Korg Monologue Input Socket

David Gordon

New member
I have looked in the manual, and it seems to say almost nothing about the input jack. Obviously i know one can plug an instrument output into it (via a DI box if it's an electric guitar or electric bass, and starting with the volume at minimum and gently increasing) - but what can I actually do with that signal once it is in? Does it just allow the sound to output along with the Monologue audio, unchanged? Can any of the Monologue controls act upon the input audio? It's so frustrating that the manual. very hard to find on their site, is actually so sparse about the most useful thing, possibly - what that input DOES! For example, could one use it in place of either VCO1 or VCO2? Or act on it with the effects and envelope controls etc? ot just sit there looking silly... I am thinking of connecting one channel from my Yamaha portaSound CSS-470 - it has a stereo left and right phono output - so one channel goes direct to amplifier, the other into the Monologue input jack - but then I realised i might need to press a note on the Yamaha and the Monologue AND twiddle knobs with my nose or toes, to actually find out what happens. But as i am 57, i can no longer scratch mty left ear with my right foot while balancing on two fingers...

If anyone knows, or can tell me how to find out from Korg - I did try email, but it got no response, so i have no idea if they know. Or perhaps it#'s a secret, and they plan to start doing something with V2 of the Monologue... - i would be VERY grateful... Thanx...
 
Generally the idea of input into a synth, _especially_ a Korg synth, has always been about using the filter section to effect that source sound. So whatever you put in there, should go through the filter, and then you can use the filter to EQ sweep your input. At least, that has been the main use in the past with other model synths (I do not own the monologue or the minilogue, but still)...

Check these out (the second example is DAW-based, but it's the same concept implemented):

* Running external signals through a synthesizer... - Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

* https://music.tutsplus.com/tutorials/using-synths-and-instruments-as-effects-processors--audio-11751

* Features | microKORG - SYNTHESIZER/VOCODER | KORG (USA) (scroll down to the part about "processing external inputs")
 
Yeah, the Monologue's audio input point is (schematically) just before the VCF, so that's what it does - you can shape external signals with the filter and the amp envelope. The manual indeed doesn't say a word about it (except that it can be muted from the settings), at least judging from a quick glance...
 
... using the filter section to effect that source sound. So whatever you put in there, should go through the filter, and then you can use the filter to EQ sweep your input. At least, that has been the main use in the past with other model synths (I do not own the monologue or the minilogue, but still)...

Thanks for that - I actually have a Korg Monotron for playing with ideas on - that and my generation 2 Stylophone only seem to allow the audio to pass through unchanged -but I will experiment, see what happens with the Monologue.
 
I will have a bit of an experiment then - and I will also see if any of my VST instruments can use the Korg Monologue output as one half of a Vocoder-type synthesis. I mostly use the Monologue to be controlled by MIDI that I have recorded, while I play other instruments alongside - using a Zoom 32 multi-track to play back recorded audio, and record the audio from synths and other instruments. Literally being a one man band, like Mike Oldfield on Tubular bells, to create a larger composite. The Yamaha PortaSound CSS-470 has some instrument presets and a VERY basic "synth2 section (parameters each have 5 fixed preset settings, so no real tweaking) - the Monologue can take those sounds, and modify them somewhat, from what you say, and as the PortaSound has stereo outputs, I can actually use both "clean" and processed outputs from it that way. I have yet to get my polyphonic - buying one after advice, as it's over 35 years since I last had a synthesizer...
 
It is probably set-up as L+R, or L (mono). I would check. In that case, you are probably going to want to use a Y-cord out from the L channel only, or maybe a DI/splitter box to get your two separate outs...
 
As said above, you can run external audio through the monologue's filter section, but you'll still have to trigger the filter's envelope to actually hear anything.
 
Hi...in my case I tried to plug through the mixer also. With all mono cables. All I can get is highly distorted (clipping) sound because of a high volume from guitar IF I press press some key and play a guitar. And the guitar voice will not be edited by filter as I can hear it out.
 
I just acquired a monologue and looking at making some sound design tracks however I just can't seem to get anything to come through using the input. I'm gonna try my iPhone plugged into the input and see what I can get. it almost seems like there should be an input volume control.1
 
so I'm pretty sure I've seen the video that's being referenced on this thread and the guy that made the video said he uses a software program called MIGIQ and it converts his signal from guitar to midi. I'm going to try that for the guitar stuff.1
 
I just acquired a monologue and looking at making some sound design tracks however I just can't seem to get anything to come through using the input. I'm gonna try my iPhone plugged into the input and see what I can get. it almost seems like there should be an input volume control.1

Wild guess, but might be that you need to trigger the Monologue (from the keys/via MIDI) while inputting sound for it to pass through. That's usually the case with any synth w/ an ext input to the filter section.
 
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