Korg Kaossilator

The controls may be Spartan but they’re remarkably intuitive in practice. The main knob defaults to preset selection, but also selects scales, tempo, or gate/arpeggio type when you hold down the corresponding button. The trackpad’s X-axis controls pitch and its Y-axis governs various timbral characteristics of the sound.

The Kaossilator records loops of up to two bars in length. Just select a preset, hold down the Rec/Play button, play your riff, let the button up to commit or hold it down for a do-over, then move on to the next layer. Since recording is audio-based, you can create entire compositions by changing presets between record passes and stacking up loops.

Each pass is destructive and there’s only one layer of undo, which can be a drag, but after you get the hang of it, it becomes just part of the Kaossilator’s character. I was more disappointed by the fact that powering off deletes the recording, which means capturing an especially good session for posterity requires leaving the unit on until you can fire up a laptop or other recording device.

Keeping things rhythmic is the Gate/Arp button on the front edge, which toggles a triggered mode with 50 pattern options. There’s a ton of useful material here, which makes creating percolating, floor-stomping loops an enjoyable affair.

The Kaossilator’s 100 presets are neatly organized by type: lead, acoustic, bass, chord, sound effects, drum, and pattern. While the manual lists the preset names, they’re identified by number on the unit itself. Here are some highlights.

The default lead patch, L00, is a lovely theremin-like sound with an octave echo adding some tasteful electronic ambience. Here, the Y-axis simultaneously controls filter cutoff, vibrato amount, and effect wet/dry mix. The other 20 leads cover a surprising amount of ground. L02 has a classic trance feel; L16, L17, and L19 are tailor-made for electro; L11 and 12 have a minimal feel. There are even a few analog synth-type leads that are sure to please prog rockers.

The “acoustic” section contains mostly utilitarian stuff like bells, analog strings, and a DX7-like jazz guitar. The big standout here is A20, which at first sounds like a typical sampled trumpet. After playing a few runs, it comes to life. Running your finger along the X-axis produces startlingly realistic runs and glisses that make the instrument powerfully convincing — and perfect for acid jazz or house jams.

Twenty bangin’ basses range from contemporary electro swoops to classic TB-303-style acid. It does take some practice to master playing accurate bass lines on the pad. The chord section includes a nice little array of sounds suited for house and tech-house, which are known for their use of seventh chords. My personal fave here is C51 with its muted, organ-like chord permutations and inversions controlled via the Y-axis.

The sound effects include something for everyone, and will probably see the most use in live DJ sets thanks to a terrific selection of intelligently atonal presets. The ten drum presets include synthetic conga, timpani, and a few analog drum sounds. All are quite expressive due to intelligent Y-axis assignments, and seasoned finger-tappers will have no problem integrating them into a wide variety of DJ sets. Rounding it all out are ten rhythm patterns with a decidedly analog drum machine feel, plus a couple of simple one-note bass riffs. These are best suited for creating “guide” loops in the Kaossilator’s recorder.

After playing the Kaossilator for several weeks, I’ve become a devoted fan. For DJs, it adds a wonderfully live element to performances. For producers, it delivers swooping leads and riffs that would take forever to compose and sequence. For travelers, it’s a heck of a lot more fun than sitting on a plane or subway listening to an MP3 player. Having used it in all three situations, I have a sneaky feeling that Korg just introduced another runaway hit for the dance community, or for anyone who wants instant, inspiring musical gratification. That you get so much fun for so little money also makes it a Key Buy winner. Bravo!