Korg Kaossilator Pro launches at NAMM 2010
By Paul Dakeyne
| Posted in Music Technology
The Korg Kaossilator Pro has arrived at NAMM, introducing itself as a hybrid of the manufacturer’s massively popular mini DJ tech-tool the Kaossilator, blended with the creative sampling power of the Kaoss Pad 3. This new model does indeed look a lot like the KP3, and it possesses very similar effects and sampling capabilities too. Added on top though is the hook of being a playable instrument – an angle that has worked well for the tiny Kaossilator.
The amount of fun to be had in playing with the Kaossilator Pro looks to be off the hook, as the original version employed an intuitive x/y axis pad concept (effects: up/down, note pitch: left/right). This was not only great for non-musicians to ‘feel’ their way into playing an instrument, but placated seasoned pros with some great effects performance translations on top of expressed musicality. It also contains 200 sound programs, a new Electribe-inspired gate arpeggiator, and four loop recording banks that are able to input external audio sources such as DJ decks and microphones. Straight away then, the Kaossilator Pro seems equally ideal for both live stage performances and studio production environments, thereby pleasing artists, musicians, DJ/producers and engineers alike.
Sound banks are, as previously said, plentiful, with a range of tones from modern synth patches such as lead and bass, and diverse acoustic sounds from piano to trumpet and beyond. Beatmakers are also catered for with high quality PCM samples of what Korg describes as “dramatic drum kits and ready to rock percussion patterns”. These include 20 different one-shot sounds for kick, snare, and hi-hat, as well as 25 rhythm loop patterns to spark user creativity.
The gates into the world of quality and expressive vocoder techniques are wide open too as Kaossilator Pro contains a healthy 15 different types of vocoder programs. Sometimes vocoder usage can sound passe or overused but I have a feeling that with the available control parameters and ease of creative one finger sound manipulation offered here, some fresh textures may start to appear on a recording near you very soon.
Next up: Loop banks – these sound interesting. The concept here appears to be like a four channel multitrack phrase sampler with each individual layer allowing volume adjustment, loop length changes, and mute/un-mutes too. Each bank can ‘host’ infinite overdubs, creating virtually infinite performance possibilities.
Connectivity and storage come in the shape of standard MIDI in/out connectors and USB to computer, enabling back up for any loop recording data, or even dropping loops into a user’s DAW. The unit is also able to control most software applications or an external MIDI device plus send or receive MIDI clock info. An SD card slot is included for storing loop data and other user settings such as program memories. SD Card storage also allows the user to create the same show with the same loops, night after night. Loops can be swapped with other K-Pro users and data transfer is possible between multiple units. Already a hit on the internet since its reveal, this year’s NAMM show is likely to make a hero out of the Korg Kaossilator Pro.
Tags: effects processor, kaoss pad, kaossilator pro, korg, Sampler