Vintage Synth Explorer

Korg • ElecTribe/S ES-1

Korg adds a Sampler to their fantastic series of ElecTribe tabletop modules. "The ElecTribe-S is a new type of sampler that doesn't simply play back a recorded sound - it lets you aggressively process the samples to create your own signature sound. Play any sound or phrase in and use the pitch, filter and effects knobs to drastically alter the sample." Connect it to the ElecTribe-A and ElecTribe-R for a complete studio for under $1,500!

The sampler is excellent and is complemented by synth-like controls for filtering, pitch and effects and a great loop-based sequencer. It can get up to 95 seconds of sampling time, and the sounds are "as fat and gritty as ever". There are 11 effects plus delay that you can apply while sampling, a feature that works great with Resampling to add and layer different effects to each of your samples. You can also use the knobs to modify the tone while resampling a sound.

A new Time Slice Function will cut up samples to make them fit the tempo. Time Slice detects the attacks of each part within a loop (e.g., bass drum, snare, and hi-hat) for simple and accurate loop manipulation. And the "Motion Sequence" function from previous ElecTribes is also on-board to record real-time changes to effects, filter, and Time Slice Elements.

The ElecTribe-S provides a Smart Media slot for storing data. 3.3 V Smart Media ranging from 4 MB to 64 MB can be used to store your own sampled sounds, patterns and songs. It can also load AIFF and WAV files via Smart Media, allowing you to take advantage of sampled data stored on your computer. As a standalone or part of a Midi-Studio, the ElecTribe-S is a very affordable, functional and productive sampler/sequencer. It is used by Nine Inch Nails, The Crystal Method, A Guy Called Gerald, Mouse On Mars, Dead Silence, Praxis, The Prodigy, Crystal Distortion, Freddy Fresh, and the Chemical Brothers.

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wich

Posted 70 days ago

Syncable fx are cool. There's also an "audio in" which allows you to mute/unmute external audio in steps along with your on-board sounds.

Mine makes a "zip" noise if you switch between patterns that use different FX settings...easy enough to avoid, but a pain if you really need different fx from ptn - ptn.

Biggest gripe - the samples only respond to MIDI Note On and not Note Off even when using an external controller. This means if you trigger a sustained sound (like a cymbal) the sample will play all the way through to the end.

Jeez! Even my 18 year old Akai S950 will respond to MIDI Note Off commands.

Perhaps there's an alternate trigger mode I'm unaware of...

Fun box though. It can certainly groove...

JVCForce

Posted 118 days ago

ES-1 is a really fun machine! It is easy to transfer WAV files to ES-1 from PC. SmartMedia card is hard to get, but you can use xD (64MB max.) card with xD to SmartMedia card adapter, which is around $7 on ebay.

Sam

Posted 180 days ago

The Electribes are pretty much all about simplicity. aren't they? The ES-1 is a great sampler, but first and foremost it's a drum machine. You can't just loop whatever you want to. A sample has to be put into a pattern first. Now, this isn't the end of the world, but they couldn't have added a simple "loop" feature? The motion sequence function is a big selling point with these boxes. The reverb, however, isn't (dreadful). The knobs seem a bit flimsy, but the casing seems sturdy enough (plastic). All in all, a good buy (but I'll never sell my Zoom ST-224).

DiggyDog

Posted 419 days ago

This is a really fun piece of gear.
The pots are not fragile and the memory cards are easy to come by.

You can also back up the memory card on your computer or use the Electribe wihout a memory card at all! All the card does is give you more storage for samples, beats, and songs.

The sound is great and all of the paramters are tweakable. You can also record your knob turnings in real time and play them back .

Dj Pound

Posted 478 days ago

One of the best buys ive ever made, I bought this machine when it first dropped around 2001. At the time i also had a 2000xl, and i used the ES-1 more and still do! The ES is quite alot of fun with all the knob tweaking and button pushing that goes into mangling sounds and making real time automations on the fly. This machine gets 5 stars.
Smartmedia cards arent that hard to find either, a single 32 MB card will give you plenty of storage.

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