Korg Forums

[Liviou2004]

[Galf2]

[KK]

[Galf2]

And who knows, how many free banks in the Montage?
I read about the Montage on the forum. At first, the guys voiced a complete delight, but then slowly began to clarify the disadvantages and limitations. And on the 16th page, the conversation became quite sour
It may be should to think once again and read on the forums. Should change the Kronos on Montage?

[19naia]

You can ruin a loaded PCG with the kronos ”Combi to Program” referencing system. If you change around Program slots.
But how is this an issue outside of personal negligence, when you have disk mode to save the PCG for reloading once you have experimentally butchered it?
You can have virtually unlimited PCG files in disk mode. So making chages to one is no big deal even of things do get skewered for combi mode referencing program mode.
I can make an entire PCG just for customizing a set of 20 combis and their related program all put to their own bank. And any random preset combis that get disordered, will not matter because the entire PCG is focused on the custom set of 20 combis and their referenced programs.
You can make a PCG that has only the programs and combis you need, with all other banks and slots empty. Minimize confusion related to conflict out of so many options.

When i am ready to get back to the factory ordered PCG, i just load the Factory PCG.

Loading an entirely new PCG is easy and does not take much time out of the break time between sets.

If people had unlimited flexibility in their bodies, they would tie themselves in disturbing knots, yet they would still want to keep that flexibility for the many advantages it gives them. Same with Kronos. A lot of the issues with confusion is realted to Kronos being as flexible as it is.

Sure Montage has a good system that does not easily confuse program and combi relationships, but you really have not summed up any problem with kronos by leaving out the PCG filing system of Kronos disk mode.
You can do whatever you want, for better or worse, with kronos programs and Combis, and still be in no trouble.

And when you are done making a mess of combis, instead of crying about it, you can go to disk mode and load up the PCG you need to write over the mess you made of the previous load. Of course a Kronos user needs to have good disk mode saving habits as well as a personal PCG filing system based on how they work.

Like i said, the great thing about the PCG filing system is that you can have an entire Kronos loading, be for just 20 or even less or more combis.
Just focus on getting 20 combis right and then moving to another PCG file to do more work. You can ignore the other hundreds and hundreds of combis and programs that can easily get confusing amid so much flexibility.


And for people who do huge amounts of complicated projects, it seems easier to manage in small chunks at a time. Perhaps one PCG per each project, so that combi edits of program references do not create issues between projects.
You can have the freedom in multiple PCG files, to behave like you are on an entirely different kronos every time, where anything you do on one, is not going to affect the other. And anything you make into a problem, you can restore through PCG file backups. And you can move content from one PCG to another. Or load content from various PCG into one loading and then save that mixed loading as an entirely different PCG.
All this can help sort out confusion or dig you deeper into it, depending on your creative prowess.

And then you have PCG tools to work with, on computer software only. Takes possibilities even further.

You will be amazed how much can be worked out via a PCG file system to help huge and complicated work loads. P=Program... C=Combi... G=Global. PCG.

Kronos flexibility can get you into a confused knot, i agree... But kronos has other options elswhere, that gives flexibility to help manage the confused knot issue. It is just a matter of understanding kronos resources and having the creativity to use them to make what you need happen.

Between Konos and Montage, it is usually about how you go about making it happen, and not an issue of it can or cannot happen. Also the things that one keyboard can do and the other cannot, Kronos has more on the can do list.
I get lost on the Montage navigation system. Even on simple tasks like tempo edits. Tempo edit was never a problem on any korg keyboard i have had.

Kronos is not lost by the Program/Combi reference system. It is just a matter of wether you like the way Montage does it or like the way Kronos does it.
I like Kronos PCG system and have learned to use it in creative ways to overcome being easily confused amid so much flexibility.
Sure Montage sounds easy for customizing Combi/performances, but how does it compare with filing systems like Kronos .PCG?

I have doubts about being able to have so much flexibility without taking on complexity. I doubt making it confusion proof, is going to leave room for flexibility.

People don’t get workstations like Kronos or Montage becasue they want simple non confusing equipment. They get them for the never ending quest to have something that does more than the rest and does it in ways the others do not do it. They want something that will “stump the chump” and bring the need to learn more.

And when it comes to hardware going out of style, Kronos is software based, built into an evolved legacy hardware controller.
Computer software synths are king now, but they still require controllers to work them. Kronos is that Contoller and software all in one... And so is Montage.
There is still a future for hardware synths because software does not play itself without a controller board, and software can be built into the controller board.
Stage performing keyboardist is what Kronos and Montage are about and stage performing keyboardists see the hardware with keys/controls first and then the software behind it is the deal maker. life on a compact stage is a lot easier with an all-in-one rig. Or as close to all-in-one as it can get.

Another great thing about PCG file system is it allows you to have virtually unlimited banks. Run out of banks? Load a new PCG file in a few seconds and have a entirely new set of banks that you can fill with whatever you want.
Run out of internal memory for PCG files and other saves? Buy a collection of USB thumb drives that you can rotate through for unlimited storage of more PCG files than a human mind should have to deal with.

The flexibility is there for making it happen as you need it, but maybe not the ease of it being all there ready made at the open of a screen page.

[GregC]

[Liviou2004]

Yes, Greg, agree. I couldn't say better.

The Kronos is everything but a "ready cooked" synth. It requires many investments in time.
First things first : taking the Owner's manual (not the Pameter Guide) and follow it step by step, page after page.

[NormC]

[burningbusch]

For decades, Kurzweil has used the equivalent of what Yamaha has done with the Montage Performances. A Kurzweil program can be 16 part, layered, split, etc. The Montage is NOT the game-changer here.

Busch.
_________________
Kronos 73, Nautilus 61, Vox Continental 73, Monologue, Yamaha Montage 8, Rhodes Suitcase, Yamaha VL-1, Roland V-Synth, Yamaha AvantGrand, Minimoog Model D, Studio Electronics Omega 8, CSS, Spitfire, VSL, LASS, Sample Modeling, Ivory, Komplete 12, Spectrasonics, Cubase, Pro Tools, etc.
http://www.purgatorycreek.com

[burningbusch]

[AntonySharmman]

[Galf2]

Once again, I agree with Antony Sharmman. For example, thirty two free User Banks would allow me to load EXs: guitars, electric guitars, pipe-organs, saxophones and accordions (the remaining HD1 sounds I'm satisfied with the factory), also as several hundred synthetic sounds. To select sounds "one-button", to real-time, to inspire me when I play music

[burningbusch]

I hope people realize, the Montage has only 640 (equivalent of 5 banks X 128) user Performance locations, period. You can't increase this by deleting "factory banks" as you can with the Kronos. In addition, if you tweak a factory sound, it will be saved in one of the 640 user locations. You can't overwrite the "factory" ROM performances. Of course on the Kronos, you can tweak a "factory" program and save it back to the original location.

Busch.
_________________
Kronos 73, Nautilus 61, Vox Continental 73, Monologue, Yamaha Montage 8, Rhodes Suitcase, Yamaha VL-1, Roland V-Synth, Yamaha AvantGrand, Minimoog Model D, Studio Electronics Omega 8, CSS, Spitfire, VSL, LASS, Sample Modeling, Ivory, Komplete 12, Spectrasonics, Cubase, Pro Tools, etc.
http://www.purgatorycreek.com

[Sam CA]

What I love about all this is the user name.

You would think a "Grand Master" could easily conquer a Korg instrument, especially if he considers himself a 'GrandMasterKorg'! Grand Master?
_________________
Sam

[GregC]