Keyboards Microkorg

[dooce]

Anyone had any experience with these (I should explain that it's a mini synthesiser if the name means nothing to you)? I am seriously interested in a used one, not only as a toy but as a doubling instrument for band work - I am a barely capable keys player but can do enough to do background fills and block chords for numbers where the sax doesn't fit. And I want to create my own backing tracks and original music, and this seems like the sort of self-contained, straightforward tool that can do all of that.

Or is it a horrendously complicated box of tricks capable of being understood only by techno-geeks?

http://www.korg.com/microkorg

 

[altissimo]

it's not got full size keys and it's only 4 voice polyphonic, so you can only play 4 notes simultaneously, which may be a limitation on more complex chords or playing it with both hands. Soundwise it seems pretty good as a synthesiser, but if you want realistic piano sounds, then you may want to look at proper electronic pianos

 

[wol916]

I'd second the previous comment, looks and sounds OK but if possible try to get something with full sized keys.

 

[ellinas]

I'd second the previous comment, looks and sounds OK but if possible try to get something with full sized keys.

Then try to find an akai miniak or alesis micron. Normal size keys and a really really good engine. They are basically the same thing in a different branded enclosure.

I ve used both the microkorg and the miniak in the past and they are great as a mini size virtual analog solution as long as this is not the main thing you do. I was using them for funky solos paired with a talkbox on top off my organ . Unbelievable fun. My my ..... Those were the days

Try both. They are exceptionally good for the price. Dont expect to get a super realistic analog sound from them. But they are impressive and in the right hands they can do wonders.

 

[ellinas]

If you need a more general keyboard though and not something that focuses on analog sounds,myou better get a nice used yamaha mm6. Nice library of sounds. A swish army knife of groovy sounds. Pretty underated and cheap when found second hand.

 

[dooce]

Thanks for you thoughts, all. I discounted the miniAK/micron because they do not have USB connection. To be quite honest, I am not at all sure what I would do with USB connection if I had it but as one of my goals is to use the thing for creating my own music and backing tracks, I am guessing that straightforward computer connectivity is going to be pretty useful. I did look at the MM6 but another attraction of the Korg is its small size - the Yamaha is pretty much a full-size keyboard. As you can guess, I am a novice in the world of electronic music so any tips on how people have used these bits of kit as doubling instruments/home studio toys would be really useful.

 

[Jamesmac]

Why not check out a EWI . Similar to sax fingering. The onboard sounds are a bit naff, so you would need something else for your sounds. I use a VL70 with the patchman chip. There are lots of examples on YouTube.