Kraft Music - Korg MS-20 mini Synthesizer Demo with Rich Formidoni
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.พ. 2025
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Rich Formidoni from Korg demonstrates the MS-20 mini at Kraft Music.
Find exclusive Korg MS-20 mini BUNDLES at Kraft Music. Our keyboard and synthesizer bundles ship all the accessories you'll need for playing at home, on stage, or in the recording studio.
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The MS-20 is the most aggro, unpredictable, musically chaotic synth I've ever owned. Those two resonant filters are insane. Really great demo!
I've owned this synth for several years now and I love it. I've bought and sold many other synths since owning this one and I plan on keeping this sick machine for a long ass time. It is raw and I love the high-pass and Low-pass filter.
Just got mine and I LOVE it! Everything from Pere Ubu to the late 70's No New York bands to Joy Division to Kraftwerk to the Orb can be had. Construction is very robust, the manual is excellent, REALLY enabling you to understand from the basics up how sounds are made, and the thing is just plain FUN to play! Under $600 and it includes the ac adapter and patch cables. All you need is your two ears and one finger to make it come to life!
The manual is actually a reprint of the original, if you look closely at the photos, you'll realize that the depicted synth has 1/4 inch jacks.
Now Rich explains the process of using the ms 20 very well!! I haven't had any experience using adjusting synthesizers but I get incentives just by watching what you can do. He explain really well. I wish I could have seen the mic connected.
For 500 bucks this is a steal. Just to be clear, most of my synths are virtual, and I love them too, but it is always awesome to have analog beautiful beast such as this, especially when it's so affordable.
Great demonstration, this guy actually explains and shows you how to do things in a manner that is understandable!
Great, quick explanation of the MS-20 Rich. Usually these videos are filled with endless, irrelevant talk about nothing (especially if American-made, love-to-hear-my-own-voice authors) and you wait 5 minutes to get to any content, but this one video was straight into it, and you finish with a great understanding of most of the synth's features!
Oh yeah the MS-20 requires a lot of understanding, lol. :)
Kind of like your comment. Unnecessary back-patting and subtle condescension, right?
The MS-20 MINI is one of the greatest mono synths ever!
VolcaRock By far. The only piece of gear I don't think I could ever get rid of. Greatest filter ever.
I had an MS-20 when I was a kid. Didn't know how to use it, though, like I would know, now. I sold it in my late teens.
is there an interior designer in the house?
So many people here are suggesting alternative synths that are just so 2014, I think if you're going for an MS20 mini you're looking for something more timeless, flexible and versatile. and there aren't really any cheaper alternatives for that, especially not analog.
The people who appreciate the MS20 mini probably know what they want; and frankly that's probably a giant modular synth you need a mortgage to even touch.
Being a sound designer, I decided on going with the MS-20 mini as opposed to a Moog Sub Phatty simply because of the versatility of sounds I can achieve. A Moog is a lot more musical, but in my case I needed to create new worlds with sound, most of the time generating non-musical effects. I never could've imagined how crazier my imagination became as soon as I stepped away from a computer screen and sat down at a pure analogue synthesiser.
if there was one selling point for me, it would be the "midsize" keyboard. regular keyboards are too big to stretch one's fingers around while minis are too cramped. i've looked for "75% scale" keyboards and never understood why no-one makes them. as to sounds, the intellijel atlantis sound best to me
Nice sympathic guy!
I like his hands the pockets.
I spent almost two hours messing with one in my local GC only to find out they had none in stock besides the floor unit, or I would've walked out with one. Needless to say, I have one coming in the mail this week...and I can't wait! Among other things, I've got rhythm guitar lines and things to run thru those filters, and want to see how it reacts to control by guitar, bass, voice, Monotron, and more. I even made it sound almost exactly like a bassoon, somehow...and played the intro to the Rite of Spring for a while. It was great.
And I've got some guitar pedals and a bass multi fx pedal to try on it, and look forward to sequencing it via MIDI while using both hands on the dials. This is gonna be good.
buy the floor unit and make an offer
Not exactly. The sounds from the MS-20 are recorded direct into the camera…Rich's voice is coming from that headset mic. No camera mic was used in this demo. Thanks for watching!
-
Dave McCullough
Kraft Music Marketing
(800)783-3368
Honestly these are the coolest. I love the way they sound. Would be interesting to make some cyberpunk type music.
its like hawkwind in a box!
HIgh praise indeed!
The mini/medium keys is something that really puts me off. I did have the original MS-10 and 20 back in the days. I own a Mini Nova now, but would only play it via a full size Alesis keyboard with Midi cable...
you can do these amazing bass sounds with it that kind of roll around the song, its a really classy instrument. It has a real warm tone, especially at the lower end. I know there are no presets but its not a big issue - I just take a photo of the settings and store it in a folder on my MAC. Its worth the hassle as it sounds so beautiful. I recently purchased the Korg SQ1for it for £80 - its well worth the cash and turns the MS20 into a real beast! I really dont understand why people are hesitant - its a no brainer for me - buy one quick before they stop making them!
perfect device for my acid ARP`s
ill answer for you. the answer is yes. If you look at the 2.1 update sheet it should show you that when you hold gate time and SD you get set up. the 1st step light should be red. and the second should be red as well that is so that it accepts hz/oct. and im pretty sure the 3rd step light should be off. Hold C4 on the ms20 and then hit play on the monotribe, hold C5 on the ms20 mini and then hit play. then hit record on the monotribe and you should be off and running.
I am so getting this after my birthday!
Just got mine! Very happy! For the money, it's a bargain! Hooks up great with my 2 microkorgs,kaossilator pro+ andthe kaos pad makes it KKKkrazy!!! HAVE FUN!
Well, there is an external memory device, consisting of pencil and paper....
i like the set design in these demos
This is the perfect synth for me because I'm a fan of Ray Of Light by Madonna and the MS 20 was used all over that album.
Looking well Rich, these ms 20 mini synths are great
Bought it thx to this video, thank you. Very nice and mean sounding synth, those filters scream! It will replace my Minibrute, although that's not a bad synth either but the MS-20 has a lot more modular possibilities..
Excellent demo.
Been thinking about the possible purchase of one of these units and this was a very helpful and informative demo, thanks!
Very informative! Thanks for showing off the functionality piece by piece
I think this will be the first actual synth I ever buy.
get a Novation Mininova I got mine as my first synth recently and its not stopped impressing me since
***** Really depends on what you're aiming for though. Not even the Mininova demo's really impressed me. It sounds so 2013/5 when the ms20 and a lot of moogs stuff just sounds timeless.
ADE-Syndicate Entertainment It was my first synth!
kirk g I'm trying to decide between this and the Moog Minituar.
+My Autobiography A Fanfic I think that just depends on what someone does with the synth. anyone could take any synth and make it sound timeless or "so 19xx or 20xx" or like elevator music, etc. I've seen/heard people with really great synths make some REALLY shitty music and sounds.
Now that's a presentation!! Seeing it besides my Monotron makes me want to go bigger :-)
that's a clear introduction to this synth
Hey thanks Rich!
Yep, the keys are visibly smaller but it doesn't register when playing, I had no problems adjusting to the slightly smaller keybed, and my hands aren't exactly tiny.
Tangerine Dream in a box. And for $649 CDN, I think I'm sold.
Hook up your favourite MIDI keyboard to the MS-20 mini, or do it old-school and plug in a CV keyboard into the CV input. You got all this freedom with this thing.
I figured out a cool self oscillating patch for the ms20 mini; based upon audio centrals magazine. Variation on Self-Oscillating filter
I also created my own saxophone/brass patch that doesn't require any patching and I think sounds better. KORG MS-20 mini synth: new cable-less saxophone patch!
nobody said it was better - he's just showing how you can reroute things on this baby
AMAZING!!!
no, but it can make the same sounds a vintage MS 20 makes. Moog synths use a 24db/oct transistor ladder low pass filter. The MS 20 uses 12 dB/oct high and low pass filters. The MS 20 has its own signature sound. If you want moog -ish sounds out of the box, you should check out the moog sub phatty, or the new novation bass station 2 with the Filter set to "classic" and 24dB.
Great demo and explanations! Nice job!
Just great, I need one of these!
Rich needs to become the next billy mays - he's a beast at headset product presentation
1:17 instant universal indicator
Is this good instrument for start if I want start to playing synthesizer? (I'm playing guitar for about 8 years)
Little complex for a first synth. If you are hell bent on getting one, then really do your research first, I would recommend watching Automatic Gainsay's videos on the MS-20 mini. As an alternative, you could get a Minilogue.
Hi! Thank you for answer :D I've checked Minilogue before and I liked it too.I'm also thinking about Rolando Juno or Jd-Xi.
I just found out there are 2 versions of the MS 20, the regular one and the mini.
All this time I was looking at tutorials of the MS-20, loved it, but thinking of the pricing of the mini.
Now that I see the mini, it looks like a plastic toy compared to its "parent". :)
Does anyone have experience with the build quality of the mini?
how do people treat guitars with syntheziers? and what is good for sounding like kraftwerk
Very nice video, and a great explanation. Thanks very much!
KillTheEarthlings Your synth isn't defective it just high note priority, like a lot of Korgs old monosynths.Since it can only play one note at a time, a monosynth has to have something called note priority in case you press more than one key at a time. There are four types of note priorities, high, low, first and last. A high note priority synth plays the higher note, a low note priority one the lower note, the last note priority synth will always play the last note triggered and first note priority synths- which are very rare will only play the initial note until you let go of the key.
High note priority synths are eg: the Korg MS 10, MS20, 700, 700s . Low note priority can be found on the first Roland SH 1000 and 2000 synths, last note priority is - among others- a trait of the novation Bass Stations and first note priority is implemented on Dübreqs Stylophone S2
Love this guy - great demo!
And dont be fooled. Ppl saying this dont sound like the original, are just pissed off, that they bought an old one for 1500€ while you get three new ones;)
We aren't fooled. We can tell the difference between full-size jacks and keys and those puny mini-ones. Korg should have done the kits more.
@@theeltea Jack and key sizes make sounds so different 🙄
Really nice review man
Why is better to use the modulation wheel than an other pot-meter on dashboard?
sounds great !
7:32 Daft Punk
Evan Gangstad They've used this synth so many times you could probably make every song they've done on this alone.
wow i wish this was available when i bought my gaia
What is a good amplifier to use with this synthesizer? And how many watts would be ideal?
can you plug this thing into an amp?
nice demo.
v good demo of a v good synth
Is this good for making techno?
+Video Channell one of the best for this price
+Video Channell lol! yes!!!!!
+Video Channell yes yes yes!!!
How much
These tool is perfect for Nine Inch Nail stuff :)
Perfect review.
How are you listening to this video? Headphones? Laptop speakers?
-Dave
Kraft Music Heads.
@Chris Holcomb
The keys are of course smaller than standard size keys but this isn't really a problem, they're about 86 percent of the regular size so playing them is no bei deal, even if you play really fast.
Wish i cud aford this. realy awsome :D
Is this a good Synth for a beginner?
Not to split hairs over semantics, but it depends on whether you're looking for a 'synth' or a 'keyboard.' If you're looking for a keyboard, you might be better off with an affordable polyphonic synth that lets you play more than one note at a time, chords, etc. If on the other hand you're looking to learn about synthesis, then the MS-20 mini is definitely a good synth for a beginner!
Kraft Music can you connect a analog drum machine to it and use the keys to make drum beats?
Yeah, you can.
You have to connect the patch cables to the drum synth
Metal Head ???
nice!, this looks like a very complex, yet compact small lil synth! :)
Mr Oizo!
What synth would you recommend for a beginner? I'm between this, Arturia MicroBrute, Nord Lead 2 and Alesis Micron
Don't buy a micron, it's very awkward to program and won't be a good synth to learn synthesis on (unless you're using an editing program). If you like the sound get a used ION instead. The Nord has most parameters on the front panel, and is also polyphonic and multitimbral - it also sounds great, like a cleaner sounding Prophet 5. I would recommend listening to a few demos as the resonance can make it sound a bit thin when turned up - having said that, I end up using the Nord a lot for bass.
Another very analogue sounding VA synth you may want to consider is the Novation KS series - same synth in different keyboard lengths (KS 4 - 4 octaves KS5 - 5 octaves). They're very underrated for some reason (and affordable used) but have a fantastic sound which I'd say is indistinguishable from analogue.There's a bit of menu diving with them, but most controls are on the front panel.
A monosynth is a great way to learn synthesis but you may find it limiting, depending on what kind of music you make.
It comes with patch cables.
Alright now I'm sold
Just curious , what is he using as stand?
What is that external device you are using, is it a sequencer? Where can I buy it
Sure, the room will have a big impact on your sound. Those KRKs are pretty nice monitors. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.
-
Dave McCullough
Kraft Music Marketing
(800)783-3368
rich, can you control monotribe via cv/gate ? Is the Monotribe gate in (OS 2.1) compatible with the MS-20 S-trig?
Can it make the same sounds that an expensive Moog makes?
it sounds kinda muddy but maybe its because it was recording with a camera mic . cool video .
Where can i find a stand like that?
krk rokit 8 could be my room .
Is this analog or does it work with MIDI sends in an app like Ableton Live?
Space Pilot yes
@@agarcoins2177 yes what?
you can process external signals into it? OH MY GOD
Among other things, you can make the oscillators pitch track to what you play on guitar. It's pretty cool.
reiss philippe
ive been trying to get my guitar working with the external signal processor but no luck so far. any advice?
The MS-20 and manual are currently on their way to Japan where I will meet up with them later this year. But if memory serves,
Guitar plugs into external processor jack. The external processor sends pitch and gate signals to the "modular" section, and finally the external processor levels need to be tweaked (factory values didn't work for me, but two minutes of experimentation delivered an impressive result).
Highly recommend to try the Guitar Synth patch to start, and don't forget to try different ExProc settings; that's the most important part.
reiss philippe i have the manual here in front of me but the way it words it kinda sounds like pitch monophony only - which makes sense because my bass guitar in the exproc jack does just fine. but that must just be the language tripping me up. i'll try a few more things but no go yet.
Yes, since the synth is mono it will only process one voice at time. I have not tried it with bass guitar (yet) though any 1/4" input should work. Try playing in the higher registers and adjust the exproc input levels.
Can this unit do everything that a MiniMoog does?
Well you can't really compare an MS20 to a minimoog. On principle the MS 20 does have more functionality than a minimoog model D or a voyager OS simply due to the fact that you can override the hardwire routing via the patch bay and connect external devices in a much more flexible manner. You can e.g plug a guitar into the synth and use the external signal processor to control the synth with the guitar instead of the keyboard. Apart from that you get two resonant filters on the MS 20 istead of the single LP filter on the moog. But the MS 20 sounds completely different from a moog, so if you want the typical smooth moog sound, you won't buy an MS 20, since it has much more gritty sound and a tendency to hiss on certain settings.Furthermore, a moog allows you smoothly transition between waveforms, using a potentiometer, the MS 20 uses rotary switches, so a blending of waves is impossible.
Thanks for the response. What are your thoughts about a Korg Kronos, is it the perfect synth?
Seekthetruth3000
I have no experirence with the Korg Kronos, it seems to be a very versatile synth but it is a digital workstation with lots of modelling algorythms. If you need a performance synth that does all sorts of sounds including the emulation of other instruments the Kronos might be the right choice. If you are into more into analogue sounds and/or vintage there is nothing like the real thing, especially since every synthesizer handles differently and has a unique character to it. to compare synths like the Kronos and analogue gear would be like comparing a swiss army knife to a plethora of special purpose blades from a japanese santoku knife to a scalpel.
Good info and thanks a bunch.
is there a way that you can make this play itself?
in other words getting sound without holding down the keys.
thanks.
great review
MIDI.
If you mean a sequencer then I'm fairly sure it does have one. :)
You can patch the white/pink noise generator to 'Trigger In' and make it hold the last pressed note indefinitely.
Yep, use Midi in
Could I make electronic music with this?
I doubt it.
Only classical music
Does this sync well with the Kaossilator Pro+?
I saw one of these at a music store today and was surprised about how small they are. The keys are really small...it kind of feels like a toy. It sounds good...but also looks kind of difficult to use. I had considered this and ultimately went with a Moog Little Phatty..I think I made the right choice after seeing MS-20 in person.
Chris Holcomb nobody has ever had issues programming these.
Yeah I ended up buying one of these too some time later and I like it.
Chris Holcomb The keys are 86% the size of normal keys. The only real different is they are slimmer. Not really that much "shorter." Anyways, I'd disagree with that choice. Moogs are great, but outside of the Model D, Taurus, and the Minitaur, a lot of their synths since the Minimoog have any lacked character besides the filter. The MS20 has character in spades. And it's the funnest mono synth I've ever played.
Sounds exactly like a Yamaha CS15 I had years ago.
Great! Can you play music with this?
Wait, rich doesn't work for Korg so why does he say "our mini keys"?
What kinda cable does it use to connect from the ms-20 to the audio interface?
Quarter inch jack, I'd imagine.
wow, the set is soooo 80's looking. good, though!
+Hugh Sweeney 70s
I'm on about the decorations in the background :)
Hugh Sweeney oh lol
does it come with patch cables? patch cables are hard to find in the US and i only got 1.
Does the MS-20 mini have a sequencer?
nope, it doesn't even have an arpeggiator, but you can connect an external sequencer via MIDI or CV.
I arpeggiate it with an mc 303 and sequence it with an mpc
Poly or mono?
@Lukas Hanson
You probably got the answer already, but if anyone else wants to know: mono only.
is the line out (top right corner jack) 1/4 or 1/8?
That's an 1/8" jack…mono output. All the patch points are also 1/8" and a few patch cables are included with the unit. Thanks for watching!
-
Dave McCullough
Kraft Music Marketing
(800)783-3368
+Kraft Music With how many cables does it come?
Kayak Fan
hi, i bought one shortly after i made that comment. it comes with 10 patch cables.
+Kayak Fan
10
+Kayak Fan 10.
Can you save patches with this synth?
Only be writing them down. The ios version includes patch saving and full midi support
Does anyone know of similar semi modular polysynths?
well first of all this isnt a polysynth, and finding polyphonic semi-modulars are hard to find without creating the polyphony yourself. the moog mother 32, for instance, is semi-modular and is monophonic but you can chain multiple units to create polyphony
Am I able to use an amp with this synthesizer?
Yes as with any synth
None of the videos I've seen explain what the button next to the modwheel do. Anyone?
Thomas Cassidy (Someone correct me if I'm wrong) Imagine if instead of a mod wheel you just had a switch that goes from no mod to full. That's the button.
Think of it like a light switch, it can be wired to turn anything on and off by pressing it.
Electronically its a button that sends the patched voltage to ground. In reality its a regular 0-127 MIDI button.