Producer
TECH
BACK TO THE
FUTURE
PRICE
£379
CONTACT
korg.co.uk
01908 857100
TECH SPEC
37-note mini keyboard
Eight notes polyphony
Radias synth engine
16-band vocoder
The MicroKorg keyboard is upgraded with more sounds than
128 programs that can be
ever and a stylish retro look...
edited
Built -in EQ and 17 effect
programmes
WHEN it was launched back in 2002, the green labelling text. The old school radio new synth engine derived from Korg’s top-
Gooseneck microphone
MicroKorg kicked off a new era of fun in look is also much easier on the eye and flight dance synth — The Radias. Offering
Powered by six AA batteries
the synth world. Not only was it light- makes navigating the synth a far simpler much more scope than the MicroKorg,
or 9v Psu
weight, portable and battery powered but process, while a new amber LCD provides it features two timbres per programme,
it also incorporated a built-in vocoder and more much information than the original’s more oscillator shapes, dual multi-mode
a multitude of heavyweight sounds. three-character display. filters and a 16-band vocoder.
True enough, it has been one of big- The casing is still plastic but seems
gest selling synths on the market ever much tougher and the black plastic will And for those who like to press and go,
since. The Prodigy’s Liam Howlett and withstand some scratching before it gets the MicroKorg XL is simple to use. Each
VERDICT
Röyksopp’s Torbjorn Brundtland have visibly dented. program has three user assignable dials
both publicly championed the MicroKorg’s for quick access and there’s a matrix style
BUILD QUALITY 3.5
studio worth, while artists ranging from Korg have also made the MicroKorg XL editor for the most common parameters.
EASE OF USE 4.5
FEATURES 5.0
Justice and Jean Michel Jarre to The even lighter than the original, as well If you like to get in-depth and program
VALUE FOR MONEY 4.5
Neptunes and The Kings Of Leon have as a touch smaller, although the more your own sounds, there’s a full editing
SOUND QUALITY 4.5
incorporated it in their live set-ups. compact size comes at a trade-off — the mode that takes advantage of the bigger
Yet after seven years, Korg have got the XL’s mini-keys can be a bit fiddly at times. LCD display. The range of sounds possible
itch and tampered with the MicroKorg’s On the flipside, they are firmer than the with the XL is colossal and covers almost
HYPE
The MicroKorg’s new sound
winning formula to give us the MicroKorg keys on the old MicroKorg and have a bit every angle of dance production from engine opens up a wealth of
XL. more travel. analogue emulations to digital nastiness.
sonic possibilities.
GRIPE
At first glance, the XL has definite visual So far, so good then but how well does If the MicroKorg was a prized piece of kit, The tiny mini-keys can be too
improvements. For starters, the retro the MicroKorg stand up in the sound the MicroKorg XL is an essential one —
fiddly for big fingers.
styling gives a much classier look than the department? Well, thankfully there is a there’s really no excuse not to have one
original, which was a cluttered mass of major improvement thanks to a powerful now.
The MicroKorg XL has more
style, weighs less and has
better sounds than the
original MicroKorg. Buy one!
4.5/5
WHEN doing fierce filter DOES your kick drum sound WHEN recording vocals and IF you want to add weird
sweeps always use a limiter great on its own but fails to MCs be aware of the spatial effects to your track,
in the signal chain. High cut through when the mix is proximity effect. If the use distortion, filter and
resonance boosts the signal full? Try adding a short vocalist gets too close to the reverb chain as a send effect.
TIPS
level so the limiter keeps the hi-hat on top of it to give it microphone, the recording They will add extra depth to
volume in check and reduces added definition. will be too bassy. regular reverbs alone.
the chance of earache.
www.djmag.com
159
DJ474.tech_producer.indd 159 30/4/09 14:51:32
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179