Korg KMP and KSF files explained (and how to make them from WAV)
KSF and KMP are Korg's sampling formats. A KSF is a single mono sample — Korg's wrapper around 16-bit PCM audio. A KMP is the multisample map: it lists which KSF samples play on which keys, with the root pitch, loop points and tuning for each zone. A KSC is a manifest that loads a whole set together. So a Korg instrument is a KMP pointing at several KSF files, listed in a KSC. The most useful conversion is the forward one — turning ordinary WAVs into a KMP/KSF set — which is exactly what Xampler does in the browser.
- 1Load your WAV files (one note each, or a multi-note WAV).
- 2Xampler detects pitch, maps the keys and finds loops.
- 3Export Korg KMP/KSF — you get the KMP, the KSF samples and a KSC manifest.
- 4Load the set on a Korg Pa, Kronos or Triton.
01What's the difference between a KMP and a KSF file?
What's the difference between a KMP and a KSF file?
A KSF is one sample — a single mono audio file in Korg's format. A KMP is the map around several KSF files: it says which sample plays on which key range, at what root pitch, with which loop. You need both — the KSF holds the sound, the KMP makes it a playable multisample. Xampler exports both, plus the KSC that loads them together.
02Can I convert KSF or KMP back to WAV?
Can I convert KSF or KMP back to WAV?
KSF is essentially PCM audio in a Korg wrapper, so the sample data can be extracted, but the loop and key-map info in the KMP doesn't translate to a plain WAV — WAV has no concept of a keyboard map. The reverse direction loses structure. Xampler focuses on the forward, useful direction: building a KMP/KSF set from WAVs to play on Korg hardware; it isn't a KMP-to-WAV ripper.
03Why do my Triton KSF samples lose their tuning and loops on a new keyboard?
Why do my Triton KSF samples lose their tuning and loops on a new keyboard?
If you load loose KSF files without the KMP that maps them, you lose the keymap, tuning and loop information — those live in the KMP, not the individual KSF. The sample plays, but with no structure. Always load the KMP (or the KSC that references it) so the map comes along. Xampler always exports the KMP alongside the KSF so the structure is never separated.
04How do I turn my WAV files into KMP/KSF?
How do I turn my WAV files into KMP/KSF?
Each WAV needs a detected root pitch, a key range, and loop points, all written into a KMP that references KSF copies of the audio. Doing it on the keyboard is slow; doing it with a converter is fast if it maps correctly. Xampler detects pitch from the audio, maps the keys, finds loops, and writes the full KMP/KSF/KSC set — no special file naming required.
05Is KMP/KSF the same as KSC?
Is KMP/KSF the same as KSC?
No — KSC is a manifest, a text list of the KMP (and KSF) files that should load together as a bank. It doesn't hold audio or mapping itself; it just tells the keyboard what to pull into memory at once. You load the KSC and it brings in its KMP and KSF. Xampler exports the KSC so your set loads as one unit.
06Which Korg keyboards use KMP/KSF?
Which Korg keyboards use KMP/KSF?
It's Korg's long-standing sampling format, used across Trinity, Triton, Kronos and the Pa arranger line. That's why a Triton multisample can load on a Kronos or Pa4X — they share KMP/KSF/KSC (but not the PCG program format). Xampler exports standard KMP/KSF that targets this family.