Having made their own DS-10 instrument, Korg and DS developer AQ Interactive yesterday presented something new for the handheld Nintendo. This time, they’re revisiting one of the all-time greatest hits of digital synthesis, the Korg M1 workstation.
Markus Schroeder tips us off that the M1 will be the next release for the DS. An iOS (iPhone/iPad) version may follow, as with Korg’s recent mobile rendition of the ElecTribe.
Markus is also kind enough to translate the Japanese contents of the presentation:
Features are (subject to change / error):
- 300 original M1 PCM Sounds
- 8x multi timbral
- 8 track 16 step sequencer 1 sequence max 64 pattern, max polyphonic sound 12
- master reverb, delay effect
- track overview, sound browser, sequence edit, mixer, keyboard. Simple and functional display
- notes/chords,/drum input mode by touch control
- data exchange by wireless transmit
- drag & drop transpose
- sustained notes
Release Date is set to 31st 12. 2010 over at amazon.co.jp.
(With past experience as a guide, delivery outside Japan may happen later – and it’s a shame this won’t happen by the holidays, huh?)
GearJunkies has a couple of screen shots.
None other than Nobuyoshi Sano does the demonstration, the veteran Namco Bandai composer who contributed to legendary scores for Ridge Racer and the Tekken series, and was the producer of the KORG DS-10 application.
And so it continues: whereas once, only analog synths could be classics or inspire nostalgia, the digital instrument has clearly arrived. The digital follow-up to KORG’s own Legacy Collection tried a similar revival of the M1, but there’s something about having it in a $150 handheld, let alone one that can also swap over to Zelda. Hey, maybe a lap of kart racing will wind up giving you a musical idea.
Check out Markus’ YouTube account for more.