At Winter NAMM 2011, Korg announced the nanoSERIES2, the next generation of slim-line USB-MIDI controllers, which now includes the nanoKEY2, nanoPAD2 and nanoKONTROL2.

The nanoKEY2, nanoPAD2, and nanoKONTROL2 offer portable control to laptop musicians, DJs, remixers, and the like who make music with their Mac or PC. Ideal for mobile musician, the compact nanoSERIES2 units incorporate many user-requested enhancements and offer them up in the same slim casing as the original nanoSERIES. Available in both white and black, the size and color of the entire series match that of a laptop computer.

The nanoKEY2 is a 25-note keyboard controller for creating songs, featuring a separate-type keybed (modeled after that of a Macbook), as well as a damper button for applying sustain. Korg notes that it is designed with ample key width for maximum playability, so even stubby fingers can use the keybed. Control buttons offer simple yet versatile control, while the octave shift buttons, when used in conjunction with the key transpose function, cover the entire range of notes in the MIDI specification. Also featured are pitch bend buttons and an assignable modulation button.

Next in line, the nanoPAD2 is ideal for inputting drum parts; this unit features new functionality that lets you record using the X-Y pad, just as on Korg's Kaossilator Pro. Improvements to the nanoPAD include four more pads (16 instead of the original nanoPAD's 12) and Kaossilator gate arpeggio patterns built into the X/Y control pad, which allows you to play MIDI arpeggios. The Velocity-sensitive pads provide excellent response tand also realistically convey the playing feel to a sequencer or DAW, according to the manufacturer. Chords can also be assigned to the trigger pads to use them to perform a chord track.

The nanoKONTROL2 provides eight channels of the controllers needed to control music software, plus a set of transport buttons. A knob, fader, and three switches are provided for each of the eight channels, respectively assigned to pan, volume, and solo / mute / record (or whatever is specified by the user). Also featured is improved transport control with Mackie HUI protocol built in -- a feature that Korg notes was previously only offered on controllers of a higher price point.

All three nanoSERIES2 controllers can be further customized using the included Korg Kontrol Editor software, which offers single-cable USB bus-powered operation.

Learn more about nanoSERIES2 USB-MIDI controllers at korg.com.