Vintage Synth Explorer

Kawai • K4

The K4 from Kawai can be thought of as a warm and fuzzy digital synthesizer. A sample-based digital synth, its sounds are those typically weird industrial type sounds that can still be useful in lo-fi, big-beat and trip hop music styles. The sounds are 16-bit preset PCM samples of acoustic instruments. However, unlike its predecessor the K1, the K4 adds a welcomed digital filter section. This truly makes the K4 more flexible, fun and useful for today's filter tweaking music effects!

The K4r is the eight output rackmount version which has all the same features except for the effects processor. Both feature 8-part multitimbrality which is great for stacking, splitting and layering sounds. The K4 will give you strange, new and unique sounds with plenty of flexibility and analog-style sound shaping and control at an affordable price. It is used by The Chemical Brothers and ATB.

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Posting Rules: Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

 

Jo

Posted 162 days ago

Phil, you need a "MIDI to USB" cable, available in any serious music shop. But go for some brand because the vary in quality.

phil

Posted 262 days ago

Hello, I have a K4. it's been in my garage for years because i can't play piano. But NOW, I have a computer, and I have Garage Band!
Does anyone know of a connection that will go from the K4 Midi out/in to a USB computer connection? And where I might get it?

thanks
Phil

Jonathan

Posted 347 days ago

Further to my previous post, this is a loverly little synth - it's so easy to program (if you've got something like Unisyn). I say again that the "rom" samples aren't very good (I said something else previously and it got edited!), but once you've programmed up some of the "cycle" samples and THEN layer up to 8 x 4 voice patches you've got a great pad!

Jonathan

Posted 355 days ago

Got a K4r on the weekend - programming it with Unisyn (would be a pain to do otherwise). The "real" instruments [beep] (one short sample stretched over the entire key range with no velocity switching) but the pads that can be created are great (especially if using the "cycle" digital samples). The filters are a bit weak but useful when sent to the mod wheel. I'm glad I didn't pay a lot for it but none-the-less am happy to have it in my rack just for the pad and effect sounds.

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Posted 442 days ago

I just picked one of these up 4 hours ago and I love it. I've already made some really nice swirling pads with it.

The keyboard and build are a bit flimsy (the used one I got is being held together by ductape) but it's a great value for the price. The kawai K-series is really unique.

j

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