vj labor
Cheap, ultra-slim, and easy to pop in a backpack, Korg’s nano Series were a big hit. The only real blemish on this line has to be the original nanoKEY; some people managed to use it, but key caps chronically fell off and it wasn’t a whole lot of fun to play. The nanoPAD and nanoKONTROL fared much better, providing pads and faders in a laptop-ready form factor. And since they don’t require drivers, these will also work with new devices like the iPad.With the nanoSERIES2, Korg mainly sticks with the original formula, but adds a few adjustments. They have the same housing, says Korg, and driver-free USB operation. So what’s new?
nanoKEY2: A new keybed, “modeled after a MacBook.” So, it is still going to feel like a computer keyboard (a necessary evil given how thin it is), but at least it’ll feel like a better keyboard.
nanoKEY2: Light-up octave shift.
nanoPAD2: Record gestures on the X-Y pad.
nanoPAD2: 16 pads instead of 12.
nanoPAD2: Arpeggiator, chord triggers.
nanoKONTROL2: 8 faders instead of 9, and a more logical control layout.
nanoKONTROL2: Mackie HUI support.
I’m especially excited by the nanoPAD2, as it gets quite a significant improvement. All in all, these look subtly different but improved, particularly in moving the nanoKEY2 into the realm of actual usabilty. Pricing remains the same; stay tuned for these to ship.
nanoSERIES2
And yes, they’ll still be available in white, though now with a more subdued color scheme (none of the retro blue-and-white flair). See below…
(BY PETER KIRN, createdigitalmusic)
