Korg M3 Synthesizer Review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad3H55asS4o

Korg M3 Synthesizer Review

via GuitarGnosis:

http://www.homestudioland.com

Here is my personal review of the Korg M3 sample-based synthesizer. If you’re looking for a sample based synth, then your search ends here! This is has an amazing amount of patches and features. So much that I spend more time fooling around with patches than I do playing music when it’s sitting in front of me.

22 thoughts on “Korg M3 Synthesizer Review”

  1. This review presents a charming and remarkable perspective contemporary with pioneering works by "keybdwizrd" and Rudess in contemplation of the Korg M3. Allow its delicately prepared commentary to whisk you away on a veritable extravaganza of reverence and fascinating insights transcendent to its peerage. And as one basks in its glory, one must ponder, "who lives in a house like this?"
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISOFxEWDe3I

  2. This review presents a charming and remarkable perspective contemporary with pioneering works by "keybdwizrd" and Rudess in contemplation of the Korg M3. Allow its delicately prepared commentary to whisk you away on a veritable extravaganza of reverence and fascinating insights transcendent to its peerage. And as one basks in its glory, one must ponder, "who lives in a house like this?"
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISOFxEWDe3I

  3. This review presents a charming and remarkable perspective contemporary with pioneering works by "keybdwizrd" and Rudess in contemplation of the Korg M3. Allow its delicately prepared commentary to whisk you away on a veritable extravaganza of reverence and fascinating insights transcendent to its peerage. And as one basks in its glory, one must ponder, "who lives in a house like this?"
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISOFxEWDe3I

  4. This review presents a charming and remarkable perspective contemporary with pioneering works by "keybdwizrd" and Rudess in contemplation of the Korg M3. Allow its delicately prepared commentary to whisk you away on a veritable extravaganza of reverence and fascinating insights transcendent to its peerage. And as one basks in its glory, one must ponder, "who lives in a house like this?"
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISOFxEWDe3I

  5. This review presents a charming and remarkable perspective contemporary with pioneering works by "keybdwizrd" and Rudess in contemplation of the Korg M3. Allow its delicately prepared commentary to whisk you away on a veritable extravaganza of reverence and fascinating insights transcendent to its peerage. And as one basks in its glory, one must ponder, "who lives in a house like this?"
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISOFxEWDe3I

  6. I am using the M3 as a controller keyboard for my keyboard rig. Not using the sounds on it at all. It's the best midi controller I've used, but then so was the Triton. Shame about the sounds.

  10. He actually paid for this keyboard? Korg should be paying him instead, but, alas, Jordan Rudess does all the hype including actually playing any damn instrument and not only drooling about un-motorized tiny faders and some measly pads. Comforting reassurance that the only way to evaluate an instrument is to actually get your hands on it rather than watching random "review" videos on Youtube. Disappointing.

  11. i feel dirty after watching this…

    What i took away from my own time with a M3?
    Keyboard is balls. Nothing special. Yamaha does it better for less money if your talking action.
    Sounds sets are ok typical Korg cheese. Electric guitar lead? Oh fuck.
    screen is cluttered. Hard to read as well.
    Pages and pages to do anything deep.
    Overpriced for what it does.
    Karma is fucking useless hippy prog shit.

    I feel better now…

  12. The annoying thing for me was that instead of just talking through the features that are available every little thing had to be accompanied by so much praise you'd think nobody had ever done anything similar before. Sliders you could assign to things like cut-off? Some pads? An x-y controller? Come on!

    I can see that for a very broad support of natural instruments a sample-based synth might make life easier on you than an actual synth combined with collections of dedicated emulations – most synths don't come with a huge library of piano presets for example. So I couldn't call this thing totally useless. But ugly as hell, yes. So bland, and those red panel LEDs… ugh.. I have some synths that aren't exactly great looking but at least they have personality.

  14. I am using the M3 as a controller keyboard for my keyboard rig. Not using the sounds on it at all. It's the best midi controller I've used, but then so was the Triton. Shame about the sounds.

  15. I am using the M3 as a controller keyboard for my keyboard rig. Not using the sounds on it at all. It's the best midi controller I've used, but then so was the Triton. Shame about the sounds.

  16. I am using the M3 as a controller keyboard for my keyboard rig. Not using the sounds on it at all. It's the best midi controller I've used, but then so was the Triton. Shame about the sounds.

  17. The annoying thing for me was that instead of just talking through the features that are available every little thing had to be accompanied by so much praise you'd think nobody had ever done anything similar before. Sliders you could assign to things like cut-off? Some pads? An x-y controller? Come on!

    I can see that for a very broad support of natural instruments a sample-based synth might make life easier on you than an actual synth combined with collections of dedicated emulations – most synths don't come with a huge library of piano presets for example. So I couldn't call this thing totally useless. But ugly as hell, yes. So bland, and those red panel LEDs… ugh.. I have some synths that aren't exactly great looking but at least they have personality.

  18. The annoying thing for me was that instead of just talking through the features that are available every little thing had to be accompanied by so much praise you'd think nobody had ever done anything similar before. Sliders you could assign to things like cut-off? Some pads? An x-y controller? Come on!

    I can see that for a very broad support of natural instruments a sample-based synth might make life easier on you than an actual synth combined with collections of dedicated emulations – most synths don't come with a huge library of piano presets for example. So I couldn't call this thing totally useless. But ugly as hell, yes. So bland, and those red panel LEDs… ugh.. I have some synths that aren't exactly great looking but at least they have personality.

  21. i love korg you guys shut up. give the m3 a chance man its ugly in looks but great in sounds i got no problems man juts the fucking looks its shit. they could of make it more sexy than looking like a big box of matches.

  22. Korg no longer makes this board, but if you’re in the market for a workstation of enormous sonic and editing power, this is a fantastic buy. Some music stores still have new models for sale, and eBay and other sites can be used.

    Despite the board’s somewhat less-than-stellar design (although I must say that I love this thing for the studio), the keyboard is sturdy and well built. Is this the best device for gigging out? Maybe not. But as a studio tool for composition, sketching ideas, recording, editing MIDI and Audio, and mastering (yes the tools for this are not bad)–even CD production–this is the total package.

    It does not have the power of the Oasys, nor does it have the power of the Kronos. But for the price it comes really darn close, and it gives you a slew of features the Krome does not.

    For starters you get EDS quality sounds. EDS was developed in conjunction with the Oasys HD1 synth engine. The difference is that one is more chip based (M3) and one more software based (Oasys). You get 4 additional sample libraries (2 brass and woodwind, piano, and keys), a healthy amount of sample ram (especially if you buy the ram card), an amazing sampler with powerful editing and looping, Karma, the ability to install the Radias card (which I have…simply a beast to play with), perhaps the best user-friendly sequencer when it comes to workstation keyboards, an awesome vocoder (with Radias), 6 audio outs, 4 audio ins, 3 USB slots, an amazing keybed, and the possibility of adding the Firewire option (which will give you 6 channels of audio via FW).

    You also get one of the best displays out there. Korg’s touch display is fantastic. The Xpanded edition of the M3 has the Piano Roll Editor among other nice features, and the sequencer has the most intuitive method for using pattern/RPPR recording and for doing playlists.

    The on-board sampler allows you to record audio a number of ways (both to internal RAM and to a USB stick). You can record in realtime, while playing other tracks through your headphones, and actually record to a track in the sequencer using a method called “in-track” recording. What really happens is the audio is recorded into the sampler, and the sampler creates a program file that points to that audio source. This way you just load that program file into your sequencer on the desired track and you’re set.

    The EFX routing is similar to Kronos and Oasys. Just fantastic!

    The M3 is deep. You need to get your head “wrapped around” how the memory works (USB is required for most things), and how the internal ROM/RAM works. Saving files can be tricky at first, then it makes perfect sense once you get the hang of it.

    My only caveats are this: more RAM options would have been nice, more polyphony also would have been nice, and the design of the board, I think, scared away some who like to gig a lot. I am also not wild about the Korg Komponent design. Never really panned out, although it’s nice to know that I can take my module off and take it to work if needed. That’s pretty cool

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