Nick, you're THE trusted reviewer. You're THE reason I have a Mininova, Volca Keys, and Volca Beats. I have a feeling that when your Minilogue review comes out, you'll be the reason I get one of those, too! Keep up the good work!!
Minilogue is a jewel. I've got one ever since 2018 and not disappointed a bit. It's so incredibly flexible and powerful. I even got to synthesize a Minimoog (close enough, I reckon) and happy to tweak it when I'm making music wirh the band. I accidentally came across this vid, I'm lying on a couch far from home at 1:13 am and hoping to get back home to try it out. Thank you for the video, Sir. And my ackowlegments to Dawless Jade and BoBeats for encouraging me to buy it. 💓
Korg have hit the JACKPOT and delivered a masterpiece for less than 500 quid. Anybody and I mean anybody who doesnt realize that hasnt got a clue. The sound of this is both sweet and powerful. I normally wouldnt give an analogue synth a second glance. Nothing ive heard since the Juno 60 has excited me at an affordable price. Until now. This synth will become a true modern classic a standout from the pack. Ive had a go on my friends one and I have to have one. Nothing compares to this for less than a grand. people have got to know when something special hits the market. And the Minilogue is something special.
The scope time base that is selected is based on the note value of the key being pressed on the minilogue. No pitch detection of the actual wave is used. I've verified this using my MS-20 mini as an input.
I had my doubts about how much you could really do with the minilogue, but the amount of depth to the sound you managed to get out of the machine at 8:40 for the price it sells for is absurd.
Questions for review: 1) did you notice the 'popping' sound that others have? 2) can you compare it to the Microkorg XL? They seem to have a similiar bright sound and features. 3) in mono modes how do the EGs trigger/re-trigger? 4) in mono modes is there any note priority like on the MS-20 5) do the knobs snap or catch when changing to different presets?
+davidevoid 5) It has 3 possible settings, standard it jumps to the knob state when you start moving it. Then there's a "catch" setting where it starts changing once you move it past its actual setting. And then there's a scaling setting where it'll change faster or slower depending on the knob position vs. actual setting, giving a smooth hybrid between the 1st 2.
Been waiting for this review since it came out! Can't afford it right now, but watching Nick make some cool sounds will make me feel okay for another couple months. As expected, you explored all the features I was curious about, and probably the first things I would have tried to screw around with. Thanks, Nick.
Thanks for the video, Nick. Can't wait for the full review. Since there's a lot of controversy about certain aspects of the synth, I'd love to hear your unbiased opinion on those issues: clicking, envelope triggering behaviour, and so on. Thanks in advance.
Thanks much! Your reviews are my go-to often before considering new equipment. The right mix of musical and tech considerations. Manufacturers should really pay attention to your improvement suggestions - they make sense from a musician's perspective. Carry on!!
Korg really hit the bullseye with the Minilogue. So much high quality analog synthesizer goodness for such a decent price, it is incredible. Korg is the new Roland. Cant wait to get my hands on one!
I cant remember if you mention it in the video, but theres actually a way to delete notes from the sequence and not the motion seq : just go on the step and press "rest" :)
+Brap Allgood I originally ordered during the first rush from Sweetwater. I'd ask about an ETA and it kept getting pushed back. Eventually I looked elsewhere and found places that had them in stock. 2 days later, I had a Minilogue on my doorstep - no thanks to Sweetwater.
9:25 the volcas do take midi sync data though. At least they sync up nicely to daw via midi so I would think arturia beatstep midi would work too?.. and if you sync one via midi you can use that to send the sync to another volca
Great not-so-little teaser for the review video! I was just commenting on AutomaticGainsay's channel of how great it would be to use the Automation as a kind of Modulation source (also as a way to overcome the small modulation routing and waveshape on the LFO). Some questions I haven't seen (I don0t know if they already popped out in here): 1) Does the Motion Sequencer record quantized or un-quantized (in Volca Keys parlance: with ans without the Flux option)? 2) Is the USB-midi class complainant? Can you address the MIDI DIN ports from USB? 3) If possible, could you demonstrate it working in collaboration with the volcas? I think the Minilogue might be great as a main console for a volca studio: using the USB to connect to the DAW, perhaps using a MIDI split to control the Bass and the Keys on different channels (perhaps one of these volcas could feed into the External In of the ML), and the more rhythm-oriented volcas would sync using the sync-port... but I'm not sure if this would be possible (if it is, I'll buy mine in a heartbeat). 4) I see that when chancing the knobs, some values appear in the screen: oscillator tuning, it appears to be in cents, but how are the other values, specifically, is the Filter cutoff shown in Hertz? That would be great for teaching also... Cheers, and many thanks for these tips! :)
Thanks Nick, this kind of special reviews are the "key" value to your channel. my thoughts to review: - keys: playability, touch, velocity, compared to other minikeys - fader/mod wheel: feel, usability, patchable to settings - portability: size, weight, robustness, ac adapter, where it fits - fine tuning: seems that most values can go 0-1023. How this will enhance the sound design process? - filter: The filter type (2-pole,4-pole), Can be "motion recorded"? - audio in: used as feedback for itself - resonance/amplitude: resonance knob affects directly to the loudness or is compensated? - oscillators: calibration, warm up time?, fine tune scaling/interpolation - patch storage: usage, It will cut the signal on a program change? delay still runs on that change? - in/out options and connectors quality - cleanliness of the signal output: with or without delay - how well are this envelopes implemented - monitor on headphones: can be split from the main out/master volume? - midi filtering options - "CC's"/sysex data: what values are exposed to midi or usb. any other fine tunes over 440hz
+victor piscue - Keys are reasonably playable, they're not as nice as full size, but bigger than your regular minikeys. And while they are the same as on the MS-20 mini and KARP Odyssey, they feel more robust and "bottom out" nicer than they do on those. - The pitch lever can only affect 1 parameter at a time, and while it can target just about any parameter there's currently a lack of scaling settings. The feeling is fine, but it'll eat a lot of dirt, and in the long run will require both protection and cleaning to not fail. - Size is irregular, but can be seen as a thicker and deeper MicroKorg. Weight is deceivingly low, and portability is good. The bottom part of the chassis has a cheap feel, but the overall structure is plenty strong and rigid. The "lip" will protect the keys to some extent and the knob and toggles feel very solid. Personally i'm a bit disappointed they didn't repeat the genius from the Odyssey, and ship it in a custom carrycase. But expect a bag/case on the market soon. - The 1024 step MIDI resolution does away with some issues that arise from the regular 128 step resolution, but also means the MIDI implementation is a bit strange, and external control can be problematic. On that note, currently atleast, the MIDI filtering is very basic, too basic really. - Oscillators calibrate on start up, so there's a 15 sec wait when you first turn it on. Mine have no other need to warm up. They're very stable overall, with just enough drift to introduce that VCO warmth. Once i had it go slightly out of tune after several hours use, just activate the calibration, another 15 sec wait and it's back in tune. - It has pretty much all the in/out options you'd expect, no CV/Gate but the rest seems spot on, and quality seems good both in terms of sound and durability. Though the delay introduces a bit of noise, there's already been an update that reduced that. I did a video with a frequency analyser on it that should give a fair perspective of noise etc. ua-cam.com/video/_shFhYWBU4k/v-deo.html on my rig the noisefloor is around -100dBFS if i remember correctly.
+digidope I've been wondering if the voice detune/chord inversion knob can be motion sequenced. I'm a big fan of unison voices going in and out of tune.
Thank you for the Great Vid. After waiting for 2 months, mine was delivered on 04/14/16. It's a wonderful synth and a fine musical instrument. I'm a musician and not an EE or Techie. I love exploring it and it's infinite sounds. Love it!
Nice video/sounds! The delay is digital, it's more or less lifted straight from the Monotron Delay, but it's been made less noisy in an update. About the sync, the Minilogue has a some settings for the sync in the menu, so while i don't have any gear to test it properly, i'm fairly certain that you can get it syncing with gear other than Korgs own. Have made an unboxing/short demo video 2 weeks ago, showing some of the presets. Had planned to have done a more detailed tweaking video by now, but i'm so sick i can hardly sit up straight.
Nick and others you can sync the Volcas and pocket operators using the BSP. Change the last step position to 2 then switch on gate at position 1 only. Now they're in sync and you can even choose different time divisions for Volca and POs. Lovely. You can also mess with longer last step time in multiples of 2 as well. My setup is one sequencer for Minibrute and the other two for Volca sample and Pocket Operator Arcade. interested in seeing the full review of this tasty little poly.
+sonicstate Arturia have mentioned the possibility of adding Volca/PO sync options so may yet happen in a future update. However I do prefer the option of running at different time sigs and tempo divisions and don't mind tying up the sequencers. Would be even cooler if the drum sequencer offered different time sigs and step length per part but this is far less likely to happen than the additional Volca/PO sync option.
Looking forward to your full review. My Minilogue videos were very Sonic State inspired. Strange that BSP sync won't work, clocks from my modular work fine.
+Flohr I think its more the resolution. Like the SQ1 runs at light speed at normal Euro speed. It needs dividing(i think by 4) and also its internal speed running at its lowest.
+Flohr Just looked at the manual, you can change the sync in settings "Sync In Unit [16th Note, 8th Note] The Sync In Units determine how much the Sequencer will advance with each pulse received via the SYNC IN jack. 16th Note: The Sequencer will advance one sixteenth note for each pulse. 8th Note: The Sequencer will advance one eighth note for each pulse. TIP When Step Resolution in the SEQ EDIT mode is set to 1/16, a sixteenth note will be equal to one step, and an eighth note will be equal to two steps."
+kingpishful I thought you could do that. I'm pretty sure I have it set "correctly". Its never a problem. And the Minilogue lets you switch the sync in behavior as well. I had it synced to my modular at a show I played last night and it worked perfectly.
Heya Flohr, I like your videos and channel. got a question, my minilouge seems to make a hiss or static that comes from the Delay feture. Is this normal? or am I applying to much control?
+Uprightest Some commenters have been trying to encourage him to release these demo tracks somewhere online. Just the raw stereo tracks. He always manages to make something beautiful, and I for one enjoy the minimal production.
In your full review I'd be interested to hear if you can use the audio in to create a feedback loop practically and what it sounds like. Every review I've seen by you on a synth that has an audio input you do that anyway, but thought I'd throw that out there just in case.
Please discuss this synth's bass line capabilities. From what I've seen so far, seems like a versatile synth, but I haven't heard anyone specifically address this.
Very tempting; love the sequencer control of parameters. Just hanging on for an 8-voice or 12-voice Pro version with Polysix chorus circuit, and a 32+ step sequencer. Really pleased that Korg have taken build quality seriously.
Not sure if anyone's mentioned but I believe you can edit and clear individual notes by tapping the 1-8/9-16 button. Maybe someone else can share the exact steps.
Very interesting "review" of the Minilogue. This seems to be one nifty little beast. I really like how you pointed out the _volca_sync_ problematic between the BeatStep PRO and the Minilogue, because that was a bit of a decay in my state of mind. Now, we know why and most important how to work around this. Clever there :) Keep up the good work team sonicstate!
Anyone remember "Minilouge mania"? When was that? 2016 or something? People were actually flying around the country to get their hands on one.....Then, because the product wasn't ready to sell, the whole world had a couple of months to double think their "pre-order".....It was still a big seller (And still is) but KORG really screwed themselves on this one. If they had made sure that retail chains had product to put on the shelves the day after it was announced at NAMM.....Well, this would have sold more than the DX7 and M1 combined....which I believe are the top two selling synths of all time,.....literally, EVERYONE was RABID to get their hands on one of these after the initial announcement, I've never seen anything like it in the synth world, before or since,
Excellent "tips" video! Nick, thanks so much for the work you do. You're one of my go-to sources (the other being SOS, so pretty good company) when I'm researching a piece of gear for potential purchase. And I really like the way you do what you do, for what that's worth. Cheers!
Second this question. Seems like anyone who has tried external audio in will sooner or later see Resonance freak out. But can't figure out if it is just audio, or related to MIDI, both, or neither.
Hey Nick, Regarding questions for the review...You were speaking of syncing the Minilogue from other sources such as the Beatstep pro, however, what about the other direction? If one wanted to sync a modular, would that be possible? I assume it's the same problem only in reverse... i.e. not enough voltage without some sort of amplification??
As always -- fantastic tips. Just got a Minibrute and love it -- but it's hard to imagine that the same cash could get this little monster. Now I have to think hard about whether I really need that Mother32 or whether I will get the Minilogue first...
proud ownerhere !. the clicks are there and but do go away if the attack is changed. the only issues i have is with the maschine software. but i think its more the software than the korg. i use it with my kp3 and ko pro plus. makes a damn good amount of fun .
I noticed a weird "issue" where in Mono mode (and maybe other non-poly modes) having the glide up doesn't seem to retrigger the Mod EG. It's weird how this is a case with the glide and not without.
Hey Nick, I've watched most of your reviews - I really appreciate your efforts here - this is the best channel for getting reviews of gear from front to back!! I've started buying gear now honestly based on much of the videos I see here. If I ever want to learn about anything I come to see if you have a vid. It's bad for my wallet :)
Hi Nick thanx for this really informative video, I have a question, can the BeatStep Pro record sequences performed on the ML and played back after on the BeatStep?
Clever idea using the sequencer just for modulation. The only thing that bothered me about this synth is the single LFO, which I find extremely limiting on a lot of my analogue mono's. But if you can get some tonal movement via the sequencer that can leave the LFO free for some trad vibrato/tremolo work. Maybe I missed it, but does it, or can it, interpolate between values? (e.g. if sequencing filter cutoff is it 16x distinct stepped values or are they smoothly interpolated over the duration of the step time to the next value?).
+RJJNY Thanks. That's a pretty cool system then, better than an extra LFO in that case. Maybe they could add a ramp/reverse ramp and S&H interpolation and you'd have a mega LFO with 16-step custom wave shaping function...or something like that....imagine the PWM that Nick could indulge in then (is PW a modulatable parameter?)
Great video Nick.. Hey i was just thinking about the Beatstep pro sync issue.. Would a Teenage Engineering OPLab aid with syncing perhaps? would love to hear what you think as i am just making an assumption.. look forward to your review
Hi Nick. Only one site talked about the fact that the filters use Norton Amps. I tried to find Tatsuya when I was at NAMM, but I was busy most of the time. Do you know anything about why they chose to use those type of amp in the filter? Are they used in the VCA too? Also - you said that it is an analog delay. I doubt that - it is probably a PT2399, which is delta-sigma (digital).
+sonicstate Possibly - I never thought of that. They are usually used for control applications, and not audio. One of the only other synths that uses them is the Polivoks, which has a very unique sound. I make my own synths, so I was just curious about why they made that choice.
Just looked at the manual, you can change the sync in settings. This should fix your speed from the beatstep "Sync In Unit [16th Note, 8th Note] The Sync In Units determine how much the Sequencer will advance with each pulse received via the SYNC IN jack. 16th Note: The Sequencer will advance one sixteenth note for each pulse. 8th Note: The Sequencer will advance one eighth note for each pulse. TIP When Step Resolution in the SEQ EDIT mode is set to 1/16, a sixteenth note will be equal to one step, and an eighth note will be equal to two steps."
You mentioned the way to delete the sequenced note data is to put a bunch of rests. If you press Shift + Rest together, it doesn’t clear them all out at once?
Nick, where can we find a collection of your music? It's some really great stuff. I already purchased a few you made available, but I want to hear more!
this might seem like a weird question but - can I perfectly position my notes in logic pro x after I play them on the Korg? Does this function as a midi-keyboard for itself and the sounds it creates as well as in general? I have zero hardware and know about analog as much as I know about well, analog would be a good example here.
I'm looking for a good polyphonic synth. Trying to decide between this and a System-1... Similar polyphony and price point. Would love to hear your thoughts on the differences between the 2 in your review. Sound and function differences... not digital vs analog. I have all the other AIRA gear including the MX-1.. Also have other Volcas... the Volca keys does not sound great in the poly mode in my option... Maybe I need to get a good analog chorus pedal the run it through.
+Justin Morgan In my opinion you won't go wrong with either. But personally i went with the Minilogue, and would ultimately recommend that for a couple of reasons. Sound wise it's all about taste. Indeed digital vs. analogue is a pointless argument, especially as the System-1 does a darn good job of emulating analogue. But to my ears the Minilogue has more charm, and sounds very nice all in all. On the other hand the System-1 has the advantage of the superwaves and greater variation overall, with the update giving it 12 waves to choose from + a sub oscillator. Furthermore the plug-outs give the System-1 a wider variety of sounds and options. But the while the plug-outs is a big strength for the System-1, it's also 1 of the things putting me off from buying 1. Unless you choose a single favorite plug-out, load that up and leave it at that, you're dependant on a computer to change plug-outs. And eventually there won't be any more drivers for that USB port, which means no MIDI/Audio via USB, and no using a computer to change plug-outs, unless you maintain an old out of date computer just for that. Personally i'm very much against buying hardware that's too reliant on computers for core functionality, i have been burned by that previously. So it depends a lot on how you view and intend to use the plug-out functionality. Also getting multiple plug-outs isn't exactly cheap. I think the Minilogue is more robust, and better built overall. Its interface is also better. The difference isn't enormous, and they have a fair bit in common. But i think the Minilogue feels better and will eventually last longer.
Actually, Waldorf's PPG Wave 3 vsti is insanely deep if you manipulate/layer sounds and add the amazing effects it has in it. It will do the job for me anyway.
11:30 Beautiful!! Im getting one, tossing up between this and the monologue.. My late to the party question is, is there anything the minilogue cant do that the mono can?
Damn, that delay recorded into the sequencer to produce chorus/modulation trick is amazing!!!
Nick, you're THE trusted reviewer. You're THE reason I have a Mininova, Volca Keys, and Volca Beats. I have a feeling that when your Minilogue review comes out, you'll be the reason I get one of those, too! Keep up the good work!!
Minilogue is a jewel. I've got one ever since 2018 and not disappointed a bit. It's so incredibly flexible and powerful. I even got to synthesize a Minimoog (close enough, I reckon) and happy to tweak it when I'm making music wirh the band. I accidentally came across this vid, I'm lying on a couch far from home at 1:13 am and hoping to get back home to try it out. Thank you for the video, Sir. And my ackowlegments to Dawless Jade and BoBeats for encouraging me to buy it. 💓
Korg have hit the JACKPOT and delivered a masterpiece for less than 500 quid. Anybody and I mean anybody who doesnt realize that hasnt got a clue. The sound of this is both sweet and powerful.
I normally wouldnt give an analogue synth a second glance. Nothing ive heard since the Juno 60 has excited me at an affordable price. Until now.
This synth will become a true modern classic a standout from the pack. Ive had a go on my friends one and I have to have one. Nothing compares to this for less than a grand. people have got to know when something special hits the market. And the Minilogue is something special.
6:00 chord/patch sounds like Aphex Twin’s #3 ambient classic
Yeah it does, can hear that...
The scope time base that is selected is based on the note value of the key being pressed on the minilogue. No pitch detection of the actual wave is used. I've verified this using my MS-20 mini as an input.
I had my doubts about how much you could really do with the minilogue, but the amount of depth to the sound you managed to get out of the machine at 8:40 for the price it sells for is absurd.
"Jolly Hypnotic"
Questions for review:
1) did you notice the 'popping' sound that others have?
2) can you compare it to the Microkorg XL? They seem to have a similiar bright sound and features.
3) in mono modes how do the EGs trigger/re-trigger?
4) in mono modes is there any note priority like on the MS-20
5) do the knobs snap or catch when changing to different presets?
+davidevoid 5) It has 3 possible settings, standard it jumps to the knob state when you start moving it. Then there's a "catch" setting where it starts changing once you move it past its actual setting. And then there's a scaling setting where it'll change faster or slower depending on the knob position vs. actual setting, giving a smooth hybrid between the 1st 2.
+Marc the Darc Brilliant, that third option sounds great. Cheers.
the popping is easily fixed by adding a little attack
I wish Nick was my best friend.
Been waiting for this review since it came out!
Can't afford it right now, but watching Nick make some cool sounds will make me feel okay for another couple months.
As expected, you explored all the features I was curious about, and probably the first things I would have tried to screw around with. Thanks, Nick.
Nick, this one is better than all the reviews I've seen so far, including the korg's themselves.
My eye glances at suggestions and I see "Cool Things To Do With Kylie Minogue".. now I'm disappointed.
Као Птице Лет Your chances with the Korg are better.
😂😂😂😂
🤣😂🤣😂
Cant keep her out of my head...
Thanks for the video, Nick. Can't wait for the full review. Since there's a lot of controversy about certain aspects of the synth, I'd love to hear your unbiased opinion on those issues: clicking, envelope triggering behaviour, and so on.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks much! Your reviews are my go-to often before considering new equipment. The right mix of musical and tech considerations. Manufacturers should really pay attention to your improvement suggestions - they make sense from a musician's perspective. Carry on!!
Well, that is THE nicest thing I've ever heard done with a triangle wave. What a brilliant trick!
Korg really hit the bullseye with the Minilogue.
So much high quality analog synthesizer goodness for such a decent price, it is incredible.
Korg is the new Roland.
Cant wait to get my hands on one!
Its digital delay modeled after the tape delay?
good stuff. is the scope /display mounted slightly squint in the panel? that would drive me mad!!!
Great tip with the octave and delay time modulation recording. Makes for a cool pad sound!
that delay-modulated chorus is genius.
I cant remember if you mention it in the video, but theres actually a way to delete notes from the sequence and not the motion seq : just go on the step and press "rest" :)
Please let Korg know you just sold this to me. $500 at Sweetwater? I wasn't even shopping for a keyboard.
+Brap Allgood Haha
+Brap Allgood I'd appreciate it if you did - any reminders to them is all good advocacy for us!
+sonicstate Do you have an Amazon affiliate link thingy?
I would buy all my music gear through it, if you did!
+sonicstate I sent a link to this video to my sweetwater rep. This is a great learning video :)
+Brap Allgood I originally ordered during the first rush from Sweetwater. I'd ask about an ETA and it kept getting pushed back. Eventually I looked elsewhere and found places that had them in stock. 2 days later, I had a Minilogue on my doorstep - no thanks to Sweetwater.
9:25 the volcas do take midi sync data though. At least they sync up nicely to daw via midi so I would think arturia beatstep midi would work too?.. and if you sync one via midi you can use that to send the sync to another volca
These are fantastic tips, especially on other things to do with motion sequencing. Well done, and thanks!
An interesting creative demonstration, thank you Nick.
Great not-so-little teaser for the review video!
I was just commenting on AutomaticGainsay's channel of how great it would be to use the Automation as a kind of Modulation source (also as a way to overcome the small modulation routing and waveshape on the LFO).
Some questions I haven't seen (I don0t know if they already popped out in here):
1) Does the Motion Sequencer record quantized or un-quantized (in Volca Keys parlance: with ans without the Flux option)?
2) Is the USB-midi class complainant? Can you address the MIDI DIN ports from USB?
3) If possible, could you demonstrate it working in collaboration with the volcas? I think the Minilogue might be great as a main console for a volca studio: using the USB to connect to the DAW, perhaps using a MIDI split to control the Bass and the Keys on different channels (perhaps one of these volcas could feed into the External In of the ML), and the more rhythm-oriented volcas would sync using the sync-port... but I'm not sure if this would be possible (if it is, I'll buy mine in a heartbeat).
4) I see that when chancing the knobs, some values appear in the screen: oscillator tuning, it appears to be in cents, but how are the other values, specifically, is the Filter cutoff shown in Hertz? That would be great for teaching also...
Cheers, and many thanks for these tips! :)
Love your vids, always very informative and thorough. Great job and great sounds Nick!
I haven't tried to sync the minilogue via "trigger sync" from my BSP but it works perfectly fine with my Boss DR110 and DR220.
11:28 Two things in this vid I want are demonstrated fantastically- Korg and Arturia. And that is a cool jam.
Those advanced sequencer functions are superb !
can u transpose a sequence through the keyboard ?
Thanks for this vid. I think you could slow down the tempo to the slowest and record more automation at doubletime?
Which model is that Rolls mixer?, it looks like an small nice device?
Thanks Nick, this kind of special reviews are the "key" value to your channel.
my thoughts to review:
- keys: playability, touch, velocity, compared to other minikeys
- fader/mod wheel: feel, usability, patchable to settings
- portability: size, weight, robustness, ac adapter, where it fits
- fine tuning: seems that most values can go 0-1023. How this will enhance the sound design process?
- filter: The filter type (2-pole,4-pole), Can be "motion recorded"?
- audio in: used as feedback for itself
- resonance/amplitude: resonance knob affects directly to the loudness or is compensated?
- oscillators: calibration, warm up time?, fine tune scaling/interpolation
- patch storage: usage, It will cut the signal on a program change? delay still runs on that change?
- in/out options and connectors quality
- cleanliness of the signal output: with or without delay
- how well are this envelopes implemented
- monitor on headphones: can be split from the main out/master volume?
- midi filtering options
- "CC's"/sysex data: what values are exposed to midi or usb. any other fine tunes over 440hz
+victor piscue I would also like to know what happens when the Minilogue plugs into itself.
+victor piscue
- Keys are reasonably playable, they're not as nice as full size, but bigger than your regular minikeys. And while they are the same as on the MS-20 mini and KARP Odyssey, they feel more robust and "bottom out" nicer than they do on those.
- The pitch lever can only affect 1 parameter at a time, and while it can target just about any parameter there's currently a lack of scaling settings. The feeling is fine, but it'll eat a lot of dirt, and in the long run will require both protection and cleaning to not fail.
- Size is irregular, but can be seen as a thicker and deeper MicroKorg. Weight is deceivingly low, and portability is good. The bottom part of the chassis has a cheap feel, but the overall structure is plenty strong and rigid. The "lip" will protect the keys to some extent and the knob and toggles feel very solid. Personally i'm a bit disappointed they didn't repeat the genius from the Odyssey, and ship it in a custom carrycase. But expect a bag/case on the market soon.
- The 1024 step MIDI resolution does away with some issues that arise from the regular 128 step resolution, but also means the MIDI implementation is a bit strange, and external control can be problematic. On that note, currently atleast, the MIDI filtering is very basic, too basic really.
- Oscillators calibrate on start up, so there's a 15 sec wait when you first turn it on. Mine have no other need to warm up. They're very stable overall, with just enough drift to introduce that VCO warmth. Once i had it go slightly out of tune after several hours use, just activate the calibration, another 15 sec wait and it's back in tune.
- It has pretty much all the in/out options you'd expect, no CV/Gate but the rest seems spot on, and quality seems good both in terms of sound and durability. Though the delay introduces a bit of noise, there's already been an update that reduced that.
I did a video with a frequency analyser on it that should give a fair perspective of noise etc. ua-cam.com/video/_shFhYWBU4k/v-deo.html on my rig the noisefloor is around -100dBFS if i remember correctly.
+digidope I've been wondering if the voice detune/chord inversion knob can be motion sequenced. I'm a big fan of unison voices going in and out of tune.
+inthefade Also, chord inversion being motion sequenced... That could just be a really weird pseudo-arpeggio.
+inthefade Yes both: detune and chord inversions can be recorded. Only knobs i have found that it does not record are: Tempo, Volume and Octave.
Thank you for the Great Vid.
After waiting for 2 months, mine was delivered on 04/14/16.
It's a wonderful synth and a fine musical instrument. I'm a musician and not an EE or Techie.
I love exploring it and it's infinite sounds.
Love it!
Amazing tips, please do more on the Minilouge and the Arturia sequencer. Thanks
Nice video/sounds!
The delay is digital, it's more or less lifted straight from the Monotron Delay, but it's been made less noisy in an update.
About the sync, the Minilogue has a some settings for the sync in the menu, so while i don't have any gear to test it properly, i'm fairly certain that you can get it syncing with gear other than Korgs own.
Have made an unboxing/short demo video 2 weeks ago, showing some of the presets. Had planned to have done a more detailed tweaking video by now, but i'm so sick i can hardly sit up straight.
Nick and others you can sync the Volcas and pocket operators using the BSP. Change the last step position to 2 then switch on gate at position 1 only. Now they're in sync and you can even choose different time divisions for Volca and POs. Lovely. You can also mess with longer last step time in multiples of 2 as well. My setup is one sequencer for Minibrute and the other two for Volca sample and Pocket Operator Arcade.
interested in seeing the full review of this tasty little poly.
Yes its also possible to use one of the sequencers and Gate out. But that ties up a whole sequencer
I should add that the plus side is that you don't need an attenuator
+sonicstate
Arturia have mentioned the possibility of adding Volca/PO sync options so may yet happen in a future update. However I do prefer the option of running at different time sigs and tempo divisions and don't mind tying up the sequencers. Would be even cooler if the drum sequencer offered different time sigs and step length per part but this is far less likely to happen than the additional Volca/PO sync option.
Looking forward to your full review. My Minilogue videos were very Sonic State inspired. Strange that BSP sync won't work, clocks from my modular work fine.
+Flohr I think its more the resolution. Like the SQ1 runs at light speed at normal Euro speed. It needs dividing(i think by 4) and also its internal speed running at its lowest.
+kingpishful hmm I guess I hadn't noticed because my QCD handles everything and I just set the SQ-1 where it needs to go.
+Flohr Just looked at the manual, you can change the sync in settings
"Sync In Unit [16th Note, 8th Note]
The Sync In Units determine how much the Sequencer will advance with each
pulse received via the SYNC IN jack.
16th Note: The Sequencer will advance one sixteenth note for each pulse.
8th Note: The Sequencer will advance one eighth note for each pulse.
TIP When Step Resolution in the SEQ EDIT mode is set to 1/16, a sixteenth
note will be equal to one step, and an eighth note will be equal to two
steps."
+kingpishful I thought you could do that. I'm pretty sure I have it set "correctly". Its never a problem. And the Minilogue lets you switch the sync in behavior as well. I had it synced to my modular at a show I played last night and it worked perfectly.
Heya Flohr, I like your videos and channel. got a question, my minilouge seems to make a hiss or static that comes from the Delay feture. Is this normal? or am I applying to much control?
Nick makes some dope music
+Uprightest Some commenters have been trying to encourage him to release these demo tracks somewhere online. Just the raw stereo tracks. He always manages to make something beautiful, and I for one enjoy the minimal production.
+inthefade I could listen to Nick for hours. He is up there in my synth royalty with Vince Clarke and Tom Ellard.
Uprightest Nick who?
Nick Batt, who is doing the review in this video.
true! No matter what he is touching. And those videos are always great, thx
In your full review I'd be interested to hear if you can use the audio in to create a feedback loop practically and what it sounds like. Every review I've seen by you on a synth that has an audio input you do that anyway, but thought I'd throw that out there just in case.
Nick these wee tunes at the end of some of your visa are really good and quite inspiring. Any chance of some sort of playlist for them all?
2 years later, this is still a good video. Thanks Nick.
Please discuss this synth's bass line capabilities. From what I've seen so far, seems like a versatile synth, but I haven't heard anyone specifically address this.
Very tempting; love the sequencer control of parameters. Just hanging on for an 8-voice or 12-voice Pro version with Polysix chorus circuit, and a 32+ step sequencer. Really pleased that Korg have taken build quality seriously.
Not sure if anyone's mentioned but I believe you can edit and clear individual notes by tapping the 1-8/9-16 button. Maybe someone else can share the exact steps.
Analoguely! Added to dictionary.
that erebus is sounding quite nice...I'm kinda stuck between it and the mother 32...
any recommendations Nick?
Will you be reviewing the monologue in the near future?
Very interesting "review" of the Minilogue. This seems to be one nifty little beast. I really like how you pointed out the _volca_sync_ problematic between the BeatStep PRO and the Minilogue, because that was a bit of a decay in my state of mind. Now, we know why and most important how to work around this. Clever there :) Keep up the good work team sonicstate!
Anyone remember "Minilouge mania"? When was that? 2016 or something? People were actually flying around the country to get their hands on one.....Then, because the product wasn't ready to sell, the whole world had a couple of months to double think their "pre-order".....It was still a big seller (And still is) but KORG really screwed themselves on this one. If they had made sure that retail chains had product to put on the shelves the day after it was announced at NAMM.....Well, this would have sold more than the DX7 and M1 combined....which I believe are the top two selling synths of all time,.....literally, EVERYONE was RABID to get their hands on one of these after the initial announcement, I've never seen anything like it in the synth world, before or since,
Excellent "tips" video! Nick, thanks so much for the work you do. You're one of my go-to sources (the other being SOS, so pretty good company) when I'm researching a piece of gear for potential purchase. And I really like the way you do what you do, for what that's worth. Cheers!
Besides the Volca series, can the Minilogue sync to a Monotribe and the new Electribes?
Have you noticed random Filter Resonance spikes when plugging in external audio sources?
Second this question. Seems like anyone who has tried external audio in will sooner or later see Resonance freak out. But can't figure out if it is just audio, or related to MIDI, both, or neither.
+Robert Saint John I guess the silence speaks volumes on this one bruh :)
Does the arp sends midi notes which then can be recorded in, let's say Cubase Elements 9?
Can the noise gen be sequenced 'separate' ? Or does the manual mean the obvious, as in, by itself or with the oscillators in a typical synth mixer?
Will the Minilogue send sequencer notes over MIDI? I'm not sure what proper terminology is.
wow! I loved that. just one question, can the sequences be transposed via the keyboard during playback?
No I think not. Bit of an oversight
Ah, that's a real shame. Thanks for clarifying
not a question but an other tip: (maybe obvious) if you hook send midi out of the Minilogue to the Erebus it will sequence
Hey Nick,
Regarding questions for the review...You were speaking of syncing the Minilogue from other sources such as the Beatstep pro, however, what about the other direction? If one wanted to sync a modular, would that be possible? I assume it's the same problem only in reverse... i.e. not enough voltage without some sort of amplification??
As always -- fantastic tips. Just got a Minibrute and love it -- but it's hard to imagine that the same cash could get this little monster. Now I have to think hard about whether I really need that Mother32 or whether I will get the Minilogue first...
Wow, I haven't seen any of these tips covered in other videos yet and not only that you got some seriously beautiful sounds.
Why didn't you use a Volca Sequencer? And can you pair the Minilogue with a Minibrute(make a video).
Is there a way to Latch the Arp?
so sync in/out is basically CV in/out? Like, I can send sync out to a modular system or a moogerfooger? Thanks
Very nice use of the sequencer, thanks for all your energy that goes in to all these demos :)
Isn't the scope of the display linked to the note you play?
Not sure, that would make sense
+Martebar Yes
+Martebar yup +1
What if you run the Microbrute through it with its 64 step sequencer ,,What are the possibilities ?
proud ownerhere !. the clicks are there and but do go away if the attack is changed. the only issues i have is with the maschine software. but i think its more the software than the korg. i use it with my kp3 and ko pro plus. makes a damn good amount of fun .
I noticed a weird "issue" where in Mono mode (and maybe other non-poly modes) having the glide up doesn't seem to retrigger the Mod EG. It's weird how this is a case with the glide and not without.
Question1: is it possible to trigger the motion sequencer on/off by note? Question 2: does it sound more "analogue" compared to microKorg / MS2000?
Hey Nick, I've watched most of your reviews - I really appreciate your efforts here - this is the best channel for getting reviews of gear from front to back!! I've started buying gear now honestly based on much of the videos I see here. If I ever want to learn about anything I come to see if you have a vid. It's bad for my wallet :)
When is the Minilogue 2 coming out? = )
the modulation recording really opens this thing up soundwise. Going to be saving some cash for one!
Thanks for this informative tutorial! I will now go and use these on my minilogue! What was the model number of the rolls device? Thanks!
Hi Nick thanx for this really informative video, I have a question, can the BeatStep Pro record sequences performed on the ML and played back after on the BeatStep?
Clever idea using the sequencer just for modulation. The only thing that bothered me about this synth is the single LFO, which I find extremely limiting on a lot of my analogue mono's. But if you can get some tonal movement via the sequencer that can leave the LFO free for some trad vibrato/tremolo work. Maybe I missed it, but does it, or can it, interpolate between values? (e.g. if sequencing filter cutoff is it 16x distinct stepped values or are they smoothly interpolated over the duration of the step time to the next value?).
+RJJNY
Thanks. That's a pretty cool system then, better than an extra LFO in that case. Maybe they could add a ramp/reverse ramp and S&H interpolation and you'd have a mega LFO with 16-step custom wave shaping function...or something like that....imagine the PWM that Nick could indulge in then (is PW a modulatable parameter?)
I need to just bite the bullet and just buy this damn thing.
I just can't find anything horribly wrong with it.
Jamie, are you still loving it?
I bought the Korg Monologue instead because I can't afford the minilouge, I haven't received it yet but I'm excited.
Retro Plus there is a huge difference between these synths i hope ya looked into it
RyanBradley Yes I looked into it alot, for what I'm using it for the Monologue will be perfect.
@@RetroPlus i did exactly the same thing....... a year later now i ended up getting both! synths are a bit addictive
Great video Nick.. Hey i was just thinking about the Beatstep pro sync issue.. Would a Teenage Engineering OPLab aid with syncing perhaps? would love to hear what you think as i am just making an assumption.. look forward to your review
My question is why does Korg have the most boring boxes for there products?
Hi Nick. Only one site talked about the fact that the filters use Norton Amps. I tried to find Tatsuya when I was at NAMM, but I was busy most of the time. Do you know anything about why they chose to use those type of amp in the filter? Are they used in the VCA too? Also - you said that it is an analog delay. I doubt that - it is probably a PT2399, which is delta-sigma (digital).
+Jacob Watters Hi Jacob, I know nothing about Norton Amps are they problematic in some way? Could it be related to the envelope issue?
+sonicstate Possibly - I never thought of that. They are usually used for control applications, and not audio. One of the only other synths that uses them is the Polivoks, which has a very unique sound. I make my own synths, so I was just curious about why they made that choice.
Thanks for this. I got one of these on day 1 here in the US. You gave me some new ideas. Much obliged.
Just looked at the manual, you can change the sync in settings. This should fix your speed from the beatstep
"Sync In Unit [16th Note, 8th Note]
The Sync In Units determine how much the Sequencer will advance with each
pulse received via the SYNC IN jack.
16th Note: The Sequencer will advance one sixteenth note for each pulse.
8th Note: The Sequencer will advance one eighth note for each pulse.
TIP When Step Resolution in the SEQ EDIT mode is set to 1/16, a sixteenth
note will be equal to one step, and an eighth note will be equal to two
steps."
Nick any chance of syncing this with one of the Elektron products in your review please?
You mentioned the way to delete the sequenced note data is to put a bunch of rests. If you press Shift + Rest together, it doesn’t clear them all out at once?
Hi Nick, whats the mixer you used for the CV attenuation? I've got a BSP also but he 10V CV gate is too hot for my other gear.
The freshest tutorial i saw about the minilouge ... dope guy anyway
I put this in 144p so it feels like I'm watching it on VHS
Can you explain where is your sync cable plugged into ? I mean out of the minilogue to where ? oO
I wanna be in a stadium right now with ten thousand spectators just shouting Nick Batt! Nick Batt! Nick Batt!
how money is it?
Very money thanks
I bought mine for $500 brand new with a warranty that after it was like $630. It’s a lovely synthesizer though I’d definitely recommend it.
500
You cannot say "how money is it" that's not english. You should say "for how many does this cost". That would be the correct sentence. Sincerely 😁
definitely money
Nick, where can we find a collection of your music? It's some really great stuff. I already purchased a few you made available, but I want to hear more!
Unfortunately there is none. Spent most of my working time on other people's music. Will try and do more. .
sonicstate Please do let us know in one of the shows if you decide to make some of those tracks available! :)
+sonicstate Actually, some of it is available on Bandcamp: soniclab.bandcamp.com/
So has this got a pure sine wave?
this might seem like a weird question but - can I perfectly position my notes in logic pro x after I play them on the Korg? Does this function as a midi-keyboard for itself and the sounds it creates as well as in general? I have zero hardware and know about analog as much as I know about well, analog would be a good example here.
I'm looking for a good polyphonic synth. Trying to decide between this and a System-1... Similar polyphony and price point.
Would love to hear your thoughts on the differences between the 2 in your review. Sound and function differences... not digital vs analog.
I have all the other AIRA gear including the MX-1.. Also have other Volcas... the Volca keys does not sound great in the poly mode in my option... Maybe I need to get a good analog chorus pedal the run it through.
+Justin Morgan When I say "good" I don't mean $2000 Moog or Dave Smith... Can't afford that.. A very good sounding.. MUSICAL and affordable synth.
+Justin Morgan In my opinion you won't go wrong with either. But personally i went with the Minilogue, and would ultimately recommend that for a couple of reasons.
Sound wise it's all about taste.
Indeed digital vs. analogue is a pointless argument, especially as the System-1 does a darn good job of emulating analogue. But to my ears the Minilogue has more charm, and sounds very nice all in all. On the other hand the System-1 has the advantage of the superwaves and greater variation overall, with the update giving it 12 waves to choose from + a sub oscillator. Furthermore the plug-outs give the System-1 a wider variety of sounds and options.
But the while the plug-outs is a big strength for the System-1, it's also 1 of the things putting me off from buying 1. Unless you choose a single favorite plug-out, load that up and leave it at that, you're dependant on a computer to change plug-outs. And eventually there won't be any more drivers for that USB port, which means no MIDI/Audio via USB, and no using a computer to change plug-outs, unless you maintain an old out of date computer just for that.
Personally i'm very much against buying hardware that's too reliant on computers for core functionality, i have been burned by that previously. So it depends a lot on how you view and intend to use the plug-out functionality. Also getting multiple plug-outs isn't exactly cheap.
I think the Minilogue is more robust, and better built overall. Its interface is also better. The difference isn't enormous, and they have a fair bit in common. But i think the Minilogue feels better and will eventually last longer.
Can you overdrive the filter with external audio?
Thanks. This review actually made me buy this. It wasn't cheap, but I'm very happy with it.
Actually, Waldorf's PPG Wave 3 vsti is insanely deep if you manipulate/layer sounds and add the amazing effects it has in it. It will do the job for me anyway.
11:30 Beautiful!! Im getting one, tossing up between this and the monologue..
My late to the party question is, is there anything the minilogue cant do that the mono can?