Korg: releases decent sounding accessible synths Synth community: that doesn't look like Minimoog Phantom Premium full sized keys synth Korg is a blessing we don't deserve
@@AudioPilz same here. I understand why peoplewho can afford it are buying Sequential/Roland/Moog stuff. I don't understand why they hate lower tiers so much
^ Once a popularity threshold of any niche community is crossed, some % of this larger population will consistently behave like drama queens. Or outright morons. Old cliches about human nature become woefully more and more relevant. I try not to be bothered by things I can't change, particularly something as absurd as being bothered by _someone I'll never meet trash-talking a synth company in their spare time._
@@shaft9000 good point, but whole concept of Bad Gear show is built around analyzing community hate towards gear. And I'm usually OK with this and I myself must confess of unadequate hate of Roland, but sometimes it's just totally ridiculous
Be careful, dude. Too many more reviews like this and people will start to figure out that you don’t actually review bad gear. 🤣 Great review, NTS-1 is worth the price of admission just to be a reverb for my Lyra-8. I’ll be surprised if I don’t buy three more and possibly an XD module too. 👍
The NTS-1 has become one of my most important tools in my small setup for recording for sending a signal for stereo processing with the wonderful effects and for producing bass lines, leads, and arps with my DAW as a sequencer. For the money it has probably given me my greatest return. I have a mid 80s Roland SRV-2000 which I love to pieces, but I find myself using the Korg more often because it takes less time to get a great reverb for whatever instrument I am working with at the time. I have a few other much more expensive synths and plugins that sound top notch. But the little Korg makes it so easy to just plug in and create a solid riff or main melody. My only beef is that I wish it had an even smaller keys to anger keyboard purists.
@@Dash02 honestly I use the standard stock oscillators for bass. I love the triangle and square and will often stack them with the waveshape (multiple takes). A little envelope tweak gets it in the ballpark of what I am looking for and then post production compressors and EQs to solidify the sound I want. Sometimes reamping if I want a certain tonal character mixed in with the original track. All of the other wave forms I use from 3rd party creators tend to be used for high octave melodies or arpeggios. Sometimes even just ambient texture.
Also using a SRV-2000 as a reverb with the NTS-1 acting as delay on my Mackie VLZ PRO 1202 Mixer. The rest of the desk is a pair or TD-3, and Volca Sample, FM, Keys, and Drum Modules. I recapped several SRVs now. Great machines!
@@pileggitech I love my SRV. Taking the time to really dial in a great verb is fun and pretty easy, but it can be time consuming. I know it's a classic on snares but I love using it as A general send for synths and vocals.
The open platform means that you can code your own Patches and FX in C++. The toolchain works great on Linux. If you are a programmer and a synth nerd this thing is small enough to keep on your desk at work.
I spent a decade (“back in the day”) doing primarily C. C++ can be a scary beast, particularly since the powers that be churn the spec every 5 to 10 years. C++ is the real Bad Gear 😛
Forgot to mention, if you hold the ARP button down and turn the type nob you can actually change the division type, A will allow you to change the note count, up to 24, and B will let you set the tempo.
As someone whos spent thousands on gear, some of which has been hosted on your channel. The fact you have found the means to play or even keep some of the instruments you review is the greatest life hack a limited musician could have ever developed. I dont miss a video and appreciate you greatly!
This hundred buck pocket synth really smash the synth world. Not mentioning the tons of customized waveshapes/effects you could load and plenty of tweaking options, the reverb unit inside is incredible. I don't see much difference between it and bigsky. Yep, no saving option is a bigh shame, but if you treat it as a dedicated fx with a mono synth engine, the NTS-1 is really crazy. While Behringer keep cloning the legendary synth, Korg is leading the innovation with so many affordable and powerful products.
Gone are those days bro... Tats is nowhere to be found, Korg making leftovers mushes like Drumlogue and ex-Korg engineer now work for Behringer creating... tiny analog synths. It's a weird world.
What you have to remember with this device, is it's more of a public dev platform for developing/prototyping Minilogue XD/Prologue oscillators and effects - it just happens to be a device that can also be used on its own - bonus.
That’s actually a genius idea I’m from korg. A product that helps improve a different product while also making money and being a genuinely good piece of gear.
TARDIS intro was a great choice, as the NTS-1 is much bigger on the inside than it appears. It's my most-used bit of gear - intuitive, inspiring, and sounds amazing.
Bought it a couple of weeks ago, and for the money it sounds pretty impressive! The filter is good, the oscillators and reverbs are amazing. Paired with VCV rack (turing machine + quantizer + a couple of lfos and envelopes modulating the parameters via midi cc) = a powerful generative voice
Wow, I bought one of these a month ago, to fill in the gaps that I have with the Volca Sample and Kaossilator Pro (both featured on Bad Gear before, and yes, I have the Retrokits 002 cable, and Pajen firmware, muchos gracias to those legends) as cheap hardware units to generate some more personalised / hand-played / organic sounds to fire into Ableton. Didn't expect to see this on Bad Gear so soon, but def a good choice. I thought it looked whack at first, then i realised what it's capable of. Amazing value for money
This is insanely awesome if you think about what he said at the end. Take 4 of these and build them into an enclosure with flexible connections, routing, and mixing, and you could build an insane synth. Korg is giving you the building blocks and saying go for it. Super cool. :)
I love this synth. Just wished it had patch memory. Is a permanent component of my tiny eurorack setup. Also, it took me awhile to realize all the intros to your vids are developed using the "bad gear" tech starring IN the vid itself lol. Well done! Cheers :-)
I love my little NTS-1. I use it as a sample making machine for the most part and as an effect unit. And if you hold down osc and turn the type knob you get a whole lot more settings for the (custom) oscilators .
the best part is that you can pop off the top PCB and make your own hardware control surface with a sit ton of knobs that plugs right into it. I made my own. You can also add memory for saving patches and a better screen.
Amazing! As a stereotypical Volca and Pocket Operator owner this has been on my to-purchase radar for a long time and if the same instrument came out with Volca or Teenage Engineering level industrial design and save functionality this would be a pretty great addition for my lofi succulent DAW-less jamming.
I've Had One Of These Little Fellows On My Gear List For Ages But Still Haven't Got Round To Buying One . After Watching This Episode You Have Convinced Me To Buy One Immediately . Sound Quality Is Great For What It Is And It Will Be Well Worth It . I'm Still Amazed At How Well Put Together And Produced Your Videos Are And This Is No Exception , I Appreciate How Much Work You Put In To Them . Thumbs Up From Me Every Time .
First time watching a video from you. At first I was put off by your manner of speaking and the ott video/illustration things. But after watching completely I won the impression you deliver good content in a quite unique and enterprising way. The piece of music from 7:42 was truly excellent! So thanks for making this!
I love how you dropped the Haynes Electro Synth in there. I bought one last year at a Radio Shack I found still doing business. The NTS-1 is a great little addition to the tiny producer's tiny toolkit of tiny volcas and other thing like one pocket operator. Or two, even :)
I love my NTS-1 and was really excited to see it get the AudioPilz Bad Gear treatment! I bought it for the effects and to have another oscillator to sequence in home office DAW-less jams. Sounds great and is fun to play with! Best piece of $99 music gear I ever bought!
I was expecting something like the Monotron Delay or Duo (which are actually good for lofi stuff). Didn't expect this one! I just researching the NTS-1 for GAS purposes and now you're reviewing it in Bad Gear... 😅 It's reverbs sound amazing though.
@@AudioPilz you're making kickass music with just this and the Circuit. Here I am with a Circuit Tracks, stuck in learning the thing with the presets. 😂 How long did it take you to compose and program those pieces? Thanks for answering and see you next time!
Small enough to be worn as a fashionable pendant. Team it up with a QY8 and a 30X powerbank, and you can terrorise all your friends with a portable four bar eternal jam session. Blinky lights optional. I like the idea and the execution, and I'd have demanded one from my parents for Xmas if I was a techy pre-teen. The first step on the career path to Eurovision glory.
I was thinking that Korg could sell a zillion of these if it came with a "gold" chain lanyard and some hipitty-hopitty 'patches' out of the box. ...and then I came to my senses and remembered the DIY inclinations of said demographic.
It is amazing how nice it really does sound. I have previously stated that i am a korg fan but personally i am afraid of the NTS1 being too fragile and also it is, like the brits say, "too fiddly". i also counter the argument "But it is worth the $100 for the reverb alone" with: " No, for effects alone you spend $129 and get a zoom MS70-CDR which is on another plane of usefulness instead of that little breath-mint tin".
Got one to pair with my microfreak. Super happy with the effects, the drum machine synth sounds super interesting, I guess I should have a look myself!
Perfect device for those of us working from home. Just fiddle around on it, come up with some cool synth line on it, then record it to your mix after work. I’ve used this thing multiple times in songs.
This is the first of my gear on here, and while I did expect to see some of it on the show this one does hurt me a little just because I love my little NTS-1 a lot, especially its wonderful effects.
@@AudioPilz Yep, and I am especially in love with the space and & submarine modes. Its not just a "it will do fine", no, its an actually REALLY PRETTY reverb that I WANT to use.
I've tossed around buying one of these, but not as an instrument, but for its effects -- I already have a Korg Monotron Delay that I absolutely love, and I think this would complement it well
I see it as a very affordable and space saving effects unit for my other synths, I would guess that is how most people are using this little unit. And nice video/excellent demo as always!
Lovin' the christmas Dr Who intro . I think we may need to make a drinking game of catching all the references and clips in your videos........wait , my liver says that's a terrible idea .
I mainly use mine as an fx unit with my MS20mini. I wish the ms had midi out as I could use it as a third oscillator. I also loved the tiny Action Man sized screwdriver that came with it.
Thinking of what to review after you run out of 'bad gear' boggled my mind but could prove useful for your channel. Thought of 'Bad Mixers' - 'Bad Effect-pedals' - 'Bad Wiring' - 'Bad Tunes' but just like 'Bad Gear' can turn out good, these can turn out good too! Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy Christmas and a Mysterious yet Wonderful New Year!
Best music drops you’ve done in a while, Florian! You must’ve gotten some real inspiration from this box! PS: the “B” in “debt” is silent…pronounced “DET”
1:01 "...a legit high-tech music production tool." Laughing my ass off that you used a picture of the Commodity Fetishism "module" for this. Nicely played.
before i sold my minilogue XD, one of my favorite custom oscillators was 'souper' by hammondeggsmusic, generating up to 10 detuned saw, pwm or triangles per digital osc. another one of my absolute favorites, and that really expanded the capability if the XD was 'Extra', also by hammondeggsmusic, that used the digital oscillator to generate multiple paraphonic voices, up to 3 per oscillator instance (so up to 12 voices on the XD). does make me wonder why i sold it now, especially seeing some of the recent developments.
Your sound demos sound really good!(especially the one that featured the circuit, even though I didn’t like the drums on that one but the synth sounds great!)
Best thingy to learn DSP-programming and old-school Nord Lead filter stepping. It can produce some nice artefacts when using a custom reverb spiking the DSP's processing limits, too.
This is an amazing piece of kit for the price! One of the things NOT mentioned in this video is that the effects are available to ANY audio you pump into this thing! Yes, it has an Audio In jack! So essentially you get an effects pedal that does more than most effects pedals do. Oh, and did you hear about the price? For under $100, you get more than you can fathom really...if you're just starting out in synths, this is really a no brainer...you really get a sense of exactly how sounds are made. And the immersive hands-on starts at the very beginning! I cringed when I had to break the PC boards out of the Fiberglass matrix to create the walls, top and bottom of the unit! I would recommend this to anyone who wants to understand the basics of synths!
Ultimately, it was Korg that got me back into hardware again a few years back, so I'll happily confess to being a big Korg fan. They've released an impressive variety of synths over the last few years and their role in anologue revival has to be commended.
Damn, another synchronous occurrence with my friend at Bad Gear. Been binging Doctor Who recently, and just saw that episode with Micky, Rose and the David Tennant doctor!
If it could save presets for the effects and the custom oscillator (aka a fourth effect), it could be a perfect multi effects unit for live playing. But even as a studio unit it's a crazy good value
@@AudioPilz Hopefully a firmware update will fix that (wishful thinking, I know). It's been fantastic looking forward to your videos on Fridays! Keep up the great work in 2022!
Great work as always. I like how yourself and Alex pop up in each others vids. This weeks dumb question, have you ever mucked around with the Korg Mini-bits synth. It's bare bones, tiny and very basic, but it's a great little tool for teaching the basics of additive synthesis.
Yeahy! Finally! 😁 Was wondering when the NTS-1 would show up. I bought this little box, cause i wanted to dabble around with the Korg Multiengine API, but i quickly learned that DSP programming is a whole other world than building office applications. 😂 Instead of a development board, i now use it as an FX unit for my MicroFreak or my Modular. I especially loooove the Submarine reverb. It can sound sooo massive!😊 Nice video again!
Use a power bank. There is plenty more that korg could have done to make this thing a better, more useful product but they very deliberately chose not to. Patch saving for example. This is probably just a matter of a few lines of code, the hardware itself allows for saving custom oscillators that surely take up more memory than a patch would. They developed this tech to be included in more expensive products, but I guess they figured they could get some online buzz by making a super-minimalistic unit and selling it as cheap as possible, let the internet loose on their open source platform and see what comes out of it.
@@JH-lo9ut Yes I know I can use a power bank, it would just be nice to have a battery/battery compartment actually inside the unit to make it truly portable
For >$100, this is a really great piece of kit. Even if you don't always necessarily use it as a synth, the fact that you can route audio-in and use it as an FX device makes it an incredibly versatile gadget for not just electronic musicians, but guitarists as well... especially when you factor-in all of the custom effects out there that are available for (free?) download.
TB-3 and Novation Circuit: *exist* Florian: *makes a bad gear episode for them * Florian two months later: *uses each a lot in other episodes * Florian: “Perhaps I treated you too harshly”
The USB noise literally only happens when you hook the USB power up to the same laptop you try to record to. It has to do with how most laptops just have no ground or shielding there either. You shouldn't run into this issue on a desktop PC or Mac. It's less of a real issue from the NTS-2. And technically, you could use one of those USB cables with a ferrite bead / ferrite choke, to just eliminate the problem altogether. Or use a separate powerbank which isn't a terrible idea anyway. I mean, why occupy a USB slot on your laptop and have it to be close to your music gear. It can be super clumsy. I do think and agree it should come with an USB cable with a ferrite choke by default though, as apparently there's also zero shielding inside the unit itself which could be seen as a con. Overall though, the sound is 100% clean. Heck, the Korg Nu:Tekt NTS-1 is outright _loved_ by the people that own it. For its price, it has some truly insane sounds. Custom oscillator support is just unheard of. Soundwise it is better than any of the Behringer 303 clones and can even compete with some of the $200-250 range synths out there. There are FX boxes and pedals out there that are four times the cost and do not sound nearly as good. It might be worth it for the FX alone. I also disagree about build quality. Plenty of synths literally have a plastic casing that is not much better than this and it would never come up as a problem. I dare say if we wouldn't have to put the unit together, this whole thing would not have been brought up at all.
FRAGILE! If you play tug of war with NTS-1, you’ll win. The slightest cable tug can destroy any input/output jacks. Take precaution to place no stress on this device, unless you’ve rehoused it, e.g. in an effects pedal enclosure.
@@AudioPilz If Minilogue XD (either version) had audio input, I would have bought one long ago. Because the audio input broke off the PCB on my first NTS-1, I’ve bought 2 NTS-1, but I’m too afraid to even use the 2nd one! 🤪
@@dingalarm That might be a great idea to try doing, if ever I want to make an NTS-1 more durable before giving an old one (warranty already expired) to a small child! I think the electronics manufacturer for whom I work regularly uses such adhesive in their assemblies!
You, Alex, and Heinbach are like my favorite artists, No cap. LOL I asked Alex Ball, if hed send me an autographed copy of his CD but he never got back with me... probably thought i was trolling or something. You guys are awesome. As a Fellow Musician You guys help Kickstar my Morning as I am Dabbing trying to forget about G.A.S
It would be nice to se the Korg Monotron delay! Mostly to se how crazy set up you would put together 😂 Your videos are a excellent example of, it's not what you use, but how you use it. Love all of them! 👏👌
If I wanted that technology I would rather buy a Pro-8 or 16. These barebone gadgets tend to get easily broken. All the input controls are surface mounted potis and buttons. That's not minimalism. It's just shit. It's like buying a car without doors, seats, windows and suspension.
You already got me with that intro. I could simp for Jackie all day long. EDIT: Dayum this episode has it all! Bad/genius wordplay, all the memes and even a nice Terry Pratchett anecdote. Ich suche mir schnell nen Hut, damit ich ihn ziehen kann.
😆 great intro. Hilarious. I got 2 of them , gave one away as a present 🎁 last year. I spend a lot of time experimenting with it but never actually recording anything. But on bus journies I take it with me sometimes. It's brilliant. I have only scratched the surface with it. It's going to be a curious gem in the history of synthesizers with massive possibilities cramed into something so small. I love it .
Florian I designed a tiny VA Monosynth that is very similar to the NTS-1.. was hoping someday you might want a courtesy sample unit to try it out sometime... Love your show man! Keep 'em coming!
You can also design your own interface for this. It can be built into a stompbox for making into an FX device for example. It can also integrate with an Arduino if I'm not mistaken, The open source part of this project amazes me!
Thirdst!!
Alex Ball is an international treasure!!!
Third Ball
Thirdsty 🤤
But will AudioPilz ever will work on his sweater game with the likes of Alex Ball and Hainbach?
@@johnmeroney2007 Step not to Hainbach's godlike sweater prowess, ye mortals, for those who do are put to shame
I bought this little guy while drunk and no regrets really, it's such a powerful thing with the custom effects and oscillators
Drunk-shopping is so (too?) much fun
Running my monosynths through the cathedral reverb from hammondeggsmusic on the nts1 **chefs kiss**
Hey there a lot worse things that you could have done when you were drunk so there is that!
NU regerts.
I wish I made such good decisions while drunk.
Korg: releases decent sounding accessible synths
Synth community: that doesn't look like Minimoog Phantom Premium full sized keys synth
Korg is a blessing we don't deserve
Big Korg fan here!!!
@@AudioPilz same here. I understand why peoplewho can afford it are buying Sequential/Roland/Moog stuff. I don't understand why they hate lower tiers so much
Yep, love my affordable, compact gear.
^ Once a popularity threshold of any niche community is crossed, some % of this larger population will consistently behave like drama queens. Or outright morons.
Old cliches about human nature become woefully more and more relevant.
I try not to be bothered by things I can't change, particularly something as absurd as being bothered by _someone I'll never meet trash-talking a synth company in their spare time._
@@shaft9000 good point, but whole concept of Bad Gear show is built around analyzing community hate towards gear. And I'm usually OK with this and I myself must confess of unadequate hate of Roland, but sometimes it's just totally ridiculous
Most reverb stompboxes in this price range have *nowhere near* the satisfying crunch when you stomp down on them.
Yeah, without any (pre-)delay;)
I have to put wafers and crackers on my pedals to get anything close to the same feeling as the Korg.
I can't tell if this is genuine praise or a joke about the build quality.
And yet when teenage engineering make raw PCB devices and upsell cheap plastic cases it's hip and cool 🤔
@@superchroma imo teenage engineering is overpriced hipster bullshit
Be careful, dude. Too many more reviews like this and people will start to figure out that you don’t actually review bad gear. 🤣
Great review, NTS-1 is worth the price of admission just to be a reverb for my Lyra-8. I’ll be surprised if I don’t buy three more and possibly an XD module too. 👍
You know too much😂😂😂
@@AudioPilz 🏃🏻♂️
Badass gear
The XD is a thing of beauty.
(not so) Bad Gear
The NTS-1 has become one of my most important tools in my small setup for recording for sending a signal for stereo processing with the wonderful effects and for producing bass lines, leads, and arps with my DAW as a sequencer. For the money it has probably given me my greatest return.
I have a mid 80s Roland SRV-2000 which I love to pieces, but I find myself using the Korg more often because it takes less time to get a great reverb for whatever instrument I am working with at the time. I have a few other much more expensive synths and plugins that sound top notch. But the little Korg makes it so easy to just plug in and create a solid riff or main melody.
My only beef is that I wish it had an even smaller keys to anger keyboard purists.
Smaller keys wouldn't even make a difference on this one;)
can you tell me the patch you use to bass? i can make sound like a bass, only like a gritty noisy bass sound, dont deep and glitchie
@@Dash02 honestly I use the standard stock oscillators for bass. I love the triangle and square and will often stack them with the waveshape (multiple takes). A little envelope tweak gets it in the ballpark of what I am looking for and then post production compressors and EQs to solidify the sound I want. Sometimes reamping if I want a certain tonal character mixed in with the original track.
All of the other wave forms I use from 3rd party creators tend to be used for high octave melodies or arpeggios. Sometimes even just ambient texture.
Also using a SRV-2000 as a reverb with the NTS-1 acting as delay on my Mackie VLZ PRO 1202 Mixer. The rest of the desk is a pair or TD-3, and Volca Sample, FM, Keys, and Drum Modules. I recapped several SRVs now. Great machines!
@@pileggitech I love my SRV. Taking the time to really dial in a great verb is fun and pretty easy, but it can be time consuming. I know it's a classic on snares but I love using it as A general send for synths and vocals.
The open platform means that you can code your own Patches and FX in C++. The toolchain works great on Linux. If you are a programmer and a synth nerd this thing is small enough to keep on your desk at work.
So many great custom oscs and fx!!!
I might just have to get one to sharpen my C++ skills! Thanks for letting me know!
Hey! I'M those things! It reminds me of those "baby's first Pi" kits I love to ask for for Christmas
I spent a decade (“back in the day”) doing primarily C. C++ can be a scary beast, particularly since the powers that be churn the spec every 5 to 10 years.
C++ is the real Bad Gear 😛
@@Roboprogs _perl has entered the chat_
Forgot to mention, if you hold the ARP button down and turn the type nob you can actually change the division type, A will allow you to change the note count, up to 24, and B will let you set the tempo.
Thanks for the clarification!
Awesome
As someone whos spent thousands on gear, some of which has been hosted on your channel. The fact you have found the means to play or even keep some of the instruments you review is the greatest life hack a limited musician could have ever developed. I dont miss a video and appreciate you greatly!
Thank you so much!!!
This hundred buck pocket synth really smash the synth world. Not mentioning the tons of customized waveshapes/effects you could load and plenty of tweaking options, the reverb unit inside is incredible. I don't see much difference between it and bigsky. Yep, no saving option is a bigh shame, but if you treat it as a dedicated fx with a mono synth engine, the NTS-1 is really crazy. While Behringer keep cloning the legendary synth, Korg is leading the innovation with so many affordable and powerful products.
The reverb is indeed top notch!
I think that comparing with a Bigsky is too much!😅
Gone are those days bro... Tats is nowhere to be found, Korg making leftovers mushes like Drumlogue and ex-Korg engineer now work for Behringer creating... tiny analog synths. It's a weird world.
What you have to remember with this device, is it's more of a public dev platform for developing/prototyping Minilogue XD/Prologue oscillators and effects - it just happens to be a device that can also be used on its own - bonus.
Interesting angle on the NTS!!!
That’s actually a genius idea I’m from korg. A product that helps improve a different product while also making money and being a genuinely good piece of gear.
TARDIS intro was a great choice, as the NTS-1 is much bigger on the inside than it appears. It's my most-used bit of gear - intuitive, inspiring, and sounds amazing.
Thanks!
Bought it a couple of weeks ago, and for the money it sounds pretty impressive! The filter is good, the oscillators and reverbs are amazing. Paired with VCV rack (turing machine + quantizer + a couple of lfos and envelopes modulating the parameters via midi cc) = a powerful generative voice
Agreed! I would not want to play it live though
Wow, I bought one of these a month ago, to fill in the gaps that I have with the Volca Sample and Kaossilator Pro (both featured on Bad Gear before, and yes, I have the Retrokits 002 cable, and Pajen firmware, muchos gracias to those legends) as cheap hardware units to generate some more personalised / hand-played / organic sounds to fire into Ableton. Didn't expect to see this on Bad Gear so soon, but def a good choice. I thought it looked whack at first, then i realised what it's capable of. Amazing value for money
Agreed, I'm just afraid it will break any moment
This is insanely awesome if you think about what he said at the end. Take 4 of these and build them into an enclosure with flexible connections, routing, and mixing, and you could build an insane synth. Korg is giving you the building blocks and saying go for it. Super cool. :)
Yeah, very powerful piece of gear for the size
I love this synth. Just wished it had patch memory. Is a permanent component of my tiny eurorack setup.
Also, it took me awhile to realize all the intros to your vids are developed using the "bad gear" tech starring IN the vid itself lol. Well done! Cheers :-)
Certainly goes well with a little modular! Thanks!
I love my little NTS-1. I use it as a sample making machine for the most part and as an effect unit. And if you hold down osc and turn the type knob you get a whole lot more settings for the (custom) oscilators .
I have to try that out, thanks for posting!
external input + custom fx is a great combo, you don't even really need the actual synth part imho
I'd love a stompbox with that tech
@@AudioPilz also, "why..oH.. WHY???" have Korg not put this into a Eurorack module form factor, they have missed a massive new market IMHO
Scott McDiarmid ----- genius--------
Hey, thanks for featuring my work! Love what you did with the chord oscillator!
Hey! Great to have you around! Nice OSCs!!!
the best part is that you can pop off the top PCB and make your own hardware control surface with a sit ton of knobs that plugs right into it. I made my own. You can also add memory for saving patches and a better screen.
Nice, didn't know that! Thanks for posting!
Can You please post some links, how to add memory, better display and more knobs?
@@faustinodales4237 it's on Korg's website.
You featuring the synths in the intro get's me every time. I mostly don't notice until you mention it. Keep it up
That's how it is supposed to work! Thanks!
Amazing! As a stereotypical Volca and Pocket Operator owner this has been on my to-purchase radar for a long time and if the same instrument came out with Volca or Teenage Engineering level industrial design and save functionality this would be a pretty great addition for my lofi succulent DAW-less jamming.
If you like Pocket Operators and Volca's you will love the NTS-1
The succulent is strong in this one!!!
I've Had One Of These Little Fellows On My Gear List For Ages But Still Haven't Got Round To Buying One . After Watching This Episode You Have Convinced Me To Buy One Immediately . Sound Quality Is Great For What It Is And It Will Be Well Worth It . I'm Still Amazed At How Well Put Together And Produced Your Videos Are And This Is No Exception , I Appreciate How Much Work You Put In To Them . Thumbs Up From Me Every Time .
Thank you so much!!!
One of the best gear I bought! It fits great in my studio and the sounds that u can produce with this machine are pretty decent!
I was surprised by how grown-up it sounds too
GOT MINE THIS WEEK! ITS NOW "DOUBLING" THE TB03 BASS NOTES THROUGH MIDI WITH ARP ON OCTAVE..BEAUTIFUL ELECTRONICA VIBE!
Nice!!!
First time watching a video from you. At first I was put off by your manner of speaking and the ott video/illustration things. But after watching completely I won the impression you deliver good content in a quite unique and enterprising way. The piece of music from 7:42 was truly excellent! So thanks for making this!
Thank you so much!!! Stick around!
This is a real great concept and a good idea for a youtube series, I've been suffering trough many of these synths/drum boxes in my youth
Thank you so much!
I love how you dropped the Haynes Electro Synth in there. I bought one last year at a Radio Shack I found still doing business. The NTS-1 is a great little addition to the tiny producer's tiny toolkit of tiny volcas and other thing like one pocket operator. Or two, even :)
Wow, didn't know there are still Radio Shack shops!
@@AudioPilz That was my reaction too! Their billboard sign out in front says "WOW! A RADIO SHACK!"
I love my NTS-1 and was really excited to see it get the AudioPilz Bad Gear treatment! I bought it for the effects and to have another oscillator to sequence in home office DAW-less jams. Sounds great and is fun to play with! Best piece of $99 music gear I ever bought!
It's quite a bang for the buck!
So much humor and so many absolute bangers of demo tracks packed into these videos 🤯
Thank you!!!
Liked immediately for the intro... and then it got even better. Great tracks, have been tempted by one of these for a while...
Thank you so much!!!
I was expecting something like the Monotron Delay or Duo (which are actually good for lofi stuff). Didn't expect this one!
I just researching the NTS-1 for GAS purposes and now you're reviewing it in Bad Gear... 😅 It's reverbs sound amazing though.
I so want this reverb in a stomp box!!!
@@AudioPilz you're making kickass music with just this and the Circuit. Here I am with a Circuit Tracks, stuck in learning the thing with the presets. 😂
How long did it take you to compose and program those pieces? Thanks for answering and see you next time!
Totally agreed! I wasn't researching (I already made up my mind), but it feeds my GAS like brussel sprouts!
Surprised to see it here 😂😂😂
@@bisheejom it depends on the setup and how ambitious I am but it's usually 2-3h
The effects alone are fuckin unreasonably good for such an affordable tiny Lil synth
Small enough to be worn as a fashionable pendant. Team it up with a QY8 and a 30X powerbank, and you can terrorise all your friends with a portable four bar eternal jam session. Blinky lights optional.
I like the idea and the execution, and I'd have demanded one from my parents for Xmas if I was a techy pre-teen. The first step on the career path to Eurovision glory.
I just read Eurovision gory;)
I was thinking that Korg could sell a zillion of these if it came with a "gold" chain lanyard and some hipitty-hopitty 'patches' out of the box.
...and then I came to my senses and remembered the DIY inclinations of said demographic.
Some truly noteworthy feedback here hahahaha
@@shaft9000 Just need Flavor Fav to wear one yet he too old Skool….Weeknd or Drake or Lil Wayne or Lil Bad Gear
@@autecheee Hopefully, Li'l Badgear will be making an appearance on the Bad Gear Xmas Speshul
The riser setting on the reverb is worth the price alone. Truly an amazing bit of kit for the price.
True that!
The music mems in your videos are allway so good! really appreciate that :D
Thank you!!!
It is amazing how nice it really does sound. I have previously stated that i am a korg fan but personally i am afraid of the NTS1 being too fragile and also it is, like the brits say, "too fiddly". i also counter the argument "But it is worth the $100 for the reverb alone" with: " No, for effects alone you spend $129 and get a zoom MS70-CDR which is on another plane of usefulness instead of that little breath-mint tin".
Big fan of the Zoom stuff but the reverb algos on the NTS are Eventide-grade magic
@@AudioPilz this is a point
Another bald - sorry - bold episode to get the weekend started! Thank you very much!
Thanks for watching!
Got one to pair with my microfreak. Super happy with the effects, the drum machine synth sounds super interesting, I guess I should have a look myself!
So many nice add-ons for this
Perfect device for those of us working from home. Just fiddle around on it, come up with some cool synth line on it, then record it to your mix after work. I’ve used this thing multiple times in songs.
I found it to be very inspirational too
It sounds surprisingly good for such a modest piece of gear :o Especially in your jams
Thanks! Really liked the synth engine too!
im sooooo glad theres so much equipment for you to demo.
Thanks! It will never end;)
Bad Gear Friday...It should be standard viewing! Can an AudioPilz Jam ever be bad...No, it cannot. Well done sir, well done indeed.
Thank you so much!!!
Great timing. A friend just recommended this to me a week ago!!
Great! Are you still getting one? ;)
You're doing a good job convincing me to get one. I have the XD, but... but... I MUST HAVE ONE!
If you've ever wished you could run your own audio through the xd's FX, then the NTS1 is great for that alone...
Just click that buy button;)
Hey, another great show! All 3 tracks are awesome! NTS-1 seams like powerful little beast!
Thank you!!!
This is the first of my gear on here, and while I did expect to see some of it on the show this one does hurt me a little just because I love my little NTS-1 a lot, especially its wonderful effects.
The FX unit is extremely powerful!
@@AudioPilz Yep, and I am especially in love with the space and & submarine modes. Its not just a "it will do fine", no, its an actually REALLY PRETTY reverb that I WANT to use.
I've tossed around buying one of these, but not as an instrument, but for its effects -- I already have a Korg Monotron Delay that I absolutely love, and I think this would complement it well
I see it as a very affordable and space saving effects unit for my other synths, I would guess that is how most people are using this little unit. And nice video/excellent demo as always!
Thank you!!!
Lovin' the christmas Dr Who intro . I think we may need to make a drinking game of catching all the references and clips in your videos........wait , my liver says that's a terrible idea .
Cheers;)
I mainly use mine as an fx unit with my MS20mini. I wish the ms had midi out as I could use it as a third oscillator. I also loved the tiny Action Man sized screwdriver that came with it.
Loved that screwdriver too (didn't use it tho;)
Thinking of what to review after you run out of 'bad gear' boggled my mind but could prove useful for your channel.
Thought of 'Bad Mixers' - 'Bad Effect-pedals' - 'Bad Wiring' - 'Bad Tunes' but just like 'Bad Gear' can turn out good, these can turn out good too! Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy Christmas and a Mysterious yet Wonderful New Year!
No worries, Roland got us covered! Started out with a few more pro audio episodes but it was the synths that stuck. HNY!!!
I downloaded the Korg NTS editor by Momo Muller which enables me to save presets, it was certainly worth the small amount of money it cost.
Ah, didn't know that one, thanks for posting!
I was thinking about writing one. The NTS1 is pretty much all midi controlled.
Best music drops you’ve done in a while, Florian! You must’ve gotten some real inspiration from this box!
PS: the “B” in “debt” is silent…pronounced “DET”
Thank you for the feedback!
Perfect for my tiny collection.
Agreed, goes together well with Volcas
only YT I watch at normal speed. Your cutaways are so on point. Second to none!
Thanks!
1:01 "...a legit high-tech music production tool."
Laughing my ass off that you used a picture of the Commodity Fetishism "module" for this. Nicely played.
Thanks!
also lmao'd at this
I bought one for myself as Christmas Gift and to be my first Hardwaresynth, cant wait to assemble and use it 😍
Nice! Assembling it is really easy!
before i sold my minilogue XD, one of my favorite custom oscillators was 'souper' by hammondeggsmusic, generating up to 10 detuned saw, pwm or triangles per digital osc. another one of my absolute favorites, and that really expanded the capability if the XD was 'Extra', also by hammondeggsmusic, that used the digital oscillator to generate multiple paraphonic voices, up to 3 per oscillator instance (so up to 12 voices on the XD). does make me wonder why i sold it now, especially seeing some of the recent developments.
Hey thanks for the mention!
I really have to check out their stuff
OH YES My Friday is going to get better now i see you uploaded new stuff
Oh yes, BTW mr Pilz, do you have a discord server maybe to hang out with other bad gear freaks?
Have a nice weekend!!!
Beside the synth engine, the NTS-1 is a great effect box because you can use the audio in for processing external instruments.
Agreed!
Your sound demos sound really good!(especially the one that featured the circuit, even though I didn’t like the drums on that one but the synth sounds great!)
Thank you!!!
Best thingy to learn DSP-programming and old-school Nord Lead filter stepping. It can produce some nice artefacts when using a custom reverb spiking the DSP's processing limits, too.
I ran into some issues with custom FX too. Sounded sick!
Never thought I'd see my NTS-1 on here, oof.
It happens to the best;)
@@AudioPilz Oh you 🥲
This is an amazing piece of kit for the price! One of the things NOT mentioned in this video is that the effects are available to ANY audio you pump into this thing! Yes, it has an Audio In jack! So essentially you get an effects pedal that does more than most effects pedals do. Oh, and did you hear about the price? For under $100, you get more than you can fathom really...if you're just starting out in synths, this is really a no brainer...you really get a sense of exactly how sounds are made. And the immersive hands-on starts at the very beginning! I cringed when I had to break the PC boards out of the Fiberglass matrix to create the walls, top and bottom of the unit! I would recommend this to anyone who wants to understand the basics of synths!
I put it on my voice so I thought you might puzzle that together;)
A truly gourmet reverb... superb meme / OG footage timing
Thanks!!!
This is the best review of the korg NTS 1 that I've seen ! Well done 👍
Thank you!!!
I think that this little pocket thing beats the JD-Xi by quite a lot, NGL. Guess it's Korg VS Roland though, maybe I'm just a Korg girl?
Nothing wrong with being a Korg girl! It does have a few sonic similarities to Rolands supernatural engine
Ultimately, it was Korg that got me back into hardware again a few years back, so I'll happily confess to being a big Korg fan. They've released an impressive variety of synths over the last few years and their role in anologue revival has to be commended.
Damn, another synchronous occurrence with my friend at Bad Gear. Been binging Doctor Who recently, and just saw that episode with Micky, Rose and the David Tennant doctor!
That episode is really nice!
If it could save presets for the effects and the custom oscillator (aka a fourth effect), it could be a perfect multi effects unit for live playing. But even as a studio unit it's a crazy good value
Patch saving would be awesome!
@@AudioPilz Hopefully a firmware update will fix that (wishful thinking, I know).
It's been fantastic looking forward to your videos on Fridays! Keep up the great work in 2022!
@@AudioPilz Can you save patches to computer via some kind of librarian or a daw?
Great work as always. I like how yourself and Alex pop up in each others vids.
This weeks dumb question, have you ever mucked around with the Korg Mini-bits synth. It's bare bones, tiny and very basic, but it's a great little tool for teaching the basics of additive synthesis.
Thanks! These are on my list!
Yeahy! Finally! 😁
Was wondering when the NTS-1 would show up.
I bought this little box, cause i wanted to dabble around with the Korg Multiengine API, but i quickly learned that DSP programming is a whole other world than building office applications. 😂
Instead of a development board, i now use it as an FX unit for my MicroFreak or my Modular.
I especially loooove the Submarine reverb. It can sound sooo massive!😊
Nice video again!
Thanks Erika!!!
The first instrument that I have owned BEFORE watching the corresponding Bad Gear episode! 🤘🏻
Nice!!!
I love this little thing, but I think Korg missed a trick by not making it battery powered like the volcas
I assume they had to cut every corner possible
@bad gear you're right, the corners are all rounded
Use a power bank.
There is plenty more that korg could have done to make this thing a better, more useful product but they very deliberately chose not to.
Patch saving for example. This is probably just a matter of a few lines of code, the hardware itself allows for saving custom oscillators that surely take up more memory than a patch would.
They developed this tech to be included in more expensive products, but I guess they figured they could get some online buzz by making a super-minimalistic unit and selling it as cheap as possible, let the internet loose on their open source platform and see what comes out of it.
@@JH-lo9ut Yes I know I can use a power bank, it would just be nice to have a battery/battery compartment actually inside the unit to make it truly portable
For >$100, this is a really great piece of kit. Even if you don't always necessarily use it as a synth, the fact that you can route audio-in and use it as an FX device makes it an incredibly versatile gadget for not just electronic musicians, but guitarists as well... especially when you factor-in all of the custom effects out there that are available for (free?) download.
Agreed!
can't wait to hear this week's obligatory 303 techno club filler
Surprisingly 303-free this week;)
@@AudioPilz good job convincing me to get an nts-1 by the way
@@heartache5742 same here ;-) I am just wondering why this channel is called "bad" gear?
Thanks for mentioning the NTS. I was always thinking of buying a second one but then forgot to do it. I just ordered one…😉
Always a pleasure;)
TB-3 and Novation Circuit: *exist*
Florian: *makes a bad gear episode for them *
Florian two months later: *uses each a lot in other episodes *
Florian: “Perhaps I treated you too harshly”
One man's Bad Gear...;)
Bro that Juan meme over there was something I was absolutely not expecting
Future classic!!!
The USB noise literally only happens when you hook the USB power up to the same laptop you try to record to. It has to do with how most laptops just have no ground or shielding there either. You shouldn't run into this issue on a desktop PC or Mac. It's less of a real issue from the NTS-2. And technically, you could use one of those USB cables with a ferrite bead / ferrite choke, to just eliminate the problem altogether. Or use a separate powerbank which isn't a terrible idea anyway. I mean, why occupy a USB slot on your laptop and have it to be close to your music gear. It can be super clumsy. I do think and agree it should come with an USB cable with a ferrite choke by default though, as apparently there's also zero shielding inside the unit itself which could be seen as a con. Overall though, the sound is 100% clean. Heck, the Korg Nu:Tekt NTS-1 is outright _loved_ by the people that own it. For its price, it has some truly insane sounds. Custom oscillator support is just unheard of. Soundwise it is better than any of the Behringer 303 clones and can even compete with some of the $200-250 range synths out there. There are FX boxes and pedals out there that are four times the cost and do not sound nearly as good. It might be worth it for the FX alone. I also disagree about build quality. Plenty of synths literally have a plastic casing that is not much better than this and it would never come up as a problem. I dare say if we wouldn't have to put the unit together, this whole thing would not have been brought up at all.
Power banks worked well here
Yea I think I’m gonna buy it just for fx’s this or that boss from-1b
NTS-1 and monotron are a must have. It’s the secret sauce to any rig.
It looks like it could be a great synth If you'd make a custom housing
Agreed!
Can watch this a thousand times and my NTS-1 is still not bad ;) great review and demo
Thank you!!!
FRAGILE! If you play tug of war with NTS-1, you’ll win. The slightest cable tug can destroy any input/output jacks. Take precaution to place no stress on this device, unless you’ve rehoused it, e.g. in an effects pedal enclosure.
Extremely fragile. I was in constant fear sth would break
@@AudioPilz If Minilogue XD (either version) had audio input, I would have bought one long ago. Because the audio input broke off the PCB on my first NTS-1, I’ve bought 2 NTS-1, but I’m too afraid to even use the 2nd one!
🤪
@@chiefbucknell I wonder if Silastic 738 (or an appropriate adhesive) applied to the jacks would strengthen them 🤔🙄 (and void the warranty 😋) ?
@@dingalarm That might be a great idea to try doing, if ever I want to make an NTS-1 more durable before giving an old one (warranty already expired) to a small child! I think the electronics manufacturer for whom I work regularly uses such adhesive in their assemblies!
@@chiefbucknell I hope it works well! Good luck! 🙂👍
You, Alex, and Heinbach are like my favorite artists, No cap. LOL I asked Alex Ball, if hed send me an autographed copy of his CD but he never got back with me... probably thought i was trolling or something. You guys are awesome. As a Fellow Musician You guys help Kickstar my Morning as I am Dabbing trying to forget about G.A.S
Thanks! Alex is super busy AND has a family so please forgive him
Mine is already broken, I blame the builder! 🤣
Lol
No, blame the Government, it’s convenient no matter what party you side with
2 seconds into the intro tune and I was convinced.
Yeah, that worked better than expected!
I can't believe how cheap this is and it still sounds better than some other supposedly better gear!
So true!!!
Very cool video, I got one of these for last Christmas.
Thank you!!!
I like how synth snobs think anything that doesn't require a minor bank loan is immediately "bad."
There's a lot of bank loan-worthy gear that sucks big time;)
It would be nice to se the Korg Monotron delay!
Mostly to se how crazy set up you would put together 😂
Your videos are a excellent example of, it's not what you use, but how you use it. Love all of them! 👏👌
Thank you!!! Love the little monotrons
Love the deeply-indebted-yellow hue of the keys in your oxygen8 controller. Just kidding, excellent video man!
Thank you!!!
If I wanted that technology I would rather buy a Pro-8 or 16. These barebone gadgets tend to get easily broken. All the input controls are surface mounted potis and buttons. That's not minimalism. It's just shit. It's like buying a car without doors, seats, windows and suspension.
They're certainly not built for eternity;)
You already got me with that intro. I could simp for Jackie all day long.
EDIT: Dayum this episode has it all! Bad/genius wordplay, all the memes and even a nice Terry Pratchett anecdote.
Ich suche mir schnell nen Hut, damit ich ihn ziehen kann.
Besten Dank!!!
Not my NTS-1!
Nothing personal;)
Huge like for appearance of circuit in this video. You are awesome as always ;)
Thank you!!!
Looks like a toy, produces serious sounds. Many grooveboxes fared worse on this channel.
Agreed! I would appreciate an open source electribe!!!
It is my first (and only, for now) hardware synth, because it's the only thing I can afford, but I'm still very happy with my purchase!
Great starting point into the world of hardware synths!
😆 great intro. Hilarious.
I got 2 of them , gave one away as a present 🎁 last year.
I spend a lot of time experimenting with it but never actually recording anything. But on bus journies I take it with me sometimes. It's brilliant.
I have only scratched the surface with it.
It's going to be a curious gem in the history of synthesizers with massive possibilities cramed into something so small.
I love it .
Thank you!!!
Florian I designed a tiny VA Monosynth that is very similar to the NTS-1.. was hoping someday you might want a courtesy sample unit to try it out sometime... Love your show man! Keep 'em coming!
That would be much appreciated, thanks!
@@AudioPilzI tried to leave a way to contact me here for you but I think YT removed it.
I can't find a way to contact you except on here..
You can also design your own interface for this. It can be built into a stompbox for making into an FX device for example. It can also integrate with an Arduino if I'm not mistaken, The open source part of this project amazes me!
I'd like to see a mod like that