Korg MS-20 Mini

thestreets · Post by **thestreets** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:35 pm

Infrasound wrote:
I'm also curious as to whether they may produce some sort of polyphonic MS20 mini (perhaps 3-4 voices) similar to the Volca keys (which to my uneducated self seems a cut-down kind of polyphony)

The volca keys and MS-20 are two entirely different concepts....

Bitexion · Post by **Bitexion** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 4:00 am

The digital versions of the ms-20 can have as much polyphony as your computer/ipad can handle also.

Infrasound · Post by **Infrasound** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 12:15 pm

So as planned I went into Store DJ after work to have a play with the MS20 mini.

I'm no retro-analogue fetishist, and am quite happy to spend time with various configurations of acoustic, electric, digital and analogue instrumentation. Playing the MS20 mini, there is no doubt that you are playing a living, breathing organic instrument. I had a not dissimilar experience playing a Pro 1, and despite my Creamware Prodyssey sounding damn good, there's something different. Even the DSI Evolver seems more rigid despite its half-analogue/half-digital self. I was surprised how small it is, despite all the pictures and reviews I have seen already.

So besides being analogue, it was fun sticking patch cords randomly in holes and trying to work out what does what. I'm basically conversant with subtractive style synthesis, but the front panel had me scratching my head. The enjoyable thing was that it didn't matter - I went through at least 6-7 sounds that would be highly usable whereas often on my V-Synth or MEK I am lazy and will flip through presets rather than get down to the nitty-gritty of programming. I'm glad there is no preset memory as it forces one to experiment, and it is ridiculously easy to do so on the MS20.

The sales guy I spoke to said that if I order this week I should have the instrument in about 5 weeks. I'm very tempted, despite my current financially precarious position, but I also have extreme GAS for the MFB Dominion X and am try to conjure one up.

I will be buying the MS20 mini at some point in the next 3 months, and more than likely the MFB as well. I've been coveting the MS20 for about 15 years, and I will have it soon.

I feel like Gollum.

thestreets · Post by **thestreets** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:05 pm

Infrasound wrote: Playing the MS20 mini, there is no doubt that you are playing a living, breathing organic instrument.

See, this really excites me. My setup is missing something I can just dive in and make noise with. Right now, it's to much pointing, clicking, tapping on pads....

What was the build quality like? I've heard people say that it's not as sturdy as the original. At a 1/3 of the price I'm not complaining, but I was just curious.

bhrama · Post by **bhrama** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:03 pm

Stab Frenzy wrote:It's nice for the Americans to be at the back of the line for a change.

Infrasound · Post by **Infrasound** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:49 pm

I've spent so little time with the original that I cannot compare.

The build quality did not stand out as flimsy, nor like a safe, but I only spent about 20 minutes with the instrument and was largely focused on playing and programming.

madmarkmagee · Post by **madmarkmagee** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:25 am

Infrasound wrote: I feel like Gollum.

haha

Re-Member · Post by **Re-Member** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 5:21 pm

thestreets wrote:
Infrasound wrote: What was the build quality like? I've heard people say that it's not as sturdy as the original. At a 1/3 of the price I'm not complaining, but I was just curious.

Every real review has said the build quality is about the same. Only one person said the build quality was c**p from his c**p blog with a c**p video, then started trolling forums online spreading the rumor. It was the whole "Dude with Big Truck" complex.

Jabberwalky · Post by **Jabberwalky** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:05 pm

I just wanna know how the shafts feel.

Infrasound · Post by **Infrasound** » Thu May 02, 2013 8:14 am

So I put my money where my mouth is and ordered one of these beauties.

Hopefully 5 weeks is all it will take, but at least I don't need to pay it all in one big payment.
If anyone's after a Minibrute, there's certainly no waiting period, and plenty in stock after all the supply dramas of last year. I don't have the patience to wait for the rush on the Korg to subside - I work fulltime, I can afford it, and I've been wanting one forever, so I It's ether order one now or later with no compelling reason to wait.

Analogue Crazy · Post by **Analogue Crazy** » Thu May 02, 2013 1:56 pm

Now that it's May i'm getting very excited about my pre-ordered MS20 Mini. The shop in Leeds says they are expecting pre-ordered units in mid May

madmarkmagee · Post by **madmarkmagee** » Fri May 03, 2013 3:59 pm

Haven't watched it myself yet.

thestreets · Post by **thestreets** » Fri May 03, 2013 5:21 pm

Ahh I swear by sonicstate reviews, Nick is my dude. With that said, I want to wait til I get mine to watch, and have some first hand experience with the thing.

Bitexion · Post by **Bitexion** » Fri May 03, 2013 8:43 pm

Nick is great. He even tells us to go watch Marc Doty's excellent series on the MS-20 mini

Our Automatic Gainsay. *sniffle*

Automatic Gainsay · Post by **Automatic Gainsay** » Fri May 03, 2013 11:48 pm

Nick is a long-time friend of mine. Sonic State interviewed me several times back when everyone was also still saying "who the f**k is this guy, and why should I listen to him?" It was Sonic State that told me to make the videos on the Minimoog that led to everyone having to put up with me. So blame them.

Also:
The shafts are plastic. But come on. They work well, and: MS-20 for less than I paid for an MS-20 in the early aughts.

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