Kurzweil Forte 88-key Synthesizer and Stage Piano (Discontinued)

Submitted by Denise Azucena on Jun. 2, 2020..

GEARANK

90 out of 100. Incorporating 20+ ratings and reviews.

Street Price:

$4,999

Manufacturer:

Kurzweil

The Kurzweii Forte sports 16GB of sounds- ranging from Japanese concert pianos, electronic pianos such as Rhodes and Wurlitzers, as well as orchestral percussion.

Its highlight feature is its patented flash-play technology which allows you to load sounds instantly from its sound library in real-time. In addition to that, it has organ modelling section, editable FX engine and 16 arpeggiators.

Specifications:

Keys: 88, fully-weighted hammer-action with velocity and aftertouch sensitive keys
Polyphony: 128
Effects: Over 1000 complex effect chains,, 32 total FX units
Sequencer: 16-Track recorder
Other Controllers: 1 x Pitch wheel, 1 x Modulation wheel, 9 x Front panel sliders (w/ LED ladders), 9 x Switches (assignable/zone mutes/KB3 control), 1 x Variation switch,
1 x tap tempo switch, 2 x transpose switches, *3 x switch pedal inputs (1 switch/sustain pedal is included, 2 x continuous control pedal inputs monopressure
Audio Inputs: 1 x 1/8" back-panel input (with FX)
Audio Outputs: 4 x 1/4" balanced TRS analog
Other Connectivity MIDI In/Thru/Out
Dimension: 54.5" x 5.5" x 15.5"
Weight: 48 lb

Pros

Aside from its piano patches, the Forte's synthesizer and effects engine were commended by a lot of reviewers since it offers quality synths and effects respectively.

A very intuitive layout is presented with its large color display that offers an organized and well-structured interface when it comes to accessing settings. Its buttons and sliders make it easy for users to edit and customize sounds, especially during live performances.

In his Sound on Sound review, Gordon Reid mentioned that its control panel "offers robust controls, clear on–screen menus, ‘live’ on–screen display of which parameter you’re adjusting when you grab a physical control, and many other welcome touches."

Many users also mentioned that it was easy to upgrade with the latest software updates, which improve its functionality.