Owner's Manual: Conventions Used in This Manual

Owner’s Manual
Thank you, and congratulations on your choice of the VK-8 combo organ.
Before using this unit, carefully read the sections entitled: “IMPORTANT
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS” (p. 2), “USING THE UNIT SAFELY” (p. 3,4), and
“IMPORTANT NOTES” (p. 5). These sections provide important information
concerning the proper operation of the unit. Additionally, in order to feel
assured that you have gained a good grasp of every feature provided by
your new unit, owner’s manual should be read in its entirety. The manual
should be saved and kept on hand as a convenient reference.
Conventions Used in This Manual

• Button names are enclosed in square brackets; e.g., [REVERB] button.
• Fractional harmonic bars (p. 24) are expressed like this: 1-1/3'; 2-2/3'.
• [1]–[8] means that you should press one of the buttons from [1]
through [8].
• The dark/lit/blinking status of an indicator is distinguished as
follows.
dark blink lit
Copyright© 2002 ROLAND CORPORATION

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form
without the written permission of ROLAND CORPORATION.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an
CAUTION
equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the
product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to
ATTENTION: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). intended to alert the user to the presence of important
NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the product.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING TO A RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK, OR INJURY TO PERSONS.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING - When using electric products, basic precautions should always be followed, including the following:
1. Read these instructions. 10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched
2. Keep these instructions. particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the
3. Heed all warnings. point where they exit from the apparatus.
4. Follow all instructions. 11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
5. Do not use this apparatus near water. manufacturer.
6. Clean only with a dry cloth. 12. Never use with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
7. Do not block any of the ventilation openings. Install in or table except as specified by the
accordance with the manufacturers instructions. manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, When a cart is used, use caution when
heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including moving the cart/apparatus combination to
amplifiers) that produce heat. avoid injury from tip-over.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or 13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when
grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with unused for long periods of time.
one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two 14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing
blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any
third prong are provided for your safety. When the provided way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid
plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus,
replacement of the obsolete outlet. the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does
not operate normally, or has been dropped.
For the U.K.

WARNING: THIS APPARATUS MUST BE EARTHED
IMPORTANT: THE WIRES IN THIS MAINS LEAD ARE COLOURED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CODE.
GREEN-AND-YELLOW: EARTH, BLUE: NEUTRAL, BROWN: LIVE
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this apparatus may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying
the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:
The wire which is coloured GREEN-AND-YELLOW must be connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked by the
letter E or by the safety earth symbol or coloured GREEN or GREEN-AND-YELLOW.
The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter N or coloured BLACK.
The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured RED.
2
USING THE UNIT SAFELY
Used for instructions intended to alert The symbol alerts the user to important instructions
the user to the risk of death or severe or warnings.The specific meaning of the symbol is
injury should the unit be used determined by the design contained within the
improperly. triangle. In the case of the symbol at left, it is used for
general cautions, warnings, or alerts to danger.
Used for instructions intended to alert
the user to the risk of injury or material The symbol alerts the user to items that must never
be carried out (are forbidden). The specific thing that
damage should the unit be used
must not be done is indicated by the design contained
improperly. within the circle. In the case of the symbol at left, it
* Material damage refers to damage or means that the unit must never be disassembled.
other adverse effects caused with The ● symbol alerts the user to things that must be
respect to the home and all its carried out. The specific thing that must be done is
furnishings, as well to domestic indicated by the design contained within the circle. In
animals or pets. the case of the symbol at left, it means that the power-
cord plug must be unplugged from the outlet.
001 008a
• Before using this unit, make sure to read the • The unit should be connected to a power supply
instructions below, and the Owner’s Manual. only of the type described in the operating instruc-
tions, or as marked on the rear side of unit.
.......................................................................................................... ..........................................................................................................
002a
008e
• Do not open or perform any internal modifica- • Use only the attached power-supply cord.
tions on the unit.
.......................................................................................................... ..........................................................................................................
003 009
• Do not attempt to repair the unit, or replace parts • Do not excessively twist or bend the power cord,
within it (except when this manual provides nor place heavy objects on it. Doing so can
specific instructions directing you to do so). Refer damage the cord, producing severed elements and
all servicing to your retailer, the nearest Roland short circuits. Damaged cords are fire and shock
Service Center, or an authorized Roland hazards!
distributor, as listed on the “Information” page. ..........................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................... 010
004 • This unit, either alone or in combination with an
• Never use or store the unit in places that are: amplifier and headphones or speakers, may be
• Subject to temperature extremes (e.g., direct capable of producing sound levels that could
sunlight in an enclosed vehicle, near a heating cause permanent hearing loss. Do not operate for
duct, on top of heat-generating equipment); or a long period of time at a high volume level, or at
are a level that is uncomfortable. If you experience
• Damp (e.g., baths, washrooms, on wet floors); any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should
or are immediately stop using the unit, and consult an
audiologist.
• Humid; or are
..........................................................................................................
• Exposed to rain; or are 011
• Dusty; or are • Do not allow any objects (e.g., flammable material,
coins, pins); or liquids of any kind (water, soft
• Subject to high levels of vibration.
drinks, etc.) to penetrate the unit.
..........................................................................................................
005
• This unit should be used only with a rack or stand
that is recommended by Roland. ..........................................................................................................
013
.......................................................................................................... • In households with small children, an adult
006 should provide supervision until the child is
• When using the unit with a rack or stand recom- capable of following all the rules essential for the
mended by Roland, the rack or stand must be safe operation of the unit.
carefully placed so it is level and sure to remain ..........................................................................................................
stable. If not using a rack or stand, you still need 014
to make sure that any location you choose for • Protect the unit from strong impact.
placing the unit provides a level surface that will (Do not drop it!)
properly support the unit, and keep it from ..........................................................................................................
wobbling.
..........................................................................................................
3
USING THE UNIT SAFELY
015 110a
• Do not force the unit’s power-supply cord to share • Whenever you suspect the possibility of lightning
an outlet with an unreasonable number of other in your area, pull the plug on the power cord out
devices. Be especially careful when using of the outlet.
extension cords—the total power used by all ..........................................................................................................
devices you have connected to the extension
cord’s outlet must never exceed the power rating
(watts/amperes) for the extension cord. Excessive
loads can cause the insulation on the cord to heat
up and eventually melt through.
..........................................................................................................
016
• Before using the unit in a foreign country, consult
with your retailer, the nearest Roland Service
Center, or an authorized Roland distributor, as
listed on the “Information” page.
..........................................................................................................
026
• Do not put anything that contains water (e.g.,
flower vases) on this unit. Also, avoid the use of
insecticides, perfumes, alcohol, nail polish, spray
cans, etc., near the unit. Swiftly wipe away any
liquid that spills on the unit using a dry, soft cloth.
101a
• The unit should be located so that its location or
position does not interfere with its proper venti-
lation.
..........................................................................................................
101c
• This (VK-8) for use only with Roland stand KS-12.
Use with other stands is capable of resulting in
instability causing possible injury.
..........................................................................................................
102b
• Always grasp only the plug on the power-supply
cord when plugging into, or unplugging from, an
outlet or this unit.
..........................................................................................................
104
• Try to prevent cords and cables from becoming
entangled. Also, all cords and cables should be
placed so they are out of the reach of children.
..........................................................................................................
106
• Never climb on top of, nor place heavy objects on
the unit.
..........................................................................................................
107b
• Never handle the power cord or its plugs with wet
hands when plugging into, or unplugging from,
an outlet or this unit.
..........................................................................................................
108a
• Before moving the unit, disconnect the power
plug from the outlet, and pull out all cords from
external devices.
..........................................................................................................
109a
• Before cleaning the unit, turn off the power and
unplug the power cord from the outlet (p. 16).
..........................................................................................................
4
IMPORTANT NOTES
291b
In addition to the items listed under “IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS” and “USING THE UNIT SAFELY” on pages 2,
3 and 4, please read and observe the following:
Power Supply 356

• Do not allow rubber, vinyl, or similar materials to remain
301 on the unit for long periods of time. Such objects can
• Do not use this unit on the same power circuit with any discolor or otherwise harmfully affect the finish.
device that will generate line noise (such as an electric
358
motor or variable lighting system). • Do not allow objects to remain on top of the keyboard.
307 This can be the cause of malfunction, such as keys ceasing
• Before connecting this unit to other devices, turn off the to produce sound.
power to all units. This will help prevent malfunctions
359
and/or damage to speakers or other devices. • Do not paste stickers, decals, or the like to this instrument.
308
• Although the LCD and LEDs are switched off when the Peeling such matter off the instrument may damage the
POWER switch is switched off, this does not mean that the exterior finish.
unit has been completely disconnected from the source of
power. If you need to turn off the power completely, first
turn off the POWER switch, then unplug the power cord
Maintenance
from the power outlet. For this reason, the outlet into 401b
which you choose to connect the power cord’s plug • To clean the unit, use a dry, soft cloth; or one that is
should be one that is within easy reach. slightly dampened. Try to wipe the entire surface using an
equal amount of strength, moving the cloth along with the
grain of the wood. Rubbing too hard in the same area can
Placement damage the finish.
351 402
• Using the unit near power amplifiers (or other equipment • Never use benzine, thinners, alcohol or solvents of any
containing large power transformers) may induce hum. kind, to avoid the possibility of discoloration and/or
To alleviate the problem, change the orientation of this deformation.
unit; or move it farther away from the source of inter-
ference.
352a
Additional Precautions
• This device may interfere with radio and television 553
reception. Do not use this device in the vicinity of such • Use a reasonable amount of care when using the unit’s
receivers. buttons, sliders, or other controls; and when using its jacks
and connectors. Rough handling can lead to malfunctions.
352b
• Noise may be produced if wireless communications 556
devices, such as cell phones, are operated in the vicinity of • When connecting / disconnecting all cables, grasp the
this unit. Such noise could occur when receiving or initi- connector itself—never pull on the cable. This way you
ating a call, or while conversing. Should you experience will avoid causing shorts, or damage to the cable’s
such problems, you should relocate such wireless devices internal elements.
so they are at a greater distance from this unit, or switch 557
them off. • A small amount of heat will radiate from the unit during
normal operation.
354b
• Do not expose the unit to direct sunlight, place it near 558a
devices that radiate heat, leave it inside an enclosed • To avoid disturbing your neighbors, try to keep the unit’s
vehicle, or otherwise subject it to temperature extremes. volume at reasonable levels. You may prefer to use
Also, do not allow lighting devices that normally are used headphones, so you do not need to be concerned about
while their light source is very close to the unit (such as a those around you (especially when it is late at night).
piano light), or powerful spotlights to shine upon the
559a
same area of the unit for extended periods of time. • When you need to transport the unit, package it in the box
Excessive heat can deform or discolor the unit. (including padding) that it came in, if possible. Otherwise,
355b
you will need to use equivalent packaging materials.
• When moved from one location to another where the
561
temperature and/or humidity is very different, water • Use only the specified expression pedal (EV-7; sold
droplets (condensation) may form inside the unit. Damage separately). By connecting any other expression pedals,
or malfunction may result if you attempt to use the unit in you risk causing malfunction and/or damage to the unit.
this condition. Therefore, before using the unit, you must
allow it to stand for several hours, until the condensation
has completely evaporated.
5
Contents
Conventions Used in This Manual .......................................................................................................... 1
USING THE UNIT SAFELY......................................................................3

IMPORTANT NOTES ...............................................................................5
Main Features..........................................................................................9
Panel Descriptions................................................................................10
How the VK-8 Works.............................................................................13
About the Virtual Tonewheel Sound Generator.................................................................................. 13
How the Organ Sound are Created ....................................................................................................... 13
How the Other Tones are Created ......................................................................................................... 14
About the Memories ................................................................................................................................ 15
Before You Begin Playing ....................................................................16

Connecting the Power Cord.................................................................................................................... 16
Connecting Your Amp, Speakers, or Headphones.............................................................................. 17
Connecting the Pedal Keyboard............................................................................................................. 18
Connecting an Expression Pedal or Pedal Switch ............................................................................... 18
Turning the Power On ............................................................................................................................. 19
Turning Off the Power ................................................................................................................. 19
Restoring the Factory Settings (Factory Reset)..................................................................................... 20
Listening to the Demo Songs .................................................................................................................. 21
Playing the Organ .................................................................................22

Listening to Various Sounds................................................................................................................... 22
About the Organ Voice ............................................................................................................................ 23
Adjusting the Sound in Real Time (Harmonic Bars)........................................................................... 24
Changing the Organ Sound (Wheel Type, Leakage Level)................................................................ 27
Adding Crispness to the Sound (Percussion)....................................................................................... 28
Adding Modulation to the Sound (Vibrato and Chorus) ................................................................... 31
Using the COSM Rotary Speaker Effect (Rotary Sound).................................................................... 32
Changing the Amp Type (Amp Type, Overdrive, Tone) ................................................................... 33
Using the D BEAM Controller to Produce Common Organ Effects ................................................. 34
Adjusting the Sensitivity of the D Beam Controller................................................................. 36
Adding Ambience (Reverb) .................................................................................................................... 37
Dividing the Keyboard (Split) ................................................................................................................ 38
Changing the Split Point .............................................................................................................. 38
Using the Expression Pedal .................................................................................................................... 39
Using the Active Expression Function....................................................................................... 39
Using a Control Pedal .............................................................................................................................. 40
Assigning a Function to the Control Pedal ............................................................................... 40
Using the Hold Pedal to Sustain the Sound ......................................................................................... 42
Playing Other Tones .............................................................................43

Layering Other Tones with Organ Sounds (Layer)............................................................................. 43
Assigning Organ Sounds and Other Tones Across the Keyboard (Split) ........................................ 44
Saving Your Settings (Preset) .............................................................45

Saving to a Preset in the Same Bank........................................................................................... 46
Saving to a Preset in Another Bank ............................................................................................ 46
Copying a preset ........................................................................................................................... 46
6
Contents
Advanced Use .......................................................................................47

About the Edit Modes .................................................................................................................. 47
Basic Procedure ............................................................................................................................. 47
Settings That Are Saved for the Entire System .................................................................................... 49
Rotary-related Settings ................................................................................................................. 49
Click Noise and Percussion Settings .......................................................................................... 51
MIDI-related Settings ................................................................................................................... 52
Equalizer and Other Settings....................................................................................................... 55
Parameters that are stored in a preset ................................................................................................... 56
Effect and Other Settings ............................................................................................................. 56
Connecting the VK-8 to External Devices ..........................................58

Playing the VK-8 from an External MIDI Device ................................................................................ 58
Changing the function of the MIDI IN connectors (SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION)......... 58
Using the VK-8 with a Dual Keyboard ...................................................................................... 59
Connecting a Pedal Keyboard..................................................................................................... 59
Using an External Sequencer to Record and Play Back ...................................................................... 60
Saving VK-8 Settings on an External Sequencer (Bulk Dump).......................................................... 61
Loading Back Data That’s Been Saved on an External Sequencer ......................................... 61
Connecting a Rotary Speaker ................................................................................................................. 62
Troubleshooting....................................................................................63
Error Indications............................................................................................................................ 66
Preset/OTHER TONES List...................................................................67

Preset List ....................................................................................................................................... 67
OTHER TONES List...................................................................................................................... 68
Edit Parameters.....................................................................................69
Drum List ...............................................................................................70
MIDI Implementation.............................................................................71
MIDI Implementation Chart ..................................................................77
Main Specification ................................................................................78
Index.......................................................................................................79
7
MEMO
8
Main Features
Organ Features
Virtual Tonewheel Sound Generator

The VK-8 features a Virtual Tonewheel sound generator that perfectly simulates the sound-production
mechanism of traditional tone wheel organs. Since all parts — upper, lower, and pedal — are completely
polyphonic, notes aren’t cut off regardless of your performance technique.
Rotary Sound
An effect algorithm using Roland’s COSM technology creates a faithful rotary speaker simulation that’s
essential for a great organ sound. Enjoy the realistic rotary sound simply by connecting headphones, a
keyboard amp (such as the KC-1000) or stereo system.
Overdrive Sound
In addition to simulating the response of the rotary speaker’s vacuum tube circuitry and the acoustical
characteristics of the speaker cabinet, COSM technology also re-creates the sound of various types of
amplifiers. Simply by selecting amp types, you can obtain a wide variety of sounds, including heavy
overdrive rock sounds with realistic cabinet resonance.
Waterfall Keyboard
The VK-8 features the same keyboard feel as traditional tone wheel organs. This keyboard has been newly
designed for standard organ playing techniques such as glissando.
Intuitive Operation
The VK-8 is designed with an emphasis on operability, with harmonic bars, rotary knobs, and large buttons.
The VIBRATO AND CHORUS and PERCUSSION controls feature the same operation and placement as on
traditional tone wheel organs.
Tone wheel Type, Leakage Noise, Amp Simulator, and other elements vital to creating a great organ sound
can be edited directly and intuitively from the front panel just as if you were adjusting the sound on a guitar
amp.
Natural Wood Cabinet

The cabinet is built of wood, echoing the construction of traditional tone wheel organs. The side panels feature
beautifully finished natural wood that will gain luster with years of use.
Built-in PCM Sounds Complement the Organ Sound Generator

In addition to its organ sound generator, the VK-8 provides a PCM sound generator with high-quality Piano,
Electric Piano 1, Electric Piano 2, Strings, Jazz Scat, Choir, Synth, and Brass sounds. These sounds can be used
in combination with the organ for even greater expressive potential.
Other Features
• You can use the D BEAM controller to create performance gestures unique to traditional tone
wheel organs, such as turning the tone wheel motor off or producing the “splash” of a quick
kick to a spring reverb unit.Take advantage of the D BEAM controller to heighten the
excitement of your performances onstage.
• A dedicated rotary speaker connector is provided. Rotary speakers with an eleven-pin
connector can be connected directly to the VK-8.
• Two MIDI IN connectors are provided on the rear panel, allowing you to connect another
keyboard and pedal keyboard and enjoy two-manual and pedal keyboard playing.
• User Preset memory lets you store 64 different panel settings.
• In addition to Expression Pedal and Hold Pedal jacks, a Control Pedal jack is provided that can
be assigned a variety of functions. By connecting an expression pedal or pedal switch, you can
enjoy a wide range of performance possibilities.
9
Panel Descriptions
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
25
26 27 28 29 30 31
1. [MASTER VOLUME] knob 10. [AMPLIFIER] button
Adjust the overall volume (p. 19). Switches the frequency response and cabinet resonance
of the virtual amp (p. 33).
■ VIBRATO AND CHORUS
2. VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button 11. [TONE] knob
Switches the vibrato or chorus effect on/off (p. 31). Adjust the tonal character of the organ voice (p. 33).
3. [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob ■ REVERB

Switches the type of vibrato or chorus effect (p. 31). 12. REVERB [LEVEL] knob
Adjust the depth of reverb (p. 37).
■ D BEAM
4. D BEAM controller 13. [REVERB] button
You can modify the sound by moving your hand over Select the type of reverb (p. 37).
the D Beam controller (p. 34). ■ OTHER TONES
5. D BEAM [ON] button 14. [SPLIT] button
Switches the D Beam controller on/off (p. 34). Divide the keyboard into two halves, and assign a
different sound to each area (p. 38, 44).
6. D BEAM button
Selects the effect that will be controlled by the D Beam 15. [H-BAR MANUAL] button (Harmonic Bar
controller (p. 34). Manual)
When this function is used, the harmonic bar settings
■ TONE WHEEL
will change from the settings of the preset to the
7. [LEAKAGE] knob positions (settings) of the harmonic bars on the panel (p.
Allows you to independently add leakage noise, 23).
separately from the leakage noise selected by the wheel
type (p. 27). 16. [WRITE] button
Saves the panel settings as a preset (p. 45, 46).
8. [TONE WHEEL] button
Select the type of the virtual tonewheel (p. 27). 17. [BANK] button
Selects the preset bank (p. 22, 45, 46).
■ AMPLIFIER
9. [OVERDRIVE] knob 18. [PRESET] button
Adjust the depth of overdrive (p. 33). Pressed to enter Preset Select mode (p. 22, p. 45).
Allows the [1]–[8] buttons to be used for selecting
presets.
10
Panel Descriptions
POWER SWITCH LOCATED

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 23 ON THE REAR PANEL
POWER SWITCH LOCATED

ON THE REAR PANEL
24
16 17
19. [1]–[8] button ■ HARMONIC BAR PART
When the [PRESET] button’s indicator is lit, the [1]–[8] These buttons select the part whose settings the
buttons will switch presets. When the [PRESET] harmonic bars will affect.
button’s indicator is dark, the [1]–[8] buttons will switch 26. [PEDAL] button
OTHER TONES. When the harmonic bars are moved, the sound of the
[1/(OTHER TONES) PIANO] button Pedal part will change (p. 23).
[2/(OTHER TONES) ELECTRIC PIANO 1] button
27. [LOWER] button
[3/(OTHER TONES) ELECTRIC PIANO 2] button
When the harmonic bars are moved, the sound of the
[4/(OTHER TONES) STRINGS] button
Lower part will change (p. 23).
[5/(OTHER TONES) JAZZ SCAT] button
[6/(OTHER TONES) CHOIR] button 28. [UPPER] button
[7/(OTHER TONES) SYNTH] button When the harmonic bars are moved, the sound of the
Upper part will change (p. 23).
[8/(OTHER TONES) BRASS] button
■ ROTARY SOUND
20. [OTHER TONES LEVEL] knob
Adjust the volume of the OTHER TONES. 29. ROTATY [ON] button
This button switches the rotary effect on/off for the
■ PERCUSSION organ sound (p. 32).
21. [SECOND] button
30. [BRAKE] button
This adds second percussion (same pitch as the 4'
This button switches the rotation of the rotary sound.
harmonic bar) to the organ voice (p. 28).
When this is turned on, the rotation will gradually stop.
22. [THIRD] button When it is turned off, the rotation will gradually resume
This adds third percussion (same pitch as the 2-2/3' (p. 32).
harmonic bar) to the organ voice (p. 28).
31. [SLOW/FAST] button
23. [SOFT] button This button switches the speed of rotation for the rotary
This switches the volume of the percussion (p. 29). sound (p. 32).
24. [SLOW] button Rapid blinking Fast rotation
This switches the decay time of the percussion (p. 30). Slow blinking Slow rotation
25. Harmonic Bar

These bars create the sound of the organ voice. You can
modify the tone in real time as you play (p. 24).
11
Panel Descriptions
32 33
34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43
REAR PANEL 39. CONTROL PEDAL jack

32. [POWER] switch Accepts connection of a pedal switch or expression
Turn the power on/off (p. 19). pedal. The desired function can be assigned to the pedal
(p. 18, p. 40).
33. AC Inlet
Connect the included power cable to this inlet (p. 16). 40. OUTPUT R jack
41. OUTPUT L (MONO) jack
34. MIDI KEYBOARD IN connector An amp, powered speakers, etc., can be connected here.
An external keyboard can be connected here, allowing If outputting in monaural, connect to the L (MONO) jack
you to play the VK-8 as a two-manual instrument (p. 59). (p. 17).
You could also connect an external sequencer here, and 42. PHONES jack
get the VK-8 to play the music the sequencer sends it (p. An optional set of headphones can be connected here (p.
60). 17).
35. MIDI PEDAL IN connector 43. ROTARY TONE CABINET connector
A pedal keyboard can be connected here, allowing you Rotary speaker can be connected (p. 62).
to play the pedals (p. 59).
You could also connect an external sequencer here, and
get the VK-8 to play the music the sequencer sends it (p.
60).
36. MIDI OUT connector
An external MIDI device can be connected here to
receive MIDI data transmitted from the VK-8 (p. 60, p.
61).
37. HOLD PEDAL jack
A pedal switch can be connected here. While you press
the pedal, the organ voice or other voice you are playing
will be sustained (p. 18, 42).
38. EXPRESSION PEDAL jack
An expression pedal (EV-5 or EV-7; sold separately) can
be connected here (p. 18, p. 39).
12
How the VK-8 Works
About the Virtual Tonewheel Sound Generator
A traditional tone wheel organ produces the sound by 91 toothed wheels called “tone wheels.” Each tone
wheel produces a different pitch. A motor is used to rotate these tone wheels past electromagnetic coils, and
as the teeth of each wheel pass by the corresponding electromagnetic coil, an audio signal is generated. The
combination of harmonic bars and the notes that are pressed then select the audio signals that are output,
producing the sound of the organ.
The virtual tonewheel sound generator of the VK-8 uses digital technology to precisely re-create the sound-
production mechanism of a tone wheel organ. The 91 toothed wheels are constantly “rotating” digitally, and
are able to produce sound at any time. The sound produced by these virtual tonewheels is determined by the
combination of harmonic bars and the state of the notes played on the keyboard—exactly as on traditional
tone wheel organs.
How the Organ Sound are Created

Tone Wheels
Tone wheels rotate constantly, and will therefore “speak” the instant you play a note. The virtual tonewheel
sound generator of the VK-8 is also producing sound constantly, allowing very rapid response when you play
a note. This rapid response is especially valuable when you use characteristic organ performance techniques
such as glissando.
The organ sound consists of a fundamental and eight harmonics, and these are mixed according to the
combination of the harmonic bars. You can use the harmonic bars to modify the tone even while you play,
allowing a high degree of expressive flexibility.
Percussion
Tone wheel percussion is used when you want to add an attack to the notes you play, making the sound more
crisp. Relative to the pitch of the note you play, you can specify either the second (SECOND) or third (THIRD)
partial as the pitch of the percussion sound, and you can decrease the percussion volume (SOFT) or lengthen
its decay (SLOW).
The percussion on tone wheel organs is of a type called “single-trigger,” meaning that percussion was not
applied to all the notes that were played, but only to the note that was pressed first. If you release the
currently-played key(s), percussion will sound for the next-played note. If you play legato (with notes
smoothly connected), percussion will be applied only to the first note, and not to subsequent notes. If you play
staccato, percussion will be applied to all notes. If you play rapidly when using percussion, the percussion
circuit may not keep up with your playing, causing the percussion sound to become softer. However, the VK-
8 allows you to adjust the speed of recovery so that it will keep up even with rapid playing (p. 51). On a tone
wheel organ, the way in which percussion is applied is a very important element in enhancing the
expressiveness of the performance.
On tone wheel organs, the 1' harmonic bar was used to produce the percussion sound. This means that when
you add percussion, the sound of the 1' harmonic bar will no longer be heard. Also, percussion will be applied
only to the Upper Part.
On tone wheel organs, turning off percussion [SOFT] button would lower the volume of the organ, but the
VK-8 allows you to adjust it so the volume of the organ won’t change when percussion [SOFT] button is
switched on/off (p. 51).
Key Click
The first generations of traditional tone wheel organs produced a “blip” noise (separately from percussion)
when a note was pressed or released. Initially, this click noise was considered a problem, but blues and rock
musicians came to utilize it in their performances, and the key click became an indispensable part of the organ
sound in jazz as well.
On the VK-8 you can independently adjust the volume of the key click for key-on and key-off (p. 51).
13
How the VK-8 Works
Vibrato and Chorus

Traditional tone wheel organs provided a total of six different effects: three kinds of vibrato (V1, V2, V3) and
three kinds of chorus (C1, C2, C3).
Vibrato is an effect that cyclically modulates the pitch, and chorus is an effect that modulates the pitch to
produce spaciousness and depth.
Harmonic bars
The harmonic bars of a tone wheel organ are arranged in ascending order of pitch, from left to right.
Borrowing some inspiration from the pipes of a pipe organ, the bars are labeled in “feet,” with 8’ being the
fundamental.
There is one exception in the ordering of the harmonic bars, and that is the 5-1/3’ bar located second from the
left. According to the pitch order, this should be the third from the left, but since 5-1/3’ is an overtone of 16’,
and blends with the 16’ sound, it is placed beside the 16’ bar.
The harmonic bars are color-coded in three colors. The bars whose pitches are in octave relation to 8’ are white,
the bars that are not octave harmonics are black, and the lower pitch range is brown.
On tone wheel organs, the highest feet were repeated (“reused”) in the high keyboard range, and the lowest
feet were repeated in the low range. This is called “fold-back.”
If an organ had 109 tone wheels, all nine harmonics of the harmonic bars could be sounded by all 61 keys of
a tone wheel organ. However, if this were the case, the upper range would be unpleasantly screechy, and the
lower range would be excessively low and muddy-sounding.
For this reason, fold-back is used on the VK-8 to produce a well-balanced sound.
Amp Type (Rotary, Overdrive, Tone)

By using a rotary speaker with a tone wheel organ, you can create modulation and a sense of rotation,
producing a spacious, three-dimensional sound.
On the VK-8, the volume of the rotary speaker, the time over which rotation will transition between fast and
slow, the speed of rotation in fast and slow states, and the sense of spaciousness can each be adjusted
independently for the tweeter and woofer.
Reverb
Reverb is an effect that adds reverberation to the sound. Reverb types ROOM, HALL, and CHURCH add the
reverberation of differently sized acoustical spaces. The SPRING reverb type simulates a reverb circuit that
used springs, and was often found on traditional organs.
The VK-8 lets you adjust the reverb time (p. 57). Also, by turning the [REVERB] knob you can adjust the
volume of the reverb (p. 37).
How the Other Tones are Created

The VK-8 also contains sounds other than organ sounds. These are referred to as “OTHER TONES.” OTHER
TONES can be played on Upper, Lower, or Pedal.
OTHER TONES provide the following eight sounds.
1. PIANO
2. ELECTRIC PIANO 1
3. ELECTRIC PIANO 2
4. STRINGS
5. JAZZ SCAT
6. CHOIR
7. SYNTH
8. BRASS
14
How the VK-8 Works
About the Memories

System memory
Settings that affect the entire VK-8 are referred to as “system memory.”
Preset memory
Settings that are stored independently for each preset number, such as harmonic bar and panel settings, are
called “preset memory.”
There are a total of 64 preset memories, and each of them can be edited.
15
Before You Begin Playing
Connecting the Power Cord NOTE
To prevent malfunction and/
1 Before making a connection, make sure that the VK-8 is turned off. or damage to speakers or other
devices, always turn down the
volume, and turn off the
2 Connect supplied power cable to the VK-8, and plug the other end into a power on all devices before
power outlet. making any connections.
fig.01-01
AC Outlet
NOTE
Be sure to use the supplied

power cable.
AC Inlet
16
Connecting Your Amp, Speakers, or NOTE
Headphones To prevent malfunction and/

or damage to speakers or other
devices, always turn down the
The VK-8 is not equipped with an amplifier or speakers. In order to hear the sound,
volume, and turn off the
you will need to connect audio equipment such as a monitor speaker system or
power on all devices before
stereo set, or use headphones.
making any connections.
1 Before making any connections, make sure that all the devices are turned
off.
2 Connect the VK-8 to your amp/speaker system as shown in the diagram.

fig.01-02
In order to take full advantage
of the VK-8’s performance, we
recommend using a stereo
amp/speaker system. If you
are using a mono system,
make the connections to the
OUTPUT L (MONO) jack.
Audio
NOTE
cable
In consideration of live concert
situations, the VK-8’s
PHONES jack is designed to
Headphones produce a higher volume level
than that of other electronic
instruments.
Extended listening at high
volume levels may damage
your hearing, so use caution
when adjusting the volume.
Mixer Monitor
Speaker Audio Set
Powered Amplifier
Use audio cables to connect audio equipment, such as an amp or speakers. If you are Audio cables and headphones
using headphones, plug them into the PHONES jack. are not included. You will
need to provide these
separately.
About a OUTPUT jacks

The VK-8’s OUTPUT jacks support both balanced output and unbalanced output.
To use balanced output, use a cable with a balanced (TRS type) phone plug. To use
unbalance output, use a cable with an unbalanced (TS type) phone plug.
fig.01-03
TRS TS
SLEEVE (Ground) SLEEVE (Ground)
TIP (HOT) TIP (HOT)
RING (Cold)
17
Connecting the Pedal Keyboard

1 Before making any connections, make sure that all the devices are turned If the SUB KEYBOARD
FUNCTION (p. 58) is turned
off.
on, it will not be necessary to
2 Use a commercially available MIDI cable to connect the VK-8’s MIDI specify the MIDI channel.
PEDAL IN connector to the MIDI OUT connector of your MIDI pedal

keyboard unit.
fig.01-05
PEDAL IN
NOTE
The power switch of your

MIDI pedal keyboard unit
MIDI OUT must be turned on before the
MIDI OUT
power switch of the VK-8.
When you turn off the power,
first turn off the power of the
VK-8, and then turn off the
PK-7 power of your MIDI pedal
PK-5
keyboard.
3 Turn on the MIDI pedal keyboard unit.
4 Turn on the power of the VK-8.
Connecting an Expression Pedal or

Pedal Switch NOTE
You can connect an expression pedal or pedal switch to the rear panel EXPRESSION Use only the specified
PEDAL jack, HOLD PEDAL jack, or CONTROL PEDAL jack. expression pedal (EV-7; sold
fig.01-06 separately). By connecting any
other expression pedals, you
risk causing malfunction and/
or damage to the unit.
DP-2
EV-7
18
Turning the Power On NOTE
Once the connections have

been completed, turn on
1 Before turning on the VK-8’s power, make sure that: power to your various devices
in the order specified. By
• The VK-8 is correctly connected to the desired peripheral devices. turning on devices in the
wrong order, you risk causing
• The volume of the VK-8 and any connected audio equipment or
malfunction and/or damage to
speakers is turned to the minimum position.
speakers and other devices.
2 Press the upper portion of the [POWER] switch located on the rear panel
of the VK-8 to turn on the power. NOTE
When the power is on, the indicators for the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] This unit is equipped with a
button, [REVERB] button, and other buttons on the panel will light. protection circuit. A brief
fig.01-07 interval (a few seconds) after
power up is required before
the unit will operate normally.
3 Turn on the power of the connected amp or audio system.
4 Rotate the [MASTER VOLUME] knob clockwise to adjust the volume of

the VK-8.
fig.01-08
NOTE
Be careful not to raise the

volume excessively. Excessive
volume may damage your
amp/speaker system/
headphones or could cause
hearing problems.
5 Adjust the volume of the device connected to the VK-8.
■ Turning Off the Power

1 Before switching off the power, confirm the following: NOTE
• The volume of the VK-8 and any connected equipment is turned to the If you turn off the power while
minimum position. you are making sound
settings, the settings that you
• Any sound data you have created has been saved.
are modifying will be lost. If
2 Turn off the power of the equipment connected to the VK-8. you wish to keep your
modified settings, you must
3 Press the lower portion of the VK-8’s [POWER] switch to turn off the save them before turning off
the power. For details, refer to
power. “Saving Your Settings
fig.01-07 (Preset)” (p. 45).
19
Restoring the Factory Settings (Factory NOTE
Reset) When you perform the Factory

Reset operation, all the data
you created will be lost from
This function resets all the VK-8’s settings to their factory default values.
the VK-8’s internal memory. If
the VK-8 contains important
1 Make sure that the volume is turned to the minimum position. data that you wish to keep, use
the Bulk Dump operation to
2 Press the lower portion of the VK-8’s [POWER] switch to turn off the
save the data on an external
MIDI sequencer, etc. before
power. you perform the Factory Reset
fig.01-07
operation (p. 61).
3 While holding down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] [LOWER]

[PEDAL] buttons, press the upper portion of the [POWER] switch to turn
on the power.
4 Press the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] [LOWER] [PEDAL] buttons

until all of the panel indicators light.
All settings will be restored to what they were when the instrument first left the
factory.
Once the Factory Reset has been completed, all panel indicators will light for several
seconds. NOTE
Never turn off the power

fig.01-07
while Factory Reset is being
performed.
20
Listening to the Demo Songs

The VK-8 contains six demo songs. Here’s how to listen to the demo songs and
experience the various organ sounds and effects.
fig.01-11
4 1 2, 3
1 Press the [SPLIT] button and the [H-BAR MANUAL] button at the same
time.
Enter Demo mode.
2 Press the [PRESET] button to make its indicator light. Before you press the [PRESET]
button, you can press a button
The demo songs will be chain-played (played in succession) starting with the first [1]–[6] to select the song from
song. which demo song playback
When the first demo song finishes playing, playback will continue to the next song. will begin.
When the last song finishes playing, playback will return to the first song and
continue. NOTE
No data for the music that is

3 Press the [PRESET] button once again to make the indicator go out. played will be output from
MIDI OUT.
Demo song playback will stop.
4 Press the [SPLIT] button.

NOTE
All rights reserved.

You will exit Demo mode. Unauthorized use of this
material for purposes other
than private, personal
Demo Song enjoyment is a violation of
Song Name Copyright
Number applicable laws.
1 Blue Forest © 2002 Roland Corporation
2 Sunset Blvd © 2002 Roland Corporation NOTE
3 Medical Fact © 2002 Tatsuya Nishiwaki
The third Demo song is created
4 Let’s Get Ready to Praise © 2002 Roland Corporation by using the Spring Shock
5 Make Holy © 2002 Roland Corporation effect. Please be aware that
6 Sister Mum © 2002 Roland Corporation raising the volume of the VK-8
excessively will produce a
high-volume impact sound. If
you want to reduce the volume
of the impact sound, use the
[MASTER VOLUME] knob to
adjust the volume of the VK-8.
21
Playing the Organ
Listening to Various Sounds
The VK-8 comes with 64 presets stored onboard. Here’s how to switch presets to hear
the various sounds.
There are eight banks of presets, with eight sounds in each bank.
Switch between the presets to hear the various sounds.
fig.01-13
2 1 3
1 Press the [PRESET] button to make its indicator light.
2 Hold down the [BANK] button and press one of the buttons from [1] If you want to select a preset
from the same bank, step 2 is
through [8] to select the bank number.
not necessary.
3 Press one of the buttons from [1] through [8] to select a preset number.
The indicator of the number button you’ve selected will light. While you are pressing the
[BANK] button, the indicator
4 Play the keyboard to hear the sound you selected. of the selected bank will light.
Example:
• Switching from preset 11 to preset 18
Press the [8] button.
• Switching from preset 11 to preset 35
Hold down the [BANK] button and press the [3] button. Take your finger off the
[BANK] button, and press the [5] button.
22
Playing the Organ
About the Organ Voice

The organ voice has three parts: “upper,” “lower,” and “pedal.”
When you play the keyboard of the VK-8, the sound of the Upper part will be heard.
You can also play the VK-8 in the following ways.
• Divide the keyboard of the VK-8 into two zones, and play the sound of
the Upper organ part in the right-hand zone, and the sound of the
Lower organ part in the left-hand zone (p. 38).
• Connect an external keyboard, and play the sound of the Upper organ
part on the VK-8’s keyboard, and the sound of the Lower organ part on
the external keyboard (p. 59).
• Connect an external pedal keyboard, and play the sound of the Upper
organ part on the VK-8, and the sound of the Pedal organ part on the
pedal keyboard (p. 59).
The sounds of the Upper, Lower, and Pedal parts of an organ voice can be edited
using the harmonic bars.
fig.01-13
1 Press either the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] button, [LOWER]

button, or [PEDAL] button to select the part whose sound you want to
edit.
Button Part
To hear the sound of the
HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] Button Upper Part
Lower part, you can either
HARMONIC BAR PART [LOWER] Button Lower Part select Split (p. 38) and play the
HARMONIC BAR PART [PEDAL] Button Pedal Part sound of the Lower part in the
left-hand zone of the keyboard,
2 Press the [H-BAR MANUAL] button to make its indicator light. or connect an external
keyboard (p. 59). To hear the
When the [H-BAR MANUAL] button’s indicator is dark, the harmonic bar settings
sound of the pedal part,
will be the harmonic bar settings of the organ voice of the selected preset (p. 22, 45).
connect an external pedal
3 Move the harmonic bars to edit the sound (p. 24).

keyboard (p. 59).
A sound you’ve edited can be saved as a preset (p. 45).
23
Playing the Organ
Adjusting the Sound in Real Time

(Harmonic Bars)
The harmonic bars are controllers for creating the basic structure of the organ sound.
By sliding nine harmonic bars in and out you can create a variety of tonalities.
fig.01-14
75%
When percussion is on, the 1'

pitch will not be produced.
The numbers appearing on the harmonic bars allow you to rapidly set the bars to the
desired setting. If you push a harmonic bar inward until no number is visible, its
volume will be “0,” and no sound will be heard. If you pull a harmonic bar all the
way out, the volume will be at the maximum.
A sine wave (pure tone) of differing pitch is assigned to each of the harmonic bars,
and you can create a variety of sounds by mixing these sine waves.
fig.01-15
Time
8' volume: 8
Time
Time
4' volume: 5
24
Playing the Organ
The numbers (16', 5-1/3', etc.) printed on the knob of each harmonic bar indicate the
pitch of that bar in “feet.” The pitch of each harmonic bar plays an important role in
creating the tone. The 8' pitch is the basic pitch of the sound, and the sound is created
based on this 8' pitch.
The pitches of the harmonic bars are related as follows.
fig.01-16
When the middle C (C4) note is pressed, each

harmonic bar will sound the following notes.
16' 5 1/3' 8' 4' 2 2/3' 2' 1 3/5' 1 1/3' 1'

15th

one octave 5th root 8th 12th 17th 19th 22nd
below

8' =

25
Playing the Organ
What Are “Feet?”

Historically, the “feet” (“ ' “ symbol) indications of the harmonic bars originate in
the length of the pipes of a pipe organ. The length of pipe used to produce the
reference pitch (the fundamental) for the keyboard is eight feet. Reducing the pipe
to half its length produces a pitch one octave higher; conversely, doubling the pipe
length creates a pitch one octave lower. Therefore, a pipe producing a pitch one
octave below that of the reference of 8' (eight feet) would be 16'; for one octave
above the reference, the pipe would be 4', and to take the pitch up yet another
octave it would be shortened to 2'.
On tone wheel organs, the pitch relationship shown in the diagram does not hold
true in a certain region of the keyboard (p. 25). In the high range of the keyboard,
high-pitched feet are “wrapped around” one octave down. High footages will be
“folded back” for high notes, while low footages will be folded back for low notes.
Folding back the high-frequency portion prevents the high-frequency sounds
from being unpleasantly shrill, and folding back the low-frequency portion
prevents the sound from becoming “muddy.” On the VK-8 faithfully simulates
this characteristic.
As you can see from the relation of the pitches, the 5-1/3' pitch is unique in that it
is not arranged in order of pitch. The reason is that the 5-1/3' sound blends not
with the 8' (fundamental), but with the 16' pitch. Acoustic instruments produce
sound consisting of frequencies at integer multiples of the fundamental frequency;
double, triple, and so on. These are called “integer harmonics.” Relative to the 8'
pitch that is the basic pitch of an organ, the 5-1/3' pitch is not an integer multiple,
and does not blend.
However, relative to the 16' pitch (which is one octave lower), 5-1/3' is an integer
multiple and therefore does blend. (Starting at 16', the 5-1/3' pitch is three times
higher.) Because 5-1/3' blends with 16', these two harmonic bars are colored
differently than the other harmonic bars, and are placed together.
26
Playing the Organ
Changing the Organ Sound (Wheel

Type, Leakage Level)
Tone Wheel and Leakage Noise are important elements in creating tone wheel organ
sounds.
Tone wheel
Tone wheels are the ninety-one metal disks that produce the sound on tone wheel
organs. Teeth are cut into the edge of each disk, and sound is generated by rotating
the disks past an electrical coil at a fixed speed. The VK-8 digitally simulates the tone
wheel mechanism of a tone wheel organ, and thus provides the rapid response and
full polyphony that characterize these instruments.
The sounds that are produced by the tone wheels of a tone wheel organ are not
precisely pure sine waves, since they are affected by the manufacturing precision of
the wheel and by the characteristics of the analog circuitry. However, it is these
imperfections in the waveform that give a tone wheel organ its unique character.
Leakage Noise
On tone wheel organs, the sound of the note that was pressed was slightly
“contaminated” by audio signals from tone wheels not related to that note.
Formerly, this was seen as a problem, but today this idiosyncrasy is considered an
important element of the distinctive sound of a vintage organ.
Tone Wheel type

Selects the type of tone wheel.
fig.01-17
2 1
1 Press the [TONE WHEEL] button to select the type of tone wheel.
Each time you press the [TONE WHEEL] button, the tone wheel will switch between
the following settings.
Type Explanation
A tone wheel that simulates the tone wheel organs of the
VINTAGE1
70’s.
A tone wheel that simulates the tone wheel organs of the
VINTAGE2
60’s.
NOTE
CLEAN A tone wheel with no leakage noise.
If the “VINTAGE1” or
Leakage Noise “VINTAGE2” wheel type is
Separately from the leakage noise selected by the Tone Wheel Type, you can add selected, there will still be
leakage noise independently. some leakage noise even if the

[LEAKAGE] knob is turned all
2 Turn the [LEAKAGE] knob. the way to the left.
Turning the knob toward the left will decrease the volume of the leakage noise, and
turning it toward the right will increase the volume of the leakage noise.
27
Playing the Organ
Adding Crispness to the Sound

(Percussion) Percussion can be added only
to the upper part of organ
voices. It cannot be added to
Percussion adds an attack-type sound to the beginning of the note to give the sound
the lower part of organ voices,
more crispness. When you play legato (smoothly and connectedly), percussion will nor to the pedal part or other
be added only to the first-played note. When you play staccato (articulating each tones.
note separately), percussion will be added to all notes.
fig.01-19
When percussion is on, the 1'

pitch will not be produced.
[SECOND] (Second Percussion) button

This button switches Second Percussion on/off.
Button Explanation
Percussion will sound at the same pitch as the 4' harmonic

bar.
Lit (ON)
Second percussion will not sound.
Dark (OFF)
[THIRD] (Third Percussion) button

This button switches Third Percussion on/off.
Button Explanation
Percussion will sound at the same pitch as the 2-2/3' har-

monic bar.
Lit (ON)
NOTE
Third percussion will not sound. It is not possible to select both

[SECOND] and [THIRD]
Dark (OFF) simultaneously.
28
Playing the Organ
[SOFT] (Soft Percussion) button

Switches the volume of the percussion.
Button Explanation
The percussion sound will be softer.
Lit (ON)
The percussion sound will be normal.
Dark (OFF)
When you turn the [SOFT] button off to strengthen the percussion sound, the
organ sound specified by the harmonic bars will become lower. This reproduces
the behavior of tone wheel organs. If the organ volume decreases when you turn
the [SOFT] button off, you can make settings (p. 52). You can also specify the
percussion volumes that will be selected by the Percussion Normal/Soft settings
(p. 51).
fig.01-23
Normal Percussion Soft Percussion
Volume Volume
Percussion Percussion sound
will decay
Volume of the harmonic Volume of the
bars will decreases harmonic bars
Time Time
29
Playing the Organ
[SLOW] (Slow Percussion) button

Switches the speed at which the percussion sound will decay.
Button Explanation
You can specify the speed at
which the percussion sound
The percussion sound will disappear slowly. The percus- decays (p. 51).
sion will have a more gentle attack.
Lit (ON)
The percussion sound will disappear quickly. The percus-

sion will have a sharper attack.
Dark (OFF)
fig.01-25
Fast Percussion Slow Percussion
Volume Short decay time Volume Long decay time
Percussion Percussion
Volume of the
harmonic bars
Time Time
Percussion on a tone wheel organ (Single Trigger

Algorithm)
The percussion on tone wheel organs did not apply to all notes that were played.
It was applied only to notes which were played simultaneously from a condition
where no notes were being played. When notes were played legato (smoothly and
connectedly), percussion was applied only to the first-played note. When notes
were played staccato (articulating each note separately), percussion was applied
to all notes. This method is referred to as single trigger algorithm, and is a very
important element in organ performance. On tone wheel organs, percussion was
produced by an analog circuit. For this reason, when there was only a very short
time interval from when one key was released until the next key was pressed, the
percussion circuit was unable to recharge fully, causing the percussion to sound at
a lower volume. The VK-8 simulates this behavior, and also allows you to modify
the organ voice settings to adjust the recharge time characteristics of the circuit (p.
51).
30
Playing the Organ
Adding Modulation to the Sound

(Vibrato and Chorus)
The vibrato effect cyclically modulates the pitch of organ voice sounds. The chorus
effect mixes the normal sound of the organ with a sound to which vibrato has been
applied, adding richness and spaciousness to the sound.
fig.01-26
1 2
1 Press the VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button to make its indicator
light.
The vibrato or chorus effect will be applied to the organ voice.
2 Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to switch the type of vibrato
NOTE
It is not possible to apply both

or chorus effect. vibrato and chorus
The indicator of the selected vibrato or chorus effect type will light. simultaneously. Nor is it
possible to select different
Three types of vibrato and three types of chorus are provided (a total of six types). vibrato or chorus types for the
upper part and lower part.
V-1, V-2, V-3
This applies vibrato (pitch modulation). Increasing the value will produce a deeper
effect.
C-1, C-2, C-3

NOTE
This applies chorus to add depth and spaciousness to the sound. Increasing the value
Vibrato or chorus cannot be
will produce a deeper effect.
applied to percussion.
31
Playing the Organ
Using the COSM Rotary Speaker Effect

(Rotary Sound) The VK-8 uses an effect
algorithm based on COSM
technology, and is able to
Rotary Sound is an effect which adds the modulation that is produced when organ
faithfully reproduce the
voices are used with a rotary speaker. On most rotary speakers, the high-frequency modulation of an actual rotary
speaker and low-frequency speaker rotate at different speeds. The VK-8 can simulate speaker and the irregularities
this type of complex modulation. of its rotation. You can also
fig.01-27
make sophisticated settings,
such as the characteristics of
the amplifier (p. 33), the
resonance of the speaker
cabinet, and the distance of the
microphone which picks up
the sound of the rotary speaker
(p. 50).
[SLOW/FAST] button
Switches the speed of the rotary speaker. FAST and SLOW will alternate each time You can use a foot switch or D
you press the [SLOW/FAST] button. Beam controller to switch the
FAST rotation is selected when the indicator blinks rapidly. SLOW rotation is rotary speaker between fast
selected when the indicator blinks slowly. When you change between slow/fast, the and slow. For details, refer to
speed of rotation will change gradually. “Using the D BEAM Controller

to Produce Common Organ
Effects” (p. 34) and “Assigning
[BRAKE] button
a Function to the Control
This button temporarily halts the rotation of the rotary sound. Pedal” (p. 40).
Button Explanation
The speed of rotation will gradually slow down and then When a rotary speaker is
stop. connected to the ROTARY
TONE CABINET jack on the
Lit (ON) rear panel, the rotary effect is
not applied, and the [SLOW/
FAST] button, [BRAKE]
From a stopped condition, the rotation will gradually be- button, and ROTARY SOUND
come faster.
[ON] button function as
follows.
Dark (OFF)
ROTARY SOUND [ON]
Button
ROTARY [ON] button
Disabled when a rotary
The rotary speaker effect can be switched off. speaker is connected.
Button Explanation [SLOW/FAST] Button
Changes the speed of the
connected rotary speaker.
The rotary speaker will be applied.
[BRAKE] Button
Lit (ON)
Temporarily stops the rotation
of the connected rotary
The rotary speaker effect will not be applied. speaker.
Dark (OFF)
32
Playing the Organ
Changing the Amp Type (Amp Type,

Overdrive, Tone)
fig.01-30
2 1 3
Changing the virtual amp
Switches the frequency response and cabinet resonance of the virtual amp.
1 Press the [AMPLIFIER] button to select the type of virtual amp.
The amp type will change each time you press the [AMPLIFIER] button.
To select the “TYPE IV” virtual amp type, press the [AMPLIFIER] button several
times until all of the AMP TYPE indicators are lit.
Type Explanation
TYPE I Characteristics of the most frequently used rotary speakers.
Characteristics of the large vacuum tube amps that were an
TYPE II indispensable element of the British hard rock of the 70’s, and
that continue to be favored by many hard rock guitarists.
TYPE III The character of a rotary speaker often used for rock organ.
This adds the characteristic rotary speaker sound used for a
wide range of tones, from a clean sound to heavy overdrive.
TYPE IV What’s more, a new type of system is used that allows you to
change the amount of overdrive without causing the volume
to change, making level settings a breeze.
Adding distortion to the sound—Overdrive

Overdrive is an effect which distorts the sound. By distorting the sound, you can
create the intense organ sounds that are frequently used in styles, such as hard rock.
2 Turn the [OVERDRIVE] knob to adjust the amount of overdrive.
Rotate fully right: The distortion effect will be at maximum.

Rotate fully left: No effect.
Changing Sound Characters

You can adjust the tonal character of the organ voice.
3 Turn the [TONE] knob to adjust the tonal character.
Counterclockwise rotation: The organ voice becomes fatter.

Clockwise rotation: The organ voice becomes brighter.
33
Playing the Organ
Using the D BEAM Controller to Produce

Common Organ Effects
You can apply various effects to the sound only by moving your hand over the D
Beam Controller on the VK-8 panel.
fig.01-34
3 1 2
1 Press D BEAM [ON] button to make its indicator light.
The D Beam Controller will be on.
2 Use the D Beam button to select the effect that you want to control using
the D Beam.
The effect assigned to the D Beam controllor will be switched each time you press
the [D BEAM] button.
The following effects can be applied using the D Beam controller:
If ROTARY SPEED is assigned
to the D Beam, you can move
Effects Explanation
your hand over the D Beam to
As you move your hand closer to the D Beam con- make the rotary effect change
troller, the volume of all harmonic bars will grad-
gradually from slow to fast, or
CRESCENDO ually increase. When your hand is closest to the D
Beam controller, the harmonic bar volumes will be from fast to slow (p. 57).
at maximum, and the rotary will switch to FAST.
The rotary effect will switch between slow and
ROTARY SPEED fast each time you position your hand over the D
Beam controller.
When you position your hand over the D Beam
controller, the ring modulator will be applied (p.
RING MODULATOR
35). As you bring your hand closer to the D Beam
controller, the ring modulator depth will change.
Moving your hand over the D Beam will turn on
the wheel brake. When you take your hand away
TONE WHEEL BRAKE
from the D Beam controller, the wheel brake will
be turned off (p. 35).
Moving your hand near the D Beam controller will The volume of the spring
SPRING SHOCK produce the sound of a spring reverb unit being shock can be adjusted with the
jarred (p. 35).
[REVERB] knob. The spring
shock is particularly effective if
“SPRING” is selected as the
reverb type (p. 37).
34
Playing the Organ
3 While playing the keyboard to produce sound, place your hand over the
D Beam controller.
fig.01-35
When the D Beam controller is
responding, the D Beam [ON]
button’s indicator will blink.
The timbre will change when you move you hand over the D Beam controller.
About the Effects

Throughout the history of rock organ, a wide range of performers have developed
unique effects and used them in their music. The VK-8 can not only simulate
several of these unique effects, but also lets you enjoy effects provided by no other
instrument.
Giving the sound a metallic character (Ring Modulator)

By changing the frequency of the ring modulator’s internal oscillator, you can give
the organ voice an unpitched metallic character, like that of a bell.
In hard rock of the past, extreme effects such as ring modulation were sometimes
applied to the organ. It appears that organ players tried all sorts of things in an
attempt to hold their own against the radical performance techniques used by
electric guitarists. NOTE
By applying ring modulation, you can create a complex harmonic structure that When the “SPRING SHOCK”
was not present in the original audio signal. This complex harmonic structure has function is assigned to the D
a certain bell-like character. The term “ring” comes from the fact that when a ring Beam controller or the control
modulation circuit is constructed as analog circuitry, the circuit is shaped like a pedal, please be aware that
ring (circle). raising the reverb level
Stopping the rotation of the tone wheels (Wheel Brake)
high-volume impact sound. If
It is possible to stop the rotation of the tone wheels of the organ. This produces an you want to reduce the volume
unexpected result, whereby the pitch of the organ voice gradually falls until the of the impact sound, use the
sound ceases entirely. [REVERB] knob to adjust the
The technique of stopping the tone wheel rotation was occasionally used by reverb level (p. 37).
performers on tone wheel organs. Since the amp of a tone wheel organ was an
analog circuit that used vacuum tubes, the sound was still audible for a time after
the power was turned off. However, when the power was turned off, the tone
wheels would begin slowing down, and you would hear the pitch continue to fall.
Innovative performers used this effect in their music.
Spring Reverb Shock

Organs of the past used spring reverb units to add a reverb effect to the sound.
When a physical shock is applied to a spring reverb unit, the springs collide with
each other, producing a crashing sound. Some performers even utilized this in
their organ sound.
The VK-8 lets you simulate this reverb impact sound.
35
Playing the Organ
■ Adjusting the Sensitivity of the D Beam

Controller
The VK-8 automatically calibrates the sensitivity of the D Beam controller each time
power is turned on. You can also adjust the sensitivity of the D Beam controller after
the power is turned on. Since the sensitivity of the D
Beam controller is adjusted
Caution automatically when the power
is turned on, the sensitivity of
The VK-8 automatically calibrates the sensitivity of the D Beam controller each time
the D Beam controller is not
power is turned on. For this reason, when turning on the power, make sure no object
stored internally.
is placed on the D Beam, and avoid having your hands near it.
Also, please be aware that the D Beam will not function in a location where there is
a large amount of infrared light.
Automatically adjusting the sensitivity of the D Beam controller
1 While holding down the D BEAM [ON] button, press the VIBRATO
AND CHORUS [ON] button.
The sensitivity of the D Beam controller will be adjusted automatically.
The D Beam indicators will show the D Beam sensitivity.
Min Max
Manually adjusting the sensitivity of the D Beam controller
1 While holding down the D BEAM [ON] button, turn the [VIBRATO
AND CHORUS] knob to adjust the sensitivity of the D Beam controller.
36
Playing the Organ
Adding Ambience (Reverb)

Reverb is an effect that adds reverberation to the sound. You can apply the reverb
effect to the organ sound and the Other Tone.
fig.01-33
1 2
NOTE
1 Turn the [REVERB] knob to adjust the amount of reverb effect to be When the “SPRING SHOCK”
applied. function is assigned to the D
Beam controller or the control
Rotate fully right: Maximum reverberation.
pedal, please be aware that
Rotate fully left: No effect. raising the reverb level
Changing the Reverb Type high-volume impact sound (p.
By changing the reverberations of the notes, you can enjoy the atmosphere of 34, p. 40).
performance in a wide variety of different locations.
2 Press the [REVERB] button to switch the reverb types.

If the “SPRING REVERB
The reverb type will be switched each time you press the [REVERB] button.
SHOCK” function is assigned
to the D Beam controller or the
Type Explanation
control pedal, be aware that
ROOM Simulates the reverberation of a room. excessively high reverb level
HALL Simulates the reverb of a large concert hall. settings will produce a high-
CHURCH Simulates the reverberation of a church. volume impact sound. To

decrease the volume of the
SPRING Simulates the reverberation of a spring reverb unit (p. 35).
impact sound, use the
[REVERB] knob to adjust the
reverb level (p. 34, p. 40).
37
Playing the Organ
Dividing the Keyboard (Split)

You can divide the keyboard into two zones, and assign the upper part sound of the
organ voice to the right-hand zone, and the lower part sound of the organ voice to
the left-hand zone.
This is called “split,” and the location at which the keyboard is divided is called the
“split point.” The split point is included in the Upper part.
fig.01-36
Split Point
Lower Part Upper Part
At the factory settings, the split point is set to “C4” (middle C). You are free to change the split
fig.01-37
point.
1, 2
1 Press the [SPLIT] button to make its indicator light.
The keyboard will be divided into two zones.

The right-hand keyboard zone will play the Upper organ part, and the left-hand
keyboard zone will play the Lower organ part.
2 To cancel the Split, press the [SPLIT] button once again, extinguishing
the indicator.
■ Changing the Split Point

You can change the location (Split Point) at which the keyboard will be divided. When you hold down the
HARMONIC BAR PART
1 Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] and [PEDAL] buttons [UPPER] and [PEDAL] buttons
and press the [SPLIT] button,
and press the [SPLIT] button.
the [SPLIT] button and the [1]–
2 Press the key that you want to specify as the split point.
[3] buttons will blink. At this
time, press one of the [1]–[3]
buttons to select the part that
3 Press the [WRITE] button to finalize the split point. will play Other Tones (p. 57).
The split point will be set.
38
Playing the Organ
Using the Expression Pedal

You can connect an expression pedal to the rear panel EXPRESSION PEDAL jack
and use it to adjust the volume. Advancing the pedal away from yourself will Even if you return the
increase the volume, and returning it toward yourself will decrease the volume. expression pedal all the way
toward yourself, the organ
fig.01-38
volume will not go to zero.
EV-7
■ Using the Active Expression Function

Normally, when you use an expression pedal connected to the EXPRESSION
PEDAL jack, the Organ Voice and Other Tones will both gradually change in
volume. The VK-8 provides an Active Expression function, which you can use with
an expression pedal connected to the EXPRESSION PEDAL jack. The Active
Expression function lets you create tonal changes for greater expressiveness, and Settings for the Active
allows you to emphasize the “forte” passages in your playing. Expression function can be
stored for each preset (p. 39).
The VK-8 has two types of Active Expression settings.
❍ Applying the Active Expression Function to the Organ Voice

When you step on the expression pedal lightly, the Other Tones will sound. Depress
the pedal further to get the footage of the harmonic bars to gradually change.
1 Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] and [PEDAL] buttons,
and press the PERCUSSION [SLOW] button.
❍ Applying the Active Expression Function to the Other Tones

When you step on the expression pedal lightly, the organ voice will sound. Depress
the pedal some more, and the Other Voice will be added.
1 Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] and [PEDAL] buttons
and press the PERCUSSION [SOFT] button.
❍ Returning to the Normal Expression Pedal Function

and press the PERCUSSION [THIRD] button.
39
Playing the Organ
Using a Control Pedal

You can connect a pedal switch or expression pedal to the rear panel CONTROL
PEDAL jack, and assign a function to the pedal.
fig.01-39
NOTE
For some type of pedal switch,

the action you obtain when the
pedal is pressed will be the
opposite of what you intend.
In this case, change the
polarity of the pedal (p. 56).
DP-2
EV-7
■ Assigning a Function to the Control Pedal

You can change the function that is assigned to the control pedal.
and press the ROTARY [SLOW/FAST] button.
The indicators of buttons [1]–[8] will blink.
2 Press one of the buttons from [1] through [8] to select the function that
you want to assign to the control pedal.
12 different functions can be assigned to the control pedal. You can select any one of
these functions by switching the indicator of the [PRESET] button between lit/dark
states.
The following parameters are assigned to each button.
[PRESET] button’s indicator is dark
Button Parameter Page

The rotary speaker effect can be
switched between slow and fast. This
[1] ROTARY SLOW/FAST
will have the same effect as the [SLOW/
FAST] button.
The speed of the rotary speaker effect
can be freely controlled between slow
[2] ROTARY SPEED
and fast. This is especially effective
when assigned to the expression pedal.
This button temporarily halts the rota-
[3] ROTARY BRAKE
tion of the rotary sound.
40
Playing the Organ

Controls the Glide function for the Oth-
er Tones. The pitch of the Other Tones
[4] OTHER TONES GLIDE will change while the pedal is pressed,
and will gradually return to the original
pitch when the pedal is released.
Steps sequentially through the presets.
[5] PRESET UP Each time the pedal is pressed, the next
registration will be selected.
The depth of overdrive will be con-
[6] OVERDRIVE trolled. This is especially effective when
assigned to the expression pedal.
Select this when you want to use the ex-
pression pedal to control the volume of
the Other Tones.
OTHER TONES
[7] While this function is being used, the ex-
EXPRESSION
pression pedal connected to the EX-
PRESSION PEDAL jack will affect only
the volume of the organ.
The same function that is assigned to the
D BEAM controller will also be assigned
to the control pedal. When you change
[8] D BEAM SYNC the function that is assigned to the D
BEAM controller, the function that is as-
signed to the control pedal will also
change.
[PRESET] button’s indicator is lit
Button Parameter Page NOTE

As you depress the pedal connected to When the “SPRING SHOCK”
the EXPRESSION PEDAL jack, the vol- function is assigned to the D
ume of all harmonic bars will gradually
Beam controller or the control
become louder. When the pedal is fully
depressed, the volume will be as speci- pedal, please be aware that
[1] CRESCENDO fied by the harmonic bars, and the rota- raising the reverb level
ry will be in the FAST state. As you excessively will produce a
return the pedal toward yourself, the high-volume impact sound. If
volume will decrease, and when the ex-
you want to reduce the volume
pression pedal is returned all the way
of the impact sound, use the
toward yourself, there will be no sound.
[REVERB] knob to adjust the
When you depress the pedal, the ring
reverb level (p. 37).
modulator (p. 35) will be applied. The
[2] RING MODULATOR depth to which you depress the pedal
will control the depth of the ring modu-
lator.
[3] TONE WHEEL BRAKE The wheel brake will be applied (p. 35).
This lets you produce the sound of a If you press the VIBRATO
[4] SPRING SHOCK
spring reverb unit being jarred (p. 35). AND CHORUS [ON] button,
the setting will return to its
If you want to stop editing, press the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] button.
initial value.
3 Press the [WRITE] button to finalize the function assigned to the control
NOTE
pedal.
Never turn off the power while
The function assigned to the control pedal will be saved. the setting are being saved.
While the setting are being saved, the [1]–[8] buttons will blink.
41
Playing the Organ
Using the Hold Pedal to Sustain the

Sound
NOTE
If you connect a pedal switch to the rear panel HOLD PEDAL jack, the organ voice For some type of pedal switch,
or other tone that you play while pressing the pedal will be sustained. This is the the action you obtain when the
same function as the damper pedal of a piano. pedal is pressed will be the
fig.01-40
opposite of what you intend.
In this case, change the
polarity of the pedal (p. 56).
You can also set it so the Hold

DP-2 Pedal function will apply only
to OTHER TONES (p. 57).
42
Playing Other Tones
Layering Other Tones with Organ
Sounds (Layer)
In addition to organ voices, the VK-8 provides OTHER TONES, such as piano or
strings. Here’s how you can play organ sounds together with other tones.
fig.01-42
2 3 4
1 Select a preset organ voice (p. 22), or use the harmonic bars and other
knobs and buttons to create the desired organ sound.
2 Press the [PRESET] button, extinguishing its indicator.
3 Press one of the buttons from [1] through [8] to select an Other Tone.
The selected Other Tone will sound together with the organ voice.
Button Tone
[1] PIANO
[2] ELECTRIC PIANO 1
[4] STRINGS
[5] JAZZ SCAT
[6] CHOIR
[7] SYNTH (Synthesizer)
[8] BRASS
fig.01-41
When the [PRESET] button’s

indicator is lit, the [1]–[8]
ORGAN VOICE buttons will select presets (p.
22).
OTHER TONES
4 Turn the [OTHER TONES LEVEL] knob to adjust the volume of the
OTHER TONES.
43
Playing Other Tones
Assigning Organ Sounds and Other

Tones Across the Keyboard (Split)
When the Organ Voice and Other Tones are layered together, you can press the
[SPLIT] button to divide the keyboard into two zones, splitting the organ voice.
The organ voice will sound the Upper part in the right-hand zone, and the Lower
part in the left-hand zone. Other Tones will be layered with the Upper part.
1 Select a preset organ voice (p. 22), or use the harmonic bars and other
knobs and buttons to create the desired organ sound.
2 Press the [PRESET] button, extinguishing its indicator.
3 Press one of the buttons from [1] through [8] to select an Other Tone.
The selected Other Tone will sound together with the organ voice.
4 Press the [SPLIT] button.
The organ voice will be divided into upper and lower. The Other Tone will sound in
the upper area.
fig.01-43-1
Split Point
You can change the part that

plays the Other Tones (p. 57).
Organ Lower Part Organ Upper Part
OTHER TONES
❍ Playing the Other Tone in the upper, and the organ voice in the
lower part
5 Press the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] button to make its indicator
light.
6 Press the harmonic bars inward until you can no longer see the numbers.
7 Get the indicators for the PERCUSSION [SECOND] button and

PERCUSSION [THIRD] button to go out (off).
The lower part of the organ voice will sound in the lower area, and only the Other
Tone will sound in the upper area.
fig.01-43-2
Split Point
Organ Lower Part
OTHER TONES
44
Saving Your Settings (Preset)
Organ sounds, Other Tones sounds, and other panel settings can be saved together
to a [PRESET] button. By saving your favorite settings in a preset, you can easily
The VK-8 comes with 64
recall them simply by pressing a [PRESET] button.
presets stored onboard. When
The VK-8 contains 64 different presets. These are organized into eight groups, with you save a preset, the preset
eight presets in each group. data that was previously
occupying that memory
fig.01-45
number will be overwritten.
Presets that you’ve
overwritten can also be
restored to the factory settings
(p. 20).
A preset contains the following settings.

• The sounds of the Upper part, Lower part, and Pedal part of the
Harmonic Bar settings.
• ROTARY [ON] button
• ROTARY [BRAKE] button
• ROTARY [SLOW/FAST] button
• [TONE WHEEL] button
• [LEAKAGE] knob
• [AMPLIFIER] button
• [OVERDRIVE] knob
• [TONE] knob
• [REVERB] button
• REVERB [LEVEL] knob
• PERCUSSION [SECOND] button
• PERCUSSION [THIRD] button
• PERCUSSION [SOFT] button
• PERCUSSION [SLOW] button
• VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button
• [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob
• D BEAM [ON] button
• [D BEAM] button
• [SPLIT] button
• OTHER TONES [1]–[8] button
• [OTHER TONES LEVEL] knob
• Effects and other settings (p. 56)

• Split Point (p. 38)
• OTHER PART ASSIGN setting (p. 57)
• Active Expression Settings (p. 39)
45
Saving Your Settings (Preset)
■ Saving to a Preset in the Same Bank

1 Make the panel settings that you want to save in the preset.
NOTE
2 Hold down the [WRITE] button, and press one of the buttons from [1]
through [8] to specify the save-destination preset. while a preset is being
While the preset is being saved, the indicator of the selected preset number button saved. Doing so may
damage the unit.
will blink. Once the preset has been saved, the indicator will change from blinking
to lit.
■ Saving to a Preset in Another Bank

1 Make the panel settings that you want to save in the preset.
2 Hold down the [WRITE] button, and press the [BANK] button and one of
the buttons from [1] through [8].
The save-destination bank will be selected.
NOTE
3 Hold down the [WRITE] button and press one of the buttons from [1]
through [8] to specify the save-destination preset. while a preset is being
While the preset is being saved, the indicator of the selected preset number button saved. Doing so may
damage the unit.
will blink. When the preset has been saved, the indicator will change from blinking
to lit.
■ Copying a preset
Selecting the copy-source preset
1 Press the [PRESET] button to make its indicator light. The indicator of the selected
bank will light while you hold
2 Hold down the [BANK] button and press one of the buttons from [1] down the [BANK] button.
through [8] to select the bank of the copy-source preset.
3 Press one of the buttons from [1] through [8] to select the number of the
copy-source preset.
If you want to save the settings
The indicator of the number button you selected will light.
in a preset of the same bank,
Selecting the copy-destination preset step 4 is not necessary.
4 Hold down the [WRITE] button and [BANK] button, and press one of the
buttons from [1] through [8] to specify the bank of the copy-destination
preset.
The indicator of the number button you selected will light.
5 Hold down the [WRITE] button and press one of the buttons from [1]
NOTE

through [8] to select the copy-destination preset number. while a preset is being
While the preset is being saved, the indicator of the selected preset number will saved. Doing so may
blink. When the preset has been saved, the indicator will change from blinking to lit. damage the unit.
46
Advanced Use
Edit mode allows you to get the most out of the VK-8’s ■ Basic Procedure
functions by making more detailed settings. This section
Here is the basic procedure for each edit mode.
explains the functions that can be set in Edit mode. In this
owner’s manual, the process of modifying a setting is → For details, refer to the explanation for each edit mode.
referred to as “editing,” and the item of data that is modified 1. Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] and
is referred to as a “parameter.”
[PEDAL] buttons, and press the [***] button.
■ About the Edit Modes The indicators of the [1]–[8] buttons will blink.
There are two edit modes—one saves settings individually
for each preset, while the other stores a single value to be
The [***] button will be a different button depending on
used by the entire system.
the edit mode that you want to set. For details, follow the
procedure for each edit mode.
System Memory 2. Press one of the buttons from [1] through [8] to select
The edit mode that stores things for the entire system deals the parameter that you want to edit.
with the following:
If there are more than eight parameters, you can access
• Organ rotary settings (p. 49)
all of them by switching the lit/dark state of the
• Click noise and percussion settings (p. 51)
[PRESET] button.
• MIDI settings (p. 52)
• Equalizer and other settings (p. 55) 3. Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to adjust
• Control pedal settings (p. 40) the setting.
For parameters that are switched ON/OFF, turn the

[VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob toward the right to
Preset Memory
switch the parameter ON, or toward the left to switch it
The edit mode that stores things on an individual preset
OFF.
basis deals with the following:
For parameters that have an adjustable value, turn the
• Effect and other settings (p. 56)
[VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob toward the right to
• Harmonic bars and other panel settings (p. 45)
increase the value, or toward the left to decrease the
• Split Point (p. 38) value.
• Active Expression setting (p. 39) At this time, the D Beam type indicator will show the
• OTHER TONES PART ASSIGN (p. 57) approximate value of the setting (p. 48).
NOTE
If you press the VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button,
In the case of settings that are saved for each preset, you must
the setting will return to the initial value.
save the edited settings in a preset. If you turn off the power
without saving the edited settings to a preset, your changes will
4. If you want to adjust another parameter in the same
be lost. edit mode, press one of the [1]–[8] buttons to select the
parameter, and turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS]
knob to edit the value.
When you want to stop editing, press the HARMONIC

BAR PART [UPPER] button.
5. Press the [WRITE] button to finalize the settings of the
parameters.
Parameter settings will be saved.

While the parameters are being saved, the indicators of
the [1]-[8] button will blink.
6. Parameters that are edited independently for each
preset are saved as part of the preset (p. 45).
47
Advanced Use
State of the D BEAM Indicators in Edit Mode
❍ When the setting is “0–127,” “0–10,” or “0–15,” “0–31.”

The minimum value (0) will be when the D Beam indicators are all dark, and the maximum value when they are
all lit. As you increase the value, the D Beam indicators will successively light from the bottom.
Min Max
The setting will increase as you turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob clockwise, and will decrease as you
turn it counterclockwise.
When you press the VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button, this will return to the default setting.
❍ If the setting is an “ON or OFF” switch

This will be OFF (0) when all D Beam indicators are dark, and ON when they are all lit.
OFF ON
OFF ON
This will be ON when the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob is turned to the right, and OFF when turned to the
left.
When you press the VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button, this will return to the default setting.
❍ When the setting is “-5–0–+5,” “-6–0–+5,” “-100–0–+100,” or “-3–0–+3”

The lit location of the D Beam Type indicator shows the approximate value.
When the value is 0, the center D Beam Type indicator (RING MODULATOR indicator) will light.
D Beam Type indicators below the middle will indicate a negative value, and D Beam Type indicators above the
middle will indicate a positive value.
Min 0 Max
Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob clockwise to increase the value, or counterclockwise to decrease it.
When you press VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON], this will return to the default setting.
48
Advanced Use
Settings That Are Saved for 3. Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to adjust
the Entire System the setting.
■ Rotary-related Settings If you press the VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button,
1. Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] and the setting will return to the initial value.
[PEDAL] buttons and press the [TONE WHEEL] 4. If you want to adjust the setting of another parameter,
button. press the appropriate button from [1] through [8] to
The indicators of the buttons [1]–[8] will blink. select the parameter, and turn the [VIBRATO AND
2. Press one of the buttons from [1] through [8] to select CHORUS] knob to adjust the setting.
the parameter that you want to edit. When you want to stop editing, press the HARMONIC
There are 14 rotary-related parameters. You can select all
of these parameters by controlling the lighted/ 5. Press the [WRITE] button to finalize the settings of the
extinguished state of the [PRESET] button’s indicator. rotary-related parameters.

The following parameters are assigned to each button. While the parameters are being saved, the indicators of
[PRESET] button’s indicator extinguished the [1]–[8] buttons will blink.
NOTE
Never turn off the power while parameters are being saved.
[1] ROTARY WOOFER LEVEL p. 50
[2] ROTARY TWEETER LEVEL p. 50
[3] ROTARY WOOFER RISE TIME p. 50
[4] ROTARY TWEETER RISE TIME p. 50
[5] ROTARY WOOFER FALL TIME p. 50
[6] ROTARY TWEETER FALL TIME p. 50
[7] ROTARY WOOFER SPREAD p. 50
[8] ROTARY TWEETER SPREAD p. 50
[PRESET] button’s indicator lighted
[1] ROTARY WOOFER SPEED SLOW p. 50
[2] ROTARY TWEETER SPEED SLOW p. 50
[3] ROTARY WOOFER SPEED FAST p. 50
[4] ROTARY TWEETER SPEED FAST p. 50
[5] ROTARY MIC DISTANCE p. 50
[6] ROTARY RANDOMIZE p. 50
49
Advanced Use
❍ ROTARY WOOFER LEVEL (0–127) ❍ ROTARY TWEETER SPREAD (0–10)

Specifies the volume of the low-range speaker (woofer) Specify the spaciousness of the high-range speaker
The rotary speaker effect consists of a low range and a (tweeter).
high range, and you can independently adjust the volume Specifies the left/right spread of the rotary speaker.
of the low-range speaker (woofer) and the high-range Increasing this value will increase the sense of stereo.
speaker (tweeter) to set as desired.
❍ ROTARY WOOFER SPEED SLOW (0–127)
❍ ROTARY TWEETER LEVEL (0–127) Specifies the rotational speed for the Slow setting of the
Specifies the volume of the high-range speaker (tweeter) rotary speaker. Specifies the rotational speed for the low-
The rotary speaker effect consists of a low range and a range speaker (woofer). Increasing the value raises the
high range, and you can independently adjust the volume speed.
of the low-range speaker (woofer) and the high-range
speaker (tweeter) to set as desired ❍ ROTARY TWEETER SPEED SLOW (0–127)
Specifies the rotational speed for the Slow setting of the
❍ ROTARY WOOFER RISE TIME (0–127) rotary speaker. Specifies the rotational speed for the high-
This specifies the speed at which the rotary speaker effect range speaker (tweeter). Increasing the value raises the
for the low-range (woofer) will shift from slow to fast. The speed.
change will occur more rapidly as this value is increased.
❍ ROTARY WOOFER SPEED FAST (0–127)
❍ ROTARY TWEETER RISE TIME (0–127) Specifies the rotational speed for the Fast setting of the
This specifies the speed at which the rotary speaker effect rotary speaker. Specifies the rotational speed for the low-
for the high-range (tweeter) will shift from slow to fast. range speaker (woofer).
The change will occur more rapidly as this value is Increasing the value raises the speed.
increased.
❍ ROTARY TWEETER SPEED FAST (0–127)
❍ ROTARY WOOFER FALL TIME (0–127) Specifies the rotational speed for the Fast setting of the
Specifies the rate at which the low-range speaker (woofer) rotary speaker. Specifies the rotational speed for the high-
will change from the fast to the slow speed. range speaker (tweeter).
The change will occur more rapidly as this value is Increasing the value raises the speed.
increased.
❍ ROTARY MIC DISTANCE (0–10)
❍ ROTARY TWEETER FALL TIME (0–127) Specifies the distance from the rotary speaker to the mic.
Specifies the rate at which the high-range speaker As this value is increased, the mic and speaker will be
(tweeter) will change from the fast to the slow speed. located further apart, and the volume will be modulated
The change will occur more rapidly as this value is less.
increased.
❍ ROTARY RANDOMIZE (0–10)
Adjusts the irregularity in the rotation of the rotary
The ROTARY RISE TIME / ROTARY FALL TIME speaker. Increasing this value will produce more
parameters affect not only the change produced by the irregularity in the rotation.
[SLOW/FAST] button, but also the rate at which the
[BRAKE] button will stop or resume rotation.
❍ ROTARY WOOFER SPREAD (0–10)

Specify the spaciousness of the low-range speaker
(woofer).
Specifies the left/right spread of the rotary speaker.
Increasing this value will increase the sense of stereo.
50
Advanced Use
■ Click Noise and Percussion ❍ ON CLICK LEVEL (0–31)

Settings Specifies the level of the click sound that occurs when a
key is pressed (On). Increasing this value will increase the
1. Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] and
volume.
[PEDAL] buttons and press the PERCUSSION
[SECOND] button. ❍ OFF CLICK LEVEL (0–31)
The indicators of buttons [1]–[8] will blink. Specifies the level of the click sound that occurs when a
key is released (Off). Increasing this value will increase the
2. Press one of the buttons from [1] through [8] to select
volume.
the parameter that you want to edit.
There are eight parameters related to Click Noise and ❍ PERCUSSION SOFT LEVEL (0–15)
Percussion. Sets the percussion volume when percussion is set to Soft
The following parameters are assigned to each button. (the [SOFT] button’s indicator is lit). Increasing this value
will increase the volume of percussion.

❍ PERCUSSION NORMAL LEVEL (0–15)
[1] ON CLICK LEVEL p. 51 Sets the percussion volume when percussion is set to
[2] OFF CLICK LEVEL p. 51 Normal (the [SOFT] button’s indicator is dark). Increasing
this value will increase the volume of percussion.
[3] PERCUSSION SOFT LEVEL p. 51
[4] PERCUSSION NORMAL LEVEL p. 51 ❍ PERCUSSION SLOW TIME (0–127)

Sets the speed at which the percussion sound will decay
[5] PERCUSSION SLOW TIME p. 51
when percussion is set to Slow (the [SLOW] button’s
[6] PERCUSSION FAST TIME p. 51 indicator is lit). Increasing this value causes the percussion
to decay more slowly.
[7] PERCUSSION RECHARGE TIME p. 51
[8] PERCUSSION H-BAR LEVEL p. 52 ❍ PERCUSSION FAST TIME (0–127)

Sets the speed at which the percussion sound will decay
3. Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to adjust
when percussion is set to Fast (the [SLOW] button’s
the setting.
indicator is dark). Increasing this value causes the
percussion to decay more slowly.

❍ PERCUSSION RECHARGE TIME (0–10)
the setting will return to its initial value.
Specifies the percussion charge time that determines the
4. If you want to edit another parameter, press the time from when the keys are released until percussion is
appropriate button from [1] through [8] to select the recharged. Increasing this value will increase the time
parameter, and turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] necessary for percussion to recharge, causing the
knob to adjust the setting. percussion sound to be smaller for rapidly repeated notes.

BAR PART [UPPER] button. On tone wheel organs, percussion was produced by an
5. Press the [WRITE] button to finalize the settings of the analog circuit. This meant that if only a very short time
click noise and percussion parameters. elapsed from when the keys were released until the next
key was pressed, the percussion circuit was unable to
recharge fully, and the percussion sound that was added
While the parameters are being saved, the [1]–[8] buttons would therefore be lower in volume. This also meant
will blink. that even if legato was broken during a rapid trill, etc.,
an appropriate amount of percussion was added. The
NOTE
percussion charge time parameter adjusts this charge
time.
51
Advanced Use
❍ PERCUSSION H-BAR LEVEL (0–127) ■ MIDI-related Settings

Adjusts the volume of the harmonic bars when percussion
is normal (the [SOFT] button’s indicator is dark). As this ❍ When setting things other than the MIDI
value is increased, the sound of the harmonic bars will be channel
less affected by the percussion.
[PEDAL] buttons and press the [REVERB] button.
On tone wheel organs, turning the percussion on would The indicators of buttons [1]–[8] will blink.
lower the overall volume specified by the harmonic bars.
2. Press one of the buttons from [1] through [8] to select
This is because the percussion on tone wheel organs was
the parameter that you want to edit.
designed not to impair the volume balance of the entire
organ. The VK-8 allows you to adjust this change in There are 13 MIDI-related parameters. You can select all
volume balance. of these parameters by controlling the lighted/
extinguished state of the [PRESET] button’s indicator.
[PRESET] button’s indicator extinguished

[1] LOCAL CONTROL p. 53
[2] MIDI THRU p. 53
[3] SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION p. 58
[4] CONTROL MIDI CH.

p. 54
(Control MIDI Channel)
[5] UPPER ORGAN MIDI CH.

p. 54
(Upper Organ MIDI Channel)
[6] LOWER ORGAN MIDI CH.

p. 54
(Lower Organ MIDI Channel)
[7] PEDAL ORAGN MIDI CH.

p. 54
(Pedal Organ MIDI Channel)
[8] OTHER TONES MIDI CH.

p. 54
(Other Tones MIDI Channel)
[PRESET] button’s indicator lighted

[1] DRUM MIDI CH.

p. 54
(Drum MIDI Channel)
[2] SPRING SHOCK MIDI CH. p. 54
[3] MIDI SOUND CONTROLLERS

p. 53
SWITCH
[4] MIDI GENERAL CONTOROLLERS

p. 53
SWITCH
[5] MIDI PROGRAM CHANGE

p. 53
SWITCH
3. Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to adjust

the setting.

the setting will return to its initial value.
52
Advanced Use
4. If you want to edit another parameter, press the NOTE

appropriate button from [1] through [8] to select the
The MIDI THRU function is valid only when SUB KEYBOARD
parameter, and turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] FUNCTION is off.
knob to adjust the setting.
NOTE
BAR PART [UPPER] button. If the VK-8 receives a large amount of MIDI data or exclusive
data, it may not be able to receive all of the MIDI data correctly.
If this occurs, reduce the amount of MIDI data that is being
MIDI-related parameters.
transmitted from the external device, or break up the exclusive
Parameter settings will be saved. data into smaller units.
While the parameters are being saved, the [1]–[8] buttons
will blink. ❍ MIDI SOUND CONTROLLERS SWITCH (ON/OFF)
NOTE This specifies whether Harmonic Bar data will be received
Never turn off the power while parameters are being saved. using sound controller MIDI messages. Turn the
[VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to the right to turn this
Connecting/disconnecting the sound generator on, or to the left to turn it off. At the factory settings, this is
and keyboard turned on.
❍ LOCAL CONTROL (ON/OFF)
Setting Explanation
Connects/disconnects the internal link between the VK- Harmonic bar data can be received using sound
8’s sound generator (organ voice and other tones) and its ON
controller MIDI messages.
keyboard and other controllers. Harmonic bar data will not be received using
OFF
Setting Explanation sound controller MIDI messages.
The sound generator will be internally connect-

ON ed to the keyboard and other controllers. Nor- ❍ MIDI GENERAL CONTOROLLERS SWITCH (ON/OFF)
mally you will use the VK-8 with this setting. This specifies whether Wheel Brake and Other Tone Glide
The sound generator will be internally discon- data will be transmitted and received using MIDI general
OFF
nected from the keyboard and other controllers. purpose controller messages.
Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to the right to
→ To prevent problems such as failure to sound, the Local
turn this on, or to the left to turn it off. At the factory
Control setting will automatically be turned on each time the settings, this is turned on.
VK-8 is powered up.
Setting Explanation
NOTE
Wheel Brake and Other Tones Glide data will be
When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION is on, the keyboard ON transmitted and received using MIDI general
device connected to the MIDI KEYBOARD IN connector or purpose controller messages.
MIDI PEDAL IN connector will be disconnected from the sound Wheel Brake and Other Tones Glide data will
generator if Local Control is turned off. OFF not be transmitted or received using MIDI gen-
eral purpose controller messages.
Adding MIDI THRU functionality to the MIDI
OUT connector ❍ MIDI PROGRAM CHANGE SWITCH (ON/OFF)
❍ MIDI THRU (ON/OFF)
This specifies whether preset selection data will be
This is a function by which the data received at the MIDI
transmitted and received.
IN connector is re-transmitted from the MIDI OUT
Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to the right to
connector. Data received at the VK-8’s MIDI KEYBOARD
turn this on, or to the left to turn this off. At the factory
IN connector or MIDI PEDAL IN connector will be
settings, this is turned on.
merged, and transmitted from the MIDI OUT connector.
The MIDI Thru setting will automatically be turned off Setting Explanation
each time the VK-8 is powered up. Preset selection data will be transmitted and re-
ON
ceived.
Setting Explanation
All data received at the MIDI IN connector will Preset selection data will not be transmitted or
OFF
ON be re-transmitted from the MIDI OUT connec- received.
tor.
OFF The MIDI Thru function will be turned off.
53
Advanced Use
❍ When making MIDI channel settings ❍ UPPER ORGAN MIDI CH. (Upper Organ MIDI
MIDI uses sixteen MIDI channels (1–16). If you want to play Channel) (1–16) (Initial setting: 1 ch.)
a connected external device, there will be no sound unless Sets the MIDI channel on which data will be transmitted
the MIDI channels of the transmitting and receiving devices and received for the upper organ voice.
match.
❍ LOWER ORGAN MIDI CH. (Lower Organ
MIDI Channel) (1–16) (Initial setting: 3 ch.)
For information on the MIDI transmit/receive channels Sets the MIDI channel on which data will be transmitted
in effect when the power is turned on, refer to “MIDI and received for the lower organ voice.
Implementation” (p. 71).
1. Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] and ❍ PEDAL ORAGN MIDI CH. (Pedal Organ MIDI
[PEDAL] buttons and press the [REVERB] button.
Channel) (1–16) (Initial setting: 2 ch.)
Sets the MIDI channel on which data will be transmitted
and received for the pedal organ voice.
2. Use the [1]–[8] buttons to select the part whose MIDI
channel you want to change. ❍ OTHER TONES MIDI CH. (Other Tones MIDI
There are 13 MIDI-related parameters. You can select all Channel) (1–16) (Initial setting: 4 ch.)
of these parameters by controlling the lighted/ Specifies the MIDI channel on which data will be
extinguished state of the [PRESET] buttons. transmitted and received for Other Tones.
There are seven parameters that change the MIDI
❍ DRUM MIDI CH. (Drum MIDI Channel) (Initial
channel.
setting: 10 ch.)
Specifies the MIDI channel on which drum notes will be
For the parameter that is assigned to each button, refer to received.
page 52.
3. Press a key in the range of C2–D#3 to specify the MIDI If you connect an external drum pad or sequencer and
channel. set its MIDI transmit channel to channel 10, you will be
able to play drum sounds on the VK-8. In this case, the
sounds of the GM2 standard drum set will be played (p.
70).
❍ SPRING SHOCK MIDI CH. (Spring Shock MIDI

Channel) (Initial setting: 9 ch.)
Specifies the MIDI channel on which Spring Reverb Shock
2 4 7 9 14 16
data will be received and transmitted.
1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13 15 NOTE
Different MIDI channels must be assigned to the upper/lower/

pedal parts. It is not possible to select the same channel for two
or more parts. MIDI channels which have already been assigned
MIDI channel.
will not be available for selection.
NOTE
NOTE
Set the control MIDI channel to a different channel than used
❍ CONTROL MIDI CH. (Control MIDI Channel) for Drum/Other Tone/Spring Shock. It is not possible to select
the same MIDI channel. Nor is it possible to select a MIDI
(1–16) (Initial setting: 1 ch.)
channel that’s already selected.
Select the MIDI channel that will used to transmit and
receive MIDI messages to control the VK-8. This channel
can be used to select presets on the VK-8, and to control
the expression of the organ voice, etc.
54
Advanced Use
Instructions for Playing External MIDI Sound 3. Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to adjust
Modules with the VK-8
the setting.
The VK-8’s keyboard was designed specifically for organ
use, so it does not support the use of velocity. The
instrument’s keyboard behaves like those of traditional If you press the VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button,
organs, with sounds being produced even at the slightest the setting will return to its initial value.
touch of the keys. This allows you to perform using
glissando, rapid fingering, and other techniques
4. If you want to edit another parameter, press the
characteristic of the organ. When recording your organ appropriate button from [1] through [7] to select the
performances with the VK-8, we recommend using the organ parameter, and turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS]
MIDI channels. knob to adjust the setting.

Velocity is featured with the Other Tones; when recording
performances using the Other Tones and when controlling
external sound modules, we recommend that you make your 5. Press the [WRITE] button to finalize the settings of
sound selections from the Other Tones and use the MIDI these parameters.
channel for Other Tones.
With the factory settings, UPPER ORGAN MIDI CH. is set to While the parameters are being saved, the [1]–[8] buttons
Channel 1, LOWER ORGAN MIDI CH. to Channel 3, PEDAL will blink.
ORGAN MIDI CH. to Channel 2, and OTHER TONES MIDI
NOTE
CH. to Channel 4.
NOTE
You cannot turn off the organ MIDI output. ❍ EQ BASS (-5–0–+5)
Adjusts the tone quality of the organ voice’s lower range.
Turning the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob toward the
Set the Other Tones level to 0 when using an external right will emphasize the lower range of frequencies, while
sound module or when the Other Tones are not needed. turning it toward the left will reduce the volume of the
lower range.
■ Equalizer and Other Settings
1. Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] and ❍ EQ MIDDLE (-5–0–+5)
[PEDAL] buttons and press the [AMPLIFIER] button. Adjusts the tone quality of the organ voice’s midrange.
right will emphasize the midrange frequencies, while
2. Press one of the buttons from [1] through [7] to select turning it toward the left will reduce the volume of the
the parameter that you want to edit. midrange.
There are seven parameters related to equalizer and
other settings. ❍ EQ TREBLE (-5–0–+5)
Adjusts the tone quality of the organ voice’s upper range.
right will emphasize the upper range of frequencies, while
turning it toward the left will reduce the volume of the
[1] EQ BASS p. 55 upper range.
[2] EQ MIDDLE p. 55
Adjusting the pitch to match another
[3] EQ TREBLE p. 55 instrument
[4] MASTER TUNE p. 55 ❍ MASTER TUNE (-100cent–0–+100cent)
This is a fine adjustment to the pitch of the VK-8. You can
[5] KEY TRANSPOSE p. 56
adjust the pitch of the entire instrument in 1 cent steps,
[6] CONTROL PEDAL POLARITY p. 56 relative to the pitch of A4 (middle A) = 440.0 Hz.
[7] HOLD PEDAL POLARITY p. 56
55
Advanced Use
Transposing the entire VK-8 Parameters that are stored

❍ KEY TRANSPOSE (-6–0–+5)
in a preset
This transposes the entire VK-8. The value is in semitone
steps over a range of -6–0–+5. With a setting of 0, there
will be no transposition.
■ Effect and Other Settings
Switching the polarity of the control pedal [PEDAL] buttons, and press the [PRESET] button.
❍ CONTROL PEDAL POLARITY (STANDARD /
REVERSE)
2. Press one of the [1]–[5] buttons to select the parameter
Depending on the type of pedal switch, the result when
the switch is operated may be the opposite of what you that you want to edit.
intend. If the pedal switch does not operate as described There are five effect-related parameters.
in this owner’s manual, change the polarity setting. The following parameters are assigned to each button.
right will select STANDARD, and all of the D BEAM
TYPE indicators will light.
[1] REVERB TIME p. 57
Turning it toward the left will select REVERSE, and all of
the D BEAM TYPE indicators will go out. [2] OTHER TONES CHORUS LEVEL p. 57
[3] OTHER TONES OCTAVE SHIFT p. 57

Setting Explanation
Use this setting if the pedal switch oper- [4] HOLD PEDAL ASSIGN p. 57
STANDARD
ates as described in this owner’s manual.
[5] D BEAM ROTARY SPEED MODE p. 57
Use this setting if the pedal switch pedal
REVERSE operates the opposite of the description in 3. Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to adjust
this owner’s manual. the setting.
Switching the polarity of the Hold pedal

❍ HOLD PEDAL POLARITY (STANDARD/ If you press the VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button,
REVERSE) the setting will return to its initial value.
Depending on the type of pedal switch, the result when 4. If you want to edit another parameter, press the
the switch is pressed may be the opposite of what you
appropriate button from [1] through [5] to select the
intend. If the pedal switch does not operate as described
parameter, and turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS]
in this owner’s manual, change the polarity setting.
knob to adjust the setting.
right will select STANDARD, and all of the D BEAM When you want to stop editing, press the HARMONIC
TYPE indicators will light. BAR PART [UPPER] button.
Turning it toward the left will select REVERSE, and all of 5. Press the [WRITE] button to finalize the settings of the
the D BEAM TYPE indicators will go out. effect-related parameters.
6. Save the finalized parameter settings in a preset (p. 45).

Setting Explanation
Use this setting if the pedal switch oper- NOTE

STANDARD
ates as described in this owner’s manual. Never turn off the power while preset are being saved.
Use this setting if the pedal switch oper-
REVERSE ates the opposite of the description in this
owner’s manual.
56
Advanced Use
❍ REVERB TIME (0–127) Selecting the part that will play the Other
Adjusts the length of the Reverb time. Higher values Tones
result in longer reverberation. ❍ OTHER TONES PART ASSIGN
Here you can select the part that will play OTHER
❍ OTHER TONES CHORUS LEVEL (0–127) TONES.
Specify the chorus level when the chorus effect is applied
to the Other Tones ELECTRIC PIANO1 or ELECTRIC
To play from the Lower part
PIANO2.
• Split the VK-8 and play Other Tones from the Lower
❍ OTHER TONES OCTAVE SHIFT (-3–0–+3) part (p. 44).
• Connect an external MIDI keyboard to the VK-8, and
Transpose the Other Tones in steps of an octave.
play the Lower part and Other Tones from the
external MIDI keyboard (p. 59)
❍ HOLD PEDAL ASSIGN (ORGAN & OTHER
TONES/OTHER TONES) To play from the Pedal part
• Connect a pedal keyboard to the VK-8, and play the
If a Hold pedal is connected, you can sustain the sound by
Pedal part and Other Tones from the pedal
pressing the pedal. This selects the part that will be
keyboard (p. 59)
sustained when you press the Hold pedal.
Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob toward the left
to select ORGAN & OTHER TONES, or toward the right 1. Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] and
to select OTHER TONES.
[PEDAL] buttons, and press the [SPLIT] button.
❍ D BEAM ROTARY SPEED MODE (SLOW/FAST, The indicators of buttons [1]–[3] will blink.
CONTINUOUS) 2. Press one of the [1]–[3] buttons to select the part that
Specify the D Beam function when ROTARY SPEED is will play OTHER TONES.
assigned to the D Beam.
Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to the left to Button Part
select SLOW/FAST, or to the right to select
CONTINUOUS. [1] UPPER
[2] LOWER
Setting Explanation
[3] PEDAL
The rotary effect is toggled between
SLOW/FAST slow and fast each time you move your → If you press the VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button, the
hand over the D Beam controller. setting will return to its initial value.
The rotary effect will change gradually When you want to stop editing, press the HARMONIC
from slow to fast or fast to slow as you BAR PART [UPPER] button.
CONTINUOUS
move your hand closer to the D Beam
controller. 3. Press the [WRITE] button to confirm selection of the
part that will play OTHER TONES.
4. Save the edited parameter setting in a preset (p. 45).
NOTE
Never turn off the power while preset are being saved.
NOTE
When you press the keyboard after the step1, the split point
will be changed.
57
Connecting the VK-8 to External Devices
About MIDI • When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION is off
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a worldwide Plays the Part specified for the
KEYBOARD IN
standard for exchanging music data among electronic MIDI channel being used for
Connector
transmission.
musical instruments and computers. MIDI does not send
Plays the Part specified for the
audio signals, but instead converts performance data and
PEDAL IN Connector MIDI channel being used for
commands into digital data for transmission. The digital data transmission.
handled by MIDI is collectively referred to as MIDI
messages. Any device with a MIDI connector can be ■ Changing the function of the
connected via a MIDI cable to another MIDI device, to allow
data to be exchanged regardless of the manufacturer or
MIDI IN connectors (SUB
model of the device. KEYBOARD FUNCTION)
MIDI IN connector: Receives MIDI messages from an 1. Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER]
external MIDI device.
[LOWER] [PEDAL] buttons, and press the [REVERB]
MIDI OUT connector: Transmits MIDI messages from the
VK-8. button.

About MIDI Channel
MIDI is able to transmit or receive a large number of 2. Press the [3] button.
messages over a single cable. In order to do so, it uses a
3. Turn the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob to change
concept called “channels” (analogous to the channels used in
TV broadcasting), so that MIDI messages are received only the setting.
when the channel of the receiving device matches the Turn the knob clockwise to switch the Sub-Keyboard
channel of the transmitting device. Function on, or turn the knob counterclockwise to switch
it off.
Playing the VK-8 from an • When SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION is on
External MIDI Device KEYBOARD IN

connector
Plays the sound of the Lower
Part.
The VK-8 has four parts: the “upper part,” “lower part,” and PEDAL IN connector Plays the sound of the Pedal Part.
“pedal part” of the organ voice, and “other tones.”
When you play a preset sound on the VK-8, you will hear the → If the Sub Keyboard function is on, you can play the sound of
sound of the Upper Part. If you connect an external keyboard the Lower part from a device connected to the KEYBOARD IN
or pedal keyboard, you will be able to play the Lower Part or connector, and the sound of the Pedal part from a device
Pedal Part together with the Upper Part. connected to the PEDAL IN connector, without having to set
The VK-8 has three MIDI connectors. the MIDI transmit channel of the external device to match the
fig.03-01 VK-8.
• When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION is off

KEYBOARD IN
MIDI channel being used for
Connector
transmission.
PEDAL IN Connector MIDI channel being used for
transmission.
The function of these MIDI connectors will change If you decide not to change the setting, press the
depending on the “Sub-Keyboard Function” (p. 58) setting.
HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] button.
• When SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION is on 4. Press the [WRITE] button to finalize the Sub-Keyboard
KEYBOARD IN Plays the sound of the Lower Function setting.
connector Part.
The sub keyboard function setting will be saved.
PEDAL IN connector Plays the sound of the Pedal Part.
While the keyboard function setting are being saved, the
→ If the Sub Keyboard function is on, you can play the sound of [1]–[8] buttons will blink.
the Lower part from a device connected to the KEYBOARD IN
connector, and the sound of the Pedal part from a device NOTE
connected to the PEDAL IN connector, without having to set Never turn off the power while parameters are being saved.
the MIDI transmit channel of the external device to match the
VK-8.
58
■ Using the VK-8 with a Dual ■ Connecting a Pedal Keyboard

Keyboard You can connect a pedal keyboard and play the Pedal Part of
You can connect an external keyboard and play the Lower the VK-8.
fig.03-03
Part of the VK-8 from the external keyboard.
fig.03-02
MIDI OUT
OUT
External Pedal Keyboard

(PK-7 etc.)
1. Turn off the power of the VK-8 and the external
keyboard that you want to connect. 1. Turn off the power of the VK-8 and the pedal keyboard
2. Use a commercially available MIDI cable to connect the that you want to connect.
MIDI OUT connector of your external keyboard to the 2. Use a commercially-available MIDI cable to connect
MIDI KEYBOARD IN connector of the VK-8. the MIDI OUT connector of your pedal keyboard to the
3. Turn on the power of your external keyboard. MIDI PEDAL IN connector of the VK-8.
4. Turn on the power of the VK-8. 3. Turn on the power of your pedal keyboard.
5. Turn on the Sub-Keyboard Function (p. 58). 4. Turn on the power of the VK-8.
The Upper Part of the organ voice will sound when you 5. Turn on the Sub-Keyboard Function (p. 58).
play the VK-8, and the Lower Part will sound when you The Upper Part of the organ voice will sound when you
play the external keyboard. play the VK-8, and the Pedal Part will sound when you
play the pedal keyboard.
At the factory settings, the Sub-Keyboard Function is

turned on. At the factory settings, the Sub-Keyboard Function is
turned on.
59
Using an External Sequencer 3. Turn on the power of the external sequencer and the
to Record and Play Back VK-8.
4. Turn off the Thru function of your sequencer.

You can connect a sequencer to the VK-8 and record your
playing. The sequencer will store your performance on the This allows you to listen to the sound while you record.
VK-8 as various types of MIDI data. MIDI data that is Turn off Thru function so every note doesn’t get
received can be sent from the sequencer back to the VK-8 to sounded twice—once as the result of the performance
reproduce your performance. data that directly conveys keyboard information to the
→ Some sequencers are able to record settings such as the VK-8’s organ voice or other tone, and a second time by the
presets, OTHER TONES settings, and system settings. performance data returned via the Thru function of your
Making preparations for recording sequencer.
1. Make sure that the power of the VK-8 and your NOTE
sequencer is turned off. For details on setting the Thru function of your sequencer, refer
to the owner’s manual of your sequencer.
NOTE
5. Turn off the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58).
Turn off the power of the VK-8 and the other device before
making connections. If you connect an external device when the Carry out the recording
power is turned on, damage or malfunctions may occur. When you have finished making preparations for recording,
2. Use commercially-available MIDI cables to connect the start recording on your sequencer and record your
performance.
VK-8 to your sequencer.
fig.03-04 6. Start recording on your sequencer.
7. Adjust the harmonic bars or select other tones if
desired, and play the organ.
8. When you are finished playing, stop recording on your

sequencer.
Play back your performance

9. Play back your sequencer, and your performance will
be played back.
IN OUT
• Connect the VK-8’s MIDI OUT connector to the

sequencer’s MIDI IN connector
• Connect the VK-8’s MIDI KEYBOARD IN or MIDI
PEDAL IN connector to the sequencer’s MIDI OUT
connector
60
Saving VK-8 Settings on an Save the settings
External Sequencer (Bulk 5. Hold down the HARMONIC BAR PART
Dump) [UPPER][LOWER][PEDAL] buttons, and press the

ROTARY SOUND [BRAKE] button.
You can connect the VK-8 to an external sequencer, then save The [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] button’s indicator will
VK-8 presets, and system settings on it. This function is blink.
called “bulk dump.”
6. Start recording on your sequencer.
Connect the VK-8 to your sequencer
7. Press the [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] button to begin
1. Make sure that the power of the VK-8 and your
saving the settings.
sequencer is off.
While the settings are being saved, the D BEAM type
NOTE indicators will light in succession, starting from the
bottom.
making connections. If you connect an external device when the When the save has been completed, all indicators of the
power is turned on, damage or malfunctions may occur. D Beam Type will blink.
2. Use commercially-available MIDI cables to connect the 8. Press the ROTARY SOUND [BRAKE] button.
VK-8 to your sequencer. 9. Stop recording on your sequencer.
fig.03-04
■ Loading Back Data That’s Been

Saved on an External
Sequencer
1. Make sure that the power of the VK-8 and your
sequencer is off.
NOTE
making connections. If you connect an external device when the
power is turned on, damage or malfunctions may occur.
2. Use commercially-available MIDI cables to connect the

IN
VK-8 to your sequencer.
Connect the VK-8’s MIDI IN connector to the

sequencer’s MIDI OUT connector
3. Turn on the power of your sequencer and VK-8.
4. Play back your sequencer.
When the playback has been completed, all indicators of
• Connect the VK-8’s MIDI OUT connector to the the VIBTATO AND CHORUS Type and VIBRATO AND
sequencer’s MIDI IN connector CHORUS [ON] button will blink.
3. Turn on the power of the external sequencer and the 5. When the external sequencer has finished playing
VK-8. back, press the VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON]
button.
4. Turn off the Thru function of your sequencer.
The data from the external sequencer has thus been
loaded into the VK-8.
61
Connecting a Rotary
Speaker Pin No. Output data
No. 1 ORGAN & OTHER TONES
In addition to providing a rotary speaker effect, the VK-8 also No. 2 ORGAN & OTHER TONES
allows you to connect an actual rotary speaker. Connect your
No. 3 NC
rotary speaker to the ROTARY TONE CABINET connector
located on the rear panel. No. 4 GND
fig.03-05 No. 5 GND
No. 6 POWER ON/OFF CONTROL
No. 7 FAST CONTROL
No. 8 SLOW CONTROL
No. 9 NC
No. 10 NC
No. 11 +24 V IN
* Pin Nos. 1 and 2 are the output of the organ voice and OTHER
TONES.
* Pin Nos. 6, 7, and 8 are the open collector output, and are at a nominal
voltage of 5–30 V DC, and nominal loaded current of 50 mA
maximum.
* Pin no. 11 detects the connection. If the nominal input voltage is

outside the acceptable range (18–30 V DC), the connection will not
operate correctly.
• The volume of the external speaker can be adjusted by

the [MASTER VOLUME] knob.
• ROTARY [SLOW/FAST] button will switch the
NOTE
rotational speed of the connected rotary speaker.
Connecting a speaker which does not meet the following • ROTARY [BRAKE] button will temporarily stop the
specifications may cause malfunctions. rotation of the connected speaker. To resume rotation,
press ROTARY [BRAKE] button again, or press
The pinout for the ROTARY TONE CABINET connector ROTARY [SLOW/FAST] button.
is as follows:
fig.03-06
NOTE
No.9 No.8 The rotary speaker effect of the organ voice will also be applied
No.10
No.7 to the audio signal that is output from the ROTARY TONE
No.11 CABINET connector. To prevent the rotary speaker effect from
No.6 being applied to the audio signal that is output from the
No.1 ROTARY TONE CABINET connector, press the ROTARY [ON]
No.5 button to make it go dark (off).
No.2
No.4
No.3
If you do not want Other Tones to be output from the

ROTARY TONE CABINET connector, turn the [OTHER
TONES LEVEL] knob all the way toward the left to set
the Other Tones volume to zero. Alternatively, you can
select a preset that does not include OTHER TONES.
62
Troubleshooting
If the VK-8 does not function in the way you except, first check the following chart. If this does not resolve the
problem, consult your dealer or a nearby Roland service station.
Problem Check Solution Page

Power cord is not connected correct-
Power does not turn on Connect the power cord correctly. p. 16
ly.
Power of connected device is not Turn on the power of the connected
p. 17
turned on. amp or mixer.
The volume of the connected amp or Raise the volume of the connected
p. 17
mixer is turned down. amp or mixer.
Turn the [Master Volume] knob to-
Volume of the VK-8 is too low. p. 19
ward “Max.”
Volume of the connected amp or Raise the volume of the connected
p. 17
speaker has been turned down. amp or mixer.
No sound/insufficient volume
The expression pedal is not de- While carefully monitoring the vol-
p. 39
pressed. ume, depress the toe of the pedal.
If there is sound in the headphones,
it is possible that a cable connecting
Check your cables and amp/mixer
the VK-8 to your amp/mixer is bro- p. 17
system once again.
ken, or that your amp/mixer is mal-
functioning.
Local Control is turned off. Turn the Local Control setting on. p. 53
All harmonic bars are pushed all the
Pull out the harmonic bars. p. 24
way inward.
Organ voices cannot be heard
Release the wheel brake using the p. 34
The wheel brake is activated.
foot switch, D Beam. p. 40
Turn the [OTHER TONES LEVEL]
Volume of the Other Tones is too
knob clockwise to increase the vol- p. 43
low.
ume of the Other Tones.
If “OTHER TONES EXPRESSION”
is assigned to the control pedal, the
volume of the orchestra voice is con-
The control pedal has been rocked trolled by means of the control ped-
p. 40
toward the front. al.
While carefully monitoring the vol-
ume, depress the toe of the control
OTHER TONES cannot be heard/
pedal.
Volume is too low
The expression pedal is not de- While carefully monitoring the vol-
p. 39
pressed. ume, depress the toe of the pedal.
Set the OTHER TONE PART AS-
The part that plays Other Tones has
SIGN parameter to specify the part p. 57
not been set correctly.
that will play Other Tones.
(If the expression pedal assignment
is set to OTHER TONE CRESCEN- Depress the toe of the expression
p. 39
DO) The expression pedal has not pedal.
been depressed.
Press either the HARMONIC BAR
PART [PEDAL] button, [LOWER]
The part that reflects the harmonic
Harmonic bars do not work button, or [UPPER] button to select p. 23
bar settings is not selected correctly.
the part that will reflect the settings
of the harmonic bars.
63
Troubleshooting

On a tone wheel organ, a slight
“blip” noise is heard when you press
or release a key. Initially, this was
considered a defect, but as organs
The volume of the click can be ad-
Click is heard when you press/re- with this characteristic came to be
justed with “ON CLICK LEVEL” p. 51
lease a key used in a wide range of music, it
and “OFF CLICK LEVEL.”
grew to be considered part of the
sound. The VK-8 faithfully simu-
lates this key click noise, which is
characteristic of tone wheel organs.
Tuning is incorrect. Adjust the reference pitch. p. 55
Key Transpose (transposition) is in Either cancel Key Transpose, or
p. 55
effect. change its setting.
Glide has been assigned to the con-
trol pedal. Either connect a foot switch or con-
If Glide is assigned when no foot trol pedal to the CONTROL PEDAL
p. 40
switch or control pedal is connected jack, or assign a function other than
to the CONTROL PEDAL jack, the Glide to the control pedal.
Pitch is incorrect pitch may be incorrect.
Wheel Brake is assigned to the con-
trol pedal. Either connect a foot switch or con-
If Wheel Brake is assigned when no trol pedal to the CONTROL PEDAL
p. 41
foot switch or control pedal is con- jack, or assign a function other than
nected to the CONTROL PEDAL Wheel Brake to the control pedal.
jack, the pitch may be incorrect.
Ring Modulator is applied to the or- Operate the control pedal or the D
p. 35
gan voice. Beam to defeat the ring modulator.
Turn the [OVERDRIVE] knob to ad-
Overdrive level is too low. p. 33
just the depth of overdrive.
The expression pedal has been While carefully monitoring the vol-
Overdrive is not applied p. 39
rocked toward the front. ume, depress the toe of the pedal.
Overdrive will not be applied to the
This is not malfunction. ---
Other Tones.
Turn the REVERB [LEVEL] knob
Reverb is not applied Reverb level is too low. p. 37
clockwise to adjust the reverb level.
The ROTARY SOUND [ON] button Press the ROTARY SOUND [ON]
p. 32
is turned off (dark). button to turn it on (lit).
Rotary effect is not applied Either turn the [BRAKE] button off
(dark) or press the [SLOW/FAST]
The [BRAKE] button is on (lit). p. 32
button, so that the brake will be re-
leased, and rotary will be applied.
Either select a different channel for
the other part that is using that chan-
This is already specified as the MIDI
nel and then make the desired set- p. 54
channel of another part.
ting, or select a MIDI channel that no
other part is using.
Can’t set the MIDI channel
You are attempting to set the MIDI
It is not possible to set the MIDI
channel of the Other Tones, Drum,
channel of the Other Tones, Drum,
or spring shock to the MIDI channel p. 54
or spring shock to the same channel
that has been specified as the Con-
as the Control MIDI Channel.
trol MIDI Channel.
64
Troubleshooting

The MIDI channel of each part is not
Set the MIDI channels correctly. p. 54
set correctly.
Make sure that the VK-8’s program
The Control MIDI Channel is not set changes and expression data are be-
p. 54
correctly. ing transmitted on the correct MIDI
MIDI messages are not transmit- channel.
ted/receive correctly Have the sequencer play back the
The sequencer playback tempo is data at the same tempo that was
p. 60
not set correctly. used when the exclusive data was
recorded.
The Sub Keyboard Function is not Check the Sub Keyboard Function
p. 58
set correctly. setting.
Turn the REVERB [LEVEL] knob
Can’t hear spring shock noise Reverb level is set to 0. p. 37
clockwise to adjust the reverb level.
PERCUSSION is turned on.
If PERCUSSION is on, the sound of
Can’t hear the 1' harmonic bar This is not malfunction. ---
the 1' harmonic bar will not be
heard.
Control pedal or D Beam is assigned
to “CRESCENDO.”
If the [SLOW/FAST] button is in the
If the control pedal or D Beam is as-
SLOW state, rocking back onto the
signed to “CRESCENDO” when the
Rotary changes to FAST uninten- heel of the control pedal, or moving p. 34
[SLOW/FAST] button is in the
tionally your hand away from the D Beam p. 40
SLOW state, and you fully depress
will cause the rotary to return to
the control pedal, or place your
SLOW.
hand very close to the D Beam, the
rotary will switch to FAST.
Depending on the type of pedal
switch or expression pedal, it may
Hold pedal or control pedal oper- The control pedal’s polarity is re-
have the opposite operation when p. 56
ation is reversed versed.
depressed. Switch the polarity of the
control pedal.
Something was covering the D Beam
when the power was turned on.
When the power is turned on, the
VK-8 automatically adjusts the sen- Readjust the sensitivity of the D
p. 36
sitivity of the D Beam. For this rea- Beam.
son, do not place any objects on the
D Beam or cover it with your hand
D Beam sensitivity is incorrect
when the power is turned on.
Readjust the sensitivity of the D
D Beam sensitivity is incorrect. p. 36
Beam.
The instrument is placed in a loca- The D Beam will not function cor-
tion where there is a large amount of rectly in a location where there is a p. 36
infrared light. large amount of infrared light.
The power was turned off while
Never turn off the power while data
Preset memory contents are lost data was being written into preset ---
is being written into preset memory.
memory.
Get the [PRESET] button to go out,
The VK-8 is in Preset mode p. 22
thus turning off Preset mode.
Can’t select Other Tones
The VK-8 is in Edit mode. Exit Edit mode. p. 47
The VK-8 is in Demo mode. Exit Demo mode. p. 21
65
Troubleshooting
■ Error Indications
When an incorrect operation is performed, or when an operation cannot be carried out correctly, the VK-8 will
light all of its indicators for a few seconds. Errors are divided into two categories—those that show up at
power-up, and those that occur during normal operation. Please read the following explanations carefully,
and take the appropriate action.
When you turn on the power

All indicators light for several seconds
Cause: The content of backup memory has been returned to the condition it was in originally, when the unit
left the factory. In most cases, this occurs when the power was turned off while data was being written
into memory.
During normal operation

All indicators light for several seconds
Cause 1: A MIDI cable was disconnected or broken.
Action: Make sure that the MIDI cable is connected correctly.
Cause 2: A large amount of MIDI data was received all at once.

Action: Reduce the amount of MIDI data that is being transmitted to the VK-8.
Cause 3: System exclusive data was not received correctly.

Action: Check the settings of the transmitting device, or the data that is being transmitted.
66
Preset/OTHER TONES List
■ Preset List
PRESET VIBRATO
UPPER PART LOWER PART PEDAL PART PERCUSSION ROTARY
Number AND CHORUS
1-1 88 8000 000 83 8000 000 82 3rd, SOFT, FAST OFF SLOW
1-2 80 0000 888 83 8000 000 82 OFF C-3 FAST
1-3 88 8800 000 83 8000 000 82 3rd, SOFT, FAST C-3 SLOW
1-4 88 8800 000 00 8800 000 84 3rd, NORM, FAST OFF SLOW
1-5 88 8008 008 83 8000 000 82 3rd, SOFT, SLOW OFF SLOW
1-6 85 8500 005 03 8300 000 73 OFF C-3 SLOW
1-7 88 8000 678 87 8600 000 84 OFF C-3 SLOW
1-8 60 8807 006 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF SLOW
2-1 88 8000 000 00 8888 000 73 2nd, SOFT, SLOW OFF SLOW
2-2 88 8008 008 83 8000 000 82 3rd, SOFT, SLOW OFF FAST
2-3 88 8800 000 00 8800 000 84 2nd, SOFT, FAST OFF SLOW
2-5 80 0888 888 83 8000 000 82 3rd, NORM, FAST C-3 FAST
2-7 88 8080 880 00 8600 000 82 OFF OFF OFF
2-8 28 0030 350 44 8600 000 82 3rd, SOFT, FAST C-3 FAST
3-3 80 0000 888 83 8000 000 82 OFF C-3 FAST
3-5 80 0000 888 83 8000 000 82 OFF C-3 FAST
3-7 81 8151 608 00 0503 000 82 OFF C-2 SLOW
3-8 84 8500 008 00 0806 000 82 OFF OFF SLOW
4-1 80 7050 404 00 8500 000 54 OFF V-3 SLOW
4-2 80 3700 000 00 8500 000 54 OFF V-3 BRAKE
4-3 00 3800 460 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF BRAKE
4-4 00 4544 222 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF BRAKE
4-5 00 6876 540 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF OFF
4-6 00 7373 430 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF OFF
4-7 00 8030 000 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF OFF
4-8 60 8807 006 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF OFF
5-2 80 0000 888 83 8000 000 82 OFF C-3 FAST
5-5 88 8008 008 83 8000 000 82 3rd, SOFT, SLOW OFF SLOW
5-6 85 8500 005 03 8300 000 73 OFF C-3 SLOW
5-7 88 8000 678 87 8600 000 84 OFF C-3 SLOW
5-8 60 8807 006 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF SLOW
67
Preset/OTHER TONES List
PRESET VIBRATO
UPPER PART LOWER PART PEDAL PART PERCUSSION ROTARY
Number AND CHORUS
6-1 88 8000 000 00 8888 000 73 2nd, SOFT, SLOW OFF SLOW
6-2 88 8008 008 83 8000 000 82 3rd, SOFT, SLOW OFF FAST
6-3 88 8800 000 00 8800 000 84 2nd, SOFT, FAST OFF SLOW
6-5 80 0888 888 83 8000 000 82 3rd, NORM, FAST C-3 FAST
6-7 88 8080 880 00 8600 000 82 OFF OFF OFF
6-8 28 0030 350 44 8600 000 82 3rd, SOFT, FAST C-3 FAST
7-3 80 0000 888 83 8000 000 82 OFF C-3 FAST
7-5 80 0000 888 83 8000 000 82 OFF C-3 FAST
7-7 81 8151 608 00 0503 000 82 OFF C-2 SLOW
7-8 84 8500 008 00 0806 000 82 OFF OFF SLOW
8-1 80 7050 404 00 8500 000 54 OFF V-3 SLOW
8-2 80 3700 000 00 8500 000 54 OFF V-3 BRAKE
8-3 00 3800 460 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF BRAKE
8-4 00 4544 222 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF BRAKE
8-5 00 6876 540 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF OFF
8-6 00 7373 430 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF OFF
8-7 00 8030 000 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF OFF
8-8 60 8807 006 00 8800 000 84 OFF OFF OFF
*Preset 5-1–8-8 have the same contents as 1-1–4-8.
■ OTHER TONES List
Button’s Number Tone

[1] PIANO
[4] STRINGS
[5] JAZZ SCAT
[6] CHOIR
[7] SYNTH
[8] BRASS
68
Edit Parameters
Settings that are saved for the entire System Parameters that are stored in a preset
●Rotary-related settings ●Effect and other setting
• ROTARY WOOFER LEVEL • REVERB TIME
• ROTARY TWEETER LEVEL • OTHER TONES CHORUS LEVEL
• ROTARY WOOFER RISE TIME • OTHER TONES OCTAVE SHIFT
• ROTARY TWEETER RISE TIME • HOLD PEDAL ASSIGN
• ROTARY WOOFER FALL TIME • D BEAM ROTARY SPEED MODE
• ROTARY TWEETER FALL TIME
• ROTARY WOOFER SPREAD ●OTHER TONES PART ASSIGN
• ROTARY TWEETER SPREAD ●SPLIT POINT
• ROTARY WOOFER SPEED SLOW ●EXPRESSION PEDAL MODE
• ROTARY TWEETER SPEED SLOW
• ROTARY WOOFER SPEED FAST ●Panel settings.
• ROTARY TWEETER SPEED FAST • The sounds of the Upper part, Lower part, and Pedal part
• ROTARY MIC DISTANCE of the Harmonic Bar settings.
• ROTARY RANDOMIZE • ROTARY [ON] button
• ROTARY [BRAKE] button
●Click Noise and Percussion settings • ROTARY [SLOW/FAST] button
• ON CLICK LEVEL • [TONE WHEEL] button
• OFF CLICK LEVEL • [LEAKAGE] knob
• PERCUSSION SOFT LEVEL • [AMPLIFIER] button
• PERCUSSION NORMAL LEVEL • [OVERDRIVE] knob
• PERCUSSION SLOW TIME • [TONE] knob
• PERCUSSION FAST TIME • [REVERB] button
• PERCUSSION RECHARGE TIME • REVERB [LEVEL] knob
• PERCUSSION H-BAR LEVEL • PERCUSSION [SECOND] button
• PERCUSSION [THIRD] button
●MIDI-related settings • PERCUSSION [SOFT] button
• LOCAL CONTROL • PERCUSSION [SLOW] button
• MIDI THRU • VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button
• SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION • [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob
• CONTROL MIDI CH. • D BEAM [ON] button
• UPPER ORGAN MIDI CH. • [D BEAM] button
• LOWER ORGAN MIDI CH. • [SPLIT] button
• PEDAL ORAGN MIDI CH. • OTHER TONES [1]–[8] button
• OTHER TONES MIDI CH. • [OTHER TONES LEVEL] knob
• DRUM MIDI CH.
• SPRING SHOCK MIDI CH.
• MIDI SOUND CONTROLLERS SWITCH
• MIDI GENERL CONTROLLERS SWITCH
• MIDI PROGRAM CHANGE SWITCH
●Equalizer and other settings

• EQ BASS
• EQ MIDDLE
• EQ TREBLE
• MASTER TUNE
• KEY TRANSPOSE
• FOOT CONTROL POLARITY
• HOLD PEDAL POLARITY
• D BEAM SENSITIVITY
●CONTROL PEDAL ASSIGN
69
Drum List
27 High Q When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is off, and
28 Slap the MIDI channel of an external device connected to VK-8 is
29
Scratch Push [EXC7]
30 Scratch Pull [EXC7]
set to the same channel as the DRUM MIDI CH. (p. 54) of the
31 Sticks VK-8, you can sound a drum set using the external MIDI
32 Square Click device.
33 Metronome Click
34 Metronome Bell
35
Acoustic Bass Drum
C2 36 Bass Drum 1
37 Side Stick
38 Acoustic Snare
39 Hand Clap
40 Electric Snare
41
Low Floor Tom
42 Closed Hi-hat [EXC1]
43 High Floor Tom
44 Pedal Hi-hat [EXC1]
45 Low Tom
46 Open Hi-hat [EXC1]
47
Low-Mid Tom
C3 48 High Mid Tom
49 Crash Cymbal 1
50 High Tom
51 Ride Cymbal 1
52 Chinese Cymbal
53
Ride Bell
54 Tambourine
55 Splash Cymbal
56 Cowbell
57 Crash Cymbal 2
58 Vibra-slap
59
Ride Cymbal 2
C4 60 High Bongo
61 Low Bongo
62 Mute Hi Conga
63 Open Hi Conga
64 Low Conga
65
High Timbale
66 Low Timbale
67 High Agogo
68 Low Agogo
69 Cabasa
70 Maracas
71
Short Whistle [EXC2]
C5 72 Long Whistle [EXC2]
73 Short Guiro [EXC3]
74 Long Guiro [EXC3]
75 Claves
76 Hi Wood Block
77 Low Wood Block
78 Mute Cuica [EXC4]
79 Open Cuica [EXC4]
80 Mute Triangle [EXC5]
81 Open Triangle [EXC5]
82 Shaker
83
Jingle Bell
C6 84 Bell Tree
85 Castanets
86 Mute Surdo [EXC6]
87 Open Surdo [EXC6]
88 --- --- ---
70
MIDI Implementation
Model: VK-8 (Combo Organ) ❍Expression (Controller number 11)
Date: Dec. 1, 2001 Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
Version: 1.00 BnH 0BH vvH
n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
1. Receive data vv = expression : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127)
* If you want to control all of the Organ Parts, transmit data on the channel specified by
* The VK-8 has two MIDI IN connectors: KEYBOARD IN and PEDAL IN. If the SUB
the CONTROL MIDI CH. setting (factory setting: channel 1). It is not possible to
KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is ON, messages input to KEYBOARD IN will be
separately control each part of the Organ Part.
received as messages for the Lower part, regardless of their channel number. Messages
* When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is ON, this has the same function as an
input to PEDAL IN will be received as messages for the Pedal part, regardless of their
expression pedal connected to the VK-8’s EXPRESSION PEDAL jack.
channel number (Omni On).
* When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is OFF, MIDI messages will control each
❍General Purpose Controller 1 (Controller number 16) (Other tones
part according to their MIDI channel number (Omni Off). At the factory settings, each
glide)
part is set to the following transmit/receive channels.
Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
-----------------------
CONTROL | 1ch BnH 10H vvH
UPPER ORGAN | 1ch n = MIDI channel number: 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
LOWER ORGAN | 3ch
PEDAL ORGAN | 2ch vv = control value : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) 0-63 = OFF, 64-127 = ON
OTHER TONES | 4ch * Received only for the Other Tones Part.
DRUMS | 10ch
SPRING SHOCK | 9ch * Not received when MIDI GENERAL CONTROLLERS SWITCH (p. 53) is OFF.
-----------------------
❍General Purpose Controller 2 (Controller number 17) (Wheel Brake)
■Channel Voice Messages Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
●Note off BnH 11H vvH
Status 2nd byte 3rd byte n = MIDI channel number: 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
8nH kkH vvH vv = control value : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) 0-63 = OFF, 64-127 = ON
9nH kkH 00H * When SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is OFF, this is received on the channel
n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16) specified for CONTROL MIDI CH. (p. 54) (factory setting: channel 1).
kk = note number : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) * Not received by the Other Tones part.
vv = note off velocity : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) * Not received when MIDI GENERAL CONTROLLERS SWITCH (p. 53) is OFF.
* When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is ON, the input to the KEYBOARD IN
will be handled as messages for the LOWER PART, and the input to PEDAL IN will be ❍Hold 1 (Controller number 64)
handled as messages for the PEDAL PART. Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
BnH 40H vvH
●Note on n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
Status 2nd byte 3rd byte vv = control value : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) 0-63 = OFF, 64-127 = ON
9nH kkH vvH * When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is ON, this has same function as a hold
n = MIDI channel number: 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16) pedal connected to the VK-8’s HOLD PEDAL jack.
kk = note number : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127)
vv = note on velocity : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) ❍Sound Controller 1-9 (Controller number 70-78) (Harmonic Bars)
* When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is ON, the input to the KEYBOARD IN Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
will be handled as messages for the LOWER PART, and the input to PEDAL IN will be BnH ccH vvH
handled as messages for the PEDAL PART. n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
cc = control change number : 46H - 4EH (70-78)
●Control Change vv = control value : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127)
* Receives harmonic bar values.
❍Modulation (Controller number 1)
* Not received by the Other Tones part.
* When the SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is ON, the input to the KEYBOARD IN
BnH 01H vvH
will be handled as messages for the LOWER PART, and the input to PEDAL IN will be
handled as messages for the PEDAL PART.
vv = modulation depth : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127)
* Not received when MIDI SOUND CONTROLLERS SWITCH (p. 53) is OFF.
* Received only for the Other Tones Part.
cc |H.Bar Feet
❍Data Entry (Controller Number 6, 38) ----------+-------------------------------------
46H |16’
Status 2nd byte 3rd byte 47H |5 1/3’
BnH 06H mmH 48H |8’
49H |4’
BnH 26H llH 4AH |2 1/3’
n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16) 4BH |2’
4CH |1 3/5’
mm,ll = the value of the parameter specified by RPN/NRPN 4DH |1 1/3’
mm = upper byte (MSB), ll = lower byte (LSB) 4EH |1’
* Control values and harmonic bars are related as follows.

❍Volume (Controller number 7) vv |H.Bar Level
Status 2nd byte 3rd byte -------------+---------------------------------
00H - 0EH |0
BnH 07H vvH 0FH - 1CH |1
n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16) 1DH - 2AH |2
2BH - 38H |3
vv = volume : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) 39H - 47H |4
* Received only for the Other Tones Part. 48H - 55H |5
56H - 63H |6
64H - 71H |7
❍Panpot (Controller number 10) 72H - 7FH |8
❍General Purpose Controller 5 (Controller number 80) (Rotary Speed)
BnH 0AH vvH
n = MIDI channel number: 0H-FH (ch.1-ch.16)
BnH 50H vvH
vv = panpot: 00H-40H-7FH (Left-Center-Right)
n = MIDI channel number: 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
vv = control value: 00H - 7FH (0 - 127)
* When SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION is OFF (p. 58), this is received on the channel
specified for CONTROL MIDI CH. (p. 54) (factory setting: channel 1).
* Not received when MIDI GENERAL CONTROLLERS SWITCH (p. 53) is OFF.
71
MIDI Implementation
❍General Purpose Controller 6 (Controller number 81) (Rotary Brake) ■Channel Mode messages
●All Sound Off (Controller number 120)
BnH 51H vvH
BnH 78H 00H
vv = control value: 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) 0-63 = SPIN, 64-127 = BRAKE
* When SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION is OFF (p. 58), this is received on the channel
* When this message is received, all notes currently sounding on the corresponding
specified for CONTROL MIDI CH. (p. 54) (factory setting: channel 1).
channel will be turned off.
❍RPN MSB/LSB (Controller number 100, 101) ●Reset All Controllers (Controller number 121)
Status 2nd byte 3rd byte Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
BnH 65H mmH BnH 79H 00H
BnH 64H llH n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
n = MIDI channel number: 0H - FH (ch.1 - 16) * When this message is received, the following controllers will be set to their reset values.
mm = upper byte (MSB) of parameter number specified by RPN Controller Reset value
ll = lower byte (LSB) of parameter number specified by RPN Pitch Bend Change ±0 (center)
Modulation 0 (off)
<<< RPN >>> Hold 1 0 (off)
Control Changes include RPN (Registered Parameter Numbers), which are extended. When
using RPNs, first RPN (Controller numbers 100 and 101; they can be sent in any order) ●All Note Off (Controller number 123)
should be sent in order to select the parameter, then Data Entry (Controller numbers 6 and Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
38) should be sent to set the value. Once RPN messages are received, Data Entry messages BnH 7BH 00H
that is received at the same MIDI channel after that are recognized as changing toward the n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
value of the RPN messages. In order not to make any mistakes, transmitting RPN Null is * When All Note Off is received, all currently sounding notes of the corresponding
recommended after setting parameters you need. channel will be turned off. However if Hold 1 is on, the sound will be held until these are
turned off.
This device receives the following RPNs.
■System Realtime Messages
RPN Data entry
MSB, LSB MSB, LSB Notes ●Active Sensing
00H, 00H mmH, llH Pitch Bend Sensitivity Status
mm: 00H - 18H (0 - 24 semitones) FEH
ll: ignored (processed as 00H) * When an Active Sensing message is received, the unit will begin monitoring the interval
Up to 2 octave can be specified in semitone steps. at which MIDI messages are received. During monitoring, if more than 420 ms passes
* Not received by the Organ part. without a message being received, the same processing will be done as when All Sound
00H, 01H mmH, llH Master Fine Tuning Off, All Note Off, and Reset All Controllers messages are received. Then monitoring will
mm, ll: 20 00H - 40 00H - 60 00H (-8192 x 50 / be halted.
8192 - 0 - +8192 x 50 / 8192 cent)
* Not received by the Organ part. ■System Exclusive Messages
00H, 02H mmH, llH Master Coarse Tuning Status data byte Status
mm: 10H - 40H - 70H (-48 - 0 - +48 semitones) F0H iiH, ddH, ......, eeH F7H
ll: ignored (processed as 00H) F0H : System Exclusive message status
* Not received by the Organ part. ii = ID number : This is the ID number (manufacturer ID) that specifies the
7FH, 7FH ---, --- RPN null manufacturer whose exclusive message this is. Roland’s manufacturer
RPN and NRPN will be set as “unspecified.” ID is 41H.ID numbers 7EH and 7FH are defined in an expansion of the
Once this setting has been made, subsequent MIDI standard as Universal Non-realtime messages (7EH) and
Parameter values that were previously set will Universal Realtime Messages (7FH).
not change. dd,..., ee = data : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127)
mm, ll: ignored F7H : EOX (End Of Exclusive) This is the last status of system exclusive
message.
●Program Change The System Exclusive Messages received by VK-8 are; messages related to mode settings,
Status 2nd byte Universal Realtime System Exclusive messages, Data Requests (RQ1), and Data Set (DT1).
CnH ppH
n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16) ●Universal Non-realtime System Exclusive Messages
pp = program number : 00H - 3FH (prog.1 - prog.64) (Preset) ❍Identity Request Message
00H - 07H (prog.1 - prog.8) (Other Tones) Status Data byte Status
* Not received when MIDI PROGRAM CHANGE SWITCH is OFF (p. 53) (factory setting: F0H 7EH, dev, 06H, 01H F7H
ON). Byte Explanation
* Presets are received on the channel specified by CONTROL MIDI CH. (p. 54) (factory FOH Exclusive status
setting: channel 1). The Other Tones part is received on the channel specified by OTHER 7FH ID number (universal realtime message)
TONES MIDI CH. (p. 54) (factory setting: channel 4). dev Device ID (dev: 10H (17) fixed)
* Preset numbers will be switched when SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION (p. 58) is ON. 06H Sub ID#1 (General Information)
01H Sub ID#2 (Identity Request)
●Pitch Bend Change F7H EOX (End Of Exclusive)
Status 2nd byte 3rd byte * The “dev” is own device number or 7FH (Broadcast)
EnH llH mmH
mm,ll=Pitch Bend value : 00 00H - 40 00H - 7F 7FH (-8192 - 0 - +8191)
72
MIDI Implementation
●Data Request 1 RQ1 2. Transmitted Data

This message requests the other device to transmit data. The address and size indicate the * Messages that affect the system or the entire organ part are transmitted on the channel
type and amount of data that is requested. When a Data Request message is received, if the specified by CONTROL MIDI CH. (p. 54).
device is in a state in which it is able to transmit data, and if the address and size are * Messages related to individual Organ parts are transmitted on the channels specified by
appropriate, the requested data is transmitted as a Data Set 1 (DT1) message. If the UPPER/LOWER/PEDAL ORGAN MIDI CH. (p. 54).
conditions are not met, nothing is transmitted. The model ID of the exclusive messages used * Messages related to the Other Tones part are transmitted on the channel specified by
by this instrument is 00 4DH. OTHER TONES MIDI CH. (p. 54).
Status data byte

F0H 41H, dev, 00H, 4DH, 11H, aaH, bbH, ccH, ddH, ssH, ttH, uuH, vvH,
■Channel Voice Messages
sum ●Note off
Status Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
F7H 8nH kkH vvH
Byte Remarks kk = note number: 1EH-65H (30-101) (Organ Part)
F0H Exclusive status 00H-7FH (0-127) (Other Tones Part)
41H ID number (Roland) vv = note off velocity: 40H (64) (Organ Part)
dev device ID (dev: 10H fixed) 00H-7FH (0-127) (Other Tones Part)
00H model ID
4DH model ID (VK-8)
●Note on
11H command ID (RQ1)
9nH kkH vvH
aaH address MSB
bbH address
kk = note number: 1EH-65H (30-101) (Organ Part)
ccH address
00H-7FH (0-127) (Other Tones Part)
ddH address LSB
vv = note on velocity: 64H (100) (Organ Part)
ssH size MSB
01H-7FH (1-127) (Other Tones Part)
ttH size
uuH size
vvH size LSB ●Control Change
sum checksum ❍Volume (Controller number 7)
F7H EOX (End Of Exclusive) Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
BnH 07H vvH
* The amount of data can be transmitted at one time depends on the type of data, and data n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
will be transmitted from the specified starting address and size. Refer to the address and vv = volume : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127)
size given in “Parameter Address Map” (p. 74). * Transmitted in accord with movement of the panel’s [OTHER TONES LEVEL] knob on
* For the address, size, and checksum, refer to “Examples of system exclusive messages the channel specified by OTHER TONES MIDI CH. (p. 54).
and calculating the checksum” (p. 76).
* Regarding the checksum, please refer to page 76. ❍Expression (Controller number 11)
●Data Set 1 DT1 BnH 0BH vvH
This message transmits the actual data, and is used when you wish to set the data of the n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
receiving device. vv = expression : 10H - 7FH (10 - 127) (Organ Part)
Status data byte 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) (Other Tones Part)
F0H 41H, dev, 00H, 4DH, 12H, aaH, bbH, ccH, ddH, eeH, ... ffH, sum * Transmitted when the expression pedal is operated, on the channel specified by
Status CONTROL MIDI CH. (p. 54) and OTHER TONES MIDI CH. (p. 54).
F7H
❍General Purpose Controller 1 (Controller number 16) (Other Tones
Byte Remarks Glide)
F0H Exclusive status Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
41H ID number (Roland) BnH 10H vvH
dev device ID (dev: 10H fixed) n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
00H model ID vv = control value : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) 0-63 = OFF, 64-127 = ON
4DH model ID (VK-8) * Not received when MIDI GENERAL CONTROLLERS SWITCH (p. 53) is OFF.
12H command ID (DT1)
❍General Purpose Controller 2 (Controller number 17) (Wheel Brake)
aaH address MSB
bbH address
BnH 11H vvH
ccH address
ddH address LSB
vv = control value : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) 0-63 = OFF, 64-127 = ON
eeH data : The actual data to be transmitted. Multi-byte data is transmitted
in the order of the address.
: : ❍Hold 1 (Controller number 64)
ffH data Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
sum checksum BnH 40H vvH
F7H EOX (End Of Exclusive) n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
* For the address, size, and checksum, refer to “Examples of System Exclusive Messages vv = control value : 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) 0-63 = OFF, 64-127 = ON
and Calculating the Checksum” (p. 76).
* Data whose size is greater than 128 bytes should be divided into packets of 128 bytes or ❍General Purpose Controller 5 (Controller number 80) (Rotary Speed)
less and transmitted. Successive “Data Set 1” messages should have at least 40 ms of Status 2nd byte 3rd byte
time interval between them. BnH 50H vvH
* Regarding the checksum, please refer to page 76. n = MIDI channel number: 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16)
vv = control value: 00H - 7FH (0 - 127)
❍General Purpose Controller 6 (Controller number 81) (Rotary Brake)

BnH 51H vvH
vv = control value: 00H - 7FH (0 - 127) 0-63 = SPIN, 64-127 = BRAKE
73
MIDI Implementation
●Program Change 3. Parameter address map (MODEL ID = 00

Status 2nd byte
CnH ppH 4DH)
n = MIDI channel number : 0H - FH (ch.1 - ch.16) Transmission of “#” marked address is divided to some packets. For example, ABH in
pp = program number : 00H - 3FH (prog.1 - prog.64) (Preset) hexadecimal notation will be divied to 0AH and 0BH, and is sent/received in this order.
00H - 07H (prog.1 - prog.8) (Other Tones) +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
| Start | |
* Not received when MIDI PROGRAM CHANGE SWITCH is OFF (p. 53) (factory setting: | Address | Description |
ON). |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 00 00 00 | System |
■System Realtime Message |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 10 00 00 00 | Temporary Preset |
●Active sensing | : | |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
Status | 20 00 00 00 | User Preset (01) |
FEH | 20 01 00 00 | User Preset (02) |
| : | |
* This will be transmitted constantly at intervals of approximately 250 ms. | 20 3F 00 00 | User Preset (64) |
+—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
■System Exclusive Messages • System
“Identity Reply” and “Data Set 1 (DT1)” are the only System Exclusive messages +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
transmitted by VK-8. | Offset | |
| Address | Description |
When an appropriate “Identity Request Message” and “Data Request 1 (RQ1)” message are |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
received, the requested internal data will be transmitted. | 00 00 00 | System Common |
| 00 01 00 | System MIDI |
| 00 02 00 | System Organ |
●Identity Reply | 00 03 00 | System FX |
+—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
Status Data byte
F0H 7EH, dev, 06H, 02H, 41H, 4DH, 01H, 00H, 00H, 00H, 01H, 00H, 02H • Preset
Status +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
| Offset | |
F7H | Address | Description |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
Byte Explanation | 00 00 00 | Preset Common |
| 00 10 00 | Preset Organ |
FOH Exclusive status | 00 20 00 | Preset FX |
7EH ID number (universal non-realtime message) +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
dev Device ID (use the same as the device ID of Roland)
• System Common
06H Sub ID#1 (General Information)
+—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
02H Sub ID#2 (Identity Reply) | Offset | |
41H ID number (Roland) | Address | Description |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
4DH Device family code (LSB) |# 00 00 | 0000 aaaa | |
01H Device family code (MSB) | | 0000 bbbb | |
| | 0000 cccc | |
00H Device family number code (LSB) | | 0000 dddd | Master Tune (24 — 2024) |
00H Device family number code (MSB) | | | —100.0 — 100.0 [cent] |
| 00 04 | 0000 aaaa | Key Transpose (58 — 69) |
00H Software revision level | | | —6 — +5 |
01H Software revision level | 00 05 | 0000 aaaa | Foot Control Assign (0 — 10) |
| | | ROTARY SLOW/FAST, ROTARY SPEED, |
00H Software revision level | | | ROTARY BRAKE ON/OFF, OTHER TONES |
00H Software revision level | | | GLIDE, PRESET UP, OVERDRIVE, |
| | | OTHER TONES EXPRESSION, D BEAM SYNC, |
F7H EOX (End of Exclusive) | | | CRESCENDO, RING MODULATION, |
* Reply the message by the unique device ID (dev) when the device has received the | | | TONE WHEEL BRAKE, SPRING SHOCK |
| 00 06 | 0000 000a | Foot Control Polarity (0 — 1) |
“Identity Request Message” in the Broadcast. | | | STANDARD, REVERSE |
| 00 07 | 0000 000a | Hold Pedal Polarity (0 — 1) |
| | | STANDARD, REVERSE |
●Data Set1 DT1 |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 00 00 08 | Total Size |
Status data byte +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
F0H 41H, dev, 00H, 4DH, 12H, aaH, bbH, ccH, ddH, eeH... eeH, sum
Status • System MIDI
F7H +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
| Offset | |
| Address | Description |
Byte Remarks |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
F0H Exclusive status | 00 00 | 0000 aaaa | Control Channel (0 — 15) |
| | | 1 — 16 |
41H ID number (Roland) | 00 01 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Channel (0 — 15) |
dev device ID (dev: 10H fixed) | | | 1 — 16 |
| 00 02 | 0000 aaaa | Lower Channel (0 — 15) |
00H model ID | | | 1 — 16 |
4DH model ID (VK-8) | 00 03 | 0000 aaaa | Pedal Channel (0 — 15) |
| | | 1 — 16 |
12H command ID (DT1) | 00 04 | 0000 aaaa | Other Tones Channel (0 — 15) |
aaH address MSB | | | 1 — 16 |
| 00 05 | 0000 aaaa | Drums Channel (0 — 15) |
bbH address | | | 1 — 16 |
ccH address | 00 06 | 0000 aaaa | Spring Shock Channel (0 — 15) |
| | | 1 — 16 |
ddH address LSB |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
eeH data: The actual data to be transmitted. Multi-byte data is transmitted | 00 07 | 0000 000a | Sound Controlers Switch (0 — 1) |
| | | OFF, ON |
in the address order. | 00 08 | 0000 000a | General Controlers Switch (0 — 1) |
: : | | | OFF, ON |
| 00 09 | 0000 000a | Program Change Switch (0 — 1) |
ffH data | | | OFF, ON |
sum checksum |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 00 00 0A | Total Size |
F7H EOX (End Of Exclusive) +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
* For the address, size, and checksum, refer to “Examples of System Exclusive Messages
and Calculating the Checksum” (p. 76).
* Large amounts of data must be divided into packets of 128 bytes or less, and transmitted
at intervals of approximately 40 ms.
* Regarding the checksum, please refer to page 76.
74
MIDI Implementation
• System Organ • Preset Organ

+—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+ +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
| Offset | | | Offset | |
| Address | Description | | Address | Description |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 00 | 000a aaaa | On Click Level (0 — 31) | | 00 00 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Harmonic Bar 16' (0 — 8) |
| 00 01 | 000a aaaa | Off Click Level (0 — 31) | | 00 01 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Harmonic Bar 5—1/3' (0 — 8) |
| 00 02 | 0000 aaaa | Percussion Soft Level (0 — 15) | | 00 02 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Harmonic Bar 8' (0 — 8) |
| 00 03 | 0000 aaaa | Percussion Norm Level (0 — 15) | | 00 03 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Harmonic Bar 4' (0 — 8) |
| 00 04 | 0aaa aaaa | Percussion Slow Time (0 — 127) | | 00 04 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Harmonic Bar 2—2/3' (0 — 8) |
| 00 05 | 0aaa aaaa | Percussion Fast Time (0 — 127) | | 00 05 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Harmonic Bar 2' (0 — 8) |
| 00 06 | 0000 aaaa | Percussion Recharge Time (0 — 10) | | 00 06 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Harmonic Bar 1—3/5' (0 — 8) |
| 00 07 | 0aaa aaaa | Percussion H.Bar Level (0 — 127) | | 00 07 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Harmonic Bar 1—1/3' (0 — 8) |
| 00 08 | 0aaa aaaa | D—Beam Crescendo (0 — 127) | | 00 08 | 0000 aaaa | Upper Harmonic Bar 1' (0 — 8) |
| 00 09 | 0aaa aaaa | Organ Crescendo (0 — 127) | |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| | 00 09 | 0000 aaaa | Lower Harmonic Bar 16' (0 — 8) |
| 00 00 00 0A | Total Size | | 00 0A | 0000 aaaa | Lower Harmonic Bar 5—1/3' (0 — 8) |
+—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+ | 00 0B | 0000 aaaa | Lower Harmonic Bar 8' (0 — 8) |
| 00 0C | 0000 aaaa | Lower Harmonic Bar 4' (0 — 8) |
• System FX | 00 0D | 0000 aaaa | Lower Harmonic Bar 2—2/3' (0 — 8) |
| 00 0E | 0000 aaaa | Lower Harmonic Bar 2' (0 — 8) |
+—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+ | 00 0F | 0000 aaaa | Lower Harmonic Bar 1—3/5' (0 — 8) |
| Offset | | | 00 10 | 0000 aaaa | Lower Harmonic Bar 1—1/3' (0 — 8) |
| Address | Description | | 00 11 | 0000 aaaa | Lower Harmonic Bar 1' (0 — 8) |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 00 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Woofer Level (0 — 127) | | 00 12 | 0000 aaaa | Pedal Harmonic Bar 16' (0 — 8) |
| 00 01 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Tweeter Level (0 — 127) | | 00 13 | 0000 aaaa | Pedal Harmonic Bar 8' (0 — 8) |
| 00 02 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Woofer Rise Time (0 — 127) | |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 03 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Tweeter Rise Time (0 — 127) | | 00 14 | 0000 000a | Percussion Switch (0 — 1) |
| 00 04 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Woofer Fall Time (0 — 127) | | | | OFF, ON |
| 00 05 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Tweeter Fall Time (0 — 127) | | 00 15 | 0000 000a | Percussion Harmonic (0 — 1) |
| 00 06 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Woofer Speed Fast (0 — 127) | | | | 2ND, 3RD |
| 00 07 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Tweeter Speed Fast (0 — 127) | | 00 16 | 0000 000a | Percussion Soft (0 — 1) |
| 00 08 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Woofer Speed Slow (0 — 127) | | | | NORM, SOFT |
| 00 09 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Tweeter Speed Slow (0 — 127) | | 00 17 | 0000 000a | Percussion Slow (0 — 1) |
| 00 0A | 0000 aaaa | Rotary Woofer Spread (0 — 10) | | | | FAST, SLOW |
| 00 0B | 0000 aaaa | Rotary Tweeter Spread (0 — 10) | |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 0C | 0000 aaaa | Rotary Mic Distance (0 — 10) | | 00 18 | 0000 00aa | Wheel Type (0 — 3) |
| 00 0D | 0000 aaaa | Rotary Randomize (0 — 10) | | | | VINTAGE 1, VINTAGE 2, CLEAN |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| | 00 19 | 0aaa aaaa | Leakage Level (0 — 127) |
| 00 0E | 0000 aaaa | EQ Bass (59 — 69) | |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| | | —5 — +5 | | 00 00 00 1A | Total Size |
| 00 0F | 0000 aaaa | EQ Middle (59 — 69) | +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
| | | —5 — +5 |
| 00 10 | 0000 aaaa | EQ Treble (59 — 69) | • Preset FX
| | | —5 — +5 |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
| 00 00 00 11 | Total Size | | Offset | |
+—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+ | Address | Description |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
• Preset Common | 00 00 | 0000 000a | Vibrato Chorus Switch (0 — 1) |
| | | OFF, ON |
+—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+ | 00 01 | 0000 0aaa | Vibrato Chorus Type (0 — 5) |
| Offset | | | | | V—1, V—2, V—3, C—1, C—2, C—3 |
| Address | Description | | 00 02 | 0000 00aa | Vibrato Chorus Vintage (0 — 2) |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| | | | '50, '60, '70 |
| 00 00 | 0000 000a | Keyboard Split Switch (0 — 1) | |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| | | OFF, ON | | 00 03 | 0aaa aaaa | Rotary Speed (0 — 127) |
| 00 01 | 0aaa aaaa | Keyboard Split Point (0 — 127) | | 00 04 | 0000 000a | Rotary Brake (0 — 1) |
| | | C—1 — G9 | | | | OFF, ON |
| 00 02 | 0000 000a | Hold Pedal Assign (0 — 1) | | 00 05 | 0000 000a | Rotary Bypass (0 — 1) |
| | | ORGAN & OTHER TONES, OTHER TONES | | | | OFF, ON |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 03 | 0000 000a | D—Beam Switch (0 — 1) | | 00 06 | 0000 00aa | Amp & Speaker (0 — 3) |
| | | OFF, ON | | | | TYPE I, TYPE II, TYPE III, TYPE IV |
| 00 04 | 0000 0aaa | D—Beam Assign (0 — 4) | | 00 07 | 0aaa aaaa | Overdrive (0 — 127) |
| | | CRESCENDO, ROTARY SPEED, RING | | | | OFF, 1 — 127 |
| | | MODULATION, TONE WHEEL BRAKE, | | 00 08 | 0aaa aaaa | Tone (1 — 127) |
| | | SPRING SHOCK | | | | —63 — +63 |
| 00 05 | 0000 000a | D—Beam Rotary Speed Mode (0 — 1) | |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| | | SLOW/FAST, COTINUOUS | | 00 09 | 0000 000a | Ring Modulator Switch (0 — 1) |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| | | | OFF, ON |
| 00 06 | 0000 000a | Rotary Fast/Slow Status (0 — 1) | | 00 0A | 0aaa aaaa | Ring Modulator Frequency (0 — 127) |
| | | SLOW, FAST | |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| | 00 0B | 0000 00aa | Reverb Type (0 — 3) |
| 00 07 | 0000 00aa | Expression Mode (0 — 2) | | | | ROOM, HALL, CHURCH, SPRING |
| | | NORMAL, OTHER TONES CRESCENDO, | | 00 0C | 0aaa aaaa | Reverb Level (0 — 127) |
| | | ORGAN CRESCENDO | | 00 0D | 0aaa aaaa | Reverb Time (0 — 127) |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————| |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 08 | 0000 000a | Other Tones Switch (0 — 1) | | 00 0E | 0aaa aaaa | Chorus Level (0 — 127) |
| | | OFF, ON | |—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 09 | 0000 0aaa | Other Tones PC Number (0 — 7) | | 00 00 00 0F | Total Size |
| | | 1 — 8 | +—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
| 00 0A | 0aaa aaaa | Other Tones Level (0 — 127) |
| 00 0B | 0000 0aaa | Other Tones Octave Shift (61 — 67) |
| | | —3 — +3 |
| 00 0C | 0000 00aa | Other Tones Assign (0 — 2) |
| | | UPPER, LOWER, PEDAL |
|—————————————+———————————————————————————————————————————————————|
| 00 00 00 0D | Total Size |
+—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————+
75
MIDI Implementation
4. Supplementary material ■Examples of System Exclusive Messages and

■Decimal/Hexadecimal Table Calculating the Checksum
MIDI uses 7-bit hexadecimal values to indicate data values and the address and size of Roland exclusive messages (RQ1, DT1) are transmitted with a checksum at the end of the
exclusive messages. The following table shows data (before F7) to check that the data was received correctly. The value of the checksum is
the correspondence between decimal and hexadecimal numbers. determined by the address and data (or size) of the exclusive message.
* Hexadecimal values are indicated by a following ‘H.’
+——————+——————++——————+——————++——————+——————++——————+——————+ ●How to calculate the checksum
| D | H || D | H || D | H || D | H | The checksum consists of a value whose lower 7 bits are 0 when the address, size and
+——————+——————++——————+——————++——————+——————++——————+——————+
| 0 | 00H || 32 | 20H || 64 | 40H || 96 | 60H | checksum itself are added. The following formula shows how to calculate the checksum
| 1 | 01H || 33 | 21H || 65 | 41H || 97 | 61H | when the exclusive message to be transmitted has an address of aa bb cc ddH, and data or
| 2 | 02H || 34 | 22H || 66 | 42H || 98 | 62H |
| 3 | 03H || 35 | 23H || 67 | 43H || 99 | 63H | size of ee ffH.
| 4 | 04H || 36 | 24H || 68 | 44H || 100 | 64H | aa + bb + cc + dd + ee + ff = total
| 5 | 05H || 37 | 25H || 69 | 45H || 101 | 65H |
| 6 | 06H || 38 | 26H || 70 | 46H || 102 | 66H | total ÷ 128 = quotient ... remainder
| 7 | 07H || 39 | 27H || 71 | 47H || 103 | 67H | 128 - remainder = checksum
| 8 | 08H || 40 | 28H || 72 | 48H || 104 | 68H |
| 9 | 09H || 41 | 29H || 73 | 49H || 105 | 69H |
| 10 | 0AH || 42 | 2AH || 74 | 4AH || 106 | 6AH | <Example1> Turn the Temporary Preset Organ percussion switch ON
| 11 | 0BH || 43 | 2BH || 75 | 4BH || 107 | 6BH |
| 12 | 0CH || 44 | 2CH || 76 | 4CH || 108 | 6CH | (DT1).
| 13 | 0DH || 45 | 2DH || 77 | 4DH || 109 | 6DH |
| 14 | 0EH || 46 | 2EH || 78 | 4EH || 110 | 6EH | The “Parameter address map” indicates that the starting address of the Temporary Preset is
| 15 | 0FH || 47 | 2FH || 79 | 4FH || 111 | 6FH | 10 00 00 00H, that the Preset Organ Parameter offset address is 10 00H, and that the
| 16 | 10H || 48 | 30H || 80 | 50H || 112 | 70H |
| 17 | 11H || 49 | 31H || 81 | 51H || 113 | 71H | “PERCUSSION SWITCH” address is 00 14H. Thus, the address is:
| 18 | 12H || 50 | 32H || 82 | 52H || 114 | 72H |
| 19 | 13H || 51 | 33H || 83 | 53H || 115 | 73H |
| 20 | 14H || 52 | 34H || 84 | 54H || 116 | 74H | 10 00 00 00H
| 21 | 15H || 53 | 35H || 85 | 55H || 117 | 75H | 10 00H
| 22 | 16H || 54 | 36H || 86 | 56H || 118 | 76H | +) 00 14H
| 23 | 17H || 55 | 37H || 87 | 57H || 119 | 77H | ---------------
| 24 | 18H || 56 | 38H || 88 | 58H || 120 | 78H | 10 00 10 14H
| 25 | 19H || 57 | 39H || 89 | 59H || 121 | 79H |
| 26 | 1AH || 58 | 3AH || 90 | 5AH || 122 | 7AH | Since “ON” is parameter value 01H,
| 27 | 1BH || 59 | 3BH || 91 | 5BH || 123 | 7BH | F0 41 10 00 4D 12 10 00 10 14 01 ?? F7
| 28 | 1CH || 60 | 3CH || 92 | 5CH || 124 | 7CH |
| 29 | 1DH || 61 | 3DH || 93 | 5DH || 125 | 7DH | (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) address data checksum (6)
| 30 | 1EH || 62 | 3EH || 94 | 5EH || 126 | 7EH |
| 31 | 1FH || 63 | 3FH || 95 | 5FH || 127 | 7FH |
+——————+——————++——————+——————++——————+——————++——————+——————+ (1) Exclusive status (2) ID number (Roland) (3) device ID(17)
D: decimal (4) model ID (VK-8) (5) command ID (DT1) (6) EOX
H: hexadecimal
* Decimal expressions such as used for MIDI channel, Bank Select, and Program Change Next we calculate the checksum.
will be the value 1 greater than the decimal value given in the above table. 10H + 00H + 10H + 14H + 01H = 16 + 0 + 16 + 20 + 1 = 53 (sum)
* Since each MIDI byte carries 7 significant data bits, each byte can express a maximum of 53 (total) ÷ 128 = 0 (quotient)... 53 (remainder)
128 different values. Data for which higher resolution is required must be transmitted checksum = 128 - 53 (quotient) = 75 = 4BH
using two or more bytes. For example a value indicated as a two-byte value of aa bbH
This means that the message transmitted will be F0 41 10 00 4D 12 10 00 10 14 01 4B F7.
would have a value of aa x 128 + bb.
* For a signed number (±), 00H = -64, 40H = ±0, and 7FH = +63. I.e., the decimal equivalent
<Example2> Obtain preset organ parameter data for User Preset: 02
will be 64 less than the decimal value given in the above table. For a two-byte signed
number, 00 00H = -8192, 40 00H = ±0, and 7F 7FH = +8191. For example the decimal (RQ1).
expression of aa bbH would be aa bbH - 40 00H = aa x 128 + bb - 64 x 128. The “Parameter address map” indicates that the starting address of USER: 02 is 20 01 00
Hexadecimal notation in two 4-bit units is used for data indicated as “nibbled.” The 00H, and that the offset address of Organ Parameter is 10 00H. Thus, the address is:
nibbled two-byte value of 0a 0b H would be a x 16 + b.
20 01 00 00H
+) 10 00H
<Example1> What is the decimal equivalent of 5AH? ---------------
From the above table, 5AH = 90. 20 01 10 00H
Since the size of the Performance Part is 00 00 00 1AH,

<Example2> What is the decimal equivalent of the 7-bit hexadecimal F0 41 10 00 4D 11 20 01 10 00 00 00 00 1A ?? F7
values 12 34H? (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) address data checksum (6)
From the above table, 12H = 18 and 34H = 52
(1) Exclusive status (2) ID number (Roland) (3) Device ID (17)
Thus, 18 x 128 + 52 = 2356
(4) Model ID (VK-8) (5) Command ID (RQ1) (6) EOX
■Examples of Actual MIDI Messages Next we calculate the checksum.

<Example1> 93 3E 5F 20H + 01H + 10H + 00H + 00H + 00H + 00H + 1AH =
9n is the Note On status and ‘n’ is the MIDI channel number. Since 3H = 3, 3EH = 62, and 32 + 1 + 16 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 26 = 75 (sum)
5FH = 95, this is a Note On message of MIDI CH = 4, note number 62 (note name D4) and 75 (total) ÷ 128 = 0 (product)... 75 (remainder)
velocity 95. checksum = 128 - 75 (remainder) = 53 = 35H
Thus, a message of F0 41 10 00 4D 11 20 01 10 00 00 00 00 1A 35 F7 would be transmitted.

<Example2> C0 25
CnH is the Program Change status and ‘n’ is the MIDI channel number. Since 0H = 0, and
25H = 37, this is a Program Change message of MIDI CH = 1, Program number 38
76
COMBO ORGAN Date : Apr. 1, 2003
Model VK-8 MIDI Implementation Chart Version : 2.00
Function... Transmitted Recognized Remarks
SEQUENCER MODE KEYBOARD MODE
Basic Default 1–16 1–16 1–16

Channel Changed 1–16 1–16 X
Default Mode 3 Mode 3 Mode 1

Mode Messages X X X
Altered **************
Note 30–101 0–127 0–127 *1

36–96 (UPPER/LOWER) 36–96 (UPPER/LOWER)
Number : True Voice ************** 36–61 (PEDAL) 36–61 (PEDAL)
0–127 (Other Tones) 0–127 (Other Tones)
Note On O O O *1
Velocity Note Off O O O
After Key's X X X
Touch Channel's X X X
Pitch Bend X O *2 X *3
1 X O *2 O *3 Modulation
6, 38 X O *2 O *3 Data entry
7 O *2 O *2 O *3 Volume
10 X O *2 O *3 Panpot
11 O *4 O *4 O *5 Expression
Control 16 O *6 O *6 O *3 General purpose controller 1
Change 17 O *7 *8 O *7 *8 O *7 General purpose controller 2
70–78 X O *8 *9 *9 Sound controller
80 O O O *12 General purpose controller 5
81 O O *2 O *13 General purpose controller 6
64 O O O *10 Hold 1
100, 101 X O O *3 RPN LSB, MSB
Program 0–63 O O *11

Change : True Number ************** 0–63 (Other Tones: 0–7) Program No. 1–64
System Exclusive O O O
: Song Position X X X Processed as 0

System
: Song Select X X X
Common
: Tune Request X X X
System : Clock X X X
Real Time : Commands X X X
: All Sound Off O O X

Aux : Reset All Controllers X O X
Messages : Local On/Off X X X
: All Notes Off X O X
: Active Sensing O O O
: System Reset X X X
*1 The messages will be received as messages for sub keyboard *7 Wheel Brake
Notes part, regardless of their channel number. *8 The Messages will be received on the channel specified
*2 Only OTHER TONES part by Control MIDI Channel.
*3 When OTHER TONES is assigned to KEYBOARD IN or PEDAL *9 Harmonic Bar
IN jack, the message of the OTHER TONES will be received. *10 Received Data will be handled in the same way as the
*4 The Messages will be received on the channel specified by HOLD PEDAL jack of the VK-8 itself.
Control MIDI Channel and Other Tones MIDI Channel. *11 Preset will be switched by received MIDI message.
*5 Received Data will be handled in the same way as the *12 Rotary Speed
EXPRESSION PEDAL jack of the VK-8 itself. *13 Rotary Brake
*6 OTHER TONES Glide
Mode 1 : OMNI ON, POLY Mode 2 : OMNI ON, MONO O : Yes

Mode 3 : OMNI OFF, POLY Mode 4 : OMNI OFF, MONO X : No
77
Main Specification
VK-8: Combo Organ AMPLIFIER
[OVERDRIVE] knob, [AMPLIFIER] button, [TONE] knob
● Keyboard
Waterfall keyboard 61 keys (with velocity) REVERB
REVERB [LEVEL] knob, [REVERB] button
● Sound Generator
OTHER TONES
Organ: Virtual Tone Wheel Method
[PIANO] button, [ELECTRIC PIANO 1] button,
OTHER TONES: PCM Sound Generator
[ELECTRIC PIANO 2] button, [STRINGS] button,
● Part [JAZZ SCAT] button, [CHOIR] button, [SYNTH] button,
Upper Organ, Lower Organ, Pedal Organ, Other Tones [BRASS] button
[OTHER TONES LEVEL] knob
● Maximum Polyphony
PRESET
Organ: Full Polyphony
[WRITE] button, [BANK] button, [PRESET] button,
Orchestral: 64 voices
[1]–[8] buttons
● Organ PERCUSSION
Tone wheel [SECOND] button, [THIRD] button, [SOFT] button,
VINTAGE 1, VINTAGE 2, CLEAN [SLOW] button
Leakage Level ROTARY SOUND

ROTARY [ON] button, [BRAKE] button, [SLOW/FAST] button
Vibrato and Chorus
V-1, V-2, V-3, C-1, C-2, C-3 Others
[SPLIT] button, [H-BAR MANUAL] button,
Percussion
[MASTER VOLUME] knob
SECOND, THIRD, SOFT, SLOW
AMP simulator ● Connectors
TYPE I, TYPE II, TYPE III OUTPUT Jacks (L (MONO)/R): 1/4 inch TRS phone type
PHONES Jack: Stereo 1/4 inch phone type
Overdrive EXPRESSION PEDAL Jack
Tone HOLD PEDAL Jack
CONTROL PEDAL Jack
Reverb
MIDI Connectors (KEYBOARD IN, PEDAL IN, OUT)
ROOM, HALL, CHRCH, SPRING
ROTARY TONE CABINET Connector
Reverb Level
AC Inlet
D BEAM
CRESCENDO, ROTARY SPEED, RING MODULATOR, TONE
● Power
WHEEL BRAKE, SPRING SHOCK AC 117 V, AC 230 V, AC 240 V
● OTHER TONES ● Power Consumption

PIANO, ELECTRIC PIANO 1, ELECTRIC PIANO 2, STRINGS, 15 W
JAZZ SCAT, CHOIR, SYNTH, BRASS ● Finish
Effect Top Panel: Simulated Walnut
Chorus, Reverb Side Panel: Natural Wood Walnut Finish
● Internal Memory ● Dimensions

Preset memory: 64 (User Memory) 1160 (W) x 344 (D) x 109 (H) mm
45-11/16 (W) x 13-9/16 (D) x 4-5/16 (H) inches
● Control
● Weight
Harmonic Bar 14.5 kg / 32 lbs
16', 5-1/3', 8', 4', 2-2/3', 2', 1-3/5', 1-1/3', 1'
● Accessories
Harmonic Bar Part
Owner’s Manual, Edit Mode Quick Reference, Power cable
[PEDAL] button, [LOWER] button, [UPPER] button
* In the interest of product improvement, the specifications and/or
TONE WHEEL
[LEAKAGE] knob, [TONE WHEEL] button appearance of this unit are subject to change without prior notice.
VIBRATO AND CHORUS

VIBRATO AND CHORUS [ON] button,
[VIBRATO AND CHORUS] rotary knob
D BEAM
D BEAM Controller, D BEAM [ON] button, [D BEAM] button
78
Index
A K
Active Expression function .......................................... 39 Key Click ......................................................................... 13
Ambience ........................................................................ 37 KEY TRANSPOSE ......................................................... 55
Amp Type ................................................................. 14, 33
L
B Layer ................................................................................ 43
BANK .............................................................................. 45 Leakage Level ................................................................ 27
Bulk Dump ..................................................................... 61 Leakage Noise ................................................................ 27
LOCAL CONTROL ....................................................... 53
C Lower Organ MIDI Channel ........................................ 54
Chorus ............................................................................. 31
Lower Part ...................................................................... 38
Click Noise ..................................................................... 51
Connection M
Amp ........................................................................... 17 MASTER TUNE ............................................................. 55
Expression Pedal ...................................................... 18 Master Volume .............................................................. 19
External Keyboard ................................................... 59
Memory ........................................................................... 15
External Sequencer ............................................ 60–61
Headphones ............................................................. 17 MIDI ................................................................................ 58
Pedal Keyboard .................................................. 18, 59 MIDI Channel .......................................................... 54, 58
Pedal Switch ............................................................. 18 MIDI GENERAL CONTOROLLERS SWITCH ......... 53
Power Cord .............................................................. 16
MIDI PROGRAM CHANGE SWITCH ...................... 53
Rotary Speaker ......................................................... 62
Speaker ...................................................................... 17 MIDI SOUND CONTROLLERS SWITCH ................. 53
Control MIDI Channel .................................................. 54 MIDI THRU .................................................................... 53
Control Pedal ................................................................. 40
O
D OFF CLICK LEVEL ....................................................... 51
D BEAM Controller ....................................................... 34 ON CLICK LEVEL ........................................................ 51
D BEAM ROTARY SPEED MODE ............................. 57 Organ Voice .................................................................... 23
Demo Song ..................................................................... 21 OTHER TONES ................................................. 14, 43–44
Drum MIDI Channel ..................................................... 54 OTHER TONES CHORUS LEVEL ............................. 57
Other Tones MIDI Channel ......................................... 54
E OTHER TONES OCTAVE SHIFT ............................... 57
Edit Mode ....................................................................... 47
OTHER TONES PART ASSIGN .................................. 57
EQ BASS ......................................................................... 55
OUTPUT jacks ............................................................... 17
EQ MIDDLE ................................................................... 55
Overdrive .................................................................. 14, 33
EQ TREBLE .................................................................... 55
Equalizer ......................................................................... 55 P
Expression Pedal ........................................................... 39 Parameter ........................................................................ 47
Pedal Organ MIDI Channel ......................................... 54
F Percussion ................................................................. 13, 28
Factory Reset .................................................................. 20
PERCUSSION FAST TIME .......................................... 51
Feet ............................................................................ 25–26
PERCUSSION H-BAR LEVEL ..................................... 52
Folded Back .................................................................... 26
PERCUSSION NORMAL LEVEL ............................... 51
FOOT CONTROL POLARITY .................................... 56
PERCUSSION RECHARGE TIME .............................. 51
H PERCUSSION SLOW TIME ......................................... 51
Harmonic Bar ................................................................. 24 PERCUSSION SOFT LEVEL ........................................ 51
Harmonic bars ............................................................... 14 Power On ........................................................................ 19
Hold Pedal ...................................................................... 42 Preset ................................................................... 22, 45–46
HOLD PEDAL ASSIGN ............................................... 57 Copy .......................................................................... 46
HOLD PEDAL POLARITY .......................................... 56 Save ...................................................................... 45–46
79
Index
Preset Memory ............................................................... 15 Vibrato and Chorus ................................................. 14, 31

Virtual Tonewheel ......................................................... 13
R
Reverb ....................................................................... 14, 37 W
REVERB TIME ............................................................... 57 Wheel Brake ....................................................... 34–35, 41
Reverb Type ................................................................... 37 Wheel Type .................................................................... 27
Ring Modulator ................................................. 34–35, 41
Rotary .............................................................................. 14
ROTARY MIC DISTANCE .......................................... 50
ROTARY RANDOMIZE .............................................. 50
Rotary Sound ................................................................. 32
ROTARY TWEETER FALL TIME ............................... 50
ROTARY TWEETER LEVEL ....................................... 50
ROTARY TWEETER RISE TIME ................................ 50
ROTARY TWEETER SPEED FAST ............................. 50
ROTARY TWEETER SPEED SLOW ........................... 50
ROTARY TWEETER SPREAD .................................... 50
ROTARY WOOFER FALL TIME ................................ 50
ROTARY WOOFER LEVEL ......................................... 50
ROTARY WOOFER RISE TIME .................................. 50
ROTARY WOOFER SPEED FAST .............................. 50
ROTARY WOOFER SPEED SLOW ............................ 50
ROTARY WOOFER SPREAD ..................................... 50
S
Second Percussion ......................................................... 28
Single Trigger Algorithm ............................................. 30
Slow Percussion ............................................................. 30
Soft Percussion ............................................................... 29
Split ........................................................................... 38, 44
Split Point ....................................................................... 38
Spring Reverb Shock ..................................................... 35
Spring Shock MIDI Channel ........................................ 54
SUB KEYBOARD FUNCTION .................................... 58
System Memory ............................................................. 15
T
Third Percussion ............................................................ 28
Tone ........................................................................... 14, 33
Tone Wheel .................................................................... 13
Tone wheel ..................................................................... 27
Transpose ....................................................................... 55
U
Upper Organ MIDI Channel ....................................... 54
Upper Part ...................................................................... 38
V
Vibrato ............................................................................ 31
80
MEMO
81
Information
When you need repair service, call your nearest Roland Service Center or authorized Roland distributor in your country as
shown below.
SINGAPORE PANAMA ITALY ISRAEL
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9, EBN Hagar A1 Askalany Street, TEL: (03) 6823666
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TEL: 20-2-417-1828 Blk 3014, Bedok Industrial Park E, Instrumentos Musicales Kontor Norge AMMAN Trading Agency
#02-2148, SINGAPORE 489980 J.E. Olear y ESQ. Manduvira Lilleakerveien 2 Postboks 95 245 Prince Mohammad St.,
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Chaudron - BP79 97 491 ROLAND TAIWAN KUWAIT
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That Other Music Shop TEL: (02) 924-2335 LEBANON
(PTY) Ltd. THAILAND PORTUGAL Chahine S.A.L.
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Co.,Ltd. Roland Corporation Ltd. Nordhavnsvej 7, Postbox 880,
Roland Scandinavia A/S Bldg. No. 47, P.O.BOX 13520,
(BEIJING OFFICE) 32 Shaddock Street, Mount Eden, DK-2100 Copenhagen SWEDISH SALES OFFICE Damascus, SYRIA
10F. No.18 Anhuaxili Auckland, NEW ZEALAND Danvik Center 28, 2 tr. TEL: (011) 223-5384
DENMARK
Chaoyang District, Beijing, TEL: (09) 3098 715 TEL: 3916 6200 S-131 30 Nacka SWEDEN
CHINA TEL: (0)8 702 00 20 TURKEY
TEL: (010) 6426-5050 FRANCE Barkat muzik aletleri ithalat
CENTRAL/LATIN Roland France SA SWITZERLAND ve ihracat Ltd Sti
HONG KONG AMERICA 4, Rue Paul Henri SPAAK, Roland (Switzerland) AG Siraselviler Caddesi Siraselviler
Tom Lee Music Co., Ltd. Parc de l'Esplanade, F 77 462 St. Landstrasse 5, Postfach, Pasaji No:74/20
Service Division Thibault, Lagny Cedex FRANCE CH-4452 Itingen, Taksim - Istanbul, TURKEY
22-32 Pun Shan Street, Tsuen ARGENTINA TEL: 01 600 73 500 SWITZERLAND TEL: (0212) 2499324
Wan, New Territories, Instrumentos Musicales S.A. TEL: (061) 927-8383
HONG KONG Av.Santa Fe 2055 FINLAND U.A.E.
TEL: 2415 0911 (1123) Buenos Aires Roland Scandinavia As, UKRAINE Zak Electronics & Musical
ARGENTINA Filial Finland TIC-TAC Instruments Co. L.L.C.
INDIA TEL: (011) 4508-2700 Elannontie 5 Mira Str. 19/108 Zabeel Road, Al Sherooq Bldg.,
Rivera Digitec (India) Pvt. Ltd. FIN-01510 Vantaa, FINLAND P.O. Box 180 No. 14, Grand Floor, Dubai, U.A.E.
409, Nirman Kendra Mahalaxmi BRAZIL TEL: (0)9 68 24 020 295400 Munkachevo, UKRAINE TEL: (04) 3360715
Flats Compound Off. Dr. Edwin Roland Brasil Ltda TEL: (03131) 414-40
Moses Road, Mumbai-400011, Rua San Jose, 780 Sala B GERMANY UNITED KINGDOM
INDIA Parque Industrial San Jose
TEL: (022) 2493 9051 Cotia - Sao Paulo - SP, BRAZIL
Roland Elektronische
Roland (U.K.) Ltd. NORTH AMERICA
Musikinstrumente HmbH. Atlantic Close, Swansea
TEL: (011) 4615 5666
Oststrasse 96, 22844 Norderstedt,
INDONESIA GERMANY
Enterprise Park, SWANSEA
CANADA
PT Citra IntiRama COSTA RICA TEL: (040) 52 60090
SA7 9FJ,
Roland Canada Music Ltd.
J1. Cideng Timur No. 15J-150 JUAN Bansbach UNITED KINGDOM
Jakarta Pusat TEL: (01792) 702701 (Head Office)
Instrumentos Musicales GREECE 5480 Parkwood Way Richmond
INDONESIA Ave.1. Calle 11, Apartado 10237, STOLLAS S.A. B. C., V6V 2M4 CANADA
TEL: (021) 6324170 San Jose, COSTA RICA Music Sound Light TEL: (604) 270 6626
KOREA
TEL: 258-0211 155, New National Road MIDDLE EAST Roland Canada Music Ltd.
Patras 26442, GREECE
Cosmos Corporation CHILE TEL: 2610 435400 (Toronto Office)
1461-9, Seocho-Dong, Comercial Fancy S.A. BAHRAIN 170 Admiral Boulevard
Seocho Ku, Seoul, KOREA
TEL: (02) 3486-8855
Rut.: 96.919.420-1 HUNGARY Moon Stores Mississauga On L5T 2N6
Nataniel Cox #739, 4th Floor Roland East Europe Ltd. No.16, Bab Al Bahrain Avenue, CANADA
Santiago - Centro, CHILE Warehouse Area ‘DEPO’ Pf.83 P.O.Box 247, Manama 304, TEL: (905) 362 9707
MALAYSIA TEL: (02) 688-9540 H-2046 Torokbalint, HUNGARY State of BAHRAIN
BENTLEY MUSIC SDN BHD TEL: (23) 511011 TEL: 211 005 U. S. A.
140 & 142, Jalan Bukit Bintang EL SALVADOR Roland Corporation U.S.
55100 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA OMNI MUSIC IRELAND CYPRUS 5100 S. Eastern Avenue
TEL: (03) 2144-3333 75 Avenida Norte y Final Radex Sound Equipment Ltd. Los Angeles, CA 90040-2938,
Roland Ireland
Alameda Juan Pablo , Audio House, Belmont Court, 17, Diagorou Street, Nicosia, U. S. A.
PHILIPPINES Edificio No.4010 San Salvador, CYPRUS TEL: (323) 890 3700
Donnybrook, Dublin 4.
G.A. Yupangco & Co. Inc. EL SALVADOR Republic of IRELAND TEL: (022) 66-9426
339 Gil J. Puyat Avenue TEL: 262-0788 TEL: (01) 2603501
Makati, Metro Manila 1200, IRAN
PHILIPPINES MEXICO MOCO, INC.
TEL: (02) 899 9801 Casa Veerkamp, s.a. de c.v. No.41 Nike St., Dr.Shariyati Ave.,
Av. Toluca No. 323, Col. Olivar Roberoye Cerahe Mirdamad
de los Padres 01780 Mexico D.F. Tehran, IRAN
MEXICO TEL: (021) 285-4169 As of April 1, 2003 (Roland)
TEL: (55) 5668-6699
82
For EU Countries
This product complies with the requirements of European Directives EMC 89/336/EEC and LVD 73/23/EEC.
For the USA
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENT
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
– Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
– Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
– Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
– Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Unauthorized changes or modification to this system can void the users authority to operate this equipment.
This equipment requires shielded interface cables in order to meet FCC class B Limit.
For Canada
NOTICE
This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
AVIS
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.
83
02896667 ’03-6-3N

Owner's Manual: Conventions Used in This Manual

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Owner’s Manual

Conventions Used in This Manual

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Copyright© 2002 ROLAND CORPORATION

INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING TO A RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK, OR INJURY TO PERSONS.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

For the U.K.

Power Supply 356

USING THE UNIT SAFELY......................................................................3

Before You Begin Playing ....................................................................16

Playing the Organ .................................................................................22

Playing Other Tones .............................................................................43

Saving Your Settings (Preset) .............................................................45

Advanced Use .......................................................................................47

Connecting the VK-8 to External Devices ..........................................58

Preset/OTHER TONES List...................................................................67

Virtual Tonewheel Sound Generator

Natural Wood Cabinet

Built-in PCM Sounds Complement the Organ Sound Generator

3. [VIBRATO AND CHORUS] knob ■ REVERB

POWER SWITCH LOCATED

POWER SWITCH LOCATED

25. Harmonic Bar

REAR PANEL 39. CONTROL PEDAL jack

How the Organ Sound are Created

Vibrato and Chorus

Amp Type (Rotary, Overdrive, Tone)

How the Other Tones are Created

About the Memories

To prevent malfunction and/

Be sure to use the supplied

Connecting Your Amp, Speakers, or NOTE

Headphones To prevent malfunction and/

2 Connect the VK-8 to your amp/speaker system as shown in the diagram.

About a OUTPUT jacks

TIP (HOT) TIP (HOT)

Connecting the Pedal Keyboard

PEDAL IN connector to the MIDI OUT connector of your MIDI pedal

The power switch of your

4 Turn on the power of the VK-8.

Connecting an Expression Pedal or

Turning the Power On NOTE

Once the connections have

3 Turn on the power of the connected amp or audio system.

4 Rotate the [MASTER VOLUME] knob clockwise to adjust the volume of

Be careful not to raise the

5 Adjust the volume of the device connected to the VK-8.

■ Turning Off the Power

Restoring the Factory Settings (Factory NOTE

Reset) When you perform the Factory

3 While holding down the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] [LOWER]

4 Press the HARMONIC BAR PART [UPPER] [LOWER] [PEDAL] buttons

Never turn off the power

Listening to the Demo Songs

No data for the music that is

4 Press the [SPLIT] button.

All rights reserved.

1 Press the [PRESET] button to make its indicator light.

About the Organ Voice