Korg Forums

[19naia]

Kronos and a laptop with software synths. Maybe Onmisphere and Keyscape by Spectrasonics.

You will got through sounds all day for a long time and never get throgh them all before the next version is released.
And even get the MODX 61 for added sound.

Sound control is more important than you seem to be mentioning.
Maybe you know this but are saying little about it.
Sound control comes with controllers. Keyboard that do more than plug in a Sustain pedal. Kronos does sustain, expresssion and variable assignment foot switch. So does MODX. And the number if sound control parameters in just one board is far more than the sum total of all controls on bothe boards.

So you can get the best sounding quality Keyboard for bread and butter sounds, but sound shaping and realtime control over the sounds is a big part of cutting edge sound.
Spectrasonics is top notch sound designer, but they are in software form via computer that can connect to kronos. And even with their top notch sound quality, they go heavily into sound shaping via control over parameters and processing sound.

Effects processors are a big part of sound quality. Kronos does very good at that. Yamaha does well also but i am not able to compare effects between the two. Even the clearest & cleanest analog sounds of very expensive rigs, are not really great sounding until some sound shaping and effects processing. Then they become hard to beat even by the likes of Kronos and Yamaha.
But....Kronos has really good effects section and even its own separate CPU for effects. Seaparated from the CPU used to make the sounds that are processed through effects.

I really think if you have the space and means to physically manage both Kronos, MODX and a decent Laptop with Spectrasonics Omnisphere and Keyscape, you will be so busy swimming in very good options that no more time and energy to spend wondering if you got the best.

If you are really not into energy spent in technical aspect of sound quality coming with Kronos or computers, maybe NORD will be easier than Kronos and MoDX/Montage.
And even with Nord, you can still have a Computer and Software sound sets.
Some software sound sets are often rated as better sounding than Kronos, Nord or Yamaha top end synths.
And you get a $3000 Computer that has far better and more powerful CPU, it is easy to process superior digital synths done in software form.

I am in with Kronos right now and the only place i am drawn to for upgrade in sound quality, is Spectrasonics on a computer. No Yamaha or Nord for me.
I am moving to software direction for better sounds and many more sound options than Kronos can provide.
My Kronos 88 will remain relevant for a long time in terms of being the keybed and controller for software based synths.

[ChasingPerfection]

[ChasingPerfection]

[19naia]

You may not need a high end controller, but it all depends on the real time utility you need and the key bed quality you need.
Real feel 88 weighted key bed? That is a bit extra cost when it comes to basic controllers. Also the types of controls included is another thing that adds cost.

For my playing, i like weighted 88 with smooth but firm touch. I go back to acoustic piano training and like something that keeps my fingers strong and able to keep up with the weight of real pianos, for if i ever get near a good grand piano and want to feel her out.

Not sure you would need two laptops to run two software synths with each getting its own controller.
If each Keyboard is set to different midi channels, they won’t play the same sound source.
And if the Software synths can be set to different midi channels, they will not respond to the same keyboards. Just set midi channels for which software synth you want to match which Keyboard.

Kronos itself can let you play up to 16 sounds at a time all layered together or split across the keyboard with independent key zones. Also lets you give each layer or zone its own midi channel where you can then chain 16 keyboards in midi and set each keyboard to its own independent midi channel so that each plays only one of the 16 selected programs in a kronos combi.
You can do that with kronos up to whatever the limit of keyboards in midi chain link. Not sure if the limit is less than 16, or at 16.

So it should be possible to play several sounds from omnisphere software alone and each sound get its own keyboard. Should be the same if you bring in Keyscape and decide it gets its own keyboard apart from Omnisphere. Keyscape can even be plugged into Omnisphere and then omnisphere route a separate additional midi channel for it, to whatever keyboard you habe set to match the channel.


You have to check to be sure your Software synth of choice has the settings to allow it to send and receive on variable midi channels that you get to select and not always defaulting to Omnichannel.
I know i have issues figuring out how to get Garage band iPad, to play over midi channels i select, rather than omnichannel.
I ended up adding a midi wizard app that lets me have midi setting controls ober apps that don’t give me such control. A midi filter and bypass system that can taks an app stuck on midi 1 and bypass it to midi channel 2 or whatever i decide, and also set which midi messages pass through or get blocked.

Also if connected to USB midi at the computer from Kronos, but chain linked via 5 pin midi to MODX from Kronos, there can be a break in the chain for MODX thru Kronos to the Computer.
But i am not sure if MODX can or cannot handle passing 5 pin midi from Kronos through itself and then to the computer over USB out of MODX.
If MODX has that flexibility, then out it first in line to the computer and then Kronos linked to MODX via 5 pin. Easier and cheaper than a complex midi/audio interface sooution at the computer.

There are midi interface solutions that allow 5 pin midi and USB midi/audio to all come into the same interface for wherever, and get sorted out so that every signal gets sent where it needs to go.

If you don’t plan on getting technicall adept, you may want to stay away from the full suite of computer software synths plus several keyboards.
Even Kronos by itself can be a technical feat for the user, as soon as you try to stray beyond selecting programs and combi’s.

Press the wrong button on kronos and then forget which one it was and end up pressing another in a game of guess, and you can end up neck deep in the User manual trying to figure out what you did wrong.
Actually, you have a Compare button to use to back track one step only, i think. Maybe back track a few steps?
Or you can power down and wait for 15 second reboot and start all over again. So there are self rescue option Kronos has to help users along.

Worth it for me to get technical for the things it lets me do creatively.
Of course i have free time and no gigging career to keep up with.

[jimknopf]

[ChasingPerfection]

[jimknopf]

Thanks, that was quite helpful to understand your demands.

So you obviously are well suited to drive your next musical Ferrari, and don't just want to use it for a supermarket buy around the corner.

But then, all the more, i have no better advice than
- a) buy a Kronos
- b) have a look at available tutorial videos, some free on YT (Korg, Qui Robinez and others), some paid.
After starting with free videos, I learned most from this series:
https://www.sounth.de/korg-kronos-tutorial/
- c) use the Kronos as all-around tool and central piece of your gear

Later, you can still add something else if you're missing anything (analog synths, a Yamaha flavor via MODx played from the Kronos as Masterkeyboard, whaever...). And remember: you can add user sampling, getting samples of your choise into the Kronos and then stream even big libraries from SSD.
_________________
Kronos 73 - Moog Voyager RME - Moog LP TE - Behringer Model D - Prophet 6 - Roland Jupiter Xm - Rhodes Stage 73 Mk I - Elektron Analog Rytm MkII - Roland TR-6s - Cubase 12 Pro + Groove Agent 5

[ChasingPerfection]

[jimknopf]

Both are great VA-synths, but I prefer analog synths on top of a digital allround workstation. It's completely a matter of taste and purpose.

But I think you will be busy with using a Kronos and getting into it for quite a while, without being distracted by yet more gear.

If you then think you could need a monophonic or polyphonic synth or whatever else on top, you can still buy it. But I would only buy, after I really learned to use my mainboard really well, and only if I wouild see a real need and purpose, not just for the sake of it. If you see what Cory Henry dows with just a Kronos and a Little Phatty, you know what I mean.

Concerning sounds, just one example:
https://youtu.be/wVzsz_FXnKM
_________________
Kronos 73 - Moog Voyager RME - Moog LP TE - Behringer Model D - Prophet 6 - Roland Jupiter Xm - Rhodes Stage 73 Mk I - Elektron Analog Rytm MkII - Roland TR-6s - Cubase 12 Pro + Groove Agent 5

[leonh]

If you can master Kronos and that is big if (i did not yet) you don't need anything else simple as that I always said only problem with Kronos is that once you own it there is nothing better to buy and as a musician we always want something new I had Montage too I didn't need it so sold it .
Only restriction on Kronos is a person who is playing it.

[leonh]

If you can master Kronos and that is big if (i did not yet) you don't need anything else simple as that I always said only problem with Kronos is that once you own it there is nothing better to buy and as a musician we always want something new I had Montage too I didn't need it so sold it .
Only restriction on Kronos is a person who is playing .t

[ChasingPerfection]

[GregC]