The Monotron Delay must be a smashing success for Korg. Taking the single oscillator design of the original - Monotron, the Korg Monotron Delay features a Space Delay that can produce intensity, analog-like echo effect. This analogue effect adds a whole range of classic analogue delays, to bring out vintage synth vibe, or add crazy dub-style effects. The delay even recreates the pitch effects of changing delay time whilst in operation.
Rather than being limited to just one LFO shape, as on the original, the Monotron Delay now has a LFO that is switchable between a triangle and square wave shape. Sharing the speed and intensity LFO controls of its older brother, using these in conjunction with the delay now opens up a world of tonal possibilities. And, the ribbon is now switchable to a ‘ wide’ four-octave mode, for extreme pitch sweeps and dives. The Monotron Delay is equipped with a speaker, a ribbon keyboard, five knobs, and a single switch for performance.
Additionally, the reversed white keys and body adornments glows under black light illumination, making the portable keyboard ideal for delivering a striking visual impact on stage - the possibilities are virtually endless.
Korg continues to expand its analog synthesizer empire in bite-sized chunks, with the introduction of two new analog synthesizers. The Korg Monotron Duo, and the Korg Monotron Delay Analogue Ribbon Synthesizers are new additions to the Monotron series. For those who are not familiar with Korg Monotron, it is a pocket sized, analog synthesiser, which featured the same filter circuit as Korg’s legendary MS20 and MS10 synthesizers. As a result, this palm-sized marvel sounded incredible. Thick, warm tone, with ferocious filters and an LFO meant that tones from speaker wrecking bass to squealing, otherworldly sci-fi effects could be created with ease. Now, we are excited about the new siblings: Korg Monotron Duo, and the Korg Monotron Delay.
Designed in a new blue casing, it is, as its name suggests however, twice the synth of the original in certain ways. The Monotron Duo now has two independently tunable oscillators! Unison tuning can be used to create thick pads and bass sounds, or to create fifths, octaves or other intervals for solos or other sounds and effects. To add further to the creative scope, the Korg Monotron Duo features an X-MOD control, using the circuit from Korg’s classic Mono/Poly Synth. This allows FM style modulations to be added to synth tones, creating anything from a slight ‘wobble’ to a harsh metallic edge.
The ribbon controller keyboard now also features the scale modes of the Korg Kaossilator. This enables it to be configured to play a chromatic scale - as a piano keyboard, or major or minor scales with ease, and make it easier to play in key with whatever you are recording or performing by sliding your finger around on the keyboard.
The Korg Monotron Duo is powered by two AAA alkaline batteries. The compact Monotron Duo can be held in one hand, and the ease of use invites hours of enjoyment and musical exploration.
As we all know, Korg is a well-respected brand for their ability to create vast libraries of diverse effects and sounds. The updated version, the Korg Pa3X Arranger Workstation gives you the maximum flexibility inside of a single housing, which not too many keyboards make equally good arrangers and workstations but, Korg has succeeded in creating the pinnacle of flexibility. The Korg Pa3X features 61 semi-weighted keys and 76 semi-weighted keys; both with velocity and aftertouch, TFT display, TC Helicon Vocal Effects.
The Real eXperience engine is as powerful as it ever has been. Some of the included sounds are the highly acclaimed SV-1 stage piano, as well as a new stereo grand piano. With 1,100 sounds to choose from, the Korg Pa3X delivers on all accounts. Besides, it is not just about the sound as it would not do you any good without some rock solid effects to back them up, and the Korg Pa3X once again delivers the goods in this area. With more than 140 available effect types to choose from, all accessible from an easy to navigate user interface, you would not have any trouble crafting the exact structure, tempo, and tone of the sound you are imagining. It is much easier than ever to create, record, and perform all of your music, be it in MP3 format or recorded from the keyboard workstation itself. Including an Advanced Vocal Remover, if you are into doing covers that would not be a problem with the Korg Pa3X. Everything can be programmed into the workstation however you want, and if you need push button automation of an entire MP3, that is easy to do without leaving the user interface.
If you are a vocalist , you would like this TC-Helicon Voice Processor for Harmonies. Basically, Korg has included this feature to enable player to fully take advantage of their voice while playing this instrument. Including pitch correction and up to 4 realistic voice channels, you would not be disappointed with the backups this electric piano is able to automatically generate with very little input on your part.
In my opinion, though you may be able to find keyboards that do better in one or the other area for a fraction of the price but, you are going to be hard pressed to find a synth that incorporates more features from both an arranger AND a workstation any better than the Korg Pa3X. Korg is the leader in flexibility and sound quality. Korg have developed the Korg Pa3X Arranger Workstation Keyboard for one and only reason - To give you a Single keyboard for all of your musical needs, both in creation and performance.
The Roland JUPITER-80 Synthesizer is akin to a story of two synthesizers. The Jupiter-80 focuses on being a live-performance synthesizer for live playing, and a synthesizer with an array of sounds. It features 76-note semi-weighted synthesizer keyboard with SuperNATURAL sound engine, Behavior Modeling technology, max. 256-Voices Polyphony, color touchscreen, USB-MIDI/Audio interface, Tone Blender, D Beam controller.
What sets Roland Jupiter-80 apart from the synthesizers today? Normally, when a keyboardist is trying to reproduce sounds other than a traditional keyboard instrument on the synthesizer, the typical sound engine inside cannot truly “interpret” an expressive keyboard performance done on keys into an authentic guitar, trumpet, or violin performance. Similarly, in other big computer sample libraries you will find all sorts of tricks for key switching and sample variations and other ways of providing the full range of instrumental articulations on a keyboard. The SuperNATURAL synthesis engine makes those massive sounds more playable, thanks to Roland’s newly developed Behavior Modeling technology. Behavior Modeling takes care of the interpretation by constantly analyzing the keyboardist normal, natural keyboard performance, and instructs the ultra-realistic SuperNATURAL sound engines inside the Jupiter-80 to “play” and constantly “articulate” the reproduced sound just as the “real” performer would based on the keyboardists timing and interval between notes, the strength at which the various keys are struck, or if the keyboardist is pressing a pedal to sustain notes. These actions, among others available to the keyboardist, are translated by the behavior model for the selected sound being reproduced into an authentic plucked or strummed performance in the case of a guitar, aggressive or smooth bowing in the case of a violin, and the sharp or smooth pitch changes created by the valves on a trumpet and the pressure of the trumpet player’s breath. These are some of the articulations with behavior modeling.
Additionally, the Jupiter-80 architecture enables the use of four tones, each with its own effects block, each with independent controls, on each of two layers - upper and lower - plus solo and percussion voices. The upper and lower voices each have reverb - solo and percussion have compressor, EQ, and delay. Touch-button access makes it relatively easy to mix sounds. Start with splits and layers, and you are ready to use the massive sound content to produce big hybrid textures while Tone Blender then enables you to work more with movement. The Roland JUPITER-80 is a dream come true for live-performers and gigging musicians love this powerhouse synthesizer.
Avid’s M-Audio Venom is a 49-key, 12-voice polyphony, multi-timbral, virtual-analog synthesizer that set a new mark along these lines. The Venom offers a variety of performance controls for real-time tone shaping and can serve as a USB MIDI controller and 24-bit audio interface with microphone, line, and instrument inputs. It can also function as a standalone effects processor. The Venom features free Vyzex editor for Mac and PC, 512 single patches and 256 multi-patch combinations, Two Global Effects; Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Flanger, and Phaser, and 1 insert effect per multitimbral part ( 4 total); Compression, EQ, Distortion, Bit Reduction and Decimation.
The M-Audio Venom uses a newly designed “virtual analog” synth engine intended to offer a unique sonic signature, with the flexibility of digital operation but the warmth and grit of analog-emulation circuitry. M Audio certainly thought hard about how to pack Venom with great-sounding patches. Each one of the 512 single programs has, at its core, at least one sample of a classic synthesizer or drum machine waveform. The architecture of the synth section is three-oscillator, with each able to access any of the 41 waveforms or 53 drum sounds. It is a potent mix and the sounds are wonderful. But, the unique M-Audio Venom twist is that there is a tube saturation stage at the multi-mode filter which can be over-driven. Meaning that as well as being able to offer multiple filter modes; low, high and band, 2 and 4 pole, either 12 or 24dB of roll-off per octave, it is possible to internally distort signals. Additionally, each program can access three LFOs, three AHDSR envelopes and 16 separate modulation routing options, while effects provision comes in the form of two buses effects with Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Flanger and Phaser options.
The three arpeggiation modes are Standard, Phrase and Drum. To modify the Arpeggiator from the front panel is rather restricted but, you can do more via the Vyzex software. Vyzex software is well designed and opens Venom up to much more sound programming. The immediacy of accessing the sounds and modifying them in real-time is intuitive and impressive. For sound designers, the Vyzex software editor is just for you and M-Audio Venom will exceed your expectations too. A Phenomenal Synthesizer, indeed!
