KORG MINILOGUE (01) PDF Document

The KORG MINILOGUE has several key features:

• 4-voice polyphonic synthesizer with onboard effects & sequencer.

• All-new innovative redesign of analogue synth circuitry.

• Instant recall of 100 factory Presets plus 100 additional user Programs.

• 8 Voice Modes (mono, poly, unison, duo, etc.) offer maximum flexibility.

• 41 dedicated panel controls deliver immediate parameter access.

• Real-time oscilloscope provides visual feedback of parameter changes.

• 16-step polyphonic sequencer can automate up to 4 synth parameters.

• Sync In and Sync Out jacks allow you to expand your session setup.

The rear panel of the KORG MINILOGUE features several connections for integrating with other equipment:

SYNC IN, OUT jacks: These jacks allow you to synchronize the minilogue’s sequencer steps with other devices. A pulse from another device’s audio output or DAW can be connected to the SYNC IN jack. An 1/8″ cable (mini-phone plug) is used to sync with Korg volca products.

MIDI IN, OUT connectors: Connect these to an external MIDI device for transmitting or receiving MIDI data.

USB B connector: This allows the minilogue to exchange MIDI messages with your computer.

Power switch: Hold this switch to turn the minilogue On or Off.

Cable hook: Loop the DC plug end of the AC Adapter cable around this hook to prevent it from being accidentally pulled out.

AUDIO IN jack: This standard 1/4″ TS jack accepts a mono audio signal from another synthesizer, instrument, or external sound source.

OUTPUT jack: This standard 1/4″ TS jack sends the sound of the minilogue to your monitoring system, mixer, or recording setup. The level is controlled by the MASTER knob.

Headphones jack: Connect your headphones here. This jack outputs the same sound as the OUTPUT jack.

Important: You must make connections with the KORG MINILOGUE turned off. Failure to do so may cause malfunctions and/or damage to your speaker system.

Before turning the KORG MINILOGUE on, you need to connect the AC adapter and other equipment.

1. Connect the included AC adapter to the DC 9V jack on the rear panel. Only use the included AC adapter to avoid malfunctions.

2. Plug the AC adapter into an AC outlet.

3. Hook the AC adapter cable onto the cable hook to prevent it from being accidentally pulled out.

4. Ensure any external output devices like powered monitor speakers are turned off before connecting them to the minilogue.

To turn the KORG MINILOGUE on:

1. Make sure both the minilogue and any external output devices are turned off, and turn the volume of all devices all the way down.

2. Hold down the Power switch on the rear panel of the minilogue. Once the “minilogue” logo appears in the display, you can release the Power switch.

3. Turn on any external output devices such as powered monitor speakers.

4. Adjust the volume of your external output equipment, then adjust the minilogue’s volume using the MASTER knob.

Before turning off the KORG MINILOGUE, be sure to save any Program data that you have edited, as it will be lost when the power is turned off.

1. Turn the MASTER knob of the minilogue to the left to turn the volume all the way down. Also, turn down the volume on any connected external output devices.

2. Hold down the Power switch on the rear panel. To turn off the power after the display goes blank, take your finger off the power switch.

It is recommended to wait about 10 seconds before turning the KORG MINILOGUE on again.

By default, the KORG MINILOGUE will automatically turn off after about 20 minutes of inactivity. To disable this feature:

1. Press the EDIT MODE button. The minilogue will enter Edit Mode.

2. Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to select GLOBAL EDIT. (Alternatively, you can press the EDIT MODE button repeatedly to cycle to it).

3. Press button 6 three times. “Auto Power Off” will be displayed.

4. Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to select “Off”.

5. Press the EXIT button. The minilogue will return to Play mode.

The KORG MINILOGUE has 200 Programs: 100 ready-to-play preset Programs and 100 locations for your own sounds. To select and play one:

1. Enter Play mode. When the minilogue is first turned on, it will be in Play mode. If you are in another mode, press the EXIT button. In Play mode, the EDIT MODE and 1–8/9–16 buttons on the front panel will be unlit.

2. Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to select a Program. The display will show the Program name and number.

TIP: To skip through the Program List in increments of 10, hold down the SHIFT button while turning the PROGRAM/VALUE knob.

3. Once a program is selected, you can play the keyboard. You can also adjust the OCTAVE switch to transpose the keyboard by ± 2 octaves, use the Slider for real-time control (the assigned parameter varies by Program), and use buttons 1-8 to change the Voice mode.

The KORG MINILOGUE allows you to register up to eight Programs as Favorites for instant recall.

Recalling a Favorite Program:

1. In Play mode, hold down the SHIFT button and press one of the buttons from 1-8.

2. The Favorite Program registered to that button will be recalled, and its name and number will appear in the display.

Registering a Favorite Program:

1. In Play mode, turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to select the Program you want to register as a favorite.

2. Hold down the SHIFT button and press one of the buttons from 1–8.

3. The Program will be registered to that button, and “Registered to Favorite” will be shown in the display. Your favorite Programs are saved in the Global settings.

Each Program on the KORG MINILOGUE can include its own sequence data. To play a sequence:

1. Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to select a Program that contains sequence data.

2. Press the PLAY button in the SEQUENCER section. The sequence data for the current Program will begin to play, and the 1-8 buttons will light up in steps.

3. To stop playback, press the PLAY button again.

Key Trigger Tip:

• To have the sequence play only when a key is pressed, hold SHIFT and press PLAY (the PLAY button will blink). This is key trigger on.

• To have the sequence start playing and continue after you release the key, press and hold the PLAY button while pressing the SHIFT button (both SHIFT and PLAY buttons blink). This is key trigger hold.

• To cancel key trigger hold, press the SHIFT button again while it is active.

There are two main ways to create sounds on the KORG MINILOGUE:

Editing an Existing Program:

1. In Program mode, select an existing Program that is close to the sound you want to create.

2. Use the knobs and switches on the front panel to edit the parameters and shape the sound. Remember to save the Program after editing, as any changes will be lost if you turn off the power or select a different Program.

Creating a Program from Scratch (Panel Load):

To start from a clean slate where the sound matches the current physical positions of the knobs and switches, use the Panel Load function.

1. Press the WRITE button while holding down the SHIFT button.

2. The sound will change to reflect the current panel settings, and “Load Panel” will be indicated in the display. You can now create your sound from this starting point.

After editing a sound, you should save it as a Program to avoid losing your changes.

1. After editing the program in Play mode, press the WRITE button. The minilogue will enter Write standby mode, the WRITE button will blink, and “Where to write?” will appear in the display.

2. Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to select the Program number where you want to save your new sound. Programs 1–100 are preset Programs, and Programs 101–200 are user Programs.

Tip: You can press the EXIT button to cancel the save operation.

3. Press the WRITE button once more. The Program will be saved, and the message “Complete” will appear in the display.

Warning: Never turn off the power while Programs are being saved, as this may destroy internal data.

The KORG MINILOGUE is a 4-voice synthesizer with 8 different Voice modes. In Play mode, you can switch between them using buttons 1-8. The VOICE MODE DEPTH knob controls a unique parameter for each mode. The available modes are:

This feature allows you to record your keyboard performance and add overdubs in real time.

1. Press the PLAY button in the SEQUENCER section to start the sequencer. The PLAY button will light up.

2. Press the REC button. Real-time recording will begin, and the REC button will light up.

3. Play the keyboard. The notes you play will be overdubbed (added) to the sequence data.

4. Press the REC button again to stop recording. The REC button will go dark. You can press it again to resume recording.

5. Press the PLAY button to finish real-time recording. The PLAY button will go dark.

To delete notes during real-time recording, press the REST button.

Step recording allows you to enter notes, rests, and ties one step at a time.

1. With the sequencer stopped, press the REC button. “STEP REC” and “STEP 1” will be shown in the display.

Tip: You can select a step to edit using buttons 1-8 for steps 1-8, and holding SHIFT while using buttons 1-8 for steps 9-16.

2. Use the keyboard and REST button to enter notes for each step.

• Recording notes: Press a key on the keyboard. The note name will appear. Release the key to record the note and move to the next step. You can also record chords.

• Recording a rest: Press the REST button to record a rest and move to the next step.

• Recording a tie: Press and hold a key, then press the REST button. The note will be tied to the next step.

3. Step recording will automatically end when the set number of steps is complete. You can also press the REC button at any time to stop step recording.

Motion Sequencing records knob and switch movements, which are then replayed automatically during playback. You can record up to 4 Motion Sequences per program.

1. Press the PLAY button to start the sequencer.

2. Press the REC button to begin real-time recording.

3. Move the knobs and switches on the minilogue (except for MASTER, TEMPO, and OCTAVE). The movements will be recorded as a Motion Sequence.

4. Recording will finish automatically after the set number of steps is complete.

If you try to record more than 4 motions, the message “Motion Full” will appear, and you will need to delete a previously-recorded motion sequence before recording a new one.

If you record a fifth motion, the minilogue will enter MOTION CLEAR mode automatically. You can then delete one of the previously recorded motions.

1. Check that the display shows “MOTION CLEAR” and lists the recorded motions.

2. Press button 4 to select the motion you wish to delete.

3. Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob until the message “CLEAR…?” is displayed.

4. Press the WRITE button. The selected Motion Sequence will be deleted.

5. Press the EXIT button.

To continue recording, press the REC button and then the PLAY button to stop playback before starting a new recording.

Tip: To delete all Motion Sequences at once, use the “Motion Clear” function in SEQ EDIT mode (accessed via button 3).

Step Edit allows you to change the notes and gate times of a previously recorded sequence.

1. Select the Program containing the sequence you want to edit.

2. Press the 1–8/9–16 button. The display will indicate “STEP EDIT 1–8” or “STEP EDIT 9–16”.

3. Select the step you want to edit by pressing one of the buttons from 1 to 8.

4. The display will show “Note”. You can play the keyboard to record a new note for that step.

5. Press the same step button again to show the “Gate Time” message. Use the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to change the gate time for that step.

• Pressing a step button (1-8) toggles the note for that step on (button lights up) or off (button goes dark, creating a rest).

• To erase a recorded note, select the step and press the REST button.

6. Press the EXIT button when you are finished with step editing.

The Edit mode on the KORG MINILOGUE provides access to detailed parameters not available on the front panel. There are four sub-modes: PROGRAM EDIT, SEQ EDIT, GLOBAL EDIT, and MICROTUNING.

1. Press the EDIT MODE button. The available Edit modes will be shown in the display, and the buttons will light up.

2. To select a mode, you can either:

• Press the EDIT MODE button repeatedly to cycle through the modes.

• Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to select the desired mode.

3. Once in the desired edit mode, press one of the lit buttons from 1 to 8 to select a parameter page. The parameter names will be shown in the display.

4. Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to change the value of the selected parameter.

Important: Changes made in PROGRAM EDIT and SEQ EDIT modes must be saved. Press the WRITE button, select a destination Program number, and press WRITE again to save. Changes in GLOBAL EDIT mode are saved automatically when you switch pages.

The analog circuitry of the KORG MINILOGUE can drift over time due to temperature changes. While auto-tuning occurs when the synth is idle, you can perform a manual tuning if you notice the pitch has drifted.

1. Press the REC button while holding down the SHIFT button.

2. Tuning will begin, and “Tuning…” will be shown in the display. The process takes about 15 seconds.

During the tuning process, you will not be able to play the minilogue. To cancel the manual tuning, press the REC button while holding down the SHIFT button again.

You can restore the KORG MINILOGUE’s preset Programs and global settings to their original factory state.

1. Start with the minilogue turned Off.

2. While holding down the WRITE button and the EXIT button, turn the minilogue On. “FACTORY RESET” will appear in the display.

3. Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to select what you wish to reset:

• PRESET: Restores the preset Programs (1–100). This will replace any existing data in those slots.

• GLOBAL: Restores all GLOBAL settings to their factory defaults, including any registered Favorite Programs.

• ALL: Restores all preset Programs (1-100), user Programs (101-200), and GLOBAL settings. Use caution, as this will erase all your user Programs.

4. Press the WRITE button. The display will ask, “Are you sure?”.

5. Turn the PROGRAM/VALUE knob to select “Yes”, and then press the WRITE button.

The factory-set data will be reloaded. Do not turn off the minilogue while data is being loaded.

Holding the SHIFT button on the KORG MINILOGUE provides quick access to several functions:

You can connect the KORG MINILOGUE to other MIDI devices to either control them or be controlled by them.

To control an external MIDI device from the minilogue:

If you want to use the minilogue’s keyboard, controllers, and sequencer to play sounds on an external MIDI tone generator, connect the minilogue’s MIDI OUT connector to the external device’s MIDI IN connector using a MIDI cable.

To control the minilogue from an external MIDI device:

If you want to play or control the minilogue from another MIDI keyboard or sequencer, connect the MIDI OUT connector of the external device to the minilogue’s MIDI IN connector with a MIDI cable.

You can connect the KORG MINILOGUE to a computer via USB for MIDI communication.

1. You will need to install the Korg USB-MIDI driver on your computer. Download the driver from the Korg website and install it as described in the accompanying documentation.

2. Connect the USB B connector on the rear panel of the minilogue to a USB port on your computer using a standard USB cable.

If the MIDI or USB connection is not working properly, check the “MIDI Route” setting in button 4 of the GLOBAL EDIT mode.

When using the KORG MINILOGUE with an external MIDI sequencer or computer DAW that has an “Echo Back” or “MIDI Thru” function active, you may experience double-triggering of notes. This happens because the note is played once locally and a second time when the sequencer sends the note back to the minilogue.

To prevent this, you should disable the LOCAL connection:

1. Enter GLOBAL EDIT mode on the KORG MINILOGUE.

2. Press button 2 (GLOBAL 2) to access the performance settings.

3. Select the “Local SW” parameter.

4. Set it to “Off”.

This disconnects the minilogue’s keyboard from its internal sound engine. The keyboard will now only send MIDI messages out, and the sound engine will only respond to incoming MIDI messages from your sequencer.

You can set the KORG MINILOGUE to be either the master clock or a slave device for synchronization.

First, go to the GLOBAL EDIT mode and press button 4 (GLOBAL 4) to access the “Clock Source” setting.

Using the minilogue as the master device:

1. Connect the MIDI OUT of the minilogue to the MIDI IN of your external device(s).

2. In the GLOBAL EDIT mode, set the “Clock Source” to “Internal”.

3. Configure your external MIDI device to receive MIDI clock data.

The minilogue will now act as the master, and the tempo set by its TEMPO knob will control the external device.

Using the minilogue as a slave device:

1. Connect the MIDI IN of the minilogue to the MIDI OUT of your external MIDI device.

2. In the GLOBAL EDIT mode, set the “Clock Source” to “Auto (MIDI)”.

3. Configure your external MIDI device to transmit MIDI clock data.

The minilogue will automatically act as a slave whenever it receives a MIDI timing clock, and will be driven by the tempo of the external device.