The Krome EX 88 Music Workstation by Korg has received a major refresh. Featuring usable sounds in an easy-to-use platform, the Krome EX keyboard has been updated to meet the needs of the current music scene and place an emphasis on sounds that can immediately fit into productions of all types. In addition to the standard sounds including piano, electric piano, and dynamic drum kits, Krome EX provides numerous updated programs and PCM data, including piano programs prepared specifically for this product. The instrument now provides high-quality sounds that take full advantage of KROME's high performance specs, new body, and updated look to accompany the new sounds, making this a music workstation for gigging musicians and producers of all stripes.

First, we focus on EDM (Electronic Dance Music). Rich, effect-laden polyphonic sounds that evoke massive rooms, clear and crisp synth leads, and punchy drum kits that get listeners moving are some of the updated staple of sounds that have been added. Ethnic instruments such as steel pan, kalimba, and koky?, as well as Hollywood-type sound effects frequently used in movie trailers or commercials are also newly provided. KROME EX features a musical catalog for today, where users can simply select a program and immediately begin composing fresh-sounding tracks.

Furthermore, Krome EX is equipped with the popular basics. Bread-and-butter sounds that are always fresh. The workstation is equipped with new grand piano sounds recorded under the supervision of Seigen Ono, the authority on DSD recording and mastering. This natural sound builds on the success of the German D Grand, which is the original Krome workstation, further expanding the range of piano sounds. An upright piano frequently used in pop is also included.

Also, Krome EX features three types of electric pianos that have warmth and realism. Eight velocity levels have been used to ensure faithful expression response. Lavish amounts of PCM memory have been used for this purpose, to the extent that just one of these electric piano types contains more sample data than the entire sound memory of a typical PCM synthesizer. In addition, the vintage amps, cabinets, and classic effects so important to these timeless sounds have been painstakingly modeled, offering a fully immersive electric piano experience.

Krome EX provides a massive collection of more than 2500 drum samples to power its 48 preloaded kits. One notable kit is Jazz Ambience Drums which capture a dramatic realism by allowing you to adjust the balance between the direct sound and the ambient room sound. Krome EX also includes 640 programs or 288 combinations, each created by professional musicians to provide both clean backing parts and soaring solos. The Drum Track feature, with more than 600 preset patterns, also allows drum patterns to be created and used with the sequencer.

Krome EX features an onboard 16-track sequencer. The Auto Song Setup function starts recording immediately at the press of a button. Each Template Song assigns genre-appropriate sounds to sequencer tracks with prerouted effects. Korg's Cue List enables quick arranging with Realtime Pattern/Play Recording. Any necessary edits or changes can be made using the convenient piano-roll editing.

Finally, Krome EX connects to your computer via USB to easily transfer MIDI data. An SD card slot is also available to help you manage Krome's data files. The Krome Editor and Krome Plug-In Editor allow you to edit your Krome settings from a computer and/or integrate it as a software synthesizer in your DAW.