Korg Microkorg Synthesizer/Vocoder

From Korg:

Serious synthesizer and vocoder functionality in a compact package --- the microKORG.

The microKORG is a compact-sized synthesizer that delivers the true enjoyment of synthesis. Underneath its small exterior lurks an amazingly powerful synthesizer. It is fun to play, and it delivers a sound and functionality that will satisfy everyone from the beginner to the professional. Welcome to a world of unlimited creativity.

A true synthesizer with an analog modeling tone generator

The microKORG is a serious yet compact synthesizer with a strong personality, designed to give you the true enjoyment of creating sounds.

The tone generator features the same DSP analog modeling system as the MS-2000 – which has been acclaimed by musicians for its warmth and broad range of sounds. Offering a wide selection of waveforms, the microKORG offers powerful filters, envelopes, LFOs, effects and modulation possibilities to help you shape the sounds you want.

You can edit the sound easily and intuitively, simply by selecting parameters and turning knobs. Since it's easy to modify the sound in realtime, the microKORG can play a role in a wide variety of situations ranging from live performance, to recording, to computer control.

Powerful-sounding oscillator section

Each voice of the microKORG consists of two oscillators (OSC1 and OSC2). OSC1 provides basic analog waveforms such as sawtooth wave, square wave, and sine wave, as well as VOX Wave (human voice formats) and 64 DWGS waveforms from Korg's classic DW-8000 digital synthesizer. This is a total of 71 possible selections, more than any other modeling synthesizer! Many of these waves can be further shaped to produce classic effects like pulse width modulation, FM and other forms of waveshaping. By applying ring- or sync-modulation from OSC2 with its three basic analog waveforms, you can easily create extremely complex sounds that would be impossible using just a single oscillator. An external audio input can be used to route audio into the microKorg and process it with the filter and effects sections.

Eight oscillator types: Sawtooth wave, square wave, triangle wave, sine wave, Vox wave, DWGS x 64, Noise, Audio In
Knife-sharp filter section

The multi-mode filter of the microKORG lets you choose from two types of low-pass filter (-12 dB/-24 dB), a band-pass, or a high-pass filter. Filter resonance can be adjusted to emphasize a frequency peak, and will self-oscillate if desired. These extremely sharp filters give you the versatility to create any tone from traditional fat sounds to cutting dance sounds.

An amp section with great presence and distortion

The amp section allows you to shape the volume of the sound over time. In addition to adjustable volume and pan, you can switch a powerful distortion on/off. This can be used to add a distinctive “edge” to any sound, letting you produce extremely intense tones.
EG and LFO add subtle tonal movement

The EG (Envelope Generator), which applies time-variant change to the sound parameters, is a classic ADSR design (Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release), and can also be used as a modulation source. Two types of LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) are provided, letting you apply cyclic modulation to the sound parameters. High-speed DSP processing ensures that vibrato, wah, and tremolo effects are produced very smoothly.

Virtual patches for even more sophisticated sound-editing

The microKORG provides a virtual patch function which simulates the patching functionality of classic Korg synthesizers of the past such as the PS series and MS series, letting you specify four modulation routings. Each patch consists of a modulation source "SOURCE" [1], a modulation destination "DEST" [2], and a modulation intensity adjustment "MOD INT" [3]. A modulation source or controller such as Filter EG, AMP EG, LFO 1/2, keyboard tracking, or wheel can be freely connected to a parameter such as pitch, cutoff or amp to create more flexible and sophisticated sounds.

Versatile and distinctive vocoder

vocoder
You can connect a mic to the AUDIO IN1 jack of the microKORG, and use it for a powerful vocoder that applies the tonal character of a vocal input to the sound of an oscillator, producing the impression that it is speaking or singing.

This is an eight-band vocoder (the sixteen filters are used in pairs) that can not only simulate the classic vocoder sounds of the past, but also shift the filter frequencies (Formant Shift function) or even adjust the level and panning of each frequency band to dramatically transform the tonal character and create highly original sounds. In addition, the Formant Hold key freezes the formants of the input vocal signal, allowing you to capture your voice and play it on the keyboard. Since the microKORG ships with a microphone, you can start using the powerful vocoder function immediately.

While vocalizing into the mic and using the keyboard to play vocoder sounds, you can "freeze" the current tone of the vocoder by pressing the Formant Hold key. This allows you to continue to play the current vocoder sound, even when you are not vocalizing. This tone will be remembered when you write the vocoder program to memory. Several of the vocoder bank programs will sound even if you simply play the keyboard. These programs were written with Formant Hold turned on.

Specs:

Synthesizer Program
Multi Timbral
2 (max, Split/Dual Mode)
Voices
4 voices
Sound Source
2 Oscillator + Noise Generator,
Multi Mode Filter(-24dB/octLPF,-12dB/oct LPF/BPF/HPF)
EG×2
LFO×2
Virtual Patch×4
Vocoder Program
Voices
4 voices
Sound Source
1 Oscillator +Noise Generator
EG×1
LFO×2
8 Channels vocoder
Level and pan of each channel can be edited
Formant Shift function
Programs
128 programs
Effects
Modulation effects (3 types), Delay (3 types), Equalizer
Arpeggiator
6 types
Controllers
Real-Time control knob X 4 (3 level Selection), Arpeggio ON/OFF
Keyboards
37 Keys (mini-keyboard, keyboard has velocity)
Inputs
AUDIO IN 1,2, Level switch LINE/MIC, [AUDIO IN 1, 2 (LINE) ], [AUDIO IN 2 (MIC)]
Outputs
L/MONO, R, Headphones
MIDI
IN, OUT, THRU
Display
3 characters×1 line with 8 segment LED
Power Supply
DC 9 V (AC adapter), or six AA alkaline batteries (sold separately)
Power Consumption
6.4 W (MAX)
Dimensions
(W) x (D) x (H)
524 x 232 x 70mm/20.63" x 9.13" x 2.76"
Weight
2.2 kg/4.85 lbs. (without batteries and included microphone)
Accessories
AC adapter (DC 9 V, 600 mA)
Condenser Microphone