Korg microKORG > Reviews (6)

The microKORG is a very old but still good synthesizer to use. It is considered the beginner's synthesizer.

It has 37 keys and 128 voices on it. You select these 128 voices via the Program Select knob which can switch it to the 8 options given which are: Trance, Techno/House, Electronica, D'n'B/Breaks, Hiphop/Vintage, Retro, S.E./Hit and Vocoder. There is an Side A/B button, so you can switch between the 8 program numbers given on each side, giving you the ability to choose between 128 voices (8*8*2=128). The LED is show as, for example A21, which means A (Side chosen), 2 (program selected via knob), 1 (program number chosen).

On the microKorg interface, you have: a volume control in the top left hand corner;
an arpeggiator button below it in which the arpreggiator options can be changed via the Edit Select 2 knob;
an octave shift as the synth only has three octaves and a 4th C at the top;
a pitch bend wheel in which the bend value can be changed in the pitch option via the Edit Select 1 knob;
a modulation wheel in which the modulation can be changed in the Mod Fx option via the Edit Select 2 knob;
a write button, which only works by hold the shift button and the 8 button, switching the protection to off by turning the cutoff knob to the left;
a shift button, which can be used for protection or other things shown in the manual;
the Edit Select 1 knob from which you can switch to Voice, Pitch, OSC 1, OSC 2, Mixer, Filter, Filter EG, AMP, AMP EG, LFO 1, LFO 2, and more options if used for a vocoder;
the Edit Select 2 knob from which you can switch to Patch 1, Patch 2, Patch 3, Patch 4, Mod Fx, Delay, EQ, Arpeg.A, Apreg.B, Global and Midi;
a Timbre Select/Formant Hold button which can be used to thicken textures when use for unison synths and a Cutoff/Resonance/EG Attack/EG Release/Tempo knob.

On the upper edge of the synthesizer, it has a DC 9V/6A at inverse polarity, a standby/on button, Midi Thru, Out and In inputs, a volume knob for both Audion In 1 and 2, a Line input for Audio In 2, a mic/line switch button for the Audio In 1, a Condenser mic input (size of a normal laptop microphone input), a Dynamic mic input (XLR to 1/4" Jack is useful), a left and right output (for live stereo feel) and a headphone output.

The synth presets within the microKORG are very good. My personal favourite is A14, when on a unison, which can be changed by going to Voice, and changed the EG Attack knob to "uni".

The vocoder is a perticular main feature of the microKORG. Most microKORGs come with a detachable microphone. As I got my one secondhand, I did not recieve one. But i found that putting a Shure SM-58 via a XLR to 1/4" jack lead in the Audio In 1 input, you can get an amazingly crystal clear sound of the vocoding effect. Try using the given information on A86 on a low octave, preferably when the octave shift reaches orange on the left side.

Many popular artists such as Enter Shiarki use it for their music. It is a handy synthesizer, realatively light, and fun to use. I recommend it for all keyboard players who are intersted in taking up the synthesizer side of keyboard playing and for any bands startings up.