Prologue is a fully-programmable, full-featured, professional synthesizer. Preceded by the four-voice polyphonic Minilogue and the monophonic Monologue, it’s the long awaited debut of the flagship: the Prologue.
The Prologue is a polyphonic analog synthesizer with 16 multitimbral voices. KORG’s analog synthesizer development in recent years has culminated in the Prologue, which was designed using 11,000 discrete electronic components. Although the Prologue is a flagship instrument, it still retains the inviting feel and accessibility of its predecessors. It features a pure analog path, impeccable sound quality, stunning presence unlike any other poly synth, and the same intuitive interface as the Minilogue and Monologue, granting you intuitive access to a vast world of analog synthesis.
The Prologue uses a structure of 2VCO + MULTI ENGINE, 1VCF, 2EG, 1VCA, and 1LFO. In addition to distinctive, original circuitry, such as wave shaping to shape the oscillator’s overtones and a sync/ring switch, Prologue also features a two-pole low pass filter with enhanced sharpness, drive that adds powerful distortion, and a low cut (high pass) switch. Every detail has been improved on from Minilogue and Monologue. Its sound covers every sonic possibility: fat basses, powerful leads, and the beautiful pads that you expect from a polyphonic synthesizer.
Newly developed multi-engine
The ingenuity of Prologue goes beyond its analog design. The newly developed multi engine is provided as VCO3, adding digital waveforms and FM. This multi engine, which is equipped with three different sound engines, can be combined with the analog VCOs to expand Prologue’s sonic potential far beyond that of a traditional analog synthesizer.
Noise generator
There are four types of noise generator, indispensable for percussive sounds or sound effects. Experience how digital filtering can produce direct changes in the color of the noise.
VPM oscillator
The VPM (Variable Phase Modulation) / FM oscillator was newly developed for prologue. Its metallic and sharp sounds with their complex overtones could never be obtained by analog means. With 16 types of oscillator and the SHAPE knob, you’ll be intuitively guided through complex sound design. Combine these wave shapes with prologue’s gorgeous analog filters, and prepare for sounds you never thought possible.
User oscillator
The user oscillator section lets you load oscillator programs of your own creation. Sixteen slots are provided, and one type of morphing wavetable oscillator is built-in as a preset.
Digital effects
The high-quality digital effects feature pristine 32-bit floating-point processing, and add a further polish to the sound of the Prologue. With two effect units provided (a modulation effect and delay/reverb), you can choose from a wide variety such as chorus or ensemble, warm tape delay, or diverse reverbs. The user effect slots let you load effect programs of your own creation.
User-customization
The Prologue offers an SDK (Software Development Kit) that allows developers to program, customize and extend the capabilities of the multi-engine and digital effects. The prologue provides 16 user oscillator slots and 16 user effect slots, and users can use the prologue Librarian software to load into their Prologue new oscillators and effect programs created by developers with the Prologue SDK (Software Development Kit).
What types of sound will you create by combining the expanded digital oscillators with analog synthesis? You can create original programs and share code to participate in the user community. Start with sample code provided by KORG. The prologue belongs to you.
Analog comp/booster
The exclusive VU meter is available only on the Prologue-16, and indicates the newly developed master effect L.F. COMP. It’s a low end booster/compressor using an analog circuit, delivering a solid sense of presence that cannot be obtained from a simple EQ. You’ll particularly notice the difference in high-volume stage performances where maximum dynamics can be utilized.
Keyboard
61 keys (Natural touch keyboard with velocity)
Sound Generation
Analogue sound generator + Multi digital sound generator (Noise, VPM, User)
Maximum Polyphony
16 voices
Programs
500 voices (more than 250 preload, 250 user programs).
Each program provides a program sort function that includes voice mode and timbre settings, and allows up to 8 × 4 banks of live set programs to be registered.
Voice Mode
4 (POLY, MONO, UNISON, CHORD).
The VOICE MODE DEPTH setting allows different parameters to be varied for each mode.
Timbres
Max two timbre (Main timbre, Sub timbre)
Layer, crossfade, and split settings are possible.
Arpeggiator
6 types (Manual, Rise, Fall, Rise Fall, Random, Poly Random).
Tempo and note range can be changed
Program Sort
8 (PROG NUM, CATEGORY, ALPHABETICAL, LIKE, FREQUENT, ENVELOPE, RANDOM, LIVE SET)
Main Synth Parameters
VCO1
WAVE (SAW, TRIANGLE, SQUARE), OCTAVE, PITCH, SHAPE
VCO2
WAVE (SAW, TRIANGLE, SQUARE), OCTAVE, PITCH, SHAPE
MODULATION
PITCH EG (ALL, VCO1+2, VCO2), PITCN EG INT, SYNC, RING, CROSS MOD DEPTH
MULTI ENGINE
NOISE/VPM/USER, OCTAVE, TYPE, SHAPE
MIXER
VCO1, VCO2, MULTI
VCF
CUTOFF, RESONANCE, EG INT, DRIVE, LOW CUT, KEYTRACK
AMP EG
ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, RELEASE
EG
ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, RELEASE
LFO
WAVE (SAW, TRIANGLE, SQUARE), MODE (FAST, SLOW, BPM), RATE, INT, TARGET (PITCH, SHAPE, CUTOFF)
Main Effect Parameters
MOD EFFECTS
OFF/ON/SELECT (CHORUS, ENSEMBLE, PHASER, FLANGER, USER), SPEED, DEPTH
DELAY/REVERB
OFF/DELAY/REVERB, TIME, DEPTH
L.F. COMP (prologue-16 only)
OFF/ON, GAIN
MULTI ENGINE
Noise Generator - 4 types
VPM oscillator - 16 types
User oscillator - 16 slots
MOD EFFECTS
CHORUS - 8 types
ENSEMBLE - 3 types
PHASER - 8 types
FLANGER - 8 types
USER - 16 slots
DELAY/REVERB
DELAY - 8 types
REVERB - 8 types
Controls
Wheels: Modulation wheel that can modify different parameters for each program, pitch wheel
Knobs: PORTAMENTO knob, VOICE SPREAD knob
Display
Main - Real-time OLED oscilloscope provides visual feedback of parameter changes
MULTI ENGINE section - 7 segments x 6 digit LED display
Input/Output connectors
Headphone jack (Stereo phone jack)
OUTPUT L/MONO, R jacks (monaural phone jack unbalanced)
SYNC IN jack (3.5 mm [1/8"] mini jack, maximum input level 20 V)
SYNC OUT jack (3.5 mm [1/8"] mini jack, output level 5 V)
MIDI IN jack
MIDI OUT jack
USB B jack
EXPRESSION jack
DAMPER jack (half damper is not supported)
Power Supply
AC Power Supply terminal
Power Consumption - 38 W
Dimensions (W x D x H)
874 mm x 348 mm x 118 mm/34.41" x 13.70" x 4.65"
Weight - 9.1 kg/20.06 lbs.
Included Items
AC power cable
Accessories (sold separately)
Soft Case
SC-PROLOGUE soft case (For prologue-16/prologue-8)
Sync Cable
SQ-CABLE-6 Sync cable
Damper Pedal
DS-1H damper pedal
Pedal Switch
PS-1 pedal switch, PS-3 pedal switch
Expression/Volume Pedal
XVP-20 Volume/Expression pedal, XVP-10 Expression/Volume pedal
Foot Controller
EXP-2 foot controller
Korg Prologue Manual
