Korg Minilogue, Volca Drum and Modular, and Gadget 2
The updated Minilogue is joined by new workstations, Gadget version 2 and the most ambitious Volcas to date
The flurry of gear announcements around the annual NAMM trade show in California has cooled off a little in recent years, with many brands choosing to unveil new product lines at other times on their own terms. That said – as this issue’s bumper news section will attest – January still brings with it a significant slew of new instruments and studio gear, with a lot of brands still using NAMM as a focal point to unleash exciting new hardware and software products. One such brand are Korg, who used the run-up to this year’s show to unveil a string of exciting new products.
Front and centre is this issue’s cover star, the Minilogue XD, which builds on the foundations of the popular analogue poly with some excellent digital additions, such as a customisable oscillator and new effects. We’ve got a full review (p84) and Producer’s Guide (p59) with everything you need to know.
Hot on its tail, however, are two more additions to Korg’s much-loved compact Volca range. These are the Volca Drum, a multilayered digital drum machine (also reviewed this issue, p94), and the Volca Modular. The Modular is especially fascinating, putting West Coast-style analogue synthesis into a battery-power, compact and affordable package. It makes use of micro patch point to allow for semi-modular re-wiring, and replaces the range’s standard MIDI input with a stereo 3.5mm jack for CV/gate. It upgrades the classic Volca sequencer too, with a new scale function as well as Stochastic and Bounce modes, for generating less predictable sequences. We’ve got one, and are already addicted to its oddball tone-shaping capabilities. Drum and Modular are priced at £150 and £170 respectively.
Work it
Aside from the Volcas and Minilogue, Korg have also revamped its popular Krome workstation keyboard, putting
the focus on contemporary sounds that are ready to be used with little or no tweaking. This should put it in the crosshairs of live performers and recording musicians who want production-ready presets.
As well as its standard workhorse sounds, Krome EX also includes many new programmes and PCM data. Special attention has been paid to creating EDM-friendly tones – think big leads and hard-hitting drums – while Ethnic instruments and cinematic sounds have also been added. High-quality acoustic and electric pianos are promised, too.
On the rhythm side, you’ll find 2,500 drum samples and 48 preloaded kits; these can be used to play instant grooves with the Drum Track feature. Dual arpeggiators are joined by a 16-track sequencer – it’s a workstation, after all – and there are various ingenious recording and arranging functions.
The Krome EX comes in three sizes. The 61- and 73-note models have semi-weighted keyboards, while the 88-note option features Korg’s Natural Weighted Hammer Action keyboard. All three versions have an aluminium top panel and an 800x480 pixel TouchView Colour display that can be used to change sounds, edit parameters and more.
Special edition versions of Korg’s Kross and Kronos keyboards are incoming too. For the former it’s the new KrossSE. Available in four neon colour options, this also contains additional PCM that facilitates ‘special’ acoustic and electric pianos, plus fresh synth and drum sounds designed for EDM producers.
The Kronos SE, sports a new “red gradation” finish. This fiery livery probably won’t be for everyone, but it’ll ensure you stand out on stage. What’s more, the SE has some internal improvements, including the addition of the Italian grand piano that debuted in Korg’s Grandstage. You also get a showcase of sounds from KApro – aka Kurt Ader – who has developed more than 100 titles in Korg’s sound library series.
Go Go Gadget 2
Korg’s Gadget is now well-established on iOS, and v2 sees improvements not only to this mobile version, but to the Mac one, too. And, for the first time, Windows users will be able to get a taste of the Gadget goodness.
First the straightforward bit: there are six new Gadgets in version 2, four of which have been confirmed, with details of the remaining two still to come. Memphis is a semi-modular analogue synth; Pompei is a 6-voice analogue synth; Taipei is a MIDI Out Control device, suggesting that Korg is looking to open Gadget up as a hub to control your other gear; and Durban is a bass effect processor.
On iOS, the Gadgets will be available as paid upgrades – the version 2 update itself is free – but on the Mac, you’ll have to pay for the version 2 update but the new Gadgets will come included. Got that?
Gadget 2 also sports a redesigned user interface, with the main screen view now enabling you to see the status of each track at a glance. Smooth tempo change and fade-in/ out functions have been added, too.
As well as this update to the full-on Gadget, Korg has also confirmed the forthcoming availability of the Korg Gadget 2 plugins, available for Mac and PC. This will let those who just want the Gadgets buy them on their own so that they can be used in any DAW. No word yet on pricing for the updated Gadget, but it should arrive soon.