Musikmesse 2018 11th-14th April

[karmathanever]

Music Show in Frankfurt from 11th to 14th April

Any of you guys with "the contacts" have any nice rumours?

Pete

[D575]

Don't hold me to this....... but with the Jupiter 80 being discontinued I am hearing rumours of some sort of high end replacement from roland?? But you would think Namm a more fitting stage for that type of new release...so if not this year's Frankfurt then maybe the following namm...Who Knows?

[Matty_Boy]

I’d like to see a new Krome replacement from Korg.

[Asena]

WELL
I think Korg will be the center.

[jimknopf]

Looking at the last years, I'm deeply impressed by the Korg development team. And despite owing a Prophet 6, a Prologue may well be my next investment.

To my knowledge (correct me if I'm wrong) Korg is still the smallest of the "big three" Japanese keyboard developers Yamaha, Roland and Korg. Still, Korg has managed to become the top of the innovative forces in synth and keyboard development over the last decade from my view, FAR ahead of anything Yamaha and Roland have offered in recent years. The Roland TR 8s is their best shot in a long time (I really like that one), and Yamaha isn't even in reach of ANYTHING remarable IMHO (the Montage is nothing but a weird mixture of strength and lame weaknesses to me). Congratulations to the Korg development team for doing the best job far and wide! I'm really curios to see their next steps.

And one more thing: after only a half a dozen years of using Korg gear, I have learned one thing: if Dan Philipps (whom I regard to be a key personality along the lines of former leading Roland developer Eric Persing: we only have SOME of these outstanding personalities in music gear business any longer) is hardly seen discussing here, he normally is working on MAJOR new projects!

I have no idea whatsoever, when these new projects may come to life and public, but I would bet on something substantial in the making anytime! Greetz and hats off to you, Dan!

The longer I understand the Oasys/Kronos project, after long use, the more impressed I am about a simply outstanding development and coordination job of the Korg team, writing musical gear history, just like Eric persings former developmens or his new Spectrasonics job have been! Many recent Korg offers have confirmed that view.

[megamarkd]

Looking at the last years, I'm deeply impressed by the Korg development team. And despite owing a Prophet 6, a Prologue may well be my next investment.

There is definitely a different tone that comes out of them both, and not just because of the 2pole vs 4pole architecture.

To my knowledge (correct me if I'm wrong) Korg is still the smallest of the "big three" Japanese keyboard developers Yamaha, Roland and Korg. Still, Korg has managed to become the top of the innovative forces in synth and keyboard development over the last decade from my view, FAR ahead of anything Yamaha and Roland have offered in recent years. The Roland TR 8s is their best shot in a long time (I really like that one), and Yamaha isn't even in reach of ANYTHING remarable IMHO (the Montage is nothing but a weird mixture of strength and lame weaknesses to me). Congratulations to the Korg development team for doing the best job far and wide! I'm really curios to see their next steps.

If you look at what the "big 3" companies make, Korg is the only company who only makes musical instruments and accessories. In my mind, that is the difference. Everyone employed at Korg is there to work on making and selling music gear. Not printers, not motorcycles.

[Sharp]

I predict lots of Guitar Tuners being released as always.

Seems Guitarists use them for everything, even wiping their backsides. They are highly disposable too. You can never have enough Guitar Tuners. In fact, if I were a guitarist, I'd probably give 10 of them away to the next person who posts below me just so I could buy more.

If only someone could make an edible range for Guitarists. I think that would go a long way to solving this constant problem of never feeling like they have enough. They would go with everything. A bit of fresh salad and a juicy tuner, yummy.

If you blend them you can even snort them. So many uses. We need more Guitar Tuners.

Sharp.

[Soundsgood]

I predict lots of Guitar Tuners being released as always.

Seems Guitarists use them for everything, even wiping their backsides. They are highly disposable too. You can never have enough Guitar Tuners. In fact, if I were a guitarist, I'd probably give 10 of them away to the next person who posts below me just so I could buy more.

If only someone could make an edible range for Guitarists. I think that would go a long way to solving this constant problem of never feeling like they have enough. They would go with everything. A bit of fresh salad and a juicy tuner, yummy.

If you blend them you can even snort them. So many uses. We need more Guitar Tuners.

Sharp.

[skinmechanic]

I fail to see what Korg have done that the other manufacturers haven't (Big 3)?

If you go back to 2005 when the Oasys was released based on a standard PC mainboard with Linux, with an open architecture, it allowed them to release the software versions of the MS20, Polysix plugins for the format (borrowing from their legacy collection) and the HD-1 was an update of the Triton engine.

The Korg Kronos uses the same environment on a slightly more powerful standard PC motherboard (if you look inside a Kronos you can see that the motherboard still has the built in printer serial socket and VGA connector as it would be if the motherboard was put into a PC.

The Kronos is still going with the basis of the main synthesis engines that were released in a mainboard 13 years ago. The krome is basically the HD-1 engine tweaked for the hardware it's sat on.

Although they've released the Volca range, and a few analogue synths doesn't make them more innovative than the other two. Releasing analogue synths you could say isn't innovative at all.

Roland have tweaked and updated their fantom workstations until they brought out a new concept not based on PCM waveforms with their supernatural technology. Granted they missed the mark a little with not enough realtime controls and to be honest a lacklustre OS but still it was just as innovative has the other big names.

Yamaha have borrowed heavily from their AWM2 synth engine with the Motif's for years, their hardware though with the XF certainly surpassed that of the Kronos, and the AWM2 is actually a very powerful synth engine when you get under the hood stacking up 48 oscillators but on the surface it was just seen as a Rompler.

I don;t think any of the big three have been very innovative and all have their strengths and weaknesses but I don't see just releasing an Analogue synth as been ahead of the other competition everything is subjective.

[Koekepan]

Not sure I quite agree with skinmechanic on the analysis.

You certainly listed a lot of things that are not innovative, but in terms of generating sounds there's just a limited set of ways you can go. The latest thing I've seen from anyone is inside the Novation Peak, but other than that you have digital (in which case you might as well include PCM as an option for your oscillations) or analogue (which does a range of useful things, but that range is rather constrained).

The real innovations have been in form factor and (in some cases) workflow. The Volca range heralded the triumphant return of the desktop, which is a godsend to those of us who don't want to (or can't afford to) go modular at hundreds (or thousands) of dollars per voice, but don't want to be trapped inside one sexy cage called a workstation. AIRA comes heartbreakingly close to revealing the real potential here, but we'll have to see how that goes.

KORG has been very active in pushing this new world. We just need to figure out how best to make use of it.

[Kevin Nolan]

I'm partly with skinmechanic on this - around 2005 Korg's synth range was exquisite - Kaoss, Electribe, Microkorg, R3, Radias, M3 and OASYS - and all innovative. Just prior to that - the Prophecy, Z1 and Triton.

Since that time it's been a bit of a mixed bag - and for me the era of Tatsuya Takahashi, despite some of his novel approaches, has unfortunately meant no earnest new innovations and instead a rehash of old formats in new, tiny formats.

I don't want to be too critical because the advent of the Monotron and Monotribe were actually quite central to the instigation of much of the cheaper analogue synths we enjoy today; and indeed the Odyssey release has been done with class, no doubt about it; while the Prologue us _very_ competitive price / performance wise.

But - there has in truth been a significant slow down in the development of new and innovative synth technology from Korg in the past 10 years. As skin mechanic points out - the Kronos is an OASYS with piano add-ons and OS updates - so it is in essence 13 year old innovation. Not to knock it - it's amazing - but - I'd like to see Korg be as radical and bold once again as they were with the M1, Z1, Radias and OASYS.

Little they release these days really "excites" like they were once capable of.

I realise it's harder to do that, but I'd like to see them at least try.

[GregC]

I like this big 3 round up, where folks state their beliefs and sentiment from their experience.

1) Yamaha. I am annoyed with their approach and delivery. Montage is 1/2 very strong and 1/2 half -assed. For a $3500 keyboard to have weaknesses is disappointing. After a decade of this and general nonchalance , they are a non factor, IMO

2) I think Roland is coming back. They have stepped up support every which way . They have interesting products. I know folks feel burned in the past or disappointed. Give Roland a chance. we need a strong Roland.

3) Longtime Korg owner. And I am critical. They are typical in some respects of flogging the same old horse year after year. I think having a flag ship w/s with different colors is waste of co resources. If I were president, I would invest in better tech on a W/s as a standard 1-2 year routine. I disagree with a flagship product having a 8-10 year product cycle. Or realistically a 13 year product cycle.
I admire their synth products, their IOS approach. I know this is important business. Korg could do it all, consistently, but oddly enough, they fall short.
I know about their synths keyboards from 10 -20 yrs ago. In terms of business, I think we should emphasize looking forward more than looking backwards in time.

If I was President , I would publicly support their w/s model. Or show they are committed. I don't find a 1 sentence remark by a product specialist to be worth much. I know all bout NDA's. Blah blah blah. This is 2018. I am glad we have other choices because software has turbo charged music production.

[Bachus]

61 key version of the Yamaha Genos, info has been leaked by some German dealers known to have strong ties to the Yamaha headquarters. It was in several Genos facebookgroups.

If they really wanted to attrack new crowds, it would have been an 88 key version or a module.. with full cpabilites.

[Jan1]

At last this forum is accessible again, this downtime period sure happens very often.

Re Genos:
I agree that a module or 88 key version would be great, but then again Yamaha should also make an effort to include functionality one expects from a professional instrument.
Such as the DAW integration you find on the Motif (incl. audio over USB, something which you even can find on budget synth such as the Boutiques...), it should have the YEM app on the GENOS as well.
But I have to say that it sounds excellent, better than KORG's PA4X (with exception of the piano/e.piano/organs, at least to my ears), with the KORG guitars trailing way behind the guitars on the GENOS.

As far as Musikmesse is concerned, from the 'big 3' Roland is missing, like last year.
I suspect they will have a special 6/06 or 5/05 day.
KORG could have something of more interest to show than a new batch of guitar tuners, and the same goes for Yamaha, but if last year is any indication it's best to have no expectations whatsoever.

[Bachus]

At last this forum is accessible again, this downtime period sure happens very often.

Re Genos:
I agree that a module or 88 key version would be great, but then again Yamaha should also make an effort to include functionality one expects from a professional instrument.
Such as the DAW integration you find on the Motif (incl. audio over USB, something which you even can find on budget synth such as the Boutiques...), it should have the YEM app on the GENOS as well.
But I have to say that it sounds excellent, better than KORG's PA4X (with exception of the piano/e.piano/organs, at least to my ears), with the KORG guitars trailing way behind the guitars on the GENOS.

As far as Musikmesse is concerned, from the 'big 3' Roland is missing, like last year.
I suspect they will have a special 6/06 or 5/05 day.
KORG could have something of more interest to show than a new batch of guitar tuners, and the same goes for Yamaha, but if last year is any indication it's best to have no expectations whatsoever.

Its not only Genos...
Same goes for pa4x...

I would love to see an 88 key cross between pa4x and the grandstage..
With 8 sounds to spreead over the whole keyrange (instead of the 4 from the pa4x) and more dsp power..