Korg Forums

[DeltaJockey]

I wonder how many Kronos owners, like myself value release velocity? As a pianist, and using a lot of piano vst's and the Kronos pianos, I value a keybed transmitting release velocity. What I had always assumed, was that when an instrument supports transmitting release velocity, it would be 0-127 as with Note ON. I've never bothered to check the MIDI implementation chart on the Kronos specifically for this, as I have heard it respond to release and assumed the full range. Turns out the range is only half ie 0-64.
I suppose the sonic requirements are not as demanding for Note OFF, but just the same, it surprised me. What if you wanted to use it to modulate a synth program parameter. I'm a bit disappointed, because I've always admired the Kronos specs for completeness, when I look at my other synth's specs. I have a Montage 8 which doesn't transmit Note OFF vel at all!
I guess to me, it's one of those parameters I value, like people value aftertouch.
Anyone else been thorugh this thought process and assumed it was the full range?
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The companions I can't live without: Kawai Acoustic Grand, Kawai MP11SE, Yamaha Montage8, Korg D1
Other important stuff: Kronos2-73, Studiologic NC2X, NI Komplete Ultimate 11, Sonuscore Elysion and Orchestra, Pianoteq, Experimenta Due.

[chini]

Just came cross your thread starter here having googled about release velocity!

I'm a pro composer/singer-songwriter for film and live performance.
Ive been using my Kronos 88X since new in 2012 as the main keyboard in my live stage rig. I use a lot of the K's external control and KARMA but have never utilised its release velocity. Recently I've been thinking about adding a HydraSynth Desktop to my rig which responds to release velocity.

I sense from your unanswered post here that you and I are likely in the minority of musicians who have actually been using controls like aftertouch (more poly aftertouch in my case from my Roland A-50) for donkeys years for expressive play and to control various things within our rigs live on stage.

I think the fact that the release velocity only stretches to 64 is a sign of the era when the K was designed over a decade ago in that things like even channel aftertouch were being overlooked as potential keyboard features. Hence they skimped on giving release velocity the full spectrum! Fortunately they did at least give the RH3 channel AT though of course never released a version with a poly aftertouch keybed: one of the few things I really wish the K did have!

Still the K88 is in fact the most comprehensive master keyboard to use on stage to this day as it can control 16 external as well its 16 internal sounds. So much of todays keyboard designs are geared toward DAW control as opposed to live music master keyboard duty. That new Native Instruments S88 MK3 for example would be useless for live stage use.

There are a few other things I wish the K had one being the release of its program change only when all keys and sustain pedal are released. The Roland A-50 has this capability plus poly aftertouch to boot! My other main gripe is its single pedal switch input: I wish they had implemented the three pedal inputs to be fully programable instead of hardwired to "damper", "switch" and "pedal". Hence, aside from the fact that I use my Roland A-50 to relay Setlist program patch changes up or down, even if the Kronos did have the same P.Change relaying capability one cant attach an up and a down hand switch (I use two DP2 pedals mounted with blu-tac onto my K!) as only the "switch" pedal input can be assigned to either program up or down.

However the K s still the centre of my rig if being program changed by my A-50 which I use anyway for CC pedal control of other pieces of hardware in my rig like VoiceLive2 harmony/delay/reberb switching i/O etc as well as being a second tier keyboard.

Be interested to hear how you use your K...
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www.henryframpton.com

Always be true to yourself

[KK]

Hi there,

It is not really a matter of when the Kronos was designed but about the features manufacturers decide to include or not with their new products.

In fact, the 1990s were the best time to buy and choose between many excellent keyboard controllers offering the most advanced features including poly AT, release velocity, etc. The best keyboard controller ever built remains IMHO the Kurzweil MIDIboard. With it, not only you have poly AT but it also offers a special AT mode with which you can imitate poly AT even with a synth or MIDI sound device that doesn't respond to poly AT (and a lot more features).

Then shortly after keyboard manufacturers decided to forget about niche controllers with poly AT and such, because of lack of interest or probably not cost-effective. Then decades later, poly AT controllers came back for a short while with the Vax (with the company going under quickly) and now a few more here and there.

[ChrisDuncan]

[chini]

[chini]

[chini]

Chris,

Just thought I'd mention that I also use GigPerformer running on my MacBook as you can manipulate midi extensively including altering midi channels.
I try not to use too many VSTs in my rig although there are times when super complex patches using a lot of them is indeed made easier to set up with GP.
https://gigperformer.com
_________________
www.henryframpton.com

Always be true to yourself

[ChrisDuncan]

[ChrisDuncan]