Amazon review

lloydsmith · Post by **lloydsmith** » Sat May 29, 2010 10:03 am

I left an Amazon UK review in the hope that it would help prospective purchasers - and maybe encourage other MS owners to leave reviews on the MS....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Korg-MICROSAMP- ... r-mr-title

It's another nudge to the inscrutable KORG to do any fixes that might be possible via the OS update - if it ever comes about.

It can't have escaped anyone's notice (well if you are still reading) that this forum is very quiet with few new postees and the old ones falling silent.

Economic slump aside, maybe our complaints have had something to do with this, and the new product halo has dimmed along with our enthusiasm. I still rate the MS highly but find the interface cheapens the experience of using it.

I fervently hope KORG learn something from this in future product design.

Griffin Avid · Post by **Griffin Avid** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 3:18 pm

Well done. I'm sure this will help lots of people. It could do mentioning that the shortcuts on the top of the keys is the better way to navigate the MS-1. I find the dials a bit of a drag too.

And the fact that only 1 sample per bank can be spread across the keyboard (pitch-shifted). That's the only limitation that really bothers me.
This *could* be the ultimate studio away from the studio if I could make entire beats using ALL the sounds in bank.

lloydsmith · Post by **lloydsmith** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 5:30 pm

Cheers G.A. I'll edit it to include those suggestions.

SMK · Post by **SMK** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:45 am

to Griffin Avid:

Honestly your input here and your articles in your magazine are the only resources that make me rethink my feelings about the Micro Sampler. I saw it more as overly priced for what you get. But I can see the value of this tool as a sound designer...and something I can add into my Kaoss rig.

Griffin Avid · Post by **Griffin Avid** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 7:50 pm

Oh wow, that's awesome to hear. I've always been into combining the gear in my studio. Running this through this and seeing what I get.

My first hope was to make the microSAMPLER a full-on production station.
I almost want to say "It's limitations..blah, blah, blah" but the truth is no one ever claimed ity was a Sampling Workstation so who am I to complain?

Right now, it's my drum Library host, drum machine and mini-sampler.

It's a bit of an effects processor and great for drag and dropping one-shots from the PC.

Michael Vortex · Post by **Michael Vortex** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:39 pm

Wow! Combining gear in the studio to see what you get is what it's all about. I am currently making a video starring the microSAMPLER with other studio instruments and hopefully in the next month or so, you could see yet another use of the microSAMPLER.

benedictjohnson · Post by **benedictjohnson** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 3:59 am

Mr Lloyd,
Good review, I'm in agreement!

I think that despite the confusing interface (which thanks to Griffin Avid will, I'm sure get easier with practise, not that it should have to) there's enough genuinely useful functionality to make the MicroSampler, in it's current instantiation, worth owning.

We're lucky to have a pattern sequencer, we're lucky to have effects as good as this, we're lucky to have 8 x 50MBs of sample RAM, we're lucky to have USB import connectivity. Take away any of these things and it's still worthwhile, you're still left with something that only a laptop+audio interface+Ableton Live+ancillary gear can replace, at probably double the cost.

Don't forget, we're also lucky that Korg made a dedicated sampler unit. They could have easily shoe-horned all this into a next-generation M3, in which case I would never come close to owning it...

lloydsmith · Post by **lloydsmith** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:30 pm

Your thanks much appreciated.

Finally fixed my Stylophone 350S. (a soldering job & a half). Think it could work well multisampled thru some effects so plan to get back into the MS shortly. Also got a Monotron also waiting to go.

KORG get a bashing at times but they do a good job making fun toys that can be put to serious work.

benedictjohnson · Post by **benedictjohnson** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 4:28 am

Just out of interest, are you able to 'play' the Monotron in any recognizable way? I tried one last weekend in a store and it certainly has a special tone and filter but I wonder what practical purpose you could put it to? (Other than just FX of course).

They're so cheap, I'll probably end up buying one regardless!

lloydsmith · Post by **lloydsmith** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:13 am

Not really a primary synth although much can be wrung out of it with skill & practise. Simple riffs are easy enough. Using a computer or looper or the Microsampler - can multitrack it to make polyphonic chords as well as bleeps & squelchy noises. Good with phaser, delay, reverb etc. The filter is quite powerful & can process input sound as well. Quite useful little chap. Use a DS stylus if keyboard size an issue.

lloydsmith · Post by **lloydsmith** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:04 pm

Added more of my experience with it under KORG synths.