Namm 2022

[Bachus]

It will probably be a different Namm then ever before witouth Dave Smith, i was always looking forward to his new products.

Untill a few weeks ago, i was really excited and expecting lots of news on the keyboards market.

But not even the slightest hint at any new releases from the major companies.. i was expecting replacements for Korg Kronos, Yamaha montage, Nord stage, kawai mp7/11 se, roland RD2000 and something sensational from innovators like NI, Spectrasonics and Dave smith.

I think i will be hugely dissapointed, not a single sign of something huge, and korg will not show the PA5x as that is presented later this month in austria.

[Sharp]

I hope there’s a new flagship workstation from KORG this year. I love my KRONOS, but, I’ve not bought a new workstation in over 10 years.

A Pa5X would be tempting.

[shaunyata]

The big news is already out; Roland's Juno X, Oberheim's OB-X8. But Roland won't be at NAMM this week either.

And what does Korg have to show? The NTS-2 Oscilloscope? A warmed-over Volca FM? C'mon Korg, is that all you got to show for one of the greatest synth creators in the world? I'm more than disappointed.

[SeedyLee]

Sadly, I think Korg are done developing the workstation market. I just bought a second Kronos to see me through the next 10 years.

There have been no significant improvements to Korg’s sequencer since the days of the Triton. Sure, they’ve added a few minor tweaks here and there, but if you read the manual for the sequencer in the Triton, 90% of it is directly applicable to the OASYS, Kronos and Nautilus.

We haven’t seen a genuine evolution of the OASYS concept since, well, the release of the OASYS. Again, there’s been some minor improvement rvments, such as the addition of streaming samples and user banks, and the introduction of the MS20, SGX1 and 2 and PolySix instruments - but they are the most significant innovations over the past 17 years.

Most of the design of the UI of the Kronos and Nautilus stems from the Triton and Trinity before it. In fact, looking at the decompiled code, I suspect they’re still using the same UI toolkit, 25 years on. (I forget the name of it, but the widget and UI toolkit was supplied to Korg by a third-party company). Even things like bank and file management int eh new “flagship” nautilus remain unchanged since the Trinity.

Like the Kronos was to the OASYS, everything about the Nautilus is about reducing cost. The new Arpeggiator wasn’t introduced because they wanted to add a new feature - it was done to reduce the cost per unit by not having to pay licnsing fees to KarmaLabs. Stephen Kay has stated that his relationship with Korg is effectively over, which would indicate that any new workstation from Korg won’t have KARMA, which is indicative of the direction they’re heading.

When the OASYS was released, Korg’s product line was much more concentrated. Since the release of the OASYS and Kronos, we have seen Korg diversify heavily into the Volca rnage, as well as the new Raspberry Pi-based OpSix, ModWave and WaveState. Plus their analogue Monologues and Minilogues. Their focus has shifted rapidly and I would argue they don’t have the resources to spare to release a completely new Workstation.

I suspect a lot of the technology in the Kronosn and OASYS lives on in the OpSix/WaveState range, in that they are using commodity hardware running (in this case, Raspberry PIs) as DSPs for audio - just like the OASYS line.

[Bachus]

Sadly, I think Korg are done developing the workstation market. I just bought a second Kronos to see me through the next 10 years.

There have been no significant improvements to Korg’s sequencer since the days of the Triton. Sure, they’ve added a few minor tweaks here and there, but if you read the manual for the sequencer in the Triton, 90% of it is directly applicable to the OASYS, Kronos and Nautilus.

We haven’t seen a genuine evolution of the OASYS concept since, well, the release of the OASYS. Again, there’s been some minor improvement rvments, such as the addition of streaming samples and user banks, and the introduction of the MS20, SGX1 and 2 and PolySix instruments - but they are the most significant innovations over the past 17 years.

Most of the design of the UI of the Kronos and Nautilus stems from the Triton and Trinity before it. In fact, looking at the decompiled code, I suspect they’re still using the same UI toolkit, 25 years on. (I forget the name of it, but the widget and UI toolkit was supplied to Korg by a third-party company). Even things like bank and file management int eh new “flagship” nautilus remain unchanged since the Trinity.

Like the Kronos was to the OASYS, everything about the Nautilus is about reducing cost. The new Arpeggiator wasn’t introduced because they wanted to add a new feature - it was done to reduce the cost per unit by not having to pay licnsing fees to KarmaLabs. Stephen Kay has stated that his relationship with Korg is effectively over, which would indicate that any new workstation from Korg won’t have KARMA, which is indicative of the direction they’re heading.

When the OASYS was released, Korg’s product line was much more concentrated. Since the release of the OASYS and Kronos, we have seen Korg diversify heavily into the Volca rnage, as well as the new Raspberry Pi-based OpSix, ModWave and WaveState. Plus their analogue Monologues and Minilogues. Their focus has shifted rapidly and I would argue they don’t have the resources to spare to release a completely new Workstation.

I suspect a lot of the technology in the Kronosn and OASYS lives on in the OpSix/WaveState range, in that they are using commodity hardware running (in this case, Raspberry PIs) as DSPs for audio - just like the OASYS line.

Actually Korgs focus has shifted to software.. even their new hardware is transfered to software a year after its release.

No new sequencer improvements? Well its there its called gadget..

I think all those gadgets and software synths would make a great addition to an affordable Oasys2….

Fun thing, actually Roland is doing with their Fantom range what Korg long time ago meant to do to with the oasys.. they keep pushing new synths for it.

If i was korg i would build a controller, and have all the workstation software running on an ipad pro… and us the ipad as both the software host as well as the screen of the workstation.

And even open the workstation up to 3rd party software like AUv3, but also things like Karma and more. (Karma would see huge as an AUv3)

Not that they have to, because the gadget software is even running on the nintendo switch..

I allways tought the main idea behind all those software gadgets and synths they designed was to easily incorporate it into a hardware workstation to replace the kronos one day

[Derek Cook]

I am speculating that with the software focus of Korg that at some point there may be a VST version of the Kronos or maybe VSTs of each engine.

That would be interesting.

In the meantime the Kronos sounds awesome. I was programming a lead sound in AL-1 a few weeks back that holds its own against some very nice Hybrid analogs that I have.

[shaunyata]

OK, VST software--how about a VST version of the MicroKorg, which is now 20 years old as of this month. How about a 20th Anniversary Legacy VST edition? I'm saving some cash to buy an MK VST—IF they actually produce one.

[Koekepan]

If someone wants a host, they can already use a DAW (or Gadget) in software and an audio interface. That's a done deal.

If someone wants a studio master that isn't a computer, they should look elsewhere. The current leaders are Kurzweil and Akai Professional.

The Electribe is OK for simple stuff, the Kross still works if you don't mind not having much of a visual representation, the Krome still works if you can get one (they seem to be thin on the ground) and ... well, I guess there's the SQ-64?

The Nautilus is a step backwards. For that money, go Kurzweil or MPC instead.

[Bachus]

If someone wants a host, they can already use a DAW (or Gadget) in software and an audio interface. That's a done deal.

If someone wants a studio master that isn't a computer, they should look elsewhere. The current leaders are Kurzweil and Akai Professional.

The Electribe is OK for simple stuff, the Kross still works if you don't mind not having much of a visual representation, the Krome still works if you can get one (they seem to be thin on the ground) and ... well, I guess there's the SQ-64?

The Nautilus is a step backwards. For that money, go Kurzweil or MPC instead.

There is such thing as integrated workflow.. which you will never get if you don’t integrate the host with the controls..

[Narioso]

If someone wants a host, they can already use a DAW (or Gadget) in software and an audio interface. That's a done deal.

If someone wants a studio master that isn't a computer, they should look elsewhere. The current leaders are Kurzweil and Akai Professional.

The Electribe is OK for simple stuff, the Kross still works if you don't mind not having much of a visual representation, the Krome still works if you can get one (they seem to be thin on the ground) and ... well, I guess there's the SQ-64?

The Nautilus is a step backwards. For that money, go Kurzweil or MPC instead.

There is such thing as integrated workflow.. which you will never get if you don’t integrate the host with the controls..

But what are the odds that you get first grade of everything in that integrated host?

Even Jordan Rudess used a Hammond XK5 in the backline apart from his Kronos since comparison with CX-3 is so much better.

If you use MPC X as sequencer, and what you like the best of everything else you are free to pick and choose.

But it's a matter of taste which brand might provide the best combination for you - or get everything from your favorite list separately.

But seems Korg covered pretty well with the 9 engines what serves a lot of people well. But probably for those not into making so much own sounds but buy libraries to pick from ready to use. To sit and hack own sounds is probably for the few on a Kronos is my guess.

But a cool idea that digital units also get a duplicate as VST plugins, so those with hardware can make use of hands on interface and transfer to daw later.

I downloaded a video commenting over OBX8 today from a channel that meant that new fw v3 in Jupiter X was something else and entirely reworked engine and stuff. Not a workstation maybe, but seems to target issues that Tim Shoebridge did in his review of Jupiter Xm. But he were to make a proper review of fw 3 in another upcoming video.

Video here with short comments only
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b67Swvyslwk

He meant Jupiter X on top of everything else in his studio.

Matt Johnson did a sample pack of his OB-Xa but demoed the original here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIz4OA_tUyk

[Sam CA]

For the first time in 20 years, I actually got bored and left NAMM by 3:00. It was always impossible to actually park in the convention center parking place. This time, I parked on level 1 with a lot of parking spots available, so I knew something was wrong already.

Everything was off about the event. Many companies weren't even there. I couldn't find Korg in the usual place. Finally I spotted one guy who had the Korg badge on. He said oh we don't have a booth this year. We only have a visiting/meeting area and he points to this small private room with 4 chairs or something.... and even that wasn't just for Korg!

If this is the new norm, NAMM will completely die down very soon. Maybe it's already dead.

So unless I missed something, or that guy lied to me... what you see on this door would be your Korg/NAMM 2022 experience:

[Koekepan]

Sam, out of wild curiosity, were Kurzweil and/or Akai there?

[Sam CA]

Sam, out of wild curiosity, were Kurzweil and/or Akai there?

I didn't see Akai, but Kurzweil Nord, and Hydrasynth were definitely there. Casio had the largest booth. I'll go back tomorrow and see if I can have a better day!

[Bachus]

Sam, out of wild curiosity, were Kurzweil and/or Akai there?

I didn't see Akai, but Kurzweil Nord, and Hydrasynth were definitely there. Casio had the largest booth. I'll go back tomorrow and see if I can have a better day!

No news today, looks to be even worse then i expected.

Atleast I was hoping to see some news from Akai, the much rumored 61 key MPC live ..

And a new Nord stage should be due..

[Sharp]

Atleast I was hoping to see some news from Akai, the much rumored 61 key MPC live ..

https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... bc4641a2c7