Korg Forums

[lostinsa]

[/b] I recently purchased a Korg Kross 88 key. I have connected to the computer but I am not getting any sound. The sound from the speaker on the Korg is extremely low. I have tried talking with a tech at AMS with no luck on how or what I need to do to get the sound working. Is there a certain program I need to download in order to get this rolling? I'm not computer savvy and obviously not keyboard savvy either. I owned a 01W for 20 years, loved it but things have progressed (I think it is progression but sometimes wonder) to the point where I am totally lost. I want so much to get back into my music as my other keyboard crashed years ago. Can anyone help this old woman??

[tommymandel]

There is no speaker on the Kross. Only a place in the front to plug in your headphones, and L/Mono and Right outputs in the back. You have to plug a 1/4 inch 'guitar cable' into the L/Mono (and optionally the Right) output(s) in the back, just like on your old 01W, and the other end of the cable goes into an amplifier, or else (maybe this is what you were saying, I'm not sure) into your computer - BUT if you plug it into the computer, there's the whole COMPUTER issue, of a sound card, and software, or audio drivers, which has nothing to do with the Kross88 itself.
Maybe you could fill us in with a few more details so someone here can better help you sort it out...

[lostinsa]

First off, thank you tommymandel for trying to help. I am not sure how to explain what I'm wanting because I'm not sure how anything works when it comes to connecting to the pc. What I want to do is record which I would imagine is done with a sims card which I have. I thought when you connected to the computer from the keyboard it would have had the sound along with it. What is the purpose connecting to the pc if not to be able to record directly? My ultimate goal was to be able to make CD's. As for the ability to hear through the speaker with headphones, that is a joke. You can hardly hear what is being played. What I had with the O1W was great but I was unable to copy the floopy discs. Bummer. Guess I'm really confusing everyone now. If I can record without being connected to the pc, will I be able to somehow transfer that to a cd? I haven't even tried playing it yet cause I'm totally confused. Thanks for any input.

[Kooorgman]

Hi. I'll try to answer each of your questions.
1. What is the purpose connecting to the pc if not to be able to record directly? a. To use the Editor that you download from the Korg website. This helps you to use a lot of the features of the Kross without wearing out your fingers on the actual Kross itself. For example, you can select specific MIDI programs from the Editor that you've installed in your computer. b. To link recording software with the Kross. This is software such as Cubase, Protools, Fruity Loops, etc.... These programs specialize in home recording (making a CD). While the Kross is capable of some audio and MIDI recording it is cumbersome and weak when compared with the above programs. That said, the Kross has some really good sounds (programs) on it and the link to the computer allows the song that you record to be played through the Kross. This then becomes an audio file that you manipulate within the recording software on the computer.

2. As for the ability to hear through the speaker with headphones, that is a joke. You can hardly hear what is being played. When you plug headphones into the jack and turn up the volume you should be able to hear what you are playing. If not, check the volume, try another set of headphones. As has been stated earlier - the Kross has no speaker. Therefore, to hear it you must connect it to something that amplifies the signal. I connect a guitar cord to the left output of the Kross and then connect the other end to a 8 channel mixer. This mixer is connected to two powered studio monitors and then I can hear what I'm playing.

If I can record without being connected to the pc, will I be able to somehow transfer that to a cd? That depends on how complicated a recording/CD you want to make. If you want to record one piano part you can do so by recording it on the Kross, save your performance as a midi file, plug the Kross into your soundcard microphone input on your computer (you'll need an 1/8" adaptor probably) press record on your computer soundcard interface and then press play to start the midi file on the Kross. Save that file as an mp3 and then burn it to CD. If you want to record several instruments then you'll need to record- a "song" on the Kross and then save that and repeat the above. If you want to record vocals or other non-digital instruments the Kross is pretty limited and probably not worth the time....you'd be better off with Cubase or something similar.

As I'm typing this I'm reminded of all of the pain I had to go through to become somewhat proficient at home recording. It's a pretty tough road if your computer skills are at a beginner level. Good luck.

[tommymandel]

The only thing I could possibly add to Kooorgman's excellent advice, is it sounds like you should consider hiring someone local to teach you/give you a few lessons/walk you through some of these basics, to reestablish your foundations, since it's clearly been a lot of time since your 01W success. And 2nd-ly, maybe you are plugging your headphones into the back: that's not right: there's a smaller hole on the front for them. You may or may not need an adapter to fit your plug into the Korg, depending on what size plug your headphones terminate in. (That would explain why you say the sound is faint, since the headphone output is generally a stronger (louder) signal than the line-outs on the back.)

[lostinsa]

Thank you both for your feedback. I agree with you tommy, I need someone to help me. It has been a long time and things have certainly changed along with becoming much more complicated.

kooorgman, a lot of good advice and apparently a lot which I need to do to get to the point of recording. Unfortunately, the programs which you have mentioned are beyond my ability to purchase. I never dreamed there would be so much I needed to learn. As I had mentioned previously, I am not computer savvy. This is all flying over my head.

As for recording, on the O1W it was a lengthy process but a simple one. I play a lot of classical music. I obtained what I had set out to do. In recording, I recorded most of the music on several different tracks. I guess you might call it "stacking" (my own term). One track might be for piano, another may be used for violins, voices, etc. In other words, I had my own orchestra and all on the same pice of music. Then it was all put together that way and transferred to the floppy disc. That is what I was hoping could be done with the Kross. From what I am understanding, kooorgman, I wouldn't be able to do this? I am about ready to give it up and send the unit back. It's becoming a nightmare.

I appreciate so much all of the help you have tried to give me. Right now, I am disappointed and angry with myself that I can't even seem to follow what you're talking about.

[tommymandel]

Don't send it back yet! If you could find a youtube tutorial on how to use a korg workstation sequencer (stacking as you call it - it might not be that different from the 01W was-) you could pretty much do the same thing on the Kross, with what you may hopefully consider, better sounds.

Getting it onto a CD? What kind of computer do you use? That's not that impossible either. If it's a mac I could talk you through it (get a simple cable at Radio Shack and Make a New Audio Recording in QuickTime Player. . . then drag the file into iTunes ( i *think* that should work ) and it's pretty easy from there, to make a CD.

The biggest part would be getting comfortable with the Sequencer, but I once read on this forum, from someone who knows more than I do about this, that if you understand one Korg workstation Sequencer, you'll understand them all. They all work the same.

Maybe someone, Kooorgman, e.g., could chime in if this is true: that if you understand the 01W Sequencer, you'll understand the Kross one?