Korg ESX2-RD Electribe Sampler Music Production Station (Red)

The fastest and most intuitive way to make beatsThe Korg ESX2 Electribe is a synthesizer-based production machine that turns inspiration into sound at maximum speed. It contains numerous analogue oscillators and a wide variety of filters. Whether you're selecting sounds or editing them, all operations are performed simply by using the top panel knobs. In addition, a variety of input interfaces optimised for inputting rhythm, bass, or melody allow you to smoothly create sequences as fast as you can think.

The sequences that you create can then undergo additional evolution on stage or in your laptop. You can enjoy intuitive live performances that link various devices with the Electribe, or utilise this capability for full-fledged music production by exporting sequence data to Ableton Live for detailed editing and final mixing.

The latest system version 2 adds a much-requested pattern chain function that will be a great asset for live performances or music production. The lineup has also become more colourful with the new metallic blue model. And we've also provided bonus patterns that reveal even greater sonic potential. Making your beat-making ideas rapidly take shape. It's the Electribe; a synthesizer + sequencer that's thoroughly optimised for speed.

Following the chic grey unit, the lineup has been joined by a metallic red model that's reminiscent of the previous model, the Electribe SX. Complemented by the numerous colourfully illuminated LEDs, this unit will energise your playing.

resampleThe Electribe sampler lets you load any sample from an SD card and use it for producing beats. There are 499 user sample memories in which you can store original waveforms that you've created using waveform editing software or sampled sources provided by developers. Of course you can also connect a record player or instrument to the audio in jack and sample from it.

You can edit the loaded waveforms in basic ways such as changing the start/end point or pitch, and even time-slice them. The attack portions of a phrase can be detected and sliced automatically, allowing you to play them back at a desired tempo without significantly changing the sound. Sliced parts can also be assigned to specific steps or parts and triggered individually.

There's also a resampling function that lets you sample a sound that you processed, a phrase that you constructed, or your realtime performance on the Electribe sampler. Additional possibilities open up when you use this in conjunction with time slices; you can change the order or rhythmic groove of a phrase, or turn a multiple-part phrase into a single sample, allowing you to add phrases using the newly-free parts to create an even more complex pattern.

quick ideasThe Electribe sampler contains numerous production-ready sampled sources that you can use as soon as you power-on the unit. It provides a range of sampled audio sources suitable for any style of music, including 179 Drum/Perc samples such as Kick and Snare sounds that are indispensable for creating beats, 33 loop-type samples as you would expect from a sampler, 31 voice-type samples, 37 sound effect samples, and 123 more instrumental samples containing hits, shots, or phrases of Piano, Organ, Brass, or Guitar.

Based on these samples from collaborators famed for their high quality, such as Sample Magic, Loopmasters, Prime Loops, and Raw Cutz, you can create the exact sample sounds that you want. In addition, the Electribe sampler provides 16 analogue modeling oscillators and three filters, which you can use as accents for your sample-based music productions.

X/Y touch padThe Electribe allows you to input up to 64 steps (16 steps x 4) for each part (sound). You can create beats by combining up to 16 of these parts per sequence pattern. The step sequencer of the Electribe allows extremely intuitive pattern production. The 16 trigger pads and the touch pad with XY control provide a variety of modes that instantly reproduce the phrases created by your ideas, allowing rhythms and phrases to be input without requiring musical knowledge.

Gate Arp modeThis mode is ideal for inputting bass riffs or hi-hat parts with a sense of groove. While playing the trigger pads or the touch pad, you can use the gate arpeggiator to generate rhythmically detailed notes.

Touch Scale modeThis mode is ideal for those who are not comfortable with playing melodies on the keyboard, or as a way to generate some inspiration. Simply by moving your fingertip over the touch pad as on the Kaossilator, you can freely produce phrases according to the specified scale/key settings. The Electribe seamlessly lets you edit sounds and input sequences in parallel. Input a sequence and edit the sound while listening to it. Efficient beat-making that would be difficult using just a DAW becomes stress-free on the Electribe, which allows you to think at the same speed as the music you're hearing.

absolute freedomSequences that you've created on the Electribe will shine even more on stage when you use the various functions provided for this purpose. For example by using, the step jump function that lets you jump instantly to the step you press, you can create dynamic performances as though you were performing the sequence itself. The Electribe also lets you freely use the trigger pads and touch pad to add sounds during your live performance. Thanks to the scale/key settings, you'll never play a wrong note. The sequences that you create can be played not only on stage, but are also fun to tweak in real time. The dynamic character of such changes makes this one of the Electribe's great pleasures.

Sync, MIDI, and Audio In JacksSince there's a sync jack for easy connection to Korg's groove machines, you can connect the Electribe to your Electribe sampler, Volca series unit, or SQ-1 for playback sessions that are synchronised with your sequencer. MIDI connectors are also provided for inter-operation with your DAW. By adding the Electribe's performance to your laptop-based stage setup, you can take advantage of even greater performance possibilities. The Electribe is also equipped with an audio in jack. By connecting an external device and selecting the "Audio In" oscillator, you can use the filter or effect to process the external audio input, or energise your performance by using the step sequencer to turn the output on/off.

In the past, machine-centric live setups required numerous synthesizers, samplers, and sequencers. Today, the Electribe can function in a variety of roles, either as the master device at the centre of such a setup, or as a slave device that adds sparkle to the performance. Experiment with connecting different instruments to create your very own live setup.

a new production workflowUsing your software, you can take the numerous beats that you've come up with and assemble them into a finished product. Korg has partnered with the German company Ableton to provide a new music production workflow that uses both hardware and software. In addition to the conventional audio export, the Electribe has a function for exporting to "Ableton Live" DAW software. When the dedicated project file that's exported is loaded into Ableton Live, an independent audio file for each part is placed in each track of Live, allowing you to edit each phrase using loop, mute, or chop, and then mix the result.

After the music you envision has taken shape as a sequence with the rapidity that's possible only with hardware, you can then use your software to edit the material in detail. This is the new workflow with the Electribe. Since the Electribe comes with a license card that lets you download "Ableton Live Lite" at no charge, you can experience this new workflow right away.

All playing gestures on the Electribe, including trigger pads and touch pad operations, can be recorded by the event recorder function. The recorded performance is saved in the Electribe's own format, and can be played back immediately on the Electribe, reproducing the realtime operations of your live performance.