Arturia KORG MS-20 V User manual

USER MANUAL
_KORG MS-20 V

Thanks
DIRECTION
Frédéric Brun Kevin Molcard
DEVELOPMENT
Baptiste Aubry
Mathieu Nocenti
Raynald Dantigny
Marie Pauli
Alexandre Adam
Corentin Comte
Samuel Limier
Fanny Roche
Rasmus Kürstein
Kevin Arcas
Alessandro De Cecco
Hugo Caracalla
Mauro De Bari
Geoffrey Gormond
Marius Lasfargue
Marc Antigny
Pierre-Lin Laneyrie
Yann Burrer
Loris De Marco
Cyril Lepinette
Patrick Perea
Stéphane Albanese
Pascal Douillard
Christophe Luong
Pierre Mazurier
DESIGN
Edouard Madeuf
Callum Magill
Pierre Pfister
Maxence Berthiot
Florian Rameau
Shaun Ellwood
Morgan Perrier
Heloise Noir
SOUND DESIGN
Lily Jordy
Jean-Michel Blanchet
Quentin Feuillard
Maxime Audfray
Florian Marin
Tobias Menguser (10
Phantom Rooms)
Allert Aalders (Sonar
Traffic)
Klaus Baetz
Marco Iodice (Konk)
Ed Ten Eyck
New Loops
Gustavo Bravetti
Graphyt
Undertaker
Lektrique
Zardonic
Black Sun Empire
Simon Gallifet
Victor Morello
Blue Era
TESTING
Germain Marzin
Arnaud Barbier
Matthieu Bosshardt
Aurélien Mortha
Julien Viannenc
Roger Schumann
Thomas Barbier
Adrien Soyer
Bastien Hervieux
Benjamin Renard
Nicolas Stermann
Enrique Vela
BETA TESTING
Gary Morgan
Mateo Relief vs MISTER X5
Marco Koshdukai Correia
Robin Bausewein
Terence Marsden
Mat Herbert
TJ Trifeletti
Davide Puxeddu
Gert Braakman
Chuck Capsis
Guillaume Hernandez-
Pagnier
George Ware
Fernando Manuel Rodrigues
Chuck Zwicky
Kirke Godfrey
Angel Alvarado
Jeremy Bernstein
Dwight Davies
Andrew Henderson
Gustavo Bravetti
Andrew Capon
Andrew Macauley
Olivier Malhomme
Stephen Wey
Jay Janssen
Jeremy Rice
Jeffrey M Cecil
Richard Courtel
Adrian Dybowski
Ken Flux Pierce
Paolo Apollo Negri
Luis Rodriguez
Ingvild Skandsen
SPECIAL THANKS
Mr. Seiki Kato Mr. Fumio Mieda Mr. Makoto Kobayashi Mr. Kazuhito Inoue.

Licensed by KORG Inc.
© ARTURIA SA – 2022 – All rights reserved.
26 avenue Jean Kuntzmann
38330 Montbonnot-Saint-Martin
FRANCE
www.arturia.com
Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not
represent a commitment on the part of Arturia. The software described in this manual is
provided under the terms of a license agreement or non-disclosure agreement. The software
license agreement specifies the terms and conditions for its lawful use. No part of this
manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any purpose other than
purchaser’s personal use, without the express written permission of ARTURIA S.A.
All other products, logos or company names quoted in this manual are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Product version: 1.0.0
Revision date: 10 May 2022

Thank you for purchasing KORG MS-20 V!
This manual covers the features and operation of Arturia’s KORG MS-20 V, one of our many
powerful virtual instruments.
Be sure to register your software as soon as possible! When you purchased KORG MS-20
V, you were sent a serial number and an unlock code by e-mail. These are required during
the online registration process.
Special Messages
Specifications Subject to Change:
The information contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing.
However, Arturia reserves the right to change or modify any of the specifications without
notice or obligation to update the hardware that has been purchased.
IMPORTANT:
The software, when used in combination with an amplifier, headphones or speakers, may
be able to produce sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss. DO NOT operate
for long periods of time at a high level or at a level that is uncomfortable.
If you encounter any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should consult an audiologist.

Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of Arturia's KORG MS-20 V!
We’d like to thank you for purchasing KORG MS-20 V, a virtual instrument recreation of
the KORG MS-20: an intuitive and powerful monophonic semi-modular synthesizer with a
uniquely beloved sound, one that has graced thousands of hits in all kinds of genres for
nearly 50 years.
We've carefully studied and modeled every nuance of the original KORG MS-20 to fully
recreate the powerful sound and flexibility of this beloved monosynth. We then took things
one step further, by adding expanded features for the modern studio, as well as entirely
new sound programming options that take the KORG MS-20 experience to a new level.
As with all of our products, we believe in offering the best of both worlds in a single
package and letting you choose how you want to use it. You can choose to focus on the
Hardware Panel and get a (slightly improved) vintage KORG MS-20 experience, or explore
the Sequencer and Effects Panels and discover sonic and performance possibilities that go
well beyond the original synth's capabilities.
Here's to a beautiful blend of the old and the new – and the beautiful music you'll make with
it!
Peace, love, and music,
The Arturia team
Be sure to visit the www.arturia.com website for information about all of our other great
hardware and software instruments. They have become indispensable, inspiring tools for
musicians around the world.

Table Of Contents
1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. The quiet genius of Fumio Mieda ................................................................................................................................ 3
1.2. The MS-20 and its family ................................................................................................................................................ 4
1.3. Why a virtual MS-20?........................................................................................................................................................ 4
1.4. Arturia’s secret ingredient: TAE®.................................................................................................................................. 5
1.4.1. Aliasing-free oscillators ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
1.4.2. A better reproduction of analog oscillator waveforms....................................................................................................................... 6
1.4.3. Direct Filter Circuit Modeling................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
2. Activation and First Start ......................................................................................................................................... 8
2.1. Register, Activate, and Install KORG MS-20 V.................................................................................................... 8
2.2. Initial setup for standalone use............................................................................................................................... 10
2.2.1. Audio and MIDI settings: Windows .............................................................................................................................................................. 10
2.2.2. Audio and MIDI settings: macOS................................................................................................................................................................... 13
2.2.3. Using KORG MS-20 V as a plug-in ................................................................................................................................................................ 14
2.3. Playing KORG MS-20 V for the First Time ......................................................................................................... 15
3. The User Interface .................................................................................................................................................... 16
3.1. Overview ................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
3.2. The Upper Toolbar ............................................................................................................................................................. 18
3.2.1. The KORG MS-20 V menu.................................................................................................................................................................................... 18
3.2.2. Preset Browser .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
3.2.3. Hardware / Sequencer / Effects / Side Panel Access ..................................................................................................................... 24
3.2.4. Side Panel Settings ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
3.3. The Lower Toolbar ............................................................................................................................................................ 25
3.4. The Side Panel..................................................................................................................................................................... 26
3.4.1. Settings Tab................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
3.4.2. MIDI Tab ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 29
3.4.3. Macro Tab...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
3.4.4. Tutorials .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36
4. The Preset Browser ................................................................................................................................................. 37
4.1. Search and Results............................................................................................................................................................ 38
4.2. Using Tags as a Filter...................................................................................................................................................... 39
4.2.1. Types ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39
4.2.2. Styles............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
4.2.3. Banks............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
4.3. Search Results window.................................................................................................................................................. 41
4.3.1. Sorting the Preset Order........................................................................................................................................................................................ 41
4.3.2. Clearing Tags ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
4.3.3. Liking Presets ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42
4.4. Sidebar ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
4.4.1. My Sound Banks ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
4.4.2. My Favorites ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 44
4.4.3. My Playlists .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 45
4.5. Preset Info Section ........................................................................................................................................................... 46
4.5.1. Editing Info for Multiple Presets ....................................................................................................................................................................... 47
4.6. Preset Selection: Other Methods ............................................................................................................................. 48
4.7. Macro Knobs......................................................................................................................................................................... 49
4.8. Playlists ................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
4.8.1. Create your first Playlist...................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
4.8.2. Add a Playlist ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51
4.8.3. Add a Preset ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 52
4.8.4. Re-order the Presets............................................................................................................................................................................................... 53
4.8.5. Remove a Preset....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 53
4.8.6. New Song and Playlist Management.......................................................................................................................................................... 54
5. The Hardware Panel .............................................................................................................................................. 55
5.1. General Display Conventions and Features ..................................................................................................... 55
5.2. The Oscillator Section..................................................................................................................................................... 56
5.2.1. The Oscillators: VCO 1 and VCO 2.................................................................................................................................................................. 56
5.2.2. The VCO Mixer ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
5.2.3. Pitch Modulation ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 60
5.2.4. Pulse Width Modulation ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 60

5.3. The Filter Section ................................................................................................................................................................ 61
5.3.1. Cutoff Frequency Modulation ........................................................................................................................................................................... 62
5.4. The Modulation Section ................................................................................................................................................. 63
5.4.1. The Modulation Generator................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
5.4.2. The Envelope Generators.................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
5.4.3. Cutoff Mod Sidechain and Amplifier Modulation................................................................................................................................. 67
5.5. The Patch Panel ................................................................................................................................................................. 68
5.5.1. Working with virtual patch cables ................................................................................................................................................................. 68
5.5.2. The signal chain and its modulation inputs ............................................................................................................................................. 71
5.5.3. MG and EG routings ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 72
5.5.4. Keyboard and Modulation CV patch points............................................................................................................................................. 73
5.5.5. Sample & Hold, VCA, and Noise Generator.............................................................................................................................................. 74
5.6. External Signal Processor............................................................................................................................................ 75
5.7. Dispersion Controls ........................................................................................................................................................... 76
6. The Sequencer Panel.............................................................................................................................................. 77
6.1. Overview ................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
6.1.1. Global Controls.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 78
6.1.2. Channel Controls ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 79
6.1.3. CV Outputs...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 79
7. The Effects Panel...................................................................................................................................................... 80
7.1. Effects Routing....................................................................................................................................................................... 81
7.2. Presets ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 82
7.3. FX Sync..................................................................................................................................................................................... 83
7.4. Meet The FX Types ............................................................................................................................................................ 84
7.4.1. Delay .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 85
7.4.2. Tape Echo........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 87
7.4.3. Pitch Shift Delay........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 89
7.4.4. Reverb ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 91
7.4.5. Distortion ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 93
7.4.6. Bitcrusher....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 95
7.4.7. Compressor .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 96
7.4.8. Multiband ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 98
7.4.9. Chorus........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 100
7.4.10. Chorus JUN-6 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 102
7.4.11. Stereo Pan .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 103
7.4.12. Phaser .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 104
7.4.13. Flanger......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 106
7.4.14. BL-20 Flanger ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 108
7.4.15. Multi Filter................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 109
7.4.16. Parametric Equalizer........................................................................................................................................................................................... 110
7.5. The end (for now)............................................................................................................................................................... 111
8. The Basics of Subtractive Synthesis............................................................................................................ 112
8.1. The Signal Path and its elements: VCO, VCF, VCA ...................................................................................... 112
8.1.1. The Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) ..................................................................................................................................................... 112
8.1.2. The Voltage Controlled Filter (VCF)................................................................................................................................................................ 117
8.1.3. The Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA) and the full signal path............................................................................................... 119
8.2. Modulation: making the sound change ........................................................................................................... 120
8.2.1. The envelope generator ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 120
8.2.2. The keyboard.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 121
8.2.3. The Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO) ......................................................................................................................................................... 122
8.3. Seeing the whole picture............................................................................................................................................ 123
9. Software License Agreement.......................................................................................................................... 125

1. INTRODUCTION
Arturia would like to thank you for purchasing our modeling synthesizer, KORG MS-20 V.
We're confident that it will become a valuable addition to your music production studio.
If you've purchased our products before, you know we take great pride in recreating the
sound and feel of the original instruments – and then we add 21st Century features these
products might have had, if only the technology had been available at the time. And if this
is the first of our products you have owned, well, you're in for a treat!
The original KORG MS-20, the synthesizer upon which this model is based, is a true icon
of analog synthesis. It's considered a vital musical tool for thousands and thousands of
musicians over nearly a half century, because of its fantastic combination of practical ease
of use and extraordinary flexibility. Oh, and it sounds amazing, too.
Before we dive into the wonders of KORG MS-20 V, let's take a quick moment to learn
some history. Nowadays, the name KORG is recognized worldwide as an icon of electronic
musical instrument design. But not many people know where the name originally came
from...
1.1. The quiet genius of Fumio Mieda
Keio Electronic Laboratory Corporation was founded in 1963 by Tokyo entrepreneur Tsutomu
Katoh and musician/electrical engineer Tadashi Osanai. Osanai, a famous accordionist in
the Tokyo nightclub scene, was frustrated by the quirks of the Wurlitzer Sideman rhythm
machine that accompanied him in his solo act. He was sure he could build something
that was more reliable, sounded better, and – important to the still-recovering Japanese
economy of the early 1960s – far more affordable to Japanese musicians than the
expensive imported Wurlitzer.
He convinced Katoh, who owned a nightclub where Osanai performed, to invest in his idea
and open a factory with a small, loyal team of talented engineers. It was named for the Keio
railroad line that passed by the factory, and its first product, the DoncaMatic DA20 rhythm
unit/amplifier/speaker, was a huge success.
A few years after Keio's launch, Katoh was approached by a young engineer named Fumio
Mieda. He had been working on a design for a new type of organ, one whose sound he felt
would be much more interesting than that of the machines currently on the market. Mieda's
idea was to provide control over the nuances of a single organ voice to create a highly
expressive solo instrument. Katoh agreed to finance the project, and in 1970 the Prototype 1
was demonstrated to considerable interest. Soon after that, Keio released its first organ, the
Keio Organ (or, if you prefer that Katoh Osanai Organ) – the KORG.
The name was put on subsequent instruments, practically none of which were organs. In
1973, Mieda refined his design into a small solo instrument that could sit atop an electric
organ and provide a solo voice. This was the miniKORG 700, one of the first two Japanese
synthesizers. The other was the Roland SH-1000, which came out at almost exactly the
same time. Unlike the Roland, which was a fairly conventional monophonic synthesizer, the
miniKORG and its successors took Mieda's ideas for real-time sound shaping – such as the
famed Traveller dual filter – and turned them into portable, practical instruments that didn't
sound like anything else out there.
This uniqueness wasn't surprising: every component in these instruments was designed by
Mieda himself, from scratch.
3 Arturia - User Manual KORG MS-20 V - Introdu tion

1.2. The MS-20 and its family
In 1977, as synthesizers were growing in popularity in Japanese electronic music, Keio
faced a challenge in the form of the Yamaha CS-10 – a simple monophonic synthesizer
that was far less expensive than competing instruments. Mieda took on the challenge of
creating a monophonic synth that was affordable enough for a student to buy, but was
powerful enough to allow for serious sound design – preferably with more options than the
competition. In less than six months, the Keio team – often working late into the night and
sleeping in the freezing-cold factory – created four new products that were released in April
1978: the MS-10 and MS-20 synthesizers, the VC-10 keyboard vocoder, and the SQ-10 analog
sequencer.
With its semi-modular design – allowing students to patch creatively while still being usable
with no patching – the MS-20 was an instant hit. Mieda gave students and musicians lots
of fun extra features, from the completely patchable Wheel and Momentary Switch to the
External Signal Processor, and carefully designed and placed the patch panel so the cables
wouldn't obscure the knobs – a problem for nearly every other modular and semi-modular
synth on the market.
At the same time, Mieda came up with extraordinarily effective shortcuts and streamlining
techniques to keep the machine affordable – for example, he realized a huge cost savings
by repurposing electrical noise in the keyboard circuit to act as a trigger signal! But the
cost-saving measure that made history was the KORG 35 filter, a fabulously simple design
that could be configured as a low-pass or high-pass filter (the MS-20 got one of each, as a
nod to the Traveller design) while using very few components. Its sound was utterly unique
and garnered thousands and thousands of fans over the years, and is a major factor in the
MS-20's continued popularity.
Some 35 years later, Mr. Mieda consulted with a team of young engineers at Keio (now
KORG Inc.) and helped them design the new MS-20 mini and MS-20 FS synthesizers, which
have proven every bit as popular as the originals. However, aside from offering a few new
features like MIDI input and USB, the synthesizer itself hasn't changed at all – which is
awesome if you want total authenticity above all else, but not quite so awesome if you're
looking to expand your horizons.
That's where Arturia comes in.
1.3. Why a virtual MS-20?
Unlike some other models we've created, KORG MS-20 V isn't meant to fill a gap left by
a rare or expensive synthesizer. The MS-20 has always been available to musicians who
want one. It's well-known and well-loved by generations of electronic musicians, and still
widely available in hardware form, including both full-sized and smaller-scale 'mini' versions
currently being sold by KORG.
So why would Arturia want to create a software MS-20? Simply because our engineers can't
simply recreate the sounds of vintage synths – they always have an uncontrollable urge to
mess around with them and see what they can add!
As powerful as the original MS-20 was, studios and live rigs in the 21st Century have
different needs than those of the 1970s. It's quite possible – even likely – that getting a
hardware MS-20 to work seamlessly with a computer-based setup will be costly, fussy, and
lacking in some basic functions that modern musicians have come to expect.
With that in mind, Arturia has remained faithful to the original KORG MS-20's sound and
functionality, but has then taken its capabilities far beyond anything its creators could have
imagined, giving it a new lease on life in the world of plug-ins and DAWs.
Of course, all of these extra features are meaningless if the synth itself doesn't sound
awesome and authentic. Fortunately, Arturia has that well under control...
Arturia - User Manual KORG MS-20 V - Introdu tion 4

1.4. Arturia’s secret ingredient: TAE®
TAE® (True Analog Emulation) is Arturia's outstanding technology dedicated to the digital
reproduction of the analog circuits used in vintage synthesizers.
TAE®'s software algorithms result in spot-on emulation of analog hardware. This is why
MS-20 V offers an unparalleled quality of sound, as do all of Arturia's virtual synthesizers.
TAE® combines three major advances in the domain of synthesis:
1.4.1. Aliasing-free oscillators
Standard digital synthesizers produce aliasing in high frequencies, especially when using
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) or Frequency Modulation (FM).
TAE® enables the generation of oscillators which are completely free of aliasing in all
contexts (PWM, FM...), and at no extra CPU cost.
Linear frequency spectrum of a current well-known
software synthesizer
Linear frequency spectrum of an oscillator modeled with
TAE®
5 Arturia - User Manual KORG MS-20 V - Introdu tion

1.4.2. A better reproduction of analog oscillator
waveforms
The waveforms produced by the oscillators in analog synthesizers are affected by the
presence of a capacitor in the circuits. The discharge of a capacitor results in a slight 'bend'
in the original waveform (most notably for sawtooth, triangular and square waveforms).
TAE® reproduces the result of this capacitor discharge in software.
Below is the analysis of a waveform from one of the five original instruments Arturia's
software emulates, followed by one made by TAE®. They are both equally deformed by the
low-pass and high-pass filtering.
What's more, hardware analog oscillators were and are unstable. In fact, their waveforms
vary slightly from one period to the next. If we add to this the fact that the starting point
for each period (in Trigger mode) can vary with the temperature and other environmental
conditions, we see why vintage synthesizers have such a unique character.
TAE® reproduces the instability of oscillators, resulting in a fatter, richer, and overall "bigger"
sound.
Temporal representation of the slightly
distorted sawtooth waveform of a
hardware synthesizer
Temporal representation of that same
synthesizer's sawtooth waveform as
reproduced by TAE®
Arturia - User Manual KORG MS-20 V - Introdu tion 6

1.4.3. Direct Filter Circuit Modeling
Due to advances in computer processing power, TAE® can now employ direct filter modeling
techniques to achieve unprecedented accuracy in the emulation of a hardware synthesizer's
filter. By modeling the operation of the individual hardware components of the filter circuit,
the warm nuances synonymous with analog sounds are recreated.
The following graph shows a single example of direct circuit modeling in action. The peaks
represent the generation of harmonics at multiples of the resonant frequency when a
particular filter is in self-oscillation mode. These harmonics are characteristic of hardware
synthesizer filters; they come from the non-linear behavior inherent to their analog circuitry.
Anomalies such as these add to the richness and warmth of the sound produced by the
filter.
Notice there are two lines on the graph. Those are the superimposed frequency domain
plots for one of Arturia's virtual instrument filters, and of the hardware filter it's emulating.
They are practically indistinguishable, both on the graph and to the human ear. The direct
recreation of this analog circuitry causes the same characteristics of the sound to be
present, thus giving the user a truly analog sound.
So here's the bottom line: When you bring together a bunch of music lovers who also have
a deep understanding of the characteristics of electronic circuits, you wind up with Arturia.
And when Arturia decides to dig deep into one of the best-known and most-loved analog
synthesizers in history – with the stated intent of bringing it into the new millennium – you
wind up with KORG MS-20 V.
We take great satisfaction in knowing this great synthesizer will help you explore previously
unknown musical territory, and we can't wait to hear what you do with it!
7 Arturia - User Manual KORG MS-20 V - Introdu tion

2. ACTIVATION AND FIRST START
2.1. Register, Activate, and Install KORG MS-20 V
KORG MS-20 V works on computers equipped with Windows 8.1 or later and macOS 10.13
or later. You can use it as a standalone version or as a plug-in for your favorite DAW (Digital
Audio Workstation), in Audio Units, AAX, VST2, or VST3 format.
Before you install or register the software, you'll need to create a My Arturia account
here, using an email address and password of your choice: https://www.arturia.com/
createanaccount/
While it's possible to handle registration, activation, and other tasks manually online, it's far
simpler to download and use the Arturia Software Center app, which can be found here:
https://www.arturia.com/support/downloads&manuals
You'll enter your email address and password to set up Arturia Software Center, which acts
as a central location for all of your Arturia software registrations and activations. It also
helps you install and update your software by keeping tabs on current versions.
You can register, activate, and install your product inside Arturia Software Center by
pressing the Register a new product button, and clicking the boxes to Activate and then
Install your software. The registration process will require you to enter the serial number
and the unlock code you received when you bought your software.
Arturia Software Center
Arturia - User Manual KORG MS-20 V - A tivation and First Start 8

You can also do this online by logging into your account and then following the instructions
here: http://www.arturia.com/register
Once you've registered, activated, and installed KORG MS-20 V, it's time to get it to talk to
your computer.
9 Arturia - User Manual KORG MS-20 V - A tivation and First Start

2.2. Initial setup for standalone use
If you would like to use KORG MS-20 V in standalone mode, you will need to ensure that
MIDI input and audio input and outputs are being routed properly to and from the software.
You'll generally only need to do this once, unless you change your MIDI controller or audio/
MIDI interface. The setup process is the same on both Windows and macOS.
! This section only applies to those of you who plan to use KORG MS-20 V in standalone mode. If
you are only going to use KORG MS-20 V as a plug-in inside a host DAW or other music software, you
can safely ignore this section – your host music software handles these settings.
2.2.1. Audio and MIDI settings: Windows
At the top left of the KORG MS-20 V application is a pull-down menu. It contains various
setup options.
Click on Audio Midi Settings to open the following window. This works in the same way on
both Windows and macOS, although the names of the devices available to you will depend
on the hardware you are using. Remember, this option is only available (and needed) in the
standalone version of KORG MS-20 V.
KORG MS-20 V Main Menu
Arturia - User Manual KORG MS-20 V - A tivation and First Start 10

Starting from the top, you have the following options:
•Device selects which audio driver and device will handle playback of KORG
MS-20 V. This can be your computer’s internal driver, a generic ASIO driver, or
an external soundcard or interface driver. The name of your hardware interface
may appear in the field below, depending on your selection.
•Output Channels lets you select which of the available outputs will be used to
route audio out. If you only have two outputs, this selection box will not be
shown. If you have more than two, you can select a specific pair of outputs.
•Input Channels let you select which of the available inputs that are available
when you want to route an external audio signal into the MS-20 V. The Ext Out
patchpoint can then be used to route external audio inside the plugin (e.g. an
external signal processor). Only one input or pair of inputs can be selected.
• The Buffer Size menu lets you select the size of the audio buffer your computer
uses to calculate sound. The latency in milliseconds is displayed after the buffer
size setting.
! A smaller buffer means lower latency, i.e. a shorter delay between pressing a key and hearing the
note, but loads your CPU more heavily and can cause pops or clicks. A larger buffer means a lower
CPU load, as the computer has more time to think, but can result in a noticeable delay between playing
a note and hearing it. A fast, modern computer should easily be able to operate at a buffer size of 256
or even 128 samples without clicks If you still get clicks, enlarge the buffer size until they stop.
• The Sample Rate menu lets you set the sample rate at which audio is sent out of
the instrument.
Audio and MIDI Settings for Windows
11 Arturia - User Manual KORG MS-20 V - A tivation and First Start

! The options here will depend on what your audio device can support; nearly every device can
operate at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, which will be perfectly fine for most applications. If you have a specific
need to use a higher sample rate, up to 96 kHz, KORG MS-20 V will happily support that.
• The Show Control Panel button will jump to the system control panel for
whatever audio device is selected.
! Note that this button is only available in the Windows version.
•Test Tone sends a short test tone when you click the Play button, to help you
troubleshoot audio issues. You can use this feature to confirm that the instrument
is routed correctly through your audio interface and that audio is playing back
where you expect to hear it (your speakers or headphones, for example).
• The MIDI Devices area will display any MIDI devices you have connected to
your computer (if any). Click the check box to accept MIDI from the device(s)
you want to use to control the instrument. You can select multiple MIDI devices
at once with the checkboxes.
! In standalone mode, KORG MS-20 V listens for all MIDI channels, so there’s no need
to specify a channel.
•Tempo sets a base tempo for features inside KORG MS-20 V such as LFO and
effects sync. When using KORG MS-20 V as a plug-in, the instrument gets tempo
information from your host software.
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2.2.2. Audio and MIDI settings: macOS
The menu for setting up audio and MIDI devices for macOS is accessed in the same way
as for Windows, and the setup process is nearly identical. All options work the same way
as described above in the Windows section. The only difference is that all macOS devices,
including external audio interfaces, use the CoreAudio driver built into macOS to handle
routing. In the second dropdown menu under Device, choose the audio device you wish to
use.
Audio MIDI Settings for macOS
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2.2.3. Using KORG MS-20 V as a plug-in
KORG MS-20 V comes in VST2, VST3, Audio Unit (AU), and AAX plug-in formats, for use in all
major DAW software such as Ableton Live, Cubase, Logic, Pro Tools, Studio One, and more.
When using KORG MS-20 V as a plug-in, all audio and MIDI device settings are handled by
your host music software. Please refer to your host music software’s documentation if you
have any questions about loading or using plug-ins.
Note that when you load KORG MS-20 V as a plug-in instrument inside your host software,
its interface and settings work the same way as in standalone mode (see below), with a
few small differences:
• KORG MS-20 V will synchronize to your DAW’s host tempo/BPM when sync is
required
• You can automate numerous parameters using your DAW’s automation system
• You can use more than one instance of KORG MS-20 V in a DAW project
(standalone mode can only launch one instance)
• You can run the outputs of KORG MS-20 V through any additional audio effects
available to your DAW, such as delay, chorus, filters, etc.
• You can route KORG MS-20 V’s audio outputs creatively inside your DAW, using
the DAW’s own audio routing system.
KORG MS-20 V's interface looks the same in plug-in mode as in standalone mode.
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2.3. Playing KORG MS-20 V for the First Time
Now that you have KORG MS-20 V up and running, let’s take it for a quick test drive!
If you haven't done so already, launch KORG MS-20 V as a plug-in or as a standalone
instrument. If you have a MIDI controller set up, use it to play some notes on KORG MS-20
V. You might first need to activate your MIDI controllers in the MIDI Settings (see above).
You can also your mouse to play the on-screen keyboard or use the keys of your computer
keyboard.
The up and down arrows at the top of the instrument let you step through all of KORG MS-20
V’s available presets. Try playing a few, and when you find one that you like, try adjusting
some of the other on-screen controls to see how they affect the sound.
Play with the controls, and don't worry — nothing is saved unless you specifically save a
preset (described later in this User Guide), so there is no risk you'll mess up any of KORG
MS-20 V’s factory presets.
We hope this chapter has gotten you off to a smooth start. Now that you're up and running,
the rest of this guide will help you work your way through all of KORG MS-20 V's features on
a section-by-section basis. By the time you reach the end, we hope you’ll understand all of
KORG MS-20 V’s capabilities – and will be using this fantastic instrument to create equally
fantastic music!
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