Korg Forums :: View topic (2024)

Then to get a gigging board with many features.

About 50% of the time I play classical music with traditional piano technique.

Korg Kronos has insane mass of features, this is great and I'm sure it's lots of fun and very useful in many gigs.
But all this is worthless if I don't have something to play Bach and Chopin silent at nights with headphones.

I see now two options:
1. Buying now a high end Kawai, and after that maybe some day to buy a Kronos.
2. Buying Kronos now and not buying Kawai.

The question is whether the Kronos action is comrable to Kawai wooden actions, for piano purist who want to play classical piano with traditional piano technique on a digital instrument.

I have the RH3 key bed on my board and like it. I also have a baby grand. Comparing the 2 it’s like night and day for me. The baby grand is actually much lighter than the KRONOS in terms of velocity etc. Granted my piano is not a high end Kawai but it’s still pretty nice.

I see this as one of those things as being a personal judgement and preference. I would never buy a car without driving it first. It’s about 3600.00 to buy a KRONOS so not a cheap investment. On the other hand neither is a KAWAI.

So hopefully you’ll find someone that has one, or somewhere to try it out. Only you know what is right for you.

I mainly play piano classical répertoire on it (I'd say 75% of the time) and also of course enjoy using the myriads of other sounds offered. Even though different from my acoustic grand piano, I really like the feel of the RH3, even though it uses only two sensors per key. In fact, I do not believe in most purely theoretical specs commonly advertised as superior by many DP manufacturers. The best way to figure out if you like the RH3 is to try it extensively. Using a custom velocity map on my Kronos, I have no problem reproducing all dynamic nuances required in advanced répertoire on it, including fast trills, very quick repetitive notes, etc.

If you go ahead with a Kronos 2, you will also have to buy the Korg DS-1H pedal though for half-damper switching. The on-board Berlin grand (with Bechstein samples) is IMHO the best one and uses a different set of samples for una corda.

Of course, no DP responds nor feel exactly like a grand, and the Kronos is no exception. But it is an incredible machine for any sound, including grand piano. Also, there are many parameters you can modify in the SGX-2 engine to fit the piano sounds vs keyboard touch.

I think its up to you- whether or not you want to ' adapt ' to the RH3.

Its not realistic IMO to expect the RH3 to be a perfect replacement for whatever acoustic piano you have trained on, spent many years playing.

I also suggest waiting for Dec/Jan to see if Korg has anything grandiose to announce and promote.
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Kronos 88. MODX8
Achieve your musical dreams
https://soundcloud.com/user-898236994

Another option might be to get a Kronos K2 61, which is considerably more portable than the 88 key version, together with an 88-key piano action MIDI keyboard, such as the Roland A-88, and use that to trigger the Kronos' piano sounds. Take a look at Cory Henry playing Spectrasonics Keyscape with one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa1KR1weoFc

.

M3 88
M50 88
SV1
Any of Korg's LP-series digital Pianos
GrandStage

You may not get the authentic Kronos experience, but it would help you make a decision based on the feel.

I'm sure there are others. The 88-key versions Krome, Kross, and a number of Korg's digital pianos use something called an "NH (Natural Hammer)" action. I have no idea how this compares, but hoping someone will offer some input on the subject.
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Korg Kronos-61, 01/Wfd, SONAR Pro

I was playing acoustic when i got my first Korg.88 workstation and i liked it better than my cheap acoustic piano. I decided it was better to have a keybed that stays the same through the years and weather changes. My playing got conditioned to Korg 88 keys and i never looked back.

Of course you are asking about the electric Kawai 88 key action. It is not that much better than kronos when i factor in all the adjustments you can do to kronos sound and touch sense response as well as so many features.

https://youtu.be/v-yO6caa1z0

Piano man chuck does the key feel comparisons you are looking for.

https://youtu.be/v-yO6caa1z0

This video below has him showing the actual Kawaii key mechanism which is the closest you will get to a real grand piano.

https://youtu.be/mjHfKmwIMm8

I don't like the wood used in Kawaii keys as i have had issues with woode keys over time, losing consistency due to warp during weather changes. I just don't trust wooden keys anymore. Ignore my opinion on that if you would have Kawaii stationary in a well controlled atmosphere.

I conditioned my fingers/playing to Korg 88 action and never looked back.
RH3 is a heavier action than most. Kronos has so much adjustment to sound and touch response in addition to all the features. RH3 is just the surface. Kawaii would have to be a good midi controller over DAW synths to make it worth it. Kawaii plus all the best virtual piano plugins with 16 velocity points to outdo kronos' SGX pianos.

I have a Kronos 2 88, and I'm coming from a Kawai MP7 keyboard. The difference between the two key actions is noticeable. The MP7 feels more like a real piano, while the Kronos action feels more light and easier to play. For example, it was really difficult for me to play organ sounds on the MP7.

I think it all depends on your capacity as a pianist --I have not much use for the escapement capabilities of the MP7 keybed. So I'm happier with my Kronos

i also after the rd-2000 tried a real grand piano 'samick'- the keys are heavy - but the key return is ok but its keys are heavier than roland's keys
and then tried an upright piano - did't know what make it is - it's keys are abit heaver than the real grand but the return was slow which i didn't like

i preffered that action of rd-2000 although on the side of piano sounds i liked the pianos on the nord over any other keyboard

i'm not buy at the time any keyboard, waiting for korg next releases maybe - i just wonder about the korg's RH3 how it is

If you play Mozart Sonatas or Bach preludes you can play this style of music reasonably well on the Kronos, playing Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninof, Prokofiev is impossible on the Kronos, the 88 RH3 keybed action will not in any manner way shape or form respond to the technical complexities of this type of music. Although I must admit I can play Rachmaninof C sharp min op 3 no2 prelude on the RH3 without experiencing keybed action inconsistencies, however, the RH3 cannot take the pounding of Rach Etude E flat min op39 no5, these pieces can be played without response and sustain pedal imperfections on the Roland’s I mention below.

The Roland V Piano, and Roland V Grand Piano, along with the R2000 keybed handle this complex music with far greater and superior response. I have played all three Roland’s and you can see others on the net playing complex classical piano pieces on the V Grand in particular.

If you’re playing at the level of, say, Jordan Rudess, or Derek Sherinian, then you shouldn’t have too much problems on the RH3. Sustain pedal usage also plays a significant part along with the keybed, a lot more sustain is required with the RH3 to ‘clean out’ the sound.

I only use the Kronos 88 RH3 as my left hand keyboard for complex left hand patterns while improvising, my right hand is on other keyboards, with only one hand at a time on the Kronos the keybed responds ok.

Regards
Billy