Members Anderton Posted May 5, 2015 Members Share Posted May 5, 2015 Seriously, I love that thing. It's the kind of keyboard where it seems that no matter I do with it, within a couple of minutes I get inspired. Not quite sure why I have such intense chemistry with it, but it really is one of my favorite synths of all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Karma1 Posted May 5, 2015 Members Share Posted May 5, 2015 No, its not just you Craig, I feel the same way. I'm glad to hear you say that. When the original Korg Karma first came out, I got one right away and really loved Steven Kay's "karma" function (as you can tell by my user name.) Although its been described as "an arpeggiator on steroids," it's really more than that. Its hard to describe, but whatever it is, its amazing and is perfect for the kind of ambient/electronic music I do. Then when the M3 came out with second generation Karma function, I had to get it. I bought the M3 module version and I control it with either my Karma keyboard or my Roland V-Synth, and sometimes with midi guitar. As much as I liked the original Karma keyboard, the M3 takes it to a whole other level and its become my main synth for composing and recording. I love having the additional "scenes" and trigger pads, as well as all the realtime controllers. I also installed the optional Radias expansion board in it as well as some of the Karma Lab 3rd party sounds which opens up even more soundscaping possibilities. Like you said, its easy to get inspired on it. I used it a lot on my current CD, "Ambient Alchemy" which is a collaboration with new age keyboardist Steven Halpern and special guest, fretless bass maestro Michael Manring. The album has gotten rave reviews and is currently nominated for an Independent Music Award, as well as a ZMR Award. Reviews often highlight the ethereal sound textures and sonic effects that are created on the M3. I've owned many synths over the years and currently have about 10 of them, but the M3 is definitely my all time favorite and is perfect for someone like me who is more of a synthesist and ambient sound designer than a traditional "keyboardist." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Temple of Light Posted May 6, 2015 Members Share Posted May 6, 2015 I have the same thing going on with the Karma, utterly fascinating and depth beyond my means, especially with all the sounds and extras I've built into mine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moogerfooger Posted May 6, 2015 Members Share Posted May 6, 2015 Love my M3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted May 10, 2015 Members Share Posted May 10, 2015 Seriously' date=' I love that thing. It's the kind of keyboard where it seems that no matter I do with it, within a couple of minutes I get inspired. Not quite sure why I have such intense chemistry with it, but it really is one of my favorite synths of all time.[/quote'] The size of the module and the big pads help to inspire. And then there is KARMA! So yes it is inspiring...unless you purchased one of the many with defective touch-screens. But even so, mine is still a fantastic-sounding synth. But it's only about 50% of what it will be when I get around to replacing my touch-screen. I've already bought one, just haven't had time to install it. Fortunately, KARMA can be used mostly w/o it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted May 10, 2015 Author Members Share Posted May 10, 2015 The size of the module and the big pads help to inspire. And then there is KARMA! So yes it is inspiring...unless you purchased one of the many with defective touch-screens. But even so, mine is still a fantastic-sounding synth. But it's only about 50% of what it will be when I get around to replacing my touch-screen. I've already bought one, just haven't had time to install it. Fortunately, KARMA can be used mostly w/o it. What exactly is wrong with the touch screen? What are the symptoms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted May 11, 2015 Members Share Posted May 11, 2015 What exactly is wrong with the touch screen? What are the symptoms? Google 'KORG M3 touch-screen problems'. You will find a dozens of examples. Basically, some screens become unresponsive to touch, especially in the upper right corner,where you do a lot of menu selection.. There is a 2 part Youtube video describing how to replace one.That gentleman's problem was nearly identical to my own. Fortunately, the screens are about $35-60 USD. So they are affordable. I can still play. KARMA is maybe 80% even with the problem. So I can still compose and improvise w/it. I could probably gig with it. Editing, saving, loading, even selecting patches OTOH, is either impossible or one-at-a-time slow.Anything requiring touch-screen response becomes impossible. KORG has known about this problem and done nothing. Fortunately, there are manual work-arounds for KARMA. And Stephen Kay's KARMA is the only reason I buy KORG. If KORG ditches KARMA. I will ditch KORG. I agree with you though.Even at 50% functionality, the M3M is still inspiring. I'm glad KORG made it that size.The big touchpads, the combis, KARMA are all amazing. It's a brilliant synth, even with touch-screen problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gjvti Posted May 13, 2015 Members Share Posted May 13, 2015 No doubt M3 is nice especially with Radias installed Regarding touch screens - where you find them? What is part number? It looks that mine has ceased operating properly for the second time (first was replaced under warranty). Korg managed to put in one of the best synths ever probably the most unreliable touchscreen ever :/ - - - - - PS to forum moderators - the post replay text input field doesn't work in Google Chrome Version 42.0.2311.135 m - It doesn't recognizes the text input field. With FireFox at least I can make post although it doesn't seem very stable either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted May 13, 2015 Members Share Posted May 13, 2015 No doubt M3 is nice especially with Radias installed Regarding touch screens - where you find them? What is part number? It looks that mine has ceased operating properly for the second time (first was replaced under warranty). Korg managed to put in one of the best synths ever probably the most unreliable touchscreen ever :/ - - - - - PS to forum moderators - the post replay text input field doesn't work in Google Chrome Version 42.0.2311.135 m - It doesn't recognizes the text input field. With FireFox at least I can make post although it doesn't seem very stable either IDK the parts number. I haven't unpacked the box and receipt yet. Today I GOOGLE'd this phrase: "KORG M3 replacement touch screen EBay" and found listings on both Ebay and Amazon. I hope it works. It's a little alarming to me that you have had two touch screens go out on you. It would be thoughtful and considerate if a KORG rep posted and explained this problem to us. I agree with your summary too. One of the best synths ever with the most UNreliable touchscreen ever. An iPad work-around would be great. The editor software is not a substitute. I have been thinking of buying another M3M to keep as a spare. But what if that touch screen dies too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members keybdwizrd Posted May 17, 2015 Members Share Posted May 17, 2015 Seriously' date=' I love that thing. It's the kind of keyboard where it seems that no matter I do with it, within a couple of minutes I get inspired. Not quite sure why I have such intense chemistry with it, but it really is one of my favorite synths of all time.[/quote'] I had an M3 61 for about a year and really enjoyed it. Although (for me) it had no practical use, I did enjoy jamming around with the Karma features. The quality of most of the sounds is fantastic. I found the samples to be very detailed and intimate - I often felt like lots of them sounded "close-miked", and different than what I hear in Yamahas and Rolands. Sometimes this was good, but other times I had a hard time getting used to the intimacy of the samples. Perhaps it was just me - and only a real issue with the 61 - but I was always very annoyed with the lack of octave up/down buttons on the M3 61. Yes, you can go into individual patches and program the user buttons to do this, but in the end the lack of octave transpose buttons remained an annoying shortcoming. For reasons I cannot fathom, Korg continued this strange omission with the Kronos instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gjvti Posted June 11, 2015 Members Share Posted June 11, 2015 IDK the parts number. I haven't unpacked the box and receipt yet. Today I GOOGLE'd this phrase: "KORG M3 replacement touch screen EBay" and found listings on both Ebay and Amazon. ... Thanks for tip! I managed to order touch panel from a German source on e-bay and replaced it yesterday successfully. New one had slightly different product code (second part) and it seems to me new one is even more responsive out of the box than old was initially. Luckily old one was attached to LCD with some foamed double sided sticker so it was quite easy to separate the glass from LCD panel with sharp office cutter knife. New touchpanel came with thin ruberized double sided sticker strips so I hope I won't have to repeat the procedure once again since it will be harder to remove it. Another observation - fixing the touch panel's contact strip in the place was a bit tricky - you need to make sure that it is fully properly aligned till stop, before locking it. PS Few photos are attached below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted June 11, 2015 Members Share Posted June 11, 2015 That is really great news. congratulations. Wish I could pay you to install mine. But I'm in a different part of the world. Go on Ebay - almost every seller had the same touch screen problem. KORG should have done something about this. The problem was so widespread. Yet, there was no recall. No free repairs. KORG suckered a lot of people who bought M3's in good faith. And it was intentional. There were so many bad screens, that some point someone ät KORG had to become on notice. Yet KORG still continued to sell the defective product anyway.. Congratulations KORG - you got away with it. Other companies might have had to pay. But you were lucký. You saved a few bucks and cheated a lot of trusting buyers. KORG -- dump KARMA please! That is the only reason I buy your crappy instruments anywaý. And I'd honestly rather have KARMA in a sturdier piece of gear. Sell it to Roland or Yamaha while you work out your QC problems. That is,if you are even interested in working out your QC problems. it's likely more profitable to just cheat the customer and hope nobody finds out. You were masterful on the M3 KORG. You showed the other synth companies how it should be done. But I'm betting the number of failed touch screens will continue to rise. Something will ĉome of it yét. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moogerfooger Posted June 29, 2015 Members Share Posted June 29, 2015 I have yet to experience any problems with my touch screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members midinut Posted July 3, 2015 Members Share Posted July 3, 2015 I have been watching this thread ever since Craig posted it. I bought a Kronos a couple of years ago and my M3-73 has been sitting in its box ever since. I put it on Craigslist (sorry Craig) not too long after getting the Kronos, received several offers that sounded shady and backed out. For some reason, every time I think I need to sell it something tells me to hold onto it. I started my Korg journey with a Karma and sold it to get the M3. Mine has a Radias board and the expanded memory in it. I know that the Kronos will do pretty much everything it will do and more (with the exception of the Radias - but with some of the engines in the Kronos, even that is up for debate). I just feel a connection with that board. The keyboard itself is without a doubt one of the best I ever played. I wrote a lot of tunes using the Karma, then the M3, and now the Kronos. Part of me wants to hold on to the M3 in case I had to recreate the songs at some point. If that were the case I'd need to grab a used Karma again too. The M3 does have a "mojo" about it that I can't seem to shake. I've never had touchscreen issues either with mine. The last keyboard I had those feelings about was the Peavey DPM3 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Humblekeyz.com Posted October 5, 2015 Members Share Posted October 5, 2015 Seriously' date=' I love that thing. It's the kind of keyboard where it seems that no matter I do with it, within a couple of minutes I get inspired. Not quite sure why I have such intense chemistry with it, but it really is one of my favorite synths of all time.[/quote'] I am fighting with myself right now. I bought an M3-88 at a crazy deal and was going to flip it but also thinking of keeping it and using the K-Sounds Piano Set. The action is amazing but I am not sure about it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted October 6, 2015 Author Members Share Posted October 6, 2015 The M3 does have a "mojo" about it that I can't seem to shake. I've never had touchscreen issues either with mine. The last keyboard I had those feelings about was the Peavey DPM3 years ago. Wow, we are brothers from another mother!! I LOVED the DPM3. There was something about it no synth before or after was able to duplicate. I asked Hartley Peavey if he had the original sample set sitting around, and he said he was sure it was somewhere...I'd love to get my hands on it and do a proper tribute instrument using Kontakt or Rapture Pro or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted October 6, 2015 Author Members Share Posted October 6, 2015 Oh, and a P.S...I tried sampling my favorite DPM3 patches but they just didn't sound the same in other keys. And FWIW, I'm really good with sampling so I don't think it was a problem at my end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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