Bad Gear - Microkorg XL - Too Bad For Hipsters???

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  • Опубликовано: 26 ноя 2024

Комментарии • 859

  • @romwell
    @romwell 3 года назад +159

    "People hated the limited hands-on control of the original, and Korg addressed this by reducing it even further" 🤣👌💯

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +12

      Perfect business rationale;)

    • @AngryBulldogg
      @AngryBulldogg Год назад +2

      Amazing.... Absolutely amazing, honestly

    • @GuitarsAndSynths
      @GuitarsAndSynths Год назад

      leave it to Korg to F it up!@@AudioPilz

  • @b.benjamineriksson6030
    @b.benjamineriksson6030 3 года назад +135

    The "bald aging guy talking about synths in his living-room with a strange accent boom" is the best kinda boom.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +3

      Thank you!

    • @lundsweden
      @lundsweden 3 года назад +2

      Strange accent? I did'nt notice any accent, but then again I'm from Australia (just drop a few letters and hey, you're in bad gear land!)

    • @lundsweden
      @lundsweden 3 года назад +1

      Some of us are not ageing, and also have 8 limbs (or claws).

    • @lundsweden
      @lundsweden 2 года назад

      @cat and biscuit Yeah I'm not too sure myself. I suspect I may have been intoxicated when I wrote that. Sure, lobsters and crabs are common in Australia, and apparently they don't age, but not sure what the relevance was!

  • @tellthemermaid
    @tellthemermaid 4 года назад +141

    How can something simultaneously be "micro" and "XL"? Seems like they put as much thought into the title as they did the actual synth!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +13

      It's strange...

    • @RealSanChaeZ
      @RealSanChaeZ 3 года назад +5

      My GF should know this...

    • @geraldfriend256
      @geraldfriend256 3 года назад +3

      Jumbo shrimpy

    • @UnitedPebbles
      @UnitedPebbles 3 года назад +2

      The keys are bigger and solid = more fingery licking pleasure as you whip it back n forth?? The other mods are built for Brits hand so they are smaller?

    • @JonasHamill
      @JonasHamill 2 месяца назад +1

      I think the 'micro' bit refers to the chip used rather than the size of the synth

  • @SamUrtonDesign
    @SamUrtonDesign 4 года назад +148

    I watch this series for the bad gear, but mainly for the host. He should be a star. When does Bad Gear - The Movie come out?

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +27

      Thank you so much! Bad Gear - The Theme Park!

    • @thefoxfamily341
      @thefoxfamily341 4 года назад +2

      Jes we like a movie 🎦

    • @SplotchTheCatThing
      @SplotchTheCatThing 4 года назад +2

      @@AudioPilz Bad Gear - the Flamethrower?
      The kids would love that one!

    • @heavysystemsinc.
      @heavysystemsinc. 4 года назад +1

      Bad Gear: The Movie, starring the AudioPilz team, and 10 tables full of wires, mixers, compressors, eqs and, of course, all your favorite bad gear! Wait, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to be a live touring show! :D

    • @EnviroDouglas
      @EnviroDouglas 4 года назад +2

      I’ve got all his CDs & DVDs. The production value alone is amazing!

  • @AudioMayhem100
    @AudioMayhem100 3 года назад +26

    The MicroKorg was my first intro to synths. Having no experience with a better interface, I just fell in love with the sounds it could make. Super powerful tool with the right keyboardist behind it.

  • @johannrublein9483
    @johannrublein9483 4 года назад +50

    I have a microkorg and an XL amongst other synths. The XL is the one that stays plugged in at my studio at all times because it has the best sound engine in my opinion

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +10

      Truly powerful engine!

  • @alexanderpeel
    @alexanderpeel 4 года назад +33

    Oh man, I can't get over how good this series is. Incredibly informative, entertaining, and really high production value. And only getting better. Bin stolz auf dich!!

  • @balazstorok9265
    @balazstorok9265 4 года назад +250

    A dx7 owner is talking about bad interface... interesting...

    • @ColbyHill721
      @ColbyHill721 4 года назад +21

      I don't think he owns a DX7, just borrowed one? But you do have a point....

    • @raum3354
      @raum3354 4 года назад +5

      🤫😆😆😆🤣🤣🤣🤣

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +49

      Fair point😅

    • @Uz7Racer
      @Uz7Racer 4 года назад +4

      at least we could say hre, it is like 30 years of evolution found his dead end in the 80s

    • @craigtheduck
      @craigtheduck 4 года назад +24

      You have to remember that the DX7 is pretty much a piece of scientific equipment.

  • @elsantoproductora
    @elsantoproductora 4 года назад +15

    I don´t know about the algorithm but I´m sharing your videos with all my synthhead friends for what it´s worth.
    Keep them coming!

  • @heavysystemsinc.
    @heavysystemsinc. 4 года назад +18

    If you want to hate on menu diving, look no further than the Alesis Micron. I have one and would never get rid of it cause it's basically the best chameleon synthesizer engine you can find, but programming it quickly is not doable without years of practice and memorizing where all of the parameters are. It has shortcuts where you can hold a function button and push a piano key to jump between menus, but each menu has SOOO many parameters...and this is all done mostly by a single knob. I can't imagine that the XL here is worse than that. The upside, though, is that the Micron's sound is just superb and ridiculously flexible. And it also has a vocoder.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +8

      The micron came up quite often. I'll take a look. Thanks!

    • @SRDhain
      @SRDhain 4 года назад

      I've owned two microns (not at the same time), and i wouldn't recommend trying to do anything much in terms of programming, other than using the pre assigned settings on each preset. Unless of course you're into programming synths that have a front end that is akin to roller skating on an oily surface; you'll get there, but your trousers, hands and knees will be in a sorry state.
      They were THE BEST bang for the buck VA for a while, and easy to fit into a mix. They used the same engine as the ION, but also had a useable sequencer of sorts, with each multi timbral part having its own sequence IIRC. There was also a high quality set of reverbs & delays etc, which was a lovely touch.
      Alesis should have put the sequencer in the ION, as well as the high resolution effects engine ,but didn't.
      This reminds me of when other manufacturers occasionally build better features into their smaller (and cheaper) gear, but you can't do much with ease with all the added stuff due to the (sometimes drastically) reduced user interface, which is par for the course with cost cutting.
      Ironically, the Radias was one of the better VA's that probably replaced both the aforementioned synths as the best bang for the buck.

    • @cursesaudio
      @cursesaudio 4 года назад

      @@AudioPilz The Micron is the platonic ideal of powerful under the hood with an awful interface. It sounds great and has some really cool features but there is nothing spontaneous or fun about creating with it.

    • @Essjay88
      @Essjay88 4 года назад

      Recently replaced the keybed in mine... doesn't get the love it deserves even from me but I'd loath getting rid of it. It does some sounds very well (others less so) and the multitimbrality and sequencer mode using the keys to switch on sequences made it an excellent performance/sketchpad machine.

    • @rars0n
      @rars0n 4 года назад +1

      Every time I think of the Microkorg, I think of the Micron. I think the Micron is actually a little better in terms of playability, once you've got the patch programmed but the menu diving is insane. Still not as aggravating as my Roland D-20.
      I bought a Micron when they were new, for $299. I sold it after a year or two because I wasn't digging that interface. Years later, deeply regretting selling it because I missed the sounds of that Ion synth engine, I bought a nice used example for about $270. Yes, the interface sucks, but there are ways around that if you really need them. It's gotta be one of the most underrated synths of that particular era of VA modeling. It really does produce unique sounds unlike any other. It's not necessarily the best at recreating every particular sound, but it does most well, and has a real character of its own.
      And it's so deep. It's no surprise that it's so versatile when you have so much control over so many parameters. It becomes a matter of hunting to find that particular sound you are looking for, or just exploring how many different ways you can create sonic oddities. I love it so much.
      It's a shame that the Ion is so much more expensive and lacks a few features that the Micron has. And they're ridiculously cheap. Pristine examples are selling for even less than what I paid a couple years ago. Same for the Akai Miniak (same thing as a Micron but with 3 wheels and slightly different UI layout/design). There's a controller from Argentina called the Micromini from a company called Volt Crafty that I'm tempted to purchase.

  • @sussertod9832
    @sussertod9832 4 года назад +118

    those keys look like they smoked 40 a day for 10 years

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +22

      The owner of the synth really likes them cigarettes

    • @SianaGearz
      @SianaGearz 4 года назад +9

      Probably just an ABS plastic composition fault - it can rapidly age and become brown. Super Nintendo was infamous for that, and most 6-16 year olds don't smoke.

    • @RobbBlak
      @RobbBlak 4 года назад +3

      I used to have an M-Audio Keystation that the keys turned yellow like that. I've never smoked in my studio and the friend who gave it to me was a non smoker. It really looked like it had set next to an ashtray for 20 years or more.

    • @phoenixrisen6935
      @phoenixrisen6935 4 года назад +1

      lol

    • @Zahgurym
      @Zahgurym 4 года назад

      Looks like an excuse to rip it apart and retrobrite. Lol

  • @nickthane
    @nickthane 4 года назад +40

    As some one who suffers from seizures I appreciate the warning at the start. Don’t get me wrong I still watch the videos.
    In fact my only complaint is that one of your videos hasn’t triggered a seizure yet, more strobing breakcore/gabber videos please

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +7

      OK, I'll try to up my seizure triggering game ;)

  • @draxxicek
    @draxxicek 4 года назад +13

    I have the XL and XL+ and while I would not use it in the studio, it is a perfect thing for a live gig, the dials make it easy to get into the right presets while improvising and it is not that complicated to learn the parameter “shortcuts” to further modify the sounds. And it has a vocoder and runs on batteries. It has beefy synth sounds, some mellow strings and a variety of electric pianos, organs etc and weighs next to nothing. The worst thing about it is the omission of sustain pedal input - that can by solved by a special midi pedal through the midi input.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      A great gigging tool. Just like the OG

    • @aptudo
      @aptudo 4 года назад +2

      With all the hate for this thing, when you said "it is a perfect thing for a live gig" I thought your reason was going to be that you end the show by dramatically smashing it to pieces!

    • @ivanromero8951
      @ivanromero8951 2 года назад +1

      Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm interested to know more about the sustain midi pedal hack and play some piano patches, can you give me information about this?

    • @draxxicek
      @draxxicek 2 года назад +1

      @@ivanromero8951 right - it is a custom box, powered by 9V battery, it has TRS input for sustain pedal and midi DIN output that you connect into MIDI IN on the microkorg. Inside is a programmable chip that just sends sustain on/off signal from the pedal. You just have to be careful with polyphony, if you play too many sustained notes, it will eat the firt ones for the sake of the newer ones. You can also achieve this by connecting the Microkorg to a master keyboard with sustain input (via midi)

  • @bradyscher7224
    @bradyscher7224 4 года назад +14

    As an original microkorg owner, you've perfectly captured my immense disappointment I felt being hyped for a new microkorg and walking into the music store to find this

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      Yeah, quite obvious money grab

  • @Thoracius
    @Thoracius 3 года назад +21

    The XL is great. The keys have much better action than the stiff keys on the original microKORG. The synthesis engine offers a bit more features, including the sub-oscillator. The 8-voice polyphony means you can do a bass note and 4-note chord without running out of notes like on the original mK. I've gotten some fantastic sounds out of the microKORG XL. Not super tweakable, but great for sound design. Great synth, great size, great price.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +6

      Agreed! But it looks and feels so bad

  • @z3r0slugfm
    @z3r0slugfm 4 года назад +9

    While I don’t hate the MicroKorgs I still give it that sad disappointed parent look whenever I see one. It’s like watching someone you love slowly drift away and by the time you realize it...it’s too late and the engine that once inspired so many sleepless nights, is tucked away behind a keytar. Oh to love and lose, such is life~

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      What an allegory...

  • @Seekthetruth3000
    @Seekthetruth3000 4 года назад +36

    It is a small synth with a huge sound. I like mine.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +8

      Great synth engine

    • @ToyKeeper
      @ToyKeeper 3 года назад +5

      I can't really complain about the sound on mine... but the interface effectively limits it to just using presets. It was fun at first, but it quickly became a harsh lesson on the value of interface design.

    • @CaptainDogify
      @CaptainDogify 3 года назад +1

      Way easier to get the sound you want if you hook it up to a computer and use the software for it. Which suck though if you want portability since it is supposed to be an on the go synth.

  • @DJPhizz7
    @DJPhizz7 4 года назад +8

    Just picked up the Microkorg XL+ a couple months ago as my first "real" synth, and I haven't been disappointed yet really. I haven't gotten the hang of the full edit mode on the unit, and I haven't quite figured out how to properly hook it up to my computer for the software editor, so I'm just rocking presets at the moment, but they're doing what they need to do for me right now. The big knobs do feel a bit wonky, but I have been throwing this in my car and taking it for battery powered jams out in the real world a couple times and it has done nicely.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Yeah, it seems to be more robust than I expected

  • @tomblaze2
    @tomblaze2 4 года назад +10

    I look forward to the videos every week - as a struggling music producer from 1992-2020 I have come across most of this gear in one way or another -- Here I am partial to the Micro Korg XL + that came out later - has most of the same genre style presets and you get the upgraded piano (sg-1,M1), el.piano, organ, mellotron strings, mellotron flute presets - all supper useful to give the synth some workable 'acoustic' tones to blend in with your tracks

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      The waveforms are really nice! All the best!

  • @DrGrooveBeat
    @DrGrooveBeat 4 года назад +29

    You’re doing great on RUclips and on a sharp rise in subscribers. Was at a hipster venue today. Hipsters make me feel old so I don’t like them 😂

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +12

      Well, there are old hipsters, too (last time I checked in the mirror;)

    • @nickfbatombrew1436
      @nickfbatombrew1436 3 года назад +2

      @@AudioPilz What is the max age for a hipster.. is there an apprentiship scheme or am i told old..? I have the Micro korg and the XL still prefer my Prophecy

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      @@nickfbatombrew1436 we should discuss this over some cold brew;)

    • @nickfbatombrew1436
      @nickfbatombrew1436 3 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz At least with the prophecy when you menu dive you’ve got good feedback from the limited display

    • @nickfbatombrew1436
      @nickfbatombrew1436 3 года назад

      @@AudioPilz Also the keys are right size and you can smack your b*$%h up nice and easy without having to break your knuckles on the smaller keys

  • @notmyrealname9059
    @notmyrealname9059 4 года назад +4

    We all know it but damn this channel is terminally under-appreciated for the minute

  • @JasonJBrunet
    @JasonJBrunet 4 года назад +19

    Bruh. Hook it up to your computer, fire up the included software, and hit the 'randomize' button. You can have tons of fun without needing to get a PhD in synthesizering.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +8

      True, but this would be a rather boring episode;)

  • @reverend_gumby
    @reverend_gumby 4 года назад +3

    that last tune you played was incredible. I'm a sucker for those haunting and icey future garage sounds. youre video editing hasnt gone unnoticed either. good work!

  • @bendixmax
    @bendixmax Год назад +3

    This channel lately got something like a rabbithole for me to escape the real world to try to tame my synthesizer addiction, thanks 😬

  • @phoenixgaming5822
    @phoenixgaming5822 4 года назад +6

    I've got one and played multiple gigs with it. the lack of programming is annoying but some of the sounds it can make are surprisingly good.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +2

      The sounds are tight! (Mostly)

  • @AynsleyGreen
    @AynsleyGreen 3 года назад +3

    Had a MikroKorg, hated it. Had an MS2000, loved it. Had an R3, hated it. Have a Radias, love it.
    Interface really is everything. When you're not trying to make it sound analog, the Radias is an ethereal alien mayhem machine.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Yeah, always nice to have them knobs!

  • @TechnoMetalDude
    @TechnoMetalDude 4 года назад +3

    The vocoder is actually pretty cool. Great video as always my friend!

  • @rockinit13fam
    @rockinit13fam 4 года назад +2

    This series gets better each episode, and it was already great.

  • @runnywhart7440
    @runnywhart7440 4 года назад +4

    Patiently waiting for that SH-32 vid!
    Guess I better hit the bell notification.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +2

      Yeah, hit that bell. I was offered one but I was too busy. Gonna chase that one over the weekend

  • @soepil
    @soepil 4 года назад +5

    Well, I went to a punk concert and there was this band with a very attractive female keyboard player, and she played a Microkorg XL. So I bought one. I don't really care about the synth engine or the menu diving, because I use the XL just for preset sounds. I have played rock gigs with this. Sort of a Swiss Army Knife keyboard. I must say: I like it a lot.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      That sounds like the classic job for a MK OG ;)

    • @milk_bath
      @milk_bath 4 года назад +1

      AudioPilz OG doesn’t have as many PCM and MMT oscillator options. These cover a much wider selection of sounds than the OG.

    • @andymac3820
      @andymac3820 3 года назад +1

      its pure trash ahahahaha

  • @ErraticFaith
    @ErraticFaith 3 года назад +4

    The backbone of the RK100. Love it. Followed Vadim around for years with it! So dragonforce here in JP sold me on its application but I love the sound to the day. Never bored of it. Bad gear? Not even close. That's purely sacrilegious to those of us in the keytar cult :P

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +2

      Quite some Keytar worship on this channel ;)

    • @ErraticFaith
      @ErraticFaith 3 года назад +2

      @@AudioPilz As there should be! Sorely underestimated and undervalued instrument.

  • @pikminfreak0011
    @pikminfreak0011 4 года назад +5

    Some of the sounds you used in your example track remind me of an interesting musical fact... The original Korg MS2000, the synth which has its sound engine reused for both Microkorg models, was used to produce the music for Metroid Prime, a video game from 2002. What I find makes this worth bringing up in this context is that, due to having nearly the same sound engine, the MS2000 patches used in said game can be loaded onto either Microkorg model. In fact, I could even recognize a patch used in the game within your example track. Some of the default presets in the MS2000 must've carried over to these synths. Interesting.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      Good to know. I have to listen to that soundtrack

    • @kierenmoore3236
      @kierenmoore3236 2 года назад +1

      “both MicroKorg models” ?!
      Assume you mean the OG and the S, as the XL *doesn’t* have the MS engine, so you can’t load MS/OG/S patches into the XL … Just to be clear.

  • @adamgh0
    @adamgh0 4 года назад +2

    I had an original Microkorg back in 2007 for maybe a few days before returning it. The sounds were useless to me at the time. A few years later I gave the R3 a spin and I wound up returning it for a weird tempo flutter problem. I got my XL in 2010 and I love it. I've used it in the studio and live on the stage and it's a powerhouse of a synth. It is a little limited by it's interface and I'm not a fan of the brittle plastic everywhere but I would love to re-house this someday in a sturdier wooden body.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Yeah, I'd love to have it in a different box

  • @MrNamaikisaru
    @MrNamaikisaru 4 года назад +3

    Finally a synth that won’t look out of place along side my toaster. Shut up and take my money. Another excellent video either.

  • @AlexBallMusic
    @AlexBallMusic 4 года назад +3

    Looks terrible, you make it sound good again.
    I approve.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Thanks, Alex!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic 4 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz You made my algorithm go boom btw

  • @strelokknoize
    @strelokknoize 4 года назад +6

    I never got why they named it "XL". There's nothing extra large.
    The original MicroKorg was/is so successful b/o of its rough (VA) sound. The mod matrix isn't that bad after all. I've made the quirkiest FX sounds with this lil monster and I'm still missing it somethimes. Actually I'd like a MicroKorg XS. A little bigger than the Volcas, with the same MS2000 engine.
    Well, I picked a Monolgue a couple of weeks ago. I'm pretty sure this lil fella will become cult too. Nah, it's not a MicroKorg replacement. It has its own uniqueness.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      I'd buy that for a Dollar!

  • @floppydisk921
    @floppydisk921 4 года назад +3

    As both a ms2000 and radais owner i really like both the sound engines. The ms2000 can sound like an actual analog synth while the radias really shines in things like complex sfx and pads

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      That sums it up pretty nicely!

    • @heavysystemsinc.
      @heavysystemsinc. 4 года назад

      I always wanted an MS2000...I like boxes with tons of knobs on them, even if they're monophonic or, in the MS's case, only spit out 4 note polyphony.

    • @VincentsVideoVisions
      @VincentsVideoVisions 4 года назад

      I hate the radias engine. Sounds so much worse than the ms2000 engine. It has a weird glossy/plastic sound to it no matter what.

    • @floppydisk921
      @floppydisk921 4 года назад

      @@VincentsVideoVisions this is a fair assessment, but it does have alot more modulation points and more voices. It's not good for leads or basses like the ms2000 but for big wierd pads it's fantastic

    • @VincentsVideoVisions
      @VincentsVideoVisions 4 года назад +1

      @@floppydisk921 To be fair, I've never owned a Radias, just a R3. I sold it less than a week after I got it. I thought it sounded weird at first so I decided to start making my own patches. No matter what I tried, I couldn't escape that overall sound that it has... glossy/plasticy/smeary. It's kinda hard to describe, but for me it sounded more like a mediocre VST than what hardware should sound like. I love VA/digital synths and most Korg products general but that's one that I gotta pass on. Even if I got one for free I'd just sell it and buy something else, but then again it's all subjective taste. I personally think the MS2000 / Microkorg sound far better.

  • @sebp400
    @sebp400 4 года назад +3

    3:55 Machine Girl, is that you? that part was sick!

  • @fabiankoenig6499
    @fabiankoenig6499 3 года назад +2

    Great content mate. Just found your channel, binged it during my home office workday *cough* *cough* and loved every minute of it. You can make those crappy and not-quite-so-crappy synths sound better than I can do with my OB-6 after a month of working on a single track. Very inspiring. Kind of sad, but also very inspiring. Subscribed ofc - Ehrensache. ;)

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Danke! My tracks were quite bad when I worked on them for month;)

  • @Jimmy7345-g5b
    @Jimmy7345-g5b 4 года назад +6

    but the original Microkorg episode IS legendary!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      Thank you so much!

    • @Jimmy7345-g5b
      @Jimmy7345-g5b 4 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz Speaking of early zero years' Korg gear, the bright yellow/hot pink Korg Kaossilator is some prime Bad Gear material! It was the first synth (if you could call it that) I ever owned, and maaaaan do people hate that thing

  • @fortheloveofnoise
    @fortheloveofnoise 4 года назад +4

    The most amazing thing about it is that somehow it is still avalible new.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +2

      There seems to be a market for it (or they produced a sh*itton of them;)

  • @HT-ue6qb
    @HT-ue6qb 3 года назад +1

    Finally someone doing honest synth videos not like these overly polite reviews. Next, please Roland System-1 🙃

  • @InsatiableHigh
    @InsatiableHigh 4 года назад +2

    Both Microkorg and Microkorg XL benefit more with an external controller like the BCR2000 or something where you can map out all of your cc controls. I have a love for the thing I use it as a Midi controller for one of my sequencers, but I can understand why they are hated.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +2

      Yeah, I agree. There's an episode on controlling the OG

  • @danalogtodigital7224
    @danalogtodigital7224 4 года назад +2

    i love your bad gear series, i hope you are able to keep them coming

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Thank you. Working on it!

  • @t0mpsy
    @t0mpsy 2 года назад +2

    I bought one yesterday for 25 bucks. Very excited about it!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад

      Wow, that's a bargain!!

  • @markturneymusic8294
    @markturneymusic8294 9 месяцев назад

    I'm in an '80s New Wave Revue band. The XL is absolutely fantastic for this. Maybe it doesn't tick any boxes for ravers and DJs, but for a keys guy in a full band, it's perfect.

  • @goji7273
    @goji7273 4 года назад +4

    Is that little rhythm at 2:20 inspired by King Gizzard’s Acarine outro?

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      I wasn't aware of that song, thanks!

  • @SianaGearz
    @SianaGearz 4 года назад +2

    Yeah the original microKORG episode was the one that popped up in my suggestions. It's a great hook, because people actually love the lil box. It's got the sounds, it's got the looks, it's got affordability. I never bought one, but i tried it a number of times and fell in love every time. I loved all presets. I love the good ones for being good. I loved the bad ones for being so bad, i'd overwrite them without a second thought. Much better than a box full of presets which are all... kinda good but not very lovable or inspiring. Like say Mininova, or the XL. By the way, i think back then i concluded that, yeah neither, but if i had to choose between the Mininova and microKORG XL, it would have to be Mininova. Why, i don't remember for sure.
    Oh oh Bad Gear, Bad Gear! Remember the Yamaha Reface series? "Oh we're gonna take aging synth tech and stick it in a sleek little keybox hot off the heels of microKORG success!" The first unit was i think the CS and it got rave reviews, and DX was about to hit, and it was curious, like, how are they going to solve the classic programming puzzle? But then it came. And it was a 4-operator synth, not 6 operators like an actual DX-series unit. So it sounded like ESS AudioDrive 1868 ESFM that you got on the cheapest PC soundcards in the 90s! Or similar capability like SEGA Megadrive, fundamentally, but clean and unsexy. I was so immensely disappointed, i didn't even care about controls or anything.
    Especially funny since KORG a little later made a little cheap box of their own which was the complete opposite, the Volca FM, with proper 6-op DX series patch compatibility and synth features. But of course predictably cramped interface. And with MIDI WTFs. But it's cheap! And of course there is hacked firmware now.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Still trying to find an angle on the ReFace series!

  • @agentvx8320
    @agentvx8320 4 года назад +3

    What do you think of the Roland JD-Xi, Pilz? I love mine so I wouldn't exactly call it bad gear, but it does have some mildly irritating quirks. (Such as not being able to save sounds to the preset banks but only as part of a four voice "scene" along with sequencer data.)
    It seems like it fills a similar (yet extended -- two digital voices plus drums and a monophonic analog voice) niche to the Microkorgs, though I have little experience with the latter.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +2

      That one came up quite often but I didn't find any solid internet hate

    • @agentvx8320
      @agentvx8320 4 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz Everyone probably likes it. It's good piece of kit.

    • @barrysmyth735
      @barrysmyth735 4 года назад

      @@AudioPilz I have a JDXi, and I hate it. it's stacked quietly on a shelf gathering dust behind and overshadowed by a waldorf Blofield and access virus snow. When I catch a glimpse of it from time to time I pull it out to remind myself of.....how crap it is. Then I punch it straight in its shiny plastic shitty cheap looking led n back-lit garbage interface and put it back until next time. I'm happy to sell it and send to Austria, , still have the box and everything.
      That said, it's still pretty recent and I'm waiting for someone else to set up an online hate community for it so maybe it's too early for badgear.

    • @PLA.net-DANTE
      @PLA.net-DANTE 4 года назад +1

      I had the jd-xi too for a while , but the -at least for me - most important thing , the parameter-locks wasn't stable . If I used it to often I just lost parts of the sounds from the sequence. didn't expect that , otherwise with its 4 parts and the 128 voices you would get a powerful setup - especially with a circuit together. Nerd-talk off😁

    • @agentvx8320
      @agentvx8320 4 года назад +1

      @@PLA.net-DANTE Yeah, I really wish they'd release an upgraded version with the same synth engine but a more complete sequencer setup.

  • @pitfighter871
    @pitfighter871 4 года назад +4

    Dorian Concept and Crystal Castles made the MicroKORG a legend

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +2

      ❤️Dorian Concept❤️

  • @Orieus
    @Orieus 22 дня назад

    I can't belive how Awesome this thing is with a bit of editing.

  • @ali14chahrour
    @ali14chahrour 2 года назад +3

    I made music for a few years and the microkorg was my first synthesizer. Absolutely loved it and I wish I never sold it. Never saw an XL in person but that horrible UI makes me never want to see one anyway.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад +1

      The OG MK certainly aged better!

  • @madagreement
    @madagreement 4 года назад +4

    I am bald and 30 years old. I approve this Channel !

  • @thelo-fidelityarchive597
    @thelo-fidelityarchive597 4 года назад +8

    The XL has some truly boggling design given that all they needed to do was improve upon the classic Microkorg. That terrible interface and lack of hands on control was the main reason I decided to get the OG over the XL.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      I agree!

    • @julilabas
      @julilabas 4 года назад +2

      Dude, 5 more knobs.
      That's it, FIVE KNOBS.
      THEY HAD ONE JOB 🤦🏻‍♂️

    • @thelo-fidelityarchive597
      @thelo-fidelityarchive597 4 года назад

      @@AudioPilz That said though I do remember the keys being slightly better, they had a little less of a spongey feel to them from my recollection.

  • @TheMrJamu
    @TheMrJamu 4 года назад +4

    I have this piece of interface art. Besides that and those wobbly knobs there's nothing wrong with it. It's not vintage, analog, rare or stylish but it gets the job done. It's also not hipster approved unlike the original MicroKORG :D Maybe it nees some wood sides?

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      The wobbly knobs are one thing, the user interface is another... ;)

    • @wired99999999
      @wired99999999 4 года назад

      I have it too and barely touch it. Yeah, you can use it with sound editor software, but it's still less convenient than a VST

    • @WarrenPostma
      @WarrenPostma 4 года назад

      @@wired99999999 It's a vst-in-a-badly-designed-low-quality-box for a crazy high price considering what it is.

  • @rhill109
    @rhill109 4 года назад +3

    From what little I've played an XL, I think it sounds really good. Maybe priced too high? It's made very cheaply. But I suppose Korg knows their market better than I do.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      The engine is actually pretty nice

    • @rhill109
      @rhill109 4 года назад

      @@AudioPilz Agree. I wanted a Radias for a long time but I realized that all those VA synths can be done with a laptop. All my newer synths are all analog and I use VSTs for digital synths.

  • @dantheman2411
    @dantheman2411 4 года назад +1

    I've got to say, I've watched all of your videos, and I seriously dig your channel. Great work man, I will avoid microkorgs like the plague lol.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      Much love for the OG! Thanks for watching, stick around!

    • @dantheman2411
      @dantheman2411 4 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz I wanted the og when it dropped years ago, couldn't afford it at the time. I really wanted an Ultranova if I'm being honest with myself, but the microkorg seemed more attainable.

  • @CaidicusProductions
    @CaidicusProductions 4 года назад +1

    Your videos are just SO DAMN GOOD! Glad to see your subscriber count climbing. As I said before, you'll be at 100k in no time.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Thank you so much

    • @CaidicusProductions
      @CaidicusProductions 4 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz You are so welcome, and you are deserving of so much praise.

  • @rodrigomacias
    @rodrigomacias 4 года назад +1

    TBH, I discovered this channel because of the original microkorg video.
    BTW, loved the Amen break segment.

  • @benmoreau6899
    @benmoreau6899 4 года назад +1

    Thanks for sharing!
    This is my new favorite channel :3
    I hope one day you can cover the Roland MT-100 module/sequencer, imo it sounds like a PS1 game but also has a sick built in reverb.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Thanks! Wow, forgot about that one!

  • @monsirto
    @monsirto 4 года назад +1

    Great fun as usual. I have an MS2000r and a MicroKorg. They may have the same engine but you cannot make the Micro sound like the 2000, the filters maketh the beast.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Really? Didn't know there was much of a difference. Interesting...

  • @TheFlextec
    @TheFlextec 4 года назад +1

    I own a MK XL+. It' s a nice synth. Does the work and was the first in the MK family, with usb output

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      The USB connector comes in really handy

  • @soundvapor
    @soundvapor 4 года назад +3

    4 voice MK to 8 voice XL if for pads alone you can tell the difference...it's truly about the user not the gear on this one...I used the software editor and made things that were useable...the sweet spot is poly leads(not pad like more key like)....MMT is great for that and noticeable with more voices. The MK is a classic but the Microfreak kills it and the The elektron AK is the greatest 4 voice synth I have ever touched...my 2 cents.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      That sums it up pretty nicely

  • @kenfusion
    @kenfusion 4 года назад +1

    I love the sound of mine but I look like I'm doing watch repair when I'm just building a patch , or fiddling with the oscillator mix . Also you have to dump oscillator 1 when you send in ext audio . My monologue plays nice with external audio .
    The software control app helps but i dont perform or even record with computer anymore .

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      True. Lots of compromises

  • @thedemyex9223
    @thedemyex9223 4 года назад +2

    Ah yes the majestic sequel
    Also of the beautiful intro track
    Holy shit its gorgeous

  • @proaudiorestore8926
    @proaudiorestore8926 4 года назад +1

    The VST bridge opens up the programmability of the XL dramatically. Personally I still prefer the MicroKorg but the XL is not bad at all.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Only used the official editor. Makes it much more usable

  • @myautobiographyafanfic1413
    @myautobiographyafanfic1413 4 года назад +1

    You can edit patches on your computer, it updates on the synth live. It's the best way to sound design on the thing.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      Yeah, that editor software is really good but a PITA to use while the DAW is open (at least on PC)

  • @moogdome2562
    @moogdome2562 2 года назад +1

    Phew. Nearly bought one years ago. So glad I didn't now. Another excellent video. How about the Korg 01wfd?, or Casio V L tone?. Keep up the good work

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад +1

      Thanks! Great suggestions!

    • @moogdome2562
      @moogdome2562 2 года назад

      @@AudioPilz Thank you. Always look forward to your shows. I have a Nephew in Vein, a professor in music.

  • @Subhumanslug
    @Subhumanslug 4 года назад +1

    Keep grinding my dude. I'm confident your channel is going to blow up!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      Thank you so much, it means a lot to me

  • @GonxalusAika
    @GonxalusAika 4 года назад +2

    4:20 that was amazing. Who else wants a full song/video out of it?

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +2

      Working on it!

    • @julsedt
      @julsedt 3 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz banger!

  • @xtrct7303
    @xtrct7303 4 года назад +1

    I ain't sure about your comment about the sounds. The raw saw wave of the XL is lacking the 'air' compared to the OG Microkorg, but it seems it has a little more of the bass freq tho. Also, have you considered checking Roland jd-xi??

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      It's weird. The saws sound so different on various speaker systems. Hard to pick a fav.

  • @pizzagogo6151
    @pizzagogo6151 4 года назад +2

    You made this sound good ( probably better than it deserved😊).....but you’re right the synth engine seems pretty good!( as you’d expect if it’s based on the radias) , just don’t know why Korg released in such a weird, limited package. Makes me wonder what an R3 is like? Maybe you should do a review of your first non-hated Korg mini synth 😂

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Thanks! The R3 seems to be built even worse

    • @pizzagogo6151
      @pizzagogo6151 4 года назад

      @@AudioPilz 😱😂

  • @elijaminwlc6079
    @elijaminwlc6079 4 года назад +5

    The Filipino shopping channel caught me way off guard. I've actually watched that commercial on TV i think

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      The two hosts are really good but I didn't understand the mix of languages they use

  • @ObscuredJellybelly
    @ObscuredJellybelly 4 года назад +2

    I play the OG MicroKorg and my bandmate uses the XL. I can throw together a sound in a few seconds, while he on the other hand decided that he'll just stick to the presets.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      OG vs. XL 1:0 ;)

    • @kierenmoore3236
      @kierenmoore3236 2 года назад

      Great review of you and your friend’s relative patching abilities … 👍🏼

  • @markr6070
    @markr6070 10 месяцев назад +1

    I love my microkorg XL+ but I agree with all your points 😅

  • @doordedeur
    @doordedeur 4 года назад +2

    I once read an article about the user interface of the Yamaha TG-500, comparing it to an adventure game. Maybe you should review the TG-500. It is a great sounding synth, but with such a comical review, it should be a nightmare to operate.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Didn't know that one! Thanks for the suggestion!

  • @uyscuti5376
    @uyscuti5376 4 года назад +1

    The original demo content is getting prettyyyy prettay good

  • @snoballuk
    @snoballuk 4 года назад +1

    How about a review of an unmodded Korg Monotribe? Is it actually any use for anything?

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Monotribe would be nice for the show. Thanks for the suggestion

  • @ChrisLeeW00
    @ChrisLeeW00 4 года назад +2

    I thought about getting the new Microkorg, bit now that the microfreak vocoder feature has been unlocked, that's what I'm saving for.

    • @Trinin
      @Trinin 4 года назад

      Same, some people complain about the lac of conventional keys being used for a vocoder. But I guess people forgot about external midi keyboards.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      That's an interesting one...

    • @ZetaCarinae
      @ZetaCarinae 4 года назад +2

      @@Trinin The keyboard on the microfreak is a plus I think, because its so different. Almost instant attack. I really respect that they went for something unique there.

    • @rars0n
      @rars0n 4 года назад

      @@ZetaCarinae I agree! I have tons of little synths and big synths with traditional keys. The Microfreak challenges you to re-think how you play it in a lot of ways, including that keyboard. I like it.

  • @gamlagatan428
    @gamlagatan428 4 года назад +1

    You got a new Volca Beats now? :O Time for the snare mod video!
    Have a nice day, thank you for your videos btw. They are great!:

  • @adventureswithsteve2981
    @adventureswithsteve2981 4 года назад +1

    There are ms2000 presets and micro Korg presets for the XL and A conversion program to convert plus there are many great editors for deep diving

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      Didn't know about the conversion program. Thanks!

  • @DarkSideofSynth
    @DarkSideofSynth 4 года назад +1

    Microkorg XL: bad gear for music but great gear for book-keeping & pie charts.
    Bad jokes courtesy of yours truly ;)

  • @OscillatorCollective
    @OscillatorCollective 2 года назад +1

    That AMEN break track was really dope…

  • @matthehat
    @matthehat 4 года назад +1

    I bought the mkxl when it first came out because I wanted a vocoder that I could easily take to a gig. It got a fair bit of use but the tiny keys really annoyed me and the PC editor software was an unstable mess. I sold it after about 4 years of owning it and I rarely miss it.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Great but not very soulful synth, unfortunately

  • @nixpiano
    @nixpiano 4 года назад +1

    your little demo a moment ago, all korg xl was amazing. Loved it all by itself.

  • @aangtonio5570
    @aangtonio5570 Год назад

    Off-topic: It's so funny you decide to put the white "S" version as the "OG". 😂😂
    Indeed, the double storage capacity on the S version was great improvement over the actual OG, and the built-in speakers are kinda cool, but I'd sacrifice them for doubling the polyphony (8 for poly, 4 for multitimbral), even more the better. I hope Korg can incorporate that into the next 25th or 30th anniversary edition. 🙏🙏

  • @zeproo
    @zeproo 4 года назад +1

    Wow 20K viewers in 2 days, you deserve it AudioPilz

  • @karamellmusik
    @karamellmusik 10 месяцев назад +1

    Most entertaining synth video channel ever!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  10 месяцев назад

      Thank you so much!!!

  • @rednax3333
    @rednax3333 3 года назад

    Glad to hear you’d had a “living room boom” 💥 😎👍😁 Loving the channel- keep up the awesome content 👌

  • @supplantermusic9413
    @supplantermusic9413 10 месяцев назад

    i subscribed instantly after listening to ur minilogue bad gear video i watched as soon as i heard your little jam session that you did at the end, ur crazy man very very good music. especially on this video too!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  10 месяцев назад

      Thank you so much!!!

  • @martijn7898
    @martijn7898 2 года назад +6

    Synths come and go, but the Microkorg XL+ is one of two synths that I have kept all these years.
    Yes, the user interface is not very good. Although I am able to find my way pretty quickly on the instrument itself, I am using iPhone with TouchOSC to control it. And the form factor plus batteries is just ideal for quick jams.
    I am able to recreate most of the vintage synth sounds from other synths with this one, thanks to its flexible and good filter and the versatile, good sounding oscillators. Only at very high resonance settings, which I hardly use, you can hear differences. I think the “Kameleon” patch on this synth gets closer to the Odyssey in “Chameleon” than many RUclips demos of the Odyssey playing the song. 🙂
    The synth often gets called “cold” or “clinical”. My theory is that this instrument, and especially the Radias which it’s built on, look more metallic and this visual aspect translates into players’ perceptions. Especially compared to the more vintage looking regular Microkorg. Of course the XL also has the ability to sound “metallic”, which also strongly contributes to the perception .

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад

      True that! The visual aspects play an important role here.

  • @Nightingale1887
    @Nightingale1887 3 года назад +2

    With the editor via usb it's a lot easier to edit. Btw I had the XL+ and sold it to friend who uses it in a band to get some Mellotron sounds on stage in a tiny reliable package.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      True! Many "band" musicians use it for sample-based sounds

  • @supremelc3667
    @supremelc3667 4 года назад +1

    Does the OG come with all the bling?

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Bling is always extra

  • @DanielGarcia-kw4ep
    @DanielGarcia-kw4ep 4 года назад +1

    That jams you were making make me forgot for a few seconds how horrible this thing looks, nice video as always ;)

  • @Plastic_Ivory
    @Plastic_Ivory 4 года назад +1

    You used the microkorg s as the OG. >:c

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Didn't find the OG OG in OG Pimp White

    • @Plastic_Ivory
      @Plastic_Ivory 4 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz well, i forgive ya! Haha,The XL is my favorite. It's my main rig. Its got some stellar patches available!

  • @marianochiappe2427
    @marianochiappe2427 4 года назад +1

    Welcome to bald hipster!
    ;)
    Great video!!!

  • @flobama7200
    @flobama7200 4 года назад +1

    sold my XL to a buddy years ago and i don't miss it at all haha

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      Is he still your buddy?

    • @flobama7200
      @flobama7200 4 года назад

      @@AudioPilz fortunately yes

  • @SEHC95
    @SEHC95 4 года назад +1

    So hands off interface was like korgs hang up at that time? My R3 suffers the same problem..

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      I'd prefer hands-on until they figure out how to "brain-2-midi"

  • @Gin-toki
    @Gin-toki 4 года назад +1

    That little techno jam at 2:20 has some nice Guy Gerber vibes.

    • @Gin-toki
      @Gin-toki 4 года назад

      Also, I would like to see the Roland SH-32, Roland MC-09, Roland EF-303, Yamaha AN200 and Yamaha DX200, if you are able to find any of those :)

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад

      Thanks for the input and the Guy Gerber comparison

  • @23jackleeder
    @23jackleeder 4 года назад +1

    I'm getting simultaneously attracted & deterred by the paradox of Micro & XL together

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  4 года назад +1

      It's synth Inception