Korg Monotron Delay 0-Key Analog Synthesizer, Monophonic Polyphony

2023-07-02T17:16:55

The Korg Monotron Delay is a very immediate and fun sound design machine and processor. What's especially unique about it is that the filter comes after the delay. You can process incoming audio or the oscillator and control the tone of the repeats with the onboard filter, which is taken from the MS20 synth and is a personal favorite of mine. There is no resonance control to the filter but it's set at a very tasty level. This makes for a very creative sonic landscape. The internal oscillator is a saw waveform and can be modulated with either a triangle or a square LFO. Matched with the delay, this delivers some very spacey and interesting sounds. I would say the Monotron Delay is best suited for external processing and making samples. The ribbon controller doesn't offer any precise control and to get a precise pitch is pretty difficult. The ribbon controller offers continuous control of pitch, so sweeps are possible by running your finger up or down the ribbon. I used mine to make a sample library, incorporating the delay in my sound design as the layering of repeats with the filter and the modulation of the LFO makes for some pretty large sounds. I really like how fast the LFO goes. It goes into the audio range for analog-FM style tones. The real magic of this synth comes with the automation of the parameters, delivering hands on motion to otherwise static sounds. A vast array of sonic textures can VERY easily be coaxed out of this with little prior experience. The Monotron Delay delivers wild sonic textures that are at home in any electronic music track looking for something to give it some grimy analog grit.

Tom N.