Assuming its great post-launch momentum keeps up, the Switch is bound to get a lot of excellent titles in the years to come. Given the flexibility of its Joy-Con controllers, we'll likely see plenty of developers experiment with unique control schemes in some of those games. One of the first companies to do so isn't a game developer at all, but rather music company Korg.
Korg has launched a new synthesizer that is a follow-up to the popular microKorg synth that was launched way back in 2002. The new synthesizer is called the microKorg S and it has some new features that will make it a worth upgrade to the original. Those new features include an integrated 2+1 speaker system that has plenty of power despite the devices small stature.
Korg has a pair of new wireless music controllers for digital musicians on the go, with the nanoKEY Studio and nanoKONTROL Studio hooking up to iOS devices and laptops. Launched at NAMM 2016, the portable duo support both Bluetooth and USB, and work with not only Korg's own Gadget soft-synth but popular apps like Garageband and any other Bluetooth MIDI compatible software.
Korg sure knows how to make a slick-looking synthesizer, and the Minilogue packs not only analog squelch but an affordable price, too. $499.99 gets you a four-voice, fully-programable polyphonic analog synth all wrapped up in aluminum and wood with some seriously retro detailing.
The team at KORG aren't holding anything back this week at NAMM 2015. They've revealed multiple devices, including the KAOSS DJ - a USB DJ controller and audio interface, the kaossilator 2S - an enhanced version of the original palm-sized synth, KRONOS - their most powerful synth yet, and the ARP Odyssey - a new look at the original legendary analog synth. This full music-making collection of devices is coming your way this year, and they're being shown for the first time all at once this week, in full detail.
Korg has revealed a new addition to its Volca range of modular, iPhone and iPad-friendly electronic instruments, with the Korg Volca Sampler promising easier real-time recording and tweaking of sound clips and vocal snatches. The sampler can be used in conjunction with the initial three Volca units - the Keys, Bass, and Loops - or as a standalone system, with motion sequencer recording for its various physical knobs and buttons, and battery power plus a speaker for on-the-move playing.
Korg's combination synth and USB music controller, the Taktile, has gone up for sale, offering both the TRITON workstation's sound engine and an array of drum pads, switches, sliders, and a touchpad for using it as a MIDI controller. Available in two sizes - 25 key or 49 key, both semi-weighted - the Taktile can be powered over USB and also work as a Kaossilator, Korg's memorable audio-mangling effects box.
Korg has taken the wraps off of its NAMM 2014 instrument range, including mobile synths for the iPad, a DIY monophonic synth, and a resurrection of the classic 80s keytar. Continuing its push into quirky portable music-making, tablet integration, and affordable audio toys, the range kicks off with a collection of fifteen software synths and drum machines for the iPad which Korg calls "Gadgets", building on the popular iElectribe range first launched in 2010.
Korg can't seem to stop itself putting squelchy analog sounds into portable synths, and its latest grab-and-geek-out playthings are the Korg Volca Series. A trio of true-analog synthesizers - the Volca Keys for loops, Volca Bass for basslines, and Volca Beats for rhythms - each pack a sequencer and recording functionality, and can be daisy-chained into an impromptu studio.
Korg has a history of making keyboard workstations, but the KROSS takes the all-in-one flexibility to a new level, throwing in battery power support for mobile music creation. Available in 61- and 88-key versions - the latter using fully-weighted keys - the KROSS offers analog step sequencing, some of the key sounds from Korg's premium synth line-up, 134 effects, and a 16-track MIDI sequencer, with the potential for running the keyboard either off the mains or from six AA batteries.
It's no secret that Korg creates some fantastic products when it comes to synthesized sound - and music is about to blow through your ear sockets this week with a couple of additions to the Kaoss Synthesizer lineup. What we've got here is a couple of new beasts, the first being the KP3+ Dynamic Effect/Sampler, the other bumping up the beats as the Kaossilator Pro+ Dynamic Phase Synthesizer/Loop Recorder. The power is about to be yours once again.
Korg USA is going big at Winter NAMM 2013, introducing the world to two of its newest synthesizers. One of these is aimed at professionals and newbies alike, while the other is aimed at people who need a solid synth but don't have the room for a full-size machine. Both will probably be quite expensive as a result, but those who are serious about their music rarely seem to care about price anyway.