WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Information and updates on the latest and popular Portable Keyboards

M-Audio has unveiled the Oxygen Pro USB/MIDI keyboard controllers. The venerable controller brand has been brought up to date. M-Audio Oxygen Pro MIDI keyboards offer smart features and maximum control. M-Audio has been producing Oxygen-branded MIDI keyboards for the best part of two decades, and now there is a new range of them – Oxygen Pro. This comprises 25-, 49-, 61 and 32 mini key versions, all of which promise to give you maximum control of plugin instruments and DAW.

All models are USB-powered and have an OLED screen, smart chord and smart scale features, auto-mapping, an arpeggiator and note repeat. The Oxygen Pro 25, 49, and 61 all have 16 RGB backlit velocity-sensitive pads, nine assignable faders (not include the Pro 25), eight assignable knobs and a 5-pin MIDI output; the Oxygen Pro Mini is more compact and gives you eight performance pads, four knobs and four faders.

In addition, the auto-mapping features apply not only to a range of DAWs – MPC Beats, Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Studio One and Steinberg Cubase, but also the bundled Air Music Tech virtual instruments -Velvet, Mini Grand,DB-33, Boom, Vacuum and Xpand!2.

And the Smart Chord option, meanwhile, enables you to play full chords from a single key press, while Smart Key locks the keys to a selected scale so that you can’t play any wrong notes.

Features:

• Best-in-class, velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted keys with aftertouch and assignable zones
• (16) RGB, backlit, assignable, velocity-sensitive pads with Note Repeat for beat production, cliplaunching, and more (8 for Mini)
• (8) assignable knobs for controlling virtual instruments, mix plugins, DAW controls and more (4 for Mini)
• Preset and DAW buttons for auto-mapped DAW controls & plugin parameters
• Smart Chord mode enables playing of enharmonic or custom chord voicings
• Smart Scale mode eliminates wrong notes making it easy to craft a perfect song
• Arpeggiator with Type, Octave, Gate and Swing controls
• Ergonomically designed pitch and modulation wheels & ¼-inch sustain pedal input
• USB-MIDI connection and 5-pin MIDI Output for controlling external MIDI gear
• Intuitive layout featuring an OLED screen for quick control edits
• Includes MIDI editor software and a complete software production package

The Oxygen Pro series is shipping now, with prices as follows – Oxygen Pro Mini  £99.99, Oxygen Pro 25  £154.99, Oxygen Pro 49  £189.99, Oxygen Pro 61  £224.99.

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Behringer announced the MonoPoly synthesizer six months ago, and the MonoPoly is finally available for pre-order. The new Behringer MonoPoly synth is a long drawn out process after six months.

The Berhringer MonoPoly copies the general look and design of the original, but in a smaller format. The original Korg MonoPoly has 44-keys whereas new MonoPoly has 37 full-size keys, and the control panel can be tilted at three different angles or laid down flat. As you might imagine, it is a reboot of Korg’s MonoPoly, so you get four VCOs – each with a choice of four waveshapes – a 24db vintage filter, dedicated filter and VCA ADSR envelopes and dual analogue LFOs.

The new MonoPoly can be played in monophonic, unison and poly modes, with its paraphonic design – you can play up to four notes at a time. There is also a Chord function that enables you to trigger complete chords from a single note.

Other options include PWM and detune, and there is an effects section with cross-modulation and oscillator sync capabilities. It adds limited MIDI control via USB & DIN, but also offers CV/Gate control. As on the original, there is an arpeggiator, while round the back you will find trigger and CV connectivity, plus a full suite of MIDI ports.

Behringer MonoPoly Synthesizer

Pre-order the MonoPoly now.
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Yamaha EZ-300 arriving just in time for the holiday season.

The Yamaha EZ-300 is an electronic keyboard with a difference. The instrument is a light-up electronic keyboard that helps beginners learn to play. It has the usual built-in accompaniments and lets you trigger chords with a single finger, but its big USP is a light-up keyboard that promises to make it easy to learn to play, just by following the lights.

Choose from 140 built-in songs and add more as MIDI files:

You select one of 140 songs and you can then play along just by following the lights on the 61 touch-sensitive keys. Further assistance is at hand with the Keys To Success feature, which divides songs up into shorter phrases known as Steps, which enable you can literally practise sections a Step at a time, with the option to slow down the tempo to make learning even easier.

Built-in sounds include pianos, organs, synths, strings, brass, percussion and guitars, and there are also SuperArticulation Light Voices that add gestures – pizzicato plucks on a violin.

If you want more songs, you can download MIDI files from the Yamaha online shop and then import them via USB from a Mac or PC.

The Yamaha EZ-300 will be available in early December priced at $400.

The Korg’s opsix is officially been launched after 10 months on. The opsix was originally previewed at NAMM 2020, and is a 37-key keyboard,

The opsix has a six-operator FM sound structure like classic FM synthesizers, the Opsix goes further, featuring new operator modes, 11 filter options, 30 effects, a polyphonic step sequencer and more.

Korg opsix Altered FM Synthesizer ‘Reimagines’ FM Synthesis.

The opsix is built around a new six-operator sound generator that is designed to reimagine the FM sounds you are used to. There is a more diverse range of waveforms and operator modes, plus a filter that incorporates elements of subtractive synthesis – MS-20 and Polysix filter types are included. Hence, you will have analogue-style control over digital sounds.

With the opsix, Korg is seeking to do for FM synthesis what it did for wave sequencing with the Wavestate – update it and make it more accessible. Hence, the opsix is described as an “altered” FM synthesizer that promises to make exploring FM easier than ever before. Additionally, the opsix top panel is full of knobs and sliders. There is a hands-on operator mixer, plus six data entry knobs which, when used in combination with the OLED display, promise to significantly ease the editing process.

With the five operator modes, the opsix can generate sounds outside the realm of FM, and there are also 40 preset algorithms. You can also create your own algorithms from scratch. Modulation – three EGs and three LFOs, and 12 virtual patches to give you plenty of routing possibilities. You can use up three effects, choosing from 30 types.

If you fails anyway, there is a configurable randomize feature, which will generate a new sound for you.

The Opsix that they are introducing, though, is closer in design to the recently introduced Wavestate. And that’s how they are positioning the new synth:

“Much like Korg did when bringing wave sequencing back in a more powerful, more musical, and more immediately accessible way with wavestate, so was the approach to FM sound generation of the opsix, resulting in another incredibly flexible and unique synth.”

The Korg Opsix is expected to ship in December priced at £699/€799.

Korg introduced the Nautilus Synthesizer Workstation. The new synth workstation promising the power of its Kronos keyboard in a more streamlined package, and is designed for performers, producers and songwriters.

The Nautilus features 9 different synth engines and comes with more than 2,200 sounds, some of which are entirely new, and is available with 88-key which includes Korg’s RH3 hammer-action keyboard, or with 73-key or 61-key models offer a ‘Natural Touch’ semi-weighted synthesizer action.

Besides all 9 of Kronos engines are featured, there are enhanced SGX-2 Grand Piano and HD-1 High Definition PCM synthesizer engines. Other features include sampling, HD audio recording and effects processing, and there is a 7-inch touchscreen – complete with gesture support to enable you to keep track of what is going on. Real-time controllers include a four-way joystick, vector joystick, ribbon control, a dedicated dynamics knob and customizable buttons.

There are 3 pillars to the Nautilus soundset. The Standard sounds cover the classics – acoustic and electric pianos, orchestral instruments, guitars and bass guitars like, the Current sounds make use of the modelling synthesis and PCM engines to give you contemporary synth, drum and effect patches. And there are the Unique sounds – the likes of phrase loops that follow tempo, esoteric pianos and found percussion. And are three ‘pillars’ to the Nautilus soundset. The Standard sounds cover the classics – acoustic and electric pianos, orchestral instruments, guitars and bass guitars, for example – while the Current sounds make use of the modelling synthesis and PCM engines to give you contemporary synth, drum and effect patches. The Unique sounds – the likes of phrase loops that follow tempo, esoteric pianos and found percussion. Apart from that, speaking of pianos, Korg says that Nautilus has more types than any other keyboard product. You get the Grand and Upright varieties from the Kronos and Grandstage, plus the EX piano libraries and a new piano.

Additionally, each Nautilus program can contain a two-part split/layer and a drum track, and there is also a 16-part Combination Mode. Polyphony is 240 notes, with Korg’s Dynamic Polyphony Allocation and Smooth Sound Transition technologies promising uninterrupted performance and sound switching. A dual polyphonic arpeggiator and customisable Setlist mode are available as well and you get 16 effects and 32 EQs, with a dozen inserts.

The 3 Nautilus models to be released in early 2021, with prices set at $2,700 for the 88-key model, $2,400 for the 73-key model and $2,000 for the 61-key model.