Korg Electribe ER-1 User reviews -Page 1

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Average rating: 4.4 out of 5

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Aaron a hobbyist user from Seattle, WA USA writes:

The ER-1 may now be a little dated, and yes, it does have some limitations (which you already know about, so why go into them), but it also has it strengths (Which again, you already know about). If you use this with other electribes (EA-1, ES-1, EM-1, EMX, ESX), or any other groovebox, then you'll soon forget about what it is that you don't enjoy about the ER-1, because you'll have a nice palette of sounds to work with. I have been able to chain the EA-1 & a Yamaha DX200 together with the ER-1. The DX200's sampled drums play nicely with the drum synth the ER-1 is, and furthermore, follow one of the EA-1's synth patterns.

If you use this all by itself, yes, you'll probably be bored of it all after awhile. But if you have the budget, use this with other gear, and soon enough you can break through the limitations. I'm going to be purchasing a EM-1 fairly soon, and maybe a Quasimidi 309 after that.

Oh, and to anybody who whined about this not having much in the way of effects, this again, can be a simple remedy. Guitar Pedals or effects boxes. I hooked up the ER-1 to a Boss SE-70, and now I can add as much reverb, chorus, distortion, pitch modulation as I want, and if I don't wish to use them, I just press the SE70's effect push button to off, and the ER-1 sounds as normal as it always has.

I paid $100 for this at Guitar Center, and since I already had the EA-1 & DX200, it didn't take long to hook them altogether. Plus with the audio inputs, the DX200 goes straight in, and then you can chop up the audio or just play it straight through. No doubt about it, these will be collector items for anybody serious about electronic music. I'm thinking of maybe getting another one, which would just be for R2D2 random sounds or additional patterns of my own.

5 outta 5 for electro 2 outta 5 for "real" drums 5 outta 5 for the step sequencer 1 outta 5 for the effects

Rating: 4 out of 5 posted Tuesday-Aug-24-1010 at 08:57

m71 a hobbyist user from DFW, TX USA writes:

This machine depending on what your looking for has more creative potential than not. If you're looking for acoustic drum sounds this box isn't for you, it screams Kraftwerk with all its synthy hits and metallic timbres. I'm sure you could emulate a lot of the sounds from the 808/909 pretty closely but that would only limit you because there are a lot of sounds you can create. This machine does best when doing: disco space toms, electronic toms, hi Qs, booming bass kicks, noise bursts, white noise snares, and those vintage organ drum machines (pre TR 808). Snares are hard to get (outside of those white noise splashes) but I found the secret to getting a good snare is using the first two synths and ring modding them together, just expirement and you'll find those snares -they're in there. Being that there are four user synth parts that leaves you two more drum sounds and I'm sure one would be for that bass kick. The fourth can be used for a cowbell, tom, noise burst, or tuned bass kick/tom. Leaving four PCM sounds: closed high hat, open high hat, clap and crash. They are 909ish and you can adjust the pitch, decay and bass-i-ness to vary the sounds. There's two audio-in parts, but I have never played with that only to monitor MIDI-ied up gear with it. One might use the audio-in for a snare sound or maybe a sound loop it's up to your creativity. You can gate the audio-in sounds with the decay.

As far as the sequencer it is just like the TR series, 16 steps (12 steps for 12ths)you can tap write or step write. Unlike the TR series you can choose 1-4 measures rather than just 1 measure. There's slots for 256 patterns and 16 songs. You can adjust the swing from straight to swinging. Unlike the TR series one can record knob movements (just one movement a sound) but if you use your computer to sequence you can program as many knob movements as you like.

The only reason I can't give 5 marks is because the lack of individual outs and because the delay is global, if Korg would have done a stereo out and two ind outs like the Alesis SR16 I would have given a weak 5. A strong 5 if there were 8 ind outs, at least two assignable effects, & battery powered. For what they go for ($150 on ebay) it is a very good bargain for getting your own drum sounds or for special effects and noises.

Rating: 4 out of 5 posted Saturday-Sep-19-099 at 11:20

REENO a professional user from NYC (The Home of Electrofunk), USA writes:

I've only used one of these at the local music store. They are interesting machines in that you can quickly modify and customize your own drum sounds, BUT the lack of outputs puts the machine in the pro-sumer (at best) category. Simple stereo RCA outputs are a copout, and render all electribes useless in a professional studio environment.

I, for one, need at least 8 outputs, so that I can multi-track all my drum parts, and process them through a proper mixer. (not the electribe's internal "mixer")

When manufacturers began cutting corners regarding outputs and overall build quality, things started going downhill, and we were left with hundreds of those consumer level "BOSS DR-" drum machines, with those lousy stereo RCA outputs.

The Roland R-8, for example, has 10 (count em) 1/4" output jacks that are 100% assignable.

THAT makes a machine professional in my book.

Reeno WWW.MYSPACE.COM/REENOFUNK

Rating: 2 out of 5 posted Monday-Oct-20-088 at 13:02

Slik dA Relic a professional user from Brooknam, NYC writes:

ok, here's tha deal... ive had mine since its inception... a tr808/909? i wont say that, but it can match them sound for sound, plus more... i have machines that can give me great drums and stuff, but those crazy weird sounds u get from analog synths are in here... just a knob turn away... the 808 boom is just as good as the original, and yes, the snares are kinda weak... u must layer them with other sounds to get a strong one, and alot of times its not the snare u had in mind.

its definately not my main piece, but its the perfect sidekick for those sounds that just "make" the song... the poor man's machinedrum... the weak snare keeps it from perfect for me.

da relic

Rating: 4 out of 5 posted Monday-Jan-28-088 at 05:47

Mpresev from www.myspace.com/bornslippy2 writes:

I like it. I like the fact that it's fun to use, sounds great on the low end and I can create the best electro Afrika Bambatta/Kraftwer/Erasuresque drum patterns ever.

Rating: 5 out of 5 posted Monday-Nov-19-077 at 19:06

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