Is the MicroKorg Terrible? (Synth Vlog) 

Paul Manning agreed! If you know how to programme it it’s amazing

Paul Manning I completely agree. Anyone who hates this synth, probably hasn't figured out how to use it because that's the challenge. If you know the synth, you can do a lot. I play gigs with it and it is just great.

it is not intuitive- documentation is poorly written. It took me watching a lot of videos online to figure this bloody thing out. Even Elektron gear and Moog is way easier to setup and use. It sounds great and runs on batteries and is cheap but thats it.

Thank you

I've seen Microkorgs at a lot of gigs. Touring bands. Local bands. Always used up front, generally by someone singing with the MK right there near their mic stand. It always sounded good. Saw nothing wrong with it ~ I just never needed one. Then I needed a vocoder for a Pink Floyd tribute. Picked up an XL+ ... and haven't looked back since. Fantastic keyboard I use in conjunction with my Nord. Those two are all I need for so many kinds of gigs and recording sessions. The Microkorg is brilliant. And yes, I'm a real keyboard player and love using the mini keys

hahaha. bless

Brilliant. Bread crumb bit processor (I love my MicroKorg btw)

Genius!!!!!!!

Nailed it... as a MicroKorg owner and lover, I have to say I'd prefer it this way around than the other.

@Richard soma Hard disagree, it's worth owning if only to experience a few times. You can always sell it on if it doesn't work for you, but it truly produces beautiful pads/air sounds as it has 4 voice polyphony or double layered twin voices. The range it offers is actually quite amazing for it's price - of course there are some trade offs, but don't you buy a synth for the way it sounds?

And that’s exactly why I made this video in the first place: to warn people what the cons might be, but to also show how absurd some of these unrealistic expectations are. I knew I was getting a small inexpensive synth with a good sound because I did my research first, and over the past eight years, I’ve still enjoyed using mine. It seems to me that those who hate it either didn’t care to do their research, or are just trolling to stir the pot. Thanks for your thoughts!

Definetly not, this thing is poorly constructed and sounds dreadful.

I'm really sorry but you likely just don't know how to use it or when to use it. It's a virtual analogue synthesizer which means it's supposed to replicate the pops and crackles of say something like an MS20 or a Moog. Fortunately, if you know how to sound design (and I'm not talking about randomly spinning knobs after setting up an envelope) you can get some super clean sounds out of it in addition to the dirtier stuff. Also poorly constructed is subjective as I've seen tons of the things still in service all over the place after obviously going through hell. Like the AK (which I'm assuming you've never fired) it is simple to repair and find parts for. The damn synthesizers have been cut up and made into everything from keytars to being hacked into modular setups... that's resilience. The only other synth I can think of that's been in service in the same quantity and are still being played is the DX7. And the DX7 is far too hard to program to have the title of AK of synths. Bottom line, stick with .vsts programs if you want clean sound. People don't buy synthesizers to produce on anymore, they buy them specifically for their character (and to play live imparting that character to their audiences).

you dont know where i come from, i grew up around synthesizers, i know what a true Mini Moog D type sound like, since my father owns two, and he also owns the King of Analog poly synths, the Oberheim Matrix 12. Me myself own several synths: Moog sub 37, a King Korg, Yamaha EX5, A Kawai K5000s, Yamaha SY77, Roland D-50 and a EMU emulator 4. The DX7 is easy to program for me. Korg is the Company that made the Korg PS-3300 (the best sounding synth according to Robert Moog Himself), Korg Wavestation, Kronos, Oasys, Z1, Trident. The Micro korg is a toy in comparison. Its dreadful Construction and its harsh sounding Virtual analog engine from the 90s synth the MS2000 makes this korgs worst synth to date. I love Korg and i expect more from them then this. Construction is NOT subjective by the way, its easily measurable! I own a SY77, built like a tank, my King Korg is considered by most to be fragile, but the micro korg is far worse then fragile! I own several Vsts (arturia Collection) that sound gritty and analogue like, With much more analogue warmth then the Microkorg.

The True Ak47 of synths, is the Formanta Polivoks analog synthesizer, from the USSR.

It's irreverent "where you came from." For a $200 used synth the Microkorg is an outstanding synthesizer that outclasses everything else in it's price range and then some... which is my point! Yea, sure, spend thousands on other synths... they will prob sound better and do more. You're arguing for the sake of arguing and bragging. You're exposure to all these mythical synths your talking about has ruined your judgment. For a lot of people who want to play and compose music, they want a cheap multi faceted synth that can be easily repaired, take some abuse, and sound alright.

I got mine in 2012 from a College instructor who just got a Moog he called an "Upgrade" from this machine (I think of them as different beasts) and I talked him down to let me have it for $200 even and I never regretted it and so GLAD I did not let my ex's attempts to talk me out of buying it (and buy a used PS3 so he can have a backup one to take away from me because he knows I would hardly use it, forget fact I never wanted PS3 at all but did want a synth!! This one was the one of my dreams.) If you can wrangle any cash toward one of these in your capable $ range, do not take a second to think about it, GET IT!!

RomeroFanboy its only like 200 bux?

RomeroFanboy they're really quite cheap

Did you buy one??

Same! I watched a few videos from YT and there’s one selling at my local pawn shop for 250.

Vangelis definitely hates it, if he knows it exists.

Thanks! Haha yes, I’ve been told that before (not on my channel, but on Reddit). :)

GONE SEXUAAAL

For me, buying a small synthbox with 25 keys is somewhat unimportant, because I can easily route MIDI from the MicroKorg to it in the studio. But I agree with you that 25 keys is irritatingly limiting. If you’re using it solely for playing bass or lead sounds, or in a travel setup, then it’s fine. But I find that for playing chords, the extra octave on the 37 keys is absolutely necessary.

MIDI, shmidi. I actually want to play spontaneous RIFFs during a set. not very easy to jam when you're constantly running outta keys ;)

I understand that. Which is why I’m saying that if you plug a MIDI cable from the “MIDI Out” on the MicroKorg, and route it to the “MIDI In” on your 25 key synth, you’re able to play that 25 key synth with your MicroKorg. And the best part? No need for a computer or DAW to make it work. It’s all in the cable. Mind. Blown. ;)

Laura Woodswalker try the minilougue or the yamaha reface serie or even the roland jdxi: all have 3 octave keyboards.. By the way, the reface has the best minikey keybed on the market.

Yup, this is EXTREMELY important. I want to slap every manufacturer who makes 25 key boards. and I agree, MIDI shmidi. I want an instrument, not to have to wire up a some frankenstein wannabe "instrument" out of keys, a synth brain, etc..

me like :-)

$200 is way too much to spend on a synth with child-size keys, a toyish looking mic, 4 note polyphony and 3 octaves, I wouldn't pay more than 25 bucks for this outdated thing.....

@@jaquesteddyruxpin932 what synth do you recommend for under 200 then?

@@SquidMead Radio Shack MD 1800

And I agree completely with your statements. ;)

So all those synths from the seventies and eighties are crap.

It sounded awesomely good when it came out and it is sounding awesomely good today. Time is an illusion (Hermann Hesse, who adapted it from the historical Buddha)

Nicholas Zamir You better slow your roll son. I have an XL and it's a great studio tool. I've used it to record blazing keyboard shred solos on several album tracks. However, the build quality is crap. The XL is flimsy plastic in comparison to the original version. I've used the XL live several times but only as a slave to a larger keyboard. It's basically a high-tech Casio.

Ah yeah I imagine you can create some great sounds running it through the talk box.

​@@bigbasil1908 Yea you can I never really got into the Vocoder, which I would like too! Having it now about 16years I need to clean it up because some of the keys aren't working because of dust

Hm, I think (ignoring used synths) the MicroKorg (as of Dec 2022) is the cheapest polyphonic synth with velocity sensitive piano keys. The Korg Volca Keys and the Arturia MicroFreak are cheaper, but lack regular piano keys. The Korg Monologue is cheaper, but is a mono synth. The Akai MPK Mini Play3 is cheaper, but I am not sure it counts as a synth when running standalone. You can get a MIDI controller keyboard + synth for a bit cheaper than a MicroKorg.

Thanks for your thoughts! Your perspective is enlightening to me, as I guess things are different here in the US. I definitely like the sound of the MicroKorg, especially when I program my own patches. In spite of all the design choices and factory patches I could ever nitpick, the sounds the MK is capable of is beyond impressive for the price point, size, and age. I’ve made entire songs using strictly the MK, and it can be a truly powerful instrument, which is why I also make video tutorials for it. So if you’re thinking of getting one, by all means, I encourage you to. Just know that what I stated in the video is usually where the MK gets a lot of flak on forums and websites (even if I agree with one or two of their points). Yet I would say those things don’t make it a terrible synth at all, but rather a unique instrument with a learning curve that takes time to master, as any other instrument does. Once that point is reached, however you get there, the synth becomes so much fun to use. And I literally mean fun. :) Hope this helps you in some way!

I'm glad to hear that you found my perspective enlightening. Like I've said, I've never owned an MK myself but I have played on them in music stores, and I like some of the sounds and I feel that it is a cool machine to use in order to create some interesting soundscapes and Cyberpunk-ish stuff on. Which I really like. I've seen guys tweaking up a nice Vangelis Blade Runner sound on the MK! And I also like the fact that it has pre-settings you can alter yourself, which is a little bit easier for a beginner like me. I however am glad that I went with the 100 % analog Minibrute SE with no pre-settings as it has taught me a lot on how to create sounds. But even I can't create all the stuff I want to that I've heard from people here, but I like experimenting and see what I can find this little beast. I think the MK could be a little hard for beginners to start with, it feels a bit messy.. but I bet once you learn it, it can be a real treat to work with. So for the money I think you get an awesome starting synth that you actually can use for a long time ahead, and that makes it a synth that I would recommend to beginners to start with. Plus Korg is well known, I like their stuff and quality overall :) Maybe one could argue that the Roland Aira System 1 or whatever it's called... would be a better synth for almost the same price, which I can understand. But they don't sound like each other at all, so it really comes down to if you like the MK sound or not. I can safely say that I've heard people creating some very cool stuff with the MK here on RU-vid, so it gets a pass for me :)

Micro XL is a different board, you are in Sweden and you cant find a synth. That is the dumbest thing I have heard. Go check elektron, clavia, and OP~1

Alexandre Nempon Thanks so much! Yep, that edit select is both a blessing and a curse. I could have added in a section for that, but the only reason I didn't is because every video I've done so far shows what the MicroKorg can do. But once I get more gear in the future, I'll definitely show it all off in one video! ;)

Same here. I’ve actually started using the MK more for ambient work, and I find it works really well for that genre. In fact, one of my favorite RU-vid videos of the synth is of someone who programmed a dark Tangerine Dream-like drone. I’ve been trying for years to replicate it. Thanks for your comment!

Cool, I'll check that out. Thanks for posting the video.

No problem! And here’s that video I was referring to: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-urNA6jKnD-I.html

Brilliant, Thanks a lot.

I’m not scoffing at anything or anyone other than the people who hate on this synth. I love the Griswold Family Truckster personally. 😆

Indeed! It’s definitely a classic synth. :)

I really need to check the MicroKorg S out. The music store in my hometown has one on display, but I didn’t get to demo it. While the built in speakers and woofer isn’t a big necessity for me (although if it’s as good and loud as you’re saying it is, I might just change my mind on that haha), I did not know about the extended sound bank! Hopefully sometime soon, I’ll take a look at it. Thanks for your input! 👍

You really do. I didn't think speakers were necessary for me either, but after having tried the MicroKorg S - and seeing me sitting with it all the time since - I find it to be more practical than I'd thought. The extended sound bank was another part I didn't really think mattered too much to me, until I had it and found how much more likely I was to make my own patches when I wasn't accidentally overwriting something I'd love to use sometime in the future. It would be really interesting to hear what you think of it when you have demoed it :)

Maybe I didn’t mean to say cheaper, but the other synths I’m thinking of are the Novation Mininova, the Roland JDXI, and the MicroKorg XL+. The Mininova looks nearly identical to the MicroKorg and is at the same price point, but you get up to 18 voices of polyphony and some additional synthesis capabilities like wavetables. There’s also a cool feature called “Vocal Tune” that can pitch-shift your voice or Auto-Tune it. As far as the other two, they’re both $100 more, but also worth considering. The JDXI has a lot of digital waveforms and samples, as well as the Vocoder and Vocal Tune stuff that the Mininova has. Only thing I don’t like is that it’s analog engine is solely monophonic. Lastly, the MicroKorg XL+ is an expansion of the MicroKorg, with PCM samples like pianos, organs, and mellotron-like sounds, as well as 8 voice polyphony and a 16-band vocoder. Although sometimes, you can find it used for the same price as the regular MicroKorg. Those are the ones so far that I would say are comparable!

Oh man, your comment couldn’t have come at a better time. I JUST bought one a week ago. Needless to say, there’s definitely a video coming on it! ;)

but the minilogue is just mono right? doesnt that make a big difference to the microkorg? I am looking to buy my first synth but think i want more than mono, more voices. I am open to advice!

No, the Minilogue does true four voice polyphony just like the MicroKorg. But there’s also various voice modes and the 16-step sequencer that Korg put into it, which I’ve not seen in other synths within this price range. In the future, I’ll do a proper review of it, but having played with it the past few weeks, this is the best analog synth I’ve ever used for as affordable as it is. I don’t hesitate to recommend it at all. :)

Oh cool! I confused the Monologue and Minilogue. The price difference between the MicroKorg and Minilogue is rather large. But I love the easy lay out of the the lather (less shitty menu selects). Does the Minilogue have any sound processing/vocoder abilities?

Sam Smits It is a bit more of an investment, but the easy layout of the knobs are definitely worth it. The only sound processing ability the Minilogue has is a tape-style delay that can be routed either pre or post filter. So unfortunately, there’s no vocoder or anything else on it.

Wow, $150 is quite a steal haha! :)

I just got one for $150 too! Some broken knobs though. No big deal, since Korg made everything easy to get to.

Friend is selling me his for 150 too! Haha

You win the award for the best comment yet. I agree, there’s a HUGE amount of incredible potential, and it’s why I still own mine. There’s some sounds I’ve made lately that I never thought the Korg could pull off. I’ll have to share them ASAP.

YESSS!!!

Yes! You have to learn how to use the instrument to its full potential. If you have not, to shit on it is bogus.

I’ve not used the JDXI, so I wouldn’t be able to tell you much. The MK’s vocoder has 8 bands, while I read on a forum that the JDXI MIGHT have 12. And it’s a big might because I can’t seem to find any vocoder specs anywhere. If anyone else knows more about the JDXI in this regard, please comment. Having said all that, I’m REALLY impressed with what comes with the JDXI for the price. The auto pitch and auto note features are a neat feature, and while I personally don’t like that the analog part of the synth is solely monophonic, the digital stuff seems outstanding for the price. But again, it depends on what you’re using either for, and which sound you prefer. I’d say if budget is a concern, go with the MK. You’re not going to get the clearest vocoder sound with 8 bands, but it’ll get the effect done. But if you want the most feature-packed synth possible and money isn’t an issue, get the JDXI. As much as I love my Korg, the Roland definitely beats it in terms of features.

Ian Felpel Thank you! I will probably stick with the MK because I am on a budget but I would definitely try to get my hands on a JDXI in the future

The JDX1, beats it in features, sound Construction, everything!

This is the hardest question for me to answer. So much has changed in the synthesizer world the last two to three years, and it’s all going to depend on what you’re using one for. But since you asked, here’s my suggestions: If you want a well-rounded synth with plenty of features for the budget, either go for any variation of the MicroKorg, the Roland JD-XI, or the Novation Mininova. Those are the top competitive synths that all have similar features, although each has its own character. All are under $500, and all of them are good. Here’s where the fun happens, though: if you’re looking for true analog synthesizers, either go with the Korg Monologue, the Arturia Minibrute, or spend all $500 on the Minilogue (which I’ll tell you, I’m absolutely in love with my Minilogue). Or if you want to take a step into the Eurorack/semi-modular world, get either a Korg MS-20 mini, or a Make Noise 0-Coast. Then of course, you have any of the Roland Boutique gear (D-05, SH-01A, etc), the Yamaha Reface series, or even the Korg Volcas. There are plenty of people making great sounds with them. Hopefully, those give you some ideas, as ALL of them should be $500 or less. Let me know if you have any further questions!

Ian Felpel What exactly is a "true" analogue synth?

Easiest way I can put it is this: Digital synths generate sound via digital processors. The pros these synths have over analog is that they are often cheap, and can have more features like audio effects, vocoding, extra polyphony, etc. Digital synths did not come on the market until the mid 1980s. Analog synths generate sound solely through electrical circuitry. The quirks of doing so is that the circuits are prone to various factors like temperature and humidity, which could affect the pitch of the oscillators. But these are the kinds of synths that existed prior to the early 1980s, and ones that are highly sought after. All I mean by “true” analog is that there are a lot of people who have tried to emulate analog sounds (I.e. Blade Runner, Giorgio Morodor, etc.) on digital gear the last several years, because analog gear used to be very expensive. Now that the Minilogue is out, producers have an affordable analog synth to make those classic sounds on. But to be honest, all this really means is that there are more options in the $500 and below range today that didn’t exist three years ago.

I agree. No matter the cons (or even any complaint like the color scheme), the pros far outweigh it. 😊

It’s powered via the included AC adapter, or by 6 “AA” batteries. Unless newer models have this (which I’m certain they don’t), there’s no USB port on the MicroKorg.

Ian Felpel Ah thank you so much!

THIS. I completely forgot to mention the MicroKorg is basically the MS2000 in a small package, so thanks for mentioning that. I’ve never used an MS2000, but I agree that it has more controls than the MicroKorg. Maybe someday, I’ll pick up a secondhand one. :)

Thanks! I love mine too, because it can make some pretty fantastic sounds fairly quickly and easily. At the end of the day, the sound matters the most, which is why I continue to use mine.

This comment is almost providential, because I just replied to a comment today that the Mininova is comparable to the MicroKorg. And I would agree with you sound engine wise that the Mininova definitely has the modern sound needed for EDM/trance. Thanks for the input!

The arp is FANTASTIC. I’ve actually been using the MK’s arp to trigger my Minilogue lately, as I was disappointed with the lack of complexity on the Minilogue’s arp. It’s working wonders. 👍

I swear I miss that arp the best arp I have ever used..found deeper but the ease of use and the way it reacts to chords being played makes it amazing..I want a minilogue bad how u enjoying it?

Oh, don’t get me started haha. I don’t want to admit I’m using the Minilogue more these days, but I bought mine last October, and I’ve probably played it every single day. I’m still astonished at how amazing it sounds and feels for the price, and I’ve found it to be an incredibly inspiring instrument overall.

I agree with all of this. I enjoy the smaller keys for playing more complex chords, but I know some people who dislike it. Then again, these are space-saving synths we’re talking about haha. And I’ll have to check out CAMEL! They sound like a good band.

The Camel video i mentioned is no more avaiable but i found this one from Camel the band that created 40 years ago the master piece Album “Snow goose “ thatsold millionsof copys and still sells . In thisvideo you can seea microkorg in the top of a Nord stage ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CdpbiscUpB8.html

Rui Magro Hi, do you know the release date of the Microkorg S?

Giacomo C. I believe the MicroKorg S has been out for a few months? Online, it’s available at Sweetwater, zZounds, and other stores.

That's a very interesting solution with the BCR2000! I'm interested in looking into that! I used to use a cheap Casio keyboard and a MIDI cable between the two haha. And since I use Ableton for production, someone made a handy Max for Live patch for editing MK patches, and I'm finding all sorts of interesting sound capabilities that can't be done in the synth itself haha.

take a look on the web, there is some MicroKorg presets for BCR2000 in SySex format. But you can make your own preset, it's easy :) With my BCR i control my DAW, my Vst's and even my Korg M50 (because i don't like the tactil screen ) ... the other solution it's to build a midi controler with an Arduino ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-E1d9CvJkCnU.html

The Arduino is a definite possibility. I've written and built enough Arduino projects the past two years to where I could probably build a MIDI controller with it. Either way, I'll take a look into it! Thanks for sharing your insights on this! :)

Do you _need_ a computer to operate the Microkorg with the BCR2000? Because I like to jam DAW-less.

No need Computer ;) the computer is only useful to load the SySex preset into the BCR (if you use this way!)the BCR is only connect to MicroKorg via Midi and run it (it's just like you add knobs to the MK ).

Don’t like it then move it on .... simply as that 🙄

Me, You and Brandon Flowers. It is a great, light weight, affordable synth.