Happy new year to the forum members.
I acquired a set of Roland PK-5 midi bass pedals. Can I use these with my X1
to make it play like an organ, or do I need an additional tone generator for
the bass? I don't want to key chords with it or anything like that, I just
want to play bass notes with my feet and chords with my left hand and solo
notes with my right, just like a two manual organ with pedals.


I use this when I play with my band. I have been using a set of SLM bass
pedals for the last 15 years but they are wearing out. I have also been
considering a Peavy spectrum bass module or a Nanobass module to use with
the PK-5. Any ideas will be helpful.
Thanks
Tom

Tom,

I am at work right now without the PK5 but I remember the default setting of PK5's bass mode works with X1 without further configuration (so is the drum mode). Just make sure that the MIDI out of PK5 connects to the non-GM MIDI in (there is a MIDI in specifically for GM connection on X1). The only problem that I have with PK5 is that it has only 13 keys and its octave change involves pressing one of the function keys and one of the 13 playing keys. I prefer 2-octave setup but PK-25 is close to $2000. I found that using a MIDI merger like the $69 Midiman 2x2 connecting 2 PK5s simultaneously to the MIDI in of arranger keyboard is the most cost-effective way of getting a 2-octave pedal setup. FYI, PK5 also works with Korg I30's bass and drum modes right out of the box. You have to adjust PK5's MIDI channel for multi mode according to the arranger's.

Paul Ip
from Texas