So the recent wave of music titles
has you feeling like a rock star, huh? Well, how about putting that new-found
talent to use with Korg DS-10 Synthesizer, a music creation program from XSEED
Games. And yes, I refer to this title as a program, a piece of software rather
than a game. Because that’s exactly what it is. The "game" here is not defined
by the developers or creative director. You are the creative director. The fun
and satisfaction comes from what you manage to create using this wonderful piece
of software.
Now don’t be fooled by the fact that
this program resides on the Nintendo DS. It is a complex little guy, with a
plethora of options, effects, methods of layering tracks, etc. And only an
experienced synth musician will be able to decipher all of these options and
techniques without first consulting the manual. That’s not to say the program is
overly difficult, but there is a bit of a learning curve. For those of you that
have experience with a looping program such as Frooty Loops, you’ll be able to
quickly get your mind around Korg DS-10. For those of you unexperienced with
such programs, I’ll attempt a brief explanation. Songs are constructed out of
building blocks called "loops," which are four-beats each, and can be repeated
and arranged at will. You alone are responsible for creating these building
blocks, but Korg DS-10 gives you just about all the tools you could ask for. In
each loop, there is a drum sequencer, used for creating a drum beat. There are
also two synthesizers, which can be played and recorded like a piano and also
programmed via their own respective sequencers.
And those are the strict basics.
There is also the KAOSS Pad, which is a fun little doodad that makes interesting
use of the DS touch screen. Placing your stylus at a location on the screen will
play a note based on the x-coordinate of that location, and at a particular gate
based on the y-coordinate. Sliding your stylus around the screen dynamically
alters the note and gate, leading to some interesting, though mostly
experimental sounds. There is also a basic drum pad on which you can create
beats using the touch screen. I personally found the drum sequencer to be much
more capable, but the drum pad was fun to mess around with at the very least.
Once you’ve laid down some tracks in
your loop, you can then make use of the multitude of effects offered by the
program. Though I’m not usually one for effects, I found that their addition
really brought some new life to my loops. The flange effect, in particular, was
fun to play with. There is also an extremely versatile patching editor that will
provide you with even more options and effects.
A little music theory or even some
basic knowledge of music and scales will certainly come in handy with this
title. It’s a very powerful program, and I imagine the most creative of you will
be able to produce some absolutely fantastic works with great ease. I love the
potential that this program offers. It is by no means musically dumbed-down for
a video-game audience. And that is both a blessing and a curse upon Korg DS-10.
The blessing is in that the musically inclined are likely to embrace and praise
the title. The curse however, may be more significant in that by appealing to a
specialized group, it lacks the casual appeal that often leads to commercial
success. And though there is a slight learning curve, it is really not that
difficult for someone who wants to compose or even just have fun and create some
interesting experimental noise.
If you’re creative, interested in
music, or maybe even just want to do something productive with your DS, give
this title a shot. One New York City-based band has already made the DS-10 their
instrument of choice and is shooting for rock stardom. That may be an extreme
case, but with the enormous potential that this game represents, anything is
possible.
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Gameplay: 8.0
The gameplay is pretty solid throughout the various synthesizers,
sequencers, pads, etc. It’s fun and intuitive to use, and it responds as you’d
expect it to. There’s not much else you could ask for from a music program.
Graphics: 7.5
Korg DS-10 is obviously not a graphically based title. That said, the
interface and menus are done well enough that it does not distract you from your
main goal, to create music.
Sound: 9.1
The sound that comes out of your DS will be solely based on your creative
prowess. But overall, the quality and variety of the sounds you can produce are
excellent. And that’s enough incentive to keep on making music for me.
Difficulty: Medium
Korg DS-10 is not difficult in the traditional sense. You can pick this
title up and have it make noise pretty easily. But there is a slight learning
curve if you really want to put together a solid piece of music.
Concept: 9.5
I love the concept here. It’s a new and productive use for the Nintendo DS
and that’s great. And this is the real deal compared to all those other music
games. You won’t just be rehashing old classics on a fake plastic guitar, you’ll
be creating legitimate music that you can call your own.
Overall: 8.8
Korg DS-10 is definitely not for everyone, because of the simple fact that
it is deep, rich, and does not ignore the details. There’s a lot of potential
here just waiting to be unlocked, that is for sure. If you’re interested in
music and what to put your creativity to work, give this title a go. It’s worth
your time.
