Korg really wants you to downsize your studio with its new lineup of miniature controllers, dubbed the nanoSeries. The diminutive set includes the nanoKEY (a 25-note, velocity sensitive keyboard), the nanoPAD (12 trigger pads and a touch-sensitive X/Y touchpad), and the nanoKONTROL (a mini-mixer with nine faders, nine knobs, 18 switches, and playback controls). The modular, lilliputian gear connects via USB and are all bus-powered, though we're hoping they've got other power options so the devices can be daisy-chained. No word on pricing or availability, but you'll know when we do.
[Thanks, Tom]
Update: Looks like the Nano Pad, Nano Key, and Nano Kontrol should be
available by this October, starting at somewhere around $100-120 US. Thanks, Tosse.
posted Jun 13th 2008 10:35AM
I'd like one of these
We are the korg...resistance is futile!.
A *little* silly that they show this with Ableton Live, since you can use your qwerty keys to play the synths, trigger drum samples, or anything else in Ableton; that kinda negates the need for the keyboard and drumpad; however, having a little control surface that small would be insanely useful for riding filters, controlling effects sends, etc.
Ultimately it comes down to driver reliability. There's plenty of useful options out there for this sort of thing: the evolution UC-33, the M-Audio Finger, etc, but I've heard plenty of horror stories of those going haywire in the middle of a live set. eek!
If they're sub $100, I'd definitely give the little "knob box" a shot for getting work done in bed.
Yeah, the keyboard offers you a nice, precise method to control rotary controls like EQs, or slider things like pitch/volume with nice granularity and intuitive feel. These things are MADE for Live, especially with laptop DJing becoming more and more prominent, and the layout is more logical than the 4x4 grid of the TriggerFinger and other drum pads. It's Korg doing Novation equivalents (http://www.novationmusic.com/products/midi_control/remote_zero_sl/#details), and I'm pretty pumped about that.
Don't forget that the mini-piano keyboard also has velocity sensitivity, which the computer keyboard doesn't.
Big thing with these are that they are so small, I have an M-Audio trigger finger, I love it but it's huge. If korg could make a little 4x4 pad I'd buy 2 immediately.
"If they're sub $100, I'd definitely give the little "knob box" a shot for getting work done in bed."
And I'd definitely like a MIDI-controlled girlfriend.
Yay... Novation's the bomb. I can see these little KORG units being pricey.
Novation is a great alternative. I own the XioSynth and love it.
i wish theyd make pocket sized keyboard , just 1 octave .
If Jason Voorhees listened to music instead of killing teenagers, he'd get down with Korg. Only the best.
That's why Jason Voorhees only uses Becker Patrol Machetestm. When you absolutely, positively, need to muder the hell out of some ungrateful, mother killing, sex crazed camp councilors, Becker Patrol Machetestm provide a stay sharp edge you can count on... every time.
What's with that hideously gray USB cable? You'd think they could get a new one for display purposes, especially on such a white-themed background.
it's not the color of the cable that matters racist - it's how you use it
Usually, the black USB cables are the longest.
^^^^ jaja so wrong! I'm taking a picture of it because it's so wrong...
It's not the meat, it's the motion.
That's not true!
I have a really sh....nevermind.
part of me says "sweet. now i can sit at the cafe and still work on music."
the other part says "now i'm going to have to look at some idiot wearing huge apache-attack-helicopter-headphones making atari music while I'm trying to enjoy my coffee free of distractions.
did i mention he'll be bobbing his head the WHOLE time?"
what hath god wrought?
looking like a tool < making money
I'm ALL about these controllers.
Touring around with a huge keyboard or MPC can be a pain in the ass. This could change the way alot of people get things done.
But ONLY,
1. If the price is right,
2. The keyboards send sensible midi CC and you don't have to spend hours setting them up.
hi
WANT.
The computer's keyboard is fine for basic trigger events, but there's no velocity sensitivity or aftertouch. This is perfect for triggering much more natural keyboard events without having to in later and edit the MIDI events to play with velocity. And they're so freakin' small, they'd be totally perfect for desktop composition or live triggers.
Plus, Korg have a good name -- as long as they aren't going the Bose or Polk routes by diluting their brand with cheap consumer electronics.
@mindfield:
you said "Plus, Korg have a good name -- as long as they aren't going the Bose or Polk routes by diluting their brand with cheap consumer electronics."
Korg's bread and butter *is* cheap consumer electronics. those chintzy keyboard keys and rubbery pads are par for nearly all consumer electronics makers.
the benefit of the kit in this post is that it gives you small size and a paradigm that is oh so familiar: black and white keys, sliders, knobs, and pads. i'm sure the plastic bodies flex and creak, but the point is the size and the USB power.
can these be daisychained?
Wow, that is really aweseome. As long as they are cheap I'm pretty sure I'll pick them up.
These look amazing!! but knowing Korg they'll probably be something ridiculous like 200 dollars. I'd pay 60, tops.
ok maybe 75 for the Kontrol
I'd pay $60, maybe.
$200 for the set.
I hope they don't come with an ableton live lite disc. Those things are the new AOL discs.
looks like you can pre-order them
http://www.dv247.com/news/Korg%20nano%20KONTROL,%20nano%20KEY%20and%20nano%20PAD/131777
Korg Nano Kontrol - £59
Korg Nano Key - £49
Korg Nano Pad - £59
Cool, I want a set!
Another JASON MASK!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
damn i just bought an mpd24 2 days ago, this looks to be the price of the mpd16 with korgs quality pads and xy pad
why does this always happen to me
/hangs self with ugly gray usb cable
I prefer my traditional, full sized, full featured controller, thanks.
the designer half of my brain just committed group suicide with my eyes.
I tried these out today on the Korg stand at the London International Music Show. they are AWESOME!
Don't you forget that some keys on computer keyboard conflict with each other... and this can be a major nuisance of music production...
I like the set! The size is the key, while it looks to have the proper functions. Though I would use it in FL Studio if I had one.
If you're actually playing more than one note at a time, this toy keyboard will be worthless. If you're only playing one note at a time, use your QWERTY keyboard.
Korg makes about one good product per year. This is not it.
The little keyboard would be amazing, if not for any other use than entering notes in Sibelius on the road.
It looks really thin though...I wonder how much good tactile feedback those little keys provide.
how do you use more than one at a time. . ?