Korg Forums

[Mingugnim]

I adore my new Kronos73 and have spent my first three weeks going through every timbre and Combi, and creating Combis for each song so that I can retire my S90ES and start using the K for rehearsals and gigs.

I have one week left before I exchange at music store if I'm dissatisfied. Having never worked with samplers, sequencers or back tracks before, I have a long learning curve ahead. That's just fine. But I read a post about someone disappointed with creating backing tracks to play along with live, saying problems, too complicated, and returning the K.

One objective with purchasing the K is to record multi layers intros and choruses for songs as backing tracks to play along with live. After reading that post I'm now worried that the Kronos may not be the best board for this, and won't have time to learn everything in the next week, when my window to return closes.

Sorry for the rambling post. I believe that the Kronos will be just fine in this respect, but a little more info on the Kronos' abilities here would put my concerns to rest, and I'll put the box it came in into storage!

As always, this forum is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

[QuiRobinez]

yes there is a lot to learn, but that's because one kronos is actually 9 instruments, so that's a lot harder to learn then one s90es. But it will be worth your learning time when you master the kronos.

Backing tracks aren't that hard to create. Did you try it using my tutorial on youtube? That shows all the steps you need.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edzVvnGccgc

[Mingugnim]

Many thanks Netherlands! I'll check out your video. I'm anxious to learn, one instrument at a time.

[Phabius]

That's exactly why I'm using the Kronos now, apart from its amazing sound and its collection of features that for sure no other keyboard in the market now can beat. I've managed to get rid of two additional keyboards, laptop, audio interface, and a lot of wires from my live rig.

I've spent the last six months programming this thing, and I've never had any problems, except the few bugs that we all know, like the MS-20 HPF and Karma, things that surely will be addressed in the next OS version.
Never had a spontaneous boot (mind that AC power in Brazil is the worst!).

I'm using Song mode, with my multi-timbral setups of up to sixteen programs (with HD1 and every EXi involved), in layers, vel switches. splits. A lot of different sounds controlled by the Kronos keyboard and also by an additional Korg X50 via USB. You'll love the possibility to work with 12 insert effects, 2 master effects (send/return) and two total effects, and you will need them! The effects routings are also very flexible!

I'm using three audio channels for backing tracks, but could be using more if needed (for backing vocals, FX, or the like, that can be processed separately), as there are 16 audio mono channels available. I mix everything from the master tapes into two split mono WAV files. Channels 1 & 2 for the stereo pair of two mono audio files (backing tracks), and Channel 3 for the click track (mono). I prefer to use the click as an audio track, as i'ts possible to include count-down, remarks, warnings, etc., and its also easier to route it to an individual output.
Channels 1 & 2 are output via individual out 1 & 2, and the click goes via individual out 3 to all in-ear systems in the band. My "live" sounds" are output through the L/R jacks.

Putting these audio backing tracks in use in Kronos is a breeze!
Since these audio files are start-to-end recordings, all that's needed is to place each one of them in the beginning of the correct track; and setting the song lenght, tempo, output routings, and pan for the two first channels... and that's it.
After the files were bounced down, it took me less than half an hour to transfer them from the computer to the Kronos and set up as many as 13 songs, all up and ruuning.

We're playng with this system and it had never had a single failure. All songs play and sound very well, and I'm pushing the engine a lot with tons of layered sounds from different engines simultaneously.

The tutorial link above is the one I was going to give you. Excellent video!
You can try this one aswell, for the OASYS, which also applies to the Kronos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXuqPDJCqJE

If this is your workflow, this is the best keyboard in the market for the job.
_________________
Korg MS-20 Kit, Korg MS-20 mini, Korg KingKorg, Korg Volca Series (Beats, Bass, Keys), Korg Kronos 61, Korg X50, Korg Triton Extreme 76 (96MB RAM, MOSS), Korg MS2000B, Korg monotron series (classic, duo, delay), Korg monotribe, Kawai K5000W, Nord Stage 88, Nord Electro 2, Nord Modular G2X, Nord Lead 3, Novation X-Station, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Air

www.removesilence.com

[Mingugnim]

You guys ARE the greatest. Your appreciation for the Kronos is apparent thru your generosity in eloping others.

Having now read read the fist 10 pages of the forum I am not dissuaded by the complexity nor the problems some have with the Kronos. We all know every board as its share of issues, and I agree with posts reminding others of this fact.

Of course today I'm not understanding much of what I read but I am a patient man and will learn starting with page one of the owners manual, will learn for tutorial videos, and will learn thanks to this forums members.

Side by side with the Yamaha the Kronos' sounds are spectacular, even the acoustic pianos which I love on the Yamaha. Performing I will always have my Hammond SK1 as a second board as one never knows when you'll want to add a little organ. However my Little Phatty might just be staying at home now, thankfully lightening my load.

I won't worry about the advertisement I saw about the Kurzweil and the live riffs. Prior to the Kronos I had my eye on the PC3K's.

Again I appreciate everybody's help in setting my mind to rest. Will take that big cardboard box to my storage, toss the wrapping that came with the Gator case, and enjoy the ride of education and discovery. And should I have a problem with the keybed, unlike some I have only 20 mile access to a Korg authorized repair dealer in San Francisco.