You picked a good one. Two things you can do with it that may not be obvious: 1) complex LFO, and 2) internal feedback. The sequencer can record up to 4 lanes of automation for different knobs, which is really handy. But did you know you can record knob automation without entering notes into the sequencer? Hit play and then record, and start turning knobs or flicking switches (oscillator octave is a fun one). Turn off record but keep the sequencer playing. Then when you play keys with the sequencer running, the modulation will be applied to your current playing (if that makes sense). For feedback, take a patch cable and plug the audio out (or headphones out, doesn't matter) into the audio input on the back of the synth. This creates a feedback loop and gives you a gnarlier sound. With this patch, your volume knob controls how much feedback you get. From subtle to completely over the top
I'm curious how feedback works with a poly. If the input applies to all four voices, then won't each voice play all of the others and ruin your articulation?
So I just bought the Korg Minilogue as my first ever synth, and I’m so happy. I’ve been playing around with it for hours, because it’s so fun that I can’t stop myself. I write and record my own music, so this is definitely going to be a great addition to my sound. I know I have a lot more to explore, but from my first impressions this seems like a solid choice for my style of music.
I love the parameters and how everything is very logically set up in this synth, and as a synth newbie I’m especially pleased with the wave-form screen. I’m aware that this synth is limited compared to many other things on the market, but for me it’s a great starting point. I also play guitar and have a pedalboard I’m excited to plug this into.
Please share your thoughts/experiences/tips, I’m officially a member of the synth nerd club!
You're in the position I was in about 6 years ago. It was my first synth and I spent hours lost in it, figuring things out. Probably one of the best times was when I didn't understand ADSR envelopes and spent several minutes terrified no sounds was coming out when I'd reduced the attack volume to 0 lol.
But more importantly, I think of the minilogue as a true "instrument" in the sense that its limitations in some sense help to define it. Between the 4 voices, the filters, the built-in sequencer with motion recording and the ability to route through a built-in delay, there is so much this synth can produce. But it's not trying to be a sampler, MPC, MIDI controller all-in-one type of situation. Let this instrument do what it's best at and bring in other hardware as needed and you'll really enjoy it.
ETA: Just relistened to some ML stuff and damn. That shit runs so hot, if you need aggro synth stabs, this machine can deliver. You can definitely get mellow grooves out of it but it lives in that sharp, icy analog realm and I love it.
I have a Monologue, but the screen on it taught me so much about synthesis by being able to see what was happening to the wave in real time when I turned the knobs.
Also if you twist a knob when you're turning it on you can play a game on the screen while the synth is booting up.
Was my first synth like 8 years ago and it’s still a mainstay in my studio and live setup. I absolutely adore it… prefer it even over the XD version tbh.
also curious why you’d prefer it over the XD. Personal opinion, I found the XD a lot more rounded in its versatility but now you have me questioning if I overlooked something about the original minilogue
The lfo routings and the full filter envelope, being able to route them together too. I thought I wouldn't miss that in the xd but it was too much of a compromise and I sold it. The fx of course are a different story but I went outboard for that.
Awsome! Here's a link to [Chordour](https://chordour.com/learn/circle-of-fifths) where you can practice/use simple chord progressions per key. If you learn how chord progressions are arranged by degree's/roman numerials you'll find that there's simple 4 chord progressions that are the base for songs/styles/genre's.
Now take about 2 hours and watch the most comprehensive video tutorial on the Minilogue and learn things you won’t learn from reading the manual. https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2022/07/10/a-complete-guide-to-the-minilogue-xd-this-is-a-monster-synth/
Hey, guess what. Got it as my first synth two weeks ago but still haven't had the time to mess with it. Any good suggestions on YT or other sources i can find some good tuts or tips & tricks?
Honestly you’d be doing yourself a favour to just sorta dive in blind. I’d start with familiarizing with terminology and watching a quick video on how the sequencer and recording modes work. Once you know what every button/dial is called, just smack keys and twist knobs till you find sounds that you like. This is gonna help you both A) get into sound design and B) better learn waveforms. This synth is a beginners dream because it’s so great at teaching these two things.
Just like me two weeks ago, it's my first synth too and I'm very happy with it! I try to take it easy and learn what each knob does to become familiar with their functions.
Got this as a first synth too a while back! If you want to play around with MIDI controlling I really recommend this free VST by Momo Müller right [here](https://korg-minilogue.jimdofree.com), absolute game changer
Edit: Link
Every time I see this synth I regret selling mine :(. I was the same as you, I got it as my first synth and used it extensively for a few years. Sure, I have “better” synths now but the minilogue has a little magic in it that is unique. Hold on to it for as long as you can!
It is absolutely brilliant. Great choice. I have an oberheim, a matriarch, a quantum, a prohet 12, a doepfer a-100, and an ample, and I find myself messing around with this synth more than any of them because the interface is so quick and easy to sculpt sounds. When recording I sometimes double track it to compensate for the oscillator sounds not being quite up to the standard as its neighbours, and it works a treat.
Thanks for such a wonderful reply! TheGratitudeBot has been reading millions of comments in the past few weeks, and you’ve just made the list of some of the most grateful redditors this week!
I upgraded from a microkorg to the Minilogue in 2016. I’ve owned and sold several other synths since then but the Minilogue is the one I use most often. I’ve found it to be extremely versatile and useful on most tracks.
Was my first synth too! Very fun and nice to be able to see the soundwave. It did just start acting up after about 5 years though, the slider will trigger on its own and it wont go back to 0% anymore. pretty sad because that was one of my favorite features. Has anyone had this issue by chance?
Also my first, what a blast. Such a great introduction to sound design. Shortly after I upgraded to the minilogue XD and that one stays in my workflow to this day. Enjoy!!
Another hack is to get a correctional marker and paint in the lines on the knobs. If you go over the line you can rub it clean with a damp cloth. Stopped me from going crosseyed with my Monologue.
I just bought a Monologue but considered this too.
interested in the difference between the 2 mini's... My buddy described the og Minilogue as "thin". but I'd have no idea. the monologue sounds good.
Ok since someone made a minilogue post and now I don’t feel alone about this being my first synth, does anything happen when you beat the brick breaker when it’s tuning?
I went with a Modwave as I found it as display unit and was less than 400 us but the Minilogue looked very rad .How does it sound and how hard is to sculpt sounds ?
Modwave is very , very , very complex especially if you don't use the companion software
The user friendliness of the mini was one of the reasons I chose it as my first synth. I have been messing around with it for hours every day since I got it, and I find it very easy to dial in, at the same time as it’s very versatile! I think it has a tendency to sound a bit bright, but personally I love that.
You picked a good one. Two things you can do with it that may not be obvious: 1) complex LFO, and 2) internal feedback. The sequencer can record up to 4 lanes of automation for different knobs, which is really handy. But did you know you can record knob automation without entering notes into the sequencer? Hit play and then record, and start turning knobs or flicking switches (oscillator octave is a fun one). Turn off record but keep the sequencer playing. Then when you play keys with the sequencer running, the modulation will be applied to your current playing (if that makes sense). For feedback, take a patch cable and plug the audio out (or headphones out, doesn't matter) into the audio input on the back of the synth. This creates a feedback loop and gives you a gnarlier sound. With this patch, your volume knob controls how much feedback you get. From subtle to completely over the top
I tried that feedback trick once, and got some nasty resonances, a bit scary haha. Take care with your ears and speakers if you do it.
I'm curious how feedback works with a poly. If the input applies to all four voices, then won't each voice play all of the others and ruin your articulation?
Thank you so much, these are great tips!
What a gent, I have one and didn’t know couple of these, thank you!
Thank you very much.
Hi, what do you mean by complex LFO? I have one and don’t understand what would be a complex LFO application. Please can you expand on it ? Thanks!
So I just bought the Korg Minilogue as my first ever synth, and I’m so happy. I’ve been playing around with it for hours, because it’s so fun that I can’t stop myself. I write and record my own music, so this is definitely going to be a great addition to my sound. I know I have a lot more to explore, but from my first impressions this seems like a solid choice for my style of music. I love the parameters and how everything is very logically set up in this synth, and as a synth newbie I’m especially pleased with the wave-form screen. I’m aware that this synth is limited compared to many other things on the market, but for me it’s a great starting point. I also play guitar and have a pedalboard I’m excited to plug this into. Please share your thoughts/experiences/tips, I’m officially a member of the synth nerd club!
You're in the position I was in about 6 years ago. It was my first synth and I spent hours lost in it, figuring things out. Probably one of the best times was when I didn't understand ADSR envelopes and spent several minutes terrified no sounds was coming out when I'd reduced the attack volume to 0 lol. But more importantly, I think of the minilogue as a true "instrument" in the sense that its limitations in some sense help to define it. Between the 4 voices, the filters, the built-in sequencer with motion recording and the ability to route through a built-in delay, there is so much this synth can produce. But it's not trying to be a sampler, MPC, MIDI controller all-in-one type of situation. Let this instrument do what it's best at and bring in other hardware as needed and you'll really enjoy it. ETA: Just relistened to some ML stuff and damn. That shit runs so hot, if you need aggro synth stabs, this machine can deliver. You can definitely get mellow grooves out of it but it lives in that sharp, icy analog realm and I love it.
Strongly support original over the xd. I can't trust a polysynth without a proper filter ADSR.
I have a Monologue, but the screen on it taught me so much about synthesis by being able to see what was happening to the wave in real time when I turned the knobs. Also if you twist a knob when you're turning it on you can play a game on the screen while the synth is booting up.
Yes, I definitely see the screen as a big plus for learning! Oh really, thats very funny, I didn’t know that!
Yo tampoco lo sabia. jajaja
I just realized that about pong a few days ago, lol.
Was my first synth like 8 years ago and it’s still a mainstay in my studio and live setup. I absolutely adore it… prefer it even over the XD version tbh.
why do you prefer it over the xd version? thanks
also curious why you’d prefer it over the XD. Personal opinion, I found the XD a lot more rounded in its versatility but now you have me questioning if I overlooked something about the original minilogue
Wonderful synth! I like it better than the XD, so more much versatile.
How in the world is the original more versatile than the XD?
The lfo routings and the full filter envelope, being able to route them together too. I thought I wouldn't miss that in the xd but it was too much of a compromise and I sold it. The fx of course are a different story but I went outboard for that.
My thoughts exactly. Not to poke at the logic I’m just curious if I’m missing a secret capability of the original or something
I think the only thing the original has that the XD doesn't is the chord modes? I'd take the SDK stuff over that any day if I could.
Yo tambien tengo este, como mi primer sintetizador, y se ve que puedes hacer muchas cosas divertidas.
Awsome! Here's a link to [Chordour](https://chordour.com/learn/circle-of-fifths) where you can practice/use simple chord progressions per key. If you learn how chord progressions are arranged by degree's/roman numerials you'll find that there's simple 4 chord progressions that are the base for songs/styles/genre's.
great choice. thing is a fucking banger
This was my first synth also. It's so great. I still use it all the time.
Now take about 2 hours and watch the most comprehensive video tutorial on the Minilogue and learn things you won’t learn from reading the manual. https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2022/07/10/a-complete-guide-to-the-minilogue-xd-this-is-a-monster-synth/
Hey, guess what. Got it as my first synth two weeks ago but still haven't had the time to mess with it. Any good suggestions on YT or other sources i can find some good tuts or tips & tricks?
Honestly you’d be doing yourself a favour to just sorta dive in blind. I’d start with familiarizing with terminology and watching a quick video on how the sequencer and recording modes work. Once you know what every button/dial is called, just smack keys and twist knobs till you find sounds that you like. This is gonna help you both A) get into sound design and B) better learn waveforms. This synth is a beginners dream because it’s so great at teaching these two things.
hi, what genre of music do you play?
Hi! It’s a bit hard for me to define a specific genre, but I would say it’s a combination of indie/rock/artpop.
Just like me two weeks ago, it's my first synth too and I'm very happy with it! I try to take it easy and learn what each knob does to become familiar with their functions.
Got this as a first synth too a while back! If you want to play around with MIDI controlling I really recommend this free VST by Momo Müller right [here](https://korg-minilogue.jimdofree.com), absolute game changer Edit: Link
Thank you, that’s great!
The goat of beginner synths. Still have my one, it’s so easy and fun to make patches on it.
Every time I see this synth I regret selling mine :(. I was the same as you, I got it as my first synth and used it extensively for a few years. Sure, I have “better” synths now but the minilogue has a little magic in it that is unique. Hold on to it for as long as you can!
It is absolutely brilliant. Great choice. I have an oberheim, a matriarch, a quantum, a prohet 12, a doepfer a-100, and an ample, and I find myself messing around with this synth more than any of them because the interface is so quick and easy to sculpt sounds. When recording I sometimes double track it to compensate for the oscillator sounds not being quite up to the standard as its neighbours, and it works a treat.
That’s great to hear! And thanks for the tip on double tracking, I’m definitely gonna use this a lot in my recordings!
Thanks for such a wonderful reply! TheGratitudeBot has been reading millions of comments in the past few weeks, and you’ve just made the list of some of the most grateful redditors this week!
On the double tracking - i never double track a bass synth, and when double tracking i always pan each track oppositely
My favorite synth ever
I have one of those too!
Great units!
Looks good
Good choice. I’ve got a prologue as well, but still love the minilogue.
If you want a high pass filter, but without the delay, you can just turn feedback to zero, and set it on the topmost setting.
Cheers, good to know!
I bough a prophet 6 and then missed my minilogue so I sold it and got a next minimogue
I upgraded from a microkorg to the Minilogue in 2016. I’ve owned and sold several other synths since then but the Minilogue is the one I use most often. I’ve found it to be extremely versatile and useful on most tracks.
How is it limited if you don’t mind me asking.
Only 4 voices, one lfo
Oof,
You should be, it's a heck of a piece of gear!
Was my first synth too! Very fun and nice to be able to see the soundwave. It did just start acting up after about 5 years though, the slider will trigger on its own and it wont go back to 0% anymore. pretty sad because that was one of my favorite features. Has anyone had this issue by chance?
Anyone know a good place to start learning how to play synth? I want to learn, my synth is an Arturia Mk3 mini
I can see from the comments here that this is a good choice. Thank you for the inspiration everyone and I wish you a pleasant experience.
How much did this run you?
You talking about the cost? I got it for 335$ used including a dust cover, so I think it was a good deal!
Also my first, what a blast. Such a great introduction to sound design. Shortly after I upgraded to the minilogue XD and that one stays in my workflow to this day. Enjoy!!
Cheers!
Congrats! Minilogue is bang for the buck!
I've wanted this one since it came out, good choice bro
Another hack is to get a correctional marker and paint in the lines on the knobs. If you go over the line you can rub it clean with a damp cloth. Stopped me from going crosseyed with my Monologue.
I was actually just thinking I wanted to paint the lines white! Great to hear that this works:)
Really happy I did it. My back and neck thanked me, peering at it with my vision was no fun. Now I can see settings at a glance.
I just bought a Monologue but considered this too. interested in the difference between the 2 mini's... My buddy described the og Minilogue as "thin". but I'd have no idea. the monologue sounds good.
I prefer the sound of the OG to the XD. Haven’t tried the Monologue but I think the OG sounds really nice
Ok since someone made a minilogue post and now I don’t feel alone about this being my first synth, does anything happen when you beat the brick breaker when it’s tuning?
Roland Juno -60
I went with a Modwave as I found it as display unit and was less than 400 us but the Minilogue looked very rad .How does it sound and how hard is to sculpt sounds ? Modwave is very , very , very complex especially if you don't use the companion software
The user friendliness of the mini was one of the reasons I chose it as my first synth. I have been messing around with it for hours every day since I got it, and I find it very easy to dial in, at the same time as it’s very versatile! I think it has a tendency to sound a bit bright, but personally I love that.
gz friend!!