FINALLY! Fully updating my Kronos 61....a rant.....

JOHN GARGANI · Post by **JOHN GARGANI** » Mon Jun 04, 2018 5:37 pm

I had put a post up here, probably 4 months ago, asking for help with certain aspects of updating the Kronos.

The problem wasn't so much the software update, as, I managed to stumble through that without too much issue.

The problem was adding the samples that would enable me to play the newer sounds ( mainly SGX-2 Pianos ). I had already purchased the newer EXs and had the key codes. I wrote to Korg and they sent me some instructions, of which weren't working either. The main problem was a constant " not enough memory".....

Well: I had the keyboard sent back to korg, to add more "memory", but what they did, was increase the RAM, and I was still getting the same message.

Finally, I managed to figure out how to eliminate unnecessary stuff on the disc: stuff that I never put in ( I bought the keyboard used a few years back), and don't you dare tell me it is easy to clear out things! LOL...well, it isn't.....but I managed and then lo and behold, I was actually able to install the new EXs.....I won't even go into the hassle it was for me to get those stupid EXs on a thumb drive ( unzipping files may be child's play to you guys, but it still confuses me), but now I have installed the EXs, or so, it tells me.

But : where are they??????? They aren't listed in the directory of the internal drive....why not? oh, but of course, turns out you have to click on KORG OPTIONS folder , open that, and then voila, miraculously, there they are.....why on Earth they have to be in an options folder is beyond me.

So now, you have to load those files....for the umpteenth time, more installing/loading, etc....but it is still not over! Unless you go to the 'auto-load" page and designate them, they are still not found....and then, the piece de resistance, you have to go to the mysterious "Options info" tab, and finally put in those arcane key codes that Korg gave you when you purchased the thing in the first place.....

WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!! REALLY?????????????????

Hey, I am 67 years old, and trying, really trying to deal with all this technology business, but honestly, does it HAVE to be that convoluted???

Are all of these steps necessary? What about streamlining all this into some sort of "user friendly"......instead of the onus of finding out about this put on the shoulders of people like the ones who give time on this forum to try to help people.....

and Korg themselves: what's with this email business that takes a year and a day to get a response: why isn't there a tech hotline for people like myself, who have paid an awful lot of money for these keyboards and don't deserve to get frustrated over what should be a relatively easy process.

of course, back in the Jurassic Age, when I first started buying these keyboards in the 80s, I would go to Sam Ash, and the sales reps knew ALL of the keyboards inside and out....they WERE the tech reps....in addition to that, there were regular visits from the company sales reps doing demos, and I was always there to get tips from them. Now, when I walked into the Sam Ash to have the "memory" increased, they had no idea what I was talking about, no idea of what updates meant, and didn't even have a korg Kronos on the floor. So much for that rant....

as an aside: The Pa4X has a feature where there is a FRONT LOADED thumb drive, plain and easy to see, which, if you plug in a drive with new sounds, styles, etc, you simply have to designate EXT on your machine, in a search, and it takes you right to the contents of the drive....none of this installing, loading, loading, verifying, authorizing, etc and so forth. So, they DO have this technology already. Why not share it with all of the keyboards?

in finality, all of the newer sounds, are, as usual, tremendous, and the Kronos remains an amazing SOUNDING machine, but conversely, also remains a challenge to master the tech ins and outs.

Mike Conway · Post by **Mike Conway** » Mon Jun 04, 2018 6:44 pm

Great post. Unzipping sample and large OS files is pretty standard for anything of that size. Most synths only need to load in a small program file and that's it.

No doubt, Kronos is a complicated synth. Anyone who doesn't want that amount of complexity should just buy a Krome, Motif, or FA 06. That said, I agree that Korg's workflow is often far from intuitive.

Falcon2e · Post by **Falcon2e** » Mon Jun 04, 2018 8:26 pm

Hi John, I feel your pain. We have a couple things in common. We both love our Ks and I’m very close to your age. I’ve had my K2 for about three years and struggled with tech issues also. Once I got everything in order, everything as been working great. But, as tempting as it is to buy additional sound libraries, I really don’t want to take a chance on wrecking my KB. Like the old saying, if it works, don’t fix it!

Scarecrow · Post by **Scarecrow** » Mon Jun 04, 2018 11:45 pm

Yiaks! I'm hoping to install these new saxophones when they come out this month, I will be needing a skype link to korg, back up generator and a doctor on stand by, I tried loading some sound before and ended up with half my combies missing timbers with "samples not loaded" and red lines all over, there are some EXs all ready loaded but sound like a mixture of d-tuned synth basses and orchestral sounds, so I just ignore them, but I will do a full back up b4, that way if I mess it up I can always return it to where it was.

Falcon2e · Post by **Falcon2e** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 12:18 am

Good luck Scarecrow. More than likely, if you’re seeing ‘red’, some EXs are missing. As for my previous post, I’m not trying to discourage anyone from loading new sounds, just proceed with caution.

JOHN GARGANI · Post by **JOHN GARGANI** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 2:07 pm

good to know that I am not the only one! LOL.....

Anyone who doesn't want that amount of complexity should just buy a Krome, Motif, or FA 06

I have the FA and that is definitely more user friendly overall....I also have a Motif, but that is far from user friendly either....I had a nagging issue or two with the Motif that also took quite a while and a few forums to solve.

repeating something I said in the opening post, and an on-going problem and rant with me, is that the higher end machines of each company are no longer on any of the floors of any Musical store in the CT/NY area....

anyone that wants to buy a Kronos, instead of a Krome, or a Motif/Montage, or a high end arranger, such as Pa4X or Genos, has to go by the internet only, and plunk down anywhere from 3 to 5 thousand dollars without ever having played the keyboards first, which honestly, is atrocious.

Could you just imagine, let's say you drive a Chevy Equinox ( around 25Gs), and a friend recommended you get a BMW SUV this time ( around 40G or more) and you just order one without doing a test drive????????

but in concept, this is what they expect us to do with these high end keyboards in this current age of mystical support from the companies themselves.

and to carry the analogy further, not only can you do the test drive, but after you buy the car, if there is anything you have a question about, you can just go back and talk to your sales rep and I have done this many times....Not to mention that ANY repair it needs is done right on the premises without having to send the car anywhere.

compare that to Korg: no playable demos on store site, un-informed store workers and having to send the keyboard back to Korg with 2-3 week delays for any work on them.

and then people wonder why the Keyboard industry is so depressed: they like to blame it on the rise of DAW and the use of just plain keyboard controllers, but it is far more than that: it is lack of support and representation by these companies that is causing the dearth of sales.

NormC · Post by **NormC** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 3:21 pm

JOHN GARGANI wrote: compare that to Korg: no playable demos on store site, un-informed store workers and having to send the keyboard back to Korg with 2-3 week delays for any work on them.

Nearly every EXS has a downloadable and playable demo on the Korg site. You can try them before you buy them. You will just get occasional volume drops until you authorize them. Also several of the EXS's are free.

karmathanever · Post by **karmathanever** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 3:26 pm

Yes - the keyboard retail world has changed.
Gone are the days of Korg and Roland marketing roadshows.
I think new owners are more into HEAVY pre-purchase researching these days (not by choice!!)
So read the manuals first - well that's a joke really 1000+ pages in most cases.
None of my local retailers know much about most of the higher tech keyboards like Montage, Kronos, PA4X, Genos.
I don't even know if there is any actual marketing training for them anyway.
That's how it appears here....
You just have you prepare the best you can, go into the store, put on the headphones and bash away.
We seem to have to rely on someone coming up with half-reasonable YouTube demos to get any meaningful info.
I have so much left to learn on my Kronos but at least I have some familiarity and comfort.
I was keen to evaluate the Montage a while ago and the best I could get is our great demonstrator friend Katsunori UJIIE.
He is great but we need more from the manufacturers in my opinion and some serious in-depth tutorials.

Hope you come to terms with your KK - in the end I still think it is the best.

Cheers

Pete

JOHN GARGANI · Post by **JOHN GARGANI** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 7:11 pm

Nearly every EXS has a downloadable and playable demo on the Korg site.

sorry Norm, if I didn't make myself clear enough, I was referring to a LIVE demo, playing the keyboard itself in a store.

You just have you prepare the best you can, go into the store, put on the headphones and bash away.

prepare, you can, Mate, thanks to online manuals, BUT, as I said already, bashing away is not possible if they don't have the darn keyboard on the floor! LOL.....

and yes, back then, I would always go into Sam Ash with a small pair of headphones, and then people wouldn't have me to add to the cacophony of sound ever present in those days, between the keyboards and the guitars and drums.

NormC · Post by **NormC** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 7:48 pm

I agree John. I used to love going to shops and playing with the keys. Daddy's Junky Music was the best in New England. They went out of business leaving only Guitar Center. Guitar Center had a falling out with Korg so there is not a lot to play with and they really push their store brand of keyboards so it got boring to visit Guitar Center. I bought my Kronos 2 from Sweetwater without ever getting to play one.

mgibian · Post by **mgibian** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 8:59 pm

Maybe just plan a pilgrimage to Sweetwater periodically, possibly combine it with Keyfest.

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:42 pm

NormC wrote:I agree John. I used to love going to shops and playing with the keys. Daddy's Junky Music was the best in New England. They went out of business leaving only Guitar Center. Guitar Center had a falling out with Korg so there is not a lot to play with and they really push their store brand of keyboards so it got boring to visit Guitar Center. I bought my Kronos 2 from Sweetwater without ever getting to play one.

In 2011 I bought my Kronos without ever getting to play one.

I knew my requirements, it was a 99% perfect fit back then.
Easily worth the $3000 in 2011.

IOW, for me, as a song writer, it was a no-brainer.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Sun Jun 10, 2018 12:47 pm

I also bought my K73 sight unseen in 2011. And, I've purchased sound libraries. Here's the thing, most installed fairly easily but I bought a brass library and after many many futile attempts to get it working, I said to hell with it. Too much trouble.