Korg K61P: The Controller That Does Not Get Out Of Control
The world of MIDI controlled keyboard usually swings heavily from one extreme to the other -- either simple, small boards that end up cementing themselves in studio and monstrous workstations packed with more features than you'll probably ever use. The Korg K61P adds some sounds to a MIDI controller with more of a middle ground in mind -- a controller you can sit down and play even when your MIDI cables are packed away.
Bill Holland overviews the K61P, previewing the little extras built into primarily what is a controller.
BILL HOLLAND: Hey everybody. Welcome back to Gearwire.Com. I'm bhand we're looking at the Korg K61P keyboard. Now, many controllers in the MIDI realm are aimed at people who don’t necessarily have a classical or jazz training in piano. They're more concerned with using a controller as a means to an end with computer production, and a lot of the controllers are built more towards both electronic music and hip hop and also towards simple composing. But what if you're somebody who plays on the weekends in a band or wants to be able to sit down at home and write your music as well? Even if you are in electronic music or if you're in jazz or blues or if you're somebody who is in a classic rock cover band, there are needs for a more playable piano MIDI controller that is also still very light and very compact, especially if your studio happens to be in your bedroom or if you live in New York and have a studio the size of a closet. So, we're gonna take a look at the Korg 61P, kind of an alternative to the big workstations and the smaller controllers on the MIDI market.
The keys on the one hand are much lighter than the M-Audio Axiom, which is a negative point, but I think that the controller all around seems very stable. I haven't had any latency problems with it, and the other advantage to this over many controllers is a built-in sound module. It has built-in pianos, electric pianos, organs, strings, and choir sounds. But enough talking, let's go look at the thing and listen to it and see how it sounds.
So, here is the Korg K61P MIDI studio controller. One thing that's really cool about this controller, this is not only a controller that works with programs like Ableton and Logic, it also has a built-in solid keyboard, so you could actually play with your band using this, if you have a normal just needs of having a piano, electric pianos, clav, vibraphone, choir sounds, strings organs or harpsichords. So, for like somebody playing typical piano with a jazz band or with a rock band, this is pretty cool because it's light, easy to carry, and you can quickly hook it into a laptop, which means you can even have a laptop controlling Ableton in your live setup and be playing off the live sounds but also have MIDI control over anything happening on your computer.
So, let's hear some of these patches real quick. You'll notice there are three banks. First one is pianos and harpsichords, so let's hear some of those.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING A PIANO PATCH ON THE KORG K61P]
You can hear the velocity right here in the key.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING A PIANO PATCH ON THE KORG K61P]
And we can also shift the octave right here, which is really useful because I have since a 61-key keyboard and I want to be able to go lower.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING A PIANO PATCH ON THE KORG K61P]
And I can go even higher.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING A PIANO PATCH ON THE KORG K61P]
We also have a harpsichord at our disposal. Very useful for covering the Yardbirds.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING A HARPISICHORD PATCH ON THE KORG K61P]
Hear the other harpsichord.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING A HARPSICHORD PATCH ON THE KORG K61P]
Something else to notice, there are built in reverb and chorus effects as well, and I can turn those on or off.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING A HARPSICHORD PATCH ON THE KORG K61P]
Pretty cool.
Gearwire: For Hobbyist or Pro?
Dear Bill,
Let me first thank you for your site. I've been visiting GW on and off for about a year and half now.
I appreciate your enormous effort to operate and maintain Gearwire.com. And by-and-large the Gearwire team seems committed, enthusiastic and intelligent. The trade show videos along are a triumph.
Can you tell me if GW solely for hobbyists and/or marginal musicians or pro and semi-pro.
If GW is for hobbyists and the like, no need to read further. You doing a good job.
If, however, your gold is appeal to the latter, and please excuse my candor, I cannot fathom why Gearwire doesn't feature any evolved musicians. Isn't there someone who can, for example, demo a new synth, keyboard or VSTi who can actually play with some command of various styles so we can accurately access what's there? Watching your Korg K61P demo moved me to finally write you. I don't mean to be unkind but what were you thinking? This may very well be a swell keyboard but no viewer would never know this.
Please allow me to further vent. Why use that mangled bit of music that incessantly plays at the beginning of each and every GW video? For me, this non-musical, abrasive nonsense lies at the heart of my frustration with GW's pedestrian format.
Maybe the you could provide your listeners and viewers a more musical approach, something loftier to strive for, more than filters opening and closing and drum machines.
What I like to see are serious and even (dare I say) sophisticated discussions on production and DAW's in your Crosstalk segments. How 'bout having a DAW series, for example, that feature serious, professional Cubase producer one episode, a Sonar the next, etc.. Maybe there's an opportunity to not only show “host” features, tips and tricks and 3rd party vst/vsti's, but actually demonstrate how to arrange and mix in various styles, not only Electronica, trance and dance and the like.
There aren't many services like yours on the net. I frequent Harmony Central, Sonic State, SOS and a few others. I prefer your site's layout and easy access to videos. Although, if I may suggest, it would be a bit more convenient if you could differentiate between text and video links with an icon or the like.
I'll be watching with great interest to see if GW offers something a little satisfying for the semi-pro and professional.
Thanks for the opportunity to vent.
feedback
Jeff,
Thank you for the feedback. I will be happy to answer your questions if you direct this query to our crosstalk@gearwire.com email account. Thanks!
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