Korg Forums

First time poster here. After trying for months to get my hands on a Grandstage in a music store, I finally found one a little over a week ago. I spent about half an hour with it, went home and looked up the manual, went back the next day and spent a few more minutes with it, and then promptly ordered one. (I would have bought it from the same store I tried it out in, but it was on the other side of the planet from where I live.) Got it a couple days ago, and I'm very, very happy with it.

I was an early adopter of the SV1, which I had a love/hate relationship with for all the obvious reasons. When I first heard about the Grandstage, my hope was that it would be like the SV1 with all the problems fixed – but honestly I wasn't optimistic because I also had an early Kronos, which left me cold. But whatever they did to the piano and EP sounds between the original Kronos and the versions in the Grandstage, it worked. While I realize that this is a highly subjective thing, I find them more enjoyable and inspiring to play than any other DP I've found. The organs are as good as I've heard in anything that wasn't a dedicated clonewheel, and there are enough drawbar combinations that the lack of individual control isn't an issue for any context I'd use it in. And to my ears, the rest of the sounds range from "very good" to "gorgeous," with enough variety to easily cover my needs for any gig I'm likely to do.

So the Grandstage will replace the Kurz Forte 7 as the bottom board in my rig. Yes, there are tons of things the Forte does that the Grandstage doesn't, but they're things I don't use or care about; and the things that both instruments can do, I prefer the way the Grandstage does them. I've read some criticism of the RH3 action, but I find it superior to the Kurz's Fatar action or any Roland action I've played. The CP4's is probably better, but not by enough to matter to me (and to my ears, the CP4's EP sounds flat-out suck).

In other words, the Grandstage is pretty much the digital piano I've been waiting and hoping for since my honeymoon period with the SV1 was over. There aren't a whole lot of improvements I can think of, but there are a few, all of which seem like they should be doable in future software updates. So Korg, if you're listening, here's my (short) wish list:

• Auto-wah and pedal wah for all pickup combinations on the Clav.
• Distorted amp presets for all Rhodes models.
• Adjustable portamento time for the sounds that have it.
• Allow Leslie speed control via the foot switch.


...and yeah, that would pretty much do it for me. Here's hoping!

Has anybody tried to remove, replace these ugly side panels yet?

I also recently purchased a Grandstage 88 and have already played a solo gig with it. There is a lot to like about this keyboard but there are a couple things I would like to see. First of all, this piano is replacing my Korg Triton Studio. I used the combo Grand piano setting on the Triton for most of my playing gigs and loved it. Of course there were polyphony limitations but still a good piano. What I noticed when comparing the sounds was how much less low end the Grandstage had in the pianos than my Triton. It was really noticeable live. Of course being a solo pianist, I’m covering bass on the piano. Yes Grandstage has EQ, but I’m surprised how much the bottom end is rolled off and I would rather not have to boost EQ like that. Secondly, I realize you can split the keyboard but I would like to see layering but layering where you can limit the range of an instrument. For instance, instead of spitting the keyboard so bass guitar is on the low end and piano is on the right, I would like to be able to layer the piano and bass but only have the bass guitar play up to a certain key. Then I would still have the sound of a piano throughout, but I would also be playing a bass guitar along with the piano in the low end. This would be simple for Korg to do with a software update. I bought the piano assuming I could do that. Almost brought it back when I found I couldn’t. Other than that, I over the action, sounds and user interface. It’s easy to get to everything!

In other words, the Grandstage is pretty much the digital piano I've been waiting and hoping for since my honeymoon period with the SV1 was over. There aren't a whole lot of improvements I can think of, but there are a few, all of which seem like they should be doable in future software updates. So Korg, if you're listening, here's my (short) wish list:


• Allow Leslie speed control via the foot switch.


I was considering buying the Grnd-Stg/73, but very disappointed to hear it does not have the foot switch feature for the Leslie rotary speed.
All the great Hammond organ sounds it has and NO foot switch access for rotary speed is a true disappointment, and a very possible deal breaker!
I was hoping that this would be the keyboard that I could use for all my needs in ONE keyboard, instead of having to lug two to gigs for all my needs!

Oh well, as they say - "Nothing is Perfect in Life"!!!

I realize you can split the keyboard but I would like to see layering where you can limit the range of an instrument. For instance, instead of spitting the keyboard so bass guitar is on the low end and piano is on the right, I would like to be able to layer the piano and bass but only have the bass guitar play up to a certain key. Then I would still have the sound of a piano throughout, but I would also be playing a bass guitar along with the piano in the low end.

Anyone know of Korg plans to do this? Is this the place to add a wishlist? This could be done with a software update I believe.

Does anyone know if you can you split the GrandStage (Organ on top) and then layer (Piano/Choir) on bottom??


Thanks,
pauleway

I use my Grandstage with my computer and like to combine Grandstage sounds with software sounds. I would love to be able to save midi channel assignments in “Favourites” so that when I switch to the next favourite with the footswitch, the midi channels could change and I could get different sounds on the computer. I sent an email to Korg regarding this and he replied that my answer might be in the software I am using. I don’t think he understood what I was asking. Of course I can change channels in the software. I can also change it on the Grandstage in settings. I wanted to be able to change it with the pedal keeping my hands free while playing. Am I the only one who would find this useful?