User Manuals :

The Mark 8 manual is not available for download.

The closest thing we have available for download is the Mk10 manual (next model up).  You can download PDF's of the Mk10 manuals here.

Although not identical, there should be enough similarities to be of some guidance.

OS Updates

The Mk8 stemmed from technology that used physical EPROMs for its upgrades, not downloadable flash ROM files. This means, to update the unit you would need to contact an Authorized KMS Service Center and they could order the parts and perform the update for you. The last version of OS for the Mk6 was v3.07.

To find out what version you have currently:

1. press & hold down MIDI
2. press lowest note on the piano (A natural) at the same time
3. in the screen you will see the version you currently have installed.

Suggested Retail Price : $33 (labor additional)

Songs / MIDI Files

Song disks are available from a large number of sources. The Mark series can read Standard MIDI Files (SMF - .MID extension) on DOS formatted disks. Although it is not mandatory, it is recommended that when purchasing any SMF disk, choose the General MIDI compatible (GM) version or a version done specifically for the Mark series, if there is a choice. Below are listed a few companies producing such disks:

Hal Leonard (800) 637-2852 Invisible Touch Music* (916) 630-1922

MIDI Hits (800) 593-1228 PG Music (800) 268-6272

A Chord - Play With The Band (877) 241-8653 Tran Tracks (201) 383-6691

Tune 1000 (800) 363-TUNE Warner Bros. (800) 327-7643

(*Invisible Touch Music makes disks specifically in the Mark Series format and has custom designed sequences for the Mark Series instruments.)

The Mark series can also read most of the Yamaha PianoSoft and Disk Orchestra libraries, as well as the PianoDisc library. Please note that many of the newer Yamaha disks won't load properly (or won't load at all) into the Kurzweil, since Yamaha has changed their disk format over the years.

Note: The companies listed above as sources for Songs are just a few examples of many producing Standard MIDI Files and are listed strictly for your convenience. You will find many such advertisers in the pages of magazines like Keyboard and Electronic Musician as well as other similar trades. Kurzweil Music Systems is not affiliated with any of these companies and makes no guarantee to the quality or compatibility of their product.

"EXPORT" SMF Conversion Utility

The Mk8 can load SMF's but it cannot save songs in that format to disk.

For older Mark series models that did not generate SMF's on their own we created a separate utility, a software program, that runs in either DOS or Windows, to convert the MK's .SNG format into the .MID SMF format. The program is called "Export" and it is available for download here:

• Export - Windows Version (developed and tested only with Win 95/98.)
• Export - DOS Version

Application instructions included inside of each download.

Style Libraries

Style disks allow you to add additional auto accompaniment styles to your instrument. Below are two volumes available for free download:

Volume 1 Style Library

(Disk #1) Rock - 50's Rock & Roll, Rock & Roll, Vintage Rock, Soul Rock, & Swing Rock (Disk #2) Southern - Southern, Dixie, Bluegrass 1, Cajun, & Southern Gospel (Disk #3) Classical/March - Modern Classical & Baroque, Piano Arpeggio, Orchestral March, & U.S. 2/4 March (Disk #4) Jazz - Jazz Ballad, Jazz Combo, Fast Jazz, Stride Piano, & Ragtime (Disk #5) Variety 1 - Secret Agent, Raggae, Ethnic, Funk, & Gospel Download Volume 1 Style Library (227 Kb)

Volume 2 Style Library

(Disk #1) Latin - Bossanova, Samba Rock, Tango, Modern Latin, & Bolero (Disk #2) Country - Floyd's Country, Country Waltz 1, Country Waltz 2, Slow Country, & Country Shuffle (Disk #3) Pop - Pop Shuffle, Pop Big Band, Boogie, Gentle 8 Beat, & Standard Ballad (Disk #4) Big Band - Big Band 1, Big Band 2, Big Band 3, Broadway, & Motown (Disk #5) Variety 2 - Western, Country Blues, Bluegrass 2, Folk, & Rhythm Guitar Download Volume 2 Style Library (245 Kb)