Talking about Korg in 2004 meant talking about revolution and consolidation. Throughout the history of the synthesizer over the last few decades, Korg has innovated a little more every day in every respect: sound, intuitiveness, ease of use, and so on. I want to focus on the Triton Studio, which hit the market when I wrote this text, as far as synths are concerned.
One is, of course, the latest model in the already legendary Triton series, the Triton Studio, and the other is a small gem that surprised us all with its capability and versatility, both live and in the studio: the MicroKorg. This article aims to share my experience with them and how I will use them in these concerts, which requires explaining the features each one offers, so you can get an idea of what you can achieve with them and whether they fit your needs, whether you're thinking of adding them to your studio or using them in your performances.
Triton Studio: The Quest for Perfection
Back in the 90s we saw the creation of a model that would set the direction Korg would take in the years to come: the famous Trinity, which evolved quite logically into the Triton series we know so well today. It has possibly been the most widely used model in recording studios and especially on stage in recent years, thanks to its intuitive operation and the quality and range of sounds put at our disposal. The latest result of this very personal commitment comes with the Triton Studio, which refines some details that were perhaps missing in its predecessor.
Getting Down to Business
First of all, it combines synthesis, effects, sampling, and sequencing in a single keyboard, along with the option of a built-in CD recorder (optional) that lets you "burn" the work you've done in the synth's sequencer.
There are 61- and 77-key models with a semi-weighted keybed, plus an 88-note weighted-action model, which pianists looking for a realistic touch will appreciate. In addition, Korg keeps its intuitive touch screen for navigating the various options and settings, and continues to sort sounds by category (keyboards, guitars, drums, etc.).
The Triton Studio is based on HI (Hyper Integrated) synthesis, which means there are several types of filters for each oscillator, plus a pair of LFOs with 21 waveforms each. You can also control practically every parameter of each sound in real time by assigning them to the joystick, the 4 knobs, the ribbon controllers, the data entry wheel, and so on.
Korg provides 1,536 factory presets in ROM, as well as 1,536 user combinations. Performances can be made up of 8 simultaneous sounds in different layers or stacked. The Triton Studio offers 60-voice polyphony, expandable to 120. The sampling quality of the sounds has improved considerably compared to the Korg Triton, especially the piano sound, which in my view has always been the weak point of Korg synthesizers. This Triton is also the first to offer Open Sampling System technology, which gives us direct access to sampling functions from the programs, the combis, and the sequencer without having to go to the sampling page. We also have two polyphonic arpeggiators, each with various patterns. Within the sequencer (which, incidentally, offers 16 tracks, or in other words 16 MIDI channels), we can sample directly from an external sound source, such as a voice or a guitar, while the recorded tracks play back in real time. The sampling functions offer 16-bit/48 kHz sampling in both mono and stereo. Initially we have 16 MB of sampling memory, expandable to a maximum of 96 MB with the corresponding SIMM modules. It is also possible to record the samples to an internal hard drive as WAV files and then transfer them to the CD recorder for use on computers. The Triton Studio can load AIFF, WAV, and Akai S1000/3000 formats, in addition to Korg's own.
As for effects, the Triton Studio has 102 digital effects with algorithms quite similar to the classic Triton's, although the digital processing has been improved. We can insert 2 effects on the master, and there are 5 stereo insert effect channels and a 3-band EQ. Both the internal effects and the outputs can be applied to external sounds, as if we were using the Triton as an effects processor. Finally, we have 2 analog inputs and 2 digital inputs, and 6 outputs (4 of them individual). It has the standard MIDI connections (In, Out, and Thru), a SCSI port, and an S/PDIF output.
On Stage
One of the things that attracted me most from the start, when I was offered a place in this project, was the idea of working with this synth, since my experience with the Triton has always been very productive. I find Korg's system of sorting sounds by family very smart and convenient for live use. I also work with samples quite a lot, and although Korg's mapping system isn't the most intuitive I've come across, it just takes a little practice, because if anything defines Korg, it's the personal stamp on every process in its synths. Truthfully, with the Triton Studio you don't need any other keyboard on stage. It's possibly the most complete all-around instrument you can find, and you can use it for any style imaginable, since its range of sounds is vast. Perhaps one of the things I feared most was what had happened with the piano sound, since the one on the Triton Classic didn't strike me as quite right (although you can always buy the piano expansion board, sold separately), and I have to admit the programmers spent considerable time improving it, which for a pianist is essential to feeling comfortable on stage. Besides, we shouldn't forget that we can modify any sound in real time thanks to the 4 assignable knobs. In these concerts I've been looking for sounds with an analog character, and having this control is very handy. The option of installing the recorder is also very welcome, since it is the most direct way to load samples, and you can create your own Combis and carry them on a single CD. All in all, I think Korg has created an all-around and, above all, very comfortable keyboard that I predict will have many years of life, and that we will surely see all over studios and concert stages for quite some time.
