Convert WAV to PCG

A Korg workstation may require a PCG bank when you want to transfer a custom sound, but a WAV recording cannot be converted into a playable PCG by changing its extension. The WAV must be imported into a compatible Korg sampler, assigned to a Program, and saved with the resulting PCG and sample files.

What the WAV format is

WAV is an audio container commonly used for uncompressed PCM recordings. Digital audio workstations such as Steinberg Cubase, Avid Pro Tools, Apple Logic Pro, and Ableton Live, along with field recorders and samplers, commonly create WAV files. A WAV may contain a one-shot sample, a loop, or a complete recording, with settings such as 44.1 or 48 kHz sample rate and 16- or 24-bit depth.

What the PCG format is

In music equipment, PCG generally means a proprietary Korg data file containing Programs, Combinations, drum kits, and global settings. Models including the Triton, M3, Kronos, and Nautilus use PCG files, but their structures and supported parameters differ. A PCG is not an audio file and normally does not contain the sample waveform. Sample-based Programs usually refer to separately stored data such as KSC, KMP, KSF, or model-specific sample files.

PCG is useful for backing up Korg sounds, moving banks between compatible instruments, and distributing Programs that use installed samples. A PCG made for one Korg family is not automatically compatible with another; even compatible models may require a particular operating-system version, sample set, or conversion utility.

How to convert WAV into a Korg sound bank

There is no general WAV-to-PCG converter because a WAV contains audio while a PCG contains instrument parameters and references. Use the target Korg workstation, its model-specific editor, or a compatible librarian. PCG Tools can browse, compare, rename, and rearrange many Korg PCG files, but it does not create a finished playable Program from a WAV. Tools such as Awave Studio or Translator may translate supported sample and instrument formats, but support varies by Korg model and they should not be treated as universal PCG converters.

1. Check the target instrument's sample-rate, bit-depth, channel, length, and memory limits. In an audio editor such as Audacity, Ocenaudio, or a DAW, convert unsupported audio to PCM WAV, trim unnecessary silence, and make the file mono or stereo as required.
2. Copy the WAV to media supported by the Korg instrument, or transfer it through the model's supported editor, librarian, or USB workflow.
3. Open the instrument's sampler or media functions and load or import the WAV. Menu names vary; examples include Media → Load and Sampling → Load Sample.
4. Create or edit a Program in Program or Sampling mode. Assign the sample to an oscillator, set its root key, define the keyboard zone, and configure pitch, filter, envelope, velocity, and loop parameters. For a multisample, map separate WAV files across the required key ranges.
5. Save the sample or multisample data using the instrument's native command. If available, use Save All or the equivalent complete-data operation so the sample files and PCG remain associated.
6. Save the Programs, Combinations, drum kits, and global settings as a PCG using the model's native save function, commonly under a path such as Media → Save → PCG. The exact command and available file types depend on the instrument.
7. Reload the saved set on the target instrument and test the Program. Keep the PCG with its KSC, KMP, KSF, WAV, or other required sample files and preserve any folder structure expected by the instrument.

Software and online conversion options

A Korg's own sampling and data-save functions are the safest option because they create parameters and references for that exact model. A model-specific Korg editor can be useful when it supports sample transfer and Program editing; not every Korg workstation has the same editor or computer workflow. PCG Tools is suitable for bank organization after the PCG exists.

Online services such as CloudConvert or Zamzar can convert or resample audio files, but they do not generate model-specific Korg Programs, Combinations, sample references, or PCG banks. Do not upload a WAV to a generic online converter expecting a usable PCG.

Quality and compatibility limits

Saving a PCG does not improve the WAV's audio quality. Accurate trimming, root-note selection, loop points, sample-rate conversion, and sensible multisample mapping determine how well the result plays. A supported WAV can still exceed the instrument's sample RAM or maximum sample length.

Copying only the PCG is insufficient for a sample-based sound: the instrument may load the Program with silent oscillators or missing multisamples. Preserve all referenced sample data and test the complete set on the destination model. Unsupported parameters, different Program architectures, unavailable effects, and incompatible sample formats can require manual editing even when a PCG file opens successfully.