kork microkontrol... thoughts?

glitchrock-buddha · Post by **glitchrock-buddha** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:32 am

i'm thinking about buying the korg microkontrol. opinions/advice anyone?

i'm also curious specifically about the bundled effects that come with it. are these quite good sounding and usable?

thanks,
rob

glitchrock-buddha · Post by **glitchrock-buddha** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 6:55 am

i guess i should double check my subject heading before posting.

umm.. so korg that is.

aside from the effects that come with it, i'm also curious how people find the continuous knobs. i've heard mixed things about the accuracy of the 'infinite' knobs, so i'm wondering if those on the microkontrol are decent.

thanks,

rob

Jaybone · Post by **Jaybone** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:36 am

Had a microkontrol for about a year and a half....it's great. The flexibility is fantastic both in terms of midi mapping and potability. As for the bundled effects, I never use them, but as with most effects they are useable. Great for live performance or at home programming, and the infinite value knobs have never presented a problem for me. Have fun!

markthedoc · Post by **markthedoc** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:04 pm

I'd get a bit more cash together & go for the Korg Kontrol 49.
The Microkontrols keys are useless, they're tiny.

glitchrock-buddha · Post by **glitchrock-buddha** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 7:50 pm

thanks, i appreciate the replies.

i'm looking specifically at the micro because it's smaller, since i already have a 49 key key board. i like the portability of the micro. i also like to have a keyboard with different style keys as i find it can often inspire as far as bass or lead lines, because it feels so different than my regular keyboard. i wouldn't want the microkontrol to be my only keyboard, but it seems just the thing for sitting on the couch, live triggering etc.

how are the velocity pads? my interest in it actually began by looking at drum triggering devices such as the trigger finger.

and again, does anyone use the bundled effects suite, and are they of good quality?

thanks guys,

rob

brainray · Post by **brainray** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:30 pm

I have the Microkontrol since 6 months and I really love it. I love the small keys (I have small fingers), the pads, the size and the look. For me this is the kind of masterkeyboard that I was looking for since a long time.
I don't use templates, I just assign pads, knobs etc as I need to use them (in Live by assigning a CC).

I think there is also a way to use the native mode for a lots of synths with an extra software. There is a Yahoo Group about the Microcontrol, I think it's worth reading there, if you are interested:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ko ... =149372647

telekom · Post by **telekom** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:47 pm

Hi glitchrock-buddha (good name!)
I was looking at controllers with my mate last week - he fancied a microkontrol, but then we saw the Alesis Photon X25... it's got full size keys as opposed to teeny ones on the korg. It's got a 2in 2out 24 bit audio interface (line-in, no pre-amps) and ten rotary encoders with three control levels = 30 controllers. Comes with Ableton Live overlays for the knob labels. And it only costs £135 !!!! That's £40 less than the UK price of the korg, which doesn't have audio in/out or keys big enough for an adult.

http://www.alesis.com/product.php?id=15

And you get some bundled software - cubase le I think. £135. And no I don't work for Alesis (wish I did) I'm just gobsmacked as it looks like £250-£300 of kit to me.

PLUS a big XYZ air controller for crazy hand gesture control!!! Worth a look.

HTH
M

martin808 · Post by **martin808** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:12 pm

i wish i'd seen that alesis before i bought my pcr1.

looks well better.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:08 pm

FYI XYZ is like WTF OMG... I own an AirFX (same controller, basically) and it's the most fun EVAH!

oh and those encoders might actually WORK as encoders in Live.. does anyone know?

polyslax · Post by **polyslax** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:10 pm

telekom wrote:Hi glitchrock-buddha (good name!)
I was looking at controllers with my mate last week - he fancied a microkontrol, but then we saw the Alesis Photon X25... it's got full size keys as opposed to teeny ones on the korg. It's got a 2in 2out 24 bit audio interface (line-in, no pre-amps) and ten rotary encoders with three control levels = 30 controllers. Comes with Ableton Live overlays for the knob labels. And it only costs £135 !!!! That's £40 less than the UK price of the korg, which doesn't have audio in/out or keys big enough for an adult.

http://www.alesis.com/product.php?id=15

And you get some bundled software - cubase le I think. £135. And no I don't work for Alesis (wish I did) I'm just gobsmacked as it looks like £250-£300 of kit to me.

PLUS a big XYZ air controller for crazy hand gesture control!!! Worth a look.

HTH
M

Yeah the Alesis (the Photon X49, in my case) is looking very sweet, think it's the way I'm gonna go.

mike holiday · Post by **mike holiday** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:14 pm

BUT XYZ is a absolute Bitch to assign..my friend has that alesis..nice unit

but man we spent like 30 minuets truing to get the xyz where we wanted(with no luck)...maybe we're just uncoordinated dunno...

husker · Post by **husker** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:19 pm

Anybody got a view on the microKontrols velocity pads VS Trigger Finger VS MPD16?

cheers.

glitchrock-buddha · Post by **glitchrock-buddha** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:25 am

ya that alesis does look quite nice, the thing it's missing for me, however is the drum pads.

like i said, it was drum-trigger pads i was initially looking for, and along with 360 dials and a keyboard, microkontrol is looking good.

so as husker was asking, how are the pads compared to trigger finger etc...

cheers,

grb

lnikj · Post by **lnikj** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:28 am

glitchrock-buddha wrote: so as husker was asking, how are the pads compared to trigger finger etc...

Hopeless I'm afraid. Rumour abounds that they loosen up over time, but, as they ship, they're so stiff as to be nearly unusable for drumming.

The new Novation Remote SL has 8 pads. I might be selling my microKontrol when that ships. We'll see.

Joost · Post by **Joost** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:59 am

I own a microkontrol and use it for live performance. The faders have a nice steady feel. The problem with the microkontrol is that the endless encoders only seem te be able to send absolute values. The other thing i dislike obout the Korg is that you can't program your own names for the controllerdlcddisplays