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KORG KAOSSILATOR K01 SYNTHESIZER
The next innovation in the highly acclaimed line of Korg DJ tools has arrived!
The KAOSSILATOR is a new pocket sized instrument that packs Korg's world renowned synth sound along with innovative performance features into an ultra-compact unit. Anyone can instantly play musical phrases by simply tapping or sliding their finger across the KAOSSILATOR’s touch pad – no previous skills required! The KAOSSILATOR is a portable, travel friendly device that runs on batteries, so you can have fun creating music anywhere your life takes you, with seemingly endless possibilities.
Main Features
A portable synthesizer delivering maximum flexibility in an ultra-compact body, with battery operation that allows you to jam anywhere.
Synth, sound-effects, and drum sounds, for a total of 100 powerful sound programs.
31 scale patterns let you easily play a wide variety of “always perfect” phrases.
50 types of gate arpeggiation help you perform complex rhythmic patterns.
Loop Recording allows multiple phrase overdubbing to create complete grooves.
The KAOSSILATOR is a new instrument that liberates synthesizer sounds from the keyboard. It gives keyboardists, guitarists, and DJs a convenient way to add fresh new elements to a band performance or to a DJ set, while allowing untrained musical enthusiasts to enjoy an entirely new level of musical involvement and expression.
Thanks to its ultra-compact size, battery operation and hooks for attaching a strap, the KAOSSILATOR makes it easy for you to start creating music whenever and wherever inspiration strikes you.
Packed with powerful synth sounds, sound effects, and drum sounds
KAOSSILATOR comes packed with one hundred powerful sound programs that combine Korg's legendary modeling synthesizer engine with the effects from the KAOSS PAD series, perfect for any musical genre. The horizontal axis is assigned to note/pitch, while the vertical axis is assigned to parameters such as: cutoff, feedback, or modulation depth*, giving you a wide range of performance possibilities. In addition to classic synthesizer sounds like leads, basses and sound effects, there are sounds that faithfully simulate piano, guitar, and trumpet as well as looped and one-shot drum sounds, making the KAOSSILATOR a never-ending source of inspiration to stimulate your creativity.
Scale/key setting lets you produce perfect phrases
The KAOSSILATOR has a scale function that makes it simple to produce accurate pitches that match any musical context. You can choose from 31 different scales, including chromatic, diminished, as well as major and minor blues and pentatonic scales. The scale function can be used in conjunction with the key setting function, allowing you to perform in any key. Unusual scales such as Spanish, Ryukyu, and Raga are also provided, letting you create distinctive phrases with an exotic flavor.
Gate Arpeggiator expands your performance possibilities
The Gate Arpeggiator lets you produce specific patterns of notes in sync with the user specified tempo, greatly expanding your performance options. Simply choose one of the fifty patterns to specify the timing of the notes, and you'll be creating phrases that you've never dreamed of in a flash.
Loop Recording accelerates your creative power
Loop Recording allows you to record a phrase with a specified number of beats (maximum 8 beats = 2 measures), and play it back endlessly. For example you can record a phrase using a synth-lead sound, and then layer (overdub) bass or drum sounds onto it. You can build up layers of cool phrases by simply repeating this cycle of selecting, playing, and recording sounds. Building a groove was never so easy!
* The KAOSS pads assignment will differ depending on the sound.
** Specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice for improvement.
*** All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
The next innovation in musical expression and creation from Korg has arrived. The KAOSSILATOR is a new pocket sized instrument that packs Korg's world renowned synth sound along with innovative performance features into an ultra-compact unit. Anyone can instantly play musical phrases by simply tapping or sliding their finger across the KAOSSILATOR’s touch pad – no previous skills required. The KAOSSILATOR is a portable, travel friendly device that runs on batteries, so you can have fun creating music anywhere your life takes you, with seemingly endless possibilities. Whether you’re an established "tweaker", an aspiring electronic artist or somewhere in between, KAOSSILATOR is one musical sketch pad that you should not be without.
The KAOSSILATOR is a new instrument that liberates synthesizer sounds from the keyboard. It gives keyboardists, guitarists, and DJs a convenient way to add fresh new elements to a band performance or to a DJ set, while allowing untrained musical enthusiasts to enjoy an entirely new level of musical involvement and expression.
Thanks to its ultra-compact size, battery operation and hooks for attaching a strap, the KAOSSILATOR makes it easy for you to start creating music whenever and wherever inspiration strikes you.
Packed with powerful synth sounds, sound effects, and drum sounds
KAOSSILATOR comes packed with one hundred powerful sound programs that combine Korg's legendary modeling synthesizer engine with the effects from the KAOSS PAD series, perfect for any musical genre. The horizontal axis is assigned to note/pitch, while the vertical axis is assigned to parameters such as: cutoff, feedback, or modulation depth*, giving you a wide range of performance possibilities. In addition to classic synthesizer sounds like leads, basses and sound effects, there are sounds that faithfully simulate piano, guitar, and trumpet as well as looped and one-shot drum sounds, making the KAOSSILATOR a never-ending source of inspiration to stimulate your creativity.
Scale/key setting lets you produce perfect phrases
The KAOSSILATOR has a scale function that makes it simple to produce accurate pitches that match any musical context. You can choose from 31 different scales, including chromatic, diminished, as well as major and minor blues and pentatonic scales. The scale function can be used in conjunction with the key setting function, allowing you to perform in any key. Unusual scales such as Spanish, Ryukyu, and Raga are also provided, letting you create distinctive phrases with an exotic flavor.
Gate Arpeggiator expands your performance possibilities
The Gate Arpeggiator lets you produce specific patterns of notes in sync with the user specified tempo, greatly expanding your performance options. Simply choose one of the fifty patterns to specify the timing of the notes, and you'll be creating phrases that you've never dreamed of in a flash.
Loop Recording accelerates your creative power
Loop Recording allows you to record a phrase with a specified number of beats (maximum 8 beats = 2 measures), and play it back endlessly. Once a phrase is captured, it will play back automatically. Now, go ahead and choose a different sound and play it on top… and repeat infinitely. Each time you add a phrase, KAOSSILATOR "stacks" it on top of what was previously entered, resulting in complete musical works as simple – or complex – as you desire.
Powerful sounds & features
KAOSSILATOR comes packed with 100 sound programs that combine Korg’s modelling synthesizer engine with effects from the KAOSS Pad series. Its horizontal axis is assigned to note/pitch, while the vertical axis is assigned to parameters such as: cut-off, feedback, or modulation depth, giving you a wide range of performance possibilities. In addition to classic synthesizer sounds, there are faithfully simulated piano, guitar and trumpet sounds as well as looped and one-shot drum sounds. making the KAOSSILATOR a never-ending source of inspiration to stimulate your creativity.
The KAOSSILATOR offers you a choice of 31 different scales, including chromatic and diminished, as well as major and minor blues and pentatonic scales – by using the key setting function, you can play them in any key. In addition to the standard western scales, Korg has included a few more exotic varieties such as Spanish, Ryukyu, and Raga.
The Gate Arpeggiator
Gate Arpeggiator enables you to produce specific patterns of notes in sync with user specified tempos. Then, to get your creative juices flowing, Loop Recording allows you to record a phrase with a specified number of beats to a maximum of two bars (or measures) and add layers to it. For example you can record a phrase using a synth-lead sound, and then overdub bass or drum sounds. You can build up layers of cool phrases by simply repeating this cycle of selecting, playing, and recording sounds.
Technical specifications
* PROGRAMS: 100
* MUSICAL SCALE PATTERNS: 31
* KEY RANGE: +/- 12
* TYPES OF GATE ARPEGGIATOR: 50
* CONNECTORS: LINE OUT: Phono (RCA)
* HEADPHONE: Stereo mini jack
* SAMPLING FREQUENCY: 48kHz
* D-A CONVERSION: 24-bit Linear
* POWER SUPPLY: 4 alkaline AA (LR6) batteries (6V)
* BATTERY LIFE: approximately five hours (with alkaline batteries)
* DIMENSIONS: 106 mm (W) x 129mm (D) x 29 mm (H)
* WEIGHT: 154 g / 5.43 oz. (without batteries)
* OPTIONS: AC adapter ( DC 4.5V )
REMIX MAGAZINE Review: Korg Kaossilator
Apr 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Markkus Rovito
Korg is starting to resemble Bubba Gump with this Kaoss Pad thing, serving it up in every way possible short of a Kaoss Pad gumbo. Besides the flagship full-featured KP3 and the tiny Mini-KP, Korg has installed the popular touchpad technology in DJ mixers, performance mixers and video processors. Now, the latest Kaoss steps onto the scene making a helluva lot of noise.
The Kaossilator (aka KO-1) takes on the same ultra-portable form factor of the Mini-KP, weighing about a half a pound with the two included AA batteries inside. Externally, the only ways the Kaossilator differs from the Mini-KP is its yellow and silver color scheme (as opposed to red and black) and that it doesn't have audio inputs; instead, it has only stereo RCA outputs, an 1/8-inch headphone output and global volume dial for both outputs. But the Kaossilator concentrates on expanding the synthesis capabilities that Korg touches on with the KP3 and Mini-KP Kaoss Pads, rather than effects.
TAP OUT
This diminutive Kaoss Pad harbors 100 synth programs run on a marvelous-sounding synth engine based on Korg's recent modeling synthesizers. The sounds include 20 synth leads, 10 acoustic instruments, 20 basses, 10 chorded patches, 20 special effects, 10 drums and 10 drum patterns. You choose one with the Program/Value dial. On the touchpad, the x axis determines the note for most of the patches, so moving the finger horizontally changes pitch. And the y axis determines a single or a combination of parameters depending on the patch — for instance, the filter cutoff, LFO speed and combinations such as echo time/feedback. Some of the patches incorporate effects, but the emphasis is on creating sounds, not tweaking effects.
The Kaossilator plays one note at a time, so if you hold one finger on the pad and then press another finger down, the note will pitch up or down. The pad's response is fast enough for you to execute little finger rolls with as many as four fingers to get some interesting results, and the more you practice tapping and gliding fingers over the pad, the more adept you'll be at “playing” the Kaossilator.
BUTTON TO BUTTON
After a couple hours of focused goofing off with sounds, I examined the other features of this surprisingly versatile synth. The Gate Arp button on the front turns on the arpeggiator, and if you hold it down and turn the dial, you can choose from 50 arpeggiator patterns; a handy reference card shows you the rhythms of each arpeggiator, which loop continuously as long as you're touching the pad. With the Tap/BPM button, you can tap or dial in the tempo to an impressive range of 20 to 300 bpm.
The reference card also shows the 31 scales available, which play back across the pad's x axis. Pressing and holding the Scale button, you can scroll through them with the Program dial. Choices include Chromatic, Ionian, Mixolydian, major blues, minor blues, three Raga scales, Spanish, Gypsy, Arabian, Egyptian, Hawaiian, Japanese, five intervals and more. Even if you're not sure how best to use them, it's fun to pair the Electric Sitar patch with the Raga scales, for instance, or the Flute with the Japanese scale. Turning the scale to Off can also cause some cool effects, such as a piano that bends and twists like it's playing back on an erratic tape machine.
In addition to scales, you can dial in any key you like, so if you're improvising over your band's songs or DJing (provided you know the songs' key, of course), the Kaossilator can keep you in tune. There are 25 key selections, starting with a low C, moving through a middle C (the default setting) and ending with a high C. I really enjoyed that feature because when trying to do some wacky things while DJing key-labeled tracks, it helped give me controlled Kaoss, if you will.
MINI TUNES
Kaossilator's final trick is phrase recording, including overdubbing parts. Hold down the Loop Rec/Play button, and when the three-character display goes blank, start recording any performance on the pad, whether it's a drum pattern, a bass with an arpeggiator or any other sound with or without an arpeggiator. The default phrase length is eight counts (two measures). You can shorten that, but unfortunately, you can't lengthen it. After recording, the performance loops and you can stop/start it with the Loop Rec/Play button or erase it with the Loop Rec/Play and Scale buttons together. With a loop playing, you can select any other sound with any arppegiator, scale or key and play over top the loop. You can also then hold down Loop Rec/Play and record overdubs. I was able to record eight full overdubs; by that time, it was usually sounding too busy anyway, but that's an impressively full sound from such a simple device. But I do wish that you could extend the phrase to 16 counts.
Besides possessing a huger sound than its size suggests, the Kaossilator is surprisingly versatile. It's a lot of fun for improvising over songs during a performance or for experimenting with sound design in the studio. With its patterns, arpeggiator and phrase recording, you can create quick sonic beds for scratching over, custom-bpm loops to mix records in and out of, background music for radio spots and more. It's also a perfect complement to the Mini-KP. Feed the Kaossilator into the Mini-KP's inputs for the tiny wonder twin powers to unite.
Pros: Surprisingly versatile. Fun. Excellent sounds sourced from Korg's synths. Inexpensive enough for an impulse buy. Comprehensive selectable keys and scales.
Cons: Recorded phrases erase after shutdown. Short phrase-recording time.
Korg Kaossilator Web Clips
These files are designed to complement my review of the Korg Kaossilator dynamic phrase synthesizer in Electronic Musician magazine. —David Battino
With rich sounds derived from the Korg Radias, the battery-powered Kaossilator is a one-finger party to go. Its onboard looper lets you build two-bar grooves through endless overdubs.
Web Clip 1: Arpeggiator, Scale, and Program Reference
The Kaossilator comes with a hard-to-read yet easy-to-lose card describing its 50 arpeggiator patterns and 32 scales. With Korg’s permission, I scanned the card so I could upload it here. I also added the program listing, which describes how the y- and y-axis controls affect each program. When you print the document, you can scale it up to the size of the page to make it more legible.
- Arpeggiator, Scale, and Program Ref (Gray, 868KB PDF)
- Arpeggiator, Scale, and Program Ref (Color, 1.8MB PDF)
Web Clip 2: Sound Category Example
The Kaossilator’s 100 preset sounds are divided into seven categories: Lead, Acoustic, Bass, Chord, SE (Sound Effects), Drum, and Drum Pattern. This loop uses one sound from the last six categories; I then play a selection of Lead sounds over the top.
- Seven-Sound Loop (1.2MB MP3)
Web Clip 3: Kaoss Drone
One of my favorite sound-effect patches is #60, Kaoss Drone. The pad’s x-axis controls filter cutoff while the y-axis controls feedback. This clip is an excerpt of a jam session using two Kaossilators and some other gear. (One Kaossilator is playing the drum loop.) I recorded it with a Zoom H2 on a tripod between the speakers. You can hear the Kaoss Drone in the beginning.
- Kaoss Drone Jam (748KB MP3)
Web Clip 4: Why So Many Sound Effects?
The Kaossilator has a walloping big collection of sound effects, ranging from the spooky drone in the previous example to a cutesy Pac-Man gobble (program 74). I asked the sound designer why he included so many sound effects at the expense of more organic sounds.
He explained his goal was to make the Kaossilator more “useful, catchy, and unique,” adding, “most of the sound effects have no pitch, so you can use them over any phrase creatively. This provides lots of ‘spice’ for many applications. For DJs, sound effects are the easiest thing to put over any music. Furthermore, dance genres are leaning towards sound effect-based fills. Lastly, I wanted to do something that keyboards don’t do. Sound effects are the most difficult sort of sound to play with a keyboard. I also wanted to add some ‘chaos’ to the Kaossilator because it’s part of the Kaoss family.”
Fair enough. With that in mind, I stopped skipping past the sound effects and began to find other uses for them. Which brings us to...
Performance Techniques
You can do far more than simply stir the Kaossilator touchpad with your finger. Try tapping the Rec button as you play to record gated effects, or (conversely) hold it down and tap the Erase button to create rhythmic pauses. Turn on the arpeggiator, select a bass sound, and rock your finger sideways like a violinist to trigger specific notes. (Experiment with different scales to get the notes you want.) Try playing with a computer stylus or guitar pick for more precision. Switch scales between overdubs to better control the current sound. Create unique drum patterns by triggering sound effects with the arpeggiator or a quick tap. Change the loop length during playback for stuttering effects.
- Arpeggiator Drums + Bass Finger Wiggle (512KB MP3)
Learning to play any instrument is all about mastering gestures; develop a repertoire of gestures and try them on different types of sounds to stretch the boundaries. For more tips on using the Kaossilator, see the Easy Start PDF at Korg’s site. You can also pick up a lot of ideas by watching the myriad Kaossilator videos on YouTube.
Web Clip 5: Crossfade Looping
I was pleased to find the Kaossilator smooths sustaining sounds across the loop point when recording. Here’s a loop I made with several layers of noise programs.
- Crossfade Looping (136KB MP3)
Web Clip 6:
Because the Kaossilator loses its loop-recorder memory when powered down, I took to carrying a small MP3 player with a line-in jack, a Creative Labs MuVo N200:
Kaoss to go: With a recording MP3 player such as this Creative Labs MuVo, you can capture your Kaossilator loops in the field.
Unfortunately, the MuVo added a lot of digital noise to the signal:
- MuVo Noise (156KB MP3)
I also tried an Olympus WS-311M stereo voice recorder, but got even more noise. Notice the pulsing on the second example; the 311M was picking up the flash of the Kaossilator's low-battery warning:
- Olympus Noise (232KB MP3)
- Olympus Noise (256KB MP3)
Finally, I tried a Zoom H2 recorder, which produced clean sound, although the unit was physically much bigger than the other recorders. Please let me know if you come up with any good alternatives.
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