KORG NAUTILUS-88 88-Key Synth Workstation

88-key Workstation

The KORG NAUTILUS-88 is an 88-key workstation synth with nine sound generators, an innovative synthesis approach, a large quantity of samples, MIDI and audio recording, effects, and computational power. There is currently no other synthesizer capable of offering more in terms of timbral exploration and research, with such a logical and intuitive workflow. KORG has spent years perfecting various aspects of its technology: digital, analog, processing, and hardware, to provide every musician with an instrument they can feel perfectly in tune with; the result is the incredibly powerful and unique KORG NAUTILUS-88.
The KORG NAUTILUS-88 features nine sound engines specializing in the reproduction or synthesis of a specific timbral family. Starting with SGX-2, which generates a wide selection of acoustic pianos drawing from a vast, loopless PCM library, capturing all their subtle nuances across 12 velocity levels, with string resonance, release noise, etc., to allow the performer maximum expressiveness. EP-1 realistically reproduces the timbres of the most famous electric piano models. CX-3 emulates the unmistakable sound of Tone Wheel organs; these are joined by the MOD-7 VPM/FM synthesis modules, PolysixEX and MS-20EX for analog modeling, and STR-1 for physical modeling; essentially, there's a dedicated sound engine for each timbral category. Used as Programs or combined in Combinations, these Sound Engines are capable of creating entirely new timbres.
On the KORG NAUTILUS-88, selecting various operational modes or musical resources within them causes no sound interruption. You can recall various Programs, or Combis, or switch from Program mode to Combi, or even switch between Songs on the Sequencer, always maintaining sound tails and effects during changes, with a seamless transition without interruptions. This feature is widely appreciated and praised by all musicians.

On the KORG NAUTILUS-88, sounds are divided into three main groups.

1. Exclusive Sounds: In this category, the KORG NAUTILUS-88 offers exclusive and unique sounds such as: Loops with musical phrases, prepared pianos, original percussion, and much more. Characteristically musical phrases of rare, hard-to-find, and difficult-to-play instruments have been created and included in the internal sound library. Other unusual sounds include the "prepared" piano, meaning its timbre has been modified by inserting screws, small pieces of wood, and other objects between the strings, yielding very evocative results; or percussion sounds made using ordinary objects like kitchen utensils or other items. These sounds can add unusual colors to compositions or arrangements, and are also a valuable resource for musicians creating sound design and music for visuals.
2. Current Sounds: The KORG NAUTILUS-88 features the most up-to-date timbres suitable for the current music scene in genres such as: EDM, Electro, and Chiptune; with the most modern Synth timbres, Drum Kits, and special effects that also facilitate the creation of effective Dance beats and grooves. The instrument's more than 50 Drum Kits offer a wide variety of percussive sounds capable of adequately representing the rhythmic evolution in musical styles of recent decades.
3. Standard Sounds: On the KORG NAUTILUS-88, all the sounds of the main timbral families essential for a workstation have been carefully selected and included: acoustic pianos, electric pianos, guitars, basses, and others, covering all genres. In the new acoustic piano sounds, the acoustics of the recording room have also been sampled, with the possibility of personally mixing the direct sound with the environment; and a new electric piano model with a characteristic full-bodied timbre, particularly suitable for Funky music, has been added.

The DYNAMICS knob allows you to control the variations in timbre and volume, introduced by keyboard velocity, and to make them match the style required by the current song. Turning this knob allows you to achieve a completely different feel, even using the same sound. This is an additional method to adapt the instrument to your performance needs. Playing on the keyboard and turning the "Dynamics" knob to the left produces a softer sound with a wider dynamic range. This allows for delicate and expressive passages, ideal for accompanying singers or solo instruments. Conversely, turning the knob to the right makes the dynamic response more energetic and uniform; particularly useful when playing in a band or orchestra to make a timbre stand out more, such as in a solo.
The six RT (Real Time) knobs at the top left of the panel allow direct modification of PROGRAM and COMBI. A variety of functions can be assigned to each knob, such as timbre editing with: Filter Cut Off, effect level; control of the arpeggiator or Drum Track with Gate, tempo speed, Swing, Snare type, and much more. In COMBI mode, different timbres can be grouped, and their volume controlled with a single knob. To prevent accidental modification during a performance, they can be pressed in, retracting fully into the panel, thereby locking their position. This also allows you to select only the most frequently used ones, hiding the others.
The MODE button displays the selection of operating modes on a single screen: PROGRAM, COMBI, SET LIST, SAMPLING, SEQUENCE, and GLOBAL. Within each MODE, functions are accessed via TABS, while PAGE buttons allow for more in-depth modifications with intuitive procedures. This navigation system always allows you to return to the initial phase by simply pressing the MODE button. The display operates in Dark mode, which uses black as the main color to reduce eye strain. There are also 6 programmable shortcut buttons, which can be assigned to a range of functions such as: selection of Program and Combi modes, transport controls for the Sequencer, etc. Four different templates are available and ready to use, but you can create and save your own settings.
The nerve center of the KORG NAUTILUS-88's user interface is the large color (800 x 480 pixels) WVGA TouchView display; with this, you can directly select a sound, a parameter, and even modify values with a simple touch of a finger (Touch Drag). A series of graphical and interactive tools are available to facilitate programming, such as adjusting the grand piano lid opening on SGX-2, or connecting virtual patch cables on MS-20EX. The Display features a very useful search function to locate and preview sounds based on characters stored in their title.
These modules provide effective interactive musical support for each performance, with an extensive library of rhythmic and melodic patterns; 4 different scenes are also available where different patterns can be set and recalled instantly; ideal for improvising, for performances, or for quickly creating complete songs or arrangements on the Sequencer.
The SET LIST mode of the KORG NAUTILUS-88 allows you to organize sound resources in a personalized way. Each SET LIST is composed of a fundamental unit called a SLOT; there are 128 SLOTS in each SET LIST, and 128 SET LISTs are immediately available. Each SLOT can be given a name and assigned a musical resource as needed: PROGRAM, COMBI, or SONG. From this, you can also control parameters such as the volume of the selected resource, display text, or color it appropriately to highlight it within the list; each SLOT can also be moved and positioned where desired, or copied or deleted. This operational mode can meet any Live need, thanks to the possibility of programming the exact succession of musical resources we require. Finally, each SET LIST has a 9-band graphic equalizer, located at the end of the audio chain and independent of the effects section, with which to modify or correct the global timbral response of NAUTILUS depending on the environment in which we perform.
The KORG NAUTILUS-88 utilizes KORG's Open Sampling System, capable of quickly sampling an external audio source, or resampling a Performance executed on NAUTILUS, regardless of the selected operating mode. The timbral possibilities offered by the instrument's vast internal sample library are significantly expanded by the SAMPLE USER area, which, thanks to VMT (Virtual Memory Technology), allows personal samples to be used, maximizing the workstation's SSD capacity. Samples in various formats can be loaded via the USB port: AIFF, WAV, SoundFont 2.0, and AKAI S1000/3000; if the amount of data is truly significant, a high-speed USB Ethernet adapter can also be used. On the KORG NAUTILUS-61, therefore, samples and instruments created on a computer can be used for your compositions, arrangements, or productions.
The KORG NAUTILUS-88 has a powerful Sequencer/Recorder with 16 MIDI tracks and 16 Audio tracks; an important resource for musical creations or personal arrangements; this section features functions that facilitate and stimulate musical inspiration, with the ability to record polyphonic arpeggiators, Drum Tracks or RPPR (Realtime Pattern Play/Recording), with professional quality results in a short time.
The 16-track Audio Recorder captures up to 4 tracks simultaneously in 16-bit/24-bit 48 kHz format. During playback, effects can be added, the resulting output resampled, and the Wav file imported into a Sequencer track. Editing functions such as Copy, Paste, Normalize, and mixing automation are also present.
The KORG NAUTILUS-88 can produce up to 16 effects simultaneously, selectable from 197 different types, divided into 3 categories: Insert, Master, and Total FX. Insert effects are applied to single or multiple timbres of the Timbre/Track in a Combi or the Sequencer. Master effects 1 & 2 can be blended for all tracks with their respective sends (Send 1&2), while Total effects act globally on the entire instrument. Additionally, a three-band equalizer is available for each timbre, MIDI, and Audio track of the Sequencer to correct tonal balances or creatively modify the sound.
Any USB/MIDI Class-Compliant controller can be directly connected to the KORG NAUTILUS-88. Using a KORG USB MIDI controller with pads such as: nanoPAD, nanoPAD2, padKONTROL, it is possible to play percussion parts or trigger chords in Chord mode.
The KORG NAUTILUS-88 features an RH3 (Real Hammer) Keybed, with graded weighting between the low and high zones of the keyboard, providing solid and fluid action, ideal for playing acoustic and electric piano parts.
The KORG NAUTILUS-88 comes with a wide range of music software, including: Izotope's "Ozone Elements," an AI-powered mastering software, "Skoove," an educational application to improve keyboard skills, "Lite Reason" DAW software, as well as various synth software from KORG and other brands. In other words, upon acquiring this Synth, you have a variety of applications to help take your music to the next level.

Specifications

• 88 Keys: RH3 (Real Weighted Hammer Action 3), A - C
• Synthesis Types: SGX-2 Premium Piano (Acoustic Piano) 100 Voices; EP-1 MDS Electric Piano (Electric Piano) 104 Voices; HD-1 High Definition Synthesizer (PCM) 140 Voices; AL-1 Analog Synthesizer (Analog Modeling) 80 Voices; CX-3 Tonewheel Organ (Tonewheel Organ Modeling) 200 Voices; STR-1 Plucked String (Physical Modeling) 40 Voices; MOD-7 Waveshaping VPM Synthesizer (VPM Synthesis) 52 Voices; MS-20EX Component Modeling Technology (Analog Modeling) 40 Voices; PolysixEX Component Modeling Technology (CMT Analog Modeling) 180 Voices
• PCM Presets: 496 MB / DISK 2.3G (ROM 1,771 Multisamples, 3,955 Drumsamples)
• Internal PCM Sound Libraries: EXs301 German2 D Piano; EXs302 Italian F Piano; EXs303 Japanese Upright U Piano; EXs304 Prepared Piano; EXs305 Historical Keyboards; EXs306 Vintage Keyboards 2; EXs307 Strings & Synths; EXs308 Guitar Collection; EXs309 Bass Collection; EXs310 World Essence; EXs311 Background Loops; EXs312 SFX & Hits; EXs313 Found Percussions; EXs314 Expansion Drums; RAM PCM Capacity Approximately 2GB
• Wave Sequences: 598 User memory, 377 Preload; Support Stereo multisamples, single note synchronization, and Tempo-based settings (BPM).
• Disk Mode: Load, save, utility, data filer function (save/load MIDI System Exclusive data), CD-R/RW (UDF format read/write), ISO9660 Level 1.
• Controls: Joystick, Switches 1 & 2
• Arpeggiator Controls: On/Off, Latch, Gate, Velocity, Length, Swing, Tempo
• DRUM TRACK: On/Off, Swing, Drum SD, Tempo
• Display: "TouchView" graphical user interface, 7-inch color TFT, WVGA (800 x 480), adjustable brightness
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-22kHz, +/-1.0dB, 10k Ω load
• THD+N: 20Hz-22kHz, 0.01%, 10k Ω load (typical)
• S/N: 95dB (typical)
• Dynamic Range: 95dB (typical)
• Crosstalk: 95dB, at 1kHz (typical)

Outputs

• Outputs: L/MONO, R, Individual 1-4: 1/4” TRS Balanced
• Output Impedance: 350 Ω Stereo; 175 Ω Mono (L/MONO Only),
• Nominal Level: +4.0 dBu,
• Maximum Level: +16.0 dBu (when load impedance is 600 Ω or higher)
• The Slider: MAIN VOLUME controls only AUDIO OUTPUT (MAIN) L/MONO and R

Headphones

• Phones: 1/4” stereo phone jack
• Output Impedance: 33 Ω,
• Maximum Level: 60+60 mW (when load impedance is 33 Ω),
• MAIN VOLUME knob (connected with: AUDIO OUTPUT (MAIN)

Inputs

• Audio Input 1 & 2: 1/4” TRS Balanced
• Input Impedance: 10 kΩ
• Nominal Level: LINE +4 dBu
• Maximum Level: LINE +16 dBu
• Nominal Level: MIC –22 dBu
• Maximum Level: MIC -10 dBu
• Source Impedance: 600 Ω
• USB-B: 24-bit, Sampling Frequency: 48 kHz, 2 Audio Channels
• Controls: Damper pedal (Half Damper supported), Assignable Switch, Assignable Pedal

USB

• USB A (TYPE A) : for connecting USB devices such as: QWERTY keyboard, MIDI controllers, ethernet adapters, mass storage
• USB B (TYPE B) : Audio/MIDI Interface, MIDI: 1 (16 channels) input / 1 (16 channels) output, Audio: 2 channels input / 2 channels output

Other

• MIDI: In, Out, Thru
• Disk Drives: 60 GB SSD (2.5”)
• Power Supply: AC power terminal, Switch.
• Power Consumption: 40 W
• Included Accessories: AC power cable, Quick Start Guide