The Synthesizers of the KORG brand

I’ve been messing with this synthesiser for around a week now. I must admit it is a total many more to consume than i had anticipated. There is way too many features and ways to make use of this synth in retrospect to other people inside the same price range as well as techniques to link it to other gear you’ve got.

Fully supportive of eurorack, i’ve got a beatstep linked to this in addition to my Arturia Keylab49. I prefer the bigger tips of my arturia to be honest plus the undeniable fact that i can get a handle on my sessions that are ableton here as well. I do not have problem aided by the little secrets presented by Korg regarding the MS-20 mini but i like having more octaves for an instant switch up.

It comes with a booklet with numerous preset options to allow you to get on the way and producing your personal noises. it has some empty people therefore while jamming if you happened to cross a wonderful sound it is possible to complete the info and have now it for whenever you wana return to the sound.

3.5mm to 1’4" is a little weird you do require a mono cable though for me, however the production signal is very good. Additionally supports USB for midi communications which will be awesome if you don’t make use of much analog gear.

Pros:
– Great look and feel
– Price range is ideal for all it’s features
– Compatibility with setup is high

Cons:
– Plastic knobs
– tiny secrets

I would 100% recommend this synth to any professional, amateur and beginner musician. It’s just a lovely synth.

The greater amount of I make use of it, the more I love it! No doubt this will be one of the better synthesizers. (I never ever attempted the original one, but comparing videos with them without a doubt the mini is not that effective, still.. its amazing!)

Yes, its noisy and hissy but thats just how I like it. The filter may be the beast here… a totally boring electronic kinda synth will get you damp when you push the frequencies to your restrictions…

Its one of those few synths you will see in every major musician’s studio, and not only for collecting dust… I am sure they normally use it in most record and song they make.

It only accepts note data, so for instance, for automation of filters you have to do them by hand. Which will be big enjoyable to accomplish!

It always impress me personally and most likely the only minus is you cant save presets, you could just print the blank ones you have alongside the synth.

And if by any possibility you possess a space echo… man… the blend is out of this world… atart exercising . reverb to it too and you will even make ambient music…

With a little bit of knowledge and imagination there is nothing that this CHEAP piece of plastic cant make… yes, in my opinion its really cheap! Its the synth that is most beneficial you can get your money can buy and actually I have always been pretty sure you cant get something better for even twice of its cost!

this will be great fun to fool around with either on its own or with a synth.

Only issues are:
It has a plastic feel to it but nonetheless seems reasonably sturdy. This is certainly to be expected though, given the price tag.
It can also seem just a little white noisey at times according to what you are actually likely to do with it. It will be great it may be somewhat eq’d out if necessary if it did not this issue but I’m sure. This could easily additionally be something which is great if you’re after something more lofi.

On the plus side I would need to say it are great fun and extremely simple to use. As a newcomer that is relative the world of synths and delay / modulation effects, I was able to quickly obtain it to sound great and produce some incredibly spacey sound files. Just messing around with some of the knobs while a simple synth cycle plays through it can instantly make it seem so much more interesting and professional (although possibly more in the lofi aspect provided the small static / white noise areas of it)

Overall though, given the price, I would state that it is outstanding purchase and contains a great deal of opportunities!

This little portable product is a lot of enjoyable. I use it as a synth that is simple sound effects, and also as an easy wait impact with my mike. For the price, it is quite useful. Additionally suitable as a toy.

Downsides:
– battery power just
– limited functionality (duh)
– noisy
– connection to DAW/mixer requires Y-cable
– could get you addicted to full-price synths and effects

I added Volca FM to my mostly analog setup as it really was cheap also it really sounded very good an all the videos I watched prior to acquire.
Month after really deploying it my emotions are mixed.

cons:
I really find it difficult mixing Volca FM’s sound with analog (subtractive) gear.
Unit does not come with power supply unit. It comes down with batteries that are, I must state, really durable (after thirty days of use Volca’s battery indicator shows 80%)
Ignores velocity over midi.
HISS. There is certainly constant (-140dB to -110dB) sound across the frequency spectrum that is whole. It not reliant of production volume or every other controls whatsoever. It’s just always here.

pros:
PRICE. Absolutely nothing to include, this really is cheap.
Simple, portable, intuitive and enjoyable to relax and play with, but it addittionally has its depth in the event that you wanna plunge into FM synthesis.
Interesting sequencer and really fun arpeggiator.
Although plastic, quality is preferable to I expected
Algorithms, LFO

Bottom line, if you do not have issue with few little annoyances I pointed out, its super cheap, good sounding, really fun small field.

Why would you not fully grasp this?? It’s any such thing a synth enthusiast could ask for ever. Polyphony, lovely FM sounds, a sequencer that is great and an arp. It is a shame the pads are not velocity(velocity that is painful and sensitive a slider), but for 130 dollars so what can you expect. The editor is very confusing at first, however the included cheat sheet gets you accustomed it quite quickly, then it becomes a synth that is truly effective. The pads can be little, and I find myself striking multiple pads at that time that is same. There is certainly a MIDI in jack, though, which can be used to move presets for the FM and also the original DX7, which will be nice. It really is quite small, plus it runs on six AA batteries, or a power that is 9v if you should be perhaps not going anywhere. I utilize it all the right time for several forms of synth noises. It’s best for such a thing, really.

Took me personally a long time to pick the Microkorg but eventually decided to get one. I enjoyed the retro design of this synth compared to the xl that is micro seemed a bit bland.

but a synth is about more than simply apperance. Sound wise it did not disappoint, it’s filled up with blistering leads, atmospheric pads and basses that are cutting. These can all be adjusted in real-time utilising the mod and pitchbend tires combined with the knobs positioned towards the top of the keyboard.

It’s a great machine, the casing is apparently a difficult plastic, the knobs have actually a retro styling as well as the keyboard although mini keys feels a bit spongy but solid to play. Some perhaps put down by the 4 note polyphony compared to the XL 8 note, though the quality of sound and appear of the machine is addictive and inspiring.

I’m looking forward to playing this synth a great deal over the coming months. A genuine contemporary classic that will not disappoint.

I spend my first 4 hrs with all the micro attached to a volca beats, Arp Odyessy and an MS – 20 mini plus it ended up being heaven.

Pros, great pair of noises and impacts, very easy to navigate and play plus it looks great in the flesh.

Cons, Mini tips for a few, no USB

I bought a Microkorg while my mininova had been repaired. It is a synthesizer that is decent you will find lots of options for making your personal noises; pretty much every parameter you could require can be obtained for you.

There are more or less 64 pre-loaded patches as well as the sounds are awesome. The energy that is true of Microkorg is in building your own noises. There was surely a learning curve right here and you’ll need certainly to read the manual / search on the internet.

It’s primary competitor could be the Novation Mininova, that will be more user-friendly but has less customisation options.

If you’re new to synths, the Mininova are a much better choice. If you are trying to grow your very own patches, the Microkorg may be the right synth for you personally.

It’s a 3x oscillator, 100% analogue synth, for under 150 euros. We are able to stop immediately – it’s a must have.

Plus it has a very cool sequencer, which can be very intuitive and easy to make use of. Although restricted to 16 steps (or one bar). Nevertheless, you’ll link it to your DAW via midi cable, have your sequences running after that, while having as bars that are many you would like.

Oscillators sound really nice, as well as the filter, which becomes a beast with lots of resonance. Without operating it through any outside devices, you may get an overdrive, which will be a fantastic small bonus.

It is marketed as a monophonic bass synth, but it’s a lot more. Actually a secret is had because of it. It’s not totally monophonic. You can sequence records that are various every OSC if you’re utilizing it’s sequencer, or set different semitones for each OSC. By these methods you may also get triad chords from the jawhorse, which could be helpful if you’re making dub / techno dub music for example.

Another great thing is you’ll enter the audible range with it so it has an LFO which can get very fast. It allows you to get all sorts of weird noises.

the sole complaint is, that it is build doesn’t feel very solid, it is plastic, wobbly, feels low priced. But hey, for this price, it is OK. It willn’t be a problem invest the excellent care of your equipment. And despite all of that, it looks good.

there is also a little presenter incorporated, and it will run with batteries. But I personally, find these features useless.

Overall, exemplary item. Positively a must have in the event your budget is bound, but you want a analogue synth that is appropriate. And Korg Volca Bass is exactly that.

I got into equipment (and analog) synthesisers recently and after some weeks of research and following suggestions from expert friends, I bought the Volca Bass as my first instrument.

I spent almost a year learning it inside away and I am in love with it. I had the chance to learn a great deal about subtractive synthesis as a result of its flow that is straightforward that to research and experimentation.

It is restricted in comparison to higher priced instruments but it has plenty of depth and may be utilized for a lot of sounds, from wobbly basses for some spacey pads. Its therefore an easy task to do a little acid techno but it also can create soundscapes and drones.

The filter is amazing considering it’s simplicity and with a bit of resonance during the right spot, it could be really gritty and distorted.

The only disadvantages that I can list would be the restricted ribbon keyboard (the Volca Keys has an improved one) while the tiny knobs that limit the fine tuning of some parameters. As well as the not enough movement recording is a pity.

All in most, it’s a very nice little device for novices as well as for who would like to express their creativity through constraints.

Many features stuffed into a tiny synth. I’m sure this works for a lot of, but i found it to too be means limited. Although, I understand, it’s very low priced.

Here are some limitations that I discovered inconvenient. A few of these might be hard to guess before actually using the unit:

– It’s not polyphonic, it is paraphonic. You can find 3 VCO’s but they share the same VCA. In training it seems like the held notes could be triggered once again whenever you play a note that is brand new.
– Although the Keys velocity that is receive played live, the sequencer does not record it. So that the velocity of every note is 100%.
– No capability to bypass recording midi (key) notes from an external midi-keyboard.
This means that it self, the records you played get recorded on every loop, over and over again in the event that you simultaneously play live on a keyboard and record your automations regarding the Volca. You have to record the automation separately.
– Sequencer has just 16 actions. Although the scale may be adjusted: 1/1, 1/2 and 1/4.
– Peak (resonance) can not be automatic or affected through midi.
– No MIDI away. Although you’ll reasonably effortlessly make your own. Similarly to Arturia BeatStep, I would suggest a 1/8 TRS jack (next to the MIDI IN jack).
– just headphones out. In the event that you prepare not to ever make use of headphones, you need (half of) an insert cable or other special configurations.
– The scope associated with noises as you are able to produce with this specific is quite restricted. Even though automation assists a great deal, but nonetheless.

Cant overcome this, it just works completely

i’m perhaps not a keyboard player, i play guitar, so i’m have always been not a large specialist in synths. For me personally 4-voice polyphony is more than enough, together with fact that it offers moderate secrets makes my playing easier ( but i am not accustomed normal secrets, so maybe it is not a problem just for me)
the undeniable fact that all of the functions have it’s own knob, it makes it better to alter parameters fastly.
of course this synth may well not sound since complete as expensive analog synths do, but actually i think into the mix it wouldn’t be so apparent.
an perfect start i think for many who are not used to analog synths (just like me), specially becouse of the small screen that shows the way the waveshape changes

for me personally, the Minilogue blows both the Korg MS-20 mini as well as the Monologue out from the park.

The Minilogue is in fact an improved Monologue with poly function to your extent that I accidentally downloaded the Monologue user manual without noticing. So rather than choose the Monologue, wait till you are able to alternatively buy the Minilogue. Now set alongside the MS-20 Mini, the noise is much more crisp and aggressive. The MS-20 Mini needs held it’s place in my opinion, Korg has finally created the successor associated with the MS-20. A soon become classic and entry that is promising affordable analog poly synths.

Now to my biggest problem because of the Minilogue: a good case. The Korg Minilogue case that is preferred for this is too high priced for its bad quality. If you’d like an incident that is soft the Thomann pedal case rather. I wanted a case that is hard ended up being disappointed that no such case exists for this atm. I therefore invest another 160 Euros on Thon’s Economy Suitcase instance. Please case manufacturers, give us a suitable situation.

Conclusion:

If you would like a completely poly analog synth of good quality and sound in this cost range, you may not find anything better right now.