You cannot load a nine-foot grand into the back of a tour bus. That practical truth set this project in motion. Glasper wanted the emotion of an acoustic instrument he could carry into a festival, a hip-hop club, a rock room or an R&B lounge without surrendering an ounce of feel and KRONOS became the vehicle for it. Working alongside the KORG engineering and sound-design team, Glasper handpicked a piano that sounded and felt like him, then spent days in the studio translating every nuance of his playing into KRONOS.

Inside Glasper’s Grand & EP (EXs43)

Recorded note by note to preserve Glasper’s dynamics and phrasing, EXs43 delivers a studio-grade portrait of his grand piano and electric piano for the SGX-2 and EP-1 sound engines.

• Approximately 2 GB of grand piano samples, captured across soft, medium and loud dynamics for every key
• Two SGX-2 piano types: Glasper German D and Glasper German D (Equal Temperament)
• 16 Programs, including 7 grand piano and 9 electric piano Programs
• Available as a free download through the KORG Sound Library

To capture the full character of the room, the sessions used a wide array of microphone perspectives, from an intimate close-miked tone to a wide, luxuriant studio sound. On the electric piano side, EXs43 incorporates the drive, delay and reverb effects Glasper relies on in performance, allowing players to move from clean, expressive tones to more saturated textures.

KRONOS System Updater v3.2.3

Released alongside EXs43, KRONOS System Updater v3.2.3 is a free update for all KRONOS owners (1 / X / 2 / 3) that adds the new Tine EP VIII model to the EP-1 engine, expanding the workstation’s already deep electric-piano palette for every generation of the instrument.

A Sound Built in a Room With History

The grand piano sessions took place in Studio A at Chaplin Recording Studios (formerly Henson Studios), a room whose walls have witnessed everything from “We Are the World” to Glasper’s own album FYF — the latter home to an impromptu session with Herbie Hancock that made the record, performed on two KRONOS workstations. Recording his signature sound in the same space closed a circle for Glasper, and it gave EXs43 the unmistakable air of a great studio baked into every sample.

The collaboration comes full circle at the announcement, captured on camera at the Blue Note Jazz Club, where Glasper unveils the Glasper Grand and Glasper Electric Piano living inside KRONOS, making these sounds available to musicians around the world.

Watch the Story

Go behind the scenes with Robert Glasper and the KORG team on how EXs43 came to life:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii9zFvJ6Nd8

Availability

Glasper’s Grand & EP (EXs43) and KRONOS System Updater v3.2.3 are available now as free downloads for all KRONOS users.

• Download EXs43: korg.shop/sound-libraries/exs43.html
• Download KRONOS System Updater v3.2.3: korg.com/us/support/download/software/0/988/1514/
• Learn more about KRONOS: korg.com/kronos3

About KRONOS

Since its 2011 debut, the KORG KRONOS has set the gold standard for professional music workstations, praised by artists on the world’s biggest stages and in its finest studios. Now in its newest generation, KRONOS pairs nine distinct sound engines with access to a growing collection of premium Sound Libraries, a responsive TouchView display and KORG’s finest RH-3 weighted hammer action — a single instrument designed to redefine what is possible on any stage and in any studio.

About KORG

Founded in Tokyo in 1963, KORG Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacture of electronic musical instruments, from synthesizers and workstations to digital pianos, tuners and DJ gear. For more than six decades KORG has partnered with artists and innovators to push the boundaries of musical expression.

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