64-bit KRONOS Editor and Plug-In Editor

[Xenophile]

I spent a little time with it last night, mostly working my way through the "getting started" stuff in the Kronos Editor manual. I think I'm going to like the editor. Much easier for an old man's eyes to read than the little Kronos touch-screen.

I couldn't get the AU to load in Mainstage. I found the AU Instrument in the menu under Sound Quest instruments, but when I tried to load it I got the spinning beachball of wait, wait, and wait some more. I let it spin for over a half-an hour, then forced Mainstage to quit. I re-started everything and tried again and got the same beach-ball again. If I find some time this evening, I will try in Logic.

I took a look at the Midi Quest upgrade page. I'm guessing that the qualifying product that we have is "UniQuest" but I'm not sure. I think the upgrade to Midi Quest Pro from Uni-Quest is $329 USD. Pretty steep. But I also have a Motif ES Rack and a Motif ES8. A UA interface for those synths in Logic/Mainstage would be really nice to have.

[Xenophile]

Please let us know if you get the latest version working as an AU in Logic. My first attempts have been unsuccessful.

I've followed the instructions, run the editor as standalone, saved a separate "AU Set" to speed things up etc but I still am not getting signal out of the Kronos.

I've trouble-shot (?) everything. I know MIDI control is getting from Logic to Kronos as I can run Kronos via an external MIDI track, and I see MIDI data getting into the AU plugin. But......no audio. I'm probably missing something simple.

I'm in the same place you are. The only way I can find to load the Kronos plug-in is as a software instrument, but I can't find any option to set the audio input. Midi is getting to Kronos, and I can hear it on the analog outputs of Kronos, but it seems like I will have to set up a separate audio track to get the Kronos audio. Logic's External Instrument plugin lets you select the audio input channel, but no such option for what it thinks is a software instrument. Some of the Kronos Editor documentation says that the plug-in is intended to be inserted in an audio track, but Logic thinks it is a software instrument and not an audio processing plugin.

I imagine that a fix might be in the Environment settings, but I'm a noob there.

[Xenophile]

From the manual

There are a couple of very important factors to remember when using the KRONOS Editor as a plug-in:.
• Even though the plug-in must be created with an audio track, the KRONOS Editor plug-in does not create any audio. It is used solely to control the instrument via MIDI. As a result, you can always keep the audio fader for the track pulled down.
• Any MIDI events that you want to be played by your MIDI instrument should not be placed on the KRONOS Editor plug-in track. This is critical. The plug-in is installed in an audio track and audio tracks do not have accurate MIDI timing.
Important: Any MIDI events intended for the instrument must be recorded to a MIDI track and directed to the MIDI port that the instrument is connected to. Failure to follow these instructions may result in jittery playback.

So it seems like we need an External Instrument track to record our midi data and audio, and a separate Software Instrument track for the Kronos Editor. Too late to try that now. Bedtime!
[/quote]

[bobmusic]

From the manual

There are a couple of very important factors to remember when using the KRONOS Editor as a plug-in:.
• Even though the plug-in must be created with an audio track, the KRONOS Editor plug-in does not create any audio. It is used solely to control the instrument via MIDI. As a result, you can always keep the audio fader for the track pulled down.
• Any MIDI events that you want to be played by your MIDI instrument should not be placed on the KRONOS Editor plug-in track. This is critical. The plug-in is installed in an audio track and audio tracks do not have accurate MIDI timing.
Important: Any MIDI events intended for the instrument must be recorded to a MIDI track and directed to the MIDI port that the instrument is connected to. Failure to follow these instructions may result in jittery playback.

So it seems like we need an External Instrument track to record our midi data and audio, and a separate Software Instrument track for the Kronos Editor. Too late to try that now. Bedtime!

External Instrument track in Logic only records midi data.

To record audio from your Kronos you have to create an audio track and select the audio inputs your Kronos are connected to.

[Xenophile]

I got it working. bobmusic is right that you will create another audio track when you want to “print” you Kronos track to audio... but you do that later, using the “Bounce to Audio” function.

In general when using Kronos like this with a DAW, you will want to switch Kronos’ Local Control off on the Global settings page.

You need to create two tracks. First a software instrument track with the Kronos instrument you find under UA instruments in the Sound Quest directory. I had to fiddle with it to figure out how to “get” all the bank programming info from Kronos. It doesn’t seem to be able to use the “Set” that we saved from the standalone version of the Kronos Editor, and the plug-in version of the Editor has some of the options in a different place. The manual does point this out in the plug-in section. Count on a good 20 minutes for it to complete the first time you transfer everything from Kronos.

When that’s done, don't expect to hear any audio from that track. Push the fader all the way down to help remind you. This track will only be used for the Kronos Editor, not for playing the Kronos. I named it “Kronos Editor”

To play it you need to create a new External Instrument track, and set that instrument to use the Kronos midi port and the Kronos L/R main as it’s audio input. I named that track Kronos Midi. Now I can play and hear Kronos when that Kronos Midi track is selected for record. You can open up the Kronos Editor control panel to browse and select stuff on Kronos. I noticed that it seemed a little slow to transmit program changes, and even slower if you change modes (like Program to Combi) so it doesn’t look like something you would want to use for live performances where you need to make program changes on the fly. There’s probably a way to optimize that, though.

But it works! And it is very cool!

[the_lost_islander]

Thank you Xenophile for the redirect and for your instructions and suggestions. They are very helpful. The updated plugin basically works only as a pointer to the patch, so that you don't have to manually note it down.
It's then up to the external software track to handle the MIDI data and later to the audio track for the final bounce to audio step.

[Xenophile]

I liked it so much that I went for the upgrade to Midi Quest Pro so I can drive my Motifs from Logic too. I had my college student son buy it for me using the educational discount. $240 USD.

[Poseidon]

The KRONOS Editor and Plug-in works well in Logic Pro v er. 10.5.1.

It even installs and runs* on Mac OS X 10.4.6, using the Apple standard driver.

I have been playing with the Editor for some quiet time, and no major problems or issues.
The Editor is now much much faster than “Carbon” version, however I’ve spotted some GUI glitches.

Note.

* I use MOTU Interface instead of Krono’s USB Audio.

[BlackForest]

I've contacted Korg Support Germany, got the following reply the other day:

Pretty much says he's not sure if there will be an update, also since it from a 3rd party supplier SyQuest. They had recommended the update a few times to korg Japan though.


"Vielen Dank für Ihre E-Mail Anfrage.

Leider liegen uns diesbzgl. noch keine neuen Informationen darüber vor,
ob seitens des Herstellers KORG Japan noch ein Update vom KRONOS  EDITOR
in einer 64-Bit Version für Windows Systeme geplant ist.

Wir haben dies
vom deutschen KORG Suppport schon mehrfach beim Hersteller KORG Japan angefragt
und empfohlen, dies im Sinne der KRONOS Windows User umzusetzen. Da es
sich bei dem KRONOS Editor jedoch um ein zugekauftes Produkt vom Hersteller
SyQuest handelt, liegt die Vermutung nahe, daß es eventuell auch am Hersteller
der Software liegt, daß dies bisher noch nicht umgesetzt wurde. Wir können
hierzu leider keine abschließende Aussage treffen, tut uns leid.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen"

[Liviou2004]

I've contacted Korg Support Germany, got the following reply the other day:

Pretty much says he's not sure if there will be an update, also since it from a 3rd party supplier SyQuest. They had recommended the update a few times to korg Japan though.


"Vielen Dank für Ihre E-Mail Anfrage.

Leider liegen uns diesbzgl. noch keine neuen Informationen darüber vor,
ob seitens des Herstellers KORG Japan noch ein Update vom KRONOS  EDITOR
in einer 64-Bit Version für Windows Systeme geplant ist.

Wir haben dies
vom deutschen KORG Suppport schon mehrfach beim Hersteller KORG Japan angefragt
und empfohlen, dies im Sinne der KRONOS Windows User umzusetzen. Da es
sich bei dem KRONOS Editor jedoch um ein zugekauftes Produkt vom Hersteller
SyQuest handelt, liegt die Vermutung nahe, daß es eventuell auch am Hersteller
der Software liegt, daß dies bisher noch nicht umgesetzt wurde. Wir können
hierzu leider keine abschließende Aussage treffen, tut uns leid.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen"

An english translation would be welcome ! Thanks for all of us.

[BlackForest]

Ah...I was a bit lazy but here you go'

"
Thank you for your email request. Unfortunately we are in this regard. no new information about whether an update from the KRONOS EDITOR from the manufacturer KORG Japan a 64-bit version for Windows systems is planned. We have this The German KORG Suppport has already asked the manufacturer KORG Japan several times and recommended to implement this in the interests of KRONOS Windows users. Because it However, the KRONOS Editor is a purchased product from the manufacturer SyQuest acts, it is reasonable to assume that it may also be due to the manufacturer the software is that this has not yet been implemented. We can Unfortunately, we cannot make a final statement on this, we are sorry. Sincerely yours "

[hetkarika]

Korg, Microsoft, Midi Quest...you pay a fortune, then they point fingers at each other...shame on all of them...can't give out a working Editor for a premium flagship synth... FFS... please go burry yourselves... Do I need this editor sh#t anyway?

[zappa-frank]

The Editor does not work on a Mac with Big Sur. I waited a long time till updating to Big Sur, but now it seems that the most Audio Soft and Hardware Guys have made their homework. I hope that Korg will fix this soon.

[SoundQuest]

The Editor does not work on a Mac with Big Sur. I waited a long time till updating to Big Sur, but now it seems that the most Audio Soft and Hardware Guys have made their homework. I hope that Korg will fix this soon.

The Kronos editor is working here in Big Sur. What is the issue there?

Michael Lambie, Sound Quest

[BlackForest]

The Editor does not work on a Mac with Big Sur. I waited a long time till updating to Big Sur, but now it seems that the most Audio Soft and Hardware Guys have made their homework. I hope that Korg will fix this soon.

The Kronos editor is working here in Big Sur. What is the issue there?

Michael Lambie, Sound Quest

Michael, is there a new Windows 64 bit version of the editor planned, seeing the Kronos is revived?
Has Korg approached you about this maybe?