Anyone actually had their hands...

Post by **Sharp** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:17 pm

Yes to 1 and 3.
No to 2.

Regards
Sharp.

MartinHines · Post by **MartinHines** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:28 pm

billbaker wrote: I know you've got years of making Korg synths of all descriptions look like the "last keyboard I'll ever need" - I just wanted to know if anyone else had reached that conclusion based on actual time on the machine.

No one should ever reach the conclusion "the last keyboard I'll ever need". Electronic instruments continue to improve over time, and a few years from now (3-5?) Korg will be releasing the successor to the Kronos.

I would definitely suggest you demo the keyboard in person before you buy, especially if it is to be your last.

blinkofanI · Post by **blinkofanI** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:53 pm

Well, i was at NAMM and heard it. I couldn't play one as it wasn't possible for mere mortals. Don't judge the sound of the K by what you hear on YouTube or any compressed mp3 audio you could hear over the internet. It sounds amazing!! It's been my 9th or 10th NAMM this year and it's the first time i personally order a synth from my sales rep right after NAMM!!!

Blink

peter_schwartz · Post by **peter_schwartz** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 8:20 pm

Bill, thanks for your reply.

billbaker wrote:Peter -

Pardon my vernacular.

People who get paid to say Kronos is the greatest thing since the invention of fire may actually believe it's true, but because they're being paid there's just a tinge of doubt.

But if I had to pick one thing that's special about this forum, it's that people like (formerly) Jerry K, Rich F., Dan, Brandon, Skippy, Stephen K. and others involved with Korg products (development, sales, programming) post here with information that is about 10,000,000 miles this side of the line of "dubious, sales talk". I can tell you first-hand that enthusiasm about this keyboard is not unwarranted. Is it the greatest thing since the invention of fire? No. Will it replace every other keyboard and plugin heretofore invented? Prolly not, because everyone has different tastes, budgets, and so on. Vive le difference and all that.

My intention was not to tick off people who have a job that, frankly, I'd love.

I'll tell you, speaking personally, working on (in my case) programming new instruments is not only a great intellectual and sonic adventure, but you get to rub elbows with genius inventors. And I don't say that lightly. And the thought, care, enthusiasm, and work ethic that occurs behind the scenes is truly remarkable.

But the question is legit.

OK, well, now that we've come this far...

The keyboard feels great, and here's where I'm coming from on this... My regular controller is an A-80, weighted action. I've had tons of synth keyboards over the years, including a Wavestation (which had a fantastic-feeling synth keyboard and served me well in the studio as well as on tour), but a few years ago I sold most of my gear to downsize my rig. Recently I've started missing having a synth action, and when I got hold of a Kronos proto (which, I understand, had a production-model keyboard in it) I felt right at home. So that's my long-winded way of saying that the keyboard itself feels great.

NAMM demos... I did a few myself, and watched a few of Jack Hotop's. The model used for demos were the 88-note weighted action. Again, I thought the keyboard felt really good. And Jack didn't seem to have any problem at all playing incredibly fast stuff on it, so all in all I'd give the choice of keyboard mechanisms a thumbs-up.

Not sure what info you're looking for regarding sound design, but I'll offer that you can get lost in this instrument for days, weeks, if you really want to get into programming. Having worked extensively with AL-1, MOD-7, and STR-1, I can tell you that modulation sources and destinations are plentiful. And there are certain kinds of "modular synth" features built in which make programming extremely flexible, such as what we called "modmixers" (AMS mixers) that let you add or multiply control sources, quantize them, lag them (smoothing), and so on.

But if you didn't want to get into things that deeply, there's a feature called "Tone Adjust" which lets you alter a ton of different programming parameters without affecting the original programming. It's so powerful that you can literally change the entire character of a sound (including PCM choice in HD-1) without affecting the integrity of the originally programmed sound.

Anyway, that's all I have time for, but those are my honest perspectives on this. I have no stake in sales of Kronos, just an enthusiasm for it as a musician and programmer.

Melodialworks Music · Post by **Melodialworks Music** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:45 pm

billbaker wrote: I'm 55 and at the point in my career (such as it has been) that my next keyboard will probably be my last.

Seriously? I too am 55, and the Kronos will not be my last keyboard by any stretch of the imagination. Unless there are health issues, you should be playing well into your 70's. In fact studies have shown that keyboard musicians (especially those that read music) suffer far less from the various forms of dementia that are out there. So, investing in keyboards, is investing in your health!

billbaker · Post by **billbaker** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:58 pm

Statistical skew here - I think they just suffer from the same dementia they had in their twenties until they're seventy. No apparent degradation, subjectively speaking.

Don't plan to stop playing -- and 55 doesn't feel that old (subject for another topic I think) but if (when) I get a Kronos it'll probably do all the tricks I want and then some. Mick Jagger's example not withstanding, I'm thinking I'll be doing fewer volume intensive gigs at the least.

I've always thought being a musician was a peculiar from of brain damage - I've had near autistic moments at dinner in restaurants trying to figure out what's playing on the Musak...

BB

ozy · Post by **ozy** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 10:15 pm

billbaker wrote: I'm 55 and at the point in my career (such as it has been) that my next keyboard will probably be my last.

hey dude, 53 here: cheer up, man! Your musical career is just beginning!

100 - 55 = 45, that makes for about 15 generations of Korg workstations.

Melodialworks Music · Thu Feb 03, 2011 10:53 pm

billbaker wrote: I'm 55 and at the point in my career (such as it has been) that my next keyboard will probably be my last.

Seriously? I too am 55, and the Kronos will not be my last keyboard by any stretch of the imagination. Unless there are health issues, you should be playing well into your 70's. In fact studies have shown that keyboard musicians (especially those that read music) suffer far less from the various forms of dementia that are out there. So, investing in keyboards, is investing in your health!

jerrythek · Post by **jerrythek** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 2:37 am

Well, here's my qualified input for you.

I was let go by Korg in early October and offered to stay on as a consultant because I wanted to finish the KRONOS project. Even though I can't say I was happy with what happened to me, I wanted to finish the project, to keep working with my brilliant friends who made it, and to be able to complete all the aspects of the project that I was directly involved in. I had been part of the development all along, from conception, spec, implementation discussions, interface, naming, etc., but that was alongside of my many other responsibilities.

For a period of almost 10 weeks after I left Korg USA I worked day and night on the new sounds, on polishing KARMA assignments and Drum Tracks, on helping to "produce" the final sounds as a member of the team. I was deeply involved in the new SGX-1 and EP-1 voicing, including bringing together all the artist involvement (not the NAMM presentation, but the signature voicing itself).

I think it is the best-sounding instrument we as a team ever worked on. And I will make no money for promoting it, no bonuses, no continued employment. So I have lost all commercial bias - I am only speaking as a musician and technologist who has been part of a very large number of synths developed over the last 30 years. And this was an instrument I HAD to be able to help finish, because it meant that much to me and I feel is that good.

Is it perfect? Of course not, nothing is. Every product released is a (hopefully) intelligent set of compromises based on resources, schedules, money, and available technology. But KRONOS is a new pinnacle for the Korg team/family.

Is it the only thing/last thing you'll ever need? Depends on your wants and needs, but probably not. Those of us who spend time on these forums are soooooo into technology and toys that we can't help ourselves.

Is it worth checking out for yourself when it becomes available? Absolutely.

Best regards,

Jerry

McHale · Post by **McHale** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 2:50 am

blinkofanI wrote:It's been my 9th or 10th NAMM this year

Wait wait wait...

How many NAMM's do they have per year where you live?!

blinkofanI · Post by **blinkofanI** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 3:27 am

When i close my eyes, i can have as many as i want.... You know what i meant.

Blink

McHale · Post by **McHale** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 3:33 am

The only thing better than a NAMM every month is...

ONE WHERE I CAN GET A FREAKING PASS!!!!

Come on Korg, throw me a bone.

billysynth1 · Post by **billysynth1** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 4:39 am

Hi Jerry

Thanks for posting, and your input.

I hope all goes well for you too.

Regards
Billy

thekeymaster · Post by **thekeymaster** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 12:52 pm

Very simple really, if you want 80% of an answer on how good Kronos will be then ask OASYS owners.They have had this quality for the last 6 years.No one outside of Korg(unless you are a very well connected musician) will have had a play on Kronos so for a more realistic,practical and honest assessment they are the people you should be asking.

Sorry to hear Jerry is no longer with Korg,all the best to him for the future.

TheLeadingSaw · Post by **TheLeadingSaw** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 2:19 pm

I wish Jordan Rudess will post his opinion on the Kronos in his forum...