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Korg's New Keyboard Powered by Linux

jgwong writes "Korg's newest keyboard, called OASYS, will run Linux with a propietary software developed by themselves. With a 10.4" touchscreen, CD burner and 16-track HD audio recording this looks pretty neat. No information about availability or price, though."

5 of 303 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Keyboard? by QuantumG · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I believe this is another good reason to RTFA.

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  2. Re:Is this really in the spirit of the GPL? by Aneurysm9 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Is there something we can do about this?

    Yes! Celebrate! If they have made changes to the kernel they will have to release them and, hopefully, there will be something of benefit to other Linux audio projects in there. Even if they didn't make any changes, it is a major pro-audio component maker embracing Linux. We need more pro-audio software and hardware support for Linux. I hate it that I have to use Windoze to do postprocessing on recordings that I make, there's no reason Linux can't support VST plugins and (usable) low latency audio.

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  3. Re:All well and good... by Rares+Marian · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's great that everyone thinks this is such a simple mistake nowadays but back when Milli Vanilli did it the backlash resulted in a suicide.

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  4. Re:All well and good... by BagOBones · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's one think to pre record your own work and act it out live. It's another when you have two models out there faking it up to someone elses work.

    link

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  5. This is not unexpected News by Ralph+Spoilsport · · Score: 4, Insightful
    As a professional electronic musician (among other things as an interdisciplinary artist) I can comment on this development.

    Basically, the Keyboard People are fucked.

    Strike that. They are FUCKED.

    Why? As one poster noted above: Software.

    Software synthesis already outstrips most anything you can do in a keyboard, and at a much lower cost.

    Exhibit A:

    REASON

    I remember back i nthe ancient 1980s, when a cheezy ass sampler (by todays standards) cost $2000+. In Reason, which costs about $400, you can fill an entire virtual rack with samplers far in excess of what availed then. you want 11 samplers stacked? If you had $25,000 - SURE. In Reason, when you're done, you simply open up a new blank Rack, and fill it with more/other goodies from the drop down menu. Back then, you'd have to sell all those samplers...

    It comes with drum machines, samplers, processors, mixers, synthesizers of several different stripes, and on and on.

    Second Exhibit: ABLETON LIVE

    This, in combination with Reason, offers truly terrifying amounts of musical development and creativity. Recently, Live was upgraded to include MIDI, and a basic drum machine, so now it is even more deadly as a combo with Reason. Live is a Loop based compositional system, but with its new MIDI capabilities, it is now a much more powerful beast. It costs about $350, IIRC.

    Exhibit Three: Max/MSP

    This, in combination with Live and Reason, makes ANYTHING coming out of Korg pretty much superfluous. With Live and Reason, you have composition systems and tonnes of "Gear". With Max/MSP you make your own gear, and it can be just as weird as you want it to be. Max/MSP isn't a synth, it's a software development environment that resembles an evil cross between Visual Basic and tinkertoys. It's available on Mac and (finally) Windows, and it totally fuckin' rocks. If you wondered how freeks like Autechre makes all that jiggety noise, look no further than:
    Max/MSP.

    so, lets run some totals:

    My guess is the Oasys will likely come in around at a $2500 price point.

    I often shop at Musicians Friend so my prices are from there as of today, Jan 20th. They aren't the best, or the worst. It's just a data point.

    Reason: on sale: $199
    Ableton Live: $399
    Max/MSP with Jitter (video libraries): $799
    Edirol PCRA-30 keyboard with Audio In: $299

    And a computer I found at PC MALL - an IBM Thinkpad:

    Intel P4, 2.8GHz processor, 256MB RAM, 40GB Hard Drive, CD-RW/DVD Combo drive,15" XGA Display, XP-Pro, etc.

    Which has PLENTY of power for audio. and it's on sale for $1,198.

    So, throw in another hundred bucks for a kbd stand and what not and the total is around:

    $2900

    Which is probably a bit more than the OASYS will sell for. Since Max/MSP is for Advanced User GEEKS, and Jitter is even geekier, cut the $799 out and you have an entire electronic music studio that KICKS ASS for about $2200.

    ...for a system that will totally thrash the OASYS up and down the street. Cheerfully.

    Now: will your system CRASH? Yes. Will the OASYS? Probably not. If you're worried about that, then get a Powerbook or a Linux Book or whatever-the-fuck-book that flips your crank. They don't Blue Screen as much as Windoze box, but there are other issues involved. All in all, unless you're planning to spend a lot of time on stage, you're better off with the compter based system.

    In a few years you will have run through most of what the OASYS does. In a few years... I *shudder* to think what Reason and Live will be like...

    Basically Hardware Synth manufactueres are doomed. The only ones who will survive are the ones making the uber-geek analogue gear, and they will basically be little more than boutique operations for purists.

    RS

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