Korg M500 MicroPreset

the presets are charmingly naive, a limited range of Korg MS-ish sounds.
the individual presets are routed in different ways on the (extremely crowded) PCB, which explains why not all presets can be influenced by the filter (traveler).
synthe 2 is the best, also offering white and pink noise.
so, strictly speaking, it is not true that the preset variations for each sound are mere octave registrations. in some sounds they can vary drastically, in others, they correspond merely to octave settings.

the layout, while being far from stringent logic, is fun to use if you like quirky weird synths. while toggling the momentary portamento switch or the traveler ( cutoff and resonance rolled into one) or the repeat... you will quickly realize that you are playing in a way impossible on modern synths that follow a much more streamlined approach to expression.

somehow they managed to cram in all the sounds that a novice 20 years ago would have expected of a synth: farting bass / tuba sounds, wailing voices, plaintive oboes and wind swooshes. so it's a time-slice, dated, ultimately retro sound you're in for here.
the sound quality is clear and good and gives you that typical analogue korg sound on a budget.

when we fixed it, we were amazed by the extremely crowded PCB which makes it a bummer to fix. but it's solidly built and untimately turned out to be easily fixable.

very charming, retro synth that often gets unfairly bashed. you get a lot of typical monosynth sounds out of it (except effects and extravagant stuff). so just stick some pedals behind it and let it rip.

There's not much to it, just a handful of rudimentary controls and some presets activated by individual buttons.

The M5OO MicroPreset is a 37-key monophonic analog synth produced by Korg between 1977 and 1980, so I've read. It has 6 presets: Synthe I, Synthe II, Brass, Strings, Wood, and Voice. Each preset is broken down into 5 different voices(e.g. Trumpet I, Trumpet II, Trumpet III, Trombone, and Tuba), which are really the same voice sounded at different octaves. In the case of the Wood section, the voices are different at each octave, so the M500 actually produces 10 or 11 distinct voices, making it a bit more versatile than some other budget analog synths, such as the ARP AXXE I tried recently. It has knobs for attack and sustain, a portomento with a knob to control the amount, and a unique switch that allows you to turn the portomento to full on or just momentary. Cutoff is controlled by a slider labelled "Traveller". The M500 has a basic LFO-like feature called "Modulation", with a knob to control the speed and a slider to control the depth. A switch allows you switch the LFO between Vibrato mode and Traveller mode, which routes the LFO through the cutoff control. It also has a switch that goes between "Repeat", which can generate a basic sequencer effect, and "Random Repeat", which creates a unique effect akin to the sound of a telegraph signal. It also has a knob for tuning that goes up or down one interval.

The best thing that can be said about this synth is that it is very, VERY, analog sounding. The instruments are not at all realistic- sounding, the sound quality is fairly crude, and I find mine drifts in and out of tune. Then again, that's the point of analog synthesis: that it won't sound like a contemporary, digital synth, that it will be quirky, weird, and antique-sounding. I find it amazing how many bizarre and unique sounds can be dredged out of this thing considering how limited it is in terms of features, and mine's not even working completely. I guess being limited in expression forces one to be more creative with what they have.

When I got mine, it was not 100% operational, and after repeated cleanings, it still isn't. Strings and Voice don't work at all, and Synthe II works only some of the time. Also, not all of the controls work with all of the patches, and I don't know if that's by design or if there's something wrong with it.

I've been on the Korg website, and naturally, they have no information on a synth this old; I don't know if they could help me if I contacted them another way. I called a local repair shop to see if mine could be fixed, and when I described the problems, the guy just said he probably couldn't fix it due to its age and the lack of replacement parts. This may give you an idea of how hard it would be to repair an M500.

The key words with the M500 MicroPreset are "BUDGET ANALOG SYNTH". It is an extremely cheap way to get your hands on an analog, and very analog-sounding, synth, without paying the grossly inflated prices for other, higher-profile models which often don't do too much more than this one and don't sound terribly better (e.g. the ARP AXXE).

Very easy to use but not a lot there to use...what i mean is knobs are all right there on a strange elevated box for your left hand and the keyboard is there on the right. very few controls for modeling sounds, and they all have obvious functions.. easy to use. but only because things are simple

monophnic - keyboard old and cheap but amazingly poppy and really quite charming. vibrato, traveler vibrato, (wahm, wahm) ummm, i think this thing was released in the late 70s, so relax mr. midi. it came with really odd, cards you place over the elevated box i was talking about earlier. the cards mark where the sound experimentors wanted you to turn the knobs for preset sounds.. these presets are pretty awful, but they are easy to ignore because they come on seperate cards...on-board buttons you push down to use on-board presets, and then model only slightly with the available knobs, synthe1,synte2,brass,strings,wood,voice you can comine any two of these. you can make some pretty interesting usable and headshifting noises with it if you like it enough to spend some time with it. portamento is good, momentary, on off- repeat helps )random setting too) white and pink noise generator under synthe2: these are the things or little additions that make the synth somehow entertaining despirte its general lack of programming capabilities. this machine forces you to be creative and use what you have and this results in unexpected wonders sometimes.

the sounds are unrealistic, but i feel stupid saying that because i don't care. they sound unique and charming and i like them a lot. this synth has been ridiculled, demeaned, and slandered all over the net, and it is actually very expressive...it has a brainlessly optimistic sound. a happy go-lucky kinda sound, it's kind of a nerdy instrument. i really like it. i use it probably more than most people would care to admit. it's so easy and fast and fun and different to use after you've been sitting programming more complex synths for hours on end. you can just grab it and it will fit across your knees and sing happily and carelessly for you in its weird way and you'll decide you like it a lot. if you're in a certain happy but happy in an off way kind of mood it really is perfect, maybe that's not specific enough. for what it is its very expressive, i'm not sure if the designers at korg realizedhow unusual some of the sounds could get using such simple knobs

it was made a long time ago so don't be in shock if it breaks down but mine seems just fine after all these years

don't really know about this

i would buy it again and again...it's rather unique and worth your investigation...you'll either think it's as trash or a very nice piece of equipment, it's too unusual or of its own kind to make a universal remark about...but go look at a picture of it, i found some sounds of it on a japanese website but whoever was playing it just meandered through the presets rather lazily, ... ok so, here's what's good about it,,you can undoubtedly find one cheap. it is absurdly easy to play and use, it is small and portable, it looks really unusual, it sounds happy (annoyingly) (nicely) (skippingly) it is a unique thing innocent and unassuming and people like to mock it blatently probably because it can't defend itself with anything other than its warm charm. if you ever get a chance to buy one cheap you should either a be willing to take a risk (a risk where you might actually be surprised in pleasant and unusual ways), or b play it before you make any rash decisions. but i don't want to hear about anyone paying more than $150 or $200 for this korg micro-preset, that would just be uncalled for. this whole thing worked out for me.

Very basic, monophonic with quite handy portamento switch and "traveler" (NOT "traveller") horizontal slider. Six preset sounds, easy to use, but combinations (more of just one preset) a bit clumsy.

No MIDI or CV/gate inputs. Two (lo/hi) audio outputs, one of them can be used as audio input (dry, controlled only volume).

Brass preset reminds a little bit on some Moog sounds,but not that good. "Synthe 2" is excelent, rich and expressive sound in combination with that poor little LFO, AD and traveler filter. Try it on any guitar distortion! "Synthe 1" is just useful, strings are poor, "voice" perhaps funny, and "wood" is good but simple preset. There's a bug in wood preset: medium octave and one octave below are not the same sound.(?!) Conclusion:suitable for classical progressive/sympho rock, funk , rave etc. But don't try ambient.

Does anyone know anything about upgrade/improvement?

The price for my micropreset was too much, but as far I am concerned it's worth it.
I can imagine some useful improvements: separated usage of lfo for any of the presets, AD and filter options available on any preset, maybe separated pitch/semitones added. And a smallest capability of memorising lfo preferences. Nothing less, nothing more.

Very basic. No editing to worry about, monophonic so just one note at a time to concern yourself with and only a few keys to choose from. Very easy to use though so it gets a 10!

All preset as its name suggests, so not many features. It really was a very basic instrument, and could hardly be described as a synthesiser in the strict sense. However it was very cheap entry level synth compared to classics like the Mini Moog at the time.

Limited basic moog-like sounds. Expressive? Not really!

Can't fault it on reliablilty - another 10!

Never needed

It was my first synth back in 1973 I think - before I knew anything about synths. Really only a beginners instrument suitable for a few whacky solos - I probably used it far too much during gigs! Probably worth getting hold of one now for posterity / fun although only if it was a real bargain.

Very basic editing features, one lfo with speed and mod depth controls, 'traveller' slider which is much like tweaking the filter cutoff, and a choice of 6 presets patches and 5 octave ranges for each one (plus white and pink noise).

The two synth presets correspond more or less to square and sawtooth, and sound pretty good. The other options for brass, wood, string and voice are rather cheap and cheesy.

Monophonic, with acceptable action for 1977!
No MIDI or sequencer, no CV/Gate inputs either.

Couldn;t be easier to use though.

The two synth voices are very good, a nice dirty early Korg sound with a good 'bounce' to it without becoming too twangy.

The filtering has real balls too.

I've always found Korg kit pretty reliable.

N/A

It's a nice if rather simple vintage instrument with some charms, if you've a collector or especially like the Korg sound I'd say that it's seriously worth having.

Lack of MIDI/CV inputs is a pain though.

I have it set up atm behind my Korg SP100 in the front room as a fun keyboard to play alongside piano rather than as part of my MIDI kit.

For the price it's a nice piece of kit, and for the useful sounds that you can get from it I certainly prefer it to the Roland SH101 that I used to have.