Korg Forums

[J[PT]]

Hello All from Portugal.

I'm a 39Y musician that start playing keyboards since the age of 4Yo.

I'm looking to buy a new keyboard but i'm having many questions and doubts about it.

I'm a korg user but in the arrangers versions (Korg PA4x / PA1000) i sold my PA1000 because it was redundant to have both pa4x and pa1000.

I have also other keyboards/workstation: Roland FA08, Yamaha MODX, Yamaha MOXF, Alesis Fusion 8, etc...

Being a piano player and playing with band's and artists that predominantly play cover music (Rock / Pop / Latin style) i was looking to buy a KRONOS to be my main board on stage (and if possible the only)

The question is what version Kronos 88 LS, Kronos 88 RH3 or Kronos 73 RH3. Most of the shows here are from 3 to 4hr playing with 10 minutes break, and in the summer it about 60 to 70 Shows in June, July, August, September (most cases 4 shows a week).

My first thought it was the 88 LS, in latin style music there ara a lot of fast keyboard riffs of Brass, some reed instruments like Accordeons and lead sounds, but i'm affraind of loosing the touch of a nice piano and the RH3 keybed.

Also i saw that Nautilus is on it's way to stores, does it worth going to the Nautilus over a KRONOS, does it worth buying a Kronos in 2020/21?

In a Live situation my goal if i buy a Kronos is to also run some audio tracks with metronome to the band thru the extra outputs.

Thanks in advance and sorry for so many questions but there is no better place to put all my doubts than here and listen from the people who use this board extensively.

[KK]

Regarding the feel of the keys, I personally prefer a heavier action for more control. So I would recommend the RH3 over the lighter LS. I can play as fast as I want on the RH3, be it piano, synth or organ stuff.

The best would be for you to try them in stores but I understand it might currently be impossible given the global pandemic. In any case, yes the Kronos is still a great machine today. YMMV

[tunaman]

In my opinion, if it is not a problem to transport the 88 key model (weight) you would be better off with the extra real estate (keys). I have two 73s now, but I had an 88 for a while and the extra keys allowed more freedom for more complex splits and zoning.

The keyboard action is the same between the 73 and 88 - the only way to get the softer ‘organ/synth’ action is by opting for the 61, which IMHO isn’t sufficient as a primary stand-alone board.

You can use a controller, or other MIDI-enabled keyboard, to provide the softer action when necessary. I’m doing so with a Triton Extreme 61 which I already had - I merely connect it via MIDI out to MIDI in and route my organ and synth parts to that channel.

I would suggest finding a lightly used K2, or buying new if necessary, over getting a LS. Due to the complexity, I suspect, there are a number of K2s on the market which are barely broken in.

Seeing what they did with the Nautilus, I don’t feel that it would serve the purposes of live performance very well, as compared to the Kronos.

Good luck whatever you decide. The Kronos is a beast and is very capable of being the only board needed to cover any live performance needs IMHO.

[GregC]

you have a lot of gear, esp if you are hauling multiple keyboards to gigs

plus I am skeptical if gigs will begin this summer, esp with c-19 raging.

if your country has conquered the pandemic, scratch my remark.

Kronos or Nautilus can easily handle possible gig requirements.

thus I can't offer much in 'opinion' since I can't tell what your plan is. I sometimes think
that some musicians are not careful planners with new expensive purchases. I am in the organized and careful with $$ camp. Thus my remarks to your bigger picture.

finally, did you see this sticky and YT video ?
http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=123682
_________________
Kronos 88. MODX8
Achieve your musical dreams
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[voip]

Running that many gigs, it's good to keep a second keyboard as backup, just in case something happens to the main keyboard, be it Kronos, or whatever. The second keyboard doesn't have to be a Kronos, unless you are going to rely heavily on specific sounds and features.

.

[tunaman]

[J[PT]]

[tunaman]

If and when you make the decision, I’m certain you won’t regret it.

If you need more encouragement, and aren’t familiar, look up videos of Jordan Rudess in Dream Theater to see how amazing the Kronos can be in the hands of a skilled performer.

As Jordan says, he generates everything you hear which isn’t guitar, bass, drums or vocals.

[GregC]

I agree , either board has similar/basic sound engine strengths.

it would reasonable for Nautilus to be attractive to the non-Kronos owner, esp when looking at the price

stepping away from Kronos, we could have that discussion. I believe that was Korgs thinking, a new w/s model for the non Kronos owner.
_________________
Kronos 88. MODX8
Achieve your musical dreams
https://soundcloud.com/user-898236994

[kronoSphere]

I remember that 12 years ago I would have not bought a 12 years old music workstation.
Except if it has a specific sound (Moog, Prophet etc)

☀️
_________________
trees are going fast.

https://www.lairdeparis.fr

Current Gear : Kronos 88 / Seaboard Rise / Triton Extreme / Sequoia / Motif Rack XS / TC Helicon voicelive rack /Awave 11 / Audio & VSTi plug-ins connected /wide touchscreen / iPad Pro 512.

[Hector Space]

I do (or did before Covid!) cover band gigs at hotels, clubs and holiday complex in the UK.
Because I’m not a great fan of the RH3 or the weight of a K2 88, I took a different approach:-
I use a K2 61 and drive it from either a Casio Privia PX5S or Roland RD2000 via usb midi. This gives me all the power of the Kronos in a manageable rig. The PX5s has a pretty good hammer action keybed, great midi controller options and passable emergency sounds should the Kronos fail AND it only weights 10kg! Likewise the Roland RD2000 has an exceptional keybed (PHA50) great midi controller options and a very good sound set.

I moved from the Kurzweil Forte to the Kronos two years ago. Although it was quite an uphill struggle to get what I wanted out of the Kronos after using the Kurzweil for 4 years, it was worth it in the end. The Kronos is massively flexible, sound great and it’s software is rock solid.

So I use combis exclusively on the Kronos, my rig also adds a second volume pedal and foot switch for rotary. I do use the CX3 although of all the stuff on the Kronos, it was the hardest to get programmed right.
BTW I always use a UPS, because at the end of the day the Kronos is a computer.. better safe than sorry.

Would I buy a Kronos now? If I had the gigs yes definitely, there is nothing to touch it as an all round stage machine. Set list mode is utterly brilliant for coordinating all those fast rig setup changes you need between numbers... especially when the singer changes her mind, or there are people up dancing. You do not want any gaps!

[J[PT]]

[GregC]

[Liviou2004]

[kronoSphere]

IMHO I think the aftertouch is directly linked to a kind of style of playing synths straight out of the 70s from the far away last century.

Nowdays we can all make it better with the joystick of the Kronos in another way. Even if it's different.

☀️
_________________
trees are going fast.

https://www.lairdeparis.fr

Current Gear : Kronos 88 / Seaboard Rise / Triton Extreme / Sequoia / Motif Rack XS / TC Helicon voicelive rack /Awave 11 / Audio & VSTi plug-ins connected /wide touchscreen / iPad Pro 512.