The Korg Monologue is next up on the Soundsauca hit list, a fine example of less being more. I bought the little bugga’ as I had so many digital synths and I wanted to counterbalance them somewhat. After my experience with the Microbrute and System-1 some years earlier it was paramount that the synth in question had memories. I know I know! Some of the greatest synths of all time don’t, but I need instant recall. I’m from the ’80’s man (well ’70s actually, but…only…just…hmm!)
Choices
On the list of candidates back in 2018 was either the Bass Station II or the Monologue. I wanted an analog mono synth and wasn’t after anything too expensive. The Volcas did cross my mind, but I didn’t fancy using tweezers to operate. I tested both the BS II and the Logue in the local music store and, as expected I liked both of them! In fact the BS II had that rubbery 101 sound I sought after for so long when younger. But I already had much of the Novation sound in the Mininova and Nova. I was after something different.
Decision time
In the end, the combination of the Monologue’s filter, it’s drive and that motion sequencer sold it to me! The BS II was certainly the more fully fledged synth, but the more aggressive timbre of the Monologue was unlike any of my other synths. The 10 bit parameter resolution (1024 steps) was also refreshing. You can really get into the sound, find those sweet spots and even record them.
It would be fair to say that I didn’t immediately warm to the Monologue. I viewed it as a hard hitting one trick pony. I also like synths with effects. But man, when you take her for a ride she has some real surprises in store. The sequencer is awesome for overcoming the simple modulation options. It’s also allows for happy accidents, coming up with all sorts of things that I wouldn’t intentionally sit down and program.
Monologue overhead Oreo is a big part of my life! On it like a car bonnet!
The Monospace sound bank
The inspiration for Monospace though came out of being solitary. Since the last sound bank release and starting this one, the world had changed. Everyone and everything has been forced back into its own space. I didn’t want to dwell on this tragedy as it is still underway, but I cannot ignore the world around me either. To that end I didn’t feel like making a sound bank for one of my bigger synths. When I make sounds I loose myself for huge periods of time. Whilst I love doing it, I balance this isolation with lots of walking and surrounding myself with nature. This often provides me with an outlook, a pathway and vision for finding landscapes in sound.
As with all of us, lockdown isn’t the easiest time, my inspiration has been affected, but right now I count myself and my family as extremely fortunate. We are safe, we have a place to live and we don’t have financial hardship – yet…
Free
Whilst my world has been very small for some time, this is different and not by choice. As a result I’m releasing this bank for free for now forever! I coined with the idea of making some of my other banks free, but I didn’t think that fair on the people that have actually believed in and supported me so far, even when I didn’t believe in myself!
You can get it here. If you just fill in your name and email it will send you a download link.
I wish everyone the best of health and for better times ahead.
Michael