BOOcast - Synth of the Month: Korg Monologue
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- This segment comes from BOOcast #24 (bit.ly/boocast24). BOOcast is a monthly livestream about being in a DIY synthpop band. We answer your questions, play songs, meet guests, talk synths and share stories.
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The Minilogue and Monologue are both so amazing. I can't believe what we have access to at these prices these days. I would have KILLED for something like these back in the early 90s.
I bought this synth several weeks ago for only 264 euro brand new for my DAWless setup. And yes it has its limitations but at the same that is also the power of this instrument. Especially compared to the Bass Station 2, the Monologue is very accessible and easy to tweak and edit. For example you can tweak both oscillators at the same time while for the Bass Station 2 you have to switch separately the oscillator in order to edit. The oscilloscope is awesome and educational.
This is just a great jamming monosynth for beginners and average users. If you're looking for a good cheap synth with analogue circuitry and voltage controlled oscillators, this is the one you should get.
8:41 "Bridget Jones is involved in the tuning"
Haha!
I recently dug mine out for a gig, and I have fallen in love with it again ! I was using it alongside a Korg MS-20mini to play duophonic synth lines, and it performed so well next to it. I now have it set up next to my keyboard for my modular synth so I can do the same at home. I made a beautiful, gentle lead tone with some light vibrato that is very nice. I still think it sounds a little nasal compared to some other synths, but it's got a great voice and blended so well with my other instruments. The slide row of the sequencer makes for great 303 lines too.
I haven't tried this yet, but I really want to use it with my Buchla 100, with a custom scale tuned to it. I think it would be great for that, as the pitches are all user defined and can deviate from the 12 tone temperment. Next experiment over the winter!
Anyways, Korg Monologue - love it.
That's some really thoughtful pairing you've got going on there with the Monologue. I feel like I've been a little harsh on it, I must give it more love and attention. Thanks.
It's wonderful. Begging to be run through my CK's effects...
When I initially fire up one of my synths, I’ll typically waste an hour just childishly playing with the controls, trying to see what kinds of bizarre, disturbing sounds I can make it do.
That brass sound you play at 20:55, Aphex used that on his demo track "Korg Funk 5". You ask "is it a gentle sound?"... not when HE used it.
Great video - many thanks. I will now buy one. Love it 👍
9:15ish - Maybe no one will know what I’m talking about, but the microtuning (which I only now learned this has; thank you for that 😀👍) would be (mis)used by me for doing very fringe “No Wave” and early Industrial (or stuff which sounds like it could be from that era)…I’m old; I’m referring to 70s stuff, lol. These were offshoots of punk’s initial 1976-77 wave. Now the reader is probably even loster. 😬
Example bands: Throbbing Gristle, The Contortions, The Desperate Bicycles, Crash Course In Science, DNA… Why not google them on PubeTube; you may discover them, and even have a “Where has this music been all my life” epilephany. 👍
You have marvelous musical taste, sir, and "mis-use" might be just the bump this synth needs to push it over the line. Immediate sub to pube tube imminent!
The trick to get this synth to come alive is to plug the headphone output into the audio input and enable Audio In in the settings. The you have a thicker sound and you can easily go crazy by increasing the volume past noon.
Great tip, thanks!
a bit of delay too
and some nice tweaking
Man i loved this synth. I wish it had a 4-pole filter tho. Made me sell it and get the miniogue instead.
I did like using it as a Drum Machine! I feel like thats the cheat code with this
Yeah, it's almost got Metal Fetishist vibes! I was a bit hard on it, but for drums, you're quite right, it bangs well!
You probably know already but if you hold the key trig button down until it flashes you don't have to hold the key down, it'll hold until you press another key. Good video btw - captured my strange feeling towards it, I can't get rid of it, even though I don't use it that much, mostly because I'm drawn to synths that do their own specific thing rather than being a jack of all trades.
Thank you very much. Yes, I think you hit the nail on the head, and I feel the same, but I won't be getting rid of it!
The entire time that you are describing how "limited, lifeless and harsh" it is, you have it on sync and both mixer levels are full blast into the filter. Notice how you come up with more positive things to say when you change presets?
Yep!
Fair comment. But I stand by my experience with this synth: I seem to run into limitations with it much more often than with, for example, the BS2.
@@BOOelectriclooks like you don’t have the feel with this synth then .
your review is nice, the sound too dry and demonstrating functions is different from playing this machine . guess that’s the point tbh
Mine only works with a power supply😔Still love it alot tho. I use mine for darksynth stuff n acid sounds!!
The gold ones sound the best!😊
I actually think there might be something in that! The visual and tactile feedback does influence our perceptions of other senses... Maybe I'll spray mine gold and see what happens!
@@BOOelectric I totally agree iv just orded the black one i hope i get along with it
Too bad the red ones aren’t available now. But I’ll get a blue one. 😛
If I somehow find fault with the filter, I have filter plugins. 🤷♂️
"I'm sure the micro tuning has a use" King Gizzard seem to think so 😁
Didn't do Le Mystere De La Voix Bulgares and harm either, did it? I wonder if anyone's used the inverted keys tuning yet?! 😁
Just got a NIB Monologue for $230. Silver. I will be putting it next to a Microfreak and Drumbrute Impact.
Nice!
I just got my first monologue and my plan too is to pare it with a Microfreak. Seems like its the way to go. Plus the price of both are not too bad.
User error
Its biggest problem is sticky knobs! And very expensive replacements from the terrible (UK) korg customer service group.
The knobs themselves or the potentiometers?
alcohol on a cottontip?
had one for a year and it's ..........dunno. just not inspiring
I'm totally with you on this.