Big City Music reports via their blog that the Korg MicroKorg is now the most popular music synthesizer in history:
We were talking to our Korg sales rep. the other day and he mentioned that the 100,000th Korg MicroKorg keyboard just came off the assembly line. Unofficially that makes the MicroKorg the best selling synthesizer of all time. Amazing.
There’s no official ranking that I’m aware of for top-selling synths. If you’ve got more information on this, leave a comment.
And if you’ve got a Korg MicroKorg, leave a comment with your thoughts!
Here’s a audio demo of the Korg MicroKorg that highlights some of the instrument’s capabilities:
Image: Ivo Riemann
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21 Responses to “The Korg MicroKorg: The Most Popular Synthesizer Of All Time?”
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I'm pretty sure the Yamaha DX7 has sold a faire bit more than 100 000 units; wikipedia says 160 000, although they don't have source for that number.
it's obviously not true. DX7 sold more, as (I think) roland d50… maybe next year…
I had one and never could get used to the teeny keys. It always sounded weedy and thin as well. Figures it would be one of the best sellers of all time.
it's a cheap synth, $399… what do you expect? iPhone apps sound just as good…
I haven't seen official sales figures for either.
I haven't seen official sales figures for either synth – this post is quoting Big City Music's statement.
I'm not a fan of the MicroKorg's keys, though.
Diss it if you want, but it's affordable, sounds pretty darn good and has a vocoder. Tiny keys – so what? Think of a Casio VL-1 or a Roland TB-303. The microkorg is a classic that has brought synthesis within reach of a new generation. All things considered, I think this is one of the greatest synths of all time. It's toy enough to serve as a gateway into synthesis, yet instrument enough to be utilized by professionals.
I know for a fact the Yamaha Motif has sold more.
This little Korg Micro kicks butt. I just got one and wow! The bass alone is almost worth the price. Yeah – the knobs are cheap – (KORG – dudes, wake up – we need road worthy gear here). If you need big keys look somewhere else – or if you have a controller to drive this go for it. I think every self-respecting home recordist should have one wired into their DAW. I'll tell you what, the next time I have to fly to California, this sumbitch will be sitting in my lap – battery power option is great!
Getting my micro changed my life. Can't wait to get an XL. Fuck the haters.
Korg M1 = best selling synth of all time. D-50 Sold more than DX7 believe it or not. Then DX7 (both versions combined) sold the next best. Out of those the D-50 is the most magical, the DX7 the most legendary, the Korg M1 the most boring.
Microkorg doesn't even count, it's more like a preset toy keyboard.
Support is the main benefit of a popular synthesizer. You would expect it to have so many goodies and add-ons by the time it gets a title like most popular synth of all time. 100,000 does not seem like a lot to me. The Yamaha DX7 seemed like it made a far bigger splash in the industry, but that's because times have changed. Relatively speaking, though, the DX7 is still the leader in my opinion.
http://synthsale.com
Support is the main benefit of a popular synthesizer. You would expect it to have so many goodies and add-ons by the time it gets a title like most popular synth of all time. 100,000 does not seem like a lot to me. The Yamaha DX7 seemed like it made a far bigger splash in the industry, but that's because times have changed. Relatively speaking, though, the DX7 is still the leader in my opinion.
http://synthsale.com
Support is the main benefit of a popular synthesizer. You would expect it to have so many goodies and add-ons by the time it gets a title like most popular synth of all time. 100,000 does not seem like a lot to me. The Yamaha DX7 seemed like it made a far bigger splash in the industry, but that's because times have changed. Relatively speaking, though, the DX7 is still the leader in my opinion.
http://synthsale.com
Support is the main benefit of a popular synthesizer. You would expect it to have so many goodies and add-ons by the time it gets a title like most popular synth of all time. 100,000 does not seem like a lot to me. The Yamaha DX7 seemed like it made a far bigger splash in the industry, but that's because times have changed. Relatively speaking, though, the DX7 is still the leader in my opinion.
http://synthsale.com
Support is the main benefit of a popular synthesizer. You would expect it to have so many goodies and add-ons by the time it gets a title like most popular synth of all time. 100,000 does not seem like a lot to me. The Yamaha DX7 seemed like it made a far bigger splash in the industry, but that's because times have changed. Relatively speaking, though, the DX7 is still the leader in my opinion.
http://synthsale.com
Support is the main benefit of a popular synthesizer. You would expect it to have so many goodies and add-ons by the time it gets a title like most popular synth of all time. 100,000 does not seem like a lot to me. The Yamaha DX7 seemed like it made a far bigger splash in the industry, but that's because times have changed. Relatively speaking, though, the DX7 is still the leader in my opinion.
http://synthsale.com
The popularity of the Yamaha DX7, Roland D50 and Korg M1 in the 80s to early 90s would suggest one of these three should have the title. However, none of these synths had production runs as long as the original MK. I've heard that the DX7 (the original brown one) is the synth with the offical title of best seller of all-time. 4-note poly initially seemed limiting but this actually enforces creativity. This is a speciality synth that does excellent with leads, basses, analogue pads/strings and unusual hybrid analogue/digital textures. I say this synth is definitely a little gem!
The popularity of the Yamaha DX7, Roland D50 and Korg M1 in the 80s to early 90s would suggest one of these three should have the title. However, none of these synths had production runs as long as the original MK. I've heard that the DX7 (the original brown one) is the synth with the offical title of best seller of all-time. 4-note poly initially seemed limiting but this actually enforces creativity. This is a speciality synth that does excellent with leads, basses, analogue pads/strings and unusual hybrid analogue/digital textures. I say this synth is definitely a little gem!
Only 100,000? That doesn't sound right to me. Almost every musician I know has one. Personally, I can't stand it, the tiny keys make it ridiculously hard to play. The Alesis Micron is a much better alternative.
Only 100,000? That doesn't sound right to me. Almost every musician I know has one. Personally, I can't stand it, the tiny keys make it ridiculously hard to play. The Alesis Micron is a much better alternative.