Dreams do come true…

When I decided to make the leap from Cubase to Reason as my DAW of choice (around Reason 3.0), part of that decision was me realising that I wasn’t going to be able to use certain VSTi plug ins as conveniently as I had done in the past. Reason didn’t have a plug in architecture and if I wanted to carry on using such things, I would have to utilise ReWire, the protocol that allows Reason to be hosted as an instrument within compatible DAW’s and synchronises tempo between said devices. Doable, but not as hassle free and as practical as being able to plug stuff straight in.

But, at some point between 3am UK BST and 9am UK BST, Korg went one major step to making my dream come true. You see, back when I made the decision to prioritise my working modus operandi over what was fashionable and de rigeur, the one set of plug ins I knew I was going to miss more than any other was Korg’s Legacy Collection, both Analog & Digital editions. Korg, unlike the other ‘big’ synth manufacturers, have embraced all forms of music making technology and always brought their slightly kooky, Japanese ethos to bear on all it’s efforts. They produce hardware instruments and effects, software instruments and effects and even mobile apps and effects. Their iMS-20, iKaosscilator and iElectribe are some of the finest mobile music making apps out there. And that, for me, makes them incredibly appealing. They have their ‘safe’ products (keyboard workstations built on decades of experience) just like Roland & Yamaha, but then they always do the quirky stuff. I mean, who really needs 61 note micro key controllers or a micro grand piano? But, by ‘eck, you want’ em! 😉

But when it comes to software instruments, Korg have led the way in terms of the ‘big three’. Roland & Yamaha have done little or nothing in the realm, preferring to licence, authorise or endorse other people’s efforts instead (Jupiter V, ReBirth, CS-80 V) or just ignore what others are doing, even when they do stunning jobs in recreating synth legends of the past (TAL plug ins, anyone?). Korg have grabbed the proverbial bull by the horns and gone all out to bring us quality plug ins that are faithful recreations of synths gone by, that also take advantage of the technology of today. Their Legacy collections are joyous creations, capable of satisfying the most retro of needs whilst offering the flexibility and creative possibilities that today’s technology allows. And so, as I bade farewell to the world of VSTs and the like, I was most sad about leaving such objects of awesomeness behind.

And then, a few weeks ago, Propellerhead announced Rack Extensions and when the slide came up that showed Korg as one of the first developers to sign up, my geeky little heart leapt with joy. And this morning, as I slept, Korg unleashed their first Rack Extension, the PolySix. And I saw it and it was good. At last, Korg’s sweet sounds and lovely front panel paradigm were back in my hands, and all for a relatively measly €39/$49. Of course, the Propellerhead model allows you to try before you buy for 30 days, so it was a no brainer to download the 5.4MB synth straight away before parting with my hard earned.

And I’m happy to report that it really is as good as the VST, which really was very good when compared to the hardware original, but of course the Rack Extension benefits from all of Reason’s features, such as the patchable rear panel, patch browser and automatable ‘everything’! I looked at the patch browser and saw 32 familiar presets, all of which are great in their own right, and excellent starting points for making your own patches, but then I noticed two extra banks containing 30 sounds each from Korg USA, so nearly 100 presets in total and some lovely stuff there is in there too.

Arguably, this is the first proper synth to appear in the Reason rack since Propellerhead’s own Thor polysynth, which is a massive beast, but I can’t tell you how great it is to see that iconic Korg logo in the Reason rack.

Now…