Kronos key weight changed
Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:13 am
hi, I am a fond user of an 88 kronos but the key weight to me was too much, and just holding down F#G#A# at the same time and you may see what i mean but if you like heavy action then dont read this.
If I came across other keyboards with a lighter action I would wonder why the kronos was so heavy. So doing a test using a number of coins that could fit between keys, I weighed down notes until they touched the keybed and then with an accurate electronic scale i weighed the coins.
The result was a weight of 75g, to 80g of coins to get the key to the keybed.
On the internet I had read that some great pianos have an action as low as 50g.
So I went about working out how to change the kronos weight. Yeah i know it was crazy and risky. and the warranty would be destroyed, but i decided to do this as i really love the kronos technology.
After taking apart the kronos I noticed that the keyweights underneath on each key were a bent piece of metal. I initially thought it had been welded somehow and that this may not be a good sign.
I thought it a real risk but i went out and bought a dremel, cutting disks, and protection. (a dremel because the load in cutting would be absolutely minimal on the keys) I then cut one of these weighted steel things on its bend, and the result, a bit fell off.
That is, the piece that fell off was the piece that was bent around to obviously give that keyweight "extra" weight.
(note doing this, I did not take the keys themselves apart, I should have but theres way too much mechanical stuff in there, including a metal band spring which pushes the key forward and up too! so keyweight is not the only thing.
So before I went any further it was time for testing that modified key (the lowest "a"), in case i had really stuffed something. And to my surprise the key worked as before, it went down and back up as usual.
What I did see that was the action was noticeably lighter and a test showed it was now 50gms. Wow!
I did a few more keys and then tested again and again; along story short I did the whole keyboard. the average key weight of each key is now 50gms. All up, I took off 1.1 kilos of these metal offcuts!.
I took photos of everything along the way.
And each of these metal cut off bits weigh 10,14,15, 20 gms depending on where they came from.
And now "for me" the playability of the kronos is now fantastic.
The clavinets, the electric pianos all feel more natural to me for those instruments. The synth playing for me is lots easier and better too (i dont need to buy a 61 key now), and the string playing feels lots more natural.
The real piano sounds (German grand etc) are excellent for me and now have a fantastic touch as well. I can play alot faster now, more expressively, and triplets are a breeze, glissandos are real easy.
So now I wonder what was in Korgs mind (for that matter some other manufacturers) when they decide on a heavy action.
From what i have read on the internet about great classical piano players rave about the speed and touch of high quality grand pianos. So surely a lighter kronos keybed action would get an endorsement from them?
especially since the Kronos is such a brilliant and flexible instrument.
And surely why dont all makers of keyboards specify the keyweight in grams? eg 75g. It would make keybed choice so much easier.
And why dont keyboard makers make keyboards that you can adjust the weight to suit your playing.
Anyhow my fingers are no longer having to do excess weight lifting to get a sound now. To do the maths, before the changes, if there are 25-30gms extra on each note and I play 100 notes and I would have played an extra 3 kilos.
I am very happy with my results. I now have korg German grand and Austrian Grand sounds with a light action!
All up it took about 6 hours to do in two 3 hours stints of cutting, and alot! of care, patience and technique eg not taking the keybed totally apart.
As a disclaimer, [u]The risks of destroying or damaging the kronos was very likely and possible[/u], but it worked for me.
If I came across other keyboards with a lighter action I would wonder why the kronos was so heavy. So doing a test using a number of coins that could fit between keys, I weighed down notes until they touched the keybed and then with an accurate electronic scale i weighed the coins.
The result was a weight of 75g, to 80g of coins to get the key to the keybed.
On the internet I had read that some great pianos have an action as low as 50g.
So I went about working out how to change the kronos weight. Yeah i know it was crazy and risky. and the warranty would be destroyed, but i decided to do this as i really love the kronos technology.
After taking apart the kronos I noticed that the keyweights underneath on each key were a bent piece of metal. I initially thought it had been welded somehow and that this may not be a good sign.
I thought it a real risk but i went out and bought a dremel, cutting disks, and protection. (a dremel because the load in cutting would be absolutely minimal on the keys) I then cut one of these weighted steel things on its bend, and the result, a bit fell off.
That is, the piece that fell off was the piece that was bent around to obviously give that keyweight "extra" weight.
(note doing this, I did not take the keys themselves apart, I should have but theres way too much mechanical stuff in there, including a metal band spring which pushes the key forward and up too! so keyweight is not the only thing.
So before I went any further it was time for testing that modified key (the lowest "a"), in case i had really stuffed something. And to my surprise the key worked as before, it went down and back up as usual.
What I did see that was the action was noticeably lighter and a test showed it was now 50gms. Wow!
I did a few more keys and then tested again and again; along story short I did the whole keyboard. the average key weight of each key is now 50gms. All up, I took off 1.1 kilos of these metal offcuts!.
I took photos of everything along the way.
And each of these metal cut off bits weigh 10,14,15, 20 gms depending on where they came from.
And now "for me" the playability of the kronos is now fantastic.
The clavinets, the electric pianos all feel more natural to me for those instruments. The synth playing for me is lots easier and better too (i dont need to buy a 61 key now), and the string playing feels lots more natural.
The real piano sounds (German grand etc) are excellent for me and now have a fantastic touch as well. I can play alot faster now, more expressively, and triplets are a breeze, glissandos are real easy.
So now I wonder what was in Korgs mind (for that matter some other manufacturers) when they decide on a heavy action.
From what i have read on the internet about great classical piano players rave about the speed and touch of high quality grand pianos. So surely a lighter kronos keybed action would get an endorsement from them?
especially since the Kronos is such a brilliant and flexible instrument.
And surely why dont all makers of keyboards specify the keyweight in grams? eg 75g. It would make keybed choice so much easier.
And why dont keyboard makers make keyboards that you can adjust the weight to suit your playing.
Anyhow my fingers are no longer having to do excess weight lifting to get a sound now. To do the maths, before the changes, if there are 25-30gms extra on each note and I play 100 notes and I would have played an extra 3 kilos.
I am very happy with my results. I now have korg German grand and Austrian Grand sounds with a light action!
All up it took about 6 hours to do in two 3 hours stints of cutting, and alot! of care, patience and technique eg not taking the keybed totally apart.
As a disclaimer, [u]The risks of destroying or damaging the kronos was very likely and possible[/u], but it worked for me.
