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Korg Gadget packs 15 synthesizers and drum machines into an iPad app
Fancy feeding your music production hobby with a slate rather than a collection of pricey gadgets? If so, Korg has added to its iPad-based offerings with the Gadget app. The software for Apple tablets bakes in 15 different sythesizers and drum machines (called Gadgets) that can be combined any way you'd like to construct those beats. Ranging from the Kiev digital synth to the Chicago tube bass machine, the app's instrument arsenal (which can be previewed here) covers quite the sonic spectrum with drum and synth sounds a plenty. Keeping the orientation vertical, the UI is divided into two sections that allow for dual control at all times. This is aimed at making both track and instrument adjustments quick and easy. If you're concerned about your lack of musical skill, there's a scale function helps you avoid hitting a wrong note whilst getting your feet wet. Already splurged for the latest iPad? Korg says you'll be able to run more than 20 of the instruments at the same time, thanks to its beefed up chipset. Once those audio files have been tinkered with enough, options for sharing to Facebook, SoundCloud and Twitter or beaming them to Dropbox for safe keeping are all built in. There's also access to GadgetCloud for showing off projects with fellow users of the software -- complete with its own ranking system. The app is a bit pricey at $38.99, but if you commit before February 23rd, you can snag a $10 discount at that second source link below.
Build your own analog synthesizer with Korg's MS-20 kit
At NAMM 2013, we were able to get cozy with Korg's MS-20 mini analog synth. This year, the company is putting the wrenches in your hands with its DIY MS-20 kit. For $1,400, synthesizer enthusiasts can nab the collection of parts needed to construct a working model of the iconic instrument, with no soldering or electrical expertise required. You can expect all the features, specs and even the same circuit path from the original with new MIDI input and USB connections. The kit remains true analog with 1/4-inch patch bay to boot, just in case you were concerned. There's even two types of filters that pay homage to both the early versions and the later more mellow MS-20 sounds, toggled on the circuit board. Heck, the engineers of 1978's original oversaw the process to insure the components replicated the circuitry of that synth. Only 1,000 kits will be available, so you'll have to act quickly when packages become available in March.
CES 2014: Audio roundup
Imagine the footsteps of thousands and thousands of people. Now add in hundreds of booths showing loud promo videos, playing music and giving demos over microphones. That is the literal sound of CES. The theoretical sound of CES will come from some of the products you see below. We feel this selection of products gives you a pretty good feel for the trends we're likely to see in 2014. Enjoy.
Korg outs two new USB audio interfaces for serious digital sounds
Most of what we tend to see from Korg involves the creation of new sounds, but the firm's just announced its new AudioGate USB DAC that promises to improve the audio files you already have. There's a choice of two hardware interfaces depending on your budget/requirements -- the DS-DAC-100 and the DS-DAC-100m. Both sport quarter-inch stereo outputs, while the DS-DAC-100 (the one without the "m") also comes with XLR and RCA connections. The main selling point being that Mac and Windows users can use the interfaces in conjunction with Korg's AudioGate 3 software to output sound in DSD with a sample rate of upto 5.6MHz. Fancy some of that? Then you only have to wait until March, when both models will be available for either $600 or $350 depending on your connectivity requirements.
LittleBits and Korg team up on Synth Kit modular DIY instrument, we go hands-on
Here's a pro tip: if you want to make this editor smile, hand me something that makes a bunch of noise. There are few things more satisfying than pressing some buttons and turning a few knobs to generate an avalanche of digital sound. And if what makes that noise is something you built yourself, all the better. LittleBits has been encouraging kids (and childish adults) to build their own electronic doodads and projects for some time now. And some of those creations even had the capability to make noise. But, the new Synth Kit released in collaboration with Korg is dedicated to DIY audio cacophony. Inside the gold and black packaging is a pile of snap-together components that will let you build the analog synthesizer of your dreams... so long as your dreams is a simplified MS-20. The box holds a pair of oscillators, envelope and filter units, a keyboard, a four-step sequencer, a random noise generator, a two-channel mixer (and a splitter so you can create two independent audio sources), a delay effect and, of course, a power source and a speaker. It's more or less a deconstructed version of Korg's clasic MS-20. Just like previous Little Bits kits, all the pieces are color coded: blue for power, pink for input, green for output and orange for wires. Each component has magnets on either side that snap together only in one direction, preventing you from assembling a circuit in the wrong way and potentially damaging the components. While the number of parts is fairly limited, they're all pretty flexible. The keyboard, for instance has two modes (hold and press), as does the noise generator and the sequencer. Even the oscillators can be switched between square and saw waves. That means those 12 bits in the box can actually generate quite a wide variety of sounds, from deep bass rattles and percussive ticks to swooping synth dives and arpeggiated leads. It's quite simple to get started designing your own instruments, and you'll probably even learn a bit about synthesizer design along the way. Of course, you can combine it with other LittleBits kits and add light sensors or displays to your homebrewed synth. Founder Ayah Bdeir likes to claim that it's the easiest to use modular synthesizer with this sort of power. And she's probably right. While nobody is going to mistake you for the next Daft Punk, you can still create an impressive set of sounds. Some of which might even prove usable in actual music.
Korg's KR Mini rhythm controller puts a backing band in your gig bag (video)
Sometimes a metronome just won't cut it when you're playing an instrument alone. That's where Korg's KR Mini comes in, providing the galloping metal beat that bridges into a poppy chorus for your bass, guitar or keyboard jam session. You can even chain the unit's nine presets -- 8-beat, 16-beat, dance, jazz, Latin, metal, pop, R&B and rock -- together with a plethora of fills to make your own backing tracks to shred along to. The box's 16 velocity sensitive-pads do double duty too, allowing for finger drumming if none of the onboard loops do the trick. If you need inputs to run your existing effects pedal-board or foot controls into, the KR Mini has you covered there too. No monitor? No problem. The built-in speakers can provide the sound you need at a moment's notice, with a trio of AAs providing the juice if you aren't near a wall outlet. Considering the company's storied drum machine-heritage, it's cool to see Korg honoring that legacy with this latest KR model. The Mini ships in November for $79.99, and while it may not be the ego-free backing band of your dreams, it probably comes close. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Detune's Korg M01D for Nintendo 3DS sparks nostalgia, lands in May (video)
This isn't the first time a Korg synth has been re-imagined in software form, it's not even the first (or second) time on Nintendo's DS. But, when Detune releases its M01D for the handheld console, it'll spark more than a little nostalgia for synth enthusiasts. Why? Because it's heavily inspired by Korg's legendary M1 synth, complete with all its sounds (and yes, the famous piano patch included), plus some new ones thrown in for good measure. The DS version includes a step sequencer (eight tracks with up to 64 steps per sequence) that you can compile together in "scenes." Borrowing from other parts of the Korg family, the M01D app also offers a KAOSS mode, too, no doubt using one of those screens serving as the touchpad. You can preserve your creativity by saving to SD card, or the usual internet sharing options, and heck there's even a 3D viewing mode too. Lordy! How that will actually look, we don't know, or at least we won't until its May release in Japan, before reaching the rest of the world in Summer.
Korg M01D waits for the drop on 3DS eShop this summer
The Korg M01D synthesizer suite for 3DS is coming to the eShop this summer, Detune has announced.M01D is a full music-creation tool with lots of sample beats and sounds to draw from. You can share music files over Wi-Fi and even save files to an SD card for quick importing into your favorite editing program.Detune has revealed no price for Korg M01D at this time, but it's set to launch in Japan next month so perhaps that will give us an idea. Korg M01D is an improved version of Korg M01, which launched in Japan back in 2010 and never made its way over to the States. Korg M01D's predecessors include the DS-exclusive Korg DS-10 and improved Korg DS-10 Plus, both published in North America by XSeed.
Korg announces Volca analog synth series, we go eyes-on
Korg's love of the mini-analog synth clearly remains strong as it's added three more new ones to the fold -- the Volca Beat, Volca Bass and Volca Keys (the clue to what they do is in the names). While some firms take a pro product and work down, making cheaper versions, Korg seems to take a different approach. It did the stripping-back thing when it launched its popular Monotron synth. Since then, it's incrementally developed it back up into a whole category of its own, the latest iteration of which we apparently see before us here. The trio of mini-synths clearly take inspiration from the Monotribe groovebox that came before them, but are a step up in terms of design. Brushed metal finishes give them a vintage, almost Stylophone feel. The Volca Bass, in particular, looks almost too much like the legendary Roland TB-303 to be coincidence, and if we didn't know better, we'd say the color scheme of the Beat echoes the TR-808. As we happened to be in Frankfurt, we couldn't resist getting out hands on them, or as you'll see past the break, at least trying to. %Gallery-185299%
Korg's touchpad synthesizer family gets slightly more Kaotic
Korg's got the info on two new additions to its Kaoss line of X-Y interface touchpad controllers. First up is the KP3+ Dynamic Effect / Sampler, which adds 22 new effects to its predecessor's offerings, bringing that number up to 150. Also on-board are sample bank buttons for quick recording and playback, as well as features borrowed from other Korg offerings, including a ducking compressor and vinyl break, that'll simulate the sound of a record player slowing down. The $350 pad can also be used as a MIDI controller. For $50 more, you can pick up the Kaossilator Pro+ Dynamic Phase Synthesizer / Loop Recorder, which has 250 sounds, including synth leads, drums and a number of sound effects. The loop recorder banks, meanwhile, let you layer sounds one by one. Both pads are out next month. More info after the break.
Korg announces MS-20 mini, we go hands and ears-on (video)
Korg has a string of classic sound-making machines that bear its name. One of the most well regarded would be the MS-20 analog synth that first landed in 1978. But that's no good to you right here in 2013 is it? Well, funnily enough, the kind folk at Korg realised this, and decided to relaunch it, updated for the modern musician. The MS-20 mini is, as you might surmise, a smaller version of the classic, measuring in at 86 percent the size of the original. It also looks like as much of the character that made the MS-20 sing to people's hearts has been carried over as possible. The mini was developed by the same engineers, has the same synthesis set up (two oscillators, ring modulation, VCA design etc) complete with manual cable-patching system (which is now 3.5mm rather than 1/4-inch). There is one modern addition, and that is a USB-MIDI jack around the back, letting you plug in to your favorite DAW / sequencing software through the more contemporary connection -- should you prefer that over the good old 5-pin MIDI (which is still an option). As we're right here at NAMM, we took a stroll over to the Korg booth to take a look for ourselves. Head past the break to see / hear more.
Korg microKEY-25 keyboard lets musicians practice and perform anywhere
Although the iPad was initially thought of as a media consumption device, it quickly became a popular tool for musicians on the run. And while a lot of musicians quickly got the hang of playing on virtual keyboards on the screen, many others opted to wait for "real" keyboards (aka MIDI keyboard controllers) to appear to provide a much more natural interface. On the low end of the keyboard market is Korg's microKEY-25 (US$69.99), a tiny companion to the iPad that fits easily into a backpack or bag for easy transport. Read the review, and then enter our giveaway of this ultra-portable MIDI keyboard controller. Design Like the larger keyboards tested by TUAW in the past (see our review of the Samson Carbon 49 and Line 6 Mobile Keys 49 keyboards), the Korg microKEY-25 is USB bus-powered. Unlike the Line 6 keyboard that comes with a special cable, you'll need to purchase an Apple Camera Connection Kit ($29) in order to connect to the microKEY-25. If you're thinking about hooking it to a fourth-generation iPad, you'll also have to pick up a $29 Lightning to 30-pin adapter. To me, there's something seriously wrong about spending $58 plus sales tax to be able to use a $70 keyboard with a current generation iPad. You can, of course, use the microKEY-25 with any Mac as well. %Gallery-172400% The microKEY-25 weighs just 1.44 lbs. and takes up 15.25" x 4.75" x 1.5" of volume in your bag. As the name implies, there are 25 keys -- 15 white and 10 black. On the left side of the keyboard is a joystick that acts both as a pitch bend controller when moved in the X-axis (left or right) and to transmit control changes in the Y-axis (up or down). There are also buttons for the arpeggiator, sustain and octave up / down. Functionality Once you've made the USB connection, the microKEY-25 comes to life. There are no switches or toggles anywhere on the device; you plug it in and it's ready to use. The octave keys are used to switch up and down the keyboard to emulate a full 88-key keyboard -- tapping the down octave button repeatedly drops down four octaves, pressing the up button takes the keyboard above the standard octave by a maximum of four octaves. The buttons shift from dark when in the standard (middle) octave, to green, orange, red and then flashing red to indicate what octave you're currently in. Using the microKEY-25 with GarageBand on either the Mac or iPad was instantaneous. The microKEY-25 was immediately recognized by Garage Band, and I could start tapping out tunes immediately. The keyboard has a surprisingly good feel to it, although those who are used to playing on high-end equipment or "real" pianos will find them a little mushy. Those thinking about purchasing this little keyboard should remember that it only has 25 keys. For about $20 more, you could get Samson's Carbon 49 and get almost double the keys. That will keep you from having to constantly switch between octaves. However, you'll be losing the incredible portability of the microKEY-25. You don't have to use the microKEY-25 with Garage Band. Korg includes access to a free copy of its M1Le software, and licenses are included for "Applied Acoustics Systems' Strum Acoustic Session, Lounge Lizard Session and Ultra Analog Session as well as a license for Toontrack's software drum sound module EzDrummer Lite, and a discount coupon for Ableton's 'Live,' 'Live Suite' and 'Live LE' DAW software, widely popular for its sophisticated functionality." Conclusion Musicians looking for a tiny MIDI keyboard controller should be happy with the Korg microKEY-25. The lightweight and compact keyboard can go anywhere, and it's a perfect match for anyone who wants to do iPad-based music. Pros Very lightweight and compact, can be used almost anywhere Bus-powered, requires no recharging or batteries Good feel to the keys Excellent software suite included with the unit Cons 25-key layout requires constant switching between octaves To use with Lightning Connector-based devices, requires purchase of $58 worth of adapters Who is it for? Budding pianists or musicians who want to be able to carry a keyboard with them everywhere Giveaway And now we have a Korg microKEY-25 to give away to one lucky TUAW reader. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before December 2, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Korg microKEY-25 USB MIDI Keyboard Controller valued at $69.99. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Korg MicroStation shrinks down the synth for first-timers
Nowadays, anyone with a laptop, a dream and a vague grasp on tonality can lay down their own DIY demo. But for those with more serious musical aspirations, Korg's MicroStation might be worth a look. The shrunken-down sequencer arrives as a $399 My First Synth of sorts, combining dual arpeggiators, 480 effects and 61 "natural touch" keys in a compact form factor that should play nice with novice musicians. The keyboard also features an SD slot for saving and transporting your future Top 40 (college radio) hits, a USB port for easy connection to your home or studio computer and comes packaged with editing software: MicroStation Editor and MicroStation Plug-in Editor. If any or all of that rings your bell, you can snag it now at the source below.
Korg's iPolysix synth app takes your iPad back to the '80s (video)
Synthesizers are notoriously expensive, especially some vintage models, but how'd you like a Korg Polysix for the bargain price of $14.99? Well, as long as you've got an iPad (or a mini), that's now possible with the iPolysix app released today. The '80s-era analog polyphonic synth is "fully replicated," with plenty of additional tools for tablet composers -- the new Polyseq step sequencer, dual Kaoss Pads with chordal support, and a "production environment" with two synths, a drum machine and mixer. You can also publish your creations and remix tracks with other users via the SoundCloud-integrated Polyshare feature. If you're hemming and hawing about a purchase, make up your mind soon, as the app's price doubles on January 1st. You won't find it in the Play store, but the Android Polysix app we saw running on Miselu's Neiro prototype leads us to believe Google's OS won't be excluded from the jam session entirely. Advert / app demo after the break. [Thanks, fsk1138]
Miselu Neiro synth at Google I/O: exclusive first look at apps from Korg and Yamaha (video)
Remember Miselu's Neiro -- that prototype app-based Android-powered synth we last played with at SXSW? Not only is it being showcased at Google I/O 2012 here in San Francisco, but we got an exclusive first look at some of the apps being developed for the new platform ahead of the event. The company's been on a roll since our meeting in Austin, gaining (ex-OQO CEO) Jory Bell as CTO and building relationships with partners like Korg and Yamaha. Now on its second iteration, the laptop-like synth has evolved from the hand-built prototype we saw at SXSW to a more polished reference design -- complete with breakout board for SD card and Ethernet support. As before, the device runs Gingerbread on a dual-core TI OMAP processor and features a two octave velocity and pressure-sensitive keyboard, a capacitive multitouch widescreen, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, audio and MIDI I/O, plus USB and HDMI ports. This version even adds XLR and quarter-inch audio jacks -- just keep in mind that those specs have not been finalized. What's really exciting about the synth is the apps. The company's ongoing partnership with Retronyms to create a suite of touch-controlled, cloud-enabled musical apps has evolved beyond the drum-machine demo we covered at SXSW. Called nStudio, the suite now also includes a pad-based sampler / sequencer and a mixer. Plasma Sound is a touch-based musical instrument that's part theremin, part keyboard / sequencer. It's already available for other devices on Google Play, but was easily tweaked to run on the Neiro -- sight unseen -- thanks to Miselu's musicSDK and OS X-based emulator. Miselu will be showcasing two more apps on its synth here at Google I/O: Korg's Polysix and Yamaha's Vocaloid. The Polysix app faithfully recreates Korg's legendary 1981 synth -- known for its rich, thick analog sound. A real, mint-condition Polysix was even available for comparison during our brief time with the app (see our gallery). Vocaloid takes full advantage of the NSX-1 DSP chip that's built-into the Neiro. It's a singing synth app produced by Yamaha that "uses concatenative synthesis to splice and process vocal fragments extracted from human voice samples." We'll be spending some time with the Vocaloid app and its creator -- video game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi (of Sega and Lumines fame) -- later today. In the meantime, check out the gallery below and watch our hands-on video with the other apps after the break.%Gallery-159214%
KORG Monotron analog ribbon synths: Fun pocket-sized music accessories
KORG has been manufacturing amazing electronic instruments since 1963, and now it's developed the Monotron line of pocketable analog ribbon synthesizers that can work with your favorite Mac or iOS music-making apps. These pocket wonders are useful for adding a classic electronic touch to your live performances as well. To give you a feel for all three of the Monotron synths, there's a video at the end of this post. Read along for a quick hands-on review of the original Monotron. Analog synthesizers like the Monotron use a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to generate a tone, a low-frequency oscillator (LFO) to create a rhythmic pulse or sweep, and a voltage-controlled filter to vary the cutoff frequency of the oscillator. The touch-sensitive ribbon on the Monotron is used to vary the pitch of the sounds being generated, and there are five adjustable potentiometers to adjust pitch, LFO rate and interval, and the VCF cutoff and peak. For those of you who understand circuit diagrams, here's how the Monotron is set up: Sure, you could buy the parts and build an analog synth yourself, but for US$59.99 you can get a Monotron pre-made and ready to rock. All of the Monotron units are powered by a pair of AAA batteries. The original Monotron has a volume control, AUX jack for input, and a headphone jack plus a built-in speaker. I decided to test the Monotron with GarageBand on my iMac, using a standard 1/4" line from the headphone jack to an iMic connected via USB. The sound came in nicely, and I recorded a short sample (below) of the hypnotic effects you can get from an analog synth. I played with analog synths in the mid-1970s and built two from the kits that were available at the time, but this was much more fun! (Direct link here) You can also take sound from GarageBand or other instruments, run it through the Monotron, then pass that along to your speakers or recording setup. Whether you use the Monotron output as a backing track on a GarageBand recording, use it for providing a musical beat in live performance, or use the Monotron to process other sounds, it's an inexpensive and fun way to explore electronic music. Check out the video below to see the other Monotron synths in action.
Korg announces new microKEY iPad-friendly keyboard/MIDI controllers
Anyone looking for a nice, portable keyboard and MIDI controller to use with Garage Band or other music apps on their iPad can stop looking. Korg, a longtime manufacturer of electronic keyboards and other musically-oriented products, has announced two new members of the microKEY family of keyboards that work well with the iPad and Mac. Joining the microKEY-37 (37 keys, US$79.99) are the ultra-portable microKEY-25 (25 keys, $69.99) and the expanded microKEY-61 (61 keys, $179.99). The 37 and 61-key models also serve as USB hubs, and all of the devices run off of USB power. The microKEY-25 requires the Apple Camera Connection Kit to plug into an iPad, while the 37 and 61-key versions can be plugged directly into the iPad. Korg also supplies the Legacy Collection Suite of software with the microKEY-61, which provides software versions of many of Korg's synthesizers. All three models of the microKEY use velocity-sensing mini keys, and according to the company they have a key touch that "makes it easy to play chords." The two larger keyboards also include pitch bend and modulation wheels for extra control and expression.
Korg unveils two new Kaoss family members, brings anarchy to your pocket
Two K-words we're almost always pleased to hear: Korg and Kaoss. Good, then, that the former has decided to make more of the latter -- the mini Kaoss Pad 2 (effects unit), and Kaossilator 2 (synthesizer), to be precise. Both new editions will slip in your pocket, and are dominated by that all-important X-Y pad. The mini Kaoss Pad 2 is all about effects, packing 100 programs, three memory slots, and MP3 playback (with pitch adjust). The traditional flanger, filter, delay, and reverb ear candy are also joined by looper, vinyl break, and ducking compressor. But what good are effects without anything to, er, affect? Enter Kaossilator 2. It's a palm-sized synthesizer, with 150 onboard sounds and a PCM engine for drums. You can sample via a built-in mic, gate and arpeggiate sounds, and create layered textures with loops. Both can record your performance, save it to SD, or impose share with others via a built-in speaker. It's all peace and quiet, though, until April when the Kaossilator lands for about £168 ($260). The KPad, on the other hand won't hit the market until May, retailing at the same price. Full PRs after the break.
Hands on with Korg's NanoKONTROL2
Korg's popular, slim-line NanoSERIES USB-MIDI controllers have been updated to 2.0. We were lucky enough to get our hands on the NanoKONTROL2 control surface and put it through its paces. Like the the nanoKEY2 (a 25 key, velocity-sensing MIDI keyboard) and the nanoPAD2 (with 16 responsive pads and an X-Y touchpad for drum input and sound manipulation) the nanoKONTROL2 adopts the same remarkably compact form factor with a micro USB connection. The nanoKONTROL2 has 8 faders, each with a solo, mute, record-enable button and a dial knob at the top. To the left of the controller is a transport section (play, back, forward, record, stop) with a track selector, marker and cycle button. As with the other nanoSERIES controllers, the nanoKONTROL2 automatically maps to your DAW (the one I tested worked first time with Logic Pro and Reason), but you can download the Korg Kontrol Editor software to fully re-map the controller to your specific needs. Being that it is so light and compact, the nanoKONTROL2 feels fairly solid and sturdy. When you push a button, you know it's been pressed. The buttons light up when they're activated, too, which helps you make sense of what's happening. Many may be wondering why you'd want an external controller to manage what can easily be done with a mouse. And it's a valid point, too! But when you have a tactile controller in front of you, it suddenly feels a lot quicker and easier to make that quick adjustment or tweak. Of course, it boils down to personal preference. The nanoKONTROL2 is compatible with the iPad through Apple's USB connector, but only works with Korg's select apps. Unfortunately, it won't work with an app like Garageband for iOS, for example. For around US$60, I wouldn't say the nanoKONTROL2 is a bargain, but weirdly, you're paying for the compact size here. Certainly, if you're in a small home studio or consistently on the move, the nanoSERIES2 makes sense, provided the straight-forward, simple features meet your needs. I've know a few producers to use them in cramped spaces and be more than happy with the results. Have you used Korg's nanoSERIES? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Korg launches two new Monotrons, Duo and Delay: the clues are in the names (video)
Remember when Korg dropped a bomb with its pocket-sized-pocket-money Monotribe synth last spring? Well it's done it again, and this time with two analog boxes of badness to salivate over - the Duo and the Delay. Those aren't just cute names, either; both feature the same ribbon based sonic goodness as before, but the Delay packs a dub-tastic space delay, and the Duo rocks a second oscillator, for those juicy thick timbres. No word on price or availability just yet, but we're guessing they'll pop up for around the same as the original -- around $60 -- which is almost as pleasing to the ears as the Monotron's themselves. Check the videos after the jump to see / hear both in action.
