There was a bit of a joke going around on Twitter last week concerning Fred from Megatokyo and Hawk from Apple Geeks attending the up and coming convention, Intervention. At some point, there was a reference made to Twilight. Being the type of person I am, I decided to take it a step further and create this flyer. By the way, make sure you come to Intervention if you’re going to be in the area! It’s going to be a ton of fun!
I’ve grown to love little battery operated synthesizers. There’s something about them that make them fun and desirable but they have to be useful too. I do have a Casio VL-1 and a Stylophone. So, it’s no surprise that I jumped on the pre-order list for a Korg Monotron as soon as I heard about them.
As soon as they had one available, Sweetwater made sure they put one in the mail for me. When the package arrived at my door, I quickly ripped open the box with excitement. I kind of felt like a little kid on Christmas but who can blame me? It’s a real analog synth in the palm of your hand!
For such a small piece of equipment, the Monotron has a huge sound. While it only has one oscillator and a single filter, it can make some terrific noises. If you like making all sorts of crazy blips and beeps, the Monotron is definitely something you’ll want to look into. You’re not going to find another real analog synth cheaper than it’s street price of $60.
While it is full of awesome, the Monotron does have a few drawbacks. Korg did go a little cheap on the output of this synth but that’s not surprising considering the price and it’s size. On the back of the casing is a headphone output that is a little on the noisy side and it’s also not very loud. Also, using your finger on the ribbon controller can be a little difficult since it’s kind of small. You’ll want to get a hold of something like a Nintendo DS stylus to use instead.
Despite a couple minor issues, I definitely recommend the Monotron to anyone wanting to add a little analog sound to their life. If you’re good with a solder iron, you may want to open up the casing and start poking around. It seems that Korg has done a decent job at labeling different points on the circuit board so that you can easy modify things.
I have a feeling, though, that the Monotron may be a little hard to find for a while. Since it’s so cheap, I’m betting that stores might have a hard time keeping them in stock. At this point, I don’t even think Sweetwater has finished filling their pre-orders yet.
Man, it’s amazing how time flies! Baltimore Comic Con will be August 28th-29th at the Baltimore Convention Center and I’ll be in the Artists Alley with my wonderful wife, Kate. We’ll be selling comic books, CDs, buttons and badges. Oh! We’ll also have plenty of free stuff to give away. So, make sure you come by and see us! I’m not entire sure what the layout will be but you can can find us at table A191. It should be a good time!
