Here’s a quick look at the Kurzweil Kore 64, via proaudiostar, from the 2013 NAMM Show.
The KORE 64 ROM option is an expansion option for the PC3 and PC3K’s (not for the PC3LE). The KORE 64 adds over 300 new programs, including new synths, electric guitars, horns, drums and percussion. With KORE 64 installed, the PC3/K built-in program library totals over 1400 presets.
I don’t doubt that it is a good product. I’ve used Kurzweils for two decades now. I think if more thought went into that demo we could have heard more variety and less of the 80’s hair metal. Alas. Maybe someone can post a link to better more expansive demo of the CORE64’s content and capabilities.
I hope it’s the presenter not doing the product justice and not the product not giving the presenter much to work with. I’m fairly underwhelmed, I was hoping for more from Kurzweil.
I have a PC3 (why??) and this did nothing except make me yawn and wonder how much I’d get if I sold my PC3.
You have a 1500$ keyboard and even don’t know why you bought it. Let me tell you….I have a Roland JV80 from 1991 and I use it to practice my piano.
this synth is retro 90s by accident
i was hoping they were bringing back the ribbon controller…boring.
The ribbon controller is sitting right there next to all those black and white keys.
These guys need to advertise themselves more or do some YouTube videos or something like that. They’ve always had great keyboards but I haven’t heard about them in years.
lol @ this
Holy crap, that was awful
I disagree. It wasn’t awful; it simply wasn’t a huge extravaganza. Hair-metal, my butt, the guy can clearly tear up the board and he was demoing the basics, not doing a personal show. We all know what a K sounds like by now, so he did his job well: he showed me a variety of added sounds that were up to the K standard. I’d like to hear from someone who has a K and LIKES new expansions. Unless you play one, your opinion can suck it and so can mine, because its the hands-on time that decides things. Any K users want to comment?
Not to make excuses, but Kurzweil did go through a rough period that involved a near hostile take-over. And they are bouncing back from that.
The PC3 series is a worthwhile refinement of the K2xxx series, and the PC3K added sample loading and backward compatibility to mostly import K2xxx files.
The quality of the ROM in the K2xxx series was excellent– especially considering the fairly small memory constraints of those ROMs back then. From everything I hear, the ROM samples in the PC3 are much better. Also, the synthesis capabilities, FX, and sequencer are very powerful and flexible. The modulation routing abilities are unparalleled.
That was an unfortunate demo. It might also be the case that the factory presets won’t scratch the itch for some. But make no mistake, this is a great machine– still.
We have waited for something new from Kurzweil — (whisper– K3000?) but who knows what they’ve got cooking. Word is we’ll be happy when it comes out.
One more thing. They realize they can’t just show you in plain black & white what it does– here’s the organ, here is the bass, etc etc. They have to have you hear it in context. But eeeesh why another screaming lead guitar?!
This was probably one of the worst demo’s I have ever viewed. Sheesh
Hair metal is better with the requisite hair.
Dave must be away… This is NOT truly representative of the ROM.
This video is a bit disappointing, because the PC3K series is a fantastic line of synths. There are drawbacks to be sure but the way the internal DSP blocks can be configured to perform all sorts of processing makes it stand apart from the typical ROMpler crowd.
Tsk tsk, listen to you guys. I think I smell a bit of that ol’ Disposable-Goods American Attitude. Whether you like Kurzweils or not, the simple fact is that they’re modular, very deep and built like tanks. IMO, Ks are almost like the acoustic piano, mature and ready for prime time, at ALL times. The drive for the latest shiny thing isn’t universal. More than a few of us enjoy embracing a central workhorse, so a set that fills out several areas is never unwelcome.
I don’t program much these days, because I don’t have to with a hefty library in-hand, but I CAN if I need to. If you cannot program or simply don’t care to, a Kurzweil synth is probably not for you. (Their pianos have been pretty top-drawer, even since the first K250 I got to peck at years ago.) There is always this undercurrent of a thing lacking value if it isn’t cutting-edge-new while honoring everyone’s glazzy-eyed fantasy of the Good Old Days at the same time. Whatever happened to people who LIKED their gear because it could do everything they could think of and a thousand more that would never occur to them without the huge team effort that leads to any synth?
I think part of the problem may be that synths and computers can be daunting; people don’t want to admit to a lack of mastery. I’d rather find a workable middle ground with something than poke at its faults. I was amazed at how much better I got at my noodling once I accepted that my workstation was smarter than I was until I’d had coffee and sometimes afterwards as well. It helped my creative Funk Shui
quite a bit. So this add-on card isn’t a flop; its a smart move that makes a good instrument even better.
You can go here and download the object list. Look at the keymaps list and you’ll get an idea of all things they’ve added. There are 300 keymaps (which basically translates to how many multi samples). The list looks pretty comprehensive and adds to an already stellar ROM set.
http://kurzweil.com/accessory/kore64/downloads/
Here’s some demo audio of the card:
http://kurzweil.com/accessory/kore64/audio/
The audio demos here aren’t stellar music, and some of them are bathed in reverb, and some have a very hyped high-end. That makes it difficult to tell what you are getting in terms of the quality of samples.
There are many different kinds of artists and synth users. Some want “today’s sounds” handed to them on a silicone platter. Some want “The Industry” to decide for them what “tomorrow’s sounds” will be. And others want a synth to give you plenty of good raw material (ROM content) to work with, and plenty of synthesis options both to build new sounds, and to be able to get very close to the sound you hear in your head. That last one is what Kurzweil does best.
We Love you Kurzweil . Please kick Korg’s, Yamaha’s and Roland’s Butt with all possible updates for the Pc3k.
In the description of KORE 64, they talk of ‘hundreds of loops’ ( drums etc.) …. How exactly does one access them ? surely not just the demos ?
You have to “pull” the loops from the songs with the sequencer…