MiniKorg-700S

The MiniKorg-700S is an old and simple monophonic analog keyboard from Korg. It is a dual-oscillator synth related to Korg's first monosynth, the single oscillator MiniKorg-700. Most of the controls are located in an odd place beneath the keyboard so as to make room above the keyboard for a sheet-music stand. Some controls have bizarre names like Bender, Traveler and Expand for the auto-bend, filter and envelope, respectively.

MiniKorg-700

It has three ring modulators for some strange sounds and noises. Sometimes a decent bass sound for techno music can be achieved using the MiniKorg's hi-pass and low-pass filters. The two oscillators can be de-tuned and they offer triangle, sawtooth and square waveforms. There are some strange analog effects built-in as well such as portamento, a rudimentary repeat-delay, auto-bend (bender), vibrato and Chorus and Noise waveforms.

This limited and quirky little synth is a nice collectors item but rarely seen or used anymore. It has relatively no performance controls like pitch/mod, but for ancient analog technology, this synth is quite stable and reliable. It is still quite capable of generating a very analog bass sound, thud, thump, growl or squeal. The wood side-panels and large primary colored knobs and sliders are a sure sign of Vintage status. It has been used by The Cure, ComaTeens, Kitaro, Human League, N-Trance, Vangelis, the Normal, Stevie Wonder, The Cars and Paul Hardcastle.

PRA4SNW

August 13, 2011 @ 11:26 am

I just spotted this being used on stage by The Cars in a performance this month. I thought that the control placement was strange, so asked a synth friend about it. He pointed me to this page, so I thought I would mention that there is one still being used on stage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z385QYWKsPE

Ed

August 10, 2011 @ 10:11 pm

It shouldn't take a genius to realize that putting all the controls down in front (where they are) causes one hand to interfer with the other when you're trying to change settings while you're wailing. I know everybody is going to say " it never bothered me" well, I used the Korg from the time it came out in the 1970s until I ran out of steam; in the 1980s and "it bothered me". I use a Roland XP30 now but in the 70s the Korg was the absolute best for the bucks ( and it never broke like the Moog and the ARP which were in the shop every other week).

orlando56

August 9, 2011 @ 5:42 pm

A final comment: This review, as others have pointed out, seriously underrates the Mini Korgin my opinion. Its real strength is not in basslines but in leads. It sounds like no other synth I have ever played or heard. It also doesn't drift out of tune, unlike most old analogs.

orlando56

August 9, 2011 @ 5:35 pm

Rex the Dog is reportedly a heavy user of the Mini Korg 700s. Its distinctive, plangent tone can be heard in, for instance, his great track "I Can See You, Can You See Me?" The animated video also briefly shows a CGI version of one.

orlando56

August 9, 2011 @ 5:32 pm

My Mini Korg 700 now has a problem where when you hold down a note it repeatedly drops out briefly at regular intervals (i.e., the dropout appears to be independent of when you have pressed the key). Does anyone have any insight into this? Would be much appreciated.

<1312111098765>

 

Post Comment!

Your Name: (Required.)

Email Address: (Required, not published.)

Image verification: (required)

Message:

 

Posting Rules:
Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

I have read and understand the posting rules.