Korg - KR Mini - Compact Rhythm Drum Machine with Built-in Speaker

Excellent, great build quality and performance. What you’d expect from Korg.

Having read earlier reviews prior to purchase, many of which criticised the poor accompanying documentation, I was pleased to find this was, on the whole, nowhere near as bad as I was led to believe.The main problem in learning to use the device is its innate counter intuitiveness. Consequently, although this machine is easy to use at a basic level, it can be difficult to master, and without documentation, most would find it virtually impossible.There is undoubtedly room for improvement in the written documentation department. How many people, I wonder, have been dissuaded from purchasing this device as a direct consequence of having read one or more of the many adverse reviews in this regard. What price a little extra care in providing comprehensive, concise and coherent printed matter?The user documentation, if read with a little patience and a lot concentration, does actually make a reasonable stab at explaining how the KR Mini functions, and after two or three hours of "guided" experimentaion, I had pretty much learned all there was to know, except for .... "Songs".The device contains 8 "Songs" (which are pretty much a series of percussion measures "chained" together for 8 entire songs.They are there by default, and the manual refers to them very briefly in the "About Songs" section, printed in its mysteriously cryptic entirety below:"With songs, a few bars of the drum part of a song will be recorded.Turn the genre selector to "Songs," and then press a Pattern or Fill button to select the song. Play back or stop the song with the Pattern playback button.*The genre cannot be changed during playback.*Songs cannot be edited or recorded in a chain."And, err, that's it.So are these 8 songs simply demo examples of what can be created with the "Chain" function, or are they demo place holders for storage of your own original songs?If it is the latter, then there is absolutely no guidance on how this can be achieved.If it is the former, there is no written confirmation of it.Having spent hours of surfing time attempting to solve this conundrum, and only finding others asking the same question, the answer remained out of reach.So I contacted the helpful people at Korg Support, and who informed me that the 8 songs are indeed simply demo examples of what can be created with the "Chain" function, and cannot be edited, deleted or used in any other way.So, what is my verdict on this little machine?Well, in it's favour, it sounds good, especially through headphones or guitar amp, where the volume can be ramped up well beyond the capabilities of the integral 2 watt speaker, but which itself is both quite useful and convenient when those other alternatives are unavailable, unnecessary or impracticable.But, although it is enjoyable to use as practice accompaniment, it is nowhere near versatile enough to seriously consider for the live performance use that at least one official Korg promotional video suggests is the case.The machine offers six beat patterns and two fills for each of an impressive range of music genres, including rock, pop, metal, jazz, etc.Not only can these patterns be customised, but also originals can be created. However, only a maximum of six such patterns can be stored.If you wish to create something a little more complex, a selection of any of the patterns and fills can be "chained" together, up to a combined maximum of eight, and which can then be looped either from between one to eight times, or infinitely.This chain can then be saved for repeated use. But here's the rub! Only one chain can be stored. So the creation of another is sadly at the expense of any existing chain.On a personal level, my main reason for its purchase was in the hope that several "Songs/Chains" could be created and stored by overwriting any one of the residing demo songs, so on that level I am somewhat disappointed.This really is the very definition of a standalone device with absolutely no upload/download capabilities.So, if you wish to create multiple, unique, song-specific chains, for a performance set, for example, or simply more ambitious practice sessions, I'm afraid you will need to look elsewhere. The considerably more expensive but brilliant, multi-functional, 80 watt, Korg Stageman 80 being the prime candidate and which also operates as a portable PA, dual instrument speaker/amp, recorder and music player (although all its patterns and fills are live recorded samples, and so cannot be customised or created).This, however, would have to be a second-hand purchase, because the Stageman has recently been discontinued in favour of the Korg KR-55 Pro, which is literally the Stageman minus its speakers.So unless you're content to perform using only one or two repeating patterns and fills per song (made possible with creative use of two optional Korg PS3 control pedals and/or on-the-fly chain creation), or simply want a portable, audibly impressive practice accompaniment, complete with tempo and volume controls, two user-specified control pedal options (essential for hands free operation), power adapter option, internal speaker, external speaker/headphone output, and fairly varied and numerous, editable drum patterns/fills, then look no further.PS: I've just discovered that the KR Mini makes the perfect practice companion for my wireless enabled Vox amPlug2 cab/amp. They are both 2 watts and work very well together and are perfect for practice sessions, especially when combined with the cheap & cheerful Korg PS3 control pedal set to the default on/off function.NB: For "silent" use, the KR Mini can be plugged directly into either your amp or amPlug2's AUX input, thus allowing you to enjoy your rhythm-backed guitar via headphones.Last, but by no means least, there is the potentially very useful Pad Mode, and which is where each of the 16 combined Pattern and Chain buttons play an individual percussive instrument (eg; snare drum, bass drum, open hi-hat, hand clap, tambourine, etc) when tapped, and any two of which can be assigned to the optional footswitchs for extra versatility.Consequently the device becomes a mini digital drum kit which, in the right hands (and feet), could be used as live percussive accompaniment.And, if that isn't enough, not only can the "Velocity Function" be enabled in order to make the buttons touch sensitive (the harder hit the louder the sound), but also your endeavours can be "looped", overlaid and recorded in Pattern Edit Mode.To sum up. A Swiss Army Knife of percussive tools that's easy to use, difficult (perhaps) to master, and loud enough to be functional without annoying the neighbours (unless they're in the next door tent on your camping holiday), but a bit Marmite!!

Great variety rythymns value for money easy to use

The good points1. Selection of genres and patterns2. Self contained (speaker) and can be battery powered.3. Sounds are not bad and definitely more interesting than using a metronome!The bad points - In summary designed by someone who hasn't a clue about user interfaces!1. Hard to change genres - more a case of trial and error.2. No ability to set own tempo by tapping in or by value - just a knob to turn3. The Chain /manual mode is undecipherable - Better to have not bothered with it, and given more named rhythm selections such as waltz (3/4) or country.4. Manual follows the design of the Chain mode - undecipherable.This could have been a great piece of kit and at a good price but it really is a waste of timeWould I buy it again - Bought this as a simple and portable alternative to a metronome or having to use my smart phone for a backing rhythm while practicing guitar. It does that and there is nothing similar out there in the price range. Would I buy it again - not sure, maybe!

I got this item as a backing track for playing bass but it has so many cool features (& I haven't explored them all yet.)Making your own beats & having the pedals as drum roll & filler triggers works so well.I've also started using it for making LO-FI background percussion feels, by hooking up a couple of fx pedals you can really expand on this thing ,I'd definitely recommend if you are thinking about it 😀

Before buying this as I read the instruction manual on line, which gives the impression that you can assign the two foot pedals that you can plug in to the unit, to any of the units features. This led me to assume that you could assign one pedal to say a bass/kick drum and another to a cymbal which for me would be a very useful tool to have for a single musician who plays alone. Unfortunately it won't allow this, and will only allow you to use the pedals to start/stop a sequence, and as a start/stop for a fill. I thought I'd give it the benefit of the doubt though, yet found that it offered nothing more than I can easily get (in fact less to be honest) with any one of my drum apps on my pad, so returned it for a refund. A chance missed by Korg I think, in as much a little more thought in what could be assigned to attached foot pedals could have made it a much more useful tool for the gigging musician.

Nice item with a decent selection of drum beats with 2 presets for fills on each setOnly downside for me is that you have to guess what bpm you are setting up as it's just a rotary switch to adjust it

I used this product just to keep time to my guitar playing but later decided I want to compose songs using the device. The instructions manual did not tell you how to create complete songs and was very ambiguous in other areas as well. This product is not an intuitive device to use and does not match any of the hype that advertises it.In addition I contact the Korg customer services four times without a successful outcome to my questions (especially concerning the manual). Promised return phone calls were NEVER met. Frustrating product and customer care