A huger vocoder attack courtesy of the microKORG.
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The microKORG is a MIDI-capable virtual analog synthesizer/vocoder from Korg featuring high-quality DSP analog modelling. The keyboard is built in such a way that it is essentially a Korg MS-2000 with programmable step arpeggiator (MS-2000 has only six simple patterns), a less advanced vocoder (8 bands instead of 16 bands found on the MS-2000), lack of motion sequencing (MS-2000 had three motion sequences), lack of an XLR microphone input, and in a smaller case with fewer real-time control knobs.

The microKORG has been a popular success, being used by a diverse range of musicians such as Devo and Elbow, who currently have one as part of their live setup. In an interview, Torbjorn Brundtland of Röyksopp stated that "of course we use the microKorg, which is a really powerful instrument. It has the same quality of abstract effects that the MS20 has."

The microKORG uses DSP technology to emulate the sounds of an analog synthesizer using firmware. The fundamental unit of sound is, in Korg's terminology, a "timbre". This is generated with a pair of multi-function oscillators. Two timbres can be combined to create a four-oscillator "layer". This can be used to create more complex sounds, although it halves the polyphony, from four notes to two. A single timbre can be played in four-voice (8 detuned oscillators) unison mode, which is monophonic, and furthermore the synthesizer can be set to a non-detuned, non-unison mono mode, which is used by some performers when playing monophonic lead lines.

The two oscillators generate a range of sounds. Oscillator one (OSC1) produces saw, square, triangle, and sine waves, which are fundamental synthesiser waveforms. In addition OSC1 can produce a vox wave (for simulating human vocal cords), white noise, and one of 64 different digital waveforms that were created by harmonic additive synthesis. Some of these 64 waveforms were originally featured in the Korg DW-8000 digital synthesizer of the late 1980s. The second oscillator (OSC2) is limited to saw, square, and triangle waveforms.

Each waveform on OSC1 has a unique modulation feature, including wave morphing, Pulse-width modulation, and FM. OSC2 can be detuned, synchronized, and/or ring-modulated with OSC1 in order to create more complex sounds. OSC1 can also be replaced with the signal from one of the line-level inputs on the back of the unit, allowing external signals to be processed with the effects and filters of the microKORG, or potentially ring-modulated by the OSC2.

The microKORG also uses effects such as flange, ensemble, phaser, and digital delay, which can also be applied to external signals. The unit also features two independent LFOs, with six different waveforms, which can be used to create more complex modulations.

When playing a single timbre the keyboard has four-voice polyphony. In layer mode it generally has two-voice polyphony, although one combination of polyphonic/mono layers allows for three-voice polyphony of the second timbre.

The keyboard groups its 128 factory preset sound patches into 8 groups:

Trance
Techno/House
Electronica
D'n'B/Breaks
Hip hop/Vintage
Retro
Special Effects/Hit
Vocoder
A large knob changes the selected sound group. Each group has 16 different patches (2 banks of 8), selected by the 8 lighted buttons on the front with a side A/B button to toggle between sets of 8. All patches are user editable, and don't necessarily have to follow the groupings listed on the face plate.

The microKORG was released in 2002 and is still in production as of 2010.
[stolen from:http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Microkorg]