Korg and Glasper: Crafting Signature Grand & EP Sounds for KRONOS (EXs43)

Korg’s collaboration with Robert Glasper for EXs43 is a deliberate effort to capture not just the timbre, but the personality of Glasper’s favorite grand and electric pianos. The opening of the video makes clear that Glasper’s goal was to take his distinctive piano sound—developed across clubs, festivals, and genres—and make it portable, accessible in any venue through the KRONOS. This ambition reflects a broader digital instrument trend: preserving the essence of an artist’s acoustic palette within a performance-ready, hardware-based environment.

The KRONOS serves as a bridge between Glasper’s acoustic world and the demands of modern performance contexts, offering him (and now other players) the ability to maintain emotional and sonic continuity, regardless of backline limitations. This section of the video sets the stage by foregrounding the creative intention: capturing the authentic Glasper sound for both stage and studio, without compromise.

The video highlights the meticulous sampling process, emphasizing the importance of dynamic range. Glasper describes how the team captured everything from the softest pianissimo to the most forceful fortissimo, note by note and chord by chord. This attention to detail ensures that the sampled instrument is not just a static snapshot but a dynamic, playable entity that mirrors Glasper’s expressive style.

Korg’s engineers even employed automated systems to control key and pedal movements, aiming for repeatable, human-like nuances. The process was designed to extract as much emotional and technical detail as possible, making the instrument feel alive under the player’s hands. From single notes to complex arpeggios, every aspect of Glasper’s touch is translated into the digital domain, showcasing the depth of Korg’s sampling philosophy.

A key benefit of this collaboration is how it enables KRONOS players to access Glasper’s signature sound directly—no external sampling or deep tweaking required. The electric piano programs go beyond static presets: Glasper’s live workflow, including his use of pedals for drive, delay, and reverb, is captured in multiple EP configurations. This allows users to select different sound variants depending on the musical moment, from subtle background textures to driven, effect-laden leads.

For stage and studio performers, this means a streamlined path to expressive results—just load a program and the Glasper vibe is at your fingertips, complete with his nuanced touch and FX preferences. The expansion thus becomes not just a sound bank, but a toolkit for creative performance, integrating artist-specific sound design with KRONOS’s robust hardware engine.