Korg Forums

Hello all,
I've had my KOpro for a couple months now and have only begun recently to use it in more than a novelty way. Attempting to use it in a very precise manner seems to be difficult however because i have no idea how the scales are actually mapped to the 8x8 grid.

ex: Ionian (major) scale has 8 tones (7+octave) which would in my mind (assuming we have the note range set to one octave) be mapped to one square each beginning with the note we set as our key note. is this a correct line of thought or is it not programmed this way?

this mapping is easy to understand but what about when we are using a pentatonic scale which only has 5 tones plus an octave? or how about when it is set to multiple octaves?

... almost makes me want to take out my tuner and check out each little block..... anyone have any factual knowledge before i dump a whole bunch of time into it?

much appreciation,
The Funk

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the blocks do not correspond in any way to any scales. i would recommend printing out a grid on acetate and placing it over the touch pad if you want to mark your own specific scale references

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6O4Sh_T7Ds

Hi Funk. yup it would have made sense to have atleast one scale matching the square grids but unfortunately Korg forgot to think of this. Some may argue that this adds to the 'Kaos' of it but in reality it just ends up with you resorting to sliding your finger around instead of making anything actually musical.

interesting suggestions

Because you can change the scale, the scale length, and key it would be impossible as well as really meaningless to have any type of scale markings.

here is something I have figured out: on the scale lengths you have a consistent measure of how many notes are covered in each "block". In most cases you end up "rolling your finger" . you may have 3 notes per block or 2 or just one; all of which depend on scale length.

Really, this is a whole new instrument! For example I play fretless guitar. I know some folks here who play fretless bass. We don't need markers, we just use our ears. Cello, Violin, cello and viola players have been doing this for years. Just think of the Kaoss pad as a keyless version of the keyboard much like how we fretless guitarists handle our fretless instruments

thanks everyone for the input.

Since 80% of blues, funk, and rock is pentatonic i decided to see what my tuner had to say about the layout of the notes when i set it to a Bm pentatonic minor scale over one octave:

BBDEF#ABB

we therefore have the one octave of the scale on the middle 6 notes on the x axis and unison notes of the high and low tonic on the outside.

when i put a Bm natural scale (dorian) over one octave it did not have each scale degree correspond to a block, rather as SMK said there are divisions within the blocks and you end up rolling your finger to access the next tone.

it really is a whole new instrument and one which is doing alot for my music. I'm not a DJ like the majority of those who use kaossilators, i use mine to feed into my RC-50 because if you guys dont already know the looper in the KOpro is disappointing at best. I mix my kaossilator in with real instruments and am looking for precision because in my act nothing is gonna sound very good if im just doodling sounds on a touchscreen. i would assert that people playing to club and rave crowds have a bit more leeway in that respect than i because that demographic might not care so much about carefully constructed phrases of music as they do to hear a crazy synth crescendo over 4+ octaves.

bottom line?

Kaossilator is a legitimate instrument, but a bitch to play with any accuracy. i wish korg would just use the top LED display to display the note currently being played. i think that would make the Kaossilator Pro useful to more musicians and could broaden their range of target consumers beyond DJ's and mad scientists.

do i smell a patch?

What do you find so disappointing about the looper in the KPro? I'm not being defensive, just curious.

And your point about fans of dance music not caring about accuracy and careful construction of the music is bogus and not withstanding. There are just as many people go to see DJ's for their technical skills as there are people go to see bands for theirs. And, in some respects, there is more pressure on a DJ. If he/she misses a drop, clangs a mix or messes up a build, it affects the entire atmosphere. Something that a mistake in a typical rock gig would not do. (Some) DJ's do not get enough respect for what they do.
However, I see where you're coming from. I just think it's a place you and other people should stay away from.

I am on both 'funk' side and 'Mr36's. I am a DJ but find the Kaossilator Pro totally useless when trying to get any accuracy in musical melodies. I found the original Kaossilator far better and have now sold the Kaossilator Pro due to its many other design faults. I would suggest to funk to get an original Kaossilator and add a grid to it. It has some great gates on it which can make some lovely tunes. Its a fantastic piece of hardware where the Kaossilator Pro is not. I spent more time trying to figure work arounds for its design flaws than I did making music.

Just to clarify, I sold my KPro too. For very similar reasons. It may be part of the Kaoss range but it is more trouble than it's worth (in my opinion) to get accurate melodies out of it. For that kind of "Kaoss", an original is infinitely better.

I hope Korg addresses these issues and releases a major firmware update. Id consider buying one again then. Its such a shame though, this product had so much potential to be brilliant

Yes, I remember being so excited when the videos were coming out of NAMM. Oh well. I have become seriously disillusioned with Korg though. I now only own the MS-20 plug-in...

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Being a huge fan of the original Kaossilator, I pretty much knew what I was getting into with the KOPro. A little more note accuracy would have been appreciated, but I also value the spontaneity of the instrument. And if I really want precise control over the sounds, I sample the KOPro onto the Microsampler and use the keyboard function to get what I want. I realize that's a rather expensive workaround, but the KOPro is still the easiest and fastest way to throw something together that I can start jamming on.

I've been convinced on the OG Kaossilator after seeing Keller Williams use it last night in his looping show. Once the money is there for it im gonna grab one and grid it out. Also gonna grid out the pro once i get to staples for some sheets.

Dont get me wrong i love my KOpro, just not as much as i thought i would before i got it.

I'm not trying to hate on DJ's or any scene its all art and all takes dedication and skill. I just find the music to be less evoking of emotion, there may be a man behind the machines but its just not the same for me. There may be eletronica artists who use fundamental theory to build some amazing soundscapes but unless im tripping face i just cant get down with it by and large.


It seems gridding out the kaossilator is the solution i was looking for when i began this thread. Once i get comfortable enough with my KOpro/RC-50 combo things are gonna get savvy.