Korg Phase8: Acoustic Synthesis Beyond Digital and Analogue
After years of development at Korg Berlin's experimental research facility, the Phase8 has finally made its way from prototype to production. This eight-voice acoustic synthesizer represents something genuinely different - an instrument that generates sound through physically vibrating steel resonators rather than electronic oscillators, yet offers all the sequencing and modulation control you'd expect from a modern synthesizer.
Korg's own description cuts straight to the point: "It's beyond analogue vs digital - it's even beyond electronics". That's not just marketing speak. The Phase8 produces sound through eight independent electromechanical voices, each driven by interchangeable steel resonators that create tones somewhere between a kalimba and a prepared piano.
Steel Resonators at the Heart
The instrument ships with 13 chromatically tuned steel resonators, though only eight can be installed at any time. This modular approach lets you configure your own scale or tuning system by choosing which resonators to use. The presale package adds three limited-edition percussive resonators designed for experimental sound exploration beyond standard chromatic tones.
What makes the Phase8 unusual is how it invites physical interaction. Korg recommends touching, plucking, strumming, and tapping the resonators directly - or even placing objects like stones, pencils, or pieces of wood on them to alter the timbre. An AIR slider controls the acoustic response intensity for each resonator, letting you dial in how much of the raw acoustic sound reaches the output.
Electronic Control Meets Acoustic Sound
Despite its acoustic heart, the Phase8 offers serious electronic muscle. Each resonator has its own dedicated envelope and velocity control. The polymetric step sequencer supports both quantised step programming and unquantised live recording, with eight memory slots for saving patterns. All panel controls can be automated during sequences, meaning you can program evolving textures that shift over time.
The signal path includes analogue wavefolding and three amplitude modulation modes with optional harmonic quantisation. A trigger delay function adds offset notes relative to the tempo, creating rhythmic complexity from simple patterns.
Connectivity and Integration
The Phase8 integrates with external gear through MIDI, USB-MIDI, and CV inputs for parameter control. It can synchronise tempo with other devices and trigger notes bidirectionally - meaning external MIDI devices can play the acoustic synth, and the internal sequencer can drive external instruments.
Connections include USB-C for MIDI and firmware updates, MIDI in/out on TRS mini jacks, sync in/out, a 6.3mm line-level audio output, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
From Berlin to the World
The Phase8 emerged from Korg Berlin, the company's experimental R&D facility founded in 2019. The project evolved from the Phase5 prototype shown at Superbooth 2023, with contributions from multiple designers throughout its development. It's a product that could only come from a dedicated skunkworks environment - too unusual for a standard product roadmap, yet too promising to abandon.
Pre-orders have opened with units expected to ship in Q1 2026. The Phase8 represents a genuine step sideways from conventional synthesis, offering a way to create electronic music that's rooted in physical resonance rather than digital algorithms or voltage-controlled circuits.
