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Korg M3

M3
Korg M3.jpg
Korg M3
Manufacturer Korg
Dates 2007 - 2013
Price M3M (module): US$2375
M3 61-key: US$3000
M3 73-key: US$3475
M3 88-key: US$4000
Technical specifications
Polyphony 120 voice - single mode
60 voice - double mode
Oscillator 120 oscillators - single mode
120 oscillators - double mode
Synthesis type PCM Sampler
Enhanced Definition Synthesis
Optional - EXB-Radias
Filter Dual Multimode
Aftertouch expression Yes
Velocity expression Yes
Storage memory 64 Mb - Expandable to 320 Mb with optional EXB-M256
Effects 3-band EQ (up to 16)
5 insert effects
2 master effects
1 total effect
Input/output
Keyboard 61-key, Velocity Aftertouch
73-key, Velocity Aftertouch
88-key Hammer Action, Velocity Aftertouch
none - ( M3 Module)
Left-hand control 8x Sliders
8x Switches
Joystick
Ribbon Controller
8x Velocity Sensitive Pads
X-Y Touchscreen Control
External control [[MIDI] [USB 2.0]]

Korg M3 is a music workstation synthesizer manufactured by Korg Corporation and introduced at the Winter NAMM show during January, 2007. It hit the streets 4 months later. The M3 is the successor of the famous Triton series. The name is based on the former M1, which was considered a revolutionary synth at the time.

The hardware synthesizer chip was designed around the HD-1, one of the various engines in the Korg OASYS. The M3 was named keyboard of the year at the Musik Messe Awards in Germany early 2007.

At the end of Q3 2008 Korg released a major update to the M3's operating system, which changes the unit to the 'M3 XPanded'. This update refines many of the functions of the M3, makes minor changes to the graphic user interface, adds four additional PCM sample libraries including a grand piano (EX-USB-PCM03) library, two brass and woodwind libraries (EX-USB-PCM01 & EX-USB-PCM02), a stereo grand piano (EX-USB-PCM04) library, and updates the KARMA to version 2.2 Kay Algorithmic Realtime Music Architecture developed by Stephen Kay (see: Korg KARMA).

Korg Komponent System is a unique modular keyboard system devised by Korg Corporation that allows the keyboardist to configure their M3 in a multitude of ways. With three different keyboard options Korg explains the system like this:

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.

The largest criticisms of the Komponent system are:

In 2008, Korg unveiled a new, stripped-down version of the M3, the Korg M50. It runs on the same EDS sound system as the M3, but it has less polyphony, no support for expansion cards and no sampling capabilities. Korg M50 also lacks Karma engine but it still can be used if bought separately and installed on computer. The 88-key version, which featured the RH3 graded hammer-action piano keys, is the lightest 88-key keyboard Korg has ever made.


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