MicroKorg “prg” files files are downloaded from the microKorg by the Korg Sound Editor software, and are often posted online (e.g. the microKorg sound bank). But sometimes it is nice to be able to see what the patch is, or post it online in a plain text form. Plain text patches are also a handy way of documenting your own patches in a nice durable format: on paper. Also, if you want to share a patch, posting a readable version of the patch is a nice thing to do, and ideally without having to work your way through the whole matrix, transcribing the settings. Transcribing settings is boring, error-prone…
I have written a small program to convert “.prg” files for the microKorg to a nice readable format. So, if you have Sound Editor working, you can just download your custom patches, locate the place where the .prg files are stored, and away you go. Similarly, it is really quick to see what the Korg sound bank patches (or whatever) are doing at a glance, which I find is a good way of working out the tricks…
e.g. If you drop the “atmos” patch from the microKorg sound bank, you get:
atmos [Voice]: Synth , Single , Poly , -- , -- [Pitch]: 0 , 0 , 0 , 2 , 0 [Osc 1]: DWGS , 0 , 48 , -- , -- [Osc 2]: Saw , Sync , -12 , 0 , -- [Mix Levels]: 127 , 91 , 0 , -- , -- [Filter]: -12dB LP , 101 , 50 , 0 , 0 [Filter EG]: 0 , 64 , 127 , 0 , yes [Amp]: 127 , cnt , on , 0 , -- [Amp EG]: 0 , 79 , 0 , 53 , yes [LFO 1]: Triangle , Off , off , 59 , -- [LFO 2]: Sine , Off , off , 70 , -- [Patch 1]: LFO1 , Pitch , 10 , -- , -- [Patch 2]: Mod Wheel , Cutoff , -63 , -- , -- [Patch 3]: LFO1 , Cutoff , 0 , -- , -- [Patch 4]: LFO2 , Cutoff , 0 , -- , -- [Mod FX]: Ensemble , 20 , 56 , -- , -- [Delay]: Stero , off , 80 , 74 , -- [EQ]: 320Hz , 0 , 6kHz , 0 , -- [Areggio A]: 120 , 1/16 , 100% , Up , 1 [Arpeggio B]: off , 0 , off , 8 , Both [Arp. Pattern]: yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes [Arp. State]: off
It only works for single-patch files right now, but is can be used for single and layered patches and vocoder patches. On most web browsers (recent versions of Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer), you should be able to drag-and-drop a .prg file. Otherwise you have to use the old-school “Browse” button. There is more technical information on the decoder page, and a link to report bugs or make suggestions (although you can do that as comments to this post if you do not wish to create a GitHub account).