Korg microKorg Tutorial & Review of the Best Features

Korg microKorg Tutorial & Review of the Best Features

This is a quick start tutorial and a review of the best features of the Korg microKorg keyboard/vocoder.  I will show you how to use the arpeggiator, vocoder, factory reset, solo timbres and more.

  • Demo Mode

    • Press SHIFT key and ARPEGGIATOR to enter demo mode
    • Select Program number 1 – 8 to select a particular demo (good for testing the audio)
  • Factory Reset & Turn off Locked Protected Sounds

    • To perform a factory reset on the microKorg
      • Press Shift + Program Number 7 then turn the 1/cutoff knob to select one of the options below
        • IP9 – Reset only one program, use “2/resonance” to select single program
        • Pr9 – Reset all data for all programs
        • GLb – Reset global data
      • Press the blinking Program Number 7 to activate the particular reset
    • If the unit says Pct (protected) do the following to unlock it
      • Press Shift + Program Number 8 (use 1/cutoff knob to select protection on or off)

[products ids=”7019 ,7014 ,7012 ,6997″]

  • Sounds and Banks

    • 16 sounds per bank (Big Encoder Program Select Knob Changes Banks)
      • 8 sounds on side A (use “A side B” button to select A or B)
      • 8 sounds on side B (use “A side B” button to select A or B)
      • Use the program number to select sound 1 through 8
  • Performance & Edit Modes

    • There are two modes you can choose when a sound is selected (performance mode & Edit Mode)
      • Performance mode
        • In performance mode the performance knobs (the four knobs on the top right) act as they are labeled
        • When you change sounds by selecting the program number, it automatically puts the keyboard into performance mode. To renter into performance mode when you are in Edit Mode, reselect the program number (sound) that you are already on.
        • Performance Knobs:
          • 1/Cutoff – adjusts cutoff frequency, good for sweeps
          • 2/Resonance – adjusts resonance height, good to soften or sharpen sound
          • 3/EG Attack – Adjust the attack time, more time smoothens the beginning of the sound
          • 4/EG Release – Adjust how long the sound lasts after the key is pressed
          • 5/Tempo – Adjusts LFO tempo
        • Edit Mode
          • To enter into edit mode and exit out of performance mode, rotate the Edit Mode knobs (Edit Select 1, and/or Edit Select 2)
          • In Edit Mode the performance Knobs (1/Cutoff, 2/Resonance, 3/EG Attack, 4/EG Release, 5/Tempo) adjust the corresponding values below them depending on which edit mode is selected
            • For example- if you rotate Edit Select 1 to Oscillator 1 then the 1/Cutoff knob would adjust the value below it in the row Oscillator 1. This value is listed as the WAV.
  • Solo Layers (Timbres)

    • Each Program can have 2 timbers (layers) and 2 oscillators per layer
    • Push Timbre Select to change between the 1st or 2nd layer
      • The light to the right of Timbre Select shows which layer is selected
      • When the particular layer is selected, the Edit Select knobs will only edit that particular layer
    • Press Shift and Timbre Select solo the layer that is selected, when the layer is soloed the light will blink
  • Arpeggiator

    • Push Arpeggiator button to turn on the arpeggiator
    • To edit the arpeggiator sequence,
      • turn Edit Select 2 to Arpp A or Arpp B and chose the Program Numbers 1-8 to select the beats on and off.
    • To Turn the arpegggiator Latch on and off,
      • turn Edit Select to Arpeg B and turn the 1/cutoff to select latch on or off
    • To get back to performance mode while using the arpeggiator
      • turn the Edit Select 2 out of Arpp A or Arpp B and push the program number you are currently on.
    • Arpeggiator Slave to External MIDI
      • To use an external MIDI chords to trigger the arrpegiaotor,
        • Turn the Edit Select 2 to the global position, then turn 4/EG Release to select pre
      • To use the microKorg keyboard to trigger the arpeggiator
        • Turn the Edit Select 2 to the global position, then turn 4/EG Release to select pos
      • Vocoder
        • To use the vocoder
          • Turn the Program Select knob to the green Vocoder selection
        • Once in vocoder mode, the Edit Select 1 and Edit Select 2 controls the functions in green writing
        • Push Formant Hold to latch the last note when using the vocoder
  • Audio In

    • To run audio through the microKorg keyboard filters and effects
      • Turn Edit Select 1 to OSC 1 then turn 1/CUTOFF to select Aud
      • Push the keyboard notes to trigger the audio
      • Push the program number to trigger performance mode and use the performance knobs to change the cutoff and resonance frequencies