Korg Mini Pops

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The Mini Pops were a number of early analog drum machines from the Japanese musical equipment company Korg during the late 1960s and the 1970s. [1] [2] The machines were based around a number of preset rhythm patterns, [3] such as waltz, samba, rhumba, bossa nova, tango, slow rock, swing, and rock 1 and 2. [4]

Contents

Models

Minipops 3

Released 1967, and features four drum sounds. [5] [6]

Minipops 5

Released in 1966.

Minipops 7

The Mini-Pops 7 released in 1966, featured 15 drums sounds and 20 patterns. [7] It was the most used of all. French musician Jean-Michel Jarre used it throughout his breakthrough album, Oxygene . Some rhythms were achieved by overlaying two of the presets in a manner not intended by the machine's original design. [3] Équinoxe Part V, VI and VII featured the Rock 1 pattern.

Aphex Twin used it on his album Syro , and in homage named a single "minipops 67 [120.2]". [8] Echo and the Bunnymen also used the Mini-Pops 7 drum machine at the beginning of their career. [9]

A variant of this instrument was sold in the US under the Univox brand, as the Univox SR-95. This featured slightly different "Beguine" and "Slow Rock" rhythms, and was missing the rimshot of the Mini-Pops 7.

Minipops 20 S

Released 1967. The S denoted stereo

Minipops 35

Released 1976. Features 6 drum sounds and 9 patterns. [10]

Minipops 120

Released 1976. Features 6 drum sounds and 16 patterns. [11] This was also sold in the United States under the Univox brand.

Minipops Junior

Released 1972. Features 10 preset rhythms. [12] also has a footswitch to stop and start the rhythms.

A Minipops Junior was used by Echo and the Bunnymen on their debut single, "The Pictures on My Wall." [13]

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References

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  2. "Korg Mini Pops 120". ESTECHO. 17 December 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Korg Mini Pops". Hollow Sun. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  4. "Korg MiniPops 35 (MP-35)". Vintage Synth Explorer. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  5. "Korg Mini Pops 3". Encyclotronic. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  6. Moogulator, Mic Irmer. "Korg Minipops 3 Drummachine/Module simple sequencer". www.sequencer.de. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  7. "Korg Mini Pops 7 (1966)". Aerozone JMJ (in French). Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  8. Wilson, Scott (14 April 2017). "7 pieces of gear that helped define Aphex Twin's pioneering sound". Fact Magazine. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  9. Leas, Ryan (November 2021). "Read About Echo And The Bunnymen's First Gig In An Excerpt From Will Sergeant's New Memoir". Stereogum . Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  10. "Korg Mini Pops 35". Encyclotronic. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  11. "Korg Mini Pops 120". Encyclotronic. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  12. "Korg Mini Pops Junior". Encyclotronic. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  13. Lewin, Jon (December 1985). "Echo-Plex". One Two Testing. Retrieved 11 April 2023.