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From Our Research Team:

Third-Generation Korg Workstation with OASYS Innovation!

The M3 features a number of innovations distilled from the flagship OASYS including the new EDS (Enhanced Definition Synthesis) sound generator derived from the HD-1 engine design, the advanced second-generation KARMA functionality, and the multi-purpose control surface. Adding innovations such as the new concept of "virtualized hardware" that allows an even closer integration with DAW systems, Drum Tracks which provide a instant groove to play along with, and the new "Korg Komponent System" concept that facilitates more flexible system construction, the M3 music workstation/sampler opens a new and exciting page in music making - it's the workstation that rightfully deserves to wear the "M" that started it all.



Korg M3-88 at a Glance:

• Internally Xpanded version available NOW!
  
• Supercharged with 512 additional sounds
  
• Four models available
  
• Enhanced Definition Synthesis: A new horizon of sound-making potential
  
• Effects
  
• Expanded Combination Mode
  
• Great sounds
  
• Second Generation KARMA
  
• Open Sampling
  
• Korg Komponent System

Xpanded version available NOW!
The Korg M3 has been "Internally Xpanded," and Sweetwater has the free upgrades already installed! New sounds include electric pianos and classic keyboards, tape-emulating flutes and strings, and Brass & Woodwinds and Concert Grand expansion cards. DAW-style sequencing features include piano roll editing and a track view screen. KARMA v 2.2 M3 XPanded also adds an additional 149 new and realistic drum grooves. Throw in 700 effects presets and enhanced TouchView screen capabilities and the M3 Xpanded is a monster workstation!

Supercharged with 512 NEW Sounds!
Sweetwater has installed an M3 software and soundware upgrade that doubles the number of EDS Program slots from 512 to 1,024. Plus, these new slots are supercharged with 512 additional programs including:

More Pianos

• Clear-cut piano sounds that are useful for solo playing and also stand out in a group context.
  
• Variations that simulate playing with different finger touches.
  
• Brighter sounds that are useful both for rock and jazz music.
  
• Upright piano sounds reminiscent of famous British rock tunes.
  
• Popular M1 piano and various stage piano sounds commonly used in the 80s.
  
• Layered sounds with strings or synths.

More Electric Pianos and Clavinets

• Vintage electric piano sounds with nuances simulating the varying condition of different instruments.
  
• Popular vintage electric piano sounds with appropriate settings for auto-panning, chorus, delay, etc.
  
• Classic reed-based piano sounds with typical tremolo settings.
  
• Variations offering the sound of using a guitar amp's natural distortion.
  
• Sounds with key-off noise emulations.

More Strings

• Acoustic string sounds and vintage string keyboard sounds.

More Brass and Woodwinds

• A wide variety of sounds that are immediately useful for ensemble parts.
  
• Brass and woodwind sounds which combine multiple instruments, such as trumpet and trombone, flute, horns and strings, etc.

More Guitars

• Realistic guitar sounds using a wide variety of amp types and sizes.
  
• Inspiring and immediately useful sounds with classic distortion,
  
• chorus and delay effects.

More Synths

• Simple and easy-to-use analog synth sounds.
  
• Vintage solo/lead synth sounds covering the “must-have” sounds from the '70s and '80s.

Four models available
The M3 music workstation/sampler is available as a lineup of four models: 61-key, 73-key, and weighted 88-key models, as well as the module-only M3-M. The 61-key and 73-key models use a proprietary new semi-weighted synth action keyboard developed by Korg for great playing feel and expressive aftertouch response. The 88-key model features the RH3 (Real Weighted Hammer Action 3) keyboard that reproduces the playing sensation of a grand piano, in which the low range has a heavier feel, with the touch becoming lighter as you play upward on the keyboard, allowing superb response to fine movements of your fingers.

Enhanced Definition Synthesis: A new horizon of sound-making potential
The M3 features a newly developed "EDS" sound generating system based on a new chip design that was developed in parallel with the HD-1 engine from the flagship OASYS. It takes full advantage of the M3's 256 Mbytes of PCM source material which is a veritable "best of" from the OASYS.

Using Korg's advanced voicing technology, the 1,028 multisamples, 1,606 drum samples, dual oscillators, four-level velocity switching/crossfading/layering, and stereo sampling allow for an enormous range of high-quality, detailed, and expressive sounds. The filter section, a vital part of the sound-creation process, lets you simultaneously use two resonant filters for each oscillator, and can be configured in series or parallel. Four filter types are provided: low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and band-reject.

The amp section features a driver circuit that gives the sound a sense of edge and character, along with low boost to help shake the walls when needed. Integrated 3-band EQ allows tonal sculpting without needing to go to the effects section. Detailed envelope generators, abundant modulation routings, plus the all-new AMS Mixers for advanced processing all combine to provide a level of sound shaping far beyond previous possibilities.

Effects
The all-important effect section provides up to five Insert effects, two Master effects, and one Total effect. In addition to great choruses, flangers, phasers, delays and reverbs, the 170 effect types include dynamic processing effects such as compressor and limiter, amp modeling and speaker simulation effects using Korg's proprietary "REMS" modeling technology, and evocative effects like the Grain Shifter and Talking Modulator.

The M3 includes professional features that allow for many cool applications and routings. Dual Common LFOs allow multiple effects to use the same modulation source; an advanced Control Bus provides triggering input from external audio or internal timbres to effects such as compressor/limiters and the vocoder; and the audio inputs can be freely routed to various effect chains and then run to individual outputs allowing the M3 to be used as a 2-in/6-output effects processor.

Expanded Combination Mode
Combination Mode is where multiple Programs can be freely assigned as splits and layers across the keyboard, including velocity switching and cross-fading for complex and expressive sounds. Sounds can be delayed either by time or by tempo, even when you release a key, allowing you to create sophisticated rhythmic soundscapes and performance effects. Monophonic sounds can be forced to be polyphonic, or vice-versa, and you can select only one of the oscillators if desired. For the more adventurous musician, each timbre can even use a different scale or tuning!

The M3 allows for sixteen timbres at the same time, including a Drum Track, up to four KARMA Modules, multiple effects and much more. Each timbre has dedicated 3-band EQ for getting the perfect mix, and a powerful Tone Adjust setup for detailed in-context sound shaping.

In addition to providing more sound elements, this means that Combis can be set up and saved as complete 16-part MIDI sequencing templates for use with an external sequencer and computer DAWs.

Great sounds
In the end it's always about the sounds, and the M3 doesn't disappoint. Korg's acclaimed international voicing team delivers the goods once again: stunningly realistic imitative sounds, fat synth sounds, imaginative textures, evocative sound effects - it's all here. The M3 comes loaded with 512 Programs, and room for a total of 1,664 user sounds (13 Banks plus GM). All sound locations are fully editable (except GM banks), so you are always free to tweak a sound if needed. Adding in the EXB-RADIAS option delivers 128 powerful MMT synthesis sounds. There are 32 drumkits provided, and room for a total of 144. As for the 16-part Combinations, 384 come preloaded, with room for a total of 1,792 (14 Banks).

All sounds (Programs and Combinations) are organized by Categories and Sub-Categories for easy searching and selection, making it easy to find and organize your sounds.

Second Generation KARMA
The second generation KARMA functionality that first appeared on the OASYS and received wide acclaim from artists and users world-wide is fully implemented in the M3. KARMA is the inspiring, real-time music generation system that can help you play everything from natural instrument gestures like intricate finger-picking, strumming and harp glissandos, to complex cascades of notes, dance-riffs, gated and chopping effects and "improvising" drum grooves. KARMA continues to set the standard by which all other arpeggiators, phrase players, and musical effect generators are judged. The inspiration that KARMA offers, coupled with the unheard-of phrase variability is second to none.

Open Sampling
The M3's Open Sampling System lets you sample and resample in any mode to produce new remixed combinations of sounds and effects, or to capture full performances "In-Track" within the sequencer. Cutting-edge editing tools include Time Slice, Time Stretch, Crossfade Looping, Rate Change and Normalize.

An easy-to-use Auto-Setup function makes all the right sampling settings for you, with the press of a button. Stock sampling memory is 64 MB, and can be increased to 320 MB by adding the optional EXB-M256 memory expansion board. Samples in Korg native format, AIFF, WAV, Soundfont V2.0 and AKAI (S-1000/3000 with advanced Program parameter conversion) formats can be used, and internal samples can be exported as WAV or AIFF if needed.

Sampling can also be done to attached media, so USB memory sticks and hard drives can be used to extend memory size to resample a complete song as a WAV file to be burned to a USB CD-R/RW as an audio disc, or for moving to a computer for further editing and manipulation. Audio files on the media can even be edited directly to normalize, trim, and perform other essential editing tasks.

Korg Komponent System
The M3 music workstation/sampler introduces the new Korg Komponent System, featuring detachable keyboard and sound generator sections. The 61-key model lets you mount a RADIAS-R analog modeling synthesizer instead of the M3-M sound generator, the 73-key model lets you mount the M3-M together with a RADIAS-R analog modeling synthesizer, and the 88-key model supports the combination of M3-M and RADIAS-R or even mounting two M3-M units simultaneously. Of course you can detach the M3-M sound generator and use it as a sound module, giving you great flexibility for constructing the system you need whenever you want.

Korg M3-88 Features:

• 88 fully-weighted action keybed (RH3) with aftertouch
  
• EDS (Enhanced Definition Synthesis) chip shares OASYS low-aliasing oscillators, new filters, drive parameter and AMS mixer
  
• Karma - all 2nd Generation Karma functions from OASYS are included
  
• 256 MB ROM incorporates the 'best of' OASYS ROM
  
• 1024 programs (1664 possible)
  
• 384 combinations (1792 possible)
  
• Color Touchview display doubles as an X/Y pad for real time control
  
• Control surface has eight sliders and switches
  
• Eight velocity sensitive pads trigger notes, chords and controller messages
  
• Drum Track features provides grooves for jamming, Karma, or songwriting
  
• 480 PPQ sequencer
  
• Open Sampling System
  
• Editor/Librarian software is both stand alone and a plug-in within host software
  
• Korg Komponent System allows multiple modules to be added

Korg M3-88 - Sounds from OASYS in a more affordable package!

Specification Detail Sound Engine Type(s) ROM, Ram, Modeling Number of Keys 88 Type of Keys Semi-weighted Other Controllers Joystick, Ribbon Controller Polyphony 120 Notes Wave Memory 697 MB Number of Presets 1344 + 256 GM2 programs, 9 GM2 drum kits Expansion Radius, FireWire Expansion Cards Number of Effects 700 Effects Types Reverb, Chorus, EQ, etc. Arpeggiator Yes Sampling Yes Audio Playback No Audio Playback MIDI Sequencer 16-Track USB Storage, MIDI, Number of Audio Inputs 2 Audio Input Types 2 x TS (Mic/Line) Number of Audio Outputs 7 Audio Output Types 2 x TRS, 4 x TS, 1 x TRS (Headphone) Number of Digital Inputs 1 Digital Input Types 1 x S/PDIF (Optical) Number of Digital Outputs 1 Digital Output Types 1 x S/PDIF (Optical) MIDI I/O In, Out, Thru, and USB Pedal Inputs Damper, Switch Pedal Height 4.76" Width 56.1" Depth 14.65" Weight 48.42 lbs Power Supply 100 ~ 240V AC Power Supply Included Manufacturer Part Number M388

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