Krome
Music Workstation

On Stage. On the Go. On Top.

Offering full-length, unlooped samples of every key for a spectacular piano sound, this new keyboard redefines your expectations for an instrument in this class. Taking its name from the Greek word meaning "color," Krome is the new standard for sonic excellence in a gigging musician’s keyboard, providing a limitless palette of sound to bring vivid inspiration your music. Introducing the Krome Music Workstation.

Product Highlights:

The Korg workstation ideal for any style of piano playing
Kronos-derived full length, unlooped piano and drum sounds, plus new electric pianos designed to shine on stage
Electric pianos with eight-level velocity switching for unmatched expressive power
Clear, intuitive control with Korg’s exclusive 7-inch color TouchView™ display
Drums offering separately mixable direct and ambient sounds for studio-grade quality
Drum Track plays back realistic, inspiring grooves at the touch of a button
Expertly created, in-demand sounds including 640 Programs and 288 Combinations
Powerful Effects with 5 Inserts, 2 Master, and 1 Total FX, plus per track/timbre EQ
Distinctive aluminum panel design exudes a sense of quality
USB connection to your computer, plus an SD Card slot for data storage
You can use the Krome editor to edit sounds on your computer
Available in 61, 73, and 88 key models.


In addition to Korg’s well-proven workstation features, Krome features a carefully chosen selection of the top sounds available today for bread-and-butter keyboard instruments such as piano and electric piano, as well as vital and dynamic drum kits, giving you the best of the basics. These highly usable piano, electric piano, and drum sounds by themselves set Krome apart from any other keyboard in its class. With sound quality and features normally found in much more expensive instruments, Krome aspires to set a whole new value standard, and become a unique and irreplaceable partner for real-world musicians.

Looks like the replacement of the M-50 series. Still 120 notes of polyphony. I'm sure the big combi sounds will loose notes when sustained.

I still don't get it. Another friggin' 73!

30 years of 76 being the standard, and now we are supposed to be HAPPY with 3 less?

Bloody Rhodes wannabes! Retro isn't necessarily better!

I like having the 76 with the low E and high G on my Yamaha Motif ES7.

In my opinion, 3 less keys doesn't save on weight that much and the saved length only adds up to 2 inches. I guess in the long run it may save them money in production. They don't save money by not having a solid white key as the bottom E. Doing 73 keys C to C (like Korg) or F to F (like Nord) you avoid having to stock the replacement part of a solid white key for the bottom... but you still need the top C or F so, what gives?!?

I use my Motif every weekend leading worship at my church. The reason I got the 76 key was to have more keys than a 61 but less weight than the HUGE Motif ES/XS/XF8 size and weight. It's been perfect for the last eight years. Do I miss the weighted... sure but when I am walking the 42 pound ES7 out of the church after our service 52 times per year, I know I made the right choice.

The reason they went to 73 has nothing to do with weight, but with the current fad of retro keyboards. Look onstage with so many current chart bands, and you'll see Rhodes's, Wurlitzer's, vintage synths, Mellotron's, you name it. It's kind of like so many guitarists' obsession with vintage guitars and amps (so few of them can play them well enough for the difference to be noticeable). It's all about the LOOK...

I think Nord started the trend, bringing out their Electro series in a 61 and a 73. Perhaps understandable in this particular case, as a) the keyboard wasn't splittable, and b) it ONLY emulated B3 and Rhodes/Clav/Wurli's. The main size of Rhodes's was 73. More would have detracted from the emulation.

They became incredibly popular, the retro trend gathered momentum, and the next thing you know, to be 'cool', a modern keyboard needs to ape an older, one-trick-pony electro-mechanical piano!

It is the keyboard equivalent of bell-bottom trousers. A fashion with no practical need, followed by legions of kids desperate to look 'hip', no matter how ridiculous it is going to look later on.

Re the keybed size...I think it has more to do with parts stock from the M50 73 note boards...Korg are simply cutting a few costs by utilising existing spec'd beds....keeping the weighted for the Kronos. And removing the cost of tooling another cheap Fatar bed into the Krome.

It is after all said and done, a marginal replacement for the M50..it also had what Korg called a semi-weighted keybed, but all the keys were hinged plastic!!! No metal to be seen..

I saw some pics of the action online once...I will see if I can trace it and post here....

This will be the keybed going in to the Krome

I seriously doubt whether it has ANYTHING to do the "look" or "retro" or any of the other reasons you mentioned Diki..

Purely $ + C

61 is enough for me......but its nice that Korg offers choices..

I wouldn't say it's a marginal replacement Miden. You should have a look at the specs side by side. One major addition is the Krome has over 3 gigs (almost 4) dedicated to the ROM. That's considerably more than the M50. Even if the the multi-sample and drum-sample number count is still the same, that's 3.8 gigs dedicated to that sound set as opposed to 256 Mb's found on the M-50

The Krome has a complete redesign.., with a new color display (the units not a physical rehash of the M50). Poly is increased, and there are also some new additions to patch editing (such as twice the velocity zones in the patches - including the drum kits).

IMO it's a pretty good step up from the M50. Also don't forget the patch set is the EDS-X. The previous model was just EDS.

Yeah true...I guess I was looking more for a cut down Kronos, with the multi engine, just less samples..and was a little disappointed at first blush..

But when you do as you did and compare side by side it is a bigger upgrade than I first envisaged...I had forgotten just how small the M50 was..(rom wise)

So correction gratefully accepted

I must admit the 61 note version is very tempting a the price point..probably about $1600 out here...

Korg may very well be using the M50 keybed... but whether the rush to trendiness came with this generation or the previous, it still boils down to trendiness.

Let's face it, what OTHER possible reason is there for going BACKWARDS? Did the community of keyboard players one day stand up and go 'You know, I could easily do with three less notes!'? No, whether the rot stated with the M50 or not for Korg, it boils down to those Nord Rhodes emulators. Then the industry played 'me too', without bothering to think whether it was the quality of the sounds in the Nords, or the number of notes that was generating sales.

Heck, Korg even came out with a RED freakin' stage piano/organ. That stinks of bandwagon jumping, not of any genuine NEED...