Kenny and Korg SG-1d

[16251]

I have been searching for years for this video.  It was the reason I bought a Korg SG-1d, circa 1986. Years earlier I had sold my Rhodes for a DX7 <gave up the schlep,> and then I got  Roland MKS-20 but still playing on synth action. Then I saw this video. Carried around that beast for years until I sold for a Roland FP8. It was heavy and had a sluggish action but weighted action DP's had arrived. At the time I liked the sound. Wow, things certainly have moved forward since then. RIP KK.

 

 

 

F

[rickzjamm]

You could've put KK on just about any board & he would tear it up... he's KK! It's great how Sting brought in the best of the best to his group.  Man I miss that band.

[eric]

Love it! I used an SG1D for a couple of studio recordings and a local bandmate had one back in the day that I used selectively on gigs. I almost bought one, though it was that era where I didn't have much disposable income for gear and it never happened. It was THE standard for a number of years.

[Al Coda]

4 minutes ago, eric said:

Love it! I used an SG1D for a couple of studio recordings and a local bandmate had one back in the day that I used selectively on gigs. I almost bought one, though it was that era where I didn't have much disposable income for gear and it never happened. It was THE standard for a number of years.

 

Brian Auger used his on top on his Hammond chop for many, many years until it died on a gig in germany.

He used it also on recordings.

 

☺️

 

A.C.

[Adam C.]

Kenny was definitely an incredible player for sure. However, my first exposure to, (and obsession with) the KORG SG-1D was initially due to Keith Emerson’s relationship with it. (I was always a sucker for anything that he himself promoted or seemed to have a fondness for with regards to Gear.)

 

 

[Mills Dude]

My church bought one of these back in '88 or so.  I was the primary user and I had permission to take it out for my gigs also.  Man, that thing was "heavy", well not as heavy as trying to cart around a CP-80 or even a Rhodes.  We had a flight case for it which made it even heavier.  But I was young, so I didn't think much about it and there wasn't much else if you wanted some kind of Piano sound.   It was pretty good for its day, but the action was pretty stiff and heavy.  I used to drive a mid-70s Chevy Impala. in those days. That thing, including case, would just fit in the back seat.  Ahh, old American cars, FTW.

 

A year or so later, I picked up a Roland U-220 module, controlled by my KX-76, also controlling my M1R.  That ended up being a great rig, relatively lightweight and the U-220 had a great piano sound for what it was.  

 

Nothing about the SG1D gives me any nostalgia.  I was a damn boat anchor and I was happy to move along when I had a chance.  Thankfully the church was able to use it as a trade in for a DX7II, which I played a bunch of times during service.

[Josh Paxton]

The one time I've seen Sting was later on that same tour. It was the only time in my life I've ever camped out for concert tickets. And I did it solely and specifically to see Kenny with that band. Imagine my chagrin when the show started, and Kenny had been replaced by some dude I'd never heard of named David Sancious. While I've since come to appreciate Sancious, I held a personal grudge against him for YEARS after that.

[stoken6]

Adam C posted scans including an ad for the SG1D. Wait-it came in a 76? Who knew?

 

cheers, Mike

[Adam C.]

3 hours ago, stoken6 said:

Adam C posted scans including an ad for the SG1D. Wait-it came in a 76? Who knew?

 

cheers, Mike

The Original 76-Note Version “KORG SG-1” was first available in 1986 if I’m not mistaken.

[allan_evett]

An SG-1 was my first digital piano; I sold a CP-70 to get it.  The SG-1 was hefty for a 76-key piano, but for portability it was a great relief.  Instead of relying on my DX7 for a hardly passable acoustic piano tone when jobbing, it was very helpful to have something that felt and sounded enough like the electric grand. 

[Pianoman JC]

Bought an SG-1 in 1989 and used it for gigs for many years.  Nice piano sounds and action for that time but it was a backbreaker to lug around.

 

 

 

JC

 

[OB Dave]

First keyboard I ever bought new! Mine was an 88-key SG-1D. Had a hard case made for it and gigged with it for years.  Definitely a great piano in its day, and remarkably it used 12-bit samples. ROM was still expensive back in those days. Heavy as hell, leaden action. The other 3 voices were not great. I had a couple of the plug sound cards too, and they were even less great.

[Joe Muscara]

I had one for a long time. I bought it used around 1991 or 1992, moved it with me to Texas, and it was my primary weighted keyboard until I sold it to a forumite probably around 2010 or so! It might have been a little earlier than that, but no earlier than when I got active here around 2008.

 

I was more inspired to buy it because of Chuck Leavell. Nothing against Kenny, but back then he wasn't quite on my radar like that, nor did I realize he had one. He is now, of course.

[Joe Muscara]

On 5/30/2022 at 9:12 AM, rickzjamm said:

Man I miss that band.

I miss the original incarnation - KK, Branford, Omar Hakim, Darrell Jones, plus Janice Pendarvis and Dolette McDonald.