Korg Forums

[Krazof]

Hey all,

I'm interested in getting a synthesizer but I'd like some advice as to which one I should get. I'm quite new to it so any advice anyone could give would be much appreciated. I'd like to be able to make all genres of music, but I'm interested in making Kraftwerk-type music and general pop, rock, metal or dance. Is a synthesizer all that is needed to be able to make a full song? Can realistic sounds be produced like an actual piano for example, or would I need to buy a keyboard with a synthesizer built in (I think I've seen them?). Are those less customisable as synthesizers than "pure" synthesizers? I've been looking at the R3, microKorg, X50 etc. What is the difference between the synthesizers with keys and those with just knobs? I'd quite like to have a vocoder built in as well. And those touchpads which produce sounds look cool too, but again I don't know what's really necessary or whether those sounds can be produced without the touchpad on other synthesizers.

Sorry about the number of questions and how mixed up they are. Many thanks!

[xmlguy]

What is your budget?

To get everything you mentioned in one keyboard will cost over $2000 new, and with speakers/amp, stand, bench, and accessories, probably closer to $3000+up.

Or you may be perfectly happy with a Casio WK 200 from Best Buy, that includes a stand, add a bench for $40 with a Korg MiniKP+Kaossilator for $150/each, for a budget of under $600.

If you feel the need to buy something right away, get the Casio WK 200 from Best Buy (WK200STAD), since it's at worst a $200 mistake, not a $3000 mistake.

[Krazof]

The keyboard with the kaossilator and miniKP sounds pretty good. Thanks for replying.

What exactly does each of those do? Are they capable of making the kinda sounds I've heard from the electribes (on youtube) by themselves without a keyboard?

So they will attach to the keyboard and put the effects onto the keyboard's sounds?

When I think I have a good idea of what to buy (and have some money saved up) I'll probably go to the shop and try a few out to see which suits me the best.

[xmlguy]

That keyboard has a lot of built-in sounds. It has a sequencer. It can record your playing. It can be controlled via USB-midi from a computer. It has built-in rhythm beats with auto-accompaniment that will follow the chords you play with your left hand.

The miniKP does effects that are controlled with the XY pad.

The kaossilator is a synth that you control with the XY pad. Search youtube for samples of the miniKP and kaossilator. The kaossilator also does rhythm beats and looping.

With a small mixer you can combine the sounds of the keyboard with the kaossilator, then use the miniKP effects on them both.

[Krazof]

Thank you for the advice.

[Krazof]

Can the Radias do everything which the two Electribes can do? The electribes look really good, but getting both would be more expensive than getting the Radias...

Also, could you plug a microphone into the electribes to make a vocoder?

I'm also wondering how the Electribes compare to the Kaossilator and Kaoss pads...

And what are the most well known software synthesizers (for Windows)?

Thanks

[xmlguy]

No the Radias can't do most of what the Electribes do. But the Radias can do things that the Electribes can't do.

There is actually very little overlap in function between Korg products.

If you had an EMX-1, ESX-1, KP3, Radias or R3, and Kaossilator, then you could not remove any one of them without losing many significant useful features. In fact, that's why I have most of them and I'm not selling any of them. I use Roland SP-404 and SP-606 instead of the ESX-1, and I have the R3, not the Radias. However I have all of the functions of the gear above, and more, and I won't give up any function without replacing it with something that's better.

If you want a vocoder, only the R3, KP3, and Radias have them of the products mentioned in this thread.

[Krazof]

Ah, I see. So it's really a question of which to get first...

By the way, when sampling with the ESX-1, how exactly is this done? Do you just record with a microphone?

Also, the keyboard which they sell with the Radias... It looks like it has no features (only the 2 slider things) which seems pretty bad for the extra £200... For that price you can get a pretty good keyboard, is this right? It seems a bit strange...

(I'm just trying to get an idea of what everything's like, I'm not made of money )

Thanks again, you've been a great help.

[xmlguy]

The R3 is a better value than the Radias, which is one reason why I bought it instead. In fact, I'd rather have two R3s than one Radias. Radias is better for people who like editing with lots of knobs instead of using a software editor. The additional polyphony of 24 vs. 8 on the R3, and 4 timbres instead of 2 may or may not be worth the extra cost. For me it wasn't. It also helped that I found the R3 on sale for $420. The Radias is better for modifying the sound of guitar or bass because it has an envelope follower that lets you do an AutoWaw, for example. But for the most part, the R3 can do the same sounds as the Radias.

When sampling on the ESX or any sampler, normally you just hook the audio outputs of some other gear to the inputs on the sampler. You only need to use a mic for vocals or any acoustic instrument that doesn't have audio outputs.

[dave]

Great resource for beginners:

http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

Kind regards.
_________________
Dave Bourke
- ideation -

[Krazof]

Thank you both.

[X-Trade]

I think that if you feel you really want to get into it, you're looking for a workstation.
its a bit like a low end 'keyboard' in that it has all of the basic 'sounds', but you can also sequence your entire song on it without even touching a computer...

its based on samples, but usually has filters and stuff too, so not only does it have piano and guitar etc but also has many synth sounds.
good examples are the M3, M50, TR, Triton, Triton LE, even the M1...
then other brands like the alesis fusion, Roland Juno G, Fantom series, etc...

a 'real' synthesizer will give you more hands on control, but generally you loose things like pianos, organs, etc.

I have yet to come across a decent synthesizer that fits into workstation and flexible VA (real synth) both....

workstation also tends to cost more than the synthesizer also though.


I can particularly recommend the M50.. I would say the TR as that's what i started with, but the M50 wins hands down against it for features or sound quality...

[Krazof]

Hey, I got the R3! It's absolutely amazing, I've made a few little musical pieces by recording the separate parts on audacity, and I love how you can make an entire song with just this one instrument.

Thanks everyone for your help.