Unless you’ve started reading this issue of Sweet Notes from back to front, you have already read my report on Korg’s new Triton Music Workstation / Sampler. It was recently shown at the Musik Messe in Frankfurt, Germany (the overseas version of our NAMM Show) where it was getting quite a bit of attention — and for very good reason. I was fortunate enough to get an uninterrupted block of time to really dig into this machine and see what made it sound so fantastic.

One of the key ingredients to the Triton’s futuristic sound is its ability to track the MIDI Clock Tempo (internal or external) and use it as a dynamic modulation source to control a surprisingly wide variety of parameters including: LFO 1+2 Frequencies, Osc Pitch, Filter Cutoff, Amp, Envelope Times plus many of the parameters found in the 102 Insert Effects and 89 Master Effects. Combine this power with a Dual Arpeggiator that also syncs to MIDI Clock and you get Dance, Techno and Ambient grooves with pulsing textures that precisely lock to your music! As a professional synth programmer, I really appreciate the flexibility of Korg’s HI (Hyper Integrated) synthesis system. The ability to modulate most of the synth parameters and Effects via internal or external controllers means that the sounds will be living, breathing performance instruments ready to respond to your personal playing styles. And with 4 Realtime Control Knobs, a 4-position Joystick, Ribbon Slider, 2 Switches, Value Slider, and Tempo, Gate and Velocity Knobs, Foot Control and 2 Foot Switch Jacks, you have all the controllers you’ll need to twist your sounds into oblivion. And speaking of Effects, I have to admit that I’m totally floored by the Triton’s built-in Effects section. A Program, Combi, or Seq can have up to five (!) Stereo Insert Effects with a very powerful, yet easy to use, routing system that lets you build effects chains as if you had tons of outboard gear and a killer patchbay system. These Insert Effects can then feed into the 2 Master Effects for even more processing and then the final sound can be shaped with a true stereo 3-Band EQ. You’ve probably never heard a Program as fully processed as those the Triton can deliver.

And then there’s the MOSS (Multi Oscillator Synthesis System) Option Board. Imagine having 6 voices from KORG’s amazing Z1 Synthesizer to add to your sonic palette. These Physical Modeling Algorithms give you entirely new ways to program and radically new instruments to play, and let me tell you, this monster synth will make you want to sit and play for hours, if not days (I’ve missed several meals myself lately).

Plus, don’t forget that the Triton is called a Music Workstation / Sampler, and it has truly earned this title with a 200,000 note, full-featured 16-Track Sequencer onboard, as well as being a world-class Mono / Stereo Sampler. And the coolest part is that the sampler inputs can be routed through the stereo Insert Effects as you’re sampling!

So I guess by now you’ve gathered that I’m crazy about the new Korg Triton — well, who wouldn’t be? If you want to get one (after I get mine, of course!) call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer for additional information, availability, and your special Sweetwater price on this dream-come-true silver instrument. You’ll be glad you did.

Oh, by the way, as it’s getting closer to Summer (actually, it’s almost here), I’d like to remind any of you who might be going to the 1999 Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, Tennessee to stop by our booth (#325 on the Main Floor!) and say hello. If you’ve ever thought about what it might be like to work at one of the most exciting and futuristic music retail facilities in the business, talk to us at the booth about becoming part of the Sweetwater Team. Or you can call Kristine Haas right now at (800) 222-4700. All inquiries are strictly confidential.

See you next issue.

Daniel Fisher is the Director of Soundware Engineering at Sweetwater Sound.