MicroKORG

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The correct title of this article is microKORG. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.

The microKORG

The microKORG is a full MIDI-capable virtual analog synthesiser/vocoder from Korg featuring high quality DSP analogue modelling. The keyboard is built in such a way that it is essentially a Korg MS-2000 with more advanced Step Arpeggiator (MS-2000 has only six fixed arpeggiator patterns) and in a smaller case with fewer real-time knobs.

1 Synthesis
2 Creating/editing sounds
3 Features
4 Sightings
5 External links

[edit] Synthesis

The microKORG uses DSP technology to emulate the sounds of an analog synthesizer. Sounds are generated with two oscillators—the first oscillator has the saw, square, triangle, and sine waves available along with a vox wave (for simulating human vocal cords), white noise generator, and 64 different waveforms created by harmonic additive synthesis (some of these 64 waveforms were originally featured in Korg's DW-8000); the second oscillator is limited to saw, square, and triangle waveforms. Each waveform on first oscillator has its own feature - wave morphing, PWM, FM, etc. Second oscillator also can be detuned, synchronized and/or ring-modulated with first oscillator to create more complex sounds, such as Trance leads. The first oscillator can also be replaced with the signal from one of the line-level inputs on the back of the unit, allowing external signals to be processed with the effects and filters of the microKORG. In addition, effects such as flange, ensemble, phaser, and digital delay are built in along with two LFO's with six different waveforms that allow the sounds to be edited further.

The keyboard has 4-voice polyphony. All four voices can be used in Unison Detune mode to create "fat" lead sounds.

The keyboard groups its 128 factory preset sound patches into 8 groups:

Trance
Techno/House
Electronic
D'n'B/Breaks
Hiphop/Vintage
Retro
S.E./Hit
Vocoder

A large gold knob changes the selected sound group. Each group has 16 different patches (2 banks of 8), selected by the 8 lighted buttons on the front with a side A/B button to toggle between sets of 8. All patches are user editable, and don't necessarily have to follow the groupings listed on the face plate.

Samples of microKORG sound:

Trance (microKORG internal demo song)

[edit] Creating/editing sounds

The microKORG uses two selector knobs to select between settings and five control knobs to modify the values of those settings. Information is presented on a 3-digit red LED panel on the front of the keyboard, which attempts to display letters using only the 7 segments. These characters can be difficult to understand at first, but become easier to recognise through use. Through MIDI and software from Korg, all of the settings can be edited on a computer as well.

[edit] Features

The microKORG keyboard is modelled after old analogue synthesisers, including wood side panels and large knobs on the face, giving it a fashionable retro look and accessible editing interface. The keyboard is also sold at a relatively low price — from $400 to $500 — making it much more reasonable than most synthesizers on the market which start at $600, with high-end models often meeting, or at times exceeding, the $2000 mark. The keyboard is also small enough that it can run on six AA batteries. Finally, an eight-channel vocoder is also part of the keyboard along with a microphone, allowing vocoder functionality right out of the box. Each patch can be used as a vocoder sound, and the vocoder is just as programmable as the synthesizer (with the notable exception of the virtual patch functions, which are replaced with individual panpots and gain controls for each vocoder channel).

[edit] Sightings

Her Space Holiday's Marc Bianchi is seen using a MicroKORG in the picture on his wikipedia entry
Amelia's Jacket uses a MicroKORG
Grow Green Over Grey composes its music primarily with the use of the MicroKORG and stringed instruments.
Chess Mess is using a MicroKorg on his song "Flush The Fashion"
In Rammstein's live performance of "Keine Lust," the keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz rolls out on stage in a wheelchair with a MicroKorg on his lap. He is using the "Tape Choir" preset (Bank A, Program 58).
Pet Shop Boys's Chris Lowe uses the MicroKorg on his stage set-up. There is a small picture in the live album, Concrete.
Turbosaurus often runs a MicroKORG through a Sovtek Big Muff pedal.
Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band Use a MicroKORG both live and in studio. You can see a MicroKORG being played in the music video for "Kill the DJ."
In The Juan Maclean's music video "Tito's Way" you can see shots of a MicroKORG being played.
Filip Zamojda from Poland uses a MicroKORG
Kasabian uses a MicroKORG
Amir Derakh from Julien-K uses a MicroKORG
doru_b uses a MicroKORG
Polysics can be seen using a MicroKORG.
LCD Soundsystem use a MicroKORG and can be seen utilizing it at live shows.
Maroon 5's keyboardist Jesse Carmichael can be seen playing the MicroKORG at nearly all of their live shows, as well as on their DVD Friday the Thirteenth.
Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals has been seen using the MicroKORG's vocoder live for the song "Juxtapose." It was housed inside a motorcycle fairing.
The Neptunes have been known to use the MicroKORG on most of their songs, and it is featured in the music video for "Drop it Like it's Hot".
The Killers use a rhinestone-studded MicroKORG as well as a Nord Lead 2 on their albums and live shows.
Spokes G of The Gutterballs can be seen playing a MicroKorg at shows
Duran Duran is shown using a MicroKORG in their "(Reach up for the) Sunrise" video. Nick Rhodes also used it on the 2004 and 2005 World Tour.
Chromeo have a microKORG in their music video for the single "Needy Girl".
Datapan use a MicroKORG (connected up to a Roland AX-7)
Ladytron's Ruben Wu uses a MicroKORG.
Broken Social Scene uses a MicroKORG.
Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel and The Postal Service uses a MicroKORG.
Andre 3000 of Outkast is believed to use a MicroKORG.
Jesse F. Keeler of Death from Above 1979 uses a MicroKORG.
A MicroKORG sits on the synthesizer wall of John McEntire's Chicago studio, Soma Electronic Music Studios.
Kori Gardner of Mates of State also uses a MicroKORG.
Nick Harmer from Death Cab for Cutie uses a MicroKORG - usually found sitting on top of his bass amp at live shows.
Man Man use a MicroKORG for at least their live shows.
KMFDM has been known to use the MicroKorg for studio use.
N.E.R.D use MicroKORGs
David Ley of Lightfromadeadstar uses a microKORG.
These Arms Are Snakes use MicroKORGs.
B-Real of Cypress Hill uses a MicroKORG.
Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland of The Crystal Method use the MicroKORG.
Jamie Cullum uses a MicroKORG.
Joshua Andrew Aragon of Dear Amy... uses a MicroKORG.
Eetu Suoranta of Black Heart uses a MicroKORG.
Psylent Pulse uses a MicroKorg during live performances.
Aaron Rothe of Drop Dead, Gorgeous uses a MicroKORG.
Alex Drake of Enter Ghost uses a microKORG.
James Dewees of The Get Up Kids/New Found Glory/Reggie and the Full Effect uses a MicroKORG.
On the DVD that comes with the special edition of Define the Great Line by Underoath, one is pointed out in the recording studio.
The band The Album Leaf uses a MicroKORG.
Parker Case of Say Anything uses a MicroKORG.
Seattle's Man Down Medic uses a Microkorg at live shows and for recording.
Swamplord of The Second Cumming uses a MicroKORG
Icelandic group, Amiina, uses microkorg live and in the studio.
Patrick Goral of Phantom, My Phantom uses the MicroKORG along with an Alesis drum machine.
Boots Riley of The Coup has recently used the vocoder function of the microkorg at live shows.
The hardcore band The Devil Wears Prada use a MicroKORG
Josh Dies of Showbread uses a MicroKorg at shows for their new album Age of Reptiles
Corsets are Cages uses a MicroKORG
The Prodigy uses a MicroKORG on Allways Outnumbered, Never Outgunned
Andrew Smith of the Dynamos uses a MicroKORG with his Yamaha Electone Organ.
Musician Mike Coleman uses the microKORG for his amateur recordings for "Electro City". He also uses it for most live performances.
South African band, Hey Zeus & The Cats, use a microKORG.
The brazilian electronic band Cubus uses MicroKORG at studio and live.
New York-based band Young Love uses a total of 3 Microkorg's at live shows
The bassline on Digitalism's epic dancelfoor basher "Zdarlight" is from a MicroKORG.
Marty from "Sparks The Rescue" uses a microKORG
Trentemøller uses a microKORG
Ryan from Brenn uses a microKORG
Indie auteur Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart uses a MicroKORG
Hipster icon Beck's 2004 touring band was seen using a MicroKORG
European chanteuse Annie's 2005 touring band was seen using a MicroKORG
Late Hip Hop producer J Dilla used it in his studio
Dublin based band Green Lights use a Microkorg in the studio and live
Test Icicles use a MicroKORG
terrorturbo uses a MicroKORG
Indie pop band Of Montreal was seen using a MicroKORG on their 2007 Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? tour
Brazilian indie-rock band Cansei de Ser Sexy use a MicroKORG.
Trista Schneider of WaveHorse & GunShip plays a MicroKORG.
English musician and record producer Howling Terror regularly plays and composes using a microKORG
The Long Blondes have been seen using a Microkorg on their 2007 tour of the UK
Kumiss frequently use a MicroKORG in their music, this is evident on their 2007 release, 'Seventy-Eight Ways'. Live it is played by Joe White and Chris Blakey.
David Brown of You and What Army uses a microKORG.
James King of Papa Chocolat utilises a microKORG
Tim Kasher of Cursive has been known to use a MicroKORG for live shows.
Hadji Bakara of Wolf Parade has been known to use a MicroKORG.
Masanori Mark Christianson of The Heavenly States uses a microKORG live and in the studio.
The keyboardist for the band The Summer Obsession uses a MicroKORG.
The keyboardist for the band The Devil Wears Prada plays the MicroKORG.
Stoke from Drive-by Argument uses a microKORG.
Rou from Enter Shikari uses a microKORG along with a Korg Electribe EMX and a KORG Kaoss Pad 2
The Morten Bach Band keyboardist uses a microKORG.