OT: Korg's Tatsuya Takahashi - Creator of Volcas, Minilogue, and Monologue - is leaving

Reid · February 2017

This is maybe off-topic, as it's about hardware synths, but not tremendously off topic because it i is about democratizing synths, something at the heart of iOS music. He was also responsible for working on the new versions of the MS-20 Mini in 2013 and recently, the ARP Odyssey.

Did you know the word "Volca" came from the German word "Volk"?

From his Facebook post:

THANK YOU!!!
It's been a good ten years at Korg!

A few years after starting at the office, Tada and I, over a cigarette break, started shooting ideas around for a battery powered pocket analog synth. The monotron was the humble beginnings of what became a mission to make synthesizers fun, exciting and accessible again. To give synthesizers back to the people. To make synthesizers less snobby. To open up creative opportunities. To get people interested in electronic sound and see some kind of light in creating their own sound using technology amidst a world that is inundated with it.

monotrons, monotribe, volcas, minilogue, monologue, some reissues, SQ-1, littleBits synth kit - we put out a lot of gear.

After a blur of 21 products we released over seven years, I look at the world of synthesizers and it's a pretty cool place. I see kids getting their first taste of synths with the volcas. I meet people who have their dormant synth passion rekindled by the minilogue. And it's not just Korg. The whole industry has set out to achieve this common goal.

The name volca comes from the German word Volk: "the people" or "crowd". Like Volkswagen "the people's car", the volcas are "the people's synth". I have fond memories of meeting Mike Banks and being told how the volcas reached poverty-stricken youths in Detroit. That manufacturers have to take responsibility for the social implications of putting out gear.

On the 17th of February I will be leaving my full time position at Korg and will sidestep to advisor. I will also be moving out of Tokyo to Cologne to explore new areas where sound and technology can have positive social implications. I won't be going to any of the competition, but rather will be shifting direction of my main line of work while at the same time guiding the now super team at Korg venture into the future.

I am hugely indebted to everyone in engineering (my super duper team will keep designing the best of the best), production (love you all in Vietnam we did this together!), sales (job well done), marketing (fun times making those movies), distribution / dealers (essential work the world over), media (you guys got the word out) and most of all the musicians out there who are creating music with our synths - without you our work is meaningless.

THANK YOU

it's been a ton of fun. more to come.

Tats

brambos · February 2017

He is one of my heroes. Good for him that he has the courage to shape his own career path and do things that are close to his heart.

I hope he has tutored some young talents @ Korg to make sure his thought leadership won't get lost.

StormJH1 · February 2017

Yeah, this was pretty big news. His work on those Korg products served as a gateway into actual hardware, though I'm happy enough using Volcas and not spending 1000's of dollars on sounds I can largely craft and record on iOS. Great products, though, IMO.

Looping_Loddar · February 2017

Oh. It's a great pleasure to see him in good old Germany. I adore his work and i have to admit that i own 3 of his creations, which i love. I was in hope for a "Maximonologue" or such.

At least i whish him a very good time and yes, he (and the other great Korg people) have had (and i hope: he still will) a big and a very positive influence to the electronic music instruments industry.

Oh, and i have so much fun with the Monologue!