Korg miniKORG 700FS Synthesizer

General

The nice thing about vintage synthesizers, especially '80s synthesizers, is that they were still taking shape. These days, the average synthesizer layout is pretty predictable, but back in the day, a rich variation of shape, colour and construction was a given. The MiniKorg 700 was one such synthesizer: a quirk of a sonic machine where the control panel was mounted beneath the keyboard, which as soon as you remember that it was designed to be placed on top of an organ, actually makes perfect sense. Korg revive this old concept, give it the refreshing lick of paint that a set of forward-facing upgrades affords, and offer up the miniKORG 700FS synthesizer.

The Extensive Features of the Korg miniKORG 700FS

At first glance, this might look like a pretty limited chunk of hardware, which for the time it was first produced, isn't that strange. However, this synth is home to a mind-blowing range of sound-crafting potential - so much potential, that the original model was first made famous by the capable hands of Vangelis (Pulstar) and Kitaro (Silk Road), among many others. The aesthetics of this fascinating classic shouldn't be overlooked either - it just looks so tactile and deliciously retro.

A MiniKorg for Today

Since this is a reissue, it actually offers the same solid benefits. For starters, it's entirely brand new, has been built using new components, and you're not having to work through a 40-year-old layer of dust and dirt. DIN, MIDI in, and USB MIDI are supported, as well as aftertouch-capable keys, built-in reverb, and a joystick to control pitch-bend and modulation (in true Korg-style). Just like the OG, this fresh rendition of the MiniKorg has a second oscillator, but here you get the bonus of memory space for saving presets so that custom sounds can be easily preserved. Just to be sure, Korg also throw in a fat software package to partner up with your new synth, completing a both faithful and forward-thinking reworking of one of the more unique members of synthesizer history.