
Monotribe Electribe-Style Analog Drums and Synthesizer
Monotribe offers a true-analog, easily editable monophonic synthesizer along with three analog drum parts: kick, snare and hi hat. Each part can be sequenced separately to create bass and drum grooves quickly on the fly. The synth voice features the coveted MS-20 filter plus an auto-tuning circuit for stable pitch. External audio signals can also be processed through the filter to provide greater sonic possibilities. The ribbon keyboard allows users to enter precise notes, or experiment with wider ranges. Retro-style Sync jacks connect multiple units and keeps them all in time.

True Analog Synthesis
The Monotribe’s sound engine uses technology old and new, merging the powerful sound of analog synthesis with the dexterity and playability required in today’s groove making environments. Analog technology is essential for fast and responsive control, and delivers the full sonic spectrum from warm and easy-going to full-throttle rampage.

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Three-Part Analog Drums
The Monotribe provides a three-part rhythm section powered by discrete analog circuitry, bass drum, snare, and hi-hat. These three sounds were the key elements in a generation of analog beat making, and are still in demand today. Use these powerful drum sounds to generate distinctive beats attainable only from the Monotribe.
Electribe-Style Groove Creation
For over a decade, Korg’s Electribe Series has served as the standard tools for dance music and DJ work, and has earned outstanding popularity, even appearing recently as top-selling iPad app. The fantastic step key interface lives on in Monotribe, with a dedicated button for each of the eight steps. This allows real-time, hands-on step editing of not only the drum parts, but also for any synth part sequence played on the ribbon keyboard.
Active Step and Flux Mode
Active Step editing lets you remove or re-insert individual steps, creating short loop-like effects or off-beat patterns that weave in and out of complex rhythms. The step buttons provide this Active Step control during playback, and also provide an instant return to the original 8-step sequence if needed. Flux Mode allows the creation of sequenced synth parts that are not rigidly tied to the step grid, providing more musical versatility. The creation and morphing of edgy beats and stuttering rhythms has never been easier.
Multi-Mode Ribbon Keyboard
The ribbon controller keyboard provides three selectable playing modes/ranges. The chromatic mode (KEY) is ideal for playing melodies and bass lines, and stepping smoothly from note to note. Switch to the continuous mode (NARROW) for glides and bends, just as on the monotron. Also available is the wide continuous mode (WIDE) with a six-fold pitch range for dramatic synth zaps and screams. In addition, pressing the Gate Time button will allow the gate time to be sequenced as the ribbon controller keyboard is played.
Self-Tuning Analog
Analog synthesizers of yesteryear were prone to drift in pitch. But no more. The Monotribe’s self-tuning circuitry provides stable chromatic playability, and will not go out of tune. This self-tuning technology also means no warm-up time, no servicing for pitch calibration, no sensitivity to temperature changes–just the great sound of analog VCO.
Classic Analog Components–VCO, LFO, VCA
The VCO offers a choice between sawtooth, triangle and square wave. White noise can mixed in to the oscillator signal in any amount. The Octave selector covers a broad range, from deep bass to piercing lead-lines. Three EG (Envelope Generator) presets provide the VCA with impressive versatility and dexterity. The LFO can be patched to the VCO and/or the VCF, creating impressive dynamic effects. The Range switch allows the LFO to deliver stirring cyclic changes over tens of seconds (SLOW) or superfast (FAST) audio-range FM ringing. Switching the LFO Mode to the 1-shot setting allows the LFO behave as a second envelope generator–a truly powerful addition.
Vintage MS-10/MS-20 Filter
The Monotribe features the same VCF circuit found on Korg’s classic MS-10 and MS-20 analog semi-patchable synthesizers. Distinctively analog, this sharp and powerful filter adds dramatic change to the sound, imparting the uniquely memorable character of Korg’s early analog synthesizers. Using the audio input, any audio source can be enhanced by passing through the filter section. Process an instrument, a voice, or a complete mix form CD or MP3 and create larger than life filter effects.
Sync Jacks: A Return to Modular
The Monotribe provides both Sync In and Sync Out jacks, empowering multiple Monotribe units to play and work together for a synchronized performance. Not just other Monotribes, either. Audio line level pulses can trigger the Sync Input so the Monotribe can be synchronized to a DAW system, for example. In addition, the polarity of the pulse waveform can be changed for both the input and output, so you can enjoy synchronized performance with a variety of equipment equipped with Sync connections.
On-The-Go Groove Making
Light, compact, and portable, Monotribe is great on the go. Equipped with a built-in speaker and powered by six AA batteries, it is completely self-contained and ready to deliver hours of enjoyment wherever you take it.
$ 199.99
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
![]() Fantastic synth, By
Marlene Hartzman (Washington, DC USA) – See all my reviews
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: Korg Monotribe Analogue Ribbon Station (Electronics)
The Monotribe is an awesome instrument. It’s got a huge palette of synth sounds, including a bunch of upgrades from the already fantastic Monotron: multiple wave shapes, multiple LFO wave shapes, combination pitch and filter, key lock mode, etc. This is my first drum sequencer and I am completely enamored with it. It’s a little difficult to use well (it’s a complex device), but understanding the device will lead to great results.
The only downside that I’ve come across is that the drum sounds aren’t variable at all. The high hat is a little weak, and the analogue snare sound doesn’t sound great to a lot of people. There’s also some weirdness with the synth in play mode, but I think this is due to an incomplete understanding of the gate and/or flux functions on my part. Highly recommend it for anyone who wants to start playing with a drum sequencer, anyone who loved the Monotron but wanted more, or synthophiles looking to get relatively cheap analogue gear. 0
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
![]() Best piece of gear I’ve bought this year – THANK YOU, KORG!, By
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: Korg Monotribe Analogue Ribbon Station (Electronics)
A fully-analog oscillator with 8 step sequencer, LFO, MS20 filter, in/out sync (and an iphone app to sync to midi), quarter inch out, built-in speaker, ribbon controlled keyboard with full octave range. Oh Monotribe – where have you been all my life? Been playing with this thing for a week and it’s AWESOME. Creates nasty sub bass, pulsating analog basslines, nasty 303 sounding acid. Syncs with Maschine via an iPhone app and I am recording sequences that are synced and it sounds wicked. You can mod the heck out of these things as well. Voids your warranty but the circuit board inside actually has notes on the board for places to solder and add modulators. It was built to tweak. I haven’t opened mine up – perfectly satisfied with the sounds it’s making. Not for everyone.. but lovers of techno, dubstep, acid house and the like will geek for the sound. I love it.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
![]() So close to perfect…, By
This review is from: Korg Monotribe Analogue Ribbon Station (Electronics)
At first I thought of this as an expanded version of the Monotron, but it’s more than that. (And its filter architecture is different, because the ‘tribe filter “talks” and I could never get the ‘tron to do that.)
First brilliant thing: SELF TUNING. The tiny keys printed on the ribbon actually MEAN something now! There are three ribbon modes available. “Wide” puts the entire 6 octave oscillator range on the ribbon. This has very limited usefulness. “Narrow” mode gives you a 16-key range (octave selectable via a knob) that is smooth across the ribbon. “Key” breaks the ribbon up into 16 equal zones with no microtonal gradations between notes. I prefer “narrow” mode. The oscillator is switchable between saw (original Monotron wave), triangle, and square – as is the LFO. There’s a separately adjustable white noise source. Basic low-pass filter with cutoff and peak knobs. (This filter is now the gold standard by which I evaluate the virtual filters on digital synths, because it works exactly the way I think it should.) There’s a rudimentary amp envelope with three modes: Decay, hard on/off, and soft attack. LFO rate in “fast” mode behaves like the Monotron LFO – restarts with key press and can be dialed up into audio frequencies. In “slow” mode it operates continuously, regardless of key press. In “1shot” mode it triggers with a key press, goes through one cycle of its wave-form and then stops, making it useful as a sort of poor man’s filter envelope. The LFO can be switched to modulate oscillator pitch, filter cutoff, or both. The sound palette available here is ASTOUNDINGLY vast for such a small, simple device. Next brilliant thing: A proper 1/4 inch audio output jack on the back. Nice sturdy metal case. Also the unit is powerable via a transformer (sold separately). Very long life on a set of batteries though! (Using headphones. I’d imagine the onboard speaker drains batteries faster.) Korg has provided a short 1/8 stereo patch cable, perhaps for linking multiple Monotribes together – but I used it to plug the headphones output into the audio input, and thicken the sound. Output signal is very clean. Third brilliant thing: Rhythm section! There are 8 buttons which turn on & off 16 steps for three synthesized drum parts: Bass, Snare, and Hi-Hat. There’s also a 2-bar stepped phrase recorder which allows you to record and sort-of-edit a short synth part. If you’ve used an Electribe, you know how this step sequencer concept works. I had not, and I felt it was not very well explained in the manual. Thankfully there are lots of videos on YouTube! Once I saw somebody else use it, I immediately grasped its potential and spent many hours happily playing with it. So, what’s to complain about? Well, I am a little irritated that this powerful little synth is hampered by such a poor control device as the tiny (8cm) Monotron ribbon controller. Couldn’t they maybe have made the ribbon bigger? I would gladly have paid more for a proper keyboard .. or at least a MIDI in jack, so I could control the Monotribe with a keyboard of my choice. I heard rumors that there is MIDI functionality “hidden” inside, but I say if it didn’t leave the factory with MIDI enabled, then it doesn’t count. Honestly this is a no-brainer; why would Korg neglect to include MIDI on ANY sound module they release? It’s not 1978 anymore, people!! And my last gripe is that the audio-in signal doesn’t pass directly through the filter like it does in the Monotron. It only works when there is a note being played on the synthesizer – meaning this unit is useless as an external signal processor; what was touted as an extra feature is actually not one. 0 |
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