KORG M1
Music Workstation (1988)

The M1 is world's top selling with even more units sold than Roland D-50 or Yamaha DX-7.

The M1 syntesizer represents most of the nineties music from world to dance.

KEYBOARD 61 velocity keys with aftertouch.
Main panel features a 16 X 40 display, 33 push buttons and 1 data slider, on the left side a single joystick for pitchbending and Sweep Filter modulation control.

Back panelterminal connectors:
- PCM card slot
- headphones out
- Midi interface
- Main out
- AUX out
- 1 damper pedal input
- 2 pedal inputs assignable to program change, start-stop, bypass or cutoff.

 

VOICES cpu NEC-V50 (part of 70216 family) manages 16 voices polyphony based on 16 bit AI System subtractive synthesis - M1 DAC is a Burr Brown PCM 54HP.
A basic patch is composed by 1 or 2 PCM (single/double) samples with individual settings:
- pitch detune
- stereo panning
- volume
- delay start.

 

WAVETABLE 4 Mb ROM contains 149 waveforms organized in 3 categories:
- 75 PCM acoustic: acoustic instruments including strings, violins, sax and piano
- 44 PCM drum: percussions and chromatic
- 30 PCM DWGS: pre-calculated mathematically generated waves like additive harmonic, vocal formants and traditional basic waves like sine, saw or pulse.
TECH: DWGS were originally developed on previous model Korg DW8000.

 

EX UPGRADE 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 orWavestation. Here's the list of the official cards, but there are plenty more from third-part :

MSC-01S; MPC-01S Variety MSC-02S;  MPC-02S Synth 1 MSC-03S;  MPC-03S Drums 1 FOR SALE! MSC-04S;  MPC-04S Orchestra MSC-05S;  MPC-05S Piano MSC-06S;  MPC-06S Fretted Instruments FOR SALE! 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 FOR SALE! 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 COMBI mode manages up to 8 parts at the same time with individual parameter settings:
- aftertouch assignable to Cutoff / EG AMP / LFO pitch/ or LFO filter
- Midi channel
- volume mix
- transpose
- detune
- zone split
- velocity split
- damper on filter
- scales one microtonal user-free slot + 4 ROM presets: equal temp 1-2 pure major-minor.







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

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.

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

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.

SEQUENCER works in both real-time or step notes mode (quantizing up to 1/48 resolution) and manages 8 tracks.
MIDI limited CC# implementation but the exclusive systems are complete.
TIP: the MINDSCOPE function is a neat too for incoming events monitoring.

 

 

MEMORY:
RAM: 100 patches
RAM: 100 combi
RAM: 10 songs + 100 patterns 4400 notes (7700 reducing memory balancing between patch- combi).
Sounds can be saved using special MCR03card.
Battery replacement: internal battery is a 3V lithium CR-2032 with holder, it is quite common and easy to replace.

EDIT: several editors for M1/M1r :
- Emagic Soundiver (out of business)
- Midiquest (commercial PC/MAC)
- M1LibEd (shareware, old PC) - PIC
- M1 Manager (commercial, PC) - PIC
- Caged m1 (now free, Atari ST)- PIC

 

 

 

Related M1 models:

	M1R expander module version.
	T series upgraded to EX memory, some versions can also import samples VIDEO KORG T1 (EX) (88-notes weighted piano keyboard) KORG T2 (EX) (76-notes keyboard) KORG T3 (EX) (61-notes keyboard)
	M3R a slimmed m1 / m1 version with similar sound but different structure
	M01D a m1 software for the handheld console from Nintendo. VIDEO Also Korg IM1 for Apple IOS VIDEO

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

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

AUDIO DEMO (no external PCM cards, no effects)

favourite : universe lore classic favourite : quite modern ! favourite : retro house favourite : performance fx favourite : sinereverb favourite : precint bass piano: pianobar rhodes: plastic ep organ: hammond b3 organ: pipe string: pizzicato brass: disco celeste: plum me celeste: magic stuff bass: analog Sh101 bass: tb303 choir: relax choir: chords choir: another universe choir: performance synth: mystery

synth: high lfo synth: delay pitch synth: sequence filter synth: crystal bell synth: suspence synth: whistle synth: panning synth: digital oldies synth: choir DWGS synth: bells and pads synth: 8 bits synth: vangelis synth: syntbassy pad: also modulation pad: clockwork pad: traditional pad: hyper flanger pad: with modulation FX: flanger and delay feedback FX: reverb square percussion: anvil

have some nice M1 demos? shar'em UPLOAD

 

 

VIDEO CLIP SELECTION

Demo	presets	Shadow of the beast M1 mix

 

 

 

 

KORG M1 USER MANUAL

FACTORY PATCH SET

SERVICE MANUAL

original brochure

original brochure

original brochure

original brochure

m1 + atari st

M1 FOR SALE CHECK OUT EBAY OFFERS