How is the microKorg more useful than the Korg workstations?

Jericho-79 · Post by **Jericho-79** » Sat May 31, 2014 2:45 pm

Hey everyone. I'm interested in getting a microKorg as my very first Korg model.

However, I feel that my be getting ahead of myself here, as the microKorg appears to be too advanced for a novice. Initially, I was thinking that a Korg Trinity workstation would be more appropriate for beginners.

How is the microKorg more useful than, say, the Korg Trinity Pro V3, the Korg Prophecy, and the Korg Delta?

Any input would be appreciated. Thank you everyone.

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Sat May 31, 2014 10:54 pm

Hi,

It all depends what you are looking after...
* The microKorg is a virtual analog synth. It contains a DSP and software mimicing the classic real analog substractive synth (oscillator - filter - amp - envelope - LFO - ...) So the main focus is to play synthesized sounds and tweaking them to end up with some cool sound. It is a one sound/instrument to be mixed with other instruments to get a composition/song.

* The Prophecy is a virtual analog as well, but it has also software which does physical modelling. I.e. a tweakable algorithm which models/solves the physical equations which produce the sound of brass, strings, reeds, ... E.g. it may produce a lot of different brass like sounds, but may not sound as real brass instrument.

* The Delta is a real analog instrument. But has also a string section.

* The Trinity is a workstation. It is a total different category than the previous 3. It is a box full of prerecorded samples of various instruments. The focus of this type of instruments is NOT to tweak the sound of the instrument, but more composing. You can record on the board what you play (the other ones can not). Your composition can have several instruments (drums, bass, lead, percussion, ...) You can edit your piece and so on. As the name suggests it, it is a workstation...

* To complete the picture, Kronos is also a workstation, but combines the samples as on the Trinity with virtual analog and physical modelling as on the microKorg and Prophecy.

So it is up to you... The microKorg seems advanced. But some reading on how analog synths produce their sound and reading the manual of the microKorg will bring you already somewhere. Further you will need to spend time on tweaking all kind of parameters to further grab all the concepts and get insight on how a sound is structured. If tweaking the sound is not what you're looking after, please leave it. Also, don't expect that although you can tweak the sound, that you will end up e.g. with real sounding saxophone...

Have fun!

Jericho-79 · Post by **Jericho-79** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 12:36 pm

OpAmp wrote: It all depends what you are looking after...
* The microKorg is a virtual analog synth. It contains a DSP and software mimicing the classic real analog substractive synth (oscillator - filter - amp - envelope - LFO - ...) So the main focus is to play synthesized sounds and tweaking them to end up with some cool sound. It is a one sound/instrument to be mixed with other instruments to get a composition/song.

* The Delta is a real analog instrument. But has also a string section.

Thank you so much for all that info.

Question for you-

Can the microKorg create the sound of strings somewhat similar to the Delta's string section?

The authenticity of the string sound doesn't matter to me.

analoguekid · Post by **analoguekid** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 1:23 pm

The main thing to look at is what you want a synth for, making sounds or playing choones, if your playing choones you want polyphony and nice pleasant sounds. If you want fun and experimental tweaking you need something VA or analogue to use the real time knobs and performance possibilities

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 8:56 pm

The microKorg and other (virtual) analogs can synthesize string-like sounds. Authenticity = little

No idea how it compares to the string section of the Delta.

By the way, you're looking for second hand gear? Because afaik you can not buy a new Delta, Trinity or Prophecy...

Jericho-79 · Post by **Jericho-79** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 1:39 pm

Actually, I'm now thinking about getting a Korg Titron for composing purposes, and then getting the microKorg if I feel like playing around with the stuff I create.

But why does the microKorg have only 37 keys?

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 8:07 pm

Mmh, because the microKorg is a virtual analog synth. So you typically use it to make a lead, bass line, a pad, or some other weird effect. It is not designed for composing purposes. So 37 keys is sufficient.

Real analog synths are most of the time even monophonic, which means that anyway only one key at a time will sound.

On the composing keyboards, the keyboard is typically split in regions, where each region is set up to play another instrument. At that moment each of these instruments have also only limited number of keys...

Have fun with your buy!
Ciao.

Jericho-79 · Post by **Jericho-79** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:32 pm

One last question, OpAmp.

I understand that the microKorg is essentially a synthesizer with a vocoder.

However- Would it be alright to regard the microKorg as a keyboard?

After all, the word "keyboard" is an umbrella term for any musical instrument possessing black-and-white keys (which includes synthesizers).

What is your take?

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 9:10 pm

Hi,

As you say, keyboard is an umbrella term. Literally, it is indeed the object having black and white keys.
So the microKorg has a keyboard and in that strict sense microKorg could be called a keyboard as well.

But personally I would always call it a synth and reserve the term keyboard to composer like machines (which Korg calls Arrangers) or pure MIDI Keyboard controllers.
That way it covers better the machine/instrument it refers to. After all, if you own a piano, you also say you're playing piano instead of keyboard...

But I just learnt from wikipedia, that my interpretation may be bound to my Dutch mother tongue. Maybe a native English speaker can comment?

Ciao.

Jericho-79 · Post by **Jericho-79** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:43 am

Thanks for everything, OpAmp.

By the way, I got interested in the microKorg because Brandon Flowers of The Killers uses one.