Kronos 2 61 or 88 for live perfomace?

[V-man]

Hi guys, as a presumptive new owner of a Kronos 2, I have difficulties deciding if to go for a K2 61 in combination with some regular stage piano as main 88 board, or if I should go for a K2 88 combined with some other 61-key synth or MIDI-controller keyboard. I need two boards.

Today my somewhat jurassic rig is based on a Yamaha P150 piano, a D50 and a Integra 7. The time has come to replace the whole rig. Perhaps also the Integra 7 may be redundant in the future depending on what rig combination I decide to go for.

WHATS MOST IMPORTANT FOR ME is that the rig set up allow for very quick changes of sounds and combination of sounds in real time during live play. I play in a coverband with a very broad repertoire with different genres of music, so there is sometimes a need for pretty advanced combinations of sounds with splits and layers on both keyboards.

SO MY MAIN QUESTION IS, will the efficiency of control during live play suffer if I go for a K2 61 where all buttons, controls and touch screen will be located on "second floor" 50 cm from where my hands are, or is there ways to overcome this?

It would be truly nice to have a K2 88 where all controls are right at hand, BUT the 88 board will force me to get two of them, one at home and one at the rehearsal studio because it will kill me if I need to drag everything back and forth all the time. With a K2 61 I can go with a couple of less expensive stage pianos (e.g Kawai MP7SE or similar) which would let me bring only the K2 61 when going on rehearsal.

...STILL it is really important to achieve a super efficient way of control during live play.

Do any one have any experience on this scenario or have any suggestions???

Sorry, long text, hope you bared with me!

[voip]

Go for the K(X/2) 61 key if you need to lug it around from venue to venue, and use a footswitch to advance selections using the Kronos' setlist arranged in order of use. Program/Combi changeover is pretty slick that way, and can be done with eyes closed.

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[V-man]

Go for the K(X/2) 61 key if you need to lug it around from venue to venue, and use a footswitch to advance selections using the Kronos' setlist arranged in order of use. Program/Combi changeover is pretty slick that way, and can be done with eyes closed.

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Okey, thanks for quick response time . But will it not be difficult to see the sceen when it's on "second floor", and what about situations where you need to change different parameters, like cutoff frequency and stuff like that?

[Hector Space]

My live rig is a K2 61 and a Casio PX5S. The Casio is a very good midi controller with a top class piano action (I also have an RD2000 and have had an Kawai MP7SE both with great actions) the PX5S wins for gigging because it only weighs 11Kg and it is compact for a full size 88. My K2 provides all the sounds including pianos. I use combis exclusively.
It is perfectly possible to setup the K2 combis so that the panel controls give you the hands on tweak ability you need. I’ve even dropped my EHV256 vocoder because with some tweaking I’ve got some pretty good vocoder sounds from the K2.
The Px5s is connected to the K2 by usb. I use the K2’s foot pedal and foot switch to provide control for CX3 swell and rotary speed and I have a midi solutions swell pedal converter connected to the K2 midi din input that provides cross fade between synth/brass and pianos for right hand parts The PX5s has the usual damper, mod wheel and pitch bend and an additional 6 faders and 4 knobs for hands on sound tweaks all setup to drive the timbers in the combis. The K2’s setlist mode is used to control the whole rig and makes song transitions really fast and easy (for the days your singer changes the set order!!)
It is one of the best and most capable rigs I’ve had in the last 40 years.

[V-man]

My live rig is a K2 61 and a Casio PX5S. The Casio is a very good midi controller with a top class piano action (I also have an RD2000 and have had an Kawai MP7SE both with great actions) the PX5S wins for gigging because it only weighs 11Kg and it is compact for a full size 88. My K2 provides all the sounds including pianos. I use combis exclusively.
It is perfectly possible to setup the K2 combis so that the panel controls give you the hands on tweak ability you need. I’ve even dropped my EHV256 vocoder because with some tweaking I’ve got some pretty good vocoder sounds from the K2.
The Px5s is connected to the K2 by usb. I use the K2’s foot pedal and foot switch to provide control for CX3 swell and rotary speed and I have a midi solutions swell pedal converter connected to the K2 midi din input that provides cross fade between synth/brass and pianos for right hand parts The PX5s has the usual damper, mod wheel and pitch bend and an additional 6 faders and 4 knobs for hands on sound tweaks all setup to drive the timbers in the combis. The K2’s setlist mode is used to control the whole rig and makes song transitions really fast and easy (for the days your singer changes the set order!!)
It is one of the best and most capable rigs I’ve had in the last 40 years.

Thank's! Great input! A couple of side track questions.

1. The USB connection between the Casio and Kronos, does that work both ways or is it just to be able to play the Kronos from the Casio?

2. Have you experienced any polyfony issues, since you basically are using the Kronos as your main source for all sounds?

3. You mention that you also have owned a MP7SE, a piano that I have been glancing at quite a lot recent time. Do you have any particular comments to share regarding this piano with respect to and in comparison with the Casio and the RD2000?

[Falcon2e]

I understand that you’re dealing with a tough decision. You’re doing the right thing asking for ideas, but ultimately it’s going to be up to you. Some players don’t want to play weighed keys, others complain about semi-weighted keys being too stiff.

I don’t want to carry anything larger than necessary. For certain songs it would be nice to have the use of a full keyboard, but with the use of editing pitch in combi, and using switch 1/2, I’ve managed to make it work.

As stated above, the use of a foot switch can be helpful. I personally don’t use one. I do rely heavily on the set list function. I just tap the screen or use the ‘up’ button to navigate to the next program.

Regardless of what you decide to do, the new setup will feel awkward at first, but after a while I think you’ll get comfortable playing it.

[V-man]

I understand that you’re dealing with a tough decision. You’re doing the right thing asking for ideas, but ultimately it’s going to be up to you. Some players don’t want to play weighed keys, others complain about similar-weighted keys being too stiff.

I don’t want to carry anything larger than necessary. For certain songs it would be nice to have the use of a full keyboard, but with the use of editing pitch in combi, and using switch 1/2, I’ve managed to make it work.

As stated above, the use of a foot switch can be helpful. I personally don’t use one. I do rely heavily on the set list function. I just tap the screen or use the ‘up’ button to navigate to the next program.

Regardless of what you decide to do, the new setup will feel awkward at first, but after a while I think you’ll get comfortable playing it.

Thank's! Thoughtful thoughts indeed. I assume that you use your Nord Stage as the main 88 board. If that so, you don't experience any issues or difficulties controlling everything from the K2 61 during live play even though it presumably is not right in front of your hands playing the Nord?

[Falcon2e]

I understand that you’re dealing with a tough decision. You’re doing the right thing asking for ideas, but ultimately it’s going to be up to you. Some players don’t want to play weighed keys, others complain about similar-weighted keys being too stiff.

I don’t want to carry anything larger than necessary. For certain songs it would be nice to have the use of a full keyboard, but with the use of editing pitch in combi, and using switch 1/2, I’ve managed to make it work.

As stated above, the use of a foot switch can be helpful. I personally don’t use one. I do rely heavily on the set list function. I just tap the screen or use the ‘up’ button to navigate to the next program.

Regardless of what you decide to do, the new setup will feel awkward at first, but after a while I think you’ll get comfortable playing it.

Thank's! Thoughtful thoughts indeed. I assume that you use your Nord Stage as the main 88 board. If that so, you don't experience any issues or difficulties controlling everything from the K2 61 during live play even though it presumably is not right in front of your hands playing the Nord?

I do have the Nord on top, and it does make it easier to control my Kronos.

[geoelectro]

I started with the K61 and a Yamaha P-80 for the 88-note action. All sounds from the K61. I bought another used P-80 so I had one at home and one at Church. I only had to move the lighter K61 back and forth. Eventually, I bought a second K61 so now both rigs stay put. I only have to bring a USB memory to take my edits back and forth.

I chose this route because there were times I only needed the K61 when playing aux keys with another keyboard player. I'm glad with this arrangement. I play sitting down and have the keyboards adjusted so I can get to and see the K61 panel well. Only the keys of the P-80 are visible under the K61.

I use three pedals and the Korg Nanopad as well. Lots of control!

Geo

[V-man]

I started with the K61 and a Yamaha P-80 for the 88-note action. All sounds from the K61. I bought another used P-80 so I had one at home and one at Church. I only had to move the lighter K61 back and forth. Eventually, I bought a second K61 so now both rigs stay put. I only have to bring a USB memory to take my edits back and forth.

I chose this route because there were times I only needed the K61 when playing aux keys with another keyboard player. I'm glad with this arrangement. I play sitting down and have the keyboards adjusted so I can get to and see the K61 panel well. Only the keys of the P-80 are visible under the K61.

I use three pedals and the Korg Nanopad as well. Lots of control!

Geo

Great input again! The more input I get it leans more and more towards a K2 61-based set up.

[tunaman]

I’m of the opposite mindset, and think you’d be selling yourself short by going with the 61.

I have a K2 73 here at home for practicing and development, with my TeX 61 on top for organ and lead parts (via MIDI).

I ended up buying a K2 88 to keep at the rehearsal studio and to take out on gigs once things open back up. I also have my Triton SE 61 connected to it via MIDI.

Sure the Kronos’ are heavy, but even the 61 isn’t light. I have a folding dolly and a flight case, so it is manageable and secure.

The ability to split so many voices, use the velocity layers, map samples to keys, etc. far outweigh the other considerations for me, pun intended. The Kronos allows me to have the equivalent of a full stack (used to be three or four, at least).

Also, I really like the RH3 action for everything but fast lead and organ parts, so the fact that I can connect something(s) that I already have laying around via MIDI, while being able to use the voices from my K2, is just perfect IMHO.

[V-man]

Aargh! you guys are not making it easy for me

Whats bothering me is that since I'm originally a piano player I like to always have a really good weighted 88 keyboard both at home and at the rehearsal studio. Considering this it feels a little bit over the top to actually by two brand new K2 88's! ... or maybe that's just me gasping over how much money we're talking about. Still I consider any choice that I make to be a long term investment.

At the same time, one more issue is that if I need to go to some far away gig where we need to fly in, the K2 88 is not very easy to travel with. ...and if I build up my keyboard rig based on a K2 88 I will always need to bring with me a K2 88 to be able to perform. My thought here is that if it is possible to achieve what I need with a K2 61 and base the complete set up around it, I could easily travel anywhere bringing that K2 61 with me and just connect whatever 88 keyboard that are available at the location and shoot.

...BUT as I said in the beginning, if there is too big set back regarding the controlling efficiency with a K2 61, may be I need to surrender to the K2 88 based set up.

[tunaman]

For me, the extra real estate is worth it. And in reality it isn’t any more difficult to move a K2 88 than it is a K2 61 - they’re both bulky, and if you’re flying you will need to have a good flight case regardless. I have one for my 73 and it is quite heavy by itself. Add in the stand and pedalboard, along with the gig bag, and there’s just a load of gear to haul either way.

For me, one of the best points is that I’ve got the option to just use the Kronos if I don’t feel like lugging the second keyboard, and with 88 keys I can make do just fine.

Bottom line, though, is you have to do what is best for you.

[V-man]

For me, the extra real estate is worth it. And in reality it isn’t any more difficult to move a K2 88 than it is a K2 61 - they’re both bulky, and if you’re flying you will need to have a good flight case regardless. I have one for my 73 and it is quite heavy by itself. Add in the stand and pedalboard, along with the gig bag, and there’s just a load of gear to haul either way.

For me, one of the best points is that I’ve got the option to just use the Kronos if I don’t feel like lugging the second keyboard, and with 88 keys I can make do just fine.

Bottom line, though, is you have to do what is best for you.

Yes, but it will be a really tuff decision to make. Anyway the K2 61 is still about 10 kg lighter than the K2 88 and enough short in length so it is easy to load in the trunk of the car, witch for me is not to disregard.

[Geoff Flynn]

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