Korg electribe EM-1
Encyclopedia
The Korg Electribe
EM-1 is a digital synthesizer
first produced by Korg
in 1999, alongside the EA-1 and ER-1
. Korg discontinued production of the EM-1 in 2002 and replaced the model with the Electribe EMX.
The EM-1 combines a drum machine
and two-part synthesizer
with a sequencer
. Its design combined elements of the Korg Electribe EA-1 and ER-1 to offer an "all-in-one" groovebox
. The Electribe series was noted for its compact size, weighing 1.25 kg and measuring only 300mm x 222mm x 55mm.
The synth's sound engine consists of 50 FM waveform
s, both pitch and rhythmic in nature. Waveform editing capabilities include: volume, panning, envelope, filtering, roll-effect, internal effects processing, pitch, and glide (portamento
). The filter is a 12 dB/oct low-pass with cutoff and resonance controls.
The onboard sequencer can hold 256 patterns which can be chained together to form a "song". Up to 16 "songs" can be stored in the EM-1's internal memory.
The EM-1 was targeted at semi-professional DJs
and musician
s, but it was also adopted by professional musicians and bands, including British techno group The Prodigy
, who used it on a number of recordings and live performances.
Although the EM-1 was not supplied with an editing interface for PC or Mac, an aftermarket editor for PC was developed by H.J. Stulgies of German company Midiweb with assistance from Korg and released as shareware
. The editor significantly expanded the speed at which the EM-1 could be programmed.
Electribe
Electribe is the name given to a group of electronic musical instruments by Korg. From its beginnings with the Electribe R to the ESX-1, this series includes both analogue modeling synthesizers and sampling drum machines that can be programmed the same as a drum machine...
EM-1 is a digital synthesizer
Digital synthesizer
A digital synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses digital signal processing techniques to make musical sounds.Electronic keyboards make music through sound waves.-History:...
first produced by Korg
Korg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
in 1999, alongside the EA-1 and ER-1
Korg Electribe R
The Korg Electribe R was released in 1999 as a dedicated electronic drum machine to complement the Korg Electribe A bass synthesizer. It features a 64 step sequencer and is MIDI-controllable. The sound is generated by digital signal processor circuits but can be manipulated in realtime...
. Korg discontinued production of the EM-1 in 2002 and replaced the model with the Electribe EMX.
| EA-1 bass synthesizer |
|
ER-1 Korg Electribe R The Korg Electribe R was released in 1999 as a dedicated electronic drum machine to complement the Korg Electribe A bass synthesizer. It features a 64 step sequencer and is MIDI-controllable. The sound is generated by digital signal processor circuits but can be manipulated in realtime... drum machine |
|
EM-1 (image not yet) |
|
EMX-1 (successor of EM-1) |
The EM-1 combines a drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
and two-part synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
with a sequencer
Sequencer
Sequencer may refer to:Arts and Entertainment* Sequencer , 1976* Sequencer , 1996Technology* DNA sequencer, a machine used to automatically produce a sequence readout from a biological DNA sample...
. Its design combined elements of the Korg Electribe EA-1 and ER-1 to offer an "all-in-one" groovebox
Groovebox
The term Groovebox was originally used by Roland corporation to refer to its MC-303, but the term has since entered general use. It refers to a self-contained instrument for the production of live, loop-based electronic music with a high degree of user control facilitating improvisation.A groovebox...
. The Electribe series was noted for its compact size, weighing 1.25 kg and measuring only 300mm x 222mm x 55mm.
The synth's sound engine consists of 50 FM waveform
Waveform
Waveform means the shape and form of a signal such as a wave moving in a physical medium or an abstract representation.In many cases the medium in which the wave is being propagated does not permit a direct visual image of the form. In these cases, the term 'waveform' refers to the shape of a graph...
s, both pitch and rhythmic in nature. Waveform editing capabilities include: volume, panning, envelope, filtering, roll-effect, internal effects processing, pitch, and glide (portamento
Portamento
Portamento is a musical term originated from the Italian expression "portamento della voce" , denoting from the beginning of the 17th century a vocal slide between two pitches and its emulation by members of the violin family and certain wind instruments, and is sometimes used...
). The filter is a 12 dB/oct low-pass with cutoff and resonance controls.
The onboard sequencer can hold 256 patterns which can be chained together to form a "song". Up to 16 "songs" can be stored in the EM-1's internal memory.
The EM-1 was targeted at semi-professional DJs
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s, but it was also adopted by professional musicians and bands, including British techno group The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
, who used it on a number of recordings and live performances.
Although the EM-1 was not supplied with an editing interface for PC or Mac, an aftermarket editor for PC was developed by H.J. Stulgies of German company Midiweb with assistance from Korg and released as shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
. The editor significantly expanded the speed at which the EM-1 could be programmed.
External links
- Korg EM-1 Review on VintageSynth.com http://www.vintagesynth.com/korg/etm.php
- Korg EM-1 User manual http://www.korg.com/uploads/Support/EM1OwnersManual_633662283219340000.pdf
- Korg EM-1 Editor http://www.midiweb.de/