Korg ES-1 Electribe

Simple, simple, simple. Once your samples are loaded you can make a track in about 5 minutes. The manual is basic (looks like a VCR manual) but it covers
everything you need to know. I read the first few sections and was laying tracks. Load samples from your computer (make sure you save them as 01.wav,
02.wav, etc.) onto the SmartMedia card (get a 32MB), plug it into your ES-1, load samples, make beats. The only reason it doesn't get a 10 is that you have to
load samples individually which is frustrating when you have 70 new samples to load.

Editing and tweaking sounds is where the unit shines. Select your sample, turn a knob. That's it. The only way to make it easier is to have someone do it for
you. Even using the pitch shift to make basslines and melodies is easy once you learn how. Refer to manual for this.

If you have one finger, you can use the ES-1.

Presets=90% bullshit. Buy/download/create your own samples. Blow out all of the preset patterns and all but about 10 preset samples.

32.1 KHz? Something like that. OK by me because it adds a gritty dirty feeling to my beats. Yeah, I like that. Not CD quality, but then again this isn't a $2000
MPC we're talking about. Tight beats on a tight budget.

Some effects are crucial, some are useless, but you can use them to emulate other beatmakers or develop your own style. What more do you need? Delay is
global, but you can resample a sample with delay and add it to your track thus working around the problem.

I've made hip-hop tracks that sound like Dre, Neptunes, RZA, and Timbaland on this thing. I never started selling beats until I got this unit, so I guess it sounds
good enough to catch people's attention.

Try plugging your guitar into the unit and tweaking sounds. Nice.

I bought it used on ebay and haven't had any problems. I've travelled everywhere from Michigan to Mississippi with this thing and it hasn't failed me yet. I can
see where hardcore techno-tweakers who want to slam the knobs during live performances would have a problem. They seem like you could twist them right
off. I use it strictly for home and studio use, so I tweak the knobs like nipples. Gently, brother, gently. Shit, it's not a stompbox. Treat it good and it will treat
you good.

My only experience has been the Korg website. I also found these if you're interested...

ES-1 stuff
http://www.isitmusic.com/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=57

Korg stuff
http://www.synthzone.com/korg.htm

Various reviews
http://www.futuremusic.co.uk/hl_news.asp

Sample songs
http://www.dj-store.com/product.lasso?pr=8662

UK review
http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/aug00/articles/korgelec.htm

I've been making beats since '89 back in junior high. Started with R&B, moved over to techno, now mostly hip-hop. I've messed with software loop-based
programs, Alesis drum machines, Yamaha keyboards, and so much other gear I can't remember it all. The ES-1 is my favorite tool so far. If you have an once of
musical creativity in you, you won't be able to put this down. If lost or stolen I could only blame myself for not letting any shady characters near my shit, suck it
up, and by another.

I have a Yamaha QY100 for programming beats and R&B tracks on the road, but I keep coming back to the ES-1. Ease of use is the deciding factor there. I
need to find a car adapter for this so I can program in the ride.

I realize this was originally designed for technoheads, but to me the ES-1 screams hip-hop. It's not the best out there, but it's the best for the price. It's a sampler,
so you can always have fresh sounds. It small and light, so you can always take it with you.

If you can't afford and MPC, RS7000, or EMU you got to cop this.

Really, you'd have to be some kind of lower primate.

Select sample, lay track, add effect, boom drop boom. Done.

The best things about this sample are:
1) Tap tempo rocks. Really really good if you are playing the sampler as a drum machine with a sloppy live band
2) The effects section is lush. The effects are global, which is a drawback, but you are getting what you pay for. Not really a big deal. Have used this unit effectively as a nice little pre amp.
3) Time slice! So nice! Like Whiskey and Coke on Ice
4) The interface is intuitive and fun to use. It doesn't take scrolling through complex menu's to change pitch, envelope, ect. Just turn the knob. Setting the start and stop points of the sample is very simple, alot easier than a previous reviewer stated, actually.
5) The sequencer is fresh. I don't know what else to say about it. Drop sample, boom bam biiff...theres your drum track. You got a thousand dollars to burn, go buy an MPC and brag about how this ES-1 is a toy. The smart man will push this unit to it's limits and get similar/superior results at a fraction of the price.

All depends on what and how you're sampling. Thats all up to you.
The unit itself is very quiet and doesn't have that annoying buzz.

I really like the effects. Especially the tempo delay. It can totally change the beat like jelly.

People have complained about the build quality.......

Guess what! You don't want it to break?

THEN DON'T DROP IT!


I've used this thing heavily for two years. The knobs are fine. Nothing is loose. What is wrong with you heavy handed f*ckers? You don't need to punch the damn thing to tweak a knob. I really don't understand. You are not going to find alot of electronic gear these days that is cast in die-metals, and that in itself is no guarantee of invincible equipment. Such a thing does not exist. Anyone who spills a gin and tonic in this machine and then complains about build tonic.....never mind, trying to stay positive here.

Never had to call customer support so I can't answer honestly.

Absolutely indespensible to my rig. I pitty the fool who messes with it.

This is not the most advanced feature rich sampler that exists on the planet. But me, I don't need all the features a $1500 dollar sampler can offer. This is a perfect value for sampling drum beats or small phrases.

This is no toy.

With only an Alesis SR-16 as previous drum machine experience, the ES-1 proved spectaculary easy to master, although sequencing patterns into a song could've been faster if you want to make it sound like an actual drummer, with fill-ins that can set in at any given step on the way. But then again it's an electronic device for electronic music, and that's what you should use it for.

I love the internal effects as they're simplistic, but very effective. I am at times using the whole machine just for it's effects on vocals or an instrument through the Audio In.
I particulary like the idea that you have to overwrite the preset patches so you're not stuck with a lot of unusable factory settings I'm not interested in using for my own purposes. But then again, the preset samples are almost a shame to have to erase if you're not using SmartMedia(tm) to save them.

The sampling function work beautifully and as noise-free as the input signal is. I, for one, can't discriminate my own badge of samples from the preset ones except that I know where they are coming from.

The time delay section kicks ass!

The only thing I could've wanted is the possibility to use odd time signatures. But I also have obtained one Elektron Machinedrum which does have this feature (and costs dearly more).

Once purchased as a backup for the SR-16 (don't laugh! you can't have an idea of what my music sounds like!) it's perfect for what it is. But what's this story about wobbly pots and plastic casing?! Mine is clearly cased in brushed aluminium and it fell to the ground a couple of times, real hard, and down the stairs once, and it still has it's only defect: since the sample memory of my device is almost full, it mixes up and deletes 4-5 samples each time I try to sample something new. This effect can be undone by clearing the entire memory (saving it to SmartMedia(tm) first) and start from scratch. Nevertheless, I don't agree it should have this defect.

Read above. I was told there was no hardware / software damage at all, and the effect was caused by an overloaded sample memory.
Scheisse!

Well, I am about to purchase the EA-1 because I've got this great idea for a whole new live setting, and I would not be doing this if I hated the ES-1. In fact, I really like it's sparkling sounds and effects and it totally lives up to what it costs.
It's complete enough (as a sampler) and operates groovily, and once more, it's so easy to master it's almost scary.

The factory samples are just plain cheezy. Its easy to use, but the 2-digit LED is aweful. The manual is well written.

150 samples can be held memory,
95 second sample time.
128 sequence patterns (64 steps each max),
blah blah blah....
12 built in effects, mostly useable, all adjustable, but you can only use one effect on each sample set (drum kit), it would have been nicer to be able to set different effects do different individual samples.
It uses smart media cards for storage.
The typical step sequencer with the running blinky lights across the 16 step pads.
setting the drum sounds start point perfectly is CRITICAL if you wanna have a sample repeat on 3 or more steps in a row. But overall it has a good # of features.
the slicer is cool.

cd quality sampling. Use it for any electronic music style. the effects are nice for the most part. theres really not much to say about this because its a sampler.

This is where i have a beef with this unit. it's THE WORST construction quality i have ever seen of any electronic music gear. Its very cheezy plasticy, not even a thick tuff plastic, but a think cheep plastic. the potonometers for the knobs are terribly wobbly, when i twist a knob it literally wobbles in my fingertips. the rear midi/audio/power ports are very loose also, im scared of plugging/unpluggin midi cables to it very often in fear of them breaking off! no lie, the WORSE wobble i have ever seen. I would have happily spent an extra $150-$200 for this unit if the construction quality was better (i.e. metal case, well fastened circuit boards/potonometers)... these rubber membrane buttons are the type that stick and stop functioning after 10+ years ago, (simmilar to the alesis mmt-8 sequencer's button with that problem) i think plastic buttons would have been nicer.
i WOULD have given this a ONE rate, but so far, electronically it still works almost flawlessly) "almost" being sometimes when programming a pattern and saving it, i go back to play it and play other patterns and the tempo changes the whole system for no reason and it forces me to reboot!

dunno

it is was lost or stolen i would NOT get another one... prolly get an Ensoniq asr-x pro with an external step sequencer like Future Retro Mobius.

i loved the price $275 like new with all the extras like the box and manual and power supply etc.. it even still had the original factory samples and patterns.

i hate the build quality.

im stuck with it at the moment but once i get enuff cash together imma buy a decent quality sampling drum machine..

Awesome to have a small portable box that works like recycle. Was really able to tweak and get stuff done hands on and quickly. Resampling is cool because you stay in your own universe. Basically it's as easy to use as my other electribes. The green machine!

Works well w/ my cakewalk and syncs to other stuff flawlessly. FX are many-automatable and really can change your stuff up. No limits.

Cool onboard samples that you can really mess up. Fits everything because it is the poor man's MPC.

SRock steady like my other tribes.

Never have had a problem w/ korg. Didn't any support because it's real easy.

Rad, easy, expressive, quick-intuitive.

the presets are acutally good, i mean, if you think trance is good or something... editing patches is the easiest thing in the world, its all right in front of your eyes with cute flashing lights and knobs
i use it more than anything else, all by itself
although i cant figure out the time splice thing

it can play nine or so samples at once, if you put one on the time splice. two of the instruments can only play one saple at a time, and they can be four mono samples or two stereo samples
hte built in effects are interesting and useful, if you mess with them for long enough and figure out all hte sounds you can make something really great with them, and resapmle into total noise.
i got a smartmedia carda with mine and it holds nine user banks and you can transfer .wav files via usb.
the sequencer is pretty awesome, just a light up X0X style 16 step. witht he motion capture thing set on trigger hold, its pretty easy to flick out good melodies on the knobs.
the midi is a littl janky, i think, getting it to synch to something else is tricky

ok that 32khz thing is obviously there because you need so much space to put information for cd quality samples. its nothing anyone but like steve albini would notice, i had a kit of 606 707 samples i took from my friend s drum machines and they sounded great.
it works really good for dub, techno, electro, gabber, hardcore, breakcore, grindcore, horror, pop, ambient, house, trance, north-american idm... the lsit goes on and on. you could use it for anything
its super good for playing live, i got this because i played with my roomates er-1 and was amazed at its ease of use and how i could change so much shit so fast, and just make a bunch of noise, but after having some electribes for about 8 months, and using it constantly, so much subtlety and expressiveness is possibke

actusayll , they are a little fragiel, mine got a problem twith the power hole on the unit, but it onyl cost 36 dollars to fix. and i got the fucker for only 375 buks. but i had beer spilt on it and didnt harm it, getting dust and dirt on it is really bad though.

uh no. there website just has a bunch of the doofus "nu metal" basnds that use their shit,. but i noticed they had some little proggies and things to help you tih usb and wav transfering or somethign like that
ive never dealt with them

yes i would get two more.... just in case they arent arou d that much anyhmore. but i htink they will be. every other dumbass kid i meet has a few of the things, theyre like colored accessories for their imacs or something/i think its worth about $450, tops...
ive been playing shit for like nine years, i have some computers and some gameboys and some other electribes, the R and the A. i have a bunch of guitars and drums and some digitech effects processors and some stomp boxes
i love everyhting about it, except for the thing i hate, which is:
i htink they should ve done the reverb/delay in the same thing apart from the other effects, so it wasnt global. but with some clever filtering and such, you can make it not so noticeably global. i also wish they could midi dump.
i wish that you couold record knob movements over an entire song.
that would be way radical.
i just really like the visual approach, its really hands on and quick,. but its very expansive, so you can tinker for long ass time, and sloe its gret for live.
i htink anyoen that its liek theyre only piece of gear willl really appreciate it and use it more too its potential, which is enourmaous.
i htkn
ok

Well it's a doddle to use. Get it out of the box, plug it in, and although most of the preset sounds aren't great, you can start off by mashing them up with the internal f/x etc and making new samples. Editing is really easy. The manual is basic but concise, and tells you everything you need to know.

I think that that one of the reasons I've had fun using this box is its limitations. The f/x aren't amazing and the slice function isn't precise, but it forces you to find new ways of making sounds. I love the internal routing of everything, and the way you can sequence changes in the f/x parameters. The sequencer is so easy to use. I just wish the volume knob wasn't so close to the pitch knob, as I keep nudging the pitch knob accidentaly and it can mess stuff up when doing live stuff (especially loops). I also wish it could store more memory.....but I think I may have found a solution to that.....just smple everything an octave higher-that way you use half the amount of memory, and when you sequence stuff you can just pitch it an octave down so it will play at the correct pitch. I haven't tried it yet as I will mean alot of resampling which can be tedious and boring. If any one tries it out let me know if it works.

well....if you use the preset sounds then there won't be much there, a little maybe. But it's a sampler so go sample something good!

I use it to write hip hop beats, and use it live on a regular basis. I run it through a channel strip when using it live, give it some compression and some top end boost with the EQ and I gotta say that because the samples are 32kHz, there is a crusty, fat sound to it. When played over a loud rig it sounds sooo good.

Not at all. I just had to take mine to be repared and have only had it for a few months....weak!!!! It just decided to not switch on one day. As I gig so often I had to go and get another one as it would take so long to be fixed!!!! That's just wrong!!!!! Korg should sort it out. If i knew i would have had to buy 2 of them in the first place I probably would have just bought an MPC2000. Tragic!!!!

AS I said earlier, getting it fixed takes too long. And I couldn't even hire one in the meantime!!!!!

A great tool if you're just getting into sampling and stuff. I also use Fruityloops on a PC and it's like a more limited hardware version of that, so i LOVE IT. I also love using the realtime con trols to jam stuff into my computer and write loops that way. I bought it because it was cheaper than an MPC and does what I need it to do to sequence my beats live. When I'm gigging some people can't believe such a big sound comes out of such a small box.

it is all pretty much very easy to use..presets a preset..editing i feel is very intuitive...the manual...well i lost mine way back...i had problems using smart media cards but needed the manual...the whole numbering thing is weird..i had errors but couldnt find out which ones due to lack of the manual...i fiqured out slowly that you could control the midi note triggered by each part..

i think it 8 or 9 available sounds including an input you can use as a gate, and an accent...a couple of the sample banks in pattern mode allow you to cut a sample out with another sample hi hat style...you can sequence things with it via midi...use it for drums/samples and a melody at the same time..the sequencer is nice but in song mode it doesnt loop..now thats just slack..i like it all besides that though...well...sometimes the sample in the first bank would kinda wipe the others out a little bit

i have recording things on it that sounded in my mind very nicely...and have had no problem recording tons of tracks with just it...sampling is great...as it is what you put into it.the mute and sole make it nice to bring things in and out but having one knob overall for each parameter on all the sample banks is horrible unless you always remember where it was for every sound...it cuts to where you have it from where you left it...and is nasty...not to mention that the effects are pretty chincy any way.multiple effects at one time would have been at least cool..a little bit...i like the delay..the digital sound it has is neat..and the syncing is cool

i used this machine for about 3 solid years ....we are talking every day , the only machine i had for a long time and it wore down..the effects went to hell(like they didnt work in both speakers or at all)the volume knob stopped working and the thing would just randomly shut off....usually when i had something made on it that was awesome and i hadnt saved yet..i got lotsa use out of it and tons of ideas and leads into what i as a artist want to have on my control panel anfd how i want to use it

i never tried to get it repaired

i was tempted to buy another but decided i would try and stick to analog...i have a mobius for a sequencer controlling a radioshak general midi keyboard and an fr-777 with a little ol 606 kicking along beside it ..the es-1 was a very good entry level machine..i developed myself and got used to tapping out 16 step beats and such but feel it was only a mass produced peice of plastic ...as i said entry level...for as close to the cost of a 777 it was when i got it it is kind of bunk but it was a necessary step toward where i sit today amongst my splended wires and knobs...if i found one cheep or could get mine fixed id love to have one again but i am digging the analog control so maybe it is an honest adios

Maunal's great, persets aren't but it's a sampler so who cares?
Editing is pretty easy, but I tend to sample everything on my computer, trim it etc and then transfer it to the Electribe via Smart Media; then I use the intenal editing and effects to do strange stuff ;)I found it a tad tricky to adjust the length eactly (probably because I'm used to looking at waveforms) hence the smart media dump. Very handy.

The sequencer is great. Wish it had a more patterns and longer phrases, but there's ways a round almost everything, so you can uslally get it to do what you want. My only real complaint is it's inability to adequately deal with odd time signatures. Go from 4/4 to 3/4 in a song and it goes all out of whack. A big pity...

The sampling quality isn't up there with my old EPS16+, but it has a certain crustiness that I actually really like. Weird I know, but it really does sound good!

I play a kind of an indie/world/ethereal/darkwave kind of hybrid with a lot of live instruments (vocals, guitar, dulcimer, bowed psaltery, bass, percussion etc) and the Electribe does a great job of covering all the drum/loop/weird stuff. Currently in the process of scaling back the live set up and losing the EPS16+ (which crashes in high temperatures... like at a gig!) and running everything off the Electribe. So far, so good! A few hurdles but nothing that can't be solved with a bit of brain power ;)

The effects are good but not brilliant. It really doesn't compare to
TC chorus, Frostwave filters, Lexicon and Alesis reverbs or a lot of distortions out there, but it can do some cool stuff and definitely has it's place. Use the cool outboard stuff in the studio, but use the internal effects live. Having said that, I've gotten some good weird stuff on it that I've recorded too...

The motion sequences are the key to the expressiveness in this thing, with the effects or with other parameters.

SO far so good... I've had it for at about a year and in that time it's done a heap of gigs hear in Australia and toured Europe as well with no problems. Like everyone, I'm not sold on the knobs but that's only specualtion at the moment because it's holding up just fine.

no need

Very happy overall. It's become central to our live sound so I'd definitely get another if I had too.

Only complaints are the ianability to deal with different time signatures. In every other respect, this box is very versatile and is capable of a wide variety of styles, so it's a pity about this. I guess they thought it would be used primarily as a techno/hiphop/dnb box it is capable of so much more.

Wishlist? More memory, obviously... The only other things it lacks would have pushed the price up to the realms of the MPC so it's just as well it doesn't have them!

I compared it to the new Roland sampler/groove box thing (which had all the features but the sound quality was appalling!) and the Yamaha ones, but the Korg was by far the most usable (in terms of sound, ease and features). Tempted to check out the other Electribes now...

The ease of use is what convinved me to buy this great box -
I figured it out in the store, it was love at first play.

Could have more features, but the ones that are there are solid.

As it is a sampler, the sounds are all up to you.

Loses 1 point for having 32khz samples (!? why)

It's worked GREAT for me so far. Never any trouble.

I guess the knobs may eventually wear out, but...

Their website works better than Roland's, and providing a manual in PDF format was a BIG plus - it helped me decide to buy it.

No repairs YET... (knock on wood)

This thing is great - it's the centerpiece of my live preformances or jams. Its even popping up on my studio tracks because its so much fun.
I'd rather have this than grooveboxes that cost X10 as much, like the MPC, because it's USABLE.

Now I want an EM-1 also! And MORE new electribes. A yellow one?