kaossilator-v1

name	kaossilator-v1
description	Korg KAOSSILATOR dynamic phrase synthesizer (2007 model) — X-Y touchpad, 100 programs, gate arpeggiator, phrase loop recording, USB MIDI on Linux
category	instruments

KAOSSILATOR V1 Skill

Korg KAOSSILATOR dynamic phrase synthesizer, first generation (2007).

Hardware

Spec	Value
Year	2007
Dimensions	106 x 129 x 29 mm
Weight	163 g (without batteries)
Power	4x AA alkaline batteries (6V) or optional AC adapter (DC4.5V)
Battery life	~5 hours
Connectors	LINE OUT (RCA L/R), PHONES (stereo mini), DC jack
USB	Type B (MIDI class-compliant)
Touchpad	X-Y position sensing

Effect Program Table

LEAD (L.00–L.19)

No.	Program	X-Axis	Y-Axis
L.00	Ambient Lead	Note	Ambient Depth, Vibrato
L.01	LR 5th Lead	Note	Pan, Delay Cutoff
L.02	Unison Lead	Note	Cutoff
L.03	Tell Min	Note	Level
L.04	Feedback Lead	Note	Feedback Mod
L.05	Sync Lead	Note	OSC Sync Pitch
L.06	Square Bell	Note	Decay Time
L.07	Wide Saw Lead	Note	Delay&AutoPan Depth
L.08	XMod Lead	Note	Mod Depth
L.09	Square Lead	Note	Cutoff
L.10	Unison Sweep	Note	Cutoff
L.11	3Octave Lead	Note	Octave
L.12	XY Scale	Note	Bass Note
L.13	Wave Seq	Note, Pan	Sequence Speed
L.14	Digital Talk	Note	Formant
L.15	LFO Lead	Note	LFO Speed
L.16	XMod Saw Lead	Note	Cutoff
L.17	Flap Lead	Note	LFO Speed
L.18	Tape Bell Lead	Note	Echo Time, Feedback
L.19	Pitch Mod Lead	Note	Pitch Mod Depth

ACOUSTIC (a.20–a.29)

No.	Program	X-Axis	Y-Axis
a.20	Trumpet	Note	Breath Pressure
a.21	Piano	Note	Velocity
a.22	Digerido	Note	LFO Speed
a.23	Electric Sitar	Note	Sound Character
a.24	Duo Strings	Note	2nd Strings Level
a.25	VPM Bell	Note	Sound Character
a.26	Jazz Guitar	Note	Velocity
a.27	Tenor Sax	Note	Breath Pressure
a.28	Harmonica	Note	2nd Reed Level
a.29	Flute	Note	Breath Pressure

BASS (b.30–b.48)

No.	Program	X-Axis	Y-Axis
b.30	Hoover	Note	Cutoff, Pitch EG
b.31	Kick Bass	Note	Decay Time
b.32	Reso Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.33	Acid Bass	Note	Distortion
b.34	Sync LFO Bass	Note	LFO Speed
b.35	Unison Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.36	Boost Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.37	XMod Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.38	Fall Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.39	VPM Bass	Note	Decay Time
b.40	Modulation Bass	Note	Mod Depth
b.41	Dark Bass	Note	Mod Depth
b.42	Ring Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.43	Square Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.44	Dist Saw Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.45	MG Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.46	Bit Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.47	Synth Bass	Note	Cutoff
b.48	Valve Bass	Note	Decay Time

CHORD (c.50–c.59)

No.	Program	X-Axis	Y-Axis
c.50	Trance Chord	Note	Cutoff
c.51	Sine Chord	Note	Octave
c.52	Organ Chord	Note	Drawbar Level
c.53	Sweep Chord	Note	LFO Speed
c.54	Choir Chord	Note	Formant
c.55	Power Chord	Note	Sound Character
c.56	BPF Chord	Note	Cutoff
c.57	E.Piano Chord	Note	Chord (Maj7, min7)
c.58	Rave Chord	Note	Cutoff
c.59	Chord Hit	Note	Chord (Maj7, min7)

SOUND EFFECT (S.60–S.79)

No.	Program	X-Axis	Y-Axis
S.60	Kaoss Drone	Cutoff	Feedback
S.61	Rise & Fall	Note	Rise, Fall
S.62	Feedback Loop	Feedback Filter	Delay Time
S.63	L->R	Note	LFO Speed
S.64	Noise Filter	Cutoff	Resonance
S.65	8bit Game	Note	Pitch Mod Depth
S.66	Metal	Note, Cutoff	LFO Speed
S.67	Siren	LFO Speed, Cutoff	Pitch Mod Depth
S.68	Missile	Missile, Hit	Decay Time
S.69	Random	Note	LFO Speed
S.70	Beam Saber	Modulator Note	Mod Depth
S.71	Synth Looper	Cutoff, Looper Speed	Looper, Noise Level
S.72	Ring Mod SFX	Note	LFO Depth
S.73	Square LFO	Note, LFO Speed	Cutoff
S.74	Dot Eat	Loop Pitch	Dot Eat
S.75	Voice Looper	Note, Looper Speed, Pan	Looper, Formant
S.76	Sweep	Note, Pan	LFO Speed
S.77	Jet	Comb Freq	Feedback
S.78	Reflection SFX	Note	Decay Time
S.79	Drop	Cutoff	Impulse Speed

DRUM (d.80–d.89)

No.	Program	X-Axis	Y-Axis
d.80	BD/SD1	BD, SD	Sound Character
d.81	Zap/HH	Zap, HH, Pan	Decay Time
d.82	Conga	Conga Hi/Low	Mute
d.83	BD/SD2	BD, SD	SD Decay Time
d.84	Breakdown	Decay Time	Ambient Depth
d.85	XMod Perc	Pitch	Mod Depth, Mod Pitch
d.86	BD/SD3	BD, SD	BD Pitch, SD Level
d.87	Timpani	Note	Velocity
d.88	Filter Snare	Noise Cutoff	SD Body Level
d.89	BD/SD4	BD, SD	Reverse

PATTERN (P.90–P.98)

No.	Program	X-Axis	Y-Axis
P.90	Grain Beat1	Pattern	Grain Depth
P.91	Bass&Drum	Bass Note	Pattern, Flanger Depth
P.92	HPF Drum	Pattern	Cutoff, Delay Depth
P.93	Grain Beat2	Pattern	Grain Speed
P.94	Beat Box	Pattern	Delay Depth
P.95	Dirty Drum	Pattern	Decimator Depth
P.96	Grain Beat3	Pattern	Grain Depth
P.97	House	Pattern	Delay Depth
P.98	Auto Techno	Bass Note	Pattern, Cutoff

• 100 programs (00-99), selected via PROGRAM/VALUE knob
• X axis and Y axis control different effect parameters per program
• Touch outer edges of pad for parameter extremes

Controls

Element	Function
PROGRAM/VALUE knob	Select program / adjust parameters
TAP/BPM button	Set BPM manually or via tap tempo
LOOP REC/PLAY button	Record and loop phrases (hold to rec, release to stop)
SCALE button	Select musical scale
GATE ARP button	Toggle gate arpeggiator on/off
VOLUME knob	Headphone volume only (does not affect LINE OUT)
ON/STANDBY switch	Power on/off

Gate Arpeggiator

• 50 patterns (G.00 - G.49)
• Press and hold GATE ARP button, turn PROGRAM/VALUE to select pattern
• Press GATE ARP button again to return to program selection
• Cannot be applied to certain programs (see program list)
• Power-off reverts to default [G.00]

Scales

• Selectable musical scale (abbreviation shown in display)
• Default: Ionian (major)
• Turn PROGRAM/VALUE while in scale mode
• SCALE button again to confirm
• Auto-returns to program selection after 5 seconds
• Scale cannot be applied to certain programs

Key (Root Note / Octave)

1. Hold SCALE button + press TAP button — display shows current key
2. Turn PROGRAM/VALUE to select key
3. Press TAP button again to confirm (with SCALE held)

Phrase Loop Recording

• Records up to 8 beats (2 bars of 4/4) of live play on the touchpad
• Hold LOOP REC/PLAY to record; release to stop and begin loop playback
• LOOP STATUS indicator: red = recording, green = playback
• Press LOOP REC/PLAY again to stop playback
• Press LOOP REC/PLAY while stopped to start playback

Overdubbing Layers

• Hold LOOP REC/PLAY during playback to add overdub layers
• Can save layered phrase and return to last saved version if new layers are unwanted
• Hold LOOP REC/PLAY + turn PROGRAM/VALUE: delete most recent phrase
• Hold LOOP REC/PLAY + press SCALE: delete all recorded phrases

BPM Setting

1. Press TAP button to display current BPM
2. Manual: turn PROGRAM/VALUE
3. Tap tempo: tap TAP button repeatedly in tempo
4. Hold TAP button to confirm and exit BPM setting
5. Default: 120 BPM

Linux USB MIDI

# Detect device
amidi -l | grep -i kaossilator

# Monitor MIDI messages
amidi -p hw:X,Y,Z -d

• Class-compliant USB MIDI — no driver needed
• X-Y pad outputs MIDI note and CC data
• Program changes via MIDI also supported

References

• Manual: ~/Downloads/current_music_docs/KAOSSILATOR1_OM_EFG1.pdf
• Shared Korg program data (all products): korg-programs.md — load via skill_view(name='hermes-music-sampling', file_path='references/korg-programs.md')