
Building upon the success of the Minilogue, Korg’s foray into a true polyphonic analog synthesizer, the Monologue features much of the same aesthetic, form and function, but that’s where the similarities end. Available in red, black, blue, gold, or silver, the Monologue is a beast of a machine offering some serious sound design power that comes from a redesigned envelope section, modulation routing, a new filter with powerful low-end punch, and custom content created by Aphex Twin.
The synthesizer’s structure follows two voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) into a single voltage-controlled filter (VCF), a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA), a single envelope generator (EG), and one low-frequency oscillator (LFO). The VCO section offers the familiar “wave-shaping” that shapes the overtones of the oscillator, as well as a sync/ring-mod switch, while the 2-pole VCF delivers an aggressive and updated sound further enhanced by the newly added drive circuit that produces overtones and distortion for generating fat basses and sharp lead sounds. Additionally, the LFO can reach into ultra-high-speed ranges for insane, space-shattering effects, or be switched to one-shot mode to act as an additional envelope.
The enhanced step sequencer is designed to deliver musically complex rhythms that are easy to capture and edit. It supports both real-time recording and overdubbing, as well as step recording that is reminiscent of some vintage-style synthesizers, where you simply hit record and press keys in the desired order. A motion sequencer lets you record up to four knob movements to apply time-varying change to the sound. Like the Minilogue, the OLED oscilloscope offers visual feedback of sounds and sequences as you shape your sounds, but also works with the motion sequencer to help visualize sequenced parameters.
The 25-note slim-line keybed utilizes a note range of E to E (just like a guitar) with an easy synth action that any musician can pick up and play. The instrument includes 100 preset locations with scales, sounds, and sequences from creative artists around the world including legendary electronic music producer and musician Aphex Twin. The Monologue runs off of the included six AA batteries or by an optional 9 VDC power adapter.
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