Korg Forums

[Hooch]

Damn, I think I'm getting this.
I was swimming through the presets then I realized that's wrong.

Swimming through presets looking for "that" sound.
It's not going to be given to you for free

For instance, hard strings:

One partial/oscillator is a quick bump of tape strings with a quick dip out.
Another partial/oscillator is the same or similar tape strings looped nicely with a swell up in to the attack of the first partial /oscillator.
Add some delay to the 2nd partial /oscillator delay to reduce phasing at the cross point.
Maybe season with some EQ to even out the resonance
Add some synth strings to blend the loop, verb, limit to taste to add some sonic glue.

Done.

Is this just like being a chef or what?
I've just been looking for fast food.
I'm cooking from scratch from here on.

Hooch

[apex]

!!!
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[RonF]

Huge +1. I find the Kronos to be a sound designers dream tool box...more than perhaps any other keyboard I have ever used. My only real disappointments are the inability to mix HD1 and EXi together in Program mode, and the inability to edit programs directly in combi mode. That would take things up a huge notch...but I certainly understand why it is the way it is (and combi mode is certainly work-able). None the less, some of Kronos "features" are just so cool and intuitive. The Vector envelopes, for example, are just inspiring, and can turn just about ANY patch into something entirely original and compelling.

So many of the engines are extremely deep (particularly STR1 and MOD7), and putting them together in one patch is another paradigm altogether. Then you throw KARMA in the mix, or a wave sequence or two, or perhaps the ability to route one engine in through another's EXI audio input.....and I haven't even gotten to the effects yet, which are not only outstanding quality, but hugely diverse and mod-able....with endless routing possibilities!

I guess the point is....the presets on the Kronos are pretty great, for sure....but if ever there was an example of how presets serve more to "showcase" the possibilities, rather than "exploit" the limitations....the Kronos would be it! Each preset is a starting point for processing and manipulation through perhaps the most diverse set of synthesis tools in a hardware synth in history (sans Oasys of course).
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[apex]

[Hooch]

The structure of the banks are fixed in program mode.
Once 1.5 is available, there is much more room.

You really can't do much programming until those extra banks are there if
you want to keep previous peoples work.
You can mix preset patches in combi's and have banks for days right now.

One bank of stuck programs is pretty limited unless your willing to wipe
the slate totally clean.

You can always pick and choose per flavor per bank off the disk but all the stock combi's are hosed. And your left scratching your head on what's where.

I guess it really depends on your focus of the instrument.

Hooch

[BasariStudios]

Of course is the Sound Designers Dream Machine...i've been waiting for this thing for 15 years.
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[Dniss]

ah man, can't wait for all those sounds libraries announced by Korg and KARO to come out.

Also very curious of what crafty and creative people will come out with. Interesting years ahead.

[SanderXpander]

I use presets as a decent starting point for what I'm trying to create. If you have a very simple synth sound in mind, that's not really necessary, but with anything else, it's just quicker. I've no interest in setting up the envelopes and LFOs from scratch for most sounds, for instance. So I try to quickly find a preset to match most characteristics of what I'm looking for. Sometimes the timbre is nice, but the envelopes are off. Sometimes the envelopes are spot on, but the timbre is wrong. In HD1, swapping the core sample can do a really nice job if the basic "sound shaping" is close to what you're looking for.

[michelkeijzers]

[QuiRobinez]

most of the time i find it quicker to program the sound i needed myself then browsing 1000's of sound to get the sound i want.

I'm still in the learning phase of the Engines and completed the study of 5 engines now

The EP and Piano engines are very straight forward, so they are very easy to program. The MS20 and Polysix are also very easy to learn. The HD1 is great and the learning curve for this engine was very short.

Now the other engines
The Mod7 and STR1 surprised me, they can give some very exciting results if you dive deep in the engine possibilities.

The AL1 is a strange engine, i have a lot of experience with VA programming, but the AL1 always gives a completely different result then what i expect it to do. It's extremely powerful but i need to spent a lot of time with it to get used to the behavior of this engine.

The Kronos is a programmers dream, especially since you can mix the different EXI models to create a unique sound. By experimenting you can easely develop your own sound signature

[SanderXpander]

Well yeah, if I need a straight up Rhodes MK1 with a phaser, I'm not going to scroll through the presets. Nor for a basic polysynth saw stab. I meant for instance when looking for more complex things, like a moving pad sound, fm bells, orchestra hits. Those I usually don't create from scratch.

[QuiRobinez]

[Amos922]

[RonF]

[Amos922]

[quoteVector Envelopes are just wonderful, and are really powerful in Kronos. They represent a complex modulation "source", freely assignable....but you can fully automate them, sync them to system clock or free time, and loop them!

Under Korg, Vector modulation was perhaps best implemented on the Korg Z1. Using its X/Y pad, the real time modulation control was both inspiring and deep (hundreds of possible destination assignments). Of course Wavestation first implemented vectoring in a Korg synth. What Kronos brings to the table is such a powerful U.I. for setting up these Vector envelopes. The "power" is eye opening once you realize it!

Considering that the 4 poles on a virtual X/Y plane (+X, -X, +Y, -Y) can each be assigned to separate and multiple modulation destinations....each with varying intensity amounts, so moving the physical vector joystick can execute complex modulations. A Vector "envelope" merely automates the movement of the (virtual) joystick.

Kronos has DEEP modulation matrixing (though I personally wish it was all on one page of the U.I. for easy reference...because sometimes hunting down a modulation assignment can be a chore), so the possibilities for complex and interesting modulation using the vector envelope is vast.

Perhaps the best way to experience how easy it can be to use this to customize and add remarkable interest and creativity and motion to a patch is to take an existing preset which has clearly audible vector mod assignments. In other words, find a patch which makes some nice sonic changes when you move the physical vector joystick around. A good example might be UD074 The Final Frontier (STR1). The Joystick causes quite interesting modulation. Another example is its immediate neighbor UD075 Death Angels (STR1). Now you have to look at the Vector Envelope page (Common).

First....in most programs, the Vector envelope is turned off by default. Turn it on (top left)~! Now make sure that the envelope is set to Loop, infinitely. It should default to a 4 point loop (meaning it will travel between 4 points in the X/Y space, and return to point 1 and repeat). Now comes the fun part. You can manually set each individual point of the envelope to establish how it will travel in the X/Y space. The Interface for this is excellent on Kronos which adds to the fun and power.

Start with point 1 by selecting the radio button for it in the Point Selection "area" (bottom of Vector Envelope page). Now simply move the physical joystick while holding a key or chord (I like to set the Kronos droning using a sustain pedal or CC66 so its easy to edit and hear the changes). While moving the joystick, when you find an interesting alternative timbre in the X/Y space, stop and select the next point (press the next radio button for the next "point"). Move the joystick around again to find another sonically interesting and different timbre, stop and select the next point....and so on. When you have assigned all these "points", be sure to select the Radio Button "off" (top left of the point assignment area) to prevent any accidental changes to your selections!

Now its time adjust the travel speed of the sound through time. You can sync to midi clock, and that's easy enough. But using real "time" (milliseconds) and setting separate hold times at each point, and travel times between each point, is more creative for evolving pads and effects, IMO. Using slow travel times, and longer hold times, you can turn just about any patch into a "soundscape".

As far as finding "interesting" mod destinations for the 4 poles on the X/Y plane.....just take a look at some existing programs which have interesting and clearly audible modulations by moving the physical joystick. Hunt down the various AMS assignments for +X, -X, +Y, and -Y (thus why I would prefer a mod matrix on one unified page!!!) to see how these have been assigned, and what intensity levels yield the sonic results. Sometimes just changing the intensity level of an particular assignment can make dramatic sonic changes.

I have only scratched the surface with using Vector Envelopes in this post. There are many other parameters in the V.E. pages to explore and play with. Having an X/Y space to modulate multiple parameters with Kronos deep and diverse mod (AMS) assignments is truly a synthesists and sound designers dream. Just this one feature-set alone make Kronos (Oasys) a more powerful synthesizer than most. And its a sure fire way to pretty easily program your own custom complexity, motion, and creativity into various presets. Consider high speeds of the Vector loop...creating rhythmic passages or synth effects. Consider low speeds of travel on the Vector loop for pads and soundscapes. Consider BPM synced modulations of pitch or filter cutoff/intensity for polyrhythmic loops. The possibilities are endless.[/quote]

This is one of the best responses I have seen on a forum. Exactly what I was looking for. Im in front of my Kronos now doing this step by step and already am getting a clearer understanding of the possibilities of what vector envelopes can do! I appreciate the help sir..WOW!!!