Review: Korg Krome Workstation

IVORY PALETTE

As for the keyboard, Korg has done a nice job with the ivories. The semi-weighted design has a fair degree of ‘clack’ to it, delivering far more response than your typical ‘synth action’ keyboard. The only downfall is the lack of aftertouch, but this would have added to the cost considerably. What seems odd is why Korg didn’t add aftertouch to the 88-note piano-style keyboard version of the Krome. All that said, the keyboard is incredibly responsive to velocity and responds to the lightest touch.

The Krome’s sound palette is as vast as you could require for a gigging machine, with around 4GB of ROM for storage of waveforms. The highlight of the repertoire is the grand piano. Korg hasn’t pulled any punches here and supplied a grand piano waveform set without the aid of looping and obscure enveloping tricks. Consequently you get the full enchilada with the grand — complete piano notes from beginning to end. This will no doubt be a major drawcard for the gigging keys player (I’ll avoid the term ‘pianist’).

Along with the 4GB of waveforms is RAM for housing 640 factory sounds and a further 128 locations for users’ creations. There are 288 factory Combi patches, with room for 224 of your own. Alongside are 32 preloaded drumkits with 16 spare memory locations for user defined kits, along with 256 General MIDI 2 sounds and nine General MIDI drumkits. Overall there’s enough slots in there to keep most acts on the road.

As mentioned, the sound palette is enormous, with countless keyboards, organs, clavinets, strings, brass out the wazoo, guitars, basses. The job lot is there at your disposal. If synthesis is your game there are tons of analogue and digital emulations including various retro recreations from Korg machines from the past such as the DW8000, MS2000, Wavestation style patches as well as the venerable M1. When editing your synthesque sounds you can choose from batches of waveforms named after the classics synths they were inspired by. Take for instance MX12, A2600, Pro5, SH, JP and so forth. I just wish the patches were catalogued more accurately into each of the six banks. For example; Bank One for keyboards, Bank Two for stringed instruments, Bank Three for synthetic patches etc.

STRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

Of course, the Krome wouldn’t be a workstation without a sequencing system. Here Korg has included enough grunt to corral 210,000 MIDI events within 128 songs utilising up to 16 MIDI tracks. There’s even a cue-list function for 20 cue-lists with 99 steps in each. Combined with the 480ppqn resolution and you’ll find the Krome will handle anything the professional MIDI–ist can throw at it. If that’s not enough room then you could always utilise the SD card for additional sequencing extravaganzas.

Continuing along the ‘all singing and dancing’ theme, the Krome includes five stereo insert effects, two master effects, and a global effect. With 193 effect styles and EQ for each of the 16 sequencer tracks you’ll have no trouble keeping the front of house full, and the pub even fuller.

So who’s the Krome for? I can’t see the Krome being a synth you’d turn to for that breakaway sound in your next electronica excursion. It’s obviously aimed at the gigging guy. The piano man with a stack of MIDI files or the piano player looking for a great piano sound that doesn’t weigh in like a Wurly. Even studios looking for a range of meat and potatoes sounds for filling in the gaps when needs require. The bottom line here is the Krome is exceedingly great value. The sounds are great, it’s a true workhorse, and it won’t send your credit card scurrying. Another winner from Korg.