Kronos + Yamaha MODX : good choice or not ?

[Liviou2004]

Hi there !

I would like to know if some have these two synths in their set ? And considering the great possibilities of our Kronos, what spec the MODX (or Montage) would bring to it ?
I know I'm looking to the Modx for its great acoustic guitar sounds (I found them far better than Kronos).

But I would like to know your experience with theses two synths together.

Thanks a lot.

[GregC]

good post ! Very interested to. read about " Objective strengths " of MODX vs Kronos.

To me " objective " is more useful than ' subjective '. Example of subjective: " I like the pianos of 'x" . "

For sure, the MODX display is way stronger than Kronos

MODX DAW integration is a big plus.

I think Karma makes Kronos unique. Sure, MODX has 10,000 ARPs but
is all that phrasing better vs the strength of Karma ? I really
am not sure.

The MODX acoustic guitars are much more realistic than Kronos.

Some folks might say " 3rd Party samples " is the alternative but I have not found this to be persuasive.

Going to step back for now, as it will be great to hear from MODX folks [or montage].

[alamo]

I have both, a Kronos2 and a MODX7. There's no doubt that the kronos is more powerful and flexible, but the modx has certain advantages. For example, the MODX has better guitars, the way it works with its articulations and arpeggiators, is faster and more fun to play than the kronos. The other advantage I use a lot is that is far easier to setup drumkits on the MODX, again in the Kronos i have more power to route through effects, but is really cumbersome to be changing modes just to test/change a drum sound. And last the MODX comes with a huge "normal" set of arpeggios, sometimes to deal with Karma is an overkill.

I don't think that the modx screen is better, I haven't checked the specs but it seems it has a lower resolution and contrast (and you can't control its brigtness!)

in the end, and for my purposes they complement rather well.

[GregC]

I

I don't think that the modx screen is better, I haven't checked the specs but it seems it has a lower resolution and contrast (and you can't control its brigtness!)

i.

Hi, yes, my comment about MODX screen was more subjective.

I flat out struggle with ' tiny font' on my K88. I am 67, and my eye sight is declining.

When I played MODX for a few hours, at GC, I did not need reading glasses.

It was a pleasure and a relief to not struggle with the detail on the MODX LCD.

FYI, I am not impressed by the MODX Distortion guitars. They are ' good' but not great, IMO. I figure Yamaha is using Yamaha electrics in the MODX.
I did not dive deep into distortion FX on MODX.

[alamo]

Hi, yes, my comment about MODX screen was more subjective.

I flat out struggle with ' tiny font' on my K88. I am 67, and my eye sight is declining.

When I played MODX for a few hours, at GC, I did not need reading glasses.

It was a pleasure and a relief to not struggle with the detail on the MODX LCD.

FYI, I am not impressed by the MODX Distortion guitars. They are ' good' but not great, IMO. I figure Yamaha is using Yamaha electrics in the MODX.
I did not dive deep into distortion FX on MODX.

I meant acoustic guitars, Kronos effects are better in general, though the MODX has some very unique ones (spiralizer, for example)

I forgot a couple of advantages: motion control (in practice a custom routable LFO) and the USB driver, Yamaha has a real ASIO driver and you can output 8 channels indenpendently through USB to your DAW.

and I forgot the disadvantages.. just 2 FX per part and only 12 parts can have custom FXs. MIDI channels are fixed per part (this one I can't believe how Yamaha implemented this, i had a MOXF before and you could change the midi channel per part) and last the way the synth works in general (performances with sounds grouped inside, and no individual sounds) is kind of confusing to someone used to how Korg works.

[Poseidon]

No. ( but this is only my personal opinion )

Based on your synth collection, you have no need for MODX.

Instead

If you are after a classical acoustic guitar, get Yamaha NTX700 Guitar, it will leave MODX in the dust. ( You will learn quicker than you think, don’t worry ! )

2nd option is to get an effect pedal like Strymon timeline or Volante, and use the Kronos as a guitar.
You will sound like “God’s voice”.

If you need a new keyboard, get Novation Summit. In your studio, I would bet that it would be always ON, alongside Kronos.

If you need for a gig, than it might make sense to get MODX for guitars.

[kronoSphere]

No.
And for another reason :

IMHO Today a DAW is a necessity with the Kronos.
Because there are so many excellent and magical VSTinstruments and VST effects that there is no more need to add and add and add keyboards on keyboards
Kronos is Kronos !
I agree with Posseidon concerning real guitars

[Liviou2004]

No. ( but this is only my personal opinion )

Based on your synth collection, you have no need for MODX.

Instead

If you are after a classical acoustic guitar, get Yamaha NTX700 Guitar, it will leave MODX in the dust. ( You will learn quicker than you think, don’t worry !)

Well, I see what you mean. Of course, if I was able to play guitar, il would buy one ! And I can imagine it will do a better guitar sound. I'm a far better keyboard player than a guitar player. So I'm looking excellent guitar sounds on a synth.
As a same way, even if I would like to play on a Bösendordfer Imperial 290, at 200,000 $ I know it would have a true piano sound but I know that I won't never get one ! So I'm looking for excellent piano sound.

2nd option is to get an effect pedal like Strymon timeline or Volante, and use the Kronos as a guitar.
You will sound like “God’s voice”.

That's not what I'm looking for. I'm not looking for effected sounds. My synths set provides me enough. I'm rather looking for pure instruments sounds.

If you need a new keyboard, get Novation Summit. In your studio, I would bet that it would be always ON, alongside Kronos.

Yes, the Summit is an excellent synth. But it's not the kind of sounds I want.

-------------

You seem knowing well the ModX. Do you have one ?

[GregC]

No. ( but this is only my personal opinion )

Based on your synth collection, you have no need for MODX.

Instead

If you are after a classical acoustic guitar, get Yamaha NTX700 Guitar, it will leave MODX in the dust. ( You will learn quicker than you think, don’t worry !)

Well, I see what you mean. Of course, if I was able to play guitar, il would buy one ! And I can imagine it will do a better guitar sound. I'm a far better keyboard player than a guitar player. So I'm looking excellent guitar sounds on a synth.
As a same way, even if I would like to play on a Bösendordfer Imperial 290, at 200,000 $ I know it would have a true piano sound but I know that I won't never get one ! So I'm looking for excellent piano sound.

”.

That's not what I'm looking for. I'm not looking for effected sounds. My synths set provides me enough. I'm rather looking for pure instruments sounds.

If you need a new keyboard, get Novation Summit. In your studio, I would bet that it would be always ON, alongside Kronos.

Yes, the Summit is an excellent synth. But it's not the kind of sounds I want.

-------------

You seem knowing well the ModX. Do you have one ?[/quote]

I played rhythm guitar or ' 2nd guitar' in my rock bands. It takes some years to build up skills on guitar.

Getting excellent guitar sounds with some technique on keys is a viable option. Call it a good short cut.

I feel the same way about trumpet and sax. You can capture the basic technique and sound of these acoustic instruments on a keyboard.

For my purposes I am not going to ever sound like Eric Clapton or Miles Davis, no matter the instrument. But I can fake some parts with a little help on keys

[Poseidon]

Well, I see what you mean. Of course, if I was able to play guitar, il would buy one ! And I can imagine it will do a better guitar sound. I'm a far better keyboard player than a guitar player. So I'm looking excellent guitar sounds on a synth.
As a same way, even if I would like to play on a Bösendordfer Imperial 290, at 200,000 $ I know it would have a true piano sound but I know that I won't never get one ! So I'm looking for excellent piano sound.

Yamaha NTX700 is only ~ $500. it has a lovely natural sound, which records well into your Kronos inputs.

I am a woodwind player … and I can play piano, guitar … even a cello … It does not take long if you love music.
First You would have to work out how to implement what you’ve learned on the piano towards the guitar.
Once you unravel it, you would be recording your guitar in a month. it’s all about playability.

That's not what I'm looking for. I'm not looking for effected sounds. My synths set provides me enough. I'm rather looking for pure instruments sounds.

What a use of pure guitar sound, if there is no decent reverb/delay effect.

You seem knowing well the ModX. Do you have one ?

No, but my friend bought it for his son, so I had a chance to play with it nearly half a day.
It's got some serious sound banks, MODX is a full-blown synth, I cannot deny it.
Other than that I simply did not like this MODX at all, … generic keybed, not for me, I got lost in menus …
But, as mentioned above , this is only my opinion.

[GregC]

Hi Fred, I guess I have been wrong for +10 years, for relying on expensive keyboards

I 'should ' have bought the above acoustic guitar.

I should have bought a Les Paul. I should have bought a Strat. I should have bought 28 different FX pedals.

I should have bought a Marshall stack and a Vox amp.

And I should have bought a great Alto, Tenor, Baritone sax. I should have bought a trumpet. I should have bought 4 different drum kits.

And then I should have recorded all those and more into my Kronos.

I don't know about mastering an instrument in 30 days and recording it.
I am not a musical genius. I suppose all this is possible in 30 days if a person is a genius.

I haven't figured out how to explain this to my wife

[Poseidon]

Hi Fred, I guess I have been wrong for +10 years, for relying on expensive keyboards

I 'should ' have bought the above acoustic guitar.

I should have bought a Les Paul. I should have bought a Strat. I should have bought 28 different FX pedals.

I should have bought a Marshall stack and a Vox amp.

And I should have bought a great Alto, Tenor, Baritone sax. I should have bought a trumpet. I should have bought 4 different drum kits.

And then I should have recorded all those and more into my Kronos.

I don't know about mastering an instrument in 30 days and recording it.
I am not a musical genius. I suppose all this is possible in 30 days if a person is a genius.

I haven't figured out how to explain this to my wife

Yes Greg, you’ve been wrong, probably all your life.
The instruments are like subjects at school.
When you were at high school, did you only study an English language, what’s about the other subjects …

She can try other instruments, so why would you discourage her.
There is no need for her to play Pink Floyd’s riffs.
Of course she might never reach level of Sinatra, but is there a need for that ?
She can play in her own peace, to her own composed music and slowly progress to the next level.
As long as She can feel it, and has physical abilities, she should definitely add to her collection a guitarist skills.
And after 30 days, she would definitely make a simple record of guitar that could sound terrific.
It does not take a Genius to do that, rather a pursuit, and a will.

I should have bought a Les Paul. I should have bought a Strat. I should have bought 28 different FX pedals.

You have not read my post well.

I actually offered to cut the costs. Yamaha MODX costs $1399 - 1999, and the guitar $500 only.
We have lower costs , the fulfilment of desire to have a pure acoustic sound, and as a result of such decision, the enrichment of musical skills awaits anyone, because that what the variety of instruments can do to any musician.

28 different pedals ?.

People are buying Strymon pedals for their synths/guitars to give them a new life.
And it does work.
Check it for example the following demo : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPsqZaIjhGE
Sometimes buying a premium product can make a change, and even safe money.
That’s why I offered to try Strymon on Kronos, instead buying MODX.

[Liviou2004]

Perhaps, a recall of my initial request is needed : I don't need a guitar, a cello, a drill machine, a vacuum cleaner or whatsoever . I don't care of trumpet or violin lessons either.

I just asked to people who are playing on, or have already played on, Kronos and Modx/Montage : what kind of complementarity they've found with these two synths together ?

So, thanks a lot to all of you who answered me to this point !

[Lightbringer]

I don't have a MODX so I can't speak to your original question. Before you decide on that, I'd probably at least take a look at some of the Native Instruments guitar VST instruments,and controlling them with the Kronos. They sound good and offer you all kinds of sound customization and also strumming patterns and other things to make it sound like a guitar player vs. someone playing a guitar on the keyboard. (Of course some people can do a pretty good guitar on the keyboard but it takes some practice).

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/c ... te/guitar/

The thing with a MODX is that you're going to end re-buying a lot of what you already have already paid for in the Kronos just to get some new sounds, and sounds can be had for a fraction of the cost of a new keyboard and take up less space.

Unless you just really want a MODX in which case, I say go for it!

[Liviou2004]

I don't have a MODX so I can't speak to your original question. Before you decide on that, I'd probably at least take a look at some of the Native Instruments guitar VST instruments,and controlling them with the Kronos. They sound good and offer you all kinds of sound customization and also strumming patterns and other things to make it sound like a guitar player vs. someone playing a guitar on the keyboard. (Of course some people can do a pretty good guitar on the keyboard but it takes some practice).

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/c ... te/guitar/

The thing with a MODX is that you're going to end re-buying a lot of what you already have already paid for in the Kronos just to get some new sounds, and sounds can be had for a fraction of the cost of a new keyboard and take up less space.

Unless you just really want a MODX in which case, I say go for it!

Thanks a lot. I'm going to have a look at your interesting suggestion and to the Native products.