KORG M1R (1988)
Music Workstation

KORG M1 rackmount version of the best-seller digital, workstation keeping same technical characteristics.

 

RACKMOUNT 2 standard rack units.
Main panel features a 16 x 40 display, 36 buttons and 1 encoder.

Back panel terminal connectors:
- Midi interface
- main signal out
- AUX analog out
- 2 pedal inputs assignable to program change, start-stop, bypass or cutoff

Front panel terminal connectors:
- headphones out
- 2 card slots for expansion

TECH cpu NEC-V50 (part of 70216 family) manages 16 voices polyphony based on AI System subtractive synthesis - DAC is a Burr Brown PCM 54HP.

A basic M1/M1R patch is composed by 1 or 2 PCM (single/double) PCM samples with individual settings: - pitch detune - stereo panning - volume gain - PCM delay start

Hear historic universal choir preset



WAVETABLE internal 4 Mb ROM contains 149 PCM waveforms at 16 bits resolution.
The wavetable is organized into 3 main categories:

- 75 PCM acoustic instruments e.g strings, violins, sax, piano - 44 PCM percussions and chromatic drums - 30 PCM DWGS* pre-calculated mathematically generated waves e.g additive harmonic, vocal formants andbasic waves like sine, sawtooth or pulse. * DWGS were originally developed for model Korg DW-8000.

EX UPGRADE and CARDS standard wavetable can be expanded to EX with further 4 Mb PCM, in this case the rackmount became M1EX (EX upgrade is factory native in successive "T" series).
Even more waveforms can be added using Korg M1 PCM cards or others AI2 compatible Korg systems like Korg M3r or Korg Wavestation. Here's the list of the official cards (card picture from ebay auctions) but there are plenty more from third-part :

Code Title Demo PIC MSC-01S; MPC-01S Variety   MSC-02S;  MPC-02S Synth 1 MSC-03S;  MPC-03S Drums 1 MSC-04S;  MPC-04S Orchestra MSC-05S;  MPC-05S Piano MSC-06S;  MPC-06S Fretted MSC-07S; MPC-07S Synth 2 MSC-08S; MPC-08S Percussion MSC-09S; MPC-09S Organ MSC-10S; MPC-10S Ethnic 1 MSC-11S; MPC-11S Brass MSC-12S; MPC-12S Synth 3 MSC-13S; MPC-13S Ethnic 2   MSC-14S; MPC-14S Sound Effects MSC-15S; MPC-15S Drums 2     MSC-16S; MPC-16S Environment

PERFORMANCE the M1R is a multitimbric module with special COMBI mode which manages up to 8 parts in the same time with individual parameter settings:

- Midi channel assign - volume mix - semitone transpose - pitch detune - zone split - velocity split - damper on filter - aftertouch assignable to pitch modulation, filter and amplitude - scales one microtonal user-free slot + 4 ROM presets: equal temp 1-2 and pure major-minor.

FILTER section is the VDF - Variable Digital Filter - is a non-resonant lowpass filter with Keytrack function.

HEAR filter

 

ENVELOPE up to 6 EGs:

- VDA amplitude : OSC1 and OSC2 4 segments + 2 times - VDF filter: OSC1 and OSC2 4 segments + 4 times - Pitch EG: :OSC1 and OSC2 4 segments + 2 times HEAR slow pad EG

LFO there are 2 delayed and syncable modulators called MG (shapes: triangle, sawtooth up, sawtooth down and square) and 2 destinations:
- MG1: modulates OSC1-OSC2 pitch
- MG2: modulates filter VDF.

HEAR LFO modulator

SEQUENCER works in both real-time or step notes mode (quantizing up to 1/48 resolution) and manages 8 tracks.

2 sequenced tracks from famous Classic Amiga tro game: HEAR sequenced "shadow of the beast*" p1 HEAR sequenced "shadow of the beast" p2

EFFECT DSP manages double 16-bits sound processors combined in parallel or serial mode.
There are mainly 9 categories effects: reverb, delay, overdrive, equalizer, chorus, leslie, phase shifter, frequency exciter and flanger HEAR reverb

MIDI limited CC# implementation but the exclusive systems is complete.

MEMORY :

RAM: 100 patches RAM: 100 combi RAM: 10 songs + 100 patterns 4400 notes (7700 reducing memory balancing between patch- combi). Battery replacement: internal battery is a 3V lithium CR-2032 with holder, it is quite common and easy to replace.- click for high res picture -

TIP: Sounds can be saved using special MCR03 card.

EDIT: there are several editors for M1/M1r :

- Emagic Soundiver (out of business) - M1LibEd (shareware, old PC) - PIC - M1 Manager (commercial, PC) - PIC - Caged m1 (now free, Atari ST)- PIC - Midiquest (commercial PC/MAC)

Related M1R models:

	M1 61 keys keyboard version M3R a slimmed m1 / m1 version with similar sound but different structure
	T series upgraded to EX memory, some versions can also import samples. T1 (EX) (88-notes weighted piano keyboard) T2 (EX) (76-notes keyboard) T3 (EX) (61-notes keyboard)
	M01D a m1 software for the handheld Cconsole from Nintendo Also Korg IM1 for Apple IOS

 

 

VST PLUGIN / SAMPLED VERSION there are some free and commercial samples set:

	LORE SAMPLE PACK Kontakt sampleS FREE a gift from polynominal.com	Other third-part samples: - piano samples -39 drum samples
	KORG LEGACY collection virtual VST plugin, along with: -MS20 -Polisyx -Monopoly -Wavestation

GALLERY:

 

SPECIAL AWARDS: