The multisamples fall into five categories: sampled instruments, drums, looped rhythmic patterns, attack transients, and single cycle waveforms. The core concept behind AI synthesis is that you have 'multisamples', very skillfully made short looped samples, as your basic waveform, which you then treat with your filter, modulation, and amplifier etc, to create the finished sound you want. Its strength lies in the fact that, programming-wise, it's more like an old analogue machine or even a Casio synth than it is a DX7. To my delight I discovered that, far from being complex like FM synths, the M1 actually has very little going on behind its cheekplates. Not wishing to fall into the trap of living off other people's RAM cards or playing the presets forever, I approached the job of learning to programme the machine. But it appears the old problem of sticking to preset sounds is with us again, just like it was for the Yamaha DX7. Not only were the M1's preset sounds better than anything I'd ever heard, the programming seemed quite straightforward too.

When I first heard a Korg M1 I thought 'Wow!', and like others I knew that before very long I would own one.

Korg m 1 simulator