The Korg MS-20: Introduction (high quality)

[Decodermusic]

Bought the iMS20 app for the iPad and was completely baffled by it. "I know", i thought, "'I'll get the MS20ic controller and legacy synth" That helped immensely but this series of vids has just helped me considerably. Thank you firstly to Korg for making these wonderful products and then to you Marc for helping philistines like me use the damn things!!!!!

[H4NDCRAFTED]

8,50 meaty goodness yum yum

[AdamMichaelBeck]

Really, dude? 6:36 before you even play a single note?

[AutomaticGainsay]

@AdamMichaelBeck I just can't apologize enough. I know I totally violated the contract I signed with you in regard to meeting your personal desires, as opposed to my own intent. Oh, and P.S. Apparently you didn't notice the extensive series of videos that follow, filled with sounds and demonstrations. But still, you're right.

[AdamMichaelBeck]

@AutomaticGainsay Apology accepted ;)

[therealKINDLE]

I say! You're looking rather fly in this Vlog Marcus! lol! Great Vid as always! I was wondering, would you know by ANY Chance how Andy Barlow (England's foremost Electronic Composer half Duo) managed to get the MS-20 to sound like it has 'Touch Sensitivity', & Have it routed through the Filter? It's in the 5th, & has Portamento (Glide) but the rest is beyond me. It's called "Butterfly Effect" by Lamb. Do you reckon you could sculpt a similar sound? How did he do it! Thanks mate. You da Man, Man!

[Mefistophelees]

Watching this was very useful for learning how to use the iMS-20 on the iPad. That should have been enough but no, I had to get one of the real things :-)

Great Synth, great series. Thanks.

[dwasco]

Hi,

The video is really awesome, thanks! I just have to say though... you mentioned tv.sonicwatch a few times... I can understand if you want to send ppl there for even more nice videos and to promote the site, but you specifically said the video and sound quality was better....

Cmon... that site's vid and sound is pretty bad.. I don't like the ads on Youtube but sonicwatch's quality is no way near as good..

Love your vids on here though.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@dwasco If you look through my videos, you'll see that there was an old version of this set of videos that was uploaded at a time when YouTube did not have the audio or visual quality it does today. At that time, the quality at Sonicwatch was better. However, this particular version of this video is considerably better than both of the old versions. I understand your confusion and apologize!

[AutomaticGainsay]

@shineon68 I have owned two MS-20s, two MS-10s, and an MS-50. I have enjoyed all of them, but I've only loved the MS-50. It's a fantastic fully-modular synthesizer, and has a warmer sound than the MS-20.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@shineon68 "Modular" typically means comprised of modules which are independent and are to be patched together. "Semi-Modular" typically means comprised of modules, but also featuring "normaling..." and perhaps some limitations in control of the modules. While the MS-20 definitely has amazing CV ports, the sections are very limited in their ability to act like modules compared to fully modular and some semi-modular synths. That's not to say it can't be extensively patched, though!

[guitarmh11]

Great MS-20 video series. Uploaded on my birthday. I'm a cheapskate so I went with the MS-20 iPad app, which amazingly emulates the sound of a real one. I can now understand the patch panel in greater detail, so thank you, much appreciated!

[AutomaticGainsay]

@guitarmh11 I'm glad I could help!

[NEILVANCE]

Hi Mark, had to watch your video again on your MS-20!, Really loving your Presentations, so passionate & charismatic! and no Bull! -

At 13 (1981) I owned a Casio VL-Tone and dreamed of real synths, I spent my Saturdays in town at the only 2 music shops in Belfast with 'synthesizers' My favs, was the Korg Mono Poly, Lambda & Trident MK2! there was a MS-10 & 20 on display.

Did you check out my flicker? (Neilvance)

I have some great scans & pics you may enjoy.

Best Wishes!, Neil

[NEILVANCE]

Thank you for your great personal review my old friend.

funny that maybe Korg knew that in the future, people will start to 'mod' and 'circuit bend' there products in the future, funny perhapes thats why they done the patch jack cord thing on the right. oh sorry man! love your passion and videos. 

[PimpinBassie2]

Sounds too dry for me. Why not adding a little reverb?

[AutomaticGainsay]

@PimpinBassie2 I don't use effects in my demonstrations, as the original intent of them was to give the interested party the ability to assess whether they liked the actual sound of a particular vintage synthesizer (and not an effect).

[thrcman]

@PimpinBassie2 There is nothing dryer than a moog little phatty and sand in a vagina.

[whizkid515]

Congrats, you made Korg's website!

[KingArthur8]

@whizkid515

He really did!

[AutomaticGainsay]

@whizkid515 Yes, and I got a t-shirt out of the deal. : )

[Tx66]

I demand an Alesis Andromeda A6 Introduction!!!! In HD : ))))

Greetings from a loyal fan!

[AutomaticGainsay]

@Tx66 Thank you very much! Yes, I think there will be a time when the Andromeda and I meet. : )

[Desmaad]

Now that you are finally taking advantage of of YouTube's quality upgrade, my opinion of this synth has improved. Still not my cup of tea, though. Regardless, my favorite feature of this synth is the patch panel because it frees up the knobs from all that spaghetti you'd get from most other synths, and it's a nice, little convenient place to do all your patching. It also has a pitch bender which is a curiously omitted from most semi-modulars.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@Desmaad The MS-20 is important for me because it's the main synth that proves to everyone that I don't just instantly love every single analog synth. : ) I'm not a big fan of it for a variety of reasons, but it DEFINITELY has some amazing features, and a distinctive sound. The modwheel is great for pitch bending, until you realize how much patching you have to do to make it functional. : )

[brightstarlit]

Awesome that Sonic State is doing that! Heading straight there as soon as this is over. Enjoy watching your demos, they've helped me tremendously in learning about synthesis. I think if I was left infront of that synth for anextended period of time my muscles aside from my arms would atrophy from not being able to get away from the beast!

[AutomaticGainsay]

@brightstarlit I am glad I could help... I'm much more about education than entertainment!

[DerImpfer]

Hi,

it has been a long time ago I was interested in a Korg MS-20.

But I have one. Bought it about 12 years ago for about 300 DM (around 150 €) with an extra built flight case

Made some experiments with it, but never new about how to really work with it.

Now it is 2010, I own some VA's and I thought about to sell it. But I wouldn't.

Thanks to your videos I will get it out of its sleep again and play with it.

What I ever missed was that someone showed me how to work with it.

Thanks!

Martin

[AutomaticGainsay]

@DerImpfer I am glad to help!

[GibsonRocks12]

One of these times, you should have the SCI Prophet 5 behind you.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@GibsonRocks12 One of these times, I should have a Prophet 5 in front of me! Ha ha.

[GibsonRocks12]

@AutomaticGainsay Yeah, want a prophet 5 synth soooooo bad, but all of the videos on youtube of them are like really bad, not good. Like they are all asian. And I can trust that you would do justice to it by demonstrating it.

[toxto]

Is the MS-20 low pass filter any good? i built it for guitar with a programmable LFO but it wasn't too interesting. Sounded weaker than a normal wah. Maybe it is not for guitars though.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@toxto You know, I'm not a fan of it. I think the strength of the MS-20 filter arrangement is the combination of the resonant low pass and high pass. The low pass on its own is not very exciting to me. I think the low pass on the MS-10 sounds better, but I may be insane.

[AlainHubert]

Hello Marc. Cool bass sound at 8:52! I enjoyed re-watching this...

[AutomaticGainsay]

@AlainHubert Hey, thanks, Alain!

[RoyalBlue43]

Has anyone ever compared you to Neil Gaiman?

[AutomaticGainsay]

@RoyalBlue43 Yes. And, I've been mistaken for Trent Reznor. Lately, it's Alan Rickman.

[hafstrat]

Nice vid but I think it sounds orrible :-)

[PimpinBassie2]

@hafstrat Add some reverb and it will sound better...

[barret707]

Was the MS-20 the synth in the song at the beginning of your wersi bass demo?

[AutomaticGainsay]

@barret707 Ha ha, I'm sorry, no. That's a Minimoog!

[AngusT07171]

I couldn't stop looking at your violin

[AutomaticGainsay]

@AngusT07171 That poor violin is broken, and as such, is merely a decoration.

[AngusT07171]

@AutomaticGainsay  To bad...