KORG DS-10

Game Music, Indie Music, Software

A Small Synthesizer With Heart: KORG DS-10 Impressions and OSVchannel Videos

November 3, 2008 | Jayson Napolitano | 1 Comment Share this

We’ve been talking about the KORG DS-10 for months now. I first got my hands on the Nintendo DS synthesizer at E3, and was thoroughly impressed with the features and retro sounds packed into the small cartridge. Well, it’s finally shipping to select retailers tomorrow, and we have something special in store for all of you who have been curious about the program.

You’ve likely seen the numerous DS-10 videos that have been popping up on YouTube over the past few months, and it’s even possible that you’ve caught a glimpse of a few of our own videos on the OSVchannel, but along with our impressions of the KORG DS-10 Synthesizer, we’re also going to show you some of the videos the editors at OSV and our friends have created to give you an idea of what the DS-10 is capable of. Which friends, you ask? We’ve got some killer videos from both GEM Impact and The OneUps, so we hope you enjoy them!

Hit the jump for our review and a series of awesome DS-10 videos. (more…)
Game Music

A Day of DS-10: A Word With Yasunori Mitsuda

November 3, 2008 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this

From the first moment I learned about the KORG DS-10 back in May, I was curious about Procyon Studio’s presence in the copyright. Well, we’ve finally caught some time with Yasunori Mitsuda to ask him about his role on the project, as well as his current musical interests.

We’re loving the KORG DS-10, so be sure to check out our comprehensive coverage along with a series of videos the editors and our friends have created on the OSVchannel.

Read our brief interview with Mitsuda after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

Interview with Masatoshi Nakamura, An Extra Hyper Game Music Fan

October 1, 2008 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this

What’s sure to be one of the coolest game concerts of the year is right around the corner, coming in the form of EXTRA – HYPER GAME MUSIC EVENT on October 13, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. The show was announced last month, and will feature performances by Yasunori Mitsuda, Yuzo Koshiro, and Hirokazu “Hip” Tanaka just to name a few. I’ve already talked to many game music fans who are as jealous as I am that this awesome event is only going on in Japan.

We’ve actually had the pleasure of speaking with Masatoshi Nakamura, a producer at 5pb Records who was responsible for starting the EXTRA event last year. In this exclusive interview, Nakamura discusses how he came up with plans for the event, what his thoughts are about composers performing their music live in front of their fans, and even how he came up with the super-energetic title of the event. Lastly, he tell us that he hopes to bring the event overseas.

Do you agree that the EXTRA – HYPER GAME MUSIC EVENT is a great idea? Would you travel across the United States to attend a show if they were to put one on over here?

Read the interview after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

KORG DS-10 Expo in Tokyo: It Begins!

September 23, 2008 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this KORG DS-10 Expo in Tokyo: It Begins!

I had predicted after E3 that the KORG DS-10 would become a new music sensation, and what better way to kick off a developing scene than with its own expo? On October 26, 2008 at from 1:30PM to 6:00PM developer AQ Entertainment will host the “KORG DS-10 EXPO 2008 in TOKYO” at club axxcis in Shibuya.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Japan at the time, tickets will be available for pre-order on October 21 for 1,800 yen, and will be available the day of the event for 2,000 yen. Each ticket also include one drink ticket, making it an ideal environment for creativity! You can pick up the KORG DS-10 while you’re there and share songs over a local connection, or you can simply listen and dance to the music that will be played at the show.

This sounds completely awesome. I hope XSEED puts on something like this in California.

Would you attend an event like this in the United States? Are you looking forward to the release of the KORG DS-10?

[Thanks Dale!]
Game Music

E3 2008: KORG DS-10 to Give Birth to New Music Scene

July 17, 2008 | Jayson Napolitano | 4 Comments Share this

Mark my words. There are people out there stringing up lines of Gameboys to create of the craziest and most amazing music out there. I believe the KORG DS-10 takes this a step further. While it may not be as obscure as creating music with an original Gameboy, I think the novelty of a tool specifically created to turn the DS into a musical instrument will catch on among musically-inclined gamers.

We were able to catch an extensive demo of the software on the floor, and even got the opportunity to get our hands on it, and I’ll say right now that I’m going to be picking this one up on day one.

Hit the jump for impressions. (more…)