It is that time of year at Frankfurt for the big Musikmesse show and it is great to see new products as always. One of them that caught my eye was the KORG MP-10 Pro Professional Media Player.
It is strange but I often think why sometimes it takes so long for a product like this to come out. I am sure it has a great many uses for DJays and musicians and the technology is not new, it is the simple and logical idea of putting it all together in one package.
I hope there will be a few more videos on-line about this product soon as I want to see it in action. There is a German YouTube Clip that shows its colourful retro layout and it great looking touch screen in Colour. It has so far been desribed by Korg as:-
" the perfect musical companion for mobile entertainers, solo keyboardists, singers and amateur musicians. The revolutionary all-in-one KORG MP-10 Pro media player brings together Korg's powerful EDS sound engine, TC Helicon Voice Processor, a slew of on-board effects, a massive 120 GB hard drive, and two premium song players – each capable of playing MIDI or MP3 files.
Thousands of files (MIDI or MP3) can be stored on the internal hard drive and cataloged for instant recall. These two independent players allow DJ-style mixing and crossfading - with a motorized 60mm crossfader - offering a real non-stop music experience in any environment.
Reliable and easy to use, the MP-10 Pro's hardware interface is centered on Korg's huge color TouchView display. This intuitive design allows the MP-10 Pro to deliver a wealth of useful features that anyone can quickly understand and enjoy. A comprehensive set of connections provide the MP-10 Pro with maximum versatility.
In addition to MIDI and USB connections, there are connections for a PC keyboard that makes naming and cataloging songs very efficient. Two XLR microphone inputs assure compatibility with nearly any mic. The video outputs (S-Video and Composite) allow karaoke style lyrics, chord changes, or even full scores to be displayed on an external video monitor.
Add to that the assignable foot pedal control, headphone outputs, and Advanced Vocal Remover, and the MP-10 Pro rises to the top of its class".
The KORG MP-10 Pro includes a powerful database [iTunes compatible] to easily manage thousands of music files. Finding the right song has never been so easy, thanks to a variety of viewing options and compatible functions. I like the idea of taking all of my MP3s and MIDI files out of my computer and putting them all in one place.
The Mixer section includes access to everything needed to control the Voice Processor, the four performance Pads, the Master FX, the EQ of each track, data from a MIDI keyboard, and of course, the mixer itself. SMF Song Edit tools are also found in this section.
KORG MP-10 Pro featues include:
* Versatile Media player
* Intuitive design
* Large colour touch screen
* iTunes Compatible
* EDS sound engine
* TC Helicon Voice Processor
* Onboard effects
* 120 GB hard drive
* Two premium song players capable of playing MIDI or MP3 files
* DJ-Style mixing with motorized 60mm crossfader
* Two XLR microphone inputs
* Video outputs: S-Video and Composite
I really like the thinking behind this product. I could see this being extremely useful for lots of different reasons.
iPhone users who think they can do everything better because they have a million apps to play and tweet about while on the bus -- The rest of us can do the same, now that Korg has introduced the MP-10 Pro Professional Media Player, an all-in-one mobile music maker / music player designed to be taken on the go.
As a media player, the MP-10 Pro features two independent media song players that are able to play both MP3 and MIDI files (.mid, .mid+G, .kar, .xf, .mp3 + lyrics, .mp3+G) directly from the player's 120 GB internal hard drive. The motorized 60 mm crossfader allows for DJ-style mixing, while the Browser and Find functions let you easily save songs into playlists, sort them, and search them within a customizable database.
As a MIDI instrument, the MP-10 Pro can play MIDI files from the song players. The internal sound engine uses the same EDS (Enhanced Definition Synthesis) found in the Korg Pa500 arranger keyboard and can also be played from an external MIDI device. The front panel offers four assignable performance pads for triggering sound effects and musical phrases, and onboard effects are available for the internal players and MIDI engine.
As a vocalist, I love the fact that the MP-10 Pro has a TC Helicon vocal processor with compression, EQ, and delay. A pitch shifter for changing keys, a time stretch function for changing the tempo, and an advanced vocal remover allow MP3 files to be tweaked to your style.
The MP-10 Pro also offers a big, color TouchView display, MIDI and USB connections, two microphone inputs (XLR and ¼-inch), video outputs (S-Video and Composite), and a headphone-based cue system.
Korg intends to release the MP-10 Pro in July of 2010 at a yet-to-be determined price. I hope this is not too expensive - I feel I need to save some pennies quick.
For more information and / or sales visit :- Absolutemusic