KORG DS-10 Synthesizer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Wow.I was expecting this to be a lot simpler than it turns out to be.It's almost like a tiny pocket-sized version of Propellerhead's Reason software.Obviously it's very limited by the DS hardware, but if you like messing around with music and music software then you can have hours of fun with this.

You get two monophonic synths with their own sequencer tracks for note/gate/pan/volume, plus a couple more tracks that can be assigned to modulate a long list of parameters and settings.The synths are simple but have most of the things you need to replicate classic analog synth patches, and there are a few relatively novel routing options and modulation sources.Synth patches can be saved and loaded separately from whole compositions.

You also get four "drum" voices which turn out to be four more instances of the same basic synth, though with a few less options and much simpler pattern programming.So in total you get as many as six sounds happening at once, plus a very basic global effects section.The drum sounds each get their own FX though.

A complete song is made of up to 100 strung together instances of 16 different "patterns".Each pattern encompasses up to 16 beats/notes plus the programming for each synth and all its sequencer data.So each pattern can sound and act completely different.

All the programming and composing is pretty much done at the pattern level.

Just about any knob or setting can be twiddled in real-time during playback, and you can interact with it through a two-octave on-screen keyboard or an X/Y "KAOSS" pad in addition to editing events directly in the sequencer view. You can also play the 16 patterns back manually so there quite a few performance opportunities.

The manual is of course very limited and someone could write a book about programming and making music on this thing.It strikes me as a product where the developers had way more fun than their bosses thought they should have.There are lots of well thought out details and some things that the manual can't even begin to discuss in enough depth.

It's not really a "game" of course so much as it's like buying a 1995 vintage synthesizer workstation that came with documentation in Japanese.You need to be inclined towards this sort of thing in order to have fun with it, but it has much more depth than many pocket sized synthesizers and sound modules of the past.

Anyhow, if you have any interest in classic synthesizer hardware or music software, you'll probably love this.Probably not a good gift though for a child who isn't already motivated in that direction.One of the better "adult level" titles for the DS though.

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Product Description:
Whether you are just looking for fun on the run, or a way to work out your next hit song, the KORG DS-10 Synthesizer for Nintendo DS could be your newest best companion. The DS-10 combines the superior interface of the Nintendo DS with the design concept of the famous KORG MS-10 synthesizer to bring you portable music-creation software without rival.


KORG DS-10 Synthesizer brings portable music creation to the Nintendo DS.

Various sound textures are made possible by implementing the two VCO's, three filter types, and more.

Notes that you perform can be recorded in the sequencer, allowing for further editing. A Professional-Grade Synthesizer in the Palm of Your Hand
The ultra high-quality sound sources for the DS-10 come from KORG, maker of some of the world's finest musical instruments. Korg spared no effort in creating this ultra-portable yet powerful and easy-to-use music software with tons of the latest features-- and all with the unique accessibility of the Nintendo DS touch screen.
The KORG DS-10 Synthesizer gives you the choice of sculpting your own unique sounds with expansive on-screen controls, or starting from a preset template. With two dual oscillator synth parts and four synth/drum parts, users can create synth and drum lines using the on-screen touch keyboard and drum pads, or engage the elegant six-track, 16-step sequencer.
With powerful features such as KORG's KAOSS technology, users can add custom modulations in real-time, tighten the mix with a full-featured mixer, polish their grooves with multiple effects, and create complete songs that they can save on the spot.
The DS-10 features a chorus, flanger, and delay parameter that can be applied individually to each synth or the drum machine, either individually or as a whole. In addition, each of the editable drum sounds can have a separate effect added to it. Various sound textures are made possible by implementing the two VCO's, three filter types, and more, while notes can be recorded in the sequencer, allowing for further editing. This broad functionality, combined with patching functionality, makes the DS-10 suited to even the most avid sound designers.
Intuitive and Easy Use
The sounds made by each of the two analogue synthesizer emulators are modified using virtual knobs, and users can patch particular parameters for further modification. The user interface is mainly through the DS's touch screen. Notes can be played using a two-octave keyboard, or through an interface that detects the X and Y position of the stylus on the touch pad, simulating a KORG KAOSS Pad.
The Nintendo DS's dual-screen touch panel is used to the fullest to provide a feel and operability that is unsurpassed. Although there are many expert-level features available with synthesizer, the DS-10 can be appreciated by the complete novice as well as the seasoned professional.
Music Without Limits
The KORG DS-10 Synthesizer offers two types of wireless play in Multi-player and Data Exchange modes. Up to eight separate Nintendo DS players can connect via a wireless link to perform as an ensemble. Each DS-10 synthesizer can be played as its own independent instrument, or they can be assigned a part to create a band, allowing for virtually limitless applications.
What's more, users who have created new riffs, tunes, or complete songs can exchange their session data with other KORG DS-10 users. It is even possible to send session data in advance to your friends, so you can all play to the same tune. Not only does the DS-10 bring stylus music to the world for the first time, but this robust connectivity allows for performances and compositions that simply aren't possible on a single Nintendo DS.



The keyboard and KAOSS pad can be played directly with a stylus.

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KORG DS-10 Plus Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Almost as soon as I received my KORG DS-10 in the mail, I picked up a second copy and another DS Lite.Then I heard about the KORG DS-10 Plus and realized that I had been played for a chump since the new version would basically let me do the same thing as two copies, minus the awkwardness of holding two DS systems and wearing two sets of headphones when I was using them outside of my home studio.Naturally, I pre-ordered it as soon as I was able to, and I decided to hold out for the DSi XL to be released so that I could experience its full potential (it's still usable on a DS or DS Lite, you just can't use dual mode, which is pretty much the whole point of this updated version).Now that I've had time to compare the DS-10 Plus to two copies of the original DS-10, I feel like I'm ready to share my experience.

First of all, I'm assuming anyone reading this review knows what they're getting into.There aren't a whole lot of changes in this revision of the DS-10, so if you've already used that one you know what to expect.If not, I've read plenty of reviews that don't quite "get" the DS-10, finding it limited as a loop-based synthesizer lacking polyphonic sounds and a full sequencer.If you were hoping to find those kinds of features, you should probably consider just buying an actual factual piece of audio hardware or a soft synth for your computer.If you're anything like me, the so-called "limitations" of the DS-10 are what make it fun to make music on... with enough creativity and practice you can make a single synth or drum sound sound like several disparate sounds, and you can find clever ways to create transitions between the various patterns so it sounds like more than simple looping electronic music.I love the challenge of trying to get more sounds out of fewer options (even on my hardware synths).I also love that I can work on my music on my daily walk to/from my office... you'd be hard-pressed to find ANY other software or hardware synthesizer that allows you that much freedom.

That being said, what's new in the DS-10 Plus to distinguish it from owning two copies of its predecessor?The new dual mode allows you to load up a different song in each "deck", so that you now have 4 synths instead of 2, and 8 drum tracks instead of 4.You still need to remember to save each song separately if you make changes, but it's pretty easy to tell which deck is currently selected, and being able to use the R button to quickly switch between decks is incredibly convenient.Otherwise, not a lot has changed since the first DS-10 (it seems like they could have at least improved the presentation), but it turns out that the greatest strength of this new version, as well as its greatest weakness, lies in the revamped song mode.

In the original DS-10, song mode was basically worthless.You organize your patterns into a single composition and then listen to them play.You can't change things on the fly, and you can't program anything other than the order of patterns in, so you'd might as well just stick to pattern mode and do it yourself.In the DS-10 Plus, not only are you given the option to program in mutes for every sound (which at first felt like cheating to me after spending so many months practicing my songs and muting sounds manually as I switch patterns), but you're free to move around to any of the normal editing screens and change up your sounds, play along on the keyboard, alter the master effect, and mess with the mixer, all while having the song continue playing the patterns in the order you specified.This gives you a ridiculous amount of freedom in your compositions.Previously, switching back and forth between two or more patterns while simultaneously trying to fade out a single instrument was a nightmare that required fast reflexes and coordination.Now you can focus on just the one instrument fading out while song mode does the rest for you in the background.Being able to mute or unmute several tracks simultaneously is also a huge advantage over the DS-10.

So how about that greatest weakness that I mentioned?Well, for one, you can only make a song last at most 200 measures (using dual mode).But more disappointing that than is that you can't have different patterns playing on each deck.I have a song that I started on my dual DS Lite setup where on one system I continuously go back and forth between two patterns, while on the other system, the main melody of the song is carried through a progression of patterns.Think of it like this:

system 1: [A1] > [A2] > [A3] > [A4]
system 2: [B1] > [B2] > [B1] > [B2]

I was so excited to hear about dual mode on the DS-10 Plus, thinking that it would save me a LOT of work of having to carry around two DSes to achieve this.Unfortunately, it's not the case.When you select a pattern on one deck, you're limited to hearing the corresponding pattern on the other deck.So you're stuck with this:

deck 1: [A1] > [A2] > [A3] > [A4]
deck 2: [B1] > [B2] > [B3] > [B4]

Since I own more DSes than any one person really needs, I can work on two songs simultaneously in dual mode on my DS-10 Plus, and then copy one of the songs to a DS-10 so that I can perform the song using two DS systems.It's not much different than the old method I had worked out, but it is definitely nice to hear both songs playing on a single DS so I can really make sure everything sounds good together.

That disappointment is by no means enough to detract from the improvements.If you already own a DS-10 and were thinking of picking up a second copy, then there's no reason not to upgrade.Even if you don't own a DSi, the vastly improved song mode is a huge step above its predecessor (of course, if you do own a DSi, it's even more useful).If you want a KORG DS-10 but haven't tried out the original, then there's also no reason to not get the DS-10 Plus.Finally, if you don't think a loop-based monophonic synthesizer is for you then good luck finding a more powerful yet equally portable synthesizer for such a low price.I'm sure KORG could have taken the time to put some more useful features in this update, but still, for what the KORG DS-10 Plus is, it's an amazing and powerful piece of audio software that is well worth the money.

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Product Description:
KORG DS-10 Plus is an enhanced version of the revolutionary KORG DS-10 synthesizer software that was released to critical and retail acclaim for Nintendo DS in late 2008. In this new release the original KORG DS-10 music-creation software, which combined the superior interface of the Nintendo DS with the functionality of the famous MS-10 synthesizer, has been optimized to essentially double the power of the original when used with the Nintendo DSi.

Innovative Handheld Musical Tool
The sound sources in KORG DS-10 Plus come from KORG - one of the world's top musical instrument producers - and no effort was spared in creating these ultra-high-quality sounds. In addition, the Nintendo DSi/DS Touch Screen controls are used to the fullest to provide unsurpassed feel and operability, making this an innovative musical tool that is perfect for both aspiring musicians and professionals alike.

Work a professional style synth on your DS or DSi.
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