How to repair a dead key on a Korg Karma (with pictures)
Friday May 11, 2007
To determine if this will fix your problem, skip to the bottom for an explanation
I found myself a little miffed the other week, when halfway through a band rehearsal, my keyboard decided to go belly up. More specifically, my Korg Karma acquired itself a dead note (E5).
At first, panic – then more panic at stipulating the cost of repair smacked down by my local “dealer”.
Overall, most unhelpful.
Determined not to fritter away 80 quid that would be better expended on interesting stuff, it was decided that attacking the outer case with a screwdriver might yield results.
Often observed is that it’s natural to have a “fear” of technology, for want of a better word – this feeling often crops up when dismantling potentially “sensitive” things. In this case, the first thing to remember is that you’re only doing what the engineer would do once your board arrives at his station at Korg. You’re not in any more danger of breaking it than he is – nor is there any potential to break it, unless you have some form of disorder that:
a) forces you to jam fingers/hammers/chairs into open electrical appliances
b) electrifies your sweat
c) precludes you from harbouring any basic level of common sense whatsoever
Even if my board was in warranty, I’d probably go at it with a screwdriver first, but that’s just because I have a perverse curiosity about what things look like on the inside… so, onward:
Step 3) Mark the dead note(s), using a suitable marker. Disconnect the two interface cables from their red slots (they pull out, be careful if they're stiff). Remove screws connecting the keystrip to the keyboard..
Step 4) Lift off the keystrip.
Step 5) Slightly raise the rubber foot covering your dead key, using a can of compressed air (or just blow hard), to clean underneath it.
Reassemble your board and your done. If you want to test with all the equipment with the cover off you can, it's a perfectly safe thing to do - just don't stick your fingers near where the power comes in.
How to test if your key is really dead
I guess what happens is that if dust settles on the keystrip, it intercepts the note on event, having the same effect as turning the board off, holding down a note, then turning it back on while holding that note. Result: Note unusable.
Another event triggered by the keystrip - the Aftertouch - should still work in this case. So to test if your key is beyond the scope of action outlined here, follow these steps:
- Turn off the keyboard
- Hold down your dead note
- Turn the board back on
- Skip to Prog A001 (AcousticPiano AT)
- Play a chord with the left hand, without triggering the aftertouch (keep the dead note held through all this...)
- Apply pressure to the "dead" note - it should trigger the aftertouch and you'll hear a piano arpeggio. If not, you have bigger fish to fry
Of course make sure AT works normally on your board before attempting the above...
Good luck :-)