Korg ES-1 Electribe

This thing is easy to use.

Sort of gritty due to its 32 kHz sampling, but it was still cool and sounded nice!

Well, I loaded some wav files onto a flash card and BOOM!

My ES-1 never started up again. I tried reloading the firmware and everything but it just hangs on "electribe" for long periods of time.

I didn't really have money to get it repaired, which makes me very sad. It's just sitting in my attic.

I tried calling support to ask for help but there was none.

I didn't buy one again, instead I bought an MPC. I have to say that it's ridiculous that a piece of hardware can be permanently brought down by software problems. I'm very wary of buying from Korg now.

Just an addendum to my review of the Korg ES1 mkII.

For some reason it doesn't MIDI sync as my Korg EA1 syncs. I forget the MIDI term used where there is location points (song position locator)in the MIDI signal but whatever that is called the ES1 doesn't have that.
What I was trying to do is use my Fostex FD4 and Cubase as the MIDI master the ES1 with other gear as the MIDI slaves. The ES1 starts as soon as you hit the start button on the FD4 or Cubase but the other MIDI slaves instruments wait for the starting point. So what I do is hook up the ES1 directly to the master MIDI device and out the ES1 a MIDI thru to control the other instruments.

I am a very happy owner of the Korg ES1 mkII, I bought it when it first came out for $399.

This sampler uses drum machine style sequencing like most groove boxes which is easy to use, I already owned a Korg EA1, Roland TR707, and other drum machines so this sampler was easy for me to pick up and use. I just had to skim through the manual to learn how to sample sounds and how to use the smart media card.

I really like the fact one can integrate your computer with this sampler by use of a smart card. One can really get into the samples (ie. tweaking, editing)
One can edit samples entirely on the sampler but limited to truncating ends and beginings of samples, and fading out a sample at the end. One thing I would have like to see is the ability to make a copies of a sample so one can tweak a copy of the sample and have the original still intact, and so one can chop up a sample (ie. drum break) and have different parts. On the ES1 there is a feature called slice but I don't think you can rearrange the samples from their original state (or chop up and play different)

The manual is easy to understand, but I can tell that English wasn't the author's mother tongue.

***One tip for people that have not erased the preset sequences:
Use the presets sequences to see how the ES1 can be utilized, Korg and other manufactures spend a lot of money on sound designers to make the presets sound good so their product sounds like something you NEED to have when you demo it in a music store. Yeah presets usually sound like generic stuff you hear on generic radio stations and all the usual places, but if you watch how they use the motion sequence by checking out the presets you can learn tips and tricks that aren't covered in the manual.

There is no velocity on the keys, and I haven't used an external trigger so I don't know if it would effect the velocity. But you can use the volume level in the motion sequence to change up the volume if you wanted to. I don't think I'll ever use external triggers because I think this machine is fun to use on your lap on your couch and sounds good enough to connect to your other gear after you programmed some patterns then songs.

The keys are the gummy Alesis MMT8/HR16 type, hopefully they still work after a few decades. The knobs are little more sturdier on the mkII than the original. I really love the layout, it reminds me of an old school drum machine (that never existed, but should have). I love the gold metal casing it's very stylish. The red LED display reminds of the old calculators in a way, giving this drum machine an 80's feel. I would have preferred that the power input jack be recessed but if one is careful one shoulden't have any problems.
I'll take this sampler with me on trips boxed in a hard case with foam about the sides (would love the option of batteries like the TR505), I have never had any problems with it.

I like the fact that there are two pairs of on/off buttons (the x/a & x/b, x=6 & 7 the "a" being on, the "b" being off)that can be used for hi hats (open high hat=on=x/a, closed high hat=off=x/b) or to stop the sample sounding (note off) -this is good because the samples play to the end of the sample, so if you have a sample that you want to stop in some places in the sequence(without cutting the sample down)use these buttons (assign the x/b as "off" when you go into the sample selector).

Since this is a sampler, the sounds that you get are totally up to you. Though it's 32khz, it sounds real good to me. Maybe if I A/B'd it to a 44khz or 48khz sampler I would hear a difference but after adding effects and mixing the sounds I don't think it matters. Anyways I'm using this sampler as a drum machine most of my samples are individual drum hits, so I don't need super hi fi. When I use it to chop up non-drum-hit samples the source is phonograph records so I think the 32khz enhances the sound.

I think this sampler is perfect for Hip Hop, and I am really surprised more Hip Hop producers aren't talking about this machine. I know the Holy Grail of Hip Hop production is the SP, TR808 and the MPC but you can get 5 ES1s for the price of one of those and spend the balance of the money on records.
One can use this for live dj sets to trigger sound effects (as I have done), or can use this in any style of music if samples are used, or can be used strictly for the audio in effects.

The effects are OK not bad but could be much better -but for the price of the unit it's good, I would have prefered four assignable outputs to the effects but I think Korg was trying to be a all-in-one. If I was good at electronics I would try to modify the ES1 to have separate outputs -I'm sure it's been done or at least thought of.
I don't like the fact that you can only use one effect at a time, (ex. sometimes I want to have reverb on the hand claps but on the same sequence use mod. delay for the rim shots but I can't because it's one effect)

This sampler is fun to play with, I can usually get the sound out from my head without too much trouble. I like the fact you can "audition" samples in a sequence by switching up the sample as the pattern sequence plays. I find the best results come when you use the 32 rather than 16 measurement. One can bring your sequences to life with the motion sequencing but be careful when the patterns change it has a MIDI zippering effect if the effect parameters are changed. One can also add life to a sequence with the accent but the accent is global to all the sounds and not that dramatic.

I love this machine, hopefully it will out live me.

One problem though, they stopped making 64mb smart media cards and the 128mb smart cards don't work. If you plan on using your computer to save ES1 sequences and songs, and to edit samples make sure you can find a couple of 64mb smart cards before you buy a ES1.

I don't gig out but if I did I'd have a backup because I'd be paranoid that it would break down -but that's just me trying to play it safe.

before you buy the ES1 download the manual so you know what you are getting into.

I'm happy I haven't run into any problems where I had to call customer support.

I really love this machine. I can get a lot done with it. After five years I want to be a master at ES1 -knowing every possible trick and knowing the insides and outs. If I had the extra money I'd buy a back up ES1 and just keep it in the box.

I check out sites like Harmony Central, Sonic State, and the like, do internet searches on various gear and read Future Music and Keyboard magazines and I can't think of another sampler I rather have. Though I wish it had four assignable outputs or the ability to use different effects on different samples on the same pattern sequence. It would be nice to be able to make copies of a sample so you can chop up different sounds from the original sample but I don't need this because I use the computer to edit all my samples and the smart cards to load them.

Love:
1) easy and fun to use
2) straight foward layout and operation (no long menus)
3) computer editing integration via Smart Media Card

Hate:
1) the fact you can only use one effect at a time
2) the fact they phased out 64 & 32mb Smart Cards
3) global accent -I would rather it be individual accent

I have been making beats since middle school and I'm 33 years of age as of this writing. For a list of my other gear and music samples you can check out my web site; http://markseventyone.com
I am always interested in tips and tricks for musical gear/song making so if you have any you would like to share, or would like to ask question of me please mail me.

These are easy to use, yet hard to learn inside out .. you need the manual to get anywhere into this .. I haven't had much experience with hardware groove boxes but this does seem to be easier to use than the Zoom Sampletrak .. I had one of them too ,, the ES-1 is way more intuitive to use than the ST-224 but you need the manual for both .. and then you have to be fairly well organised if you want to maintain a large library of sounds via memory and SmartMedia storage/transport .. it is just not as elegant an interface as many would have you believe and the reason for that is the complexity of the ES-1 .. it does lots of things .. some well and some not so well ..

.. I won't rabbit on about specifications here as I notice that is well covered so please permit me to move onto what features work well and what doesn't quite cut it (IMHO) .. I love the Delay master effect on the ES-1 and I believe that is on all the early Electribes .. truely an awesome and powerful feature right there .. and yes you can record delay filter adjustments into the motion sequencer .. that is very cool .. next I love the pitch shifter effect and that is programmable to different sound channels including the live input and motion sequencer .. tastey!!! .. most of the other ES-1 effects suck and don't cut it when stacked up against most any other effects unit I can think of .. and it was here that the ST-224 had the edge .. darn thing (the ST224 that is) had a scratch wheel effect too! (not on live input though) and the effects were better (Distortion effect was excellent) .. having said that; the delay and pitch shifter on the ES-1 is very hard to match, electribes have the edge there .. oh yes they do .. next thing that is common to both samplers and many other vocoder/groove boxes and that is; the ability to mute parts of the incoming live input .. crazy .. you need to mess with that stuff .. (apparently some people have found specialty uses for some of the filters I just dissed too .. so I may be misleading slightly there) .. I still give this a 10 in this category because of the sheer value for money!!!

.. it does come close to being a standalone instrument but seems to lack tonal expression (fidelity) only because of the 12bit samples and audio compression used .. I mentioned the effects stuff already but there is a lot more to the ES-1 in the sequencer and song control sections in particular .. it is pretty darn good and you can work around that LoFi/gritty sound and thus put it apparent weaknesses to good effect .. sounds great in a mix!!! and again it gets an additional point here 'cause it is cheap and cheerful!!

.. This seems to be a quality build but I would certainly be very careful with it .. no sunlight, no heavy bumps or drops and gentle with the knobs .. I hear that it is a real hassel replacing the battery on these things too and Korg advise a tech does that .. just keep everything crossed that nothing goes wrong with it .. lots of antique circuitry that would take a real specialist to repair any problems .. apparently they are crammed full of wiring and circuitry so aint something you would want to be repairing yourself unless you are a real mad scientist type .. I have heard of these going belly up and that is the end of them .. :( .. these have been known to crash occasionally too .. usually after a mad tweaking session .. so do remember to do incremental backups of your works in progress ..

.. they have manuals on their website in PDF format .. thanks for that KORG!!! .. the aftermaret DIY crowd kinda picks up the pieces and runs with it where Korg dropped the ball by not developing the computer interface side of things for ES-1 users ..

okay the ES-1 tops out over the St-224's only because it is a much nicer interface (plus slightly more grunt in the memory department only) ... both very nice toys but the ES-1 is easier to drive .. the ES-1 usually costs a few dollars more than the Zoom St-224 Sampletrak so if you are really bare-ass broke a ST-224 will suffice .. if you have a few bucks more I would say to go for an ES-1 .. the sound quality is approximately the same between the two .. of course if you are loaded up with cash you would probably be looking at spending your money on a higher resolution sampler with more grunt .. there is nothing wrong with either the ES-1 or the St224 for musicians who enjoy working with budget equipment ..

a reference for anyone who wondered what the guy was talking about when he complained about the patterns changing tempos when you switch from one pattern to the next.

it's designed to do that. if you're playing a song with two different patterns, the idea is that you don't want to change tempos. it facilitates that by carrying over the tempo from the first pattern into the next.

if you're not playing a song, you can just stop, switch patterns, then play, it will retain its original tempo.

it's all described in the 30 page, large print manual. easy. to. use.

I Have the Korg ES-1. one of the first additions.
I use it mostly for production and sample manipulation; although my DJ party options have been helped.

Let me tell you.....if a note was played mistakenly for your sequence, you can go in manually and change the note or effect.
There are several different effect modes including time delay(based on your BPM), and the ability to create motion sequences!!!!!!

This unit works well with orchestra hits, vocal samples, and all kinds of drums (includig kicks, snares, hats/symbals(any), amd preplayed samples.(This includes the ones you'll need clearances for). Normalizing certain sounds help, but be careful as you will have to resample if you don't like this effect. Pay attention to the manual if you're looking for particular things.......I'm not a manual reading type of person, but with noone to guide me in their past experience(i was the first in the crew to have this), it was easy to read and helpful!

The only upset I,ve encountered is the power cord. It can develope a short easily where it will cut off at any time in certain positioning. I purchased a reliable back-up source at radio shack for less than $15 (USD) that works super. If you plan to move the unit around a lot you might want to tape the power source.

Never had to Deal with.
I,ve had this unit brand new since 2001. It still works like new.

My Overall Rating is a 10. This is good for Producers, and dj,s alike!
I fall into both categories, and yes I am A female (o.k.),(Chicago Subarb). You will love the internal memory and motion sequencing. The eternal memory aint no joke!!!!!!!! Sequencing either. Everthing already ready for each gig!!! (get your smart media card for instant access to several sets)!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOVE IT!!!

I would keep this Forever Just for the portability options alone.

all said.

I just wanted to add some words about the es-1 MKII.
the reviewer before wrote about the pausing when changing the effects. well, this bug has been fixed in the MKII version. you can switch the effects in realtime without any glitches. superb!!!
I can't complain about anything. this unit simply kicks a$$ :-)

just go and get one of them - they will be sold out soon. I'd paid 277? for mine. that was the BEST deal I've ever made. ....n I made alot ;)

the soundset has been changed. although those preset-patterns are still unusable. but WHO uses preset-phrases anyway?! ;)
there are some really cool drumsounds in it - but the rest is all crap. but hey: it's a sampler. so what do ya do with it - if not sampling ya own stuff?! :-)
and believe me: when loading good samples, this unit boosts them to be pretty good. when loading kicka$$ samples, this units boosts them to blow a$$es off...hehe. ;)

best gear for live - solid metalcase. and the electribes at all are one of the tightest machines I've ever used. no stupid sequencer-bugs like those roland boxes liked to have. and their midification is also a pleasure.

made a whole track with it in the first week i owned it. very easy to use. the motion sequence is awesome and very useful.

you can find ES-1 OS updates on yahoo groups.. they load from your smart media card.. i have the french version 1.06. to know which OS version you have hold down stop and record as you turn on your es-1.

the only thing i don't like is the pausing in between the 11 fx. this is a problem imo and probably will not be solved in the mkII.

other than that it sounds f*cking great. really focuses on the lower tones (bass .etc). you can f*ck the samples as much as you like to get the weirdest sounds possible. great for electro.

it has done some odd things to me but so has software. some bugs have come up, dissapeared, and not seen again. this has not happened often.

i would rely on this at a gig if i was given the chance.

never dealt with them. guess that stands for the reliability part.

this is an excellent tool. great interface. great sounding fx. great sequencer. love it love it love it.

i just wish the leds were with what color the electribe was. er-1=red,ea-1=blue,es-1=green. that would be real cool.

I have been doing music for almost 2 years. Little to no formal training. After taking 2 computer and music classes , I got a CPU with Cubase, a Yamaha PSR keyboard and NI's Battery and got nothing but headaches and missing files.

Saved up summer 2002 (today is 1/2004) for this baby and was putting sketches together within a matter of weeks. I can now cook the meat&potatoes of a beat in under an hour. This is definitely a first-time producer's wet dream and a swiss army knife for the pro who wants something cheap, portable and quick.

I use my ES along with a Roland SPD6 (I hate the ES's gummy keys) and a laptop for saving files/samples. I have yet to get into software manipulation. The display is limited, but you'll get used to it, my only issue is that you have transfer each file into the ES one-by-one after converting them to 32khz. I haven't checked Korg for updates, so I am running with original OS.

The integration of the sampler and sequencer is seamless. Separated I don't think the sampler or sequencer can stand-alone tho'.

The sampler has sufficient space, but the 32khz is a pain in arse. This is resolved by converting every sample CD you have over to 32khz with software. I never use the time slice function, it may be the one thing not intuitive on this machine. Recycle is no doubt better. The effects are good for harsh electronic music, but not for smooth, subtle. I suggest you use software if you really want flexibility with sampling.

The step sequencer is both the up&down of this unit. It makes the process easy and visual, but I have found it limiting for the rapid drum flurries or swinging rhythms that I like to put in my music. This may be the only reason I step up to an MPC. The swing function is just not cutting it, so I never use it. At the same time, I don't know what I would have did without the visual step sequencer when I first started.

I work under the idea that the musician makes the instrument, not vica-versa. The ES1 is one of the best at what it does, but it does not do everything. For the price, what do you expect tho'?

I am not an audio editor/expert, so my opinion is weak here. This unit's sound is raw electronic music. My hip-hop junkie is hooked on the ES, my jazzy salsa other half is not.

The 32Khz gives it a sharpness and the effects are geared towards being rough. Korg designed the unit for electronic music, not to back Carlo Santana or John Coltrane.

From what I know, the unit responds to velocity from my SPD6, but not playing the keys directly.

There is a difference between reliable and sturday. My ES1 has never so much as hiccuped on me. In regards to gigging, I would warn that it's plastic. In terms of banging out beats in my room, this thing may outlive me. The knobs may need to be tightened in due time. No gigging with it, No problems in 1.5 years

Never used Korg b/c no problems. Try yahoo groups, there are plenty on online users, they offer some support/advice. Search under "korg_es-1". The "KorgES1" group is plagued with porn as of 1/2004.

First, let me publicly thank the designers of this instrument. This instrument will always have a special place in my kit. I lost my beat virginity to the ES.

My other gear is a Roland XP30, a mic, a laptop and a $40 tape recorder as of 1/2004. I shopped the Korg ES1 against a used Roland SP808, used Yamaha SU700 or Boss SP505. My only regret is its step sequencer limitations and the annoying 32Khz.

It's limitations are a result of its affordability and accessibility. Korg seems to have answered a lot of my wishes on the revision for the Electribe sampler. I will not buy the newer version tho'. The only step up worthwhile for me will be an MPC. I haven't even decided to do that yet, b/c I'm still running with this baby over a year later.


If you want to do drum sampling and crazy loops, get the ES and a used Roland SPD6 or Yamaha DD55 and GET TO WORK.

Just an update from my previous posting...

You can always load samples between files, so you can have several hundred samples on your card instead of just 100 mono samples and/or 50 stereo samples (00-99.wav on the card). Load samples to the SmartMedia card, import all of them and save as 1.es on the card (see manual for how to do the saving and loading). Then take the SmartMedia card to the computer, load 100 new samples (00-99.wav), plug it back into your ES-1, load the samples and save as 2.es on the card. Now you have 2 separate .es files with 100 samples. You can load individual samples from any .es file, so now you can start a new file (3.es for example) and load any samples from the other two .es files. It sounds a little complicated, but it's very easy once you try it. You can have up to 9 different .es files with (potentially) 100 mono and 50 stereo samples. That gives you a lot more to choose from and free's up space in the file you are currently working on. You can then sample longer phrases to loop and pick and choose the drum samples from your other saved files. Cool, huh?

Also remember that bigger samples take up more room. Use SoundForge to make samples 16-bit mono (if you don't need stereo) and trim the blank edges. You can also do like an SP-1200...sample a fast phrase and pitch it down in the ES-1 to make it sound right.

Anyway, that's my $0.02 for you ES-1 users out there.

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?

The presets, first-rate pro stuff, do their job - sell the unit in the store. Ditch 'em right away though or you'll be tempted to use 'em! Sampling works best if you get your sample in as right as possible first, 'cause you can only cut by start and stop offsets - you can get pretty good at that and it can operate in TEENSY tiny increments so it's doable. You can fade too which is nice plus with reverse that means you can fade-in too. Alot of people miss that you can resample a sample while your sampling it (which is bizarre), so you can sit there and tweak any sound into oblivion and save something completely alien. Loads of fun.

Manual's alright.

The keys are the soft gummy kind, I like those myself so I give thumbs up. All the knobs feel too small to me though. Selection and stuff are entered with one of those finger-spinning flat dial things, ya' know, great for rushing through a big range (during editing) but can be annoying for 'landing' on a single number quickly. At least it doesn't "drift" though, like my poor ol' TR505's. :O

The midi kinda' sucks but it's a good master or slave clock - the unit sends on one channel, each pad sends a note #, that's it. Use it to fire my SP202 and it's a truly evil duo.

Everyone loves the sequencer. It's x0x stylee, rad.

The motion sequencing records darn near *anything*, and there's one per part! That means you can fade volume, filter, pan, whatever.
You can use it to record you toggling the 'roll' button on a snare part - dayam! Limitation, though, only one motion control recorded per part. Reverse button, even - whoa.

On top of that there's still the motion seq for the efx section and the delay section that are independant of the parts.

Okay, here's why I wanted to write this review, two reasons: Distortion - and DECIMATOR. This box is a born industrial and hardcore killer machine, despite the perty-boy looks. Forget all the other crap on the machine. Lay a heavy-on-1 at above 200 bpm and put the decimator on high on the bass and snare and a Sci Fi sample and overdrive the mixer as much as you can - WHOA. This thing can be extremely messy if you let it.

Note: You can't write while it's in 'play', BUTT the delay can go hella' long AND it doesn't stop while it's writing. Sooo . . . build-up to a break, max the delay time/depth and, within the course of one or two (or whatever) measures, hit stop (delay continues), 'doubletap' the write button and hit 'play' again in time so it sounds just like it belonged there. Works for me! 8-)

I wish to god this thing could run off a 9-volt or something, cause then I'd probably make a belt clip for it. :D

Timeslicing circuit bent toys is one of my favorite tricks of all time. Re-resampled sampling is probably one of the coolest toys in my studio.

I have never used presets. No need to. After I figured out Smart Media loads and saves-very easy. WARNING -- the first time I loaded a new bank I forgot to save current one and lost everything. LEARN FIRST!! Editing is easy. Once you figure it out which is not hard at all programming is so fast. I do sometimes, to make thicker sounds,put the sample on three or even four seperate PARTS and pan it to different areas. this is also cool for effect MOTIONS or effect on or off. Can get complicated if you start adjusting pitch though---MESS AROUND WITH IT !!! FUN FUN FUN

Effects are cool. MOTIONS. I have 2 Smart Media (32mb) full of samples. Sampled the hell out of my Triton.

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I have owned for 2 years never a problem. I haven't grown sick of it either. I actually need another Smart Media card.(check Wal-Mart's camera area!!) I have used this as a backbone to alot of songs. The song I'm doing now,contains ALOT of this Electribe.

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I hope it never gets stolden. Too much time has been put into inputting samples-which is VERY easy. I would buy another though-it is insured,as ALL equiment should be! I wish you could use different effects on different parts. I process this through a Sherman Filterbank 2. That way it makes it really mean and THICK sounding. ENJOY

It is very easy to use. The preset sounds are not that good in my opinion, but it is a sampler. I used some of the presets, but samples mostly the bass drums, and snares

I actually liked the effects. They helped all of the drum sound I sampled

It seemed to be very reliable at first. After about 7 months the AC adapter started shorting out and shortly there after the whole thing stopped working. I bought a new adapter but it still doesn't work. I will try to get this unit fixed because I have a lot of original patterns that I want to use still on the machine. It is really frustrating because I like the ES-1.

Well, If this thing is not able to be fixed I will not buy it again. I think it is very good for a first time piece of gear though. The machine is very nice but the sound quality could have been a little better. And it could have atleast come with say 20 voice polyphony, because if you are a very creative person, you will shortly out grow its functions. But this is overall a good unit, hopefully it works over a year for you.

Fairly easy, some things are not the well explained in the manual, like how to get samples on and off the smart media cards. There's no LCD screens, thank God, so if you have time and an intuition, you can figure this thing out.

This thing is chock full of features, my favorite is the time slice, although I'll be damned if I can figure out how exactly it slices, on shorter samples, it doesn't seem to do a very good job, and I haven't been able to figure out how to more slices, I usually end up with only 2. The solo feature is nice, you can do some pretty cool stuff by isolating different parts of your beat. The reverse function is cool too. If you really get into this thing, you can be a one man percussion monster! This thing is definetly for a live environment.

The sounds are great, awesome samples, although some are kind of goofy ("Stupid", and "Funny" come to mind), I especially like the conga/table sound. The effects are top notch too, you get flanger/chorus, resonating filter, reverb, distortion, phaser, isolator (whatever that does) wah and other goodies. The delay is nice too. I use it mainly to sample our singer, who sings this Yugoslavian folk song in the middle of one of our tunes. I sample her, reversed it, delayed it and ran the phaser on it, sounds amazing!

The build in beats are wicked too, you can have a lot of fun with these. It's a little scary though, they sound so good, you could just plug it in and press play, and presto, instant DJ!

The dials are nice but a little flimsy, they seem to be getting loose on me. Also, the other night, I yanked the power cord out by accident, and it fried about 8 rythm patterns. :( BEWARE OF THIS!

Haven't tried.

Very good sample/rhythm box. Everybody should have one!

I like this! It is easy, if you read the manual ;) The presets are ok, it is pretty basic, but in a way that I like. The manual is on the net, yipee!

It does have features, not like a synth though, however I like the nobs and feel of the buttons.

Samples, 32hz but I think the sampling is very clean... although I haven't had much experience in this.

feels solid.. but still early days.

don't know. However, with the manual on the net...

I think this baby might increase in price... at least it is more expensive than when I bought it ;)