Korg M3
Encyclopedia
Korg M3 is a music workstation
synthesizer
manufactured by Korg Corporation
and introduced at the Winter NAMM show during January, 2007. It hit the streets 4 months later. The M3 is the successor of the famous Triton
series. The name is based on the former M1
, which was considered a revolutionary synth at the time.
Although it is not a software synth as Korg's flagship OASYS
, the hardware synthesizer chip was designed around the HD-1, one of OASYS software synths. The M3 was named keyboard of the year at the Musik Messe
Awards in Germany early 2007. This surprised many who expected the new Yamaha Motif
XS to take on that position.
).
which allows the keyboardist to configure their M3 in a multitude of ways. With three different keyboard options Korg explains the system like this:
The largest criticisms of the Komponent system are:
Music workstation
A music workstation is an electronic musical instrument providing the facilities of:*a sound module,*a music sequencer and* a musical keyboard.It enables a musician to compose electronic music using just one piece of equipment.-History:...
synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
manufactured by Korg Corporation
Korg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
and introduced at the Winter NAMM show during January, 2007. It hit the streets 4 months later. The M3 is the successor of the famous Triton
Korg Triton
Korg Triton is a music workstation synthesizer featuring digital sampling and sequencing created by Korg. All Tritons use Korg's HI Synthesis tone generator. They are available in several models and various upgrade configurations. The Triton is world famous among many musicians for being a...
series. The name is based on the former M1
Korg M1
The Korg M1 is the world's first widely-known music workstation. Its onboard MIDI sequencer and palette of sounds allowed musicians to produce complete professional arrangements...
, which was considered a revolutionary synth at the time.
Although it is not a software synth as Korg's flagship OASYS
Korg OASYS
The Korg OASYS was a workstation synthesizer released in early 2005, 1 year after the successful Korg Triton Extreme. Unlike the Triton series, the OASYS was implemented on a custom Linux operating system and was designed to be arbitrarily expandable via software updates, with its functionality...
, the hardware synthesizer chip was designed around the HD-1, one of OASYS software synths. The M3 was named keyboard of the year at the Musik Messe
Musik Messe
The Musik Messe held each year in Frankfurt is Europe's largest trade show for musical instruments, lighting, recording and sound reinforcement equipment. Generally held in early March, the Musik Messe and the NAMM shows are where the world's manufacturers announce and show their new...
Awards in Germany early 2007. This surprised many who expected the new Yamaha Motif
Yamaha Motif
The Yamaha Motif is a series of music workstations, first released by Yamaha Corporation in August 2001. Other workstations in the same class are the Korg Triton, Roland Fantom-G and Alesis Fusion.-Motif Classic:...
XS to take on that position.
Firmware
At the end of Q3 2008 Korg released a major update to the M3's operating system, which changes the unit to the 'M3 XPanded'. This update refines many of the functions of the M3, makes minor changes to the graphic user interface, adds four additional PCM sample libraries including a grand piano (EX-USB-PCM03) library, two brass and woodwind libraries (EX-USB-PCM01 & EX-USB-PCM02), a stereo grand piano (EX-USB-PCM04) library, and updates the KARMA to version 2.2 Kay Algorithmic Realtime Music Architecture developed by Stephen Kay (see: Korg KARMAKorg KARMA
The Korg KARMA music workstation was released in 2001 as a specialised member of the Korg Triton family.Unlike most other Korg workstation names, the KARMA name is rendered in capitals as an acronym for the Kay Algorithmic Realtime Music Architecture...
).
Korg Komponent System
Korg Komponent System is a unique modular keyboard system devised by Korg CorporationKorg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
which allows the keyboardist to configure their M3 in a multitude of ways. With three different keyboard options Korg explains the system like this:
The 61-key model lets you mount a RADIAS-RKorg RADIASKorg RADIAS is a virtual analog synthesizer, released by KORG corp. in 2006.RADIAS' MMT engine was based on Korg's Oasys AL-1 synthesizer module, providing for several different synthesis methods, two of which may be combined in a single voice e.g. Phase Distortion Synthesis can be combined with...
analog modeling synthesizer instead of the M3-M sound generator, the 73-key model lets you mount the M3-M together with a RADIAS-R analog modeling synthesizer, and the 88-key model supports the combination of M3-M and RADIAS-R or even mounting two M3-M units simultaneously. Of course you can detach the M3-M sound generator and use it as a sound module, giving you great flexibility for constructing the system you need whenever you want.
The largest criticisms of the Komponent system are:
- Korg seems to have abandoned the idea as only 2 modules (M3 and Radias) were Komponent compatible.
- Korg will not sell the keybeds separately. If you bought the M3 as a module, you cannot buy a 61, 73, or 88 key keybed except for on the used market. Korg has released keyboards since the M3 and none take advantage of the Komponent system.
Korg M50
In 2008, Korg unveiled a new, stripped-down version of the M3, the Korg M50. It runs on the same EDS sound system as the M3, but it has less polyphony, no support for expansion cards and no sampling capabilities. The 88-key version, which featured the RH3 graded hammer-action piano keys, is the lightest 88-key keyboard Korg has ever made.Users
- Derek SherinianDerek SherinianDerek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
- John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
- Chris LoweChris LoweChris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
- Noah Lennox
See also
- Korg TrinityKorg TrinityKorg Trinity is a commercially successful synthesizer music workstation released by Korg in 1996. It was also the first workstation to offer modular expansion for not only sounds, but also studio-grade feature such as SCSI, ADAT, various sound engine processors, audio recording capability, and more...
- Korg TritonKorg TritonKorg Triton is a music workstation synthesizer featuring digital sampling and sequencing created by Korg. All Tritons use Korg's HI Synthesis tone generator. They are available in several models and various upgrade configurations. The Triton is world famous among many musicians for being a...
- Korg KarmaKorg KARMAThe Korg KARMA music workstation was released in 2001 as a specialised member of the Korg Triton family.Unlike most other Korg workstation names, the KARMA name is rendered in capitals as an acronym for the Kay Algorithmic Realtime Music Architecture...
- Korg RADIASKorg RADIASKorg RADIAS is a virtual analog synthesizer, released by KORG corp. in 2006.RADIAS' MMT engine was based on Korg's Oasys AL-1 synthesizer module, providing for several different synthesis methods, two of which may be combined in a single voice e.g. Phase Distortion Synthesis can be combined with...
- Alesis FusionAlesis FusionAlesis Fusion is a music production workstation produced by Alesis introduced in early 2005. The workstation is available in two models. The Fusion 6HD is a sixty-one note semi-weighted keyboard workstation. The Fusion 8HD is an eighty-eight note weighted keyboard workstation. The two models...
- Roland Fantom-XRoland Fantom-XThe Fantom-X is a music workstation/synthesizer produced by Roland Corporation. It was introduced in 2004 as an upgrade from the Fantom S series. The Fantom-X competes with the Korg Triton/Triton Extreme, the Yamaha Motif ES and other similar large-scope keyboards such as the discontinued Alesis...
- Roland Juno-GRoland Juno-GRoland Juno-G is a music workstation/synth introduced in 2006 by Roland Corporation. It is based on the Fantom-X series, having a vintage design that resembles the first Juno synthesizers, such as the Juno-106...
- Sampler (musical instrument)Sampler (musical instrument)A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...