Korg Nautilus AT gives you all the dazzling sounds you need in a streamlined performance synth and workstation with a Kronos pedigree – now with aftertouch! With the power of nine engines to drive a new approach to sounds, plentiful sampling, audio recording, effects and ample processing power, there is simply no other synth that delivers more to explore sonically, with the workflow to get you there faster than ever.
- Aftertouch keybed works together with DYNAMICS knob to make delicate expression possible
- Sound library adds aftertouch-controlled effects to existing programs
- Nine different sound engines offer massive expressive power
- New sounds offered over three broad categories
- Make intuitive changes to sounds with realtime knobs
- A user interface designed for easy operation
- Convenient arpeggiator and drum track functions
- Set list mode that demonstrates its power in live performances
- Open Sampling System
- 16-track MIDI sequencer
- 16-track audio recorder
- 16 onboard effects processors
- USB/MIDI host ports accommodate MIDI control surfaces
- Smooth sound transitions eliminate dropouts when changing sounds
Now with aftertouch!
Available in 61- and 88-key versions, Nautilus AT introduces aftertouch to the Nautilus lineup, putting new heights of musical expression at your fingertips. Nautilus AT features an expertly-tuned sound library that brings exciting aftertouch-controlled effects to existing programs, meaning you can fully embrace the expressive capabilities of aftertouch right out of the box.
Nine different sound engines offer massive expressive power
Nautilus features nine dedicated sound engines to realistically reproduce sounds such as pianos, electric pianos, organs and more. To start, the enhanced SGX-2 piano sound generator offers delicate expressiveness to capture all the nuances of the acoustic piano, and Nautilus features the most piano libraries ever put into one product, with 12-step velocity-switched sound, string resonance and more. The EP-1 electric piano sound generator realistically reproduces seven different famous electric piano sounds. The CX-3 engine – the heart of Korg's sought-after CX-3 reissue – covers the distinct sound of classic tonewheel organs. Add to that MOD-7 VPM/FM synthesis, PolysixEX and MS-20EX for analog modeling and STR-1 for physical modeling, and you have an engine for any type of sound. Used together in Program or Combination mode, these distinctive engines create completely new timbres.
New sounds offered over three broad categories
The approach to the included sound on Nautilus started with Korg setting aside its preconceptions and creating a brand new classification of programs divided into three groups:
- Unique sounds: Nautilus brings you distinctive sounds including phrase loops, prepared pianos, found percussion and more, including sounds that were sampled for the first time just for this instrument.
- Current sounds: Nautilus also offers the freshest sounds fromwith today's music scene, including synths, drum kits, special effects and more. Check out the EDM, electro and chiptune synth sounds and dive into more than 50 kinds of drum kits.
- Standard sounds: You'll also find all the workstation staples like piano, electric piano, guitar, bass guitar and more, covering all genres. Korg also added many phrases that let you play back actual performances of guitar and bass parts that keyboardists will find useful.
DYNAMICS knob makes delicate expression possible
When you activate the DYNAMICS knob and turn it to the left, the keyboard responds more softly to your playing, giving you a wide range of dynamics. This allows for delicate, expressive playing when accompanying a piano solo or vocals, directly reflecting the dynamics of your performance. On the other hand, turning the knob to the right gives a stronger, more 'flat' dynamic response, helping to bring out the sound when you're playing in a band or ensemble. Nautilus AT's aftertouch, in combination with initial touch and the DYNAMICS knob, opens a wide range of musical expression in just one instrument.
Make intuitive changes to sounds with realtime knobs
The six RT (realtime) knobs at the top left of the panel give you direct control over changes to the PROG and COMBI sounds. A variety of functions are assigned, such as filter cutoff and effect depth, the gate time, tempo and swing of the arpeggiator or drum track, the type of snare drum and more. In COMBI mode, you can group timbres and control their levels with the knobs. You can press these knobs into the panel to lock them in place, preventing them from being accidentally changed while you're playing and letting you enable only the knobs you need.
A user interface designed for easy operation
The Nautilus interface lets musicians find just the things they're looking for once they understand its principles. The MODE button lets you see what you've selected in each mode on a single screen, from PROG and COMBI to the set list, sampling, sequence and global modes. Each mode has tabs for each function, and the PAGE buttons offer more detailed editing with consistent operations.
Six quick access buttons are also available as shortcut buttons. Nautilus further offers four familiar legacy templates that can be used to select modes like PROG and COMBI, as transport buttons for sequencer playback and recording and so on. You can also select your own settings, freely assign functions and save them in one of four sets.
Convenient arpeggiator and drum track functions
Nautilus offers four scenes of arpeggio patterns and drum track sets that perfectly match each PROG and COMBI preset sound. These are useful for switching among scenes while they're played, for use when improvising during performance or for expanding your vision when composing music starting from a sound.
Set List mode demonstrates its power in live performances
Nautilus can organize all of the resources you need to get through a song or a set using Set List mode. Using Set List mode, the TouchView display can host 16 color-coded touch-screen buttons; each one can instantly call up the appropriate preset, combination or sequence, regardless of mode, and you can set different button colors for quick and easy recall. Set List mode even adds a nine-band graphic EQ, allowing overall tone to be tweaked to match the venue.
Color TouchView Display
The nerve center of Nautilus is Korg's enormous 8" 800×480 WVGA color TouchView display. In addition to simply selecting a sound or choosing a parameter with the touch of a finger, the enhanced Touch-Drag ability allows more detailed control of parameter values. Interactive instruments and panel graphics provide the ability to do everything from adjusting the lid of a grand piano to connecting patch cable on a semi-modular synthesizer. The TouchView display also hosts a convenient new Search Function, allowing you to search for and preview sounds based on their titles.
Open Sampling System
Using Korg's Open Sampling System, Nautilus can quickly sample an external audio source, regardless of whether Nautilus is in Program, Combination or Sequencer mode. Open Sampling Mode can even resample the performance of Nautilus itself. The user sample bank, which extends the convenience of the EXs sample library to user samples, allows custom samples to be loaded and played, taking advantage of the gigantic SSD capacity. AIFF, WAV, SoundFont 2.0, and AKAI S1000/3000 format samples can be loaded into memory via USB memory. Additionally, you can use a USB Ethernet adapter to exchange large amounts of sample data with your computer at high speed. Instruments or samples that you've previously created on your PC can be used to construct a music production setup entirely within Nautilus.
16-track MIDI sequencer / 16-track audio recorder
Nautilus features a sequencer/recording section that offers 16 MIDI tracks plus 16 audio tracks, a great resource for putting together a dazzling performance or a brilliant production. MIDI sequencing makes it easy to capture ideas, inspiration and pro-quality phrases using the Drum Track, or RPPR (Realtime Pattern Play/Recording) functions. The 16-track audio recorder simultaneously captures up to four tracks of 16-bit/24-bit uncompressed data at a sampling rate of 48 kHz. Play along with recorded tracks, add effects and then resample Nautilus itself and place the resampled WAV files directly in a track. When polishing your tracks, feel free to use mixer automation and editing functions such as copy, paste and normalize to get the results you want.
16 onboard effects processors
Nautilus provides 16 internal effects to add impact to your sonic creations. Each of the 12 insert effects can be applied to individual or multiple timbres in a combination, or to individual or multiple tracks of the sequencer. In addition, two master effects can be applied to sends 1/2, and two total effects can be applied to all tracks at the final stage of the sound. A separate 3-band EQ is provided for every timbre, for every sequencer track and for every audio track for adjusting subtle tonal balances or creatively modifying the overall sound.
USB/MIDI host ports accommodate MIDI control surfaces
Any class-compliant USB-MIDI controller can be connected directly to Nautilus. Assign functions to a Korg USB MIDI controller with pads (nanoPAD, nanoPAD2, padKONTROL) to play drum parts or to switch among chords with chord triggers or when you're in chord mode.
Smooth sound transitions eliminate dropouts when changing sounds
When you switch program sounds during a performance to get ready for the next section, or when you switch from Program mode to Combi mode, the sound that's currently being output is always given priority and its effects are maintained during the program change, ensuring a seamless transition with no dropouts.
88-key model with piano touch
Nautilus is manufactured in Japan to the highest levels of quality. The 88-key model uses the critically acclaimed RH-3 piano keyboard, a four-stage weighted hammer action keybed with aftertouch that provides an extremely realistic piano feel for even the most discerning of players. RH-3 keyboards are gradually weighted, meaning that the lower notes are heavier and the higher notes lighter for superb playability. The 88-key model is also fitted with wooden side panels.
Free bundle of music software
Nautilus comes with a diverse variety of music software including Izotope Ozone Elements to create songs and master them using AI, Skoove to help you improve your keyboard playing skills, Reason Lite DAW software and software synths from Korg and other brands. In other words, the moment you get your hands on this synthesizer you'll have a variety of tools to help you take your music to the next level.
Apps for iPad/iPhone
- Korg Gadget 2 Le music production studio DAW app
- Korg Module piano/keyboard sound module app
Software for macOS/Windows
- UVI Digital Synsations synthesizer
- AAS Ultra Analog Session synthesizer
- AAS Strum Session acoustic guitar
- AAS Lounge Lizard Session electric piano
- Reason Studios Reason Lite DAW music production
- Free 3-month trial of Skoove Premium online piano lesson
- Korg Gadget 2 Le for Mac DAW music production
- iZotope Ozone Elements audio mastering
Nine synthesizer engines, united in one instrument
Nautilus harnesses nine distinct synthesizer/sound engines into a single, integrated musical instrument. Dynamic voice allocation and new technologies allow all sound engines to smoothly share a stable, enhanced hardware platform. The results are nothing less than spectacular.
SGX-2 premium piano sound generator
This sound generator lets you perform with the sounds of famed grand pianos such as the German piano or the Italian grand piano. These pianos offers delicate expressiveness to capture every last nuance of the acoustic piano with 12-step velocity-switched sound. With the damper pedal depressed, all of the piano strings are free to resonate; when any key is played on the piano, other strings that are pitch-related to the original key may begin to vibrate via sympathetic resonance. SGX-2 accurately captures and recreates this sympathetic string resonance, adding an additional level of detail to the grand piano sound.
EP-1 electric piano sound generator
This dedicated electric piano sound generator realistically reproduces seven different famous electric piano sounds, with the addition of an earlier model featuring a characteristic distortion. The MDS (Multi-Dimensional Synthesis) technology eliminates the transitions between velocity-switched samples and does away with the unnatural behavior of looped samples. Smoothly responding to the nuances of the player's touch yet allowing your performance to reach an energetic climax, this modelled engine features an astounding dynamic range that exceeds what one might expect from digital sound generation. For each of the seven different models, different amps, cabinets, speakers and standard vintage effects are realistically simulated. From the samples to the touch and the effects, all aspects affecting the sound are coordinated into a single package, making this the ultimate electric piano.
CX-3 tonewheel organ sound engine
The original Korg CX-3 combo organ went on sale in 1980. Loved by musicians around the world, this classic organ reappeared in 2000 as a new product with the same name but using the latest technology. In Nautilus, the CX-3 engine precisely models this classic tonewheel instrument. Proprietary Korg technology has been used to perfectly reproduce the vacuum tube amp and effects such as vibrato/chorus. Special attention was given to the rotary speaker effect, which lets you choose from seven types and use Nautilus' joystick to control the speed. Even the instability, fold-back, leakage and noise of the tonewheels have been obsessively analyzed and recreated.
HD-1 high-definition synthesizer PCM sound engine
HD stands for 'high definition,' indicating HD-1's superior sound, starting with Korg's proprietary low-aliasing sample playback oscillators, full-bandwidth multimode resonant filters and extraordinarily fast and smooth envelopes and LFOs. HD-1 is the most powerful PCM sound engine in Korg's history, into which Korg has poured all the PCM know-how accumulated since M1. All of Korg's acclaimed PCM sounds are painstakingly created by specialized technicians. Data that was reluctantly omitted from previous models due to limited memory has now been called back into service on Nautilus. The amount of waveform memory alone might rival a PC-based sound engine.
MS-20EX analog modeling sound engine
Packed with cutting-edge technology, Nautilus nonetheless has respect for the classics. Korg MS-20 first appeared in 1978 and quickly captivated many synth fans with its rich personality marked by thick and solid sound, aggressive filters and patching capability that provided nearly infinite possibilities for creating sound. Using Korg's CMT (Component Modeling Technology), MS-20EX faithfully reproduces MS-20 while dramatically expanding its patch panel functionality. Modulate filters with audio-rate oscillators, turn audio inputs into control signals, control all of the original knobs with mod sources including additional envelopes, LFOs and realtime controllers. It's a tweaker's dream. And of course, the Nautilus version is now majorly polyphonic.
PolysixEX analog modeling sound engine
Polysix first appeared in 1981, offering six-voice polyphony, program memory and a surprisingly competitive price tag. With its self-oscillating four-pole filter, smooth analog oscillator and sub-oscillator, plus a lush chorus/ensemble effect, PolysixEX extends the abilities of the original in many creative ways. The strings and pads that were such a major feature of Polysix will be invaluable when you need the sounds of the early 80s. The classic arpeggiator built into the original Polysix is also provided. As a bonus, it's also capable of extremely high polyphony.
AL-1 high-fidelity analog modeling sound engine
Feature-packed, AL-1 is the same premium analog modeling sound engine that was first featured on Korg OASYS Open Architecture Synthesis Studio back in 2005. Completely eliminating aliasing noise and delivering the supple and fascinating sound of analog synthesis, this sound engine uses oscillator waveforms and filter morphing to generate new sounds that unobtainable on analog synthesizers of the past.
MOD-7 waveshaping VPM/FM synthesis sound engine
This sound engine uses VPM synthesis based on the VPM (Variable Phase Modulation) technology that powered two classic instruments, Korg Prophecy which appeared in 1995 and Z1 which appeared in 1997 as a further evolution, and adds PCM sample playback, multi-mode filters and external input to create a freely patchable semi-modular synthesizer. Combine Variable Phase Modulation (VPM) from Korg's classic Prohpecy and Z1, add in some wave-shaping, a little ring modulation, mix in a few samples and add subtractive synthesis plus a modular patch panel system and you have MOD-7. Exceptionally versatile, it offers everything from classic FM keyboards, bells and basses (including the ability to import sounds from vintage DX synths) to rhythmic soundscapes and sparkling, epic pads.
STR-1 plucked strings physical model sound engine
Based on the physical modeling know-how Korg developed over the course of many years, this struck-/plucked-string physical modeling sound engine takes advantage of cutting-edge technology. This sound engine shines at producing sounds whose tone responds to your touch in ways that are difficult for a PCM sound engine to reproduce: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harpsichord, clavinet, harp, bell, as well as ethnic instruments. It also goes much further, allowing you to synthesize and modify sounds that do not exist in reality. This is a sound engine of the future, one that allows the synthesizer programmer to construct truly new sounds.
SKU | KOR-NAUTILUS88ATSR |
Vendor | Korg |
Aftertouch | Yes |
Analog Digital | Digital |
Built In Speakers | No |
Included From Manufacturer | Power cable |
Keys Weighted | Hammer Weighted |
Number of Keys | 88 |
Key Size | Full Size Keys |
Midi | In, Out, Thru, and USB |
Mono Poly | Polyphonic |
MPN | NAUTILUS88AT |
Arpeggiator | Yes |
Audio File Playback | Yes |
Control Connections | 1/4" damper pedal input 1/4" assignable footswitch input 1/4" assignable expression pedal input |
Onboard Controllers | Assignable joystick 2 × assignable switches |
Effects | 197 total effect types 12 insert effects 2 master effects 2 total effects |
Audio Inputs | Dual balanced 1/4" stereo external audio input |
Audio Outputs | Dual balanced 1/4" stereo main output 4 × assignable balanced 1/4" outputs |
Internal Storage Capacity | 60GB SSD |
Key Action | Korg RH3 Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 with aftertouch |
Multitimbral Capability | 16 parts with keyboard and velocity splits, layers and crossfades of up to 16 Programs and/or external MIDI devices |
Oscillators per Voice | Varies by Sound Engine |
Product Weight | 50.93 lb |
Programs/Presets | 2,560 user memory programs 1,792 user memory combinations 264 user memory drum kits 256 GM Level 2 preset programs + 9 GM Level 2 drum preset programs |
Sampling | Korg Open Sampling System with resampling and in-track sampling 16-bit/24-bit 48 kHz stereo/mono sampling 16,000 sample locations 4,000 multisample locations KORG format, AKAI S1000/S3000 data, SoundFont 2.0, AIFF and WAV formats |
Sequencer | 16-track MIDI sequencer |
USB Flash Drive Port (to Device) | MIDI Recording |
USB Port (to Host) | MIDI;System Updates;File Transfer |
Voices of Polyphony | SGX-2: 100 voices EP-1: 104 voices HD-1: 140 voices AL-1: 80 voices CX-3: 200 voices STR-1: 40 voices MOD-7: 52 voices MS-20EX: 40 voices PolysixEX: 180 voices |
Width | 56.57" |
Depth | 15.24" |
Height | 5.47" |
The warranty from KORG U.S.A Inc. covers the first buyer against any defects in material or workmanship for a 1 year from the purchase date. It's important to note that this warranty only applies to products bought within the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico from an authorized KORG U.S.A. Inc. dealer. If any issues arise during the warranty period, KORG U.S.A. Inc. will repair or replace the product for free, as long as it hasn't been misused or improperly maintained. To get service, you'll need to send the product to the place of purchase or an authorized warranty service center in the designated regions, along with proof of purchase.
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