‘Stage Vintage’ Keyboard
The brand new Korg SV1 rejoices in a collection
of retro keyboard sounds and lovingly sampled acoustic pianos. Read all
about it in our world exclusive review!
Photos: Mike Cameron
Combining pianos,
electric pianos and a small selection of other instruments chosen for
the non-synthesist who requires a range of mainstream sounds, the Korg
SV1 ‘Stage Vintage’ is the latest contender in the now-congested field
of stage pianos.
With its smart black and
burgundy livery (88-note version) or burgundy and black livery (73-note
version), it has no screen, no menus, and few hidden functions, but
instead boasts a control panel that would grace a vintage keyboard,
with knobs and buttons that — on the whole — perform single functions.
Two of these are selectors for the six banks of six sounds (yes... just
36 in total), while eight large buttons store and recall favourite
setups. The rest of the knobs and switches control the integrated
effects units, and the only hint of anything deeper lies in four buttons
marked Transpose, Local Off, Touch and Function. The last of these
provides access to the tuning curves (equal temperament, five types of
stretched tuning, and two user-defined curves that you can create in the
supplied PC/Mac editor), the MIDI channel, and the level of the RX
Noise layer (see the ‘RX Noise’ box).
At the
back, things remain straightforward, with balanced and unbalanced stereo
outputs, MIDI In and Out (no Thru), plus stereo inputs so that you can
play along with your favourite something-or-other. There are also three
pedal inputs. One is for the supplied damper pedal, the second accepts a
footswitch, and the third accepts either a footswitch or an
expression pedal. (Good news: you can configure these as a damper with
half-pedalling, sostenuto and soft pedals of a real piano.) The only
other hole is for a USB cable that also carries MIDI data and provides
the means for connecting a Mac or PC running the bundled editor
software There’s also a headphone socket but, sensibly, this is located
at the front of the instrument.
The draft
manual strongly implies that each of the 36 sound slots permanently
houses a specific multisample. So, for example, it seems that Sound 1
in Bank 1 is always based upon the first of the Rhodes multisamples. But
when exploring the editor, I dropped an EP200 sound from Bank 2 into
Slot 1 in Bank 1... and the SV1 accepted it without a wibble! This has
at least two consequences: one good, one bad. The good one is that the
SV1 is more flexible than you might think, allowing you to create all
manner of variations of favourite instruments and discarding instruments
that are of less interest. The bad news is that, once you have
discarded the only factory sound based upon a particular multisample,
there’s no way of creating another one without hooking up the editor or
by performing a factory reset (which destroys all the on-board sounds
you’ve created).
Acoustic Pianos
Although the greater part of the SV1 is dedicated to
electro-mechanical and electronic pianos, it is to the three acoustic
pianos that many players will turn first.
The
first is a Japanese grand piano, and it’s safe to assume that this is a
Yamaha of some description. For the most part, the sampling is
first-rate. There are no horrendous multisampling points across the
keyboard, and the velocity zones are discrete at either end of the
keyboard, although a bit more noticeable in the mid-range. The
impression of the soundboard and sympathetic resonance is superb, and
the velocity-sensitive RX Noise layer recreates the depression and
release ‘thunk’ of the sustain pedal itself. This is excellent.
Next
comes a German grand, most likely a Steinway. More ambient than the
Yamaha, its multisampling is slightly more evident, but nonetheless I
prefer this to the Japanese piano. The multisample underneath the Mono
Grand sound is described as a monophonic version of the German grand,
but I’ve yet to discover the piano that changes its tone and character
when you remove a microphone from its vicinity. It’s not bad, but I
don’t think I would find myself using it.
The
Upright multisample is based upon another German piano, and I’ll admit
that I’m pleasantly surprised by it. Far too often, manufacturers of
digital pianos seem to think that uprights have no depth or character,
but Korg’s sound conforms exactly to a description I have used many
times — it’s like a grand piano, but a little less so. It has less
ambience, and the soundfield it creates is more compact, but the tone is
more than pleasing, and I suspect that this is the best digital
emulation of an upright piano I’ve yet heard.
The
final two acoustic piano multisamples are layered: the German grand
plus strings that are bright and prominent in the upper range, and the
same piano with a subdued sawtooth pad underneath. Both are pleasant,
but the inability to control the relative volume of the string layer
means that the first of these may be of limited use. For me, the second
offers a nicer blend, and I would be happy to use it.
Electric Pianos & Clavinets
Compared
to the front panel, the back of the SV1 is a simple affair. From left
to right, we find a USB port, three pedal inputs, MIDI I/O, and stereo
audio inputs and outputs, the latter on a choice of quarter-inch or XLR
connections.
The four Fender Rhodes multisamples are of high
quality, and I was particularly impressed with the clunky bottom end of
the brightest of these. Although the multisample zones are clearly
audible at times, I’ll remind myself that Rhodes pianos were never
consistent across their keyboards. Likewise, while the transitions
between velocity zones are a little abrupt at times, they are
acceptable when playing normally, and overall these samples are a
pleasure to play.
My favourite
electro-mechanical piano is the Wurlitzer EP200, even though its
‘barking’ sound is notoriously difficult to synthesize, model or sample.
Consequently, I wasn’t surprised when I caught another whiff of the
multisample splits and velocity zones while listening to the SV1’s two
EP200 multisamples. Nonetheless, an 88-note EP200 is a thing of joy,
especially when the amplitude envelope and tone outside of the original
range feel exactly right.
The Yamaha CP80 has
for too long been the victim of bad samples and poor digital modelling.
Happily, those days are now gone. The timbre of the SV1’s emulation is
very good, and it has a much smoother velocity response and less
obvious multisampling than the Rhodes and Wurlitzer multisamples. What’s
more, its amplitude envelope is distinctly superior to emulations that I
have reviewed on other instruments. I like this one a lot, and so
should you.
The multisample that forms the basis
of the ElectroPno patch might sound exactly like a Hohner
Electropiano, but I have no basis on which to judge this and, given the
rarity of the originals, the chances are that you won’t either. Think
of it as a large Pianet and you won’t go far wrong. It has the same,
bell-like quality and, with RX Noise applied, it rattles just as it
should. You can even hear the little pads pull away from the tines, as
well as the glitch that occurs when you release a key. I used a
Pianet for more than a decade, and it demands that you develop a
specific technique for getting the best from it. Played correctly, the
SV1’s emulation sounds great although, again, some of the multisample
points are a little audible. In the 1970s I would have killed for a
Pianet with sustain, and the SV1 delivers splendidly.
The
RMI multisample seems to be based on a mix of the Lute and Harpsi tabs
of a 360, 368 or 368X Electrapiano with the Accentor and Organ Mode
switched off. Its sustain is somewhat shorter than that of my RMI 368,
and it lacks the heavy ‘thunk’ at the start of each note. But the
sampling is excellent, and it’s another great sound that hints at what
might have been possible had Korg taken the Electrapiano a bit more
seriously, sampling all the tabs and providing a sustained mode. Maybe
in the future... please?
The Clavinet
multisamples are the four pickup combinations — AC, BC, BD and AD — of a
Hohner Clavinet D6. This is another monstrously difficult instrument
to sample, so I’m not surprised that I can hear the splits and
velocity layers. Nonetheless, the sound quality is high, the character
is authentic, and I love the jangly rattle and key release provided by
the RX Noise function. Unfortunately, there are no variations to
emulate the Soft, Medium, Treble or Brilliant switches on the original,
although the on-board EQ does a passable job of providing a range of
tone colours.
In addition to the vintage piano
sounds, the SV1 offers four multisamples from a more recent era. Two
are sampled from an FM synth. The first is bright and, because its tonal
variation is so great between the softest and the hardest notes, its
velocity zones are rather apparent. The second is rounder and warmer.
Nevertheless, the response across the keyboard is very even for both,
and when used with effects, as Korg intended, the results are perfectly
acceptable.
Then there are multisamples of two
further digital pianos, the Korg SG1D and the Roland RD1000. The first
of these sounds as it should: useable, in a ghastly 1980s sort of way.
The second is much more pleasant, and genuinely evocative of the
original and its myriad siblings. Finally (as far as the pianos are
concerned) there’s a multisample that appears to combine the Roland
with a string ensemble, perfect for all your AOR ballads.
The Other Sounds
Many
of the SV1’s parameters can be edited via the front-panel controls.
There are no displays or menu systems, and additional functions are
accessed through the SV1 Editor software.
There are six excellently captured organ multisamples
in the SV1 but, with no drawbars or tabs to adjust them, these are
essentially presets; you’ll either find them useful, or you won’t.
The
first sounds as if it’s based upon the Hammond registration 888000000
with third-harmonic percussion and a massive wodge of key-click. Played
through a nice, growling rotary-speaker effect, the results can be
fabulous. The second sounds as if it’s based upon the 16-, 5 2/3- and
one-inch drawbars, while the third sounds like the once-derided
registration 888888888. With leakage available via RX Noise, all of
these can sound highly authentic.
The provenance
of the next multisample is less obvious. The factory sound based on it
is called Console Organ, and I suspect that it’s a Lowrey of some
description. Not having one to hand, I can’t comment upon the accuracy
of the SV1’s rendition, but the raw multisample exhibits the brash
quality that is sometimes associated with the brand, and it has oodles
of character. I wouldn’t hesitate to use this and, given that Korg’s
engineers can produce a preset of this quality, I wonder if they
would consider creating a fully-featured Lowrey emulator, if only in
software. It could sound fabulous.
The next
multisample is obviously a Farfisa Compact. Again, it’s one
registration, but with a little EQ, vibrato, slow Leslie and tape
delay, it’s instant late-’60s psychedelia. The last of the organs is
sampled from a Vox Continental. The sound is instantly recognisable
but, again, it only hints at what might have been possible had Korg
provided a fully featured organ emulator rather than a handful of
presets.
The remaining multisamples comprise a
strange bunch of bedfellows. There’s a nicely captured string ensemble
but, strangely, this is highly reverberant, which seems odd given that
the SV1 incorporates a digital reverb unit. More interesting is the
multisample of the Mellotron violins. The basic sound is pleasing but,
instead of exhibiting a sharp attack and cutting off instantly when you
release a key, each note has a soft attack and a slow release.
Furthermore, the samples sustain indefinitely. The Mellotron used tape
strips in preference to loops, so that the attacks of the recorded notes
were replayed correctly. I suppose that, since the attacks have been
rounded off, you may as well have infinite sustain, but it feels wrong.
The
next multisample is clearly a Solina String Ensemble. Unlike the
original, this is truly polyphonic, with individual envelopes for each
note. But the most obvious difference is that each note in the SV1 has
already passed through the trademark ensemble effect, so playing
multiple notes creates an ensemble of ensembles. It’s rather nice!
The
choral multisample is a strange one, because there’s a synthesized
pad accompanying the vocal sound. This adds attack and body, but sounds
based on the multisample therefore fall into the category ‘synth-choir’
rather than choir. Finally, we come to the two polysynth multisamples
provided. The first screams early 1980s, while the second is a blatant
homage to the Oberheim patch used on Van Halen’s ‘Jump’. I’m at a loss
to understand why Korg included these. It’s unlikely that they’ll be
exactly what you want and, since you can’t edit them, it’s pot-luck
whether they’ll be of any use.
The Effects
Although
you can’t edit the multisamples, nor even select one directly as part
of the sound-creation process, the SV1 is packed to the gunnels with
programmable effects. First in the chain lies an effective three-band
EQ. There are no controls on the front panel for centre frequency, ‘Q’
or slope, although the editor allows you to sweep the frequency of the
mid-band. Next comes a selection of Pre FX units, ones that
traditionally lie before a preamplifier. These are compression, boost,
U-Vibe (Uni-Vibe), Hammond chorus/vibrato, tremolo, and a Vox wah-wah
that you can leave in ‘auto’ mode or control via a footpedal. You can
only select one effect at a time, and the names of the knobs on the
control panel are often inappropriate, but they do their jobs well.
Third
in line lies the vintage amp modeller. Although this appears basic and
can generate an unpleasant amount of noise if controlled only from the
front panel, it’s more sophisticated than it appears, because the editor
allows you to cross-combine the six models shown with any of 10 speaker
cabinets, and provides a full range of ‘head’ controls, including
noise reduction. There’s also one of those glowing glass bottle thingies
that guitarists love, bathed in a fake orange glow provided by a
small lamp hidden behind it, and coupled to a dummy output transformer
and speaker load. This lies between the amp and speaker models and
should help to create a ‘miked up’ sound, even when the SV1 is
connected directly to a mixer or the inputs of a recorder.
Next
come the Modulation effects, with two choruses, two phasers, a flanger
and Korg’s unsurpassed rotary speaker emulation. Two of the effects are
instantly recognisable. Chorus 1 is a Boss CE1, while Phaser 2 is a
reasonable recreation of the popular Small Stone phaser. I suspect that
there’s at least one MXR in there, too. However, you’ll have to hook
the SV1 to a computer to get the best from these, because many of their
parameters are only available using the editor.
Moving
on, we come to a reverb/delay that offers room, plate, hall and spring
reverbs, plus an emulation of a tape echo unit and a basic recreation
of Korg’s DL8000R stereo delay. Again, the editor gives access to a
wider range of controls than is available on the SV1 itself, with extras
such as pre-delay and damping for the reverbs, and feedback for the
delays.
Finally, there are two types of limiter
that are invisible without the editor. A studio engineer would probably ask you to defeat these, but they’re there if you want them.
In Use
Despite
using the exceptional RH3 keybed found on Korg’s dedicated pianos and
the M3 88, the SV1 supplied for review is lighter and smaller than you
might imagine. There’s also a 73-note version that’s heavier than you
might imagine because, unlike most six-octave keyboards, it uses a
truncated version of the RH3 in preference to a semi-weighted keybed.
Both
instruments are a pleasure to play, with an action that works
extremely well for the acoustic, Rhodes and Wurlitzer pianos. Of course,
they are totally unlike the shallow actions and lightweight keys of an
RMI, Pianet or Clavinet, but I didn’t find this to be a problem.
Reducing the velocity sensitivity (there are eight curves available) to a
suitable level for the Clavinet sounds and switching it off for the
RMI and Solina sounds (the organs are already invariant to velocity)
made things feel even better, especially since the keyboard response
settings can be saved independently for each sound, rather than as a
global setting.
The user interface is also good,
with the most important parameters falling easily to hand, and clear,
illuminated indications of settings. The lack of a screen and menus is
not a problem, largely because Korg haven’t tried to squeeze an overly
complex operating system into an interface that’s not designed to
support it. But that then brings you back to the need to use the editor.
Ho hum!
As for the sounds themselves, I have
described the multisamples that lie at their cores, but I haven’t said
much about the factory sounds, nor those that you can program for
yourself. In short, these can be superb. Yes, I’ve commented on the
velocity layers and multisample splits, but — while these are sometimes
apparent — they are superior to the many digital pianos that exhibit
horrible inconsistencies across their keyboards and abrupt transitions
from soft to loud playing. As for authenticity, there are differences
between, say, the factory ‘Dyno EP’ patch and a genuine ‘Dyno-My-Piano’
Rhodes, just as there are differences between the EP200 patches and my
EP200, and so on, but I would be happy to live with these for the
pleasure of playing such well-behaved versions of these sounds on such a
good keyboard. Let’s face it, most experienced electric piano players
have torn their fingertips or nails on the ghastly keyboards that their
instruments boasted, and almost as many have suffered from broken tines
or reeds, dodgy pickups, sticky pads that are no longer sticky, and
other failures. The SV1 cures all of these ills, and it would be a
canny listener who could tell the difference in a mix between the Korg
and the original pianos.
So is there anything I
don’t like about the SV1? Sure there is. The fact that you need to use
the editor to access a number of valuable effects parameters, as well
as to place multisamples in alternative memory locations, is annoying.
More seriously, the lack of any split points or layers will render the
SV1 unusable for some players who would otherwise be tempted, and the
lack of multitimbrality or any master keyboard functions will deter
still more. But at least these are nice, clear-cut issues. Either the
SV1 is for you, or it isn’t.
The Verdict
Perhaps
because we are so accustomed to affordable workstations delivering such
an amazing breadth of sounds and features, the current rule seems to be
‘more is better, so lots must be best’. In contrast, the SV1 is not
feature laden and it’s not designed to be all things to all players. Nor
is it designed to be many things to many players. It’s designed to do
just a handful of things, but to do them extremely well.
In
this, it succeeds admirably. Apart from a few audible transitions
between velocity layers, there’s almost nothing to criticise about its
pianos, whether based on acoustic, electro-mechanical or electronic
originals. Indeed, with no audible aliasing, and with RX-Noise to make
everything sound as realistic as possible, the SV1 is outstanding in
this area. That’s not to say that the opposition is poor — far from it —
but if you’re after a keyboard that can be a convincing Rhodes one
minute, an EP200 another, a Pianet another, and a full-blooded
Steinway grand the next, it delivers splendidly. OK... I have in the
past expressed misgivings about stretching e-piano sounds beyond their
historical limits, but given the success with which this has been
achieved on the SV1, I’m ready to overlook my reservations and even
embrace the extended ranges.
It’s only when you
introduce the organs, strings and polysynth sounds into the discussion
that things start to go a little awry because, in this area, the SV1
can’t compete with the competition. There’s nothing wrong with having a
handful of such sounds at your disposal, however, and, given their
quality, it would be churlish to complain about their inclusion. But
it’s as a piano emulator that the SV1 will score and, if I’m honest, I
think that the non-piano sounds confuse the issue. If I had been
Korg’s design team, I would have ditched the extra sounds and used the
freed memory to include a greater range of Clavinets and Pianets, as
well as the rest of the RMI’s registrations. I would then have called
it the SVP1 ‘Stage Vintage Piano’ rather than the SV1, and marketed it
as the best acoustic and electric piano emulator on the planet. Which,
in all likelihood, it already is.
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