Recommendation to be a companion of the Kronos

Wsadj · Post by **Wsadj** » Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:05 pm

Regards!
I would like your help.
I need to buy a second keyboard, to help me when playing live. My Kronos, will be the master keyboard and via MIDI, I will connect the one I will buy.
So I need your help. What do you recomend me?
I clarify, I am NOT looking for a Montage, Forte etc, but a slave keyboard and totally dependent on the Kronos.
Something like: Arturia KeyLab, Korg Triton trtk49 controller, etc., etc.

19naia · Post by **19naia** » Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:28 pm

What do you need the second Keyboard to do other than take midi messages from Kronos?
I needed something with external sounds so i could layer sounds without pushing Kronos polyphony limits. So i got iPad virtual synths like iM1, Nave, FM tines, Korg gadget, and even Cubasis which offers recording and synth sounds. Also Garage band sounds which come standard with iPad.
Could work on an iPhone also.

So, if you simply need external sounds to add to Kronos, then it could be virtual if you have iPad or iPhone.
I also got an external drum machine for extra drum patterns and it also came with a bass synth+bass track included with the drum kits+patterns that has its own separate midi track.
I got drum kits, synths, acoustic sounds, drum pattern player and recording in iPad and a compact drum machine with the same foot print as an iPad.
The drum machine gives me extra foot control ports that send over midi to kronos. Also drum machine gives me 20 touch pads for drumming or Pad triggering.
iPad gives me the “midi flow” app for managing midi messages between iPad and Kronos in a complex way that even Kronos cannot do. So i get better than $4000 keyboard midi-work done via iPad for less than $200 which includes midi-flow and all the music and recording apps combined.

If you go for a Keyboard specifically, you must have a target to achieve but you don’t mention anything about what you need a second keyboard for.
You just want it to midi link/sync with kronos. To do what?

A second keyboard will be great for kronos because kronos cannot be used to its fullest without external midi devices added.
Whatever you add, will bring extra midi controls, extra sounds which won’t really compete with what Kronos has internally.
Do you want an extra sequencer? Extra foot control ports? Extra drum track?
I think definitely get a keyboard with a user friendly arpeggiator and polyphonic arp is even better if you can. Old fashioned Arps is what Kronos lacks.

Hard to give good selection advice if nobody knows what basics you need to get out of the second keyboard.
If your needs are really basic, you may only need music apps and midi apps on iPad/iPhone if you have one or both already.

Wsadj · Post by **Wsadj** » Thu Sep 19, 2019 11:18 pm

Thank you Friend, your explanation has been very complete.
What I'm looking for, is precisely what you mention in one part, and is to use the Kronos to the fullest with a second keyboard.
I'm not looking for libraries of other keyboards, but to make my Kronos perform more with the help of another keyboard.
(I hope I can understand)

19naia · Post by **19naia** » Thu Sep 19, 2019 11:32 pm

Korg Kronos X 88, Korg Krome 73, NanoPAD 2, Korg iM1, Korg Wavestation, Korg N264, Alesis QS 8.1, Roland XP 80, Korg 01WFD, Casio CZ 3000.

Those listed above are what you list on your profile....

Are those keyboards something you have owned in the past or keyboards and devices you own now?
Do you use any of them with Kronos now?

Stoffel · Post by **Stoffel** » Fri Sep 20, 2019 12:04 am

I'm using a Roland A800 Pro as second keyboard for my kronos 2 88. So I am able to play fast solo synths and organs as well. The A-800 also has a very usable aftertouch and a bender, which I (coming from a Roland Fantom X7) prefer to a joystick or wheels.
The third keyboard is a Novation Nektar 49 for the singer who plays keyboards partly too.
The fourth keyboard is a battery powered Roland AX-Synth as midi controller via midibeam wireless connection.
The first two controllers and the midibeam receiver are connected to an USB hub and all powered via USB.
Working fine for me.

Perilous · Post by **Perilous** » Sun Sep 22, 2019 7:42 am

Stoffel wrote:I'm using a Roland A800 Pro as second keyboard for my kronos 2 88. So I am able to play fast solo synths and organs as well. The A-800 also has a very usable aftertouch and a bender, which I (coming from a Roland Fantom X7) prefer to a joystick or wheels.

^I second that^
The Roland A-Pro series is the only controller I know that can double the Kronos Control Surface. It may not be important to all keyboard players, but the A800 can give you access to all the CX-3 drawbars, upper or lower. It works well in Combi mode, too. It can adjust volume, mute and pan for tracks 9-16 while the Kronos does tracks 1-8. The black keys are a little narrow and it's very much a diving-board action (meaning you can't very well play deep/into the keys) but it's perfectly playable for organ, glissandos, synth. I wish it had wheels (pitch, mod) only because the Kronos does not.