Anyone Recording Guitar Into Kronos?

[blazerunner]

Hello I'm back. I've been away for weeks lost in my Kronos. I plugged one of my guitars in it for the 2nd time. The first time when I just brought it I didn't know anything about what I was doing. This time after spending a year fumbling with the sequencer I realize this thing is absolutely insane for recording guitar. It's got a whole amp cabinet simulator that you can just chain into the different effects like pedals. This keyboard is a monster...an absolute monster!

Now I find myself in a spot. I have my tracks using up all 12 effect slots as I like to chain effects and no room for my guitar effects. I'm wondering for guys using this machine to record guitar is there any trick or method suggestion to recording guitars using effects on the Kronos sequencer?

I'm constantly amazed at how much has been stuffed into this machine. I guess you never realize the power of it unless you dive deep into certain areas of this Keyboard. Once the intimidation factor and learning curve start giving you a break I really start seeing the genius of this thing. Absolutely wow!

[Mike Conway]

I have my tracks using up all 12 effect slots as I like to chain effects and no room for my guitar effects. I'm wondering for guys using this machine to record guitar is there any trick or method suggestion to recording guitars using effects on the Kronos sequencer?

Yes, by copying tracks from one song to another, and back.

Just so you have a reference track to play your guitar to, you can record all the MIDI tracks, by recording the L/R inputs to a pair of audio tracks. (Turn the Metronome level to "0") If you want to stay in the MIDI domain with the MIDI tracks, realize that you can come back to this song slot. Keep the BPM of the two songs the same!

You are making a recording that you can use the COPY MEASURE function to bring those tracks to a second song slot. This second slot will have unused IFX, which you can route your guitar through.

After you have recorded your guitar, you can use COPY MEASURE to bring the guitar tracks from song 2 back into song 1. Or you can just keep it all in Song 2 and not worry about copying back. Your choice.

COPY MEASURE is the only Track Edit function that allows you to copy from one song to another. This can be really handy, if you are combining several combis or using lots of FX or tracks. For instance, you can have the same song in multiple song slots - one for an intro, one for a chorus, one for a bridge, etc. Even if it's all MIDI, it will work, because you can copy that bridge onto the intro song, and put together songs modularly. COPY MEASURE can copy every single track in one go.

Years ago, I made this video about Multiple Combi recording. Check out, especially the 3:45 mark.


Sorry about the quality. It used to be 1080 HD, but Youtube downgrades quality over the years, so now it's at 240 resolution.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pxERQ5hME3A?start=222" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe>

[blazerunner]

woa thanks a lot for all that info! Sounds like a complex process but then again it's a kronos right Is this like bouncing tracks but using an empty song as the canvas to work from and then putting your final mix track back into your main song?

I've changed my recording process up a bit as I've started to learn the seq limitations. On an earlier song I have a lot of effects stacked for drums, strings, etc. When I'm traveling back to add new parts to a song with my guitar I've of course ran out of room. I hope on the next Kronos they make they allow a guitar effects stack so you can chain stuff together like a pedal board.

I'm going to check out your video and give your technique a try. Thanks for the tips and tricks.

It's a game changer being able to lay down a riff then go back and adjust the sound with the cab simulator and not have to replay anything and you have all these pedal effects to choose from. hehe I mean this is really some fun stuff.

[KingKronos]

Yes, it's fun "re-amping" FX.
The various amp sims and cabinets really make a difference.
Don't forget you can save your own FX presets.
(Upper right dropdown when in an FX).

================================

John Hancock: Who among us is most musical?
George Washington: Frankly, Benjamin.

(Get it? "Been jammin" Franklin.)

[Track 7]

Blazerunner, have you thought about using an external effects unit for your guitar tracks, such as a Helix or other modeler? I use this method and/or some stomp boxes. It takes a load off the Kronos' limited effects. I track most guitar effects, except delay and reverb, and all bass effects except compression. But if you want to re-amp and change things later, just record clean and route your audio out through the external processor and back into the Kronos.

[jeremykeys]

Here's a song I recorded several years ago completely on my Kronos. All guitars and the bass are run through the amp sims built into the Kronos. I even recorded the vocals on it. Have a listen and let me know what you think!

https://soundcloud.com/jeremykeys/01-times-awastin

[Mike Conway]

Here's a song I recorded several years ago completely on my Kronos. All guitars and the bass are run through the amp sims built into the Kronos. I even recorded the vocals on it.

https://soundcloud.com/jeremykeys/01-times-awastin

That's very good! A great example of singing and recording everything on the Kronos. There's no doubt that it is up to the task.

[mosspa]

Here's a song I recorded several years ago completely on my Kronos. All guitars and the bass are run through the amp sims built into the Kronos. I even recorded the vocals on it. Have a listen and let me know what you think!

https://soundcloud.com/jeremykeys/01-times-awastin

That's pretty insane. I assume that this involved something more than just plugging a guitar, a bass, and a microphone directly into the Kronos?

[jeremykeys]

Here's a song I recorded several years ago completely on my Kronos. All guitars and the bass are run through the amp sims built into the Kronos. I even recorded the vocals on it. Have a listen and let me know what you think!

https://soundcloud.com/jeremykeys/01-times-awastin

That's pretty insane. I assume that this involved something more than just plugging a guitar, a bass, and a microphone directly into the Kronos?

Actually I used the amp sims for all the guitar and bass tones. No outside processing was involved. I just used 2 different guitars and my 5 string Ibanez bass. You can record with the IFX and essentially "print" the sound so that you don't need to uses the effects after. This
clears up more IFX slots for the mix down.

This is a song that I did earlier. Again everything was recorded through the Kronos. Just remembered. I did use a small tube pre-amp first for all the guitars and bass on both songs. A cheap Berhinger Tube 100.
Just to add some "tube" tone but it wasn't set for much saturation.
https://soundcloud.com/jeremykeys/01-wa ... your-shooz

[mosspa]

Here's a song I recorded several years ago completely on my Kronos. All guitars and the bass are run through the amp sims built into the Kronos. I even recorded the vocals on it. Have a listen and let me know what you think!

https://soundcloud.com/jeremykeys/01-times-awastin

That's pretty insane. I assume that this involved something more than just plugging a guitar, a bass, and a microphone directly into the Kronos?

Actually I used the amp sims for all the guitar and bass tones. No outside processing was involved. I just used 2 different guitars and my 5 string Ibanez bass. You can record with the IFX and essentially "print" the sound so that you don't need to uses the effects after. This
clears up more IFX slots for the mix down.

This is a song that I did earlier. Again everything was recorded through the Kronos. Just remembered. I did use a small tube pre-amp first for all the guitars and bass on both songs. A cheap Berhinger Tube 100.
Just to add some "tube" tone but it wasn't set for much saturation.
https://soundcloud.com/jeremykeys/01-wa ... your-shooz

I think you may have misunderstood my question. I understand that you recorded directly into the Kronos, but was there some kind of preamp or mixer on the input side, or did you just take the output from the guitar (or stomp box) or microphone and plug the cables directly into the Kronos?

[jeremykeys]

Hi John! As far as I remember, I plugged the guitars straight into the back of the Kronos directly. No pre-amp of pedals. I used a Behringer Tube Ultragain Mic 100 tabletop pre-amp for my vocals. I used this because my microphone has an XLR out and I don't have an adapter. It a so requires phantom power and this was the easiest way for me to do it. I did a bunch of songs that way before I got my music computer. The guitars were my Ibanez Less Paul copy on one side and my Ibanez RG on the other with a cheap Ibanez 5 string bass. The drums are Kronos drum tacks but I don't remember which set. The mic is an old Apex 435 large diaphragm condenser. Hope ths clears it up. Have a great day! I had to be careful with the input settings on the Kronos,

Jeremy