Korg MicroKey??

With the onslaught of idiotic little toys like this Micro Key USB controller,I hold virtually no hope of Korg ever stepping back into the professional workstation arena and with the release of the Motif XF,it doesn't really matter all that much,anymore.


http://www.korg.com/microkey


-Elwood

I think this is actually useful, and i'm sure it will be cheaper then the yamaha's KX series. Those cost a fortune and they are only controllers - nothing more.

You sure won't buy a tiny midi controller if you need something for a live stage.

But this is perfect if you need to poke around some VSTs or your PC sequencer and are just too lazy to set up your keyboard(s)

P.S. Don't let your hopes down when it comest to Korg - you might get surprised

I don't find Korg's Micro series useful at all,as you'd either have to be an 8 year old or an extra terrestrial,to have fingers small enough to play the keys.

I have no idea what the Yamaha KX series cost(discontinued),but I have a Behringer UMX610 midi controller,which is a 61 key with full size semi-weighted keys and I got it for $150!!
The Behringer 25 key version,can be found for as little as $100 & it's certainly going to be cheaper & much more playable than the Micro Key.

There are an awful lot of choices in compact midi controllers out there and the Micro Key is just utter crap.

It's been 4 years since the M3 has been out and up until the M3's release,Korg has always come out with a new flagship workstation in this time span,like clockwork.

I think that Korg making an entire studio-in-a-box like the Oasys was a mistake....the production costs were just too damn high and the price tag was simply out of reach for most folks and one cannot assign the blame entirely on the tanked economy-for the Oasys's demise,because Korg is an enormous company and they can certainly make it through a recession.

They proved this by continuing to produce all of these numerous budget keyboards and with the excepetion of the Korg M50,everything they've put out has been gravely disappointing.
One could speculate though,that Korg is making all of these small scale products,in an effort to build up enough capitol within the company,in order to generate the funds they need to furnish their next flagship......but with the M3's expansion,I wonder.

Any-hoo....I think I will be content with the Motif XF for many years,before I think about buying-yet another,workstation.


-Elwood

I agree with skipp, there ahve been plenty of times when i havnt wanted to hook up an entire keyboard rig, and just want to grab a smaller controler to make a patch. I think korg could easily find a market for it.

Korg is not releasing a new flagship keyboard because the sales of the M3 are going great - and to be honest, the keyobard is definitly a best buy when it comes
to comparing prices and features between the M3/XS/Fantom G

It's the cheapest of those 3, and it sure doesn't fall behind with anything.

The only downside to the M3 (like I already mentioned several times) is the fact
that all combis are KARMA related. To people who don't use or don't need the whole
"I'm-a-DJ-in-a-press-of.a-button" thing - a set of regular non-KARMAfied combis
would be a HUGE update to the M3.

Yes, I know, KARMA is not an arpeggiator and it sure can be used in bajillion other
ways (i use it on some of my combis for motion synths and stuff like that), but
out of the box it's nothing except NC NC NC NC techno/trance/DJish stuff

I seriously doubt that a new Korg flagship would interfere with the sales of the M3(especially at the M3's unusually low price point) and besides,a new Korg workstation is going to be priced at least as much as the competition,if not more.


-Elwood

Well, Korg may be down a bit because of the Oasys failure... but - I'm sure they will use tons of tech-stuff from the Oasys in the upcoming workstations.

The M3 is already a cut-down version of the Oasys, and I'm sure they will do the same when it comes to the next "M" or whatever the name will be.

For example - 12IFX, sequencing with audio files, bigger touchscreen, more sound/combi banks (and no, the 14 banks on the M3 are NOT enough for me ).

I always end up having 1-2 banks for my sounds, and several banks with misc programs/combis i find on the web. You do come to a point where you want to test
more sounds and can't fit them since all the banks are already taken hehe.

And, I don't know if you noticed but every price on Korg keyboards is under the
other competitors.

Yamaha CP5 (3200€) vs Korg SV1 (1700€) - HUGE difference in the price. Yes, the new CP series
sounds brilliant, and I almost ended up with one but after seeing the price
i just hugged my CP33 and prommised not to let go.

Even the cheaper CP50 is around 2300€ here!

If i needed a new stage piano and had to chose between the CP5, SV1 and the RD series - Korg would win easily - the price difference is just way too big for me to
turn a blind eye.

I've always been, and always will be a huge Yamaha fan - but I won't pay more money if I can get the same/similar thing for less.

I am of the opinion,that if Korg is going to top and out-do the M3's capabilities,they will have to increase production costs and raise their usual price tag a bit.

If you want a bigger screen,audio recording,more tracks,more insert effects and more memory,it's going to cost you dearly...especially if Korg plans on surpassing the Yamaha XF's capabilities(or even matching the XF).

Take a good look at the Roland Fantom G series....they tried to compete with the Korg Oasys by imbuing the G-series with a bigger screen(8.5"),24 audio tracks,104 midi tracks and PC DAW-like functionality...while also keeping the price tag relevant to the competition and in doing so,they cut too many corners and the end result was disasterous.
Only a $3,000 monster PC could handle that many tracks of the G series,most of the stock sounds are unusable and most users would not be able to afford $449 a piece for a f**king ARX card!
If Roland charged $8,500 for the G8,then it would be a fantastic synth.Any hardware workstation under $4,000 is going to have limitations,but even though the Motif XF does not have multiple synth engines,multi-track audio recording and a 10.5" flip top display screen like the Oasys,it does have a larger screen than the Korg M3,far more memory & expandability.
All this being said,I really think that in order for Korg to compete with the XF-while still remaining in a similar price range,the next Korg flag-ship will be the most expensive workstation to date(outside the cost of the Oasys).

I must say,that having done all the research I've done lately on the Yamaha's,I've grown into quite a Yamaha fan myself and I think that the Motif XF is one of the most fascinating workstations ever conceived,in this price range & certainly the most advanced!


-Elwood

Then you do know how the XF is exactly the same as the XS apart from the ROM and the flash RAM?

Same features and same synthesis engine.

Take a look at the motifator forum - almost not a single owner of the XS is considering upgrading - since it's hardly an upgrade.

The XS already has 2gb of RAM as an option, and i really doubt people use that much 3rd party samples.

The XF is more targeted towards the previous Motif-line owners like the classic or the ES, since getting the XF over those will be an upgrade.
Basically, apart from big numbers - Yamaha did nothing new on the XF. I still can't believe they offer only 4
part performances... I know each voice has 8 parts which is great, but it's
much easier to manipulate different parts via performance mode.

What's this business about converting VST's to the Motif format?I am having trouble conceptualizing that.
So then,the XS has this capability as well?I had trouble finding out that bit of info...just need to find the original promo vid,I guess.

I found the Motif XS for 2 grand-which is tempting,but by the time I'm ready to buy one,the XS's will be gone....might as well fork over the extra $400 for the XF.


-Elwood