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Korg MONOTRON 16-Key Synthesizer

Korg MONOTRON 16-Key Synthesizer

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Korg MONOTRON 16-Key Synthesizer

 
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MONOTRON

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Powered by two alkaline aaa batteries, the compact monotron can be held in one hand. although small enough to easily carry with you, the amazing monotron is packed with korg's legendary analog technology, generating thick and powerful sounds. concentrating on the most important sound parameters, the controls have been streamlined as much as possible. the panel contains only five knobs and one switch. with this level of simplicity, now anyone can easily enjoy the world of analog synthesizers. borrowing the enjoyment of performing with a simple touch from korg's wildly popular kaoss products, the monotron's ribbon controller keyboard takes this ease of use even farther. simple finger gestures can produce expressive effects such as vibrato and glide. the monotron's circuit is radically simple: one voltage-controlled oscillator, one voltage-controlled filter, and one low frequency oscillator. since each knob directly applies a specific change to the sound, the process of sound creation is intuitive, and instantly understandable. the monotron encourages exploration and experimentation, and provides the joy of sonic creativity that's at the heart of analog synthesis. the monotron uses the same highly acclaimed vcf circuit as korg's classic ms-10 and ms-20 semi modular synthesizers. originally released over 30 years ago, these instruments are still coveted today for their aggressive, dynamic filters. the vcf cutoff knob sets the frequency or tone of the filter; the vcf peak knob adds emphasis. a powerful filter is an essential aspect of any analog synthesizer, applying dramatic tonal changes to the sound, and projecting an intense personality that will stand out in any live performance.

 
List Price: $90.00
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Product Details
Product Length:6.0 inches
Product Width:2.0 inches
Product Height:3.0 inches
Product Weight:0.21 pounds
Package Length:6.1 inches
Package Width:3.2 inches
Package Height:1.5 inches
Package Weight:0.4 pounds
Average Customer Rating: based on 29 reviews

Features
  • Full-fledged, true analog synthesizer: VCO, VCF, LFO

  • Inspiring, easy-to-play ribbon keyboard

  • Intuitive, fun-to-tweak controls

  • Features the same classic analog filter found in the legendary Korg MS-10 & MS-20

  • Filter any external source using the audio input jack


Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:4.5 ( 29 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 found the following review helpful:


5Great value  Aug 29, 2010 By KBSoundSmith
This is a great little item.

First of all, it's just a lot of fun to use. It very well might be the funnest and most carefree synth of I've ever used. Second, for the size and features, it's just a great value--the filter is awesome, and the type of sound you can get out of this little thing is very surprising.

Now, the onboard speaker output can be a bit noisy; however, it isn't bad, and it's very easy to get around that and keep a good quality sound by using aux. input and output with an audio interface (I'm using the Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP), just make sure you get the proper cables and adapters and use it as a line input. The aux. input is a great feature, letting you route audio into the unit to make use of the filter--I imagine this is what many people will use this for. Also, the unit is great for circuit bending (see youtube...) and is quite an adaptable machine (and at this price, you can afford to make a mistake during a hack, although with how quickly they sell, it may be a bit before you can get a replacement...).

Now, since it is a ribbon controller, it's best suited for glissandos and fx, not really for melody--however, it can be great for a bass part. Add external fx processing (delay lines, reverb, and granular synthesis are especially fun) and you start to see what a little beast this thing is.

Get one. And then a second.

15 of 16 found the following review helpful:


4It is what it is, but its definitely more than meets the eye  Jan 10, 2011 By YRMOTHER
First off let me say that Korg always makes good products and cool innovations. That said, the monotron definitely lives up to the Korg reputation, albeit a few minor flaws.

The best feature about this, I would say, would be the ability to channel in audio via a 3.5mm jack and assign modulation and a filter. Its really cool to sequence something on a DAW or keyboard/synth, and then push it thru the monotron and experiment with the settings. Surprisingly, there are quite a number of effects you can get from the mere 5 knobs on the device. This leads me to my main point: The Monotron is an absolutely fantastic device, used in conjunction with other instruments/effects. As a standalone instrument, however, it does suffer from a few minor issues:
-limited range of keys (16) and of which are slightly off tune (though you can adjust this manually with a screwdriver...also, apparently ribbon synths are subject to change with temperature)
-output is unbalanced, so expect noise
-the input and outputs are positioned almost too close together, to the point where you really can't plug in two cables with adaptors on them.

But, when it comes down to it, is it worth the price? Definitely. Its well worth having if you're looking for an effect that can be precisely and manually controlled. If you're creative, you can most certainly come up with some very creative applications for this device. It has a real lot of potential, and it makes me feel like Korg would do well to create a slightly more upscale version.

9 of 9 found the following review helpful:


5Hard to put down!  Jan 03, 2011 By T. VANBRONKHORST
If you don't yet own an analog synth but have always wanted one, this is a fun and relatively cheap way to get started. But be forewarned: you'll have trouble letting go of it once you start.
My only (trivial) quibble with the Monotron is that the "keys" are smaller than the width of my finger, which makes playing melodies or bass lines a bit challenging. Granted, the keyboard markings are only meant as a general guide, but with or without the markings it's just a very small playing space to try and play an octave's range of notes. But it still definitely gets the job done.
I love this thing. I will be recording with it every chance I get.

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:


5Scares the cats  May 14, 2011 By Yabba Dabba Doooooooooo
My cats take off whenever I turn it on. I can play wiht it for hours. Poor cats.

5 of 5 found the following review helpful:


5DAMN THIS THING IS FUN!!!!  Mar 01, 2011 By Alexander Reyes "FARS"
Didn't know what to expect but after a few minutes I was diggin it! I've used a nord and Kurzweil and soft synths from Reason to Logic, and though they can sound great, there's something dirty and beautiful about this little beasty. If those aforementioned synths are like the prim and proper girls with great jobs and a future, this thing is the cool, simple cute punk rock chic that makes you wanna act bad and wake up late for work. With so limited functions, it definitely reminds me of using knobs and faders on a dj mixer...and I love that feeling!

See all 29 customer reviews on Amazon.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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