KronosX 88 German Grand (PRG I-A 000) Tuning Question

RickProfundo · Post by **RickProfundo** » Fri Jun 12, 2020 2:30 am

I have been tuning pianos since 1985. I start with this factoid just so that, hopefully, I don't come across as a whining flake.

My KronosX 88's German Grand's Eb3 (Eb directly below middle C) generates a noticeable unison beat at not quite three beats/second. For the non-tuners out there, a unison beat occurs when one or more of the strings struck by a single hammer vibrates at a frequency different from the other string(s) struck by that same hammer. When all of the strings struck by a single hammer are tuned accurately, the tone is beatless.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Has Korg ever released a fix that addresses any tuning issues? If so, how would one go about acquiring that fix?

Many thanks!

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Fri Jun 12, 2020 3:04 am

I think most of us K88 piano people have 1 or 2 notes that clang, are dissonant.

This was evident 9 years ago and its evident today

Korg never adressed it. Don't expect it.

Numerous posts on this topic.

You could compensate some with EQ.

KK · Post by KK » Fri Jun 12, 2020 4:04 am

No acoustic piano is perfect, including the very expensive concert ones. Recording and sampling acoustic pianos are very complicated as well. To fix any note/key you don't like in a sample set is doable with the Kronos with its resampling feature, but it's not easy. For piano sounds though, at least you don't need to worry about creating inaudible loops.

voip · Post by **voip** » Fri Jun 12, 2020 8:29 am

No ~3Hz unison beat is audible here on Eb3 of the KRONOS Grand, but on Eb4 there is a unison beat. As KK said, and I'm sure you appreciate, no acoustic piano is going to be totally "perfect". Even if tuned directly before a sampling session, it just takes one bit of "give" or easing of the position of a tuning peg, or a gentle air draught affecting one string more than the others, and you have a beat. The pianos were sampled, warts and all.

RickProfundo · Post by **RickProfundo** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 12:22 am

I'll just have to learn to live with it. Thank you for your responses.

pete.m · Post by **pete.m** » Mon Jun 15, 2020 3:35 pm

Hi Rick,

As a long-time piano tuner, I think you should try to see this excellent film ('Pianomania') about the working life of one of Steinway's tuners - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1331115/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0.

KK · Post by KK » Mon Jun 15, 2020 4:28 pm

Saw the movie, it is indeed fun and interesting.

Pedja · Post by **Pedja** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 7:11 am

pete.m wrote:Hi Rick,

As a long-time piano tuner, I think you should try to see this excellent film ('Pianomania') about the working life of one of Steinway's tuners - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1331115/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0.

It is impossible to download this movie (no seeds and peers, for only one torrent file, which I found, for this movie), pete.m. If you have this movie I will be very appreciate, if you will upload it, to some of the cloud disk (dropbox or ...). Thanks in advance.

pete.m · Post by **pete.m** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 7:33 am

Hi Pedja,

Sorry. I can't do that, out of respect for the filmmakers. The DVD is readily available though, here for example - https://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/store/pro ... f615271830 - or from other retailers such as Amazon.

Pedja · Post by **Pedja** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 8:30 am

OK,

Thanks. With a little trouble I found it!