Why the TR-Rack is a 90s ambient synth bargain
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- čas přidán 4. 08. 2024
- The Korg TR-Rack (Trinity) is a 1u beast perfect for 90s ambient sounds. However, is it better than a Korg Triton? Let's talk about the Korg TR-Rack, look at how it compares to the Korg Triton, and look at ways you can actually edit sounds on it using Midi Quest #korgtrinity #musicproduction
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Need atmospheric pads / fx samples and presets? I gotcha: thoughtforms.gumroad.com
That Korg effect: • That ambient Korg pad ...
@0:00 The Korg TR-Rack
@2:08 One massive downside
@3:00 Unlocking the TR-Rack with Midiquest
@3:57 TR-Rack vs. Triton Sound Demo
@6:44 TR-Rack Effects
@8:40 Why I'd recommend the TR-Rack
@9:13 Generating Presets with Midiquest
@11:41 Category Browser & More Sounds
@12:49 Insane "Special FX" presets
@14:05 Combining the Triton & TR-Rack
@14:40 Stacked program demo
@15:21 The End - Hudba
A big plus for sound design is that 2 multi-mode resonant filters that can run in parallel in a program. TR also has a massive amount of useful waveforms compared to the earlier non-res filter machines like M1, X3. The Sound Diver TR Rack editor used to be downloadable here and there, and works on Windows10. The free Trinitro editor may work as well.
I just can not get over how great these old synths sound in this genre of music. I could just sit and listen to this all day.
I fell in love with ROMplers when I was a teen and learned what they were. Have not lost that love for them ever since.
Wow what a beautiful sound! It’s like Korg captured a tropical paradise and shoved it into that thing!!
Totally! When I picture the Paul Hardcastle / Jazzmasters 3 album cover - I think of the Trinity
I remember the first time I heard a TR-Rack from a Future Music CD in the late 90s, clearly it has a unique sound, a real winner. Great demo. Many thanks for sharing!
Loved those synth demos on the FM cd's, cheers mate!
I have a tr rack and I love it. Thanks for the info on the midi quest. Pulling programs and editing is a nightmare on the unit. You just made it fun all over again... thanks!!😊
Awesome mate! Give Midiquest a shot, really opens things up. Also, on the Pro version of Midiquest you can upload & transfer PCG files to the TR-Rack. Game changer for not having to bust out an old laptop/computer to transfer PCG files via that COM port
good to see you posting thought-man
whatsup Rob! thanks for tuning in
Ugh now I'm going to have to buy one of these! The pads are insane!
Do it! Would love to see a video with your take on it
Such a a beautiful pad sound i love those 90s pads that were all over dnb and PlayStation games of the time. Nice video 👌
Thanks mate! I'm there with you. Can't get enough of those pads and find myself hoarding more and more synths from the era
Thanks for sharing. Could not imagine it sounded so good.
Most Korg products pre-USB were incredibly good values across any genre
shes a beauty... but damn man... i was planning on picking one up soonish. You spiking the reverb sales 😂
haha they seem stable still! ebay, reverb, mercari, facebook marketplace - see a few up for a good price
What made Korg synths so great in the 90s was the effects. They were high level.
I think the MDE-X plugin is the same effects.
@@TheBeeOBee MDE-X is recreation of original MDE effects chip used in M1/T-series, WS, 01W, a pair in A2 and A3, others, and then integrated into later "AI2" synthesis system synths' tone generator chip. The Trinity (TR-Rack) used new and more numerous algorithms developed for original unreleased Oasys prototype (1993), had more simultaneous processing blocks, and ran on off-the-shelf Panasonic chips, later integrated and progressively improved in Triton and later Korg synths until today.
i love mine! Before i replaced much of my rack with software equivalents, i used to stack it with a Triton Rack, Wavestations A/D & SR, an XV-5080 & 5050, a TG-77, Emu Vintage Keys, P-330, MKS-20 & an SG-Rack (occasionally an 01)W, Alesis Ion, & Tyros 5 would guest star). The insane tear inducing pad layers I'd create were pure bliss! I'd often have congregants commenting on how beautiful those swirling, ethereal, evolving pads were.
I can only imagine the stacked pads you'd get out of all that stuff - all heavy hitting synths! SG-Rack was always a bit of a myth to me, looks like a TR-Rack - and if I understand, has a lot of the piano sounds from the tr-rack?
That 'new Silverware' Combi in the B bank is such an amazing deep evolving pad! I used it all the time when i had the V3 Keyboard version, now using that sound on the TR-Rack
Definitely became one of my favorite Korg racks. The multimode is another powerful feature that shouldn’t be slept on. Best done with Midiquest or Sound Diver (I use the serial link with my PowerBook for this part). And keeping the midi sequencing to my more modern solutions
Agree, two in a single program layer give it a lot of creative possibilities.
Hell yeah. I knew the TR-Rack video was gonna come out at some point lol.
:)
Some real Frutiger Aero vibes here. Carry on
I constantly returned to this video and somehow ended up buying one. It should arrive soon. This music hobby thing is getting a little bit out of control. But the sound is like massaging ones soul and is exactly what I recognize from those good oll dnb albums I had back as a teenager. Thanks ^^.
That was the universe pushing you to get this for your music ;) Enjoy! and get your use out of it. It's ripe with unexplored sounds if you take the time to learn it
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥video! Which version of MIDI Quest 13 would you recommend purchasing? I'm not sure if the essentials is the right choice.
Essentials is the bare minimum I'd start at - and can always upgrade later. would be great for all your other synths too! A step up gives you more patch generator options and some other meh things, and Pro adds VST support which sounds slick
Love your content mate. Have you ever thought about covering the Roland JD08/JD800 for atmospheric pads? I’ve managed to create quite a few pads using one of these but there are simply so many options its kind of overwhelming!
Thanks mate! I have the VST version of the JD800 and honestly havent used it much. It does look super overwhelming at first glance! It's very capable - but I tend to lean towards Korg for 90s ambient pads hence why I haven't spent much time with it. Can look a little more into it!
Amazing stuff wish I could find one
they trickle in on reverb / ebay a decent amount! also check the japanese auction websites and can often snag a much cheaper one (FromJapan, Neokyo)
Another popular editor for the TR Rack, is Trinitro.
For sure. Have Trinitro on my old XP laptop - works well too - download is still floating around on the korg forums
Another great video! Btw, have you ever heard of a producer named Lone? His music is highly inspired by these 90s rompler sounds. Those TR Rack vocal pads are very reminiscent of his. A dream video for me that can come from you would be an identification of a lot of the sounds he uses, whether from synths or romplers. Just sayin! 😂
Yeah saw Lone supporting The Orb in London, such a good dreamy set.
Have not heard of Lone, will check him out. Thanks for the recommendation, sounds like it would be right up my alley!
Lone's sound is simple, if we're talking about Pineapple Crush, Ecsta-- and friends era then use 7th chords, two sawtooths and maybe a tiny bit of LFO on both oscillators. In terms of samples, I am going to guess he has used some 90s sample CDs for some pads and other sounds.
@@skarajmusicCan you timestamp the patch you’re talking about in Pineapple Crush for me? Or are you saying that two sawtooths and that LFO setting is a foundation for multiple synth patches of his? Thanks!
@@megamatt1915 - At 0:32 in Pineapple Crush, that's the sound I mean with the two sawtooths and 7th chords. But in general, a lot of his tunes use 7th chords which is one of the main ingredient of his tracks.
This was used for Sonic Mega Collection's soundtrack (The very beginning of the intro song of the game was done with this synth), it's just so nostalgic and magical
Didnt know that! Super cool
Thank you.
Hi. One question. How to open " Select Program by Category" in Triton Rack as you shown in 5:20. Thank you
Oh mate - one of the best features. When in Program or Combi mode, select UTILITY (F8) and scroll down once -> select "Select by Category." Can also do the same when selecting oscillators (ROM Multisample categories)
@@Thought-Forms thank you mate
Man, I have one of these, are there other programs for getting control of this with midi?
Trinitro is the only other one I know about, and can be found floating around on the internet. It's a much older program that only works on older operating systems (Win 98, XP, etc)
Extra bonus, it has the drum preset from Clipse - Grindin’.
Among so many machines I have a TR that mixed with a 3080 has a fabulous vintage sound.
Both are great units to stack up!
Love my TR rack.
Man, both sound so lush...
Great stuff!
Still wish Korg would make a trinity plugin.
My fingers are still crossed that day will come! Would also love to see an X3 and/or N1 VST
Another great Korg is the Wavestation SR. Killer rack unit.
For sure, great unit! The Wavestation A/D was one of my first hardware synths, has a special place in my heart
love my TR Rack
one of a kind!
so i hope i got that right: the Midiquest module for the Trinity works with the TR Track hardware ?
They have modules for all the variations of the Trinity in midiquest, including a specific "Korg Trinity Rack" for the tr-rack
The TR Rack definitely has some more weight and girth to it. Wondering... is there overlap on the patches/waveforms between the TR Rack and the Triton Rack, or are they completely different? Is it worth owning both?
PCM ROM very mostly the same between Trinity & Triton. They are extremely similar overall as synths, a LOT of misinfo, butt-hurt oldtime users acting like schoolkids arguing game consoles, illogical arguments, fanboi attitude, and plain stupidity out there. You want both, go ahead, shouldn't be too much money, can sell off (for not much money). ALL the "core" of Korg PCM-subtractive synths beginning with Trinity until today in '24 are EXTREMELY similar; read a few PROFESSIONAL/MAGAZINE reviews (SOS mag is quite comprehensive, and available free online going waay back - but even they make mistakes), read specs, and thumb through instruction manuals (free online), answer should be obvious...
Preset wise there isn't much overlap - but PCM rom content wise there is a bit of overlap. Both are great to own if you can swing it. You'll never run out of sounds
Could it be some form of band compressor in the Triton that makes the sound signature more bright and U shaped? The TR has that true power in the lower mids that I think is the traderamark of older digital gear and what distinguishes it from vst. I dare say that the Triton sounds like they engineered it for the future and vst has the same kind of lack of mids. The Triton still sounds a bit different from the Legacy vst in the highs. But more vst than the TR...cleaner dacs perhaps and vst has none so...
These are great units… and IDK if they still are, but for LONG time they were available for $250-$350 any day of the week. What I do wish I had though was the optional ADAT output card. Those are rare to find.
You can definitely still find them around $300 luckily. Agree! - would love to have one of those ADAT expansions. Don't think I've ever seen one pop up
Been looking for one for a while - they seem quite rare, or in Japan with 100V input power
Sounds good! Kinda sad now I sold my Triton Studio 88 like 11 years ago..
doesnt it!? never too late to get another - or the VST Triton
great video, can you get a tripod? the movement is sickening
thanks mate, and noted! used a go-pro which I thought had some stabilization functionality in it, but yea - looks a bit shaky
I've a Triton Le keyboard, still works, still use it , why? Well basically your series about korg says all. And I have stuff from yamaha, roland and Kurzweil, but no way (even today) these other brands reach near korg in that matter. And if you use it live with some bluesky pedals ou blackhole or shimmer pedals... Well then you enter Star Trek Sci-Fi mode. And that is priceless. Another thing you forget allways to mention is the quality of audio outputs that make korg sound warmer even with tons of reverb
Is that a Novation A station under it?
it is! great little unit
What's the VST equivalent to this?!
Korg Triton VST would be the most similar
Korg has to make this a VST, quick 🙏🏻🙌🥇
Many pad sounds of the TR Rack are from Korgs Wavestation. For ambient pads I would reccomand a Wavestation for better control and....it's the original of that kind of sounds. Even the Korg Wavestation Plugin is a great deal or Korg's new Wavestate.
Huh - didn't know that. I've heard some similar sounding patches in the TR that made me think wavestation (in fact, there is a preset called "wavestation") so not surprising!
What can the trinity rack do by comparison
Assuming you mean the Triton Rack? More sounds, more presets, more expansions, exb-moss expansion, sampling capabilities, and the most important - can actually edit things from the front panel. It's a great unit too
Is that an A Station underneath the TR Rack?
yup!
Let’s hear the 01R/W, even though I am already on my 2nd 01/Wfd.
Funny you mention that - in the works ;)
I have the TR-Rack. I don't have midiquest.
Sounds lush- but the reason I want a triton isnt for ambient, its cus of the classic grime sounds it produces!! Got loads of synths which can do ambient. Very little in that UK grimey space tho!
Didn't know the Triton was used a bunch in grime, awesome!!
@@Thought-Forms Yeah man ik wiley and geeneus had one, wouldnt suprise me if skep n jme had one too. Thinking I might try the VST version as much as I like using hardware. Its that era of expansion boards and preset boards where they cost you an arm and a leg to get a full setup. Similar to Rolands JV series. But even rarer lol
I can basically already hear the drums
Yeah, I'm not convinced of it's merits, or sound versus the Triton. If you have to edit the sounds on a computer anyway, it's going to be far more convenient to use the Triton VSTi.
It can be edited, but that's not the point of the synth. It was designed to be a preset synth. I've owned one for over 20 years and still use it all the time.
You just cost me 500 euro 🙄
No pain, no gain.
midiquest... such a blessing and such a curse lol. I have a slightly different korg rack that is very similar and it is much cheaper and I'm not telling anyone about it
best way to put it LOL. a necessary evil. and I probably know what that other one is ;) if it's what I think it is, that one rules too
Sorry to do this but it's pronounced Book - em...... LTJ Book em..... Big respect for the good video mate.....
I bought this from a local producer in 2002 for $100. The sounds are definitely amazing. Too bad it’s collecting dust in storage
$100, wow! Nice one. If you need someone to clean the dust off it, let me know ;)
"buck 'em"
Hold on to your rack units, Gents. It's only a matter of time before people understand the cost benefit ratio of modular is BAD, and we had it so good a generation earlier.
Got my closet full of em! still some killer deals on less known rack units out there to be had
@@Thought-Forms old samplers are a culture, a way of life
Thanks 😡. I just bought one and my wife mad 😂😂😂😂
When you play a beautiful pad sound from it she will forgive you!
You need a cell phone stand from a dollar store for all those shaky shots
Honestly, I think the TR-Rack sounds better than the Triton. I've said it for years. The Triton just sounds... hollow? Sterile?
For me, it's all about the TR-Rack, 01R/W, and Wavestation AD.
Agree! Both sound great, but the Trinity just has something special in it. Those three synths....power house. What else do ya need
@@Thought-Forms everything. I'm a gear whore 😆
All you really need is a sampler, a good one, this is so unessesary but cool.
Which one? Like an old school Akai?
lol funny you say that cuz the original Korg Trinity has an expansion that makes it an AKAI sampler.
Maybe like an s5000
@@badusername765 what is the expansion called?
@@ArcenyHax It’s called the PBS-Tri expansion. It can’t be installed on the TR-Rack and can only be used with the original Trinity keyboards.
lol you saying Bukem.
come on dude!!
Can you hold your phone steady please? seasick...