Published 14/9/09
Micro Sampler and Wave Drum announced
The Micro Korg synthesizer has become a common feature on stage in recent years, with many a modern indie band relying on it to produce retro-style synth sounds with ease. After updating the Micro Korg to the Micro Korg XL, Korg have decided to release an equally portable sampler. At first glance the new Micro Sampler appears to be a chunkier instrument than the Micro Korg, having an ’80s feel reminiscent of the Casio SK5, rather than the former’s Moog-influenced styling. The controls lie in recesses on the top face, and there are 37 very square-looking keys on which to play your masterpiece. The sampler itself can record line or mic inputs (a gooseneck mic is provided) and stores the sounds in eight banks of 36, with a maximum recording time of 160 seconds of mono audio per bank. Samples are recorded at sample rates between 48kHz and 6kHz and in one of five recording modes. These range from one-shot, for percussion hits and the link, to the new Key Gate and Auto Next modes, which allow the user to map musical phrases or beat-slices across the keys, respectively. Users can also pick from 21 on-board effects — lifted from Korg’s famous Kaoss Pad — when treating sounds, and can even use the on-board sequencer to build up song structures.
The Wave Drum also takes its starting-point from another Korg product, the original Wave Drum, which was reviewed in SOS way back in November 1994. Described as a percussion synthesizer, the new Wave Drum has a transducer-equipped drum head and two ridged areas on the rim as its playing surfaces, and uses a combination of 200 samples and 36 DSP algorithms to reproduce drum and percussion sounds. These range from traditional congas and bongos to talking drums, gongs, and even some stringed instruments, such as the koto. Korg also promise some wild sonic possibilities when using less traditional patches. With such a robust playing surface, drummers can use sticks, brushes, and even their hands to produce a variety of timbres from both the skin and rim-sensors combined.
The Micro Sampler is currently listed at $750 (£436), while no price had been announced for the Wave Drum at the time of going to press.
The Micro Korg synthesizer has become a common feature on stage in recent years, with many a modern indie band relying on it to produce retro-style synth sounds with ease. After updating the Micro Korg to the Micro Korg XL, Korg have decided to release an equally portable sampler. At first glance the new Micro Sampler appears to be a chunkier instrument than the Micro Korg, having an ’80s feel reminiscent of the Casio SK5, rather than the former’s Moog-influenced styling. The controls lie in recesses on the top face, and there are 37 very square-looking keys on which to play your masterpiece. The sampler itself can record line or mic inputs (a gooseneck mic is provided) and stores the sounds in eight banks of 36, with a maximum recording time of 160 seconds of mono audio per bank. Samples are recorded at sample rates between 48kHz and 6kHz and in one of five recording modes. These range from one-shot, for percussion hits and the link, to the new Key Gate and Auto Next modes, which allow the user to map musical phrases or beat-slices across the keys, respectively. Users can also pick from 21 on-board effects — lifted from Korg’s famous Kaoss Pad — when treating sounds, and can even use the on-board sequencer to build up song structures.
The Wave Drum also takes its starting-point from another Korg product, the original Wave Drum, which was reviewed in SOS way back in November 1994. Described as a percussion synthesizer, the new Wave Drum has a transducer-equipped drum head and two ridged areas on the rim as its playing surfaces, and uses a combination of 200 samples and 36 DSP algorithms to reproduce drum and percussion sounds. These range from traditional congas and bongos to talking drums, gongs, and even some stringed instruments, such as the koto. Korg also promise some wild sonic possibilities when using less traditional patches. With such a robust playing surface, drummers can use sticks, brushes, and even their hands to produce a variety of timbres from both the skin and rim-sensors combined.
The Micro Sampler is currently listed at $750 (£436), while no price had been announced for the Wave Drum at the time of going to press.
