Korg Microkorg XL
Synthesizer (2008)

 

Portable keyboard based on synthesis MTM Multiple Modeling Technology derived from Korg RADIAS plus some effects from Kaoss pad machines.

The XL continues the commercial success of the first Microkorg released back in 2002.

MINI KEYBOARD37 velocity minikeys. Main panel features a display, 5 knobs, 3 encoders, 3 switches and 4 push buttons. On the left part there are 2 tiny wheels for pitchbender and modulation.

Rear panel terminal connectors:
- Midi interface
- USB interface
- main out
- headphones
- line input with gain trimmer

Power supply external PSU - DC 9 V -) or 6 x 1.5V batteries.

VOICE up to 8 voices polyphony based on MTM synthesis a mix of 2 elements:
1- VA analog modeling
2- PCM sampled wavetable.

VA a XL voice is composed by 2 VA oscillators + a white noise generator, then a special waveshaper function alters the generated harmonics, inspired from the famous Korg 01 series.
Wavehsaper changes the harmonics contents of a wave distorting it with 7 different mathematical models: depth value can be adjusted to 128 different values of effectiveness, in addition, the waveshaper-distortion process can be positioned before or after the filter segment.
1- drive: simply fuzzes the waveform
2- decimator: lowers sampling frequency for a low-fi effect
3- hard clip: cut waveforms above a set threshold
4- oct saw: same as hard clip but inverts the resulting waveform
5- multi tri: phase distortion based on a triangle waveform shape
6- sub osc : 4 different suboscillators set at 1 lower octave
8- lvl boost: dramatically boosts the original signal.

	OSC1	OSC2
analog modeling	saw, pulse (PWM), triangle and sine	saw, pulse (PWM), triangle and sine
PCM wavetable	yes	-
volume	yes	yes
tuning	yes	yes
sync	yes	yes
ringmodulator	yes	yes

WAVETABLE ROM contains 64 waveforms-timbres (multi samples) organized in 3 families:
1- formant voice
2- noise
3- DWGS additive (from Korg DW-8000)
full PCM LIST

 

PERFORMANCE system handles up to 2 parts with individual settings:
- split mode: parts assigned to 2 keyboard zones
- layer : both parts play at the same time
- multimode: each part is individual with own Midi channel
- monophonic mode with portamento
- unison up to 5 detunable voices can be stacked
- portamento with time glide and note priority
- analog function: simulates transistor VCO drift
- 8 velocity curves
- scales 1 editable user slot + 9 preset models: equal, major, minor, arabic, pythagorean, Werckmeister, Kirnberger, slendro and pelog.

FILTER 2 multimode digital filters chained in classic serial or parallel mode, 3 modes:
1- lowpass -12 or -14 dB slope
2- highpass -12 dB slope
3- bandpass -6 dB slope
A keyboard tracking function is implemented for cutoff compensation.

 

ENVELOPE up to 3 EGs:
1- EG1 filters 4-segments stages
2- EG2 amplitude 4-segments stages (with a amplitude keytracking)
3- EG3 AUX is freely assignable in the routing matrix system.

 

LFO 2 digital delayed modulators for each part:

	LFO1	LFO2
waveforms	saw / sqr / tri / S&H / rnd	saw / sqr + / sin / S&H
hardwired destination	-	pitch
freely assignable	yes	yes
retrig modulation	yes	yes
sync tempo	yes with dividers	yes with dividers

MATRIX MODULATION is the virtual patching system.
Like a modular, the XL handles internal routings that connect a modulation source to a destination.
A list of the matrix elements would be too long, here's a schematic simplification:

SOURCES:	DESTINATIONS:
EG 1-2-3	OSC1-2 pitch
LFO1	anplitude
LFO2	Cutoff - resonance
Velocity	portamento
keytracking	EG stages
MIDI CC#	LFO 1 -2 rates
	stereo pan

EFFECTS 16 models derived from Kaoss pad machines with a final 2-bands EQ shelving type.
List: compressor, decimator, pan delay, flanger, resonant filter, stereo delay, delay modulation, vibrato, 4 bands eq, multitap delay, tape echo, phaser, distortion, ring modulator, chorus and grain shifter.

Grain shifter : some short fragments of sounds
are played randomly at set time intervals




VOCODER is based on a 16 analysis filter bands.It includes many presets ready-to-go including like choruses, talk boxes and robot voices, in addition a formant function shifts the filters frequencies altering the tonal character. The synthesizer comes with a gooseneck microphone that can be plugged into a frontal XLR as modulator source, in addition many carriers are provided using the internal oscillators.

 

ARPEGGIATOR there are 6 arpeggio types over 4 octaves: up, down, up-down (2 modes), random, trigger or user-edit step editor. Broken chords can be latched, gated and swinged
SYNC LFO, delay, arpeggiators and matrix elements can be all synched together using internal or external Midi clock.

 

 

MEMORY
- 128 patches organized in a very elementary category system:
- first knob selects a kind of music between techno, rap, jazz, fusion, vintage, house, disco...
- second knob selects a sound family between polysynths, basses, leads, arp-motions, strings-pads, keyboards and special effects.

MIDI all parameters can be edited by control changes and data saved by Midi Sysex.

USB synth can be hooked to a computer for total edit and librarian purposes.
The free bundled software is also able to convert original MS2000/ Microkorg classic patches to XL format but vocoder patches result quite different.

 

RELATED FAMILY:

	Korg Microkorg classic - first version from 2002 derived from Korg Ms2000 VA synthesizer
	Korg Microkorg XL PLUS - minor update with more sounds derived from classic keyboards like KORG SGproX piano, M1 and VOX organs. Released in various colors.
(click for zoom)	XL exists also in special RED or WHITE-IVORY editions.

AUDIO DEMO

all factory songs a song 100% only with XL hypno pad 4 - DWGS switched on Microkorg in the skies curved air

ragtime piano Trovajoli organ lounge decimator sound jump brass pad vocoder on commodore64 external process: granular then filter

 

Soundcloud Microkorg XL

VIDEO CLIP SELECTION ambient Official Product Introduction demo2