Stage. Vintage. Piano. The name pretty much says it all. The SV-1 contains the hippest, most in-demand and soul-satisfying keyboard sounds ever collected in a single instrument. Decades of electro-mechanical, transistorized, tape-driven, analog, and digital legends are joined by a collection of rich acoustic pianos, all reproduced with stunning realism. But the SV-1 is about much more than excellent sound; the SV-1 re-creates the look, the feel, and visceral pleasure of performing on a vintage instrument.
Crafted using Korg's RX (Real eXperience) Technology; each sound is a detailed and authentic re-creation, accurately capturing the full range of expression and dynamics of the original. The snap of the tine, the release of the hammer, the click of the contacts—every element has been preserved. By isolating these sonic components, the RX engine allows you to create a sonic signature from showroom-shiny to road-ravaged; adding just the right amount to suit your individual taste.
But for Korg, even that is not enough. The SV-1 also recreates the effect pedals and studio processing that gave these sounds their original luster. The proven, tube-driven (12AX7) Valve Reactor circuit adds warmth and realism to period-accurate amplifier models. Together, the three-band EQ, Pre-FX, Modulation FX and Reverb/Delay add yet another dimension of authenticity to your playing.
Designed with performance in mind, the SV-1 is a pleasure to play. Once you try it, you'll understand what all the excitement is about. The RH3 Real Weighted Hammer Action is the finest keybed Korg offers, with a solid, responsive feel that inspires confidence. Forget menus. Never mind banks and programs. Stop staring at displays. With the SV-1, the entire front panel is always live, using clearly labeled knobs to dial up just the sound you are looking for. Saving your eight Favorite settings for quick recall is as easy as saving a station on your car radio.
Best of all, the Korg SV-1 provides an economical, reliable, portable, and maintenance-free alternative to collecting and maintaining a stable of vintage instruments. The cabinet styling (and optional chrome stand) clearly defines the SV-1 as an instrument that was made to be played; providing a retro-chic appearance that reflects the pulse and heart of the original instruments.
Sought-after Sounds
You know the 36 sounds in the SV-1 by heart; each one is an old friend. Rediscover hit-making vintage electric pianos, funky clavs, classic and cult-fave organs, string machines and, of course, pianos. The SV-1 serves up breathtaking grands, a real-deal upright, plus hall-of-fame electronic contenders. And the SV-1 doesn't just serve plain vanilla; you'll find multiple, signature variations of many classic instruments to inspire your performance.
Each category of instrument starts with the essential classics and then moves beyond what other products offer, going into some rare and unique instruments that were the part of the soundtrack of their eras. So the electric pianos start with several seven-way, velocity switched “tine” versions, continue through the classic “reed” based model and then into a vintage analog “electra” instrument (all from American manufacturers), as well as two different Japanese mid-80’s digital classics.
The acoustic pianos include three-way stereo versions of both German and Japanese grand piano giants, a more intimate upright piano, a much-needed mono piano for small gigs, a late ‘70s-mid 80’s Japanese electro-acoustic variation, Korg’s signature and rocking SG-1D, plus some blended sounds. Organs include three variations of the classic tonewheel model, plus the most famous British and Italian combo organs, along with the first known offering of a signature American tube-driven console organ.
Clavs include four variations of the tonal settings plus a related keyboard from the same manufacturer that used a plucked-reed mechanism for a unique and intimate sound. Add in real, tape-based, and analog strings; choir; and a couple of fat analog synth sounds and you have an incredibly versatile palette of sounds to perform with. Each of the core keyboards has been accurately sampled including tine, key-off, damper and hammer noises at different velocities. Tonewheel organs include the much-needed leakage and adjustable key-click. We even sampled piano cabinet resonances to enhance the accuracy of our acoustic pianos. By isolating these sonic components, the RX engine allows you to create a sonic signature from showroom-shiny to road-ravaged; adding just the right amount to suit your individual taste. This attention to detail, called the RX Experience, is what makes playing the SV-1 a joy. It comes to life under your hands, with a three-dimensional sound evoking the electro-mechanical legends, reborn.
Period-accurate Amps and Effects
The superb sound generation of the SV-1 is further enhanced with the inclusion of six separate stages of signal processing, all bypass-able.
EQUALIZER (bass, middle and treble)
Controllable from the front panel, the EQ allows you to shape the tonal quality of your sound in real-time.
PRE FX (Compression, Boost, U-Vibe, Chorus/Vibrato, Tremolo, Wah)
This section provides the essential effects for pre-treating your sound or adding some vintage vibe, with some classic effects modeled by Korg’s legendary guitar effects designers. Add a sweep pedal (i.e. Korg's EXP-2 or XVP-10) to get funky with the Wah.
AMP MODEL (Amp Modeling, cabinet simulation and noise reduction)
A wealth of amp heads and speaker cabinets are available to add color, drive and edge to your sound. Plus, Korg’s exclusive Valve Reactor circuitry adds the warmth or snarl that only a real 12AX7 tube can provide.
MODULATION FX (Chorus 1 &2, Phaser 1&2, Flanger and Rotary)
Some of the most famous stomp-box pedals have been recreated to give you the signature sounds for these legendary timbres. Korg’s rotary speaker emulation has long been acclaimed as one of the best, faithfully adding nuance and motion to any organ sound.
REVERB/DELAY (Room, Plate, Hall, Spring, Tape Echo and Stereo Delay)
Four types of reverb are provided, along with a classic tape-echo, plus a tempo-based digital delay – complete with a tap tempo switch.
LIMITER
This final step in the chain ensures your level remains balanced across all sounds, and is adjustable only via the included computer editor/librarian software.
Zero Learning Curve
The user interface has been designed with performance in mind; every essential control is quickly accessible on the front panel, with no confusing menus or multiple button presses. Rotary knobs include illuminated LED’s to show the position of the knob, and can be pressed to restore the original setting. For really quick changes, the SV-1 has eight car-radio style buttons to instantly call up your eight Favorite sounds and settings. Storing a Favorite is equally as easy. Simply adjust the controls to your preferred settings, then press and hold one of the Favorites buttons; when the button flashes, press it again. Your custom setting is now stored.
Touch and Tune
The SV-1 is equipped with Korg's finest graded-hammer action (RH3) keyboard on both the 73-key and 88-key versions. The FUNCTION button provides access to eight different velocity curves that allow the keyboard to response to match any performance style. Authentic to the end, the SV-1 offers eight tuning schemes including equal, grand piano stretch, electric piano stretch, electric grand, upright stretch, detuned and two user-definable types (configurable using the editor/librarian software). Overall tuning can also be accessed via the FUNCTION button, and adjusted by using the EQ treble control. While in this mode, concert pitch (A=440) can be recalled quickly by pressing the treble encoder pot. Needless to say, the SV-1 can be transposed into any key.
Accessorize Your Winning Look
Housed in a bold, curvaceous body, the SV-1 really stands out from the crowd. Coupled with retro-style controls and stunning finishes [73 key: Metallic Red with Charcoal ends; 88 key: Carbon Gray with Metallic Copper ends], the SV-1 oozes desirability – and playability! An optional adjustable and collapsible chrome stand is available, as is a gig-ready rolling soft case.
Connect with Others
A pro keyboard would be incomplete without all the right connections. The SV-1 is equipped with balanced XLR and ¼" outputs; Left and Right audio inputs; MIDI In and MIDI out jacks, USB MIDI Port, and 3 pedal connections: Damper, Pedal 1, and Pedal 2. The Damper pedal is included, and responds to half-pedaling for authentic piano response. Pedal 1 is designed for a switch type of pedal, and can operate as a piano Sostenuto pedal, or as a Fast/Slow switch when the Rotary Speaker effect is on. Pedal 2 can accept either a sweep-type pedal – great for authentic Wah effects and accurate organ volume control – or an additional switch pedal, providing the piano purist with access to all three piano pedal functions by adding the Una Corda (soft) function.
Vintage Software?
While setting out to create an incredibly friendly and easy-to-use instrument, we knew that there were more tech-savvy players out there that would love nothing more than to dig in a little deeper. The SV-1 Editor/Librarian software provides cool graphic-based programming, including access to many effect parameters not available on the SV-1's panel.
In addition, the Editor/Librarian software allows each of the 36 sounds and the eight Favorites to be programmed and saved individually. This points the way to users sharing and swapping their favorite settings, and for Korg to supply more sounds in the future. The SV-1 Editor/Librarian runs on Mac or PC, and is included free with every SV-1. MIDI Local can be set on or off from the front panel, allowing the SV-1 to function effectively as a controller keyboard in any software set-up.
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