Korg - microKEY 61

It all starts with the encounter of Tsutomu Kato, nightclub owner, and Tadashi Osanai, a graduate of the University of Tokyo and seasoned accordionist. When Osanai occurred in Kato box, he was accompanied by a drum machine Wurlitzer Sideman he was not totally satisfied. Confident of making a better product, he convinced Kato to finance his project. Korg and was founded in 1962. At the time, the company was called Keio Electronic Laboratories because its offices were close to the Keio train line in Tokyo.
Korg's first product was marketed in 1963. He was an electromechanical drum machine called Donca-Matic DA-20. Following its success, Keio realized in a digital version in 1966: the Donca-matic DE-20.
In 1967, Kato was approached by Fumio Mieda, an engineer who wanted to build keyboards. Faced Mieda enthusiasm, Kato asked him a prototype and 18 months later, Mieda presented him an organ. The fifty copies produced were the first to make the score Korg.
Organs Korg were successful until the early 1970s but faced with competition from big manufacturers, Kato decided to turn to the emerging market of synthesizers. The first model was the Mini-Korg, in 1973.
Korg produced other synthesizers in the 1970s and 80s In 1989, shortly before the release of M1, Yamaha took control of the company. This acquisition was made in good conditions and both brands continued to coexist and compete on the market.
In 1992, Korg has redeemed Vox.
In 1993 after successful years, Tsutomu Kato announced that it repurchased the shares that Yamaha had in society; Korg is now a fully independent company.
Since the activities are diversifying as digital effects, records equipment, electronic percussion, tuners and virtual instruments.
Korg is also a distributor of Marshall.