today I'll be reviewing the Korg microkontrol, korgs 37 key mini keyboard controller. this baby has
eight encoders, eight sliders, and sixteen trigger pads. Each encoder and slider also has an LCD (sub display) that indicates the parameter and the transmitted value, with the backlight color changing between orange and green to distinguish between the encoder and slider.
when I saw this baby I had to have it. I had just bought my laptop for doing mobile production and all the controllers being touted for being mobile were one octave but the mk had 3 octaves plus 16 pads and a joystick.
after getting it home I realized I was in for a for trouble, when I opened reason everything mapped automatically. the pads went from drum pads in redrum to transport controls in the piano roll. the sliders and pots mapped as well.
I had a similar experience in ubuntustudio when I saw it was recognized as a midi device through the usb “out of the box”. (thank you korg!! you will get more of my business.)
opening fl was another story, the keys mapped but that was it, it took a few months of learning midi maps and commands to make it useful in fl but I now find it an indispensable part of my setup.
the Korg microkontrol is solidly built and travels easily, the only other complaint I have (other than the poor flstudio midi support) is that the key bed feels a bit springy for my taste.
Bad: bad midi support for FLStudio( but few company's have good support for fl's odd midi implementation.) very small, spring keys.
Good: maps perfectly to reason and abelton live, is recognized as a usb midi device in Linux and while it is not easily configurable to fl it can be done.
Warbeats Rating 8/10
for more information visit: http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=microkontrol&category_id=8