1251:
430:
969:
29:
1263:
251:
Korg's chief engineer, Junichi
Ikeuchi, led the hardware engineering design of the M1. Whereas previous synthesizers had shipped with sounds chosen for different markets, the Korg chairman, Tsutomu Kato, and his son Seiki decided that their synthesizers should use the same sounds internationally.
239:
from 1988 to 1995. The M1 was advertised as a 'workstation' rather than a synthesizer, integrating composition and performance features into a single device. It features 16-voice polyphony, high-quality digital samples (including drum sounds), an integrated 8-track sequencer and digital effects
453:. This digital version features 8-part multitimbrality, 256-note polyphony and presets from all 19 optional ROM cards. A free update added the entire preset collection from the T-series workstations to the M1 plugin.
437:
Following the success of the M1, Korg expanded its lineup with several series of new workstations, including the T-series in 1989, the 01-series in 1991, the X-series in 1993, and the N-series in 1996. The
382:
in 1988, Tony
Hastings wrote that it was "destined to be big, very big", with "sensational" sounds and extensive features that outperformed its competitors. It was widely used in popular music and
446:. Rack-mountable versions of the M1 include the M1R and the more affordable M3R. Additionally, Korg released the M1EX and the M1REX rackmount, both featuring sounds from the T-series.
176:
100 programs / 100 combinations / 4400 sequencer notes or 50 programs / 50 combinations / 7700 sequencer notes depending on global settings, and 10 songs + 100 patterns
1303:
405:
journalist Mark Vail wrote that the M1 was the bestselling synthesizer in history, though he noted that Korg had not verified the sales figures. Both
469:
Korg M1 Super Guide, The Next
Generation in Sound Synthesis – The AI Synthesis System, p. 13, Multisound List, Korg Inc. Japan.
417:
attributed the success to its sampling and sequencer features, which allowed musicians to produce entire tracks without a studio before the rise of
487:
Korg M1 Super Guide, The Next
Generation in Sound Synthesis – The AI Synthesis System, p. 44, Specifications, Korg Inc. Japan.
478:
Korg M1 Super Guide, The Next
Generation in Sound Synthesis – The AI Synthesis System, p. 14, VDF EG, Korg Inc. Japan.
333:
described the sounds as "wonderfully, endearingly wonky ... each one managed to sound simultaneously realistic and synthetic all at once".
552:
311:
tones — a large amount at the time — including instruments that had not been used extensively in mainstream music. The sounds include
327:
and percussive samples. The timbres include piano, strings, acoustic guitar, woodwinds, sitar, kalimba, wind chimes and drums.
85:
689:
509:
1298:
378:
The M1 was released in 1988 and was manufactured until 1995, selling an estimated 250,000 units. Reviewing it for
790:
442:
built upon the M1’s AI synthesis with the enhanced AI2 system, which introduced additional effects and digital
1293:
1283:
738:
1288:
1241:
883:
418:
285:
714:
141:
110:
16 oscillators, 16-bit 2 Mword (4 MB) PCM waveform ROM (100 multisounds + 44 drum sounds)
186:
Reverb, delay, phaser, tremolo, exciter, ensemble, overdrive, EQ, chorus, flanger, rotary speaker
652:
121:
625:
560:
243:
The M1 is one of the bestselling synthesizers in history, selling an estimated 250,000 units.
1229:
391:
316:
308:
170:
124:
105:
626:"The 14 most important synths in electronic music history – and the musicians who use them"
526:
395:
353:
341:
62:
8:
1154:
588:
370:, none of the M1's features were unique, but were implemented and combined in a new way.
152:
118:
933:
252:
Korg assembled an international team to develop the sounds for the M1. To create a deep
1255:
783:
630:
357:
329:
293:
833:
670:
662:
505:
232:
762:
1164:
1159:
928:
312:
297:
196:
1196:
1180:
450:
281:
1128:
1064:
858:
848:
843:
838:
657:
593:
366:
361:
67:
386:
in the late 80s and early 90s. The piano and organ presets were used in 1990s
1277:
1038:
1008:
953:
908:
893:
776:
674:
666:
345:
337:
39:
1267:
1217:
1003:
923:
903:
898:
888:
863:
818:
813:
320:
253:
181:
131:
72:
1033:
1013:
943:
913:
878:
387:
383:
228:
136:
VDF (variable digital filter), low-pass velocity-sensitive (non-resonant)
1201:
1096:
1080:
1059:
1054:
1023:
1018:
948:
938:
918:
873:
868:
443:
277:
265:
1149:
1144:
1112:
988:
828:
823:
439:
269:
1250:
853:
324:
273:
449:
Korg released a software version of the M1 in 2006 as part of the
1028:
998:
993:
958:
349:
289:
690:"Classic Gear: Korg M1 - The final nail in the analogue coffin?"
95:
429:
364:
simulation, an innovative inclusion at the time. According to
256:
sound, the team played a pan flute over a large sake bottle.
799:
236:
44:
413:
described it as the most popular synthesizer of all time.
28:
304:
739:"Korg Offers Free Legacy Collection Update – Synthtopia"
768:
533:. United Kingdom: SOS Publications Ltd. pp. 74–80
518:
1239:
1275:
481:
784:
544:
209:Spring-return joystick (pitch and modulation)
65:2,166 est. street (1988)/$ 2,749 MSRP (1990)
280:and modulation control, an eight-track MIDI
619:
617:
615:
613:
611:
300:. Data can be stored on RAM and PCM cards.
791:
777:
146:3 independent AADBSSRR envelope generators
27:
1304:Musical instruments invented in the 1980s
650:
608:
428:
336:The M1 also features effects, including
264:The M1 features a 61-note velocity- and
687:
550:
1276:
712:
623:
524:
772:
499:
586:
582:
580:
578:
576:
574:
572:
570:
495:
493:
13:
14:
1315:
756:
567:
490:
1261:
1249:
967:
713:Walker, Martin (February 2006).
731:
706:
681:
651:Hastings, Tony (August 1988).
644:
472:
463:
307:with four megabytes of 16-bit
246:
1:
763:Korg M1 video demo and review
715:"Korg Legacy Digital Edition"
551:Colbeck, Julian (June 2001).
456:
433:Korg M1R rack mounted module.
268:-sensitive keyboard, 16-note
688:Douglas, Adam (2024-02-09).
587:Vail, Mark (February 2002).
373:
7:
1014:Triton/Le/Studio/Extreme/TR
624:Twells, John (2016-09-15).
502:Patch & Tweak with KORG
424:
259:
10:
1320:
965:
525:Mellor, David (Mar 1992).
419:digital audio workstations
201:61 keys (Yamaha FS keybed)
1226:
1210:
1189:
1173:
1137:
1121:
1105:
1089:
1073:
1047:
976:
806:
500:Bjørn, Kim (2022-01-01).
213:
205:
195:
190:
180:
169:
161:
150:
140:
130:
114:
104:
94:
90:16 voices, 16 oscillators
84:
79:
58:
50:
38:
26:
21:
798:
80:Technical specifications
1299:Polyphonic synthesizers
653:"Life In The Fast Lane"
504:. Bjooks. p. 180.
451:Korg Legacy Collection
434:
589:"Korg M1 (Retrozone)"
432:
1294:Digital synthesizers
557:Electronic Musician
527:"Hands On: Korg M1"
162:Velocity expression
1284:Music workstations
661:. pp. 40–46.
435:
1289:Korg synthesizers
1237:
1236:
1211:Musical arrangers
390:, beginning with
233:music workstation
221:
220:
206:Left-hand control
1311:
1266:
1265:
1264:
1254:
1253:
1245:
1230:List of products
1174:MIDI controllers
971:
970:
793:
786:
779:
770:
769:
750:
749:
747:
746:
735:
729:
728:
726:
725:
710:
704:
703:
701:
700:
685:
679:
678:
648:
642:
641:
639:
638:
621:
606:
605:
603:
601:
584:
565:
564:
559:. Archived from
548:
542:
541:
539:
538:
522:
516:
515:
497:
488:
485:
479:
476:
470:
467:
235:manufactured by
217:MIDI IN/OUT/THRU
214:External control
31:
19:
18:
1319:
1318:
1314:
1313:
1312:
1310:
1309:
1308:
1274:
1273:
1272:
1262:
1260:
1248:
1240:
1238:
1233:
1222:
1206:
1197:Korg Collection
1185:
1169:
1133:
1117:
1101:
1085:
1069:
1043:
972:
968:
963:
802:
797:
759:
754:
753:
744:
742:
737:
736:
732:
723:
721:
711:
707:
698:
696:
686:
682:
649:
645:
636:
634:
622:
609:
599:
597:
585:
568:
563:on 23 Sep 2004.
549:
545:
536:
534:
523:
519:
512:
498:
491:
486:
482:
477:
473:
468:
464:
459:
427:
407:Sound and Sound
376:
262:
249:
71:
66:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1317:
1307:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1291:
1286:
1271:
1270:
1258:
1235:
1234:
1227:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1220:
1214:
1212:
1208:
1207:
1205:
1204:
1199:
1193:
1191:
1187:
1186:
1184:
1183:
1177:
1175:
1171:
1170:
1168:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1155:Electribe EM-1
1152:
1147:
1141:
1139:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1131:
1125:
1123:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1115:
1109:
1107:
1103:
1102:
1100:
1099:
1093:
1091:
1087:
1086:
1084:
1083:
1077:
1075:
1071:
1070:
1068:
1067:
1065:Korg Mini Pops
1062:
1057:
1051:
1049:
1045:
1044:
1042:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
980:
978:
974:
973:
966:
964:
962:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
936:
931:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
859:Monotron Delay
856:
851:
846:
841:
836:
831:
826:
821:
816:
810:
808:
804:
803:
796:
795:
788:
781:
773:
767:
766:
758:
757:External links
755:
752:
751:
730:
719:Sound On Sound
705:
680:
658:Sound on Sound
643:
607:
594:Sound on Sound
566:
543:
531:Sound On Sound
517:
511:978-8799999552
510:
489:
480:
471:
461:
460:
458:
455:
426:
423:
403:Sound on Sound
380:Sound on Sound
375:
372:
367:Sound on Sound
298:ADSR envelopes
261:
258:
248:
245:
219:
218:
215:
211:
210:
207:
203:
202:
199:
193:
192:
188:
187:
184:
178:
177:
174:
167:
166:
163:
159:
158:
155:
148:
147:
144:
138:
137:
134:
128:
127:
116:
115:Synthesis type
112:
111:
108:
102:
101:
98:
92:
91:
88:
82:
81:
77:
76:
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
42:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1316:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1287:
1285:
1282:
1281:
1279:
1269:
1259:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1246:
1243:
1232:
1231:
1225:
1219:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1209:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1194:
1192:
1188:
1182:
1179:
1178:
1176:
1172:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1136:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1120:
1114:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1104:
1098:
1095:
1094:
1092:
1088:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1072:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1052:
1050:
1048:Drum machines
1046:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
981:
979:
975:
960:
957:
955:
954:Volca Modular
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
811:
809:
805:
801:
794:
789:
787:
782:
780:
775:
774:
771:
764:
761:
760:
740:
734:
720:
716:
709:
695:
691:
684:
676:
672:
668:
664:
660:
659:
654:
647:
633:
632:
627:
620:
618:
616:
614:
612:
596:
595:
590:
583:
581:
579:
577:
575:
573:
571:
562:
558:
554:
547:
532:
528:
521:
513:
507:
503:
496:
494:
484:
475:
466:
462:
454:
452:
447:
445:
441:
431:
422:
420:
416:
412:
408:
404:
401:In 2002, the
399:
397:
394:1990 single "
393:
389:
385:
381:
371:
369:
368:
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
343:
339:
334:
332:
331:
326:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
303:The M1 has a
301:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
257:
255:
244:
241:
238:
234:
230:
226:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
198:
194:
189:
185:
183:
179:
175:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
154:
149:
145:
143:
139:
135:
133:
129:
126:
123:
120:
117:
113:
109:
107:
103:
99:
97:
93:
89:
87:
83:
78:
74:
69:
64:
61:
57:
53:
49:
46:
43:
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1228:
1218:Korg Pa600MY
983:
977:Workstations
864:Monotron Duo
834:miniKORG 700
807:Synthesizers
743:. Retrieved
741:. 2006-01-27
733:
722:. Retrieved
718:
708:
697:. Retrieved
693:
683:
656:
646:
635:. Retrieved
629:
598:. Retrieved
592:
561:the original
556:
546:
535:. Retrieved
530:
520:
501:
483:
474:
465:
448:
436:
414:
410:
406:
402:
400:
379:
377:
365:
335:
328:
323:, sustained
302:
263:
254:blown bottle
250:
242:
240:processing.
224:
222:
191:Input/output
122:sample-based
40:Manufacturer
1256:Electronics
1165:Kaossilator
1160:Electribe R
1138:Grooveboxes
1039:Nautilus/AT
944:Volca Beats
929:Wavestation
765:in Japanese
444:waveshaping
388:house music
384:stock music
292:and filter
284:, separate
247:Development
229:synthesizer
151:Aftertouch
125:subtractive
33:The Korg M1
16:Synthesizer
1278:Categories
1181:PadKontrol
1122:Soundcards
1034:Kronos/X/2
949:Volca Keys
939:Volca Bass
745:2024-04-04
724:2024-04-04
699:2024-04-09
637:2018-10-19
600:6 November
537:2024-04-09
457:References
358:distortion
317:transients
294:modulation
278:pitch-bend
266:aftertouch
153:expression
142:Attenuator
106:Oscillator
96:Timbrality
1150:Electribe
1145:Kaoss Pad
1129:OASYS PCI
849:Monologue
844:Mono/Poly
839:Minilogue
829:microKORG
675:925234032
667:0951-6816
553:"Korg M1"
392:Madonna's
374:Reception
325:waveforms
282:sequencer
270:polyphony
86:Polyphony
54:1988–1995
1190:Software
1074:Samplers
1009:N364/264
909:Prophecy
894:Poly-800
854:Monotron
694:Gearnews
425:Variants
274:joystick
260:Features
197:Keyboard
1242:Portals
1090:Vocoder
1004:Trinity
984:Korg M1
924:Trident
904:PS-3300
899:Polysix
889:Poly-61
884:PE-2000
819:DW-8000
814:DW-6000
350:tremolo
315:attack
313:sampled
290:vibrato
225:Korg M1
182:Effects
171:Storage
119:Digital
75:248,000
1106:Organs
914:RADIAS
879:MS2000
673:
665:
508:
362:Leslie
360:, and
346:chorus
338:reverb
296:, and
173:memory
132:Filter
100:8 part
70:1,499
1268:Music
1202:DS-10
1097:VC-10
1081:DSS-1
1060:DRM-1
1055:DDD-1
1024:OASYS
1019:KARMA
919:Sigma
874:MS-20
869:MS-10
396:Vogue
342:delay
321:loops
227:is a
59:Price
51:Dates
1113:CX-3
989:01/W
824:DS-8
800:Korg
671:OCLC
663:ISSN
631:Fact
602:2019
506:ISBN
440:01/W
415:Fact
411:Fact
409:and
330:Fact
288:for
286:LFOs
276:for
272:, a
237:Korg
231:and
223:The
63:US$
45:Korg
934:X50
398:".
309:PCM
305:ROM
165:Yes
157:Yes
1280::
1029:M3
999:i3
994:X3
959:Z1
717:.
692:.
669:.
655:.
628:.
610:^
591:.
569:^
555:.
529:.
492:^
421:.
356:,
354:EQ
352:,
348:,
344:,
340:,
319:,
22:M1
1244::
792:e
785:t
778:v
748:.
727:.
702:.
677:.
640:.
604:.
540:.
514:.
73:¥
68:£
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.