Underrated digital gem

The Microkorg's edgy cousin. Don't buy this thing if you're after analog sounds, it gets quite digital sounding but in a really cool way. It really excels with atmospheric sweeps and ambient pads, but can definitely hold it's own with basic synth basses and leads as well. The decimator effect (bit-crusher) is the secret sauce - use one of the on-board bell or choir samples and patch a light, randomized LFO to the bit-crush level to add some glitchy noisy flavor. Can't get the vocoder to sound nice to me, it's just too glossy and clean for my taste but that's not why I bought this thing so still five stars from me.

Preferred Settings + Usage:

Updated .. So far ....

Ok, Sorry for the delay. I was just reading some of the earlier reviews. Ouch... some harsh. Well this is not the Radius of course... it's missing all of those wonderful twiddly knobs. But, yes it has the actual real-life Radius just half the voices, but the Korg Editor provides the ability to swap out a variety of patches now.. I can't speak to years ago, but the" synth revival -Reneissiance" that is occuring, albeit pushed harder and farther ahead by the lockdowns that occured and are still occurring as of this writing. Reverb has become a ghost town for certain types of synths. The R3 is still far down the list of most popular, but good luck finding an abundance of them because they are coveted. The Vocant/Vocoder recorder and "first gen" Motion Sequencer" that is essential the same that is in Volcas. I certainly can't tell the difference other than the Volca's version is much more mature and made very easy by the fingerboard.

The R3 is just crazy easy to use with 4 knobs. It reminds me in a way of the Moog LilSubFatty desktop synth the way the menus are used to select parameters. Its not to some peoples liking, but for performance... this is perfect.

Thanks to Korg for making all the MS2000 series and MicroKorg series patch sets available for the R3. Nice touch hav ing all those original vocoder patches. Using the coder over a Wurly is incredible. You can router any of the 128 patches into our thru(with) the vocoder mics, and yes you can have from 1 to 100(utilizing a mixer.. of course) and any other sound device you can think of ... modular, Kaossilator (oh yeah!), Ableton, and seriously just anything. Its a serious F'n fun synth unlike any other. The routable matrix is the hidden genius. Its a 12v system... Yes... it has a 3.3 and 5 v sub system as well. great for patching and bending. The audio input and output is a 24bit A/D converter so you're going to get really pristine quality from the XLR and Line jack input.

The 4 Midi ports via USB surprised the likes of me.. so it has MIDI in and out but it also provide "RS SOUND" Midi Out which is great for using it with the iPad Pro as its modulated and remodulated sound is recordable in GarageBand for iOS or any Android or iOS App supporting USB Audio which is just about everyone. More to come...

Original Post:

The Korg R3 is by far a secret weapon. In capable hands you have a portable magic black box follow me on this. It has the Radius Engine, it has a Vocoder, a "Vocant" Formant Motion recorder to record Vocant waves\env motion, I kid you not... oh boy am I going to have fun with this... more to come. (im busy mapping all my VSTs the controller is both a Host controller and synth too. THe knobs can be mapped to any MIDI CC/ control # or LBS and more oh my!

(First Entry) It hasn't arrived yet... but I have read the user manual cover to cover... The R3 contains the Radius Engine which is what I wanted for my studio. Not all the features of the Radius engine are in the 3 Octave R3 version but enough was brought over to let this EDM cowboy VOcate this S#$t out of my music.... Hellop Kraftwerk!!! and David Gilmore. lol let the growls begin lol Korg has 2 packs that were customized for the R3. All of the MS2000, MS2000R and MS2000B all available for free to enhance the R3... want an MS2000 just patch it. The modular routing is the magic that allows for

The details I wanted (Wikipedia) A dual filter, which not only allows you to use two filters in various configurations for each timbre, but also to "morph" different filter types.

Formant Motion Record allows you to record spoken phrases and then trigger them with the keyboard using Vocoder function. (think Volca Motion Sequence capture)

Modulation Sequencer, a "virtual analog sequencer" that mimics analog sequencing, 3 * 16 step. (again Volca got it from this tech)

Virtual Patching, originally developed on the Korg MS2000, six "virtual patches" allow any of 15 modulation sources to be routed to any of 15 modulateable parameters. (think holy sh$t badd ass)

Ill update when I get it next Tuesday ...

A hidden gem, with one caveat

A lot of people look at this synth and assume it's some sort of 'less successful' MicroKorg. I got it in 2007 or so when it came out, because just playing with a few presets tells you that actually, what we have here is a kind of budget Korg Radias, and it will make sounds that the MicroKorg could only dream of. It can sound superb,

So WHY, oh WHY, Korg chose to put such a powerful synth inside a such a flimsy, cheap, crappy box, the sort of build quality that wouldn't pass muster as a kid's toy, is beyond me. I mean, how much would it have taken to make the casing decent and strong? Korg killed what should have been a killer synth here. I still use it occasionally, if I can get the power cable to connect to the input jack without slipping out!

Kind of bland sounding.

For the money, its not a bad synth. Don't expect it to actually sound like a Radias, however. Mine has this irritating bug where it will tune all of the keys flat. Trying to have it fixed.

Super powerful sound

Amazing amounts of on board sounds with fully customize-able options as well, and Vo-coder is a blast to play with as well. Small but fully loaded and ready to go.

From Gear Setup

Good all rounder but not outstanding at anything

Too much menu diving, though the vocoder is a lot of fun

essential

I use the R3 for signature Korg sounds I can't get out of Logic. Sometimes we'll set it up live for our guitarist on the other end of the stage.

The Korg R3 is BADASS!

We use the Korg R3 for both recording and performing live. The vocoder has become one of our staple instruments and sounds great live at our shows. This little guy really packs a punch!

Versatile and powerful tool for lead and bass sounds

I use this for powerful lead and bass sounds. It's multitimbral for up to two sounds, making it a major part of my compositions. Easy to edit and a lot of waveforms to choose from.

nice sound color. and nice vocoder.

nice sound color. and nice vocoder but little tweak hard.

because too small LED screen. but sound and key really good