NAMM 2024: Korg KR-11 - Practice Makes Perfect

17 Jan by Adam Douglas |

4,3 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes

Korg KR-11 Compact Rhythm Box · Source: Korg

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Korg’s latest drum machine, the Korg KR-11 Compact Rhythm Box, is a cheerful little box packed with useful drum beats for practising and busking. Producers may want one too!

Korg KR-11 Compact Rhythm Box

Somehow we’ve come full circle. Korg is a pioneer when it comes to drum machines, with the Japanese company releasing the Doncamatic way back in 1963. Designed to provide rhythmic accompaniment for organ players, it started Korg’s line of preset drum machines that continues to this day.

While we may love the chintzy retro sound of old rhythm machines, modern digital preset practice boxes can sound, well, cheesy. Listening to Korg’s newest, the just-announced KR-11 Compact Rhythm Box, however, I’m pretty impressed.

Genres and Variations

The diminutive little white box features nine different genres of drum beats, from 8 Beat to Island (for ukulele players, naturally) and even EDM! Each genre contains 14 variations for a total of 126 patterns. There’s also a basic metronome for straight practice sessions.

You can also create your own patterns and save up to 14 of them, meaning it’s more than just a preset machine. You can trigger sounds using the 16 onboard pads as well as kicks and hi-hats via an external foot pedal “for a more authentic drum-like performance,” says Korg.

You can also use foot pedals to perform start/stop, pattern change and fill-in operations. The KR-11 has two foot switch jacks to facilitate this.

Down in the Tube Station with the Korg KR-11

The KR-11 is lightweight and portable, running off four AA batteries or an external power supply. It has an onboard speaker as well as a combined line/headphone out for hooking it up to a PA. The speaker sounds pretty good as well, “delivering a wide sound range and natural resonance,” says Korg. It also features Korg’s proprietary Acoustage Bass technology, which helps reproduce the sound of bass drums even on small speakers. Buskers, take note.

Beat Makers, Take Note of the Korg KR-11

I’m not a player, really. I’m more of a producer and electronic musician. Accordingly, I’m aware that I’m not necessarily the target audience for the KR-11. However, after listening to the audio demos on the Korg product page I have to say I’m into it. The drum sounds are solid and punchy and the patterns are very usable not just for practice but for beat-making too. There’s no MIDI, of course, but it does have tap tempo as well as swing, which is always nice to have.

The best part? The manufacturer’s recommended retail price (including VAT) is €119.00. Say, I do have a birthday coming up soon.

If you’d rather have something a little more basic, Korg’s Rhythm KR Mini is still available.