Korg SQ-1 Analog Step Sequencer, Plus MS-20 Module Kit Coming At NAMM 2015

korg--sq-1-step-sequencer

Word has leaked, via Australia’s Turramurra Music and CDM, of two new introductions from Korg:

  • The Korg SQ-1 Analog Step Sequencer; and
  • the Korg MS-20M analog synth module.

They are both previewed in Turramurra’s video demo:

We will have official specifications on all of Korg’s new gear, along with pricing and availability information, as they are made available at the 2015 NAMM Show.

via Turramurra Music and CDM

73 thoughts on “Korg SQ-1 Analog Step Sequencer, Plus MS-20 Module Kit Coming At NAMM 2015”

      1. You sillys who downvoted his comment never owned an MS 20 mini. like 2 weeks into owning the thing half the knobs are totally loose and SAGGING.

        1. I’ve had a mini since realase. The knobs and jacks are crap but loose and “sagging” after 2 weeks? No. Mine gets a fair amount of use and it feels as crappy as the day I bought it but no crappier. The keys are way better in feel than the original and the case is just as solid. However, I’d suggest to somone looking for an analog mono in the same price range buy a Bass Station II.

          1. Oh ok. I guess my Ms 20 mini was imaginary and the pots werent sagging. Wait no. It was real.

            In all seriousness. Maybe there was a batch that had bad pots like that cus Im not the only one who has complained of this. I mean it was actually ridiculous how many knobs were actually SAGGING yes SAGGING after two weeks. Granted of heavy use but still.

            I dont give a shit if the whole thing was made of hard plastic, the knobs should at least be stable.

            If the module is of better quality Id buy one. I like korg I think they just need to be called out on how bad the build quality on the MS 20 MINI was.

          1. lol dude. i dont abuse my gear either. im meticulous with how much i take care of it. the pots literally became loose and sagged after 2 weeks of playing maybe 1-2 hours a day.

        3. I’ve had an MS20 mini since release and the knobs are the same now as they were when I got it. One is a touch stiff but they have never been in danger of breaking, people really over play the bad build quality aspect of this synth, what are you gonna do? Throw it around?

          1. Just wait until you’ve had it for 2 years…

            I played with an mini for about 10 minutes before I said “Sounds good. Feels like crap… moving on.” I ended up doing this for the Mini/microbrutes too. BassStation II felt the sturdiest of them all, still kinda flimsy.

            Same goes for launchpads and apcs and KMI controllers. EVERYTHING FEELS LIKE A TOY NOWADAYS WHY???????

            They all sounded really good, which is of the most importance. But the feel of the gear is a huge plus for me… which is why I still use an EMU LaunchPad for a lot of my rackmount gear. That thing is built like a TANK.

            Now, as for the Module build quality, we’ll have to wait and see.

            1. I have to disagree on the APC40, I have gigged mine heavily and beat the shit out of it and the only thing wrong is those crappy black caps that pop off the the top of the knobs which don’t affect anything but aesthetics. I’d say it’s rock solid. All the pots, sliders and buttons feel sturdy after a lot of abuse.

            2. because cost. emu would be roughly 1k today.

              50% of posts complain about the cost
              50% complain something being “toy”, but obviously the non toys aren’t selling or else we’d have more of them available.

              1. I agree with everything except the assertion that the EMU LaunchPad would cost $1000 today.

                As for the reasons why everything feels like a toy, very true. I still don’t have to like it 🙂

            4. 2 years? What’s going to change in the next few months? The pots are fine, but then I do treat it like a thing that cost me £500. And the Microbrute is totally solid, no wobbling on those pots. Not sure what you were looking at.

              1. I was looking at a Microbrute. Mystery solved.

                Totally solid? That’s hyperbole. The Novation X-Station has more solid feeling pots and sliders and they’re well known to be shoddy.

                “Totally solid” should be reserved for things like the Korg Delta and it’s ilk. IOW, things that were actually built to be used for decades.

                But not the Microbrute. Again, the price reflects this and that’s fine. But the price being low does not somehow make the controls more solid feeling. It just makes crappy feelings controls more palatable.

      2. Agreed. Plenty has been said about the mini’s build quality, but those flimsy pots and plastic input jacks are what keeps me from buying one new.

        1. the module as shown in the video there is full size, 1/4 jacks not the mini 1/8th inch

          amazing news i would say. let namm be full of modules I say!

          1. Agreed, this is probably the best news from NAMM this year. I hope the SQ-1 can sequence more than just the ancient Korgs though!

      3. I’ve had mine for a while now, and the build quality is fine. I actually like the Mini’s keyboard more than the original MS-20 keyboard, and I had an original for a number of years. I think so long as you are not too rough with it, it will be fine.

  6. You’d think a demo showing off a new sequencer would want to show some MELODY and not non-melodic robot farts.

    That being said it *looks* like an inexpensive sequencer with CV out, small enough to fit in one hand. I’ll probably buy it anyway.

      1. It does not have any Midi jacks at all. Korg has photos of sides on their website.

        It has a USB jack though, so maybe Midi through that.

  9. This demo is just the worst. How do I become a demo guy? I guarantee I could make a better video with people actually wanting to buy the things.

    Sounds like an annoying dog at the end.
    “woof, woof, woo, woof”

    1. You’re welcome to make the world’s best demo video for the gear you already have. There’s nothing stopping you, and you don’t need anyone’s permission.

      Here’s How To Be A Demo Guy:

      Step One – Grab a video camera and your favorite gear and make an incredible demo video.

      Step Two – Upload to YouTube and promote it on forums.

      Step Three – Stare in amazement as you rack up negative comments and down votes from nitpickers.

      Step Four – Have a realization about the nature of the internet.

      Step Five – Return to isolation cave and sigh as the sun sets on another day.

      2. Well tbh, it’s not something that hasn’t crossed my mind. I don’t have a camera or cellphone capable of creating decent footage nor the money to buy such things. I have uploaded audio demos of gear before and have had excellent feedback. See there’s a certain thing in your brain that should trigger such questions of, “Is this good?” subjective I know) Time and time again people do demos where they try to go as far down the rabbit hole as possible, which is fun atm but not for someone wanting to see/hear the basic functionality. If I were to show someone how to use a chalk board I would not claw my fingers across it.

        I’m not sure of the demo guy’s status with Korg or other manufactures, but I assume he’s getting paid, I on the other hand am not. Maybe I’ll try it out?

        Also if this demo was of time constraint, like only 10 mins with unit you better bet I’d put a disclaimer letting people know I was sorry for such a sub par performance. Even though there was more hands on the synth than the sequencer.

          1. Step one: Initialize patch on MS20
            Step two: Detune oscillators a bit and use some adsr to filter and amp.
            Step three: Make simple arp pattern consisting of 3-5 notes on sequencer.
            Tip: Use the scale setting on sequencer if in a rush
            Step four: Mute/unmute steps if capable (this makes penises hard and vaginas wet)
            Step five: Start turning knobs on sequencer to show that they do something.

      3. Haha, this is exactly how my weekly adventures go as a ‘demo guy’!!!! Don’t get too many negative comments (likely not popular enough to get those!). It’s more that… you don’t end up getting any views on the demos you make that you sat back after uploading and nodded to yourself thinking, “This was incredible.”

        Then watch the views climb. 1 (day 5), 3 (day 12), 128 (day 380), 129 (day 1,529).

        For the demos you thought, “This sucked…”: 200 (day 1), 500 (day 12), 1,500 (day 30)… etc.

        And then people ask questions about your damn cat, not the gear.

  11. The day a company fetches out a decent hardware sequencer will be a good one.
    I decent screen , mouse input, piano roll, no softsynths, no latency, just a hardware machine for us hardware people.
    This sequencer looks really poor and limited.

        1. Well you should stop and think what you really want a hardware or mouse input which is an interface to deal with software and there are plenty software options if you love mice. 😉 Defectiverecord M185 or CycliC, Sugarbytes Thesys, Reaktor or Numerology to name a few.

  12. Cool sequencer:) Got wind of this last week but had to b hush hush or die horribly! Hope it’s got memories but if not who cares, will b cheap enough & look mint next to the microbrute. Liking the scale & voltage out select/range idea too. Looking fwd to demo vids from this years Namm.

  15. Where does it say this is a demo?
    Everyone here should have a good idea what an MS-20 sounds like by now.
    Format is new- sound has been the same for 37 years.

  16. Certainly a great addition to any modular/analog rig. Looking forward to have one. I have the original SQ-10 and is great but a little too big for my rig. This thing would fit me perfectly!!!

  22. Is it me or is there a bunch of holes for extra jacks in the bottom front of the ms-20m,,expansion or tweek area?
    be neater to recreate the sq-10 with the only difference being 16 steps instead of the original 12

  23. Ok I have two MS-20 minis and mine are fine. Knobs are firm but cheap….no wobble or sag. The build quality is good. I also have a MS-20 original……so not much difference in the build quality except for the keyboard on the original sucks.

    I was hoping the news out of Korg would have been something on the MS-50….oh well….

    1. what’s the diff between this and ms50 besides the filter that getting a second ms20 wouldn’t fix? given the jacks on the bottom and diy nature…little bits could make most of the other functions super cheaply, i think.

      dunno serious question, never used ms50.

      btw it looks like there is a pwm jack on this.

  24. Haven’t watched the video yet, but looking at the picture of the sequencer, did anybody besides me notice an output marked “LittleBits out”???????…..that could be interesting…….

  26. The SQ-1 sequencer is an obvious buy for my MS-20 Mini. But looking at this you can only get it with the MS-20M. That seems to be a keyboardless MS-20 (mini or full?) in which case the key question is whether you can use the CV/GATE to link it to an MS-20 Mini to add extra oscillators, filters, etc – like a modular synth? If you can do that I’m most interested. If you can’t the MS-20M is a bit superfluous and I’d rather just get the SQ-1.

    A shame Korg did not release an MS-50 Mini and an SQ-10 Mini but maybe next year if the analog renaissance reissue revolution gathers pace?

  27. If this is really $1799, that’s insane. You could buy a Mini and a couple of Volcas to sequence it at that same store for less money…
    And then if they’re making it a module why not stick to an industry standard like a 19″ rack mount or a Eurorack size. Seems really strange

    Although if the little sequencer on its own is good value and can output volts/octave CV and maybe midi then it’d be great

    1. Looking at the circuit boards – it looks like they can be removed to provide access to trim pots on the board beneath the panel.

  29. 2,000 AUD for a small step seq and a monophonic synth kit???
    Are they crazy?
    I mean for that price you get much better gear in my view!!!

    I hope tihis is another mistake.
    the seq looks good though!!

  30. I must be lucky. Have had a mini ms20 for well over a year. Bought at guitar center. Never have had an issue, everything is still like the day I bought it.

  31. So, it seems this is more than just a keyboardless MS20. A PWM socket in the patch bay. EG2 out socket. Works off Hz per V and V per Oct, Oscillator sync. Both revisions of the MS20 filter, switchable. Nice to see they’ve added functionality that people have asked for.

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