At Superbooth 2024, held May 16-18 in Berlin, Tatsuya Takahashi & KORG Berlin introduced the Acoustic Synthesis Phase8.
This video captures the Korg Berlin Gesprächskonzert from May 17th, where they offered an introduction to their team and the new Phase8 acoustic synthesizer. They explain their approach to acoustic synthesis, and demo the Phase8 and its capabilities.
Watch the video and share your thoughts on the Phase8 in the comments!
Sonic State caught up with Korg Berlin’s Lukas Hartmann, who was demonstrating the unique electronically controlled acoustic instrument.
The Korg Acoustic Synthesis_phase8 is an electronically controlled acoustic instrument, that is part melodic synthesizer, part drum machine. At the heart of the instrument are several individual resonators that you can control electronically or by physically touching them.
The Acoustic Synthesis_phase8 is being positioned as a product prototype. Korg plans to officially introduced the instrument next year.
At Superbooth 2024, being held May 16-18 in Berlin, Korg Berlin is showcasing their latest prototype of the Acoustic Synthesis_phase8.
The Korg Acoustic Synthesis_phase8 is an electronically controlled acoustic instrument, that is part melodic synthesizer, part drum machine.
What makes it acoustic? You and the environment interact physically with the instrument. You can even mute, pluck or interfere with the resonators to sculpt the sound.
Here’s how it works:
Acoustic Synthesis unites the sonic richness of real physically vibrating bodies with electronic control.
The vibrating bodies in this prototype are a set of metallic resonators. Their geometries have been tuned so they vibrate at specific frequencies.
Like in a piano, the resonator is hit it with a hammer, except Korg’s hammer is electromagnetic. This provides very precise control over when and how the resonators are struck.
Korg Berlin introduced the phase8’s predecessor, the Acoustic Synthesis_phase5, at Superbooth 2023. The phase5 was positioned as a demonstration of Acoustic Synthesis as a technology.
The Acoustic Synthesis_phase8 is being positioned as a product prototype. Korg notes, “We expect many similarities between this and the eventual product release. While there are details to be ironed out, as we adapt the design for mass-production, expect something along this trajectory.
They plan to debut the production version at Superbooth 2025.
