Korg Kontrol 49

The Korg Kontrol49 comes with lots of features. I haven't figured them all out yet. But the ones I have used are neat. The Korg comes with eight sliders and eight encoders plus one master encoder, which allow you run scenes which you can store on your computer in a program called Kontrol49 editor librarian. It's a very efficient way of getting to the sounds you need. The only down side that I can think of is demo software (NOT Korgs Legacy Software) the other software. Like Reason, lounge lizard, there's another one but I can't think of it's name right now. They don't let you use the software long enough to make an intelligent dicision about them. With the Korg software you can take a year or more to decide. Because of the way they made the demo software. It's the full version without the abillity to record or save. Also while you'er playing a hiss sound play over what you play every few minutes. So what! I played with Korgs software long enough I've already decided to buy it. It was the fact that I could work with the software in the demo version that convinced me to buy the full version. The other software companys should wake up and smell the coffee your in business to make money hello! Korg is! Are you?!

Price paid

399.00

UTILIZATION

Very easy to use. My cmputer freezed up a couple of times but that was because I had too much other stuff on it, like a flight simulator, ect. That suff is off now. My computer works just fine.

I don't plan on taking my Korg on the road bcause I' not a musician. I'm a magician. I bought the Korg so I could make some instrumental music royalty free for my show. So for me the Korg is built just fine.

OVERALL OPINION

My Korg midi controler when hooked up to my Toshiba Laptop has an incredible sound. It's full and can sound mellow at the same time. When used with the Korg Legacy software it's amazing the different sounds you can make by taking just one sound and tweeking it with the Kontrol49 sliders or the encoder knobs. Even moving one slider a little bit changes the sound. You have hundreds of sounds to choose from.

I saw the Eagles Band playing on T.V. there in the back ground was someones keyboard and it said "KORG" at that time I was thinking of buying a keyboard or keyboard controler. When I saw that Korg I was hooked. The rest is history. At the present time I'm waiting for delivery of the full version of Korg's Legacy software with the MS-20 synth along with it! That's also a Korg!! I'll let you know about that after I've played with it for a while.

Originally posted on FutureProducers.com
Posted by: konjecer ( 8-, 2005)

Nothing is missing, for most purposes. That's the thing about this unit, it has has almost everything you could possibly need, short of 88 weighted keys or built-in sounds. The librarian software is going to be your best friend when going from MIDI map to MIDI map, but fortunately the unit can store up to 12 or 16 "scenes" at a time, so if you have 12 different soft synth instruments each needing a different controller map, you will only need to load all twelve scenes in from the librarian software and you're done. Shut down your computer, it'll remember. It's awesome. It even lets you label your sliders and knobs. So for example if you use the sliders and knobs as a mixdown console controller, you can label each slider with the channel name. Or you can use the sliders and knobs as effects parameters, and each parameter can be labelled. The labels are displayed in red and green LED/LCD displays. So not only is it impressively handy, it's impressively fun to look at. The drum pads light up, too, in green (standby toggle off) or in yellow (standby toggle on or note send).

Price paid: $399 USD

UTILIZATION

This unit is incredibly usable. My only complaint, if it is a complaint, is that there are so many customization / configuration features available between it and the librarian that sometimes I get bogged down trying to figure out what I want to do. But I consider that a feature, not a flaw. I slide the unit under my desk shelf where I can still reach the keys if I need to, or I can pull it right back out. It's a perfect fit. The keys are perfect. They're full-size. There are forty-nine of them (hence the model name/number), making this bigger than the typical smaller MIDI controller, but smaller than the standard 61-key, 76-key, or 88-key MIDI workstation unit. I consider that the perfect compromise, because it's big enough to get a lot more jobs done, but small enough to be portable to take anywhere with a laptop.

o Latency - How long does it takes between playing a note to getting the signal outputted on the other end of the MIDI cable? To that end, I will say I have experienced no problems with latency. Of course, you will need a decent computer with a fast processor and ideally a sound card with ASIO support.
o Demo software - The KONTROL49 comes with demonstration versions of KORG soft synths. They sound great, considering that they're legacy synths, but since they are demos I don't use them; nothing like trying to sample some interesting sound and then being blown away by a loud white noise sound. Worse still to not be able to save.
o Key clicks, squeaks, etc. - The keyboard and buttons on KORG's hardware are pretty much like any Korg keyboard. No problems here, feels great, although without being weighted it's great for certain uses (i.e. inputting a melody for electronic music).

OVERALL OPINION

The KONTROL49 is made with Korg's standard quality of workmanship. It's not a piece of junk or a toy. It's road-ready, just like its distant nth uncle, the Triton. The unit comes in a box packaging with styrofoam and a plastic handle, so you can reuse the box as a carrying case if you like. It's also pretty lightweight, making the unit very portable.

She's a sexy beauty. I couldn't stop slobbering in lust over the thing when I stood over it at Guitar Center while looking for a MIDI controller as a first investment in a decent home MIDI studio. She's everything I hoped she would be. What a babe.
Originally posted on FutureProducers.com
Posted by: Xiaoth (January 1-, 2005)

Usb keyboard.

UTILIZATION

I am a pianist his touch .... To me it's about the same as touch keyboards for small children found in toy stores. I say this not to be clever, it's really what I think.

I have a digital piano connected to my pc to play my virtual instruments, but I wanted a small keyboard placed just below my screens in order to tweak the sound on my PC and had a controller when I'm facing the screen.

Why he does the job, along with any USB keyboard would do the trick I think.

OVERALL OPINION

I find the knobs vraiments cheap, it creaks a bit, I think the whole does not inspire quality. But I must say two things:

- I have not tried others.
- I bought it used, it may be suffered much before!

I had more desire to buy the A500 roland pro, but I had seen one in a store I was shocked by the small size of the keys. So I took the korg but I do not like it too.

I was looking for a versatile keyboard, ie that of comprent knob and fader.

UTILIZATION

Very nice touch for a noon configuration seems simple, the navigation is in any case ...
Yet took the time to immerse myself in the instructions but it seems to be quite clear.

OVERALL OPINION

Rcupr yesterday in store, order from 5 days, so not too dja wait, good service at korg
What I like least are the knobs that must make two turns to go from a mini max, although they react the VLOC.
What I like most, its compatibility avc most soft reference, reason and above all the legacy collection is to visit the demo the same stroke ms-20 and Polysix Wavestation, or necessarily of the joystick small but very precise.
G tried a few models before but not enough depth to make a real comparison.
I find it still a bit expensive = 400euros
The exprience I did not but I do it again this choixx regarding a MIDI keyboard that I was looking for versatile!