Korg Releases PHASE8
Well, I said I wouldn’t do much gear news, but this one was pretty unexpected. Korg is finally releasing their Phase8 “physical synthesizer”, a hybrid electro acoustic instrument that uses electromagnets to excite acoustic tines. In my latest studio blog I write about recording acoustic metal instruments, so this is the perfect device that blends synthesis with physical metallics for new sound design territory. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt any “GAS” (gear acquisition syndrome), but this one is such a step away from the ordinary I find it incredibly tempting. I could see the Phase8 next to a Gamechanger Motor Synth for a “weird instruments” jam setup.
Phase8 looks like a rather simple instrument, there’s keys to excite each tine, envelopes and wavefolders per tine, and a mod effect and in terms of “synth” controls that looks to be about it. Remembering that Phase8 is a hybrid physical acoustic instrument opens up a lot of doors though, you can place objects onto the tines to change their sound, You can even replace the tines with your own DIY ones for more experiments. I’d love to make some that are much longer with lots thin branches for a very atonal sound, or maybe tines that branch out and overlap, causing interference when multiple notes are played. You can always look to “prepared pianos” for more ideas.
It looks like they are offering some unique resonator shapes for presale with “more to come”. The “fishbone” resonator looks particularly interesting to me, though I’m curious just how much of an impact these will have on the tone, I imagine there needs to be distinct separate tines to generate new harmonic structures, take a look at the Rav Vast for an example of what I mean.
Phase8 looks like a rather simple instrument, there’s keys to excite each tine, envelopes and wavefolders per tine, and a mod effect and in terms of “synth” controls that looks to be about it. Remembering that Phase8 is a hybrid physical acoustic instrument opens up a lot of doors though, you can place objects onto the tines to change their sound, You can even replace the tines with your own DIY ones for more experiments. I’d love to make some that are much longer with lots thin branches for a very atonal sound, or maybe tines that branch out and overlap, causing interference when multiple notes are played. You can always look to “prepared pianos” for more ideas.
There’s a built in sequencer which is a nice touch. This makes me want to try more metallic and percussive tones than the available tines seem capable of. Perhaps someone will manufacture aftermarket tines that cover a range of experimental concepts. I do think I’d prefer more sound design options instead of a sequencer, but the sequencer does have parameter recording, so it looks like it can get pretty weird, at least as weird as you can get with the available controls.
Loopop has an in depth review of this one as well.
I will say it looked a lot cooler in earlier promotional content, they seemed to have gone with a simpler aluminum case with white controls for everything instead of the dual tone combinations they were experimenting with. It looks like this will be available sometime in the next few months, but priced at $1,150, so around the same price as the aforementioned Motor Synth too. I think that’s over twice what I’d be willing to pay for this, as cool as the idea is, I think this is a tool that is best suited for very experimental sound designers who have a budget for these types of tools. What do you think about this new product (other than it being “too expensive”)?