KORG KRONOS PREVIEW

Posted on Wed 16 February 2011 in entries

The Korg Kronos - arguably the most anticipated product of the year (and it's only February!) So it seems only right that I dedicate a blog post to fill you in on what this bad boy can do! So I guess this post is actually more of a preview than a review...but here goes! For a full up to date review of the Kronos, skip to the end of this article and click the in-site link!

KORG KRONOS - THE BASICS

The Korg Kronos is basically a monster of a machine! Although I'm guessing you were after a little more information than that? Ok, so here goes... the Korg Kronos (which is set to be released in 61, 73 and 88 note versions) is essentially a complete workstation for professional music creation. Featuring controls for live performance, music production and synthesis, the Kronos is Korg's most powerful, comprehensive, and detailed musical instrument ever! And that's an impressive statement coming from a company that is already established with a rich musical history.

Korg Kronos 61 front view

The highlights of the Korg Kronos include it's 9 (yes 9!) built-in synthesis engines, each specialising in creating a different 'type' of sound, it's vast range of hardware controls, it's 8" touchscreen display, it's library of built-in effects, and the onboard audio/MIDI sequencer and sampler. In addition, the Korg Kronos also makes use of Virtual Memory Technology (VMT) which provides high polyphony and massive, ultra-long, unlooped samples, for some of the most detailed sounds ever to be heard from a hardware synthesiser.

Right, so hopefully that gives you a little flavour of what the Korg Kronos actually is, but there is lots more to tell, and lots more detail to go into! If you're interested, then read on......you know you want to!

KORG KRONOS - 9 SYNTHS IN ONE!

Yep, it's official, the Korg Kronos is better than a Kinder Egg (any one else remember that three surprises in one advert? - not the banned one with that scary egg sat on a wall!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4kHmbZTvyI

Anyway, the beauty of the Kronos is that it brings together all these 9 synthesisers into one complete package, and each engine makes use of the most high-tech sound creation techniques available in it's specialist area. Many of the presets have also been tweaked by respected industry professionals such as Jordan Rudess, Russ Ferrante, Lyle Mays, George Duke, Tom Coster, Jeff Lorber, Frank McComb, and John Novello, so the Kronos certainly is not short of inspiring sounds! As I said in my 'NAMM 2011' blog, it's often said (and I agree) that when building a home studio, less is more. For example, it’s better to own just one or two synths and learn how to use them really well, than to own a dozen synths, and get lost in sound shaping! But the Kronos kind of breaks the rules here – it allows you to own one workstation (which you can familiarise yourself with as your main piece of kit), but within this workstation you can access a whole range of synths! So whatever synth you’re using you’ll always have the familiar controls of the Kronos to manipulate it with! It’s a fantastic concept!

As Korg state, each synth engine is worthy of a product in it's own right, so the fact that they are all available in one instrument is something really special! And if you are wondering what each synth does, then read on and learn more, because I will walk you through each one in a little more detail.

KORG KRONOS - SGX-1 PREMIUM PIANO SYNTH

The SGX-1 is the Korg Kronos' in-built piano sound engine, capable of producing the most lifelike and playable piano sounds ever heard from a hardware synth - not just Korg's words, but the words of many acclaimed professional, and also backed up by our lucky employees who got to experience the Kronos at the recent NAMM show. If you want realistic piano sounds from a synth, then you aren't going to find anything out there like the Kronos.

To ensure that the SGX-1 really stood out amongst other piano synths on the market, Korg had to think outside the box, and so ditched traditional sampling methods and embraced a concept called Virtual Memory Technology (VMT), which allows the Korg Kronos to play large samples directly from it's internal high-capacity Solid State Disk (SSD)

KORG KRONOS - EP-1 MDS ELECTRIC PIANO

The EP-1 is the Korg Kronos' electric piano sound engine, dedicated to recreating six of the most popular classic electric pianos ever, with stunning realism. The EP-1 makes use of MDS (Multi-Dimensional Synthesis) technology, which eliminates harsh transitions between velocity switched samples, and eradicates the unnatural behaviour of looped samples. On top of this, it also provides the user with detailed control over the tines, reeds, and noise elements of each instrument! And another important aspect of MDS is that it expands the dynamic range of traditional digital technology, which ensures that any climatic passages will sound extra powerful! The EP-1 basically provides you with 6 vintage instruments (and their included effects) inside one highly modern package - the Korg Kronos!

Korg Kronos 61 synthesiser engines

KORG KRONOS - CX-3 TONEWHEEL ORGAN

Moving swiftly onto the CX-3, the Korg Kronos' tonewheel organ sound engine! The Korg CX-3 was originally released in 1980, and due to it's popularity, was re-released in 2000 (this time using modern technology to model the original tonewheel organ sound). It's popularity made it a must to include within the Kronos, and recent technology means that the Korg Kronos produces it's vintage sounds with more accuracy than ever before! From perfect reproductions of the vacuum tube amp, to the vintage vibrato and chorus effects, to the essential rotary speaker, and the fold-back, leakage, and noise of the tonewheels - the Korg Kronos has dealt with them all! For the seasoned organ player, you can even switch from 9 to 18 drawbars to customise the organ to your needs.

KORG KRONOS - HD-1 HIGH DEFINITION SYNTHESISER

The HD-1 is the flagship PCM, sampling and Wave Sequencing sound engine of the Korg Kronos, named accordingly due to it's superior 'high-definition' sound. The HD-1 features low-aliasing sample playback oscillators, full-bandwidth multimode resonant filters, and extraordinarily fast & smooth envelopes and LFOs, and of course it makes use of Virtual Memory Technology! The HD-1 is the place to head for all your general sounds that aren't specific to any of the other sound engines.

The HD-1 makes use of a technology called Wave Sequencing, which plays a series of samples over time to create specific timbres. The HD-1 also features a useful step-sequencer to modulate all your most important parameters.

And that's not all! The HD-1 also includes an 'Ambient Drums' sample library, which can be utilised to make highly realistic drum parts. This library features 2 kits, and each kit allows you to choose between 3 different mic'ing positions, capturing the whole kit, plus every individual hit! The architecture of the HD-1 even allows for the custom blending of the drum's direct sound and ambient sound layer, helping to add a finished quality to a track.

KORG KRONOS - AL-1 ANALOG SYNTHESISER

The AL-1 is the first of the analogue modeling engines to be included on the Korg Kronos. To recreate accurate analogue sounds, the AL-1 engine uses a completely different technology to the HD-1. Perhaps one of the most creative features of the AL-1 is the wavefrom morphing option, which allows you to change the oscillator shapes in real-time! There is even resonance modeling built into the AL-1 engine, which lets you choose between classic filter sounds or create your own hybrid filter shapes! Wow! And as with any respectable analogue synth, the AL-1 features controls for hard sync, analog-style FM, drive, low-boost, and ring modulation.

KORG KRONOS - MS-20EX LEGACY ANALOGUE COLLECTION

Analogue sound engine number 2! The original MS-20 was released in 1978, and was famed for it's solid sound, aggressive filters, and it's creative patch routing options. I've actually been lucky enough to use one before, and trust me they are something special!

The MS-20EX uses Korg's CMT (Component Modeling Technology) to accurately reproduce the classic sounds of the MS-20, and also uses modern technology to dramatically expand it's patch functionality. With the MS-20EX, you can do all sorts of crazy stuff, like turn audio inputs into control signals! Oh yeah, and the Kronos also has the power to update the vintage MS-20 with massive new polyphonic features! All good news as far as I'm concerned!

KORG KRONOS - POLYSIXEX LEGACY ANALOGUE COLLECTION

The third and final analogue modeling engine of the Korg Kronos is called the PolysixEX. Again, this engine is modeled on a popular vintage instrument, the Polysix, which first appeared in 1981. As with both previous analogue modeling synth engines, the version featured on the Korg Kronos extends the abilities of the original instrument, which featured a self-oscillating four-pole filter, a smooth analogue oscillator (and sub-oscillator), and impressive Chorus effect, to now feature advanced modulation options and huge polyphony. And, you will also be pleased to hear that the PolysixEX engine features all the string and pad presets that made the original such a hit, and even features a classic arpeggiator for that added vintage feel.

KORG KRONOS - MOD-7 WAVESHAPING VPM SYNTHESISER

The MOD-7 is the place to head in the Korg Kronos if you want to make use of Variable Phase Modulation (VPM), wave-shaping, ring-modulation, samples, and subtractive synthesis. With such a range of functions, the MOD-7 is an exceptionally versatile synth engine, offering everything from classic FM keyboards, bells and basses (including the ability to import sounds from vintage DX synths) to rhythmic soundscapes and epic pads!

KORG KRONOS - STR-1 PLUCKED STRING SYNTHESISER

The final synth engine is the physical modeling STR-1, which can be used to accurately reproduce a range of plucked instrument sounds. Again, the STR-1 synth engine makes use of highly developed technology to bring you sounds that respond to your touch in different ways. The STR-1 includes presets for acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harpsichord, clavinet, harps, bells, and ethnic instruments amongst others! If you want to get extra creative, you can use the STR-1 to do some immensely crazy things! For example, why not sing 'into' a guitar string! This is all possible within the Korg Kronos, who rightly describe the STR-1 as a synth engine that looks to the future rather then the past. With the right creative mind, I can see this feature of the Kronos being put to some truly amazing uses...

Korg Kronos 73

KORG KRONOS - DRUM TRACKS

The Korg Kronos also crams in the Drum Track feature from the M3 and M50 Music Workstations, which you can use to create full blown professional drum tracks! The Kronos also includes professional drum performances from respected artists, which allows you to generate grooves that reproduce the feel of a professional drummer!

KORG KRONOS - SAMPLING

The Korg Kronos expands its functionality even further, featuring full sampling capabilities with 1GB of onboard RAM! Whether you want to use the Korg Kronos to sample an external audio source, use it to resample the output of the Kronos itself, or want to load in your own samples (in AIFF, WAVE, SoundFont 2.0, and AKAI S1000/3000 formats) via USB, you'll find that you have more than enough controls at your fingertips! Truncate, normalize, time stretch, or time slice - the Korg Kronos can do them all! And once you've finished editing, it's a breeze to export your work in AIFF or WAVE format.

KORG KRONOS - SEQUENCER

In case everything that I have mentioned so far wasn't enough for you, the Korg Kronos also features an audio/MIDI sequencer, so you really can use the Korg Kronos to complete full professional projects on its own! I guess the only boundary is that you must work within the 16 MIDI and 16 audio track limits that the Kronos imposes - I guess you can't have everything - but 32 tracks should nevertheless be enough for most projects. Oh yeah, and it can only capture audio tracks up to a sample resolution of 48 kHz (16 or 24 bit), but again, this should be more than enough for most professional projects.

You can also apply mixer automation from within the Kronos, and even plug in a USB CD-burner to create a whole track/album straight from the Kronos! And even if you decide not to use the in-built sequencer of the Kronos for creating professional projects, it's a useful addition for quickly capturing ideas.

Korg Kronos 88

KORG KRONOS - EFFECTS

The effect possibilities within the Korg Kronos are truly astounding. For starters, the Korg Kronos provides 16 internal effects, made up of 12 Insert effects (for sculpting individual tracks or timbres), 2 Master effects (for applying to sends 1/2), and 2 Tonal effects (for applying to all tracks at the final stage of mixing). On top of that, each effect offers 185 distinct effect types, so you will never be short of creative options. If you want some examples, then feast your eyeballs on these: high-resolution reverb, chorus, delay, guitar amp and cabinet modeling, and even vocoding! Each effect is also brimming with customisable parameters, with 72 included for each, as well as a number of real-time modulation possibilities! And finally, a separate three-band EQ is provided for every timbre, for every sequencer track, and for every audio track, for adjusting subtle tonal balances or for creatively modifying the overall sound! Perfect!

KORG KRONOS - PERFORMANCE

The Korg Kronos isn't just a powerful studio tool... it's also a fully fledged live performance tool with features that will bring a fluidity to your performance like never before! The new Set List screen allows you to instantly recall your favourite programs, combinations, or song data with a single touch. The Korg Kronos provides 128 Set List locations, and each can have 128 slots! You can then scroll through 16 slots at a time via the large 8-inch (800 x 600 pixel) touchscreen display, and switch between them as and when required. To make things easier, you can also colour code each one for ease of recognition. And on top of this, there is also the option to leave song notes on the Set List page, and apply some final EQ to customise the output of the Kronos to a specific venue!

Korg Kronos controls

Another welcome feature of the Korg Kronos is the inclusion of Smooth Sound Transition technology, which means that note output and effects will be perfectly held even when switching between presets or modes! You never need to worry about drop-outs again!

Of course, in addition to all the touchscreen possibilities, the Kronos also comes equipped with a host of hardware controllers to aid performance and navigation. Hardware controllers include a four-way joystick, ribbon controller, two assignable switches, a vector joystick, 9 sliders, eight knobs, and a number of other switches! And if this isn't enough, you can also connect a damper pedal, and 2 assignable pedals.

KORG KRONOS - KEYBOARD

The 61-key version of the Korg Kronos features the same highly-responsive, and great feeling semi-weighed keys found in the classy M3-61 Music Workstation. However, if you purchase the Kronos 73 or 88 key versions, you will be given an extra treat, as they both make use of the same RH3 real weighted hammer action keyboard used on Korg's upper-end piano models and on the SV-1! These keys are weight graded in the same way as a grand piano, so provide a heavier feel in the lower register and a higher feel in the upper register! So not only does the Korg Kronos provide the most realistic piano sounds - it also feels just like a piano as well!

KORG KRONOS - CONNECTIONS

The Korg Kronos features enough connections to fulfill most of your project needs. For starters, it can send MIDI signals to and from your computer via USB. Whilst I'm on this topic, it's probably worth letting you know that you can also manipulate the Kronos directly from your computer using the free software editor, which can also be used to integrate the Kronos with a DAW as if it were a plug-in instrument. And, the Korg Kronos can even be used as an audio I/O interface for your computer, sending and receiving two channels of audio via USB. The Kronos really is the complete package!

The Korg Kronos provides a total of six channels of audio input: 2 analogue channels, 2 digital channels (S/P DIF optical, 48 kHz/24-bit), and 2 USB channels. As audio outputs, you have the 2 main channels (L/MONO, R) as well as four independent audio outputs, 2 digital channels (S/P DIF optical, 48 kHz/24-bit), and 2 USB channels (note: the 2 digital channels and 2 USB channels output the same signal as the main L/R output). All analogue inputs and outputs support TRS balanced connections. The analogue inputs provide a Mic/Line select switch and an independent level control for each channel, offering the flexibility to meet any situation. In addition to the type-B USB connector used for communicating with your computer, there are two type-A USB 2.0 ports for use with external storage media such as flash memory, hard drives, or CD-R/RW and DVD drives. The output of the Korg Kronos can be resampled to a USB storage device such as a hard drive, or connected to USB CD-R/RW drive to create audio CDs.

KORG KRONOS - SUMMARY

So there you have it! As I mentioned earlier, this article has really been more of a preview than a review, but I hope you have learned something, and that this article has wet your appetite for when the real thing is released - it's certainly filled me with anticipation and I can't wait to get my hands on one to bring you a proper review!

I must also apologise for the length of this article - it's just that the Korg Kronos can do so much! I even had to chop large portions of information out to avoid this blog post turning into a full on essay! But I think I have managed to include the main points! Bring on the Kronos!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1o2Woa8PBk

[Purchase the Korg Kronos 61 Synthesiser Workstation]

Purchase the Korg Kronos 73 Synthesiser Workstation

Purchase the Korg Kronos 88 Synthesiser Workstation

For full reviews of the Korg Kronos, click the links below:

Korg Kronos - Tony Long In Depth Review

Korg Kronos - Tim Way Brief Review