NGD (First Synth Day too) Korg Prologue 16

What's Hot
My first synth and I'm very happy I waited for the new Korg!

Sounds fantastic, granted I can't compare it to anything, but it makes things easy in terms of getting to learn synthesis and the sounds right out of the box are exactly why I wanted to buy a synth. Blade Runner on tap! ;-)

Will let you know how I get on!


Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
0reaction image LOL 5reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom

Comments

  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Very nice.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    Still waiting for one to appear in my local PMT to check out. Seems to have a big sweetspot. Did you see the Andertons' video overview?



    If Korg can get the digital SDK into the hands of some smart developers, this could be a monster. (Sean at Valhalla is looking into it, for one.)

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • goldtop said:
    Still waiting for one to appear in my local PMT to check out. Seems to have a big sweetspot. Did you see the Andertons' video overview?



    If Korg can get the digital SDK into the hands of some smart developers, this could be a monster. (Sean at Valhalla is looking into it, for one.)

    I bought mine from PMT online. There were no 16's in stock anywhere.

    I like that video, it's got everything I need in a synth, all my favourite sounds anyway...I guess all synths can do the sounds I like, but this was the one I was waiting for off the back of the positive reviews for the Minilogue.

    I'm new to synths and don't know what "sweet spot" means, does that mean it's good at one thing only?
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • horsehorse Frets: 1563
    This does look very cool / versatile
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    goldtop said:
    Still waiting for one to appear in my local PMT to check out. Seems to have a big sweetspot. Did you see the Andertons' video overview?



    If Korg can get the digital SDK into the hands of some smart developers, this could be a monster. (Sean at Valhalla is looking into it, for one.)

    I bought mine from PMT online. There were no 16's in stock anywhere.

    I like that video, it's got everything I need in a synth, all my favourite sounds anyway...I guess all synths can do the sounds I like, but this was the one I was waiting for off the back of the positive reviews for the Minilogue.

    I'm new to synths and don't know what "sweet spot" means, does that mean it's good at one thing only?
    I think you got the last 16 they had. They owe me a store credit but could only offer me the last 8-voice they had. So I'll wait a while.

    By "big sweetspot", I meant that the synth seems to sound gorgeous for a large range of tones - and that's only from the clips so far posted. People have barely scratched the surface of this in the sound-design clips shown on YT. Did you see GeoSYNTHS's live streams? Long-winded but a lot of nice stuff.

    Once people get to grips with the digital engine (FM, waves, and who knows where that will be able to go with the SDK?) and with the layering (thicker analogue sounds or separate attack/sustain 'partials'), the Prologue has a lot of promise.

    I'm quite jealous! :)


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • goldtop said:
    goldtop said:
    Still waiting for one to appear in my local PMT to check out. Seems to have a big sweetspot. Did you see the Andertons' video overview?



    If Korg can get the digital SDK into the hands of some smart developers, this could be a monster. (Sean at Valhalla is looking into it, for one.)

    I bought mine from PMT online. There were no 16's in stock anywhere.

    I like that video, it's got everything I need in a synth, all my favourite sounds anyway...I guess all synths can do the sounds I like, but this was the one I was waiting for off the back of the positive reviews for the Minilogue.

    I'm new to synths and don't know what "sweet spot" means, does that mean it's good at one thing only?
    I think you got the last 16 they had. They owe me a store credit but could only offer me the last 8-voice they had. So I'll wait a while.

    By "big sweetspot", I meant that the synth seems to sound gorgeous for a large range of tones - and that's only from the clips so far posted. People have barely scratched the surface of this in the sound-design clips shown on YT. Did you see GeoSYNTHS's live streams? Long-winded but a lot of nice stuff.

    Once people get to grips with the digital engine (FM, waves, and who knows where that will be able to go with the SDK?) and with the layering (thicker analogue sounds or separate attack/sustain 'partials'), the Prologue has a lot of promise.

    I'm quite jealous! :)


    Ah I get you! That's made me feel a lot better about the purchase, thank you! Very kind of you! :-)

    I'm excited about it but so nervous that I've bought something early doors and it turns into a dud that people hate. I know that's highly unlikely, but as it's my first synth, it's hard to know what's right to do. Spent two years uhmming and ahhing about buying one, and it's taken a while to settle on a Korg.

    Regardless, it sounds fantastic! I am really liking it, although feel like I've got so much to learn!
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    Don't think there's any danger of it being a dud unless Korg messed up something very fundamental, something that every previewer managed to miss.

    I think for some types of music, the Prologue just won't be flexible enough to be a do-everything synth. Lots of scuttlebutt about it not being worthy of the "flagship" moniker (one LFO, simple filter, no aftertouch). Basically, because the modulation options look to be quite limited compared to DSI Rev2, etc, some types of tones will be harder to create.

    Doesn't worry me.

    Anyway, stop posting here and get playing and giving us more hands-on info! :)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    Jonathanthomas83 said:
    I guess all synths can do the sounds I like
    That depends on which sounds you happen to like.

    goldtop said:
    one LFO, simple filter, no aftertouch
    That little list is enough to me off. 

    Be seeing you.
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101

    goldtop said:
    one LFO, simple filter, no aftertouch
    That little list is enough to me off. 


    Synth history of full of gorgeous sounding under-featured synths, though. And this has a programmable digital engine per-voice.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • So, I need help. 

    I dontdfeel worthy of having such a machine. I love it but can't help but feel it won't be used to its full potential. Would I be better off with soft synths?

    Never been able to get a good quick setup with easy access to functions I need with a decent controller. Hence why I've gone all in analogue. 

    Any ideas?
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    I have a Les Paul, and when I listen to some of the players here and many on YT, I know for sure that I am not using it to its full potential. But - IMHO - that's not the point. I use it to make my music, whatever lame genre-bereft stuff that it is. If any instrument - synth, guitar, harmonica - inspires you, that's all you can ask of it (and yourself).

    I don't mind the sound of many soft synths, but I'm never inspired by mousing around a screen. (That's my own failing; it's how I am.) I had the iSEM at the same time as the Oberheim TVS Pro reissue, and there's something very rewarding about making a Carpenter-esque growly bass that wasn't the same (feeling) as copying the settings over to the iSEM. Moving a real analogue knob a tiny fraction made real differences - the iSEM was not as interactive.

    Don't let buyer's remorse set in. Hang on in there. (Unless you're trying to decide before the returns date passes.)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • @goldtop thank you, you're absolutely right. Appreciate the sensible advice. Feels like this is buyer's remorse, never thought about it like that before. I'm going to ignore it though as this thing sounds incredible and I'm learning synthesis faster than I ever did with my rather unintuitive controller and VSTs.
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • horsehorse Frets: 1563
    If you can afford it and like it, just get on with enjoying it.

    Select 3 sawtooths, detune them a little, bring down the filter cut off to soften it up, adjust the filter envelope to give a slow gentle sweep, then adjust the amp envelope so it drifts in and out. Stick some chorus on and drift off holding simple chords for hours.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • FreebirdFreebird Frets: 5821
    edited April 2018
    So, I need help. 

    I dontdfeel worthy of having such a machine. I love it but can't help but feel it won't be used to its full potential. Would I be better off with soft synths?

    Never been able to get a good quick setup with easy access to functions I need with a decent controller. Hence why I've gone all in analogue. 

    Any ideas?
    There are lots of books and videos available on the topic of synth programming, and it's just one of those things that you have got to learn. You wouldn't expect to get much enjoyment out of playing a guitar without knowing the basics, chords, scales, strumming, etc. Put in a bit of study time and you will be rewarded 
    If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • paulmapp8306paulmapp8306 Frets: 831
    edited April 2018
    Had one demod at pmt Nottingham 3 weeks back.

    It's good.  On par with a dsi rev 2.  The korg has more oscillators and some fm tones but the rev 2 has a better mod matrix.  Not sure which to go with myself yet.  I'm swaying towards the rev 2 personally but both are great.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Sounds incredible, I'm loving it at the moment. Learning a hell of a lot too.

    @paulmapp8306 what's swaying you to the rev2?
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • The mod matrix.

    There's just so much you can control with so much other stuff, and you can run 8 mod sources at once v the korg 1.

    Basically it means the variety of base tones you can get on the korg is bigger but the movement you can generate in any given tone is much greater on the dsi.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • The mod matrix.

    There's just so much you can control with so much other stuff, and you can run 8 mod sources at once v the korg 1.

    Basically it means the variety of base tones you can get on the korg is bigger but the movement you can generate in any given tone is much greater on the dsi.

    Amazing that in this day and age we can get a be-all-end-all flagship that gives the best of both worlds, isn't it! 

    Sounds good mate :-)
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.