The KORG C1 digital piano features a Real Weighted Hammer Action (RH3) keyboard that divides the hammers into four different weights, with a heavier feel in the low register and a lighter feel in the high register as found on concert grand pianos. The entire process of making the C1, from making this keyboard to assembling the complete instrument, is carried out in Miyama-cho, Nantan-shi, located in the Nantan region at the center of Kyoto prefecture that is one of Japan’s most famous tourism spots, noted for its preservation of numerous historic houses.
The C1 features the real weighted hammer action 3 (RH3) keyboard that accurately simulates the playing experience of a grand piano, with a heavier playing feel in the lower register that becomes lighter as you move up the keyboard. It is extremely responsive, even when notes are repeated quickly, while the performer’s expressive dynamics are faithfully interpreted even in the most complex passages. Key touch control is also provided, with a choice of five levels of sensitivity (light, normal, heavy, stable, fixed) to specify how your playing dynamics are reflected by the sound produced.
While paying homage to the acoustic piano’s traditional form, a new design philosophy elevates the C1 above the bland, rectangular appearance of many digital pianos. The contemporary design features linear legs which accentuate the overall styling of the instrument and, at only 26 cm (10.24″)* in depth, the C1 can be placed virtually anywhere. Keeping safety in mind, the cover uses a soft landing mechanism to ensure that it closes gently. The C1 is available in a black, white or brown wood finish to match the décor of your room. (*Excluding the anti-tip hardware)
The sound of a piano changes significantly depending on how it is played. In order to provide this high level of expressive power from a digital piano, two concert grand pianos were selected by professional pianists, regulated and tuned by master technicians and sampled by KORG engineers. This complex process enables the C1 to simulate the experience of playing either a German grand or a Japanese grand, and were chosen to reflect a broad musical spectrum providing faithful recreations of dark, subtle and intense classical music through to bright and powerful jazz and pop music. The C1 gives you natural and satisfying grand piano performance at home, on stage or in the studio.
Both the German Grand Piano and the Japanese Grand Piano sounds realistically recreate the “damper resonance” effect produced by the sympathetic resonance of the strings in an acoustic piano when the damper pedal is held down.
Key-off simulation recreates the sounds produced when the player’s fingers lift off the keys. The damper resonance effect and key-off simulation provide an even greater feeling of realism as you play!
The German Grand piano characterized by brilliant highs and rounded bass is one of richness and power. The Japanese Grand piano is characterized by its dynamic sound and is frequently used for a wide range of music genres, from classical to jazz and pop. In addition to a choice of these acoustic piano sounds, the C1 also offers electric piano sounds, organ, clav, vibraphone, acoustic guitar, strings and more, giving you a total of 30 richly expressive sounds. Three high-quality effects are also available: brilliance, reverb, and chorus. Optimal effects are preset for each of the built-in sounds, so all you need to do is select a sound and enjoy playing immediately with the ideal settings.
The C1 features a specially designed speaker system that delivers the incredibly realistic sounds of the C1 pianos and other instrument voices in superb detail. High-quality speakers are powered by a 25W x 2 amplifier to deliver rich sound with depth and clarity. From rounded bass to brilliant highs, you will experience the nuanced, expressive power of a grand piano in your own home.
Two-track digital recording is instantly available to help you analyze or archive your performances. You can record each hand separately or record an additional track onto a previously-recorded song. Playback tempo can be adjusted and up to 99 user songs can be saved in the C1.
Simply by pressing one button, you can apply a bass sound to the lower register of the keyboard. Play piano with your right hand and bass with your left to instantly enjoy jazz performance styles. By pressing two of the tone buttons simultaneously, you can easily layer two sounds together. For example, layer piano and strings to play with a rich piano and orchestra combination. There’s also a partner mode that enables you to divide the piano keyboard into two identical sections on left and right, each with their own damper pedal. This is a great way for teacher and pupil to play duets or copy and practice during lessons.
In addition to ten demonstration songs that showcase the different sounds of the C1, there are also 40 built-in piano songs. To help you learn, you can control the tempo, play back the right-hand and left-hand parts separately, and use A-B repeat to practice more complex sections.
The pedals are an essential element of piano performance, and the C1 is equipped with the full complement of three pedals found on a grand piano: damper, soft and sostenuto. The damper and soft pedals also feature half-pedaling for even more detailed expression.
The CONCERT piano series from KORG sets a new standard in digital pianos. It is designed to recreate the sound, feel and experience of a concert hall performance on some of the world’s finest grand pianos.
