Korg Introduces New Concert Digital Pianos
January 29, 1998
Korg is introducing four new models to their Concert Series line of digital pianos: the C-900, C-550, C-350 and C-150. The new Concert Series digital pianos feature Korg's exclusive AI2 synthesis system, as well as their high quality, professional sampling of acoustic piano sounds. All models also feature a full 88-note (A0-C6) weighted action keyboard with multiple touch control to accurately reproduce the feel of real acoustic piano hammer action.
Korg engineering knowledge and expertise in sampling from their professional keyboards and synthesizers provide the rich and expressive piano sounds associated with the most expensive traditional acoustic instruments.
The four new models in Korg's Concert Series offer a rich selection of additional sounds, including electric piano, harpsichord, vibes, organ and strings. In addition,
the top-of-the-line C-990 also offers 128 General MIDI compatible sounds, plus eight drum kits, so it can be used to create and playback a wide range of musical styles.
All Concert Series instruments feature layering, enabling two sounds to be played simultaneously, such as piano with strings. Each instrument also includes multiple demo songs which can be played at the touch of a button. These demos display the versatility of the piano, including transposition and pitch control, which are included as standard on all models. A temperament function is also provided for selecting classical tunings to suit different musical styles.
The Concert Series pianos include dual line inputs to allow external sources to be played through the built-in high quality audio system. The C-900 model features a microphone input, which is ideal for singers who accompany themselves. Two headphone jacks are provided for late-night listening or personal practice, and MIDI In and Out interfaces make it easy to integrate the Concert Series with other electronic instruments and home computers. Additionally, a computer interface on the C-900, C-550 and C-350 allows the instruments to be connected directly to a personal computer without the need for a MIDI interface.
The C-900, C-550 and C-350 all offer onboard effects to enhance their sound. The C-350 offers multiple Reverbs and Choruses, while the C-550 and C-900 add Surround and Tremolo settings. On the C-550, pressing the damper pedal while the Surround setting is active will produce the resonance effect of an undampened piano's soundboard. The C-550 and C-350 also include a Brilliance slider on the front panel to adjust the overall tone of the instrument.
A range of Key Touch variations are available on the Concert Series 88-key full-scale keyboard. The C-990 features nine types of touch control, while all other
models include a three-way (light/standard/heavy) touch setting, allowing the
player to closely match the feel of the keyboard to their playing style (i.e., from soft touch to hard).
Like a real acoustic piano, all models in the line offer three independent foot pedals (except the C-150 which has two) for comprehensive performance expression. The damper pedal controls the decay of the sound; the soften pedal softens the instrument's dynamic range; and the sostenuto pedal applies a decay only to notes that are held when the pedal is pressed, all providing true pianistic expression.
The top-of-the-line C-900 includes an auto-accompaniment feature, providing drums, bass and harmony parts. Professionally written and performed arrangements allow the player to enjoy playing in many different musical styles simply by playing chords. 128 preset arrangements are provided, with room for an additional 64 user-created arrangements.
Both the C-900 and C-550 include a fully-featured sequencer/multitrack recorder. The C-900 has an 11-track, 40,000 note backing sequencer, enabling the recording of separate accompaniment and melody parts. The C-550 offers a comprehensive 16-track recorder with a maximum capacity of over 30,000 notes in ten songs. Both the C-350 and C-150 offer a 1-track 40,000 note recorder which can be used for duet performances and for practicing applications. The C-900 features a 3.5 inch high-density floppy disk drive, which can be used to save the sequencer contents or read commercially available General MIDI performance disks.
All Korg Concert Series digital pianos feature a metronome, and the C150, C-350 and C-550 also include a tempo light which flashes on the downbeat.
The Korg Concert Series instruments are designed to match any room decor. The C-900, C-550 and C-350 are finished in luxurious dark brown maple, and the
C-150 features a black walnut exterior. All instruments are beautifully crafted to convey a classic impression, and offer improved stereo speaker systems for a sound as rich as they look.
These four new Korg Concert Series digital pianos provide the beautiful, sophisticated professional sound and style all Korg instruments are known for.
The suggested retail prices are as follows:
C-150: $1800
C-350: $2100
C-550: $2495
C-900: $3500
For more information, visit their web site at www.korg.com. | 
