Should I get a Microkorg XL?

[Jem]

Asking Jem if a keyboard is a keeper....genius!  

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:

They're all doomed ultimately.  

[Jem]

You DO have it? Then it confirms my thesis that you're dying to have white stuff

That was me in another life, a very very long time ago...

So Jem, your kind opinions on the board?

Well, it's all rather spooky really as I only bought it yesterday. It was delivered at luncheon and as I was rather busy today, I only got about 20 minutes with it.

I love the keybed, it's lovely to play. The volumes seem to vary wildly between patches. It's the first Waldorf I've been in contact with that doesn't sound like an iron toilet being thrown down a giant metal tube patch after patch. It's almost virus-y in places, especially with the arpeggiator. The sample data it comes with is rather charming, it's almost Fairlight-y in it's delivery. It does a good Moog impersonation as well as a few PPG turns, plus it does those lovely bleak 1980's Japan-esque tones that I love. I wouldn't say it was as warm as toast, but I like that, it makes it distinctive. It does have some delicious distortion fx built in. I like how when you save a patch, the entire screen sort of falls off in the LCD. And when you boot it up, it says "FromGermanyWithLove". :lol:

The Spectre software looks like it's a doddle to use and they chucked in the PPG softsynth to boot on a separate CD. And all for £600.

In short, I like this machine a lot. It can stay. I shall bring it with me for the J/A gigs.  

[EvilDragon]

You DO have it? Then it confirms my thesis that you're dying to have white stuff

That was me in another life, a very very long time ago...

Oh shit, I didn't intend it to be a pun of sorts...

Sorry to hear you went through that Glad you're clean nowadays, though! Just get rid of that alcohol thingie and you're gonna rock even more!

It was a great thing you left cigs and started some physical workout, now get that last offensive thing out of your sight and you'll be as cool as me (yeah I'm very clean persona, but I do like occasional bottle of beer!)

Do you fear for your inspiration without all those... "helpers"? (sorry for OT)

[Pedro]

Better not get you any more of these then....



 

[Jem]

Sorry to hear you went through that (sorry for OT)

No no, don't be sorry, I had an absolutely brilliant time. Loved every minute of it. It was never a downer, it was a total laugh. It's just that I knew I'd probably die if I didn't pack it in.

But no regrets. I'm a better person for the experience.

I won't patronize anyone with a disclaimer at this point obviously. You lot know what you're doing. 8-)

And so did I! :lol:

[RWA]

Sorry to hear you went through that (sorry for OT)

No no, don't be sorry, I had an absolutely brilliant time.

Best thread derail of September. It will not be topped.  

[EvilDragon]

Unless I continue posting?

[catherine]

Better not get you any more of these then....



 

Crikey, my boys had some of those recently - should I be worried ?

[SerFox]

Went to Red Dog Music today to test out the Microkorg.

Damn was I dissapointed.


Most of the sounds were nice, but inCREDIBLY textbook, moreso than I had previously been led to believe.

So I saundered over to the waldorf blofeld, to give it a second chance, and I had someone demonstrate the interface, dodging the presets.

I felt like I was in tangerine dream, I held C1 for about five whole minutes, tweaking two knobs and ended up with such a long, evolving soundscape that I felt in full control of, I was starting to take interest.

But I've been led by one kind of sound before and found I couldn't make anything else, so I asked how I could contstruct a good, solid bass sound with a cutoff and fine tune control to detune it slightly.

I got one.

I asked how to go about making a screaming resonance frenzy of a lead, and I made one, jammed the BLM solo on it.


I hate the keyboard version though. The keys don't feel good, the action isn't great, and I despise the pitch and mod wheels. I'm not against wheels, I much prefer joysticks or the nord pitch lever, but these with that huge nubbin on it make it awkward to use, I do vibrato on wheels by laying my thumb across the wheel and moving the wheel up and releasing my grip slightly to let it slide down, and repeat, and the thing on the wheel prevented this because I had to stick my thumb against it or underneath it which was awkward and or uncomfortable.

Plus I checked out the specs. Yes, you're playing £350 for a MIDI keyboard, an extra bit of sample space, and an extra MIDI connector round the back.

Module unit for me, plz

[EvilDragon]

Didn't I tell you?

I actually love the keybed, feels just right. Well, I guess it's a matter of personal taste.

And didn't Jem said you can get it for around 600 quid? Don't forget that you're also paying for a lot bigger synth casing, which is sturdy aluminium, too

And about the wheels - I much prefer them to have inward dents, than outward dents (like on my Korg X5D). Also, I do ALL my vibratos with pitchwheel! Screw automated LFO vibratos!

Well, have fun with your Blofeld module - if you decide to add Licence SL option, there are quite a number of people that had a lot of trouble installing it, samples take way too long to load (over USB!), but I hope Waldorf is gonna solve that.

[SerFox]

Didn't I tell you?

I actually love the keybed, feels just right. Well, I guess it's a matter of personal taste.

And didn't Jem said you can get it for around 600 quid? Don't forget that you're also paying for a lot bigger synth casing, which is sturdy aluminium, too

And about the wheels - I much prefer them to have inward dents, than outward dents (like on my Korg X5D). Also, I do ALL my vibratos with pitchwheel! Screw automated LFO vibratos!

Well, have fun with your Blofeld module - if you decide to add Licence SL option, there are quite a number of people that had a lot of trouble installing it, samples take way too long to load (over USB!), but I hope Waldorf is gonna solve that.

Automated LFO vibbo is brilliant for those classic moogy leads, having a triplet tempo synced LFO for that is perfect, but for you scorching widdly widdly prog-mungo fried rice specials, you need control over it. I find wheels so difficult to do vibbo on but I'm getting better.

I've also got basic schematics for a keyboard MIDI whammy bar, which would have a mega spring in it so it pushes back like guitar ones do, not a loose wibbly boring thing, so I can do those Rudess-esque dive bombs without needing a ribbon controler, yet have my pitch wheel still set to +2 -2 instead of +2 -12 which then removes the ability to bend up to notes (See also the third note in the BLM solo )


In short, Blofeld: do want.

[EvilDragon]

Oh - and you're paying additionally for integrated PSU, which the module does not have.

I hate wallwarts.

[MarkOneMusic]

Damn, after reading this thread I wanna blofeld too  :evil:

But after a new Mac, Logic 9 and Adam monitors Mrs One will encase me in concrete and bury me under the patio if I spend any more money this side of next year :shock:  :shock:

[EvilDragon]

SerFox, how do you like your new white eeeeeeeevil thing?

Post some mind-blowing demos, by all means!

[SerFox]

Haven't been able to afford it as of yet. My savings ended up paying a large portion of my rent for my uni flat which the student loan company have not completely covered costs for.

I will get it soon though as soon as my finances are stable and I feel confident I need it. Currently looking into Max MSP at the moment as part of my course...