Unveiling The Korg Wavestate SE Synthesizer: The Ultimate Musician's Tool

[@Noisegate]

Thanks for watching! Let us know in the comments what you think of the new Wavestate models. 🎹🎛

[@brianschiller4053]

Nice! Out of my budget though. I’ll hook my Wavestate up to my old Wavestation when I want more octaves.

[@thefool2007]

Great sounding synthesizer. SE is a bit pricey for the extra features...but that is what premium construction will cost (won't deter everyone).

[@aristotlekumpis7095]

I’ll hang on to my Wavestate MKI for now.

[@straighttalk2069]

Possibly the most advanced sample based synthesizer at this moment in time. Now korg have given those that wanted a large keybed with aftertouch what they wanted and made them pay through the nose for it.🤣🤣

[@mrdali67]

Can't help to think tho, why noone have thaught of turning the development upside down. Create a Nice Quality Controller and make a multi backplane for several compute modules and let people choose what software to put in. Maybe let people choose between a standard keybed or an MPE version. You pay for how advanced you want it. They already have these synths in native software versions for the PC and the hardware versions all use the same compute module which is dirt cheap to add more of.

[@kptamc]

If you just only knew how hard it is to build something like the SE, mass produce it, and sell it for a profit. Moog couldn't do it. Many other synth companies have gone by the wayside. Just look at how expensive a nice keyboard stand is or even a hard keyboard case! Being shipped in that deluxe fitted hard case is just icing on the cake as delivery services are rougher than ever on packages. This is how a successful business is doing it in post-COVID constrained supply chain. Sure corners were cut not designing a whole new panel layout with a larger display. It would have delayed the roll out even further. Korg is not the only one. Hydrasyth Deluxe and Access Virus TI2 Keyboard did the same thing.

[@xp50player]

They should have put a decent screen on it, instead of a bunch of empty panel space.

[@WarriorEsoteric]

Yeah that was a strange choice

[@dizzysdiamonds]

Sounds fantastic !!! Im not very excited about the screen size ....even my korg trinity back in the 90s had a screen size way bigger and it was touchscreen !!!!

[@klstay]

This is a unique synth - nothing else today outside maybe a VST (theirs in fact) does this. Live deep exploration with a fairly wide range of genres uses. They made an initial investment in this rPi platform and will now make small iterations in the foreseeable future. People will pay the thick markup for the higher quality build with the aftertouch and 5 octaves because you have no choice to get this - including the case to make you feel less bad about the price is marketing genius which is Korg's forte. The best part is once the new ones have been out for a minute a used one, with still very good polyphony count and otherwise the same, will be gettable for $350.

[@pierrelabret]

I wanted a desktop version, they made a 5 octaves one 😢😅

[@tommy.countach]

same, like many others im afraid 🥲

[@mirkomontaldo]

A desktop version (expander) is probably out of business scope nowadays. Very few firms are doing those devices at this moment in time. Probably the market is not looking for this type of machines. You can get the 37 keys version and connect a MIDI keyboard to achieve the same setup. Also a VST version is available by the way. This 61 keys version is also way useless for the same reason.

[@AmbientSound7]

Great presentation! Your thoughts on Wavestate SE vs. Opsix Se for Ambient music and ease of use. Thank you.

[@Noisegate]

They are both great, but for ambient music we'd probably go with the wavestate due to its wave sequencing

[@seankellymurray]

On sale now at Korg only, $900 off for SE with the case, who can you resist!

[@ERYKJACKNIFE]

Modwave se LETS GO! 🙌🏽😅

[@mrdali67]

Considdering Opsix, Wavestate and Modwave is all based on Pi Compute modules, should think Korg could have spent a bit more on a bigger and better display. Don't nesscarily need to be a 10" touch display, just a bigger one that can show more info. These Synths are all based on dirt cheap hardware. Tho It's positive that Korg actually seem to be listenning to users and albeit more expensive the 61keys with aftertouch is a huge step up, even it isn't the same keybed as the Kronos or Nautilus. They really should make a Nautilus MkII with an added 5$ aftertouch strip and maybe a few more buttons and faders too.

[@juliantaylor70]

A $200 component will result in a minimum $2000 product--- the pricing is right. How much do you think compute modules cost?

[@mrdali67]

@@juliantaylor70 the compute module is roughly 50 bucks. I am well aware that even a 320x200 lcd easy cost 100 bucks, but that is still user price. If you have variety of products that sells well, you don’t pay 50$ for a compute module when you order 10.000 or more at a time. The problem right now is that even the general chip shortage and pandemic crisis is over it’s still hard to find pi boards atm propably because most of the production goes to the industrial versions cause they are powerfull enough to drive things that previous used industrial PC parts

[@juliantaylor70]

@@mrdali67 you do realize you cant use the compute mod by itself, rightttttt. I'm computer engineer and building electronics is life trust the cost is on par with the industry, logistics, parts availability, etc.

[@juliantaylor70]

@@mrdali67 I literally went to college for Computer Engineering with a focus on embedded and edge devices (iOT/iiOT) you need more research

[@mrdali67]

@@juliantaylor70 Well the huge leap we have seen the last 2 decades makes it quite easy to run these thing on an SBC today. Yes you need some kind of decent sound device and i/o for the keybed and what other controllers the Keyboard have, and your absolutely right that all that extra hardware do cost more than we might think, not counting the R&D cost. Adding a decent 61key keybed might very well be more than half the cost of just the hardware used, but today those Pi4 modules is more than powerfull enough to run a single softsynth like the Opsix. Wether it can run a Kronos I am not sure, but as some dude nearly reverse ingenered the Kronos before Korg shut him down for posting about his hacks. The Intel Dual Core Celeron from around 2004 used in the Kronos is acording to Korg where ALL the sound processing is happening. There is a 2'nd ARM processor in it, but aparently it's used primarily for some extra logic functions and for driving the Touch display, which you propably know more than I what that might be. I merely have what today can be compared to a bachelor in general IT degree. And there is quite some companies that has found out that these Compute modules can do for making those smaller Synths or other music gear that doesn't have to do everything. They are basically made for design purpose and small home projects for those that dables in both Computer programming and electronics. I may overdo how "easy" it s to do some things, but companies like Korg no doubt have some really bright engineers, so sometimes when they do silly things you get annoyed. See the recent Nautilus AT News. They charge 700$ more for the 61 key model to add a friggin aftertoch strip to the Keybed .. lol

[@edt4062]

good thing is on sale now

[@Rustyboyyy1]

The ensoniq ts-10 and 12 were making these sounds 3 decades ago...................

[@Seekthetruth3000]

Why is the screen so small!?

[@dave3987]

You’re right who wants to look through a magnifying glass to see the contents.

[@SomewhereInside]

Plenty of space for a cup of coffee and some toast 😂

[@kptamc]

Or the Drumlouge.

[@BlackMan614]

As a Wavestation A/D owner circa '92, I want one of these things because of the high-quality keybed and that's about it. The joystick placement is horrid, the empty space on the panel I guess is nice if you want a pedal or sequencer or ?? mounted there?? The software integration is awesome, since editing wave sequences on the original is horrid. The percussion-based wave sequences are cheezy and actually the stock ones in the A/D were awful. Only the vector wave sweeping (especially the VS waveforms) was decent.

[@bistermean2046]

The content of this video proves that many of these youtubers have been bought by the big companies to act as there marketing channels. It's obvious that this product is overpriced and Korg hasn't been able to turn the original 37-key version into a great 61-key synth with realistic pricing. Someone already pointed out that Modal is producing metal chassis premium 61-key products for abt. 700. The SE range should sell for 1299 - 1499 without or with the case and a bigger screen.

[@DankePlace]

Korg just proved that it's just not other companies ruining the music industry.

[@duel5071]

How so?

[@DankePlace]

@@duel5071 so Wavestate native is currently $99 USD, SE is $1999 USD, they sound exactly the same, how can you charge 20 times more for something that sounds no different? The software is actually much easier to use and doesn't tax the CPU you're using no where near as much as the Pi processor in the SE.

[@duel5071]

@@DankePlace Thanks for sharing. I've reached the same conclusion, just to buy the native vst and control it with my 61 key midi controller to give the same sonic capability. It does seem like editing through the software is the best way to go. I guess the only use case for the SE is to take this synth on tour. It's expensive but the build does look nice and I've no idea what costs are involved with such a chassis.

[@DankePlace]

@@duel5071 I don't know if you're aware of the Cobalt8x? that currently sells for around $300 more than the 37 key version. In my country, they have an Argon 8x which is 3 times less than an SE, it's 61 keys, just as robust as an SE, but this would be the perfect MIDI controller for something like the Wavestate native to take on tour if needed, then simple take a laptop which allows for much better editing. It would still cost much less than the current asking of an SE and you get 3 things rather than 1. Also the Modal gear uses a nice Fatar TP9 from memory. Both Modal and Korg use a very similar chassis, ie durability, their processors are very similar, but how is Korg pricing their offering 3 times more? That's the greed part. I got my Wavestate og really cheap, my regret is that I have to tether it to a pc to edit and that seems counterproductive to hardware. /end rant

[@WarriorEsoteric]

@@DankePlacesoftware and manufacturing physical hardware/technology are miles apart when it comes to cost, obviously

[@stefanomarcolongo9200]

Thanks for sharing. Quick question. Is the Wavestation SE bottom keybed made of metal/plastic or the same material as the Nautilus 88 keys (mdf sheet)?

[@Noisegate]

Its an all-metal enclosure. aluminum body, metal side panels and knobs are metal plated.

[@Noisegate]

Same as the Nautilus

[@stefanomarcolongo9200]

Thanks...fantastic...so a sturdy metal housing not like the Nautilus 88 keys which has the MDF bottom side without any kind of metal/steel or plastic coating. I own a Nautilus 88 amazing workstation but I cannot stand the raw MDF bottom.

[@PeterPrism]

Attach the old one to an 8 octave ext. keyb if you are Mozart, no wait, buy only the vst. This 2k is a robbery

[@garzoroberto7623]

Hey 🎹 Musos, check out also KZbin video entitled: “Yamaha Montage Live On Stage with Josh Phillips…” Awesome demo, & fabulously versatile 🎹🎶 … and enjoy the other KZbin videos of the Yamaha Montage creatively versatile “Performance Sets” 🎶🤗

[@towardstar]

IMO its hard to make good use of all the keys with this instrument that is a sequencer first and foremost. You start to compose and it wants to play its own thing.

[@MeAlexSenna]

Same screen size, not polyphonic aftertouch, huge markup in price, not direct sampling, technically a rompler. Wait for the big discount sale, because this wonT move at that price.

[@djkanyon]

tired of romplers that made like a synth

[@BlackMan614]

Do you even know the definition of a rompler?? Apparently, not. You can import your own samples.

[@straighttalk2069]

Definitely NOT a rompler but a sophisticated sample manipulator with extreme modulation capabilities.

[@MeAlexSenna]

@@BlackMan614 I do, but you don't LOL. Does the WS can record audio directly?.., if not is a rompler, plain and simple fanboy

[@MeAlexSenna]

@@straighttalk2069 if it can't sample directly is a Romper, You are adding wave sounds to the memory, the perfect definition of a Rompler

[@quantumeseboy]

Much prefer both Opsix and Modwave.

[@wurlinnawurl]

The price is crazy, however sadly, going forward this is the new really of what things cost and it will take time for products developed pre pandemic to adapt to new cost structures. We didn't really think we could just keep getting cheap stuff with no reprocussions? The price of synth's has doubled and that is what they should have costed from the start.

[@circedge]

I think the premium is because of MIJ, though prices have gone up.

[@sonarfreq]

High prices are not inevitable, they only become so when consumers accept them as such. Remember, a marketable item is only ever worth what people will pay for it.

[@wurlinnawurl]

@@sonarfreq I remember, everybody said it was crazy when sequential and moog both raised prices to absurd levels, now both have been sold to become somewhat profitable. I don't think people realize how niche synth's are and how small the sales are.. these companies are not getting rich checking because they can, it actually cost this to sell something so big in such small sales. They are not what we will accept, they are what they are, either we pay it or not have a wavestate SE.. the regular one was fine and much cheaper to make.

[@InFamousProductions]

It’s super cheap for what it does stop complaining. Design one, build , market and ship and see how much it cost to do all that. There is millions and millions of dollars behind the manufacture process. It’s like none of you use your brains to consider the cost. The greed is on the consumer end

[@e8root]

Control panel looks ridiculous taken directly from non-SE version. They could put all the controls on the whole surface making this synth look much better and make it smaller.

[@WarriorEsoteric]

All these people always complaining about these modern synths like they are out there touring and putting on shows with their synth, GTFOH , go buy a piano if you want to pretend your Mozart, you won’t come across a single venue with a dude playing his synth booked for a show 🙄

[@djkanyon]

The synth nobody asked for. Korg should make bigger and better Opsix to make it new Yamana DX7 for good.

[@issiewizzie]

nobody asked for ?

[@djkanyon]

@@issiewizzie maybe some people did. Me personally i still waiting on Electribe 3 but it doesn't change thw whole picture. I bet some people dreamed about Wavestate with aftertouch. But universally i bet masses were looking for something else. I hope that clears it up. No hating on Korg, i love Korg very much.

[@hermask815]

The volca fm is the DX7 preset loader. Korg should have made the Opsix an OpNine with nine sliders for Hammond capabilities ;-) (you can use the extended waveforms to bundle 2 or 3 Hammond sliders into 1 Opsix slider as a workaround.) I think they should have severed all ties of compatibility with any old FM synth and stop all comparisons.

[@DankePlace]

@@issiewizzie yes nobody asked for this, when the OG 37 key was released, I don't remember people asking for the same exacting UI with same horrible screen with same horrible menu diving workflow, with 61 keys in a bigger case. What people did do was, when this version got teased, asked for a release date, but they unequivocally did not ask for this synth to exist.

[@issiewizzie]

@@DankePlace and yet they released it.

[@onemaxlight]

They chenged the ONLY thing was perfect: the format. seems noone of you ever connect the wavestate to a master.. what's new in the 61keyboard? I use it with Roland D50 (that's a serious quality 61KEYBED!). mYBE WAS MORE USEFULL A MODULAR or DESKTOP VERSION. We do not need a more long expensive keybed. WE ALL NEED A BIGGER SCREEN and an CROSS + EXIT and ENTER BUTTONs !! you seems forget how to project a MENU and buttons to navigate in decent way... WAKE UP KORG! AHAH!!.. 2300€????? you are out of mind..

[@sonarfreq]

Far too expensive, both of them. 👎

[@mark35mi]

At $2k+... who were they listening too? Seems too much $$$, and way to late. And no desktop version? Ugh.

[@InFamousProductions]

It’s unbelievable how people cry about the price when what this machine will do is worth every penny, plus another several thousand dollars. I think because they made the first version so cheaply everyone expects everything to be that cheap forever if people meditated on what they’re getting versus something like a moog or other one trick pony’s, and they would realize the insane value of this thing. It is literally an infinity machine and the research and development on. This must’ve been insane and people have to get paid and designers and programmers and everybody. I have the Mark one and about 16 other synths and have had around at least another 30 many of them vintage and worth a lot of money now and I would still take this over almost all of them. The fact that they even went through the effort to make this is worth the money , so stop crying you babies. you’ve been too spoiled and now you’re showing it. there’s nothing else like this. Try to make a modular version and it will just never happen. How much did a Oberheim OBX cost new? In today’s dollars at least $10,000 so stop crying we have it made it’s amazing. We’re in a golden age. Shut your stupid crybaby mouth.

[@KeskeinenAika]

Overpriced units, this and the smaller version mk 2. They are heading disaster with these. Same happened with the Nautilus, which was a flop. Don't bother with these. It's just DAW in a plastic box. Sounds thin and depressive.

[@joe-ku5hd]

Way too expensive

[@jspic4907]

Most of the sounds this reviewer makes are so unappealing he might be boycotting Korg, or.... just the keyboard is not well thought out. Or both.

[@KHTCKHTC]

oh yeah and you're clearly the arbiter of what good sounds are with your massive following

[@inperfectsequence7840]

is not game changer.

[@espacomultiplo]

Nope.

[@KHTCKHTC]

yep

[@jfn467]

Big joke these SE machines...