Korg's nanoSeries shrinks your music studio

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.

[jonnylightning @ Jun 13th 2008 10:44AM]

I'd like one of these

[OneLove @ Jun 13th 2008 10:49AM]

We are the korg...resistance is futile!.

[legacydevice @ Jun 13th 2008 10:47AM]

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.

[Andrew Corcoran @ Jun 13th 2008 10:58AM]

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.

[dennis @ Jun 13th 2008 11:55AM]

Don't forget that the mini-piano keyboard also has velocity sensitivity, which the computer keyboard doesn't.

[nebulus @ Jun 13th 2008 12:03PM]

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.

[johnzilla @ Jun 13th 2008 3:38PM]

"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.

[Leejin @ Jun 13th 2008 12:58PM]

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.

[sinjinn @ Jun 13th 2008 3:48PM]

i wish theyd make pocket sized keyboard , just 1 octave .

[mefromhere @ Jun 13th 2008 10:47AM]

If Jason Voorhees listened to music instead of killing teenagers, he'd get down with Korg. Only the best.

[crushinator @ Jun 13th 2008 11:11AM]

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.

[HunterXI @ Jun 13th 2008 10:48AM]

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.

[Seth @ Jun 13th 2008 10:56AM]

it's not the color of the cable that matters racist - it's how you use it

[John @ Jun 13th 2008 11:10AM]

Usually, the black USB cables are the longest.

[Yubastard @ Jun 13th 2008 11:22AM]

^^^^ jaja so wrong! I'm taking a picture of it because it's so wrong...

[dennis @ Jun 13th 2008 1:10PM]

It's not the meat, it's the motion.

[finnith @ Jun 15th 2008 9:02PM]

That's not true!

I have a really sh....nevermind.

[gunboatdiplomacy @ Jun 13th 2008 12:55PM]

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?

[OziD @ Jun 13th 2008 3:15PM]

looking like a tool < making money

[JJ @ Jun 13th 2008 10:57AM]

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.

[theoneox @ Jun 13th 2008 11:04AM]

hi

[Mindfield @ Jun 13th 2008 11:04AM]

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.

[gunboatdiplomacy @ Jun 13th 2008 1:04PM]

@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?

[keandamon @ Jun 14th 2008 1:29PM]

Wow, that is really aweseome. As long as they are cheap I'm pretty sure I'll pick them up.

[BeniRose @ Jun 13th 2008 11:35AM]

These look amazing!! but knowing Korg they'll probably be something ridiculous like 200 dollars. I'd pay 60, tops.

[BeniRose @ Jun 13th 2008 12:06PM]

ok maybe 75 for the Kontrol

[Ethan @ Jun 13th 2008 12:38PM]

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.

[efmvii @ Jun 13th 2008 12:17PM]

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

[MikeWard1701 @ Jun 13th 2008 12:16PM]

Cool, I want a set!

[Imitor @ Jun 13th 2008 4:38PM]

Another JASON MASK!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Fernando G. @ Jun 13th 2008 7:05PM]

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

[Nando @ Jun 13th 2008 10:49PM]

I prefer my traditional, full sized, full featured controller, thanks.

[Andrew @ Jun 14th 2008 1:40PM]

the designer half of my brain just committed group suicide with my eyes.

[Loneguitarist @ Jun 14th 2008 8:04PM]

I tried these out today on the Korg stand at the London International Music Show. they are AWESOME!

[BNJ @ Jun 17th 2008 5:32AM]

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.

[LarryLarryLarry @ Jun 16th 2008 11:58PM]

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.

[Jason @ Jun 18th 2008 8:06PM]

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.

[beardyman @ Jul 10th 2008 7:25AM]

how do you use more than one at a time. . ?