Nov 28 2009

61-Key Korg M50 Synth Workstation

Korg M50 61-Key Keyboard

The M50 delivers latest sounds and functionality that Korg has developed in its many years of producing synthesizers and music workstations. The M50 fulfills every need of a musician, as an inspirational composition tool or as a live performance instrument. The M50 uses Korg’s latest “EDS” (Enhanced Definition Synthesis) sound generation system, the technology used on the M3, delivering exactly the same stunning sounds and effects. The EDS sound engine gushes with thick synth tones, complex articulated acoustic instruments like strings and brass, and some of the most realistic and playable piano tones in any keyboard in any price range. Each voice contains a powerful oscillator section that can use up to eight stereo multisamples per voice (two oscillators, each with 4-stage velocity switching/crossfading/layering), as well as up to four filters, 2 amps, 5 LFOs, and 5 EGs. 

KORG M50 61-key Workstation Keyboard Video

 

Korg M50 Provides Korg’s new semi-weighted Natural Touch keys for fast and satisfying synth-action. The M50 contains 608 programs, 384 combinations each consisting of up to sixteen programs, and 32 drum kits used as oscillators for drum programs. There are 4 “chord-assign” buttons which can be used to auto-trigger complex voicing with a single finger, leaving a free hand for melodic playing and turning you into your own accompanist. Korg M50 61 keys delivers the wide range of great sounds you expect from a Korg keyboard from real acoustic instrument to vintages synths and imaginative textures. The M50 is like controlling a whole orchestra with your hands, Up to 16 layers of instrumentation can be combined and triggered simultaneously, and voices can be split by note-range or velocity. 16-track sequencer makes brilliant use of the touch-sensitive screen, which insures you’ll never second guess how to access a function or make changes to a mix. The sequencer provides 16 MIDI tracks, up to 128 songs, and lets you record 210,000 notes. With a high resolution of 1/480, it can capture every detail of your expressive performance. The M50 features the same TouchView display that’s found on Korg’s high-end music workstations. The TouchView screen is intuitive and interactive, allowing the uniquely angled front panel to remain refined and uncluttered. M50 includes AMS (Alternate Modulation Source) function, which gives you 50 modulation sources, you can be sure to find what you need, or use the AMS mixer to apply multiple modulation sources to a single parameter, or even process the modulation source itself to obtain precise control over your sound design. Korg M50 keyboard includes 256 Mb of ROM, provides a total of 1,077 multisamples recorded in exacting studio conditions; the acoustic instruments are delivered with authenticity and realism, providing rich, natural articulation; synth sounds can be bombastic and aggressive, lush and enveloping, or pure and delicate. The drum track provides an always-ready partner to jam along with. You can easily choose from over 670 patterns that are built into the M50 as well as your own user-created patterns.

Korg M50 61-Key Synth Workstation Features

• Keyboard: 61-key, 73-key versions use a new semi-weighted Natural Touch keyboard

• An enormous 256 MB of PCM data (when calculated as 16-bit linear data), provides 608 programs and 384 combinations featuring Korg’s acclaimed voicing expertise.

• The 61-key M50-61 and 73-key M50-73 use a new semi-weighted Natural Touch keyboard, while the 88 key M50-88 features the top-of-the-line Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 (RH3) graded action keyboard.

• The large TouchView graphical user interface makes it easy to select sounds, adjust parameters and create your music easily.

• The Polyphonic Arpeggiator delivers from simple phrases up to complex rhythmic gestures, and lets you use two patterns simultaneously in Combination mode or Sequencer mode to create complete ensemble backing.

• Rich and vivid sound using the same “EDS” tone generator found on the upper-end M3

• Included M50 Editor and M50 Plug-In Editor software lets you edit the sounds using your computer, and allows you to use the M50 as a plug-in instrument in your favorite DAW software (VST, Audio Units, and RTAS are supported).

• The Drum Track gives you 671 patterns to stimulate and support your realtime performance and song production.

• The highly intuitive sequencer provides 16 MIDI + 1 master tracks with all the tools needed to capture and easily shape your musical ideas into polished productions.

• An SD card slot provides easy and affordable management of your sounds and songs. Read more »

Nov 15 2007

Components of a Synthesizer

Different instruments produce sound due to different mechanisms. As regards to flute when the air is blown inside a hollow pipe Timbre, Pitch and Volume of a Synthesizer, which has openings around it, through which the air comes out, sound is produced. For a string instrument like violin or guitar the strings are oscillated to generate the sound.

In case of acoustic instruments something must be moved or resonated for sounds to be created. A synthesizer can imitate sound of any instrument. But they do not create direct sounds. They produce electric-signals. Hence, there is the need to attach headphones or speakers to hear the sound created; otherwise nothing will be audible. CD-players also work like this way; the sounds are inaudible unless there is an output device.

Synthesizers are different from the examples mentioned above; so are the components of synthesizer.

Listed below are the different components of a synthesizer:
Keyboard: A piano style keyboard is generally equipped in a synthesizer. The keys of a synthesizer are actually a type of switch. The main function of these switches is to on and off the electronic circuit. The user can choose to use mouthpieces, guitar like instruments, strings, drum pads or a computer to manage and organize the synthesizer. However, keyboards are one the most widely used input devices.

Amplifier: Amplifier is one of the important components of synthesizer. An amplifier circuit is used to control the volume of a synthesizer. The signal is passed through the circuit to command the amplification that would result in sound through the output device. A synthesizer amplifier, however, dictates on the waveform unlike the types used in, say, speakers. To connect loudspeaker from the output would result in attaching a power amplifier to it.

Software: There are lots of programs designed for the working of the synthesizer through the computer. The basic purpose is to record and edit MIDI sequences. It is in fact, better defined as music composition and production system. The name sequencer also has been given to them for this particular role; and is one of the integral parts of the synthesizer.

The track data is displayed in form of chart, waveform or diagram. There are a number of places that dish out free softwares, samplers and wave renderer for the synthesizer. Softwares are available for both platforms, MAC and Windows.

MIDI device: MIDI is the acronym of Musical Instrument Digital Interface. This is the worldwide standard in relating electronic musical instruments, computers and other devices among them. Sequencers are, typically, used to produce accurate, repeating eight- or sixteen-note bassline patterns.

When the microprocessor-controlled sequencers were created the task became even easier. These had the power to store a large number of notes, even a musical piece. Hence, MIDI soon became the standard in the world for communication between electronic musical instruments. MIDI sequencers record the note on or note off commands.

Drum Machines: Drum machines can also be included in the components of synthesizer. A drum machine is like a synthesizer only difference being that it is a dedicated drum and percussion sound instrument. Synthesizer is, however, generic. Instead of piano style keyboard, the drum machines have the touch sensitive pads, which are operated by fingers or drum sticks.

About the Author: Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, electric guitars, drums, drum sets, and synthesizers, keyboards, sequencer.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

Nov 14 2007

How to Read Musical Notes of Synthesizers

Are you interested in playing synthesizers? If you seriously want to play it properly, then you need to know how to read musical notes of synthesizers. Learning to play the instrument is not enough. You should know its each and every note. And to do that, you need a notation.

Synthesizers have a piano like keyboard. That is why its notation is of two different types. One is the bass cliff notation and the other one is a treble cliff notation. You have to clear up this cliff concept first, if you want to learn how to read musical notes of synthesizers.

The bass cliff notation is for the left hand and the treble cliff notation is for the right hand.

In a notation book you will get to see five straight lines. And in between two lines there is a space. Both are very important parts of notation. There are four spaces in a notation.

In bass cliff, the lines are named as g, b, d, f, a and the spaces are named as a, c, e, g. where as in the treble cliff, the lines are e, g, b, d, f and the spaces are f, a, c, e.

A very important part of how to read musical notes of synthesizers is to understand the notation properly. You need to identify the notes properly. In a notation, you will find some notes like, crochet, quaver, semi quaver, and demy semi quaver.

The note, which have a stem and a dot attached on the bottom or the top of the stem is called a crotchet. A crotchet is actually a complete beat. One crotchet means one whole beat. Now, if you break that one full beat into two half beats, then each of that half beat will be called a quaver. A quaver looks almost like the crotchet. But it just has a tail. You can even break those half beats into quarter beats. Then it will be called a semi quaver. Semi quavers have two tails. If you break this beat more, then you will find demy semi quaver, which has three tails.

Apart from these there are some other notes also. You have to know them all if you want to know how to read musical notes of synthesizers. If you see three adjoined crotchets, then you will know that it is called a triplet. A triplet is a compilation of three different notes, which has to be played in the time of one beat.

You will find a down facing bracket over two notes. This is called a tie. If there is a tie above two notes, then it means that you will not have to play the second note.

Some of the notations consist an s, which is divided by two lines. This is called sign back. It means you have to play till this sign and then you have to go back to the top again. At the end of a notation you can find a word called fine. It means end. And this sign says that the notation ends there.

At the left hand side of the top of the notation, you will see two digits written. These are called time signatures. It depicts the beat. Sometimes just beside the time signature, you will find a sharp or flat sign. This is called key signature. It is used to mention the scale.

This is the basic procedure of how to read musical notes of synthesizers. If you go through it, then you will not find any problem to read or understand the notation.

About the Author: Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, drums, drum sets, and synthesizers
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com