Korg Kaoss Pad?

Dawid · 2014-09-23T08:44:15.000Z

I have been looking at this unit to add effects to my live sets. I’ve seen it in some videos, being used with Elektron gear, and it often sounds pretty cool.

http://www.korg.com/us/products/dj/kaoss_pad_quad/#

How would that work with my setup? I have a bunch of synths all eventually going into my OT. (In other words I don’t use a traditional mixer as the final piece of equipment.) The OT is then connected to the speakers.

So, if I used the Kaoss Pad, would I then somehow connect the outs from the OT to the ins of the Koass Pad, and then from the Kaoss Pad to the speakers?

If that is how you do it, does that effect the sound quality in a bad way, since all the analog sound has to go through the Kaoss Pad?

Thank you!

TwoBeautifulMen · 2014-09-23T12:32:48.000Z

Just a heads up, the Kaoss Pad Quad does not have midi -you’ll want midi to synch with your other gear. Get a KP3 or KP3+. User Accent was really really helpful and patient with me getting my KP3+ setup with midi so I could control it from my MnM which is really fun. Check YouTube for KP3/MnM examples (sounds like you may have seen them already). Maybe he’ll chime in here. Either way, if you PM me I can try to help you out. I intend to write up some rough instructions to share with the community but just haven’t gotten to it yet.

In terms of audio routing, I’m not sure what options you have, but yes, you could run it inline to your interface/monitors, etc. if you wanted or back into your OT, etc. It’s pretty transparent in my opinion so you shouldn’t have sound quality issues. Then again, I’m not very picky so others might find it unacceptable to run on the main mix.

Accent · 2014-09-23T17:59:41.000Z

""Dawid"":

I have been looking at this unit to add effects to my live sets. I’ve seen it in some videos, being used with Elektron gear, and it often sounds pretty cool.

http://www.korg.com/us/products/dj/kaoss_pad_quad/#

How would that work with my setup? I have a bunch of synths all eventually going into my OT. (In other words I don’t use a traditional mixer as the final piece of equipment.) The OT is then connected to the speakers.

So, if I used the Kaoss Pad, would I then somehow connect the outs from the OT to the ins of the Koass Pad, and then from the Kaoss Pad to the speakers?

If that is how you do it, does that effect the sound quality in a bad way, since all the analog sound has to go through the Kaoss Pad?

Thank you!

As mentioned, I would go for the KP3/KP3+ instead of the Quad because of the lack of midi. Using the Elektron sequencer to sequence the KP3 can give you some serious next level options.
As for fitting it into your setup, it is hard to say for sure what the best option would be without knowing more about your current setup. You could run the OT’s outputs into it, and out to your speakers if you wish. Mine is pretty permanently attached to my MDUW in my patchbay, and I do notice a bit of signal loss unfortunately. The benefits outweight the negatives IMHO, and I’d rather just put a compressor in the mix to get back some of the punch, instead of not using it.

Automux · 2014-09-23T19:17:08.000Z

The KP Quad might not have MIDI but it does a damn good job of auto detecting the BPM and failing that it has tap tempo or you can dial it in manually with the dedicated knob. I’ve never seen an issue with this aspect of it.

I have not noticed any loss of signal other than what you would expect from the effect you have applied.

As for connecting it, I personally have it connected to my mixer’s effects send channel so I can select specific instruments that will have the effects applied.

TrabanT · 2014-09-23T21:29:40.000Z

hate my kp3 … trying to sell it (Berlin) nobody seems to want it …if you can get your hands on a kp3 you may immediatly see that is is IMHO a “toy” with hiss, bad cinch connectors … and so forth.

just my 2ct

Accent · 2014-09-23T21:43:31.000Z

[quote=“” TrabanT""]
hate my kp3 … trying to sell it (Berlin) nobody seems to want it …if you can get your hands on a kp3 you may immediatly see that is is IMHO a “toy” with hiss, bad cinch connectors … and so forth.

just my 2ct
[/quote]

I put mine up on eBay after having it for a couple years, and after it didn’t sell I decided to try using p-locks and LFOs to control X/Y, pad touch/hold, and program changes…I doubt I’ll ever sell it now, and actually wish I had a couple more of them. Running drums through it and controlling the looper effects from the Elektrons is a great way to create variations and fills.

Dawid · 2014-09-24T09:56:43.000Z

Thanks for the advice! I will go for the KP3 instead.

Mostly what I want this machine for is to be able to make reverb-builds like DJs do with a mixer with Traktor software.

For instance the most obvious example: remove all low end frequencies (I do this on the OT, though), fade in a reverb over all sounds slowly, then bring back the low end and release the reverb, letting a long reverb tail fade out.

Also the same thing but with a delay effect. (Is it possible to do both at the same time with the KP3?)

Would this be possible with the KP3? This is basically all I want to be able to do, as I can’t achieve the effect to my complete satisfaction with the AR performance pads. But obviously other effects and stuff would be cool to experiment with as well.

Hades_of_Spades · 2014-09-24T10:33:35.000Z

The KPquad not having midi isn’t a big deal, it’s easy to tap/enter the bpm.
Having midi on the KP3 is cool though being able to sequence it, that’s rad.

You can absolutely hook up your octatrack to any kaoss pad and then to the speakers no problem. The level of the KPquad is a little low i’ve noticed, I gain it up a bit on my mixer.

The fun thing with the quad is you can choose multiple effects whenever you want - the KP3 is stuck with a single preset at a time. The presets are very good though, and cover most scenarios you’d want.
If you download the manual and look at the patch list it’ll give you an idea of the combinations of effects it has.

Good luck!

Dawid · 2014-09-24T12:07:42.000Z

All right! Just ordered the Quad anyway, since I would like to be able to have both reverb and delay at the same time. I think that the tap/enter bpm will work for me, as I’m not interested in sequencing the KP. Could someone just please answer my question above? I would be really grateful, since if if doesn’t work, I will cancel my order!

Dawid wrote: Mostly what I want this machine for is to be able to make reverb-builds like DJs do with a mixer with Traktor software.

For instance the most obvious example: remove all low end frequencies (I do this on the OT, though), fade in a reverb over all sounds slowly, then bring back the low end and release the reverb, letting a long reverb tail fade out.

Also the same thing but with a delay effect. (Is it possible to do both at the same time with the KP3?)

Would this be possible with the KP3? This is basically all I want to be able to do, as I can’t achieve the effect to my complete satisfaction with the AR performance pads. But obviously other effects and stuff would be cool to experiment with as well.

Dawid · 2014-09-24T14:21:44.000Z

Okay, I watched some demo videos, and it seems that I should be able to do what I asked.

Now I’m just afraid that I will lose sound quality by running the outs from the OT into the ins of the KPQ via rca and then out via rca to the speakers…

Also, I doubt the quality of the reverb is very good… Also it doesn’t seem that I can change the reverb settings anywhere, like the decay time. Or is that done on the XY-pad somehow…?

dubathonic · 2014-09-24T14:25:45.000Z

""Dawid"":

For instance the most obvious example: remove all low end frequencies (I do this on the OT, though), fade in a reverb over all sounds slowly, then bring back the low end and release the reverb, letting a long reverb tail fade out.

Also the same thing but with a delay effect. (Is it possible to do both at the same time with the KP3?)

Would this be possible with the KP3?

@Dawid – I assume this is the question you meant

In principle, yes it might be done, as long as you continue to depend on the OT for your filter. On the KP3 you’ve got a number of delays and a few reverbs, plus the effect level knob that you can tweak. With a bit of effort you might find a sweet spot on the touchscreen that gets you there.

I should warn you though: I say “in principle” because KP3 effects do not give you a great deal of ability to fine-tune. Yes, the touchscreen lends a great tactile immediacy to a performance, but getting the effects you’ve chosen to do what you want is sometimes a shot in the dark: Often either the sonic difference between touching one pixel on the screen and another is too drastic to create a sweet spot for a specific track, or the preset just doesn’t highlight the desired frequencies no matter where you touch it.

I love my KP3, it’s been part of my live rig longer than any other single device. Audience-pleasing and immediate. But I use its effects more for quick flashy drama than long builds because their quality isn’t always up to par.

Edit: Check out this thread.

Automux · 2014-09-24T15:09:59.000Z

""Dawid"":

All right! Just ordered the Quad anyway, since I would like to be able to have both reverb and delay at the same time. I think that the tap/enter bpm will work for me, as I’m not interested in sequencing the KP. Could someone just please answer my question above? I would be really grateful, since if if doesn’t work, I will cancel my order!

Dawid wrote: Mostly what I want this machine for is to be able to make reverb-builds like DJs do with a mixer with Traktor software.

For instance the most obvious example: remove all low end frequencies (I do this on the OT, though), fade in a reverb over all sounds slowly, then bring back the low end and release the reverb, letting a long reverb tail fade out.

Also the same thing but with a delay effect. (Is it possible to do both at the same time with the KP3?)

Would this be possible with the KP3? This is basically all I want to be able to do, as I can’t achieve the effect to my complete satisfaction with the AR performance pads. But obviously other effects and stuff would be cool to experiment with as well.

kaosspad.png1200×800 430 KB

Very easy. Select LPF and slowly drag your finger down the X/Y pad. Then with your finger on the pad still, select Freeze under section 3. This will lock the low pass filter in place.

Then select REVERB and perform the same action on the X/Y for the desired effect and once again Freeze section 4 to lock in the reverb.
Find the place on the X/Y pad where you froze the LPF and hold your finger there, then unfreeze section 3. Gradually fade back in the higher frequencies by dragging your finger up the pad.

Getting the reverb to fade out will take a bit of playing around depending on when you want that effect to start. You might even be able to unfreeze section 4 while fading out the LPF (thus controlling both effects at the same time) or once the LPF has been disengaged then just fade out the effects depth knob or fade out using the pad just like you faded in.

Keep in mind you still have two additional effect sections left so you can throw some distortion in there and make a stutter with the looper at the same time. Way more fun than learning the presets on the KP3.

The simplicity and immediacy of the Quad sold me over the KP3. I really do wish it had a metal case like the KP3 but oh well, once you start using it and stop looking at it you forget very quickly what it is made of and I have unintentionally hammered on those selection pads with no adverse results.

Dawid · 2014-09-24T15:55:42.000Z

Thank you all so much!

As for the sound quality, you don’t notice anything? It just feels weird having all this wonderful analog gear, and then plugging it all into the Kaoss Pad before the sounds heads out to the speakers. But maybe that’s just an uneducated suspicion on my part?

Automux · 2014-09-24T16:05:31.000Z

""Dawid"":

Thank you all so much!

As for the sound quality, you don’t notice anything? It just feels weird having all this wonderful analog gear, and then plugging it all into the Kaoss Pad before the sounds heads out to the speakers. But maybe that’s just an uneducated suspicion on my part?

When connected directly I didn’t notice anything odd about the sound. When using it as a send I find I struggle a bit with balancing the send volume, channel volume/gains, and KPQ volumes which results in some hissing when silent or very quiet. This I’m fairly sure is due to my mixer and configuration and during the playback of any sounds this isn’t noticeable for me.

The Korg specs show a 48kHz sampling frequency and 24-bit linear AD/DA. This should cover you fairly well unless you are really going crazy with 96kHz or whatever. One point to note is even on Elektron gear like the A4, it might be all analog but once you hit the effects they are digital. The A4 also lists the same specs - 48 kHz, 24-bit D/A and A/D converters.

Dawid · 2014-09-25T08:11:17.000Z

""Automux"":

[quote=“Dawid”]Thank you all so much!

As for the sound quality, you don’t notice anything? It just feels weird having all this wonderful analog gear, and then plugging it all into the Kaoss Pad before the sounds heads out to the speakers. But maybe that’s just an uneducated suspicion on my part?

When connected directly I didn’t notice anything odd about the sound. When using it as a send I find I struggle a bit with balancing the send volume, channel volume/gains, and KPQ volumes which results in some hissing when silent or very quiet. This I’m fairly sure is due to my mixer and configuration and during the playback of any sounds this isn’t noticeable for me.

The Korg specs show a 48kHz sampling frequency and 24-bit linear AD/DA. This should cover you fairly well unless you are really going crazy with 96kHz or whatever. One point to note is even on Elektron gear like the A4, it might be all analog but once you hit the effects they are digital. The A4 also lists the same specs - 48 kHz, 24-bit D/A and A/D converters.[/quote]
Thank you very much! That removed my final doubts!

nmtf · 2014-09-25T21:30:58.000Z

They’re pretty, and as someone above said will impress an audience, but in all honesty the quality of the actual FX is pretty crap. I’ve bought them second hand twice in the past (different versions - I’m not totally mental) and become bored very quickly after the initial novelty value wore off, and sold them.

Also they don’t even have balanced connections; if you want to put your whole mix through it rather than using it on a mixer send/return this is asking for trouble really.

Save up for something by tc or similar and a MIDI controller to go with it - pretty much any FX machine will let you control all the parameters in real time.

If you want to do freaky stuff I’d recommend a Fireworx, with the obvious caveat that even second hand it’s a lot more expensive. But trust me, it’s worth every penny. (and you can psychologically make it seem a bargain by comparing the price to Eventide gear ;))

Sinner6 · 2014-09-25T21:49:21.000Z

I have to agree, the sound quality is pretty bad. Probably not noticeable in a live setting, but definitely not studio worthy IMHO.

I had a KP2 and replaced it with a KP3, which is better in terms of features, but sounds about the same. The effects are essentially the same ones that came with the Electribes and the Pandora units.

Automux · 2014-09-26T14:07:20.000Z

""Sinner6"":

I have to agree, the sound quality is pretty bad. Probably not noticeable in a live setting, but definitely not studio worthy IMHO.

I had a KP2 and replaced it with a KP3, which is better in terms of features, but sounds about the same. The effects are essentially the same ones that came with the Electribes and the Pandora units.

While I have heard better effects, for around $200 it still sounds good to my ears and is fun as all hell to play with. I certainly like using it to add some dirt and artifacts to some of my sounds which might be why you think it doesn’t sound good. For me this is just what I want. But like all instruments, no one piece of gear will work for everyone’s needs.

Just a few weeks ago I was trying to make sort of a close encounters style alien message from above. I took a heavy bass from my BSII and used the KPQ to lock in the decimator and played around with gradually pushing in some reverb. This gave a very strong digital sounding pulse that rapidly increased in speed and gave a bit of a feedback effect with just enough digital artifacts. This was exactly what I was looking for and really hit that alien sound. So to each their own.

Sinner6 · 2014-09-26T14:11:28.000Z

Automux-

You’re right. I sound overly critical. Replace “bad” with “grainy, digital” and it’s closer to what I meant. It may be exactly what one is going for sound wise. I still have not sold mine, but must say- the iPad has supplanted it in my particular case.