NAMM 2019: Korg has revamped its popular Krome workstation keyboard, putting the focus on contemporary sounds that are ready to be used with little or no tweaking. This should put it in the crosshairs of live performers and recording musicians who want production-ready presets.
As well as its standard workhorse sounds, Krome EX also includes many new programs and PCM data. Special attention has been paid to creating EDM-friendly tones - think big leads and hard-hitting drums - while Ethnic instruments and cinematic sounds have also been added. High-quality acoustic and electric pianos are promised, too.
On the rhythm side, you’ll find 2,500 drum samples and 48 preloaded kits; these can be used to play instant grooves with the Drum Track feature. Dual arpeggiators are joined by a 16-track sequencer - this is a workstation, after all - and there are various ingenious recording and arranging functions.
The Krome EX comes in three sizes. The 61- and 73-note models have semi-weighted keyboards, while the 88-note option features Korg’s Natural Weighted Hammer Action keyboard. All three versions have an aluminium top panel and come with a 800 x 480 pixel TouchView Colour display that can be used to change sounds, edit parameters and more.
The Krome EX will be available in February. Prices for the three editions are still to be confirmed, but you can find further details on the Korg website.
