET, you press Save and you copy the SET back to the keyboard.

What you can do with it#

Supported keyboards and files#

PA SET Explorer works with the whole KORG Pa family that uses SET folders, plus the PA5X with its new KST format. When you open a SET it asks which keyboard it is for, because each model has a different amount of sample memory:

File types you will meet#

The first time you open the program#

1. 1
   Choose your language

   The very first time, the program asks for the language of its menus. Pick one and press Continue. You can change it later with the globe button at the top.

   PA SET Explorer

   

   1. 1The list of languages. English and Español are complete.
   2. 2Press Continue to confirm.

2. 2
   Read the Beta notice

   PA SET Explorer is in active development. A short notice reminds you to keep backup copies of your SETs. Press I understand.

3. 3
   Activate your license (if asked)

   If this computer has no license yet, enter your license key. You find it in your profile on the website. A trial license also works.

4. 4
   Open a SET and choose the keyboard model

   Press Open SET/KST and pick your SET folder (see Open SET/KST). When it has loaded, the program asks which keyboard the SET is for. Choose your model — this sets the memory bar and decides whether sample compression is offered. A PA5X KST is recognised automatically.

   PA SET Explorer

   

   1. 1Every supported model with its sample memory and whether it can compress samples.
   2. 2Click your keyboard, for example PA4X.
   3. 3Skip if you only want to look around — you can still explore the SET.

   Choose the keyboard the SET will be played on, not where it came from. A SET from a PA4X that you want to load on a PA1000 should be opened as PA1000, so the memory bar warns you if it is too big.

A tour of the main window#

This is the program with a real PA4X SET (“Stefan v2 2021”) loaded. Learn these 12 parts once and you will find your way everywhere:

PA SET Explorer

1. 1Program name and, under it, the name of the SET you have open.
2. 2Memory bar — the keyboard model, how much sample memory the SET uses, how much is still free and the limit. It turns orange above 70% and red above 90%.
3. 3Status — “Ready”, “Loading…” or the name of the SET that was loaded.
4. 4SET A / SET B view — when two SETs are open in SetManager, choose which one the Sounds, PCM, Samples and Oscillators sections show.
5. 5Language of the menus.
6. 6Resources — your library of SETs, KSTs, AKX sets and styles, plus your Community downloads.
7. 7Open SET/KST — open a KORG SET or PA5X KST folder. This is where you start.
8. 8Stop — silences every sound that is playing.
9. 9Sidebar — the sections of the program. Click one to switch.
10. 10Main area — the content of the section you chose (here: the Sound Library).
11. 11Keyboard — click the keys to play the selected sound.
12. 12Status bar — a summary of the SET: sounds, PCM samples, styles, performances and pads.

The sidebar sections#

Basic, Premium and Trial#

PA SET Explorer has two plans. Basic lets you explore, listen and do the everyday work. Premium unlocks the advanced tools — for example Import/Merge, Convert (whole SETs), Check Unused, exporting sounds and the Event Editor. A Trial gives you Premium for a few days.

Your current plan is shown in Profile inside the program.