littleBits has announced three new ‘power user’ modules for users of its Korg Synth Kit and other modules.
The modules add direct support for MIDI, control voltages & USB audio:
- MIDI module – Allows you to control the Synth Kit from a DAW (Ableton Live, Pro Tools, etc) and other MIDI-enabled instruments. Additionally, it will allow you to create your own MIDI controller with littleBits modules by converting littleBits control voltages to MIDI messages.
- CV module – Allows you to Integrate your Synth Kit with other analog synthesizers (for example, modular synths or analog keyboards).
- USB I/O module – This is a USB audio interface that will enable you to record directly into your DAW from the Synth Kit or send audio from your DAW to the Synth Kit for processing. Integrate your Synth Kit with common audio work stations (Ableton, ProTools, or other software like Traktor or Max/MSP).
Pricing and release dates for these modules is still to be announced, but littleBits says that they will be available by ‘Holiday 2014’.
This is excellent news. It makes Littlebits synth kit much more interesting because it can be integrated with the rest of my setup. Korg need to keep on introducing new modules, and ideally, some form of housing for them so they are not scattered all over the desk. Perhaps a magnetic rack type housing that would mean you could organise them without needing to screw them into a rack (which would defeat the purpose of Littlebits gear).
yeah this is great, i’ll definitely be getting these.
what else do you think they should they add?
i think if you combine the korg stuff with the rest of the little bits stuff you get pretty flexible. you could build a ring modulator with the LEDS, some crazy sequencers by combining the micro sequencer with the logic and pulse modules, vactrol style envelopes with the light trigger, envelope followers, compressors, side chains, a few different noise sources, there are methods to build lfos too…
oh 1 thing i can think of is that korg or little bits could make a custom library of arduino (for the arduino little bit) programs that are specifically useful for synthesis.
arduino can do a lot, but there’s no point in everyone re-writing the same types of programs.
There’s some existing Arduino work with the Ardcore platform, which is Arduino in 5U & Euro formats.
Is it just my imagination run to wild depths, or does it at all seem plausible to presume that Korg may release some sort of ‘Micro-Modular’ system in the future?
I say this because of the whole: ‘monotron -> monotribe -> volca’ evolution where each synth before put the parts (or general electronic principles) to the test to be improved upon in the next iteration, which is most admirably genius in terms of efficiency I think… This may also beg the question about what the volca tech could be used in…. (poly/para analogs, holistic grooveboxes, bass pedal synths, standalone CV/MIDI step sequencers/ arpeggiators etc etc.)
the little bits are already their micro modular? 🙂
with the midi and cv little bit modules you could get midi into of the volcas from the little bits (and if you mod the volca get it out too!), you could send gate out of the little bits to trigger a volca or do something like send gate out of some volcas into the little bits, use logic like the or little bit, or delay the gate, send it to another volca, etc.
with the midi and cv modules you should be able to easily integrate the ms20mini which is a fantastic value if you just look at it from a modulation and processing standpoint, you get a vca, lfo, noise, gate, 2 envelopes, sample and hold, envelope follower, the synth filter and the input filter. 🙂
it’d be cool if korg made a ms20 mini without the keyboard so you could put the little bits and volcas in that space. 🙂
“it’d be cool if korg made a ms20 mini without the keyboard so you could put the little bits and volcas in that space”
MS-20 w/o a keyboard has been my dream for so long. Rackmount or desktop I don’t care, just give me midi and cv in and I’ll be good thanks.
AGREED. In the meantime, I’ll keep using the plugin version from theKorg Legacy Collection..
CV !!!!!
I bought the korg little bits kit when it came out, it was fun, but to. E honest at has spent most of its time in the box since….
Being able to sequence from my DAW will finally make this little kit useful, I may even buy a second one now for some real modular flex ability ((I wonder if they will do a kit with the new io modules bundled?)
Also, a cheap way to convert MIDI to CV? I wonder if those two modules will work together as one would hope.
I wouldn’t have your hopes high on this, as midi to cv doesn’t make much sense without gate, and there’s not a single gate in or out on these bits that can be spotted.
if you go to the little bits site and mouse over to zoom, the midi one says trigger out and i’m assuming it does out via the jack on the front too.
also the cv one looks like it’s switchable between Hz/volt or Volt/Oct ! oh yeah!
I have a Super Bass Station that has me covered there, but it would be interesting to see if another component comes out that covers gate…
“USB audio interface that will enable you to record directly into your DAW from the Synth Kit or send audio from your DAW to the Synth Kit for processing. Integrate your Synth Kit with common audio work stations”
I’ll watch this closely to find out if Korg come up with a better solution for aggregation under Windows than “ASIO4ALL”, a buggy freeware driver that is updated once a year if you’re lucky and causes all kinds of problems. However, it is “recommended” (as in “crappy but only solution”) for iConnect MIDI’s audio passthrough.
Love that radio shack is carrying them now, although limited stores