Gizmodo: korg

Korg microSAMPLER Ready to Rock Your iPhone Noodlings

Danny Allen — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EDT

The iPhone has so many great music-creation apps that they deserve their own category, but shiny dedicated instruments like Korg's new 37-key sampler are always nice. It has a line-input, goose-neck microphone, and editing software for the Mac or PC.

It connects to computers via USB, but also has MIDI in/out connections. The line-in jack is what you'd use for any external audio source, including the iPhone. Away from the desk, the Korg can last about 4 hours on 6xAA batteries.

Sample modes include one-shot, gate, loop, key gate, and auto-next. What you record in is mapped onto the keys for you to play and build up layers. Sampling time/internal memory is 42.66 minutes at 24kHz quality, and half that at 48kHz.

The 21 built-in effects include all the usual stuff (distortion, EQ, reverb, delay, chorus, looper, etc), but there's no vocoder (think Daft Punk "Around the World"). Seems a little strange given the attached microphone begs for it.

$750 is also pricey compared to fantastic software like Ableton Live ($450). But, if you're a hardware purist, the microSAMPLER looks like a very cute little board. [Korg via SlashGear]

Geeky Maestro Conducts Belkin-Connected Gadget Orchestra

Jack Loftus — Sun, 10 May 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Here's an oldie but goodie to start your morning. Seems that with a little bit of time, a duffel bag's worth of gadgets, and a Belkin headphone splitter, one could create a satisfying little hook.

If one were so inclined anyway.

The setup features various music apps (like the quirky Elektroplankton) playing on a Nintendo DS, DSi, iPhone, iPod Touch and a Kaossilator.

The beat begins with some tribal drum action, before what sounds like the NBC theme kicks in alongside some spacey beeps and bloops. Soothing holiday-esque bells take us out, and the whole thing is played by what appears to be the giant hand final boss from Super Smash Bros. Did I mention I play video games? [YouTube via Gearcrave via Wired]

Drinking Straw + Nintendo DSi + Korg DS-10 = Peter Frampton Talk Box

John Mahoney — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:14:45 EST

I still haven't played with the Korg DS-10 software for the DS, but this quick mod for a talk box done by taping a straw over the speaker is now even more incentive.

He's already got the Kanye/Murakami bear glasses—now all this guy needs is an inflatable pig launched via foot pedal. [Kork DS-10 Blog via Kotaku via Offworld]

Modded DS Light (With a 'G') Shames All Others on the Disco Floor

John Mahoney — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:30:00 EST

A Japanese DIY aficionado stripped open his DS and added about 200 pieces of LED flair. The Nico Douga commenter who, amidst the sea of wwwwwwwww, suggested pairing this with the Korg DS-10 (which is now available, by the way)—I'm feeling you on that. The action starts, appropriately, at 4:20. [Kotaku]

Korg nanoSeries Music Modules are Laptop Musician Gold

Adrian Covert — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:50:00 EDT

Korg's nanoSeries line of noise makers are unlike other Korg synths because they rely on computer production software to work. The slim, USB (data+power) devices are made to be portable, so you can take your studio on the go. nanoKEY is a 25-note keyboard, nanoPad has 12 Akai-style sampler/drum pads and Kaoss pad, and nanoKONTROL is a portable mixing board with 18 switches and 9 knobs. Release date and pricing are still TBD. [Music Radar]

Korg DS-10 Turns Your Nintendo DS Into a Serious Synthesizer

Sean Fallon — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:00:35 EDT

Musicians who lead double lives as gaming geeks will soon have their worlds collide when Korg releases its DS-10 software for the Nintendo DS. Basically, Korg has taken the design concept of their famous MS-10 synthesizer and thrown in a four-part drum module, two analog synth simulators, a 6-track/16-step sequencer and made it usable with the touchscreen. If I had any music ability, lived in Japan and had 4,800 yen ($47) burning a hole in my pocket, I would be all over this sucker when it is released this July. Official specs after the break.

- Two patchable dual-oscillator analog synth simulators: - Four-part drum machine that uses sounds created with the analog synth simulator - Six-track (analog synth x 2, drum machine x 4) /16-step sequencer - Delay, chorus and flanger sound effects available from the mixing board - Three note-entry modes: touch-control screen, keyboard screen, matrix screen - Real-time sound control mode via touch-control screen - Exchange sounds and songs and play multiple units simultaneously through a wireless communications link

[Korg DS-10 via Kotaku and DS Fanboy]

Coldplay Flogging off Old, Unwanted Studio Equipment, but Gwyneth Stays

AddyDugdale — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:27:19 EST

Coldplay, purveyors of middle-class mundanity to the eardrums of the worthy*, are having a garage sale at their studio. So, anyone who wants to pick up a gadget with Korg, Roland, Linn, Pearl, Hafler or Yamaha written on it, and which emanates a musical version of "Pew Pew," then head off to eBay, 'cause that's where you'll find it. Oh, and proof that Chris Martin is a very funny man indeed, after the jump.

*At this point, I would like to out myself as a music fan whose taste runs to GWAR, the Tygers of Pan-Tang, Yanni, Tony Orlando and the Singing Nun. I thangyew. [eBay via Music Thing]

New Music Keyboards from Korg, Yamaha

johnb — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 15:03:18 EST

Good news, New Wave wannabes: Korg and Yamaha have relatively inexpensive new keyboards, just in time for the holidays. Korg's TR workstation feels a bit like a 1990s flashback with 64 MB of sounds (not quite luxurious), but both look like fun to play. The Yamaha MO keyboards connect to flash drives and hard drives via USB and integrate with your music software of choice. There's even an optional 88-key, hammer-action model for you skilled pianists out there. You might love them more than your first Casio. And at $1500 or less street, they cost about the same price as an Xbox 360 with accessories. -PK

New Music Keyboards from Yamaha, Korg [Create Digital Music]

Pricing for Yamaha keyboards [Amazon]

Inside an $8,000, Linux-Powered Luxury Synth

johnb — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 09:38:17 EST

Korg is announcing it will add cutting-edge physical modeling synthesis to its OASYS synth, for reproducing everything from acoustic stringed instruments to far-out experimental sounds and, yes, realistic amp feedback. So why is this synth $8,000—and why is it running Linux on a Pentium PC? Gizmodo regular Peter Kirn went to Korg for behind-the-scenes details, and got answers so geeky they were a natural for O'Reilly developer sites:

Inside a Luxury Synth: Creating the Linux-Powered Korg OASYS [O'Reilly Digital Media]

Korg Adds Physical Modeling, Software Upgrade to OASYS Synth [Create Digital Music]