At the 2025 NAMM Show, being held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California from January 23 to January 25, Rhodes Music plans to showcase their MK8 Piano, launch a new Custom Shop Line, and introduce a new 61-Key Stage Piano.
Since its revival as a UK-based company in 2021, Rhodes Music has reintroduced the legendary electro-mechanical piano, based on inventor Harold Rhodes’ original vision. Built on his iconic asymmetrical tuning fork design, the MK8 combines the traditional craftsmanship of the original with modern innovations, like built-in analog effects.
This year’s NAMM Show will see Rhodes showcasing three main lines:
This year, the MK8 takes a major leap forward with new integrated MIDI capabilities. Featuring proprietary sensing technology, the system adds high-resolution monitoring of key position and both Channel and Polyphonic Aftertouch. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience this new functionality firsthand.
Rhodes will give attendees a first look at its upcoming 61-key Rhodes stage piano, a more compact, portable design.
The company will also make the NAMM debut of their new Rhodes Custom Shop, which offers complete aesthetic customization options for the MK8 piano.
In addition to these lines, the Rhodes booth will feature a dedicated technology station, where attendees can explore the full suite of Rhodes virtual instruments and effects firsthand. This will include the V8 Series and Anthology Collection, along with Rhodes Chroma by Cherry Audio, V-Rack, and V-Pan.
At the 2025 NAMM Show, scheduled for January 21–25 in Anaheim, California, Korg will debut multi/poly native, a fully-compatible software counterpart to their recently introduced hardware multi/poly synthesizer.
multi/poly native is available in VST3, AAX, and standalone formats, on both macOS and Windows, as well as AU on macOS.
You can exchange sounds between hardware and software, and access an increasing number of third-party libraries. It also lets you record and produce in your DAW with multi/poly native, and then play the same sounds live using the multi/poly hardware. You can also do sound design using the hardware’s hands-on interface, and then share them with a computer-based collaborator.
The multi/poly is the first instrument to use KORG’s “next-generation” analog modeling technology. It’s like a polyphonic modular system in a compact, hands-on package.
It goes far beyond traditional analog synthesis, letting you create “mash-ups” with East-coast, West-coast, and wavetable oscillators and a wide selection of modeled filters. Virtual voice cards produce organic timbral variation.
And the multi/poly offers Kaoss Physics, Motion Sequencing 2.0, deep modulation options, and more.
KORG multi/poly native Demo Sounds:
Special Hardware/Software Crossgrade Offer
Owners of the hardware multi/poly are eligible for a crossgrade license to multi/poly native at the special price of US $49.99, via a coupon code tied to the multi/poly hardware’s unique ID.
Using the hardware and software versions together, you can have the best of both worlds: a physical instrument that responds to your touch, and complete DAW integration.
Korg multi/poly native will be available soon, priced at $199, or $49.99 for hardware multi/poly owners.
Korg has a habit of releasing its analogue synth reboots in both ‘full’ and ‘mini’ sizes, so we probably shouldn’t have been too surprised to learn that a smaller version of 2021’s miniKorg 700FS – itself an enhanced emulation of 1974’s MiniKorg 700S – is on the way.
The MiniKorg 700S built on the success of the MiniKorg 700, a single oscillator monosynth that was released in 1973. It added a second oscillator, ring modulator and various other things, all of which were included in the 700FS and now in the 700Sm.
At the 2025 NAMM Show, scheduled for January 21–25 in Anaheim, California, Korg will debut the miniKORG 700Sm, a compact variation on the reissue of the classic miniKORG 700, the company’s first mass-produced analog monosynth.
This mini version is 86% the size of its larger sibling and has 37 slim keys with aftertouch, but no velocity sensitivity. There are enhanced connectivity options in comparison to its ‘70s forebear: a USB connector (Type B), MIDI In, Sync In/Out, CV/GATE In and Audio In are all here. 1/4-inch stereo outputs and a headphones output are here, too.
The MiniKorg was originally conceived as a secondary keyboard that players would position on top of an organ when performing live, and the 700Sm could function in a similar way on top of your stage piano. For ease of access, many of the controls are positioned below the keyboard, so you’re looking straight at them when sitting down.
The Traveler controller is particularly noteworthy. Comprising upper and lower levers that control the cutoff frequency of the low-pass and high-pass filters respectively, this enables you to quickly dial in wah-wah and muted sounds. Unlike on the original MicroKorg 700S, you can tweak these levers without restriction, giving you even more sound design potential.
The miniKORG 700Sm Synthesizer intro video:
Other additions include 14 program memories, a spring reverb, a joystick for pitchbend and modulation and an arpeggiator.
Here’s what Korg has to say about the new KORG miniKORG 700Sm:
“The true beauty and richness of the sounds produced by the miniKORG 700 could not be realized through analog modeling technology that uses computational integrated circuitry such as DSPs and other devices to model analog circuitry.
Although it’s possible to replicate a circuit by using the same parts and copying the design schematics or circuit board, there’s no guarantee that this will reproduce the original sound. This is because the components deteriorate over time, dramatically altering the sound. To accurately recreate the original sound, we must rely on the experience and memories of the technicians who worked on the original product.
We were able to bring the original sound to life thanks to our team of technicians, who have gained invaluable expertise over the years through their work on numerous synthesizer revival projects. This team was guided by Fumio Mieda, a KORG engineer since the early 1970s and one of the designers of the original miniKORG 700S.
Working closely with Korg’s sound designers, they meticulously reproduced the original sound as faithfully as possible.”
The miniKORG 700Sm Demo Sounds:
The miniKorg 700Sm have a compact size and fun look, comes with a custom soft case and ‘free’ software bundle. Available to pre-order, price at £1,169/$1,300. Find out more on the Korg website.
