Korg Forums

Steinberger · Full Member Joined: 17 Jan 2012 Posts: 228

Since, in FM mode, the Frequency Modulation controls have different behaviors (MG/T.EXT is FM Amount and EG1/EXT is Freq mod amount for VCO 2 only) I'm wondering if this actually opens up the MS-20M to still do some sort of paraphonic play.

Tested and confirmed....sort of.
Switch to FM Mode. Using a MIDI keyboard controller to control the notes of the MS-20M and the SQ-1 CV out to the VCO1 & VCO2 FREQ jack of the MS-20M and cranking up EG1/EXT, the SQ-1 is modulating VCO2 frequency only, and relative to the note/freq triggered from my MIDI keyboard controller. i.e. the note played on the keyboard controller is VCO1 and the SQ-1 is going nuts effectively playing VCO2.

My question is will some patch I'm overlooking, or in combination with a PCB mod, allow paraphonic operation from just the keyboard in FM mode? I'm thinking KORG has left us some sort of surprise in place of not being able to address VCO2 directly from the patch panel.

mabi · Joined: 16 Apr 2015 Posts: 18

Good ideas... like you and probably most ms-20m owners I've been wondering how to hack a vco2 in through a mod or a patch.

Been gathering links and notes I find on 20m mods, haven't done any yet. I am competent enough to solder in some new jacks but that's about it, hoping someone who knows their way around components and PCBs finds and posts a solution.

Wish there was a wiki or discussion group or something for ms-20 mods, haven't found any.

Frenzies · Senior Member Joined: 10 Feb 2015 Posts: 464

A kind of duophony is possible. I love the version on this page. http://www.korganalogue.net/korgms/mstt.html
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01/WFD - M3 - MS-20 - Volca Bass - Volca Beats - Volca Keys - electribe emx2 - Monotron - KP3+ - iPad with too many Korg apps

Moog Sub 37 - Arturia Microbrute - Roland Gaia SH-01 - Boss DR660 - Akai S1000 - Akai S01 - Yamaha RM1x - Roland SP-404SX

https://soundcloud.com/beardsound

Steinberger · Full Member Joined: 17 Jan 2012 Posts: 228

Frenzies, I can't see where any of that applies to the MS-20M desktop module. We don't have VCO2 frequency in on this version. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place on the page?

Frenzies · Senior Member Joined: 10 Feb 2015 Posts: 464

Oh yeah, you don't. I remember now why I didn't want to get the module version, it's because you don't have VCO 2 frequency. Sorry about that.
_________________
01/WFD - M3 - MS-20 - Volca Bass - Volca Beats - Volca Keys - electribe emx2 - Monotron - KP3+ - iPad with too many Korg apps

Moog Sub 37 - Arturia Microbrute - Roland Gaia SH-01 - Boss DR660 - Akai S1000 - Akai S01 - Yamaha RM1x - Roland SP-404SX

https://soundcloud.com/beardsound

Steve GG · Joined: 31 May 2015 Posts: 25

It's rather disappointing that the MS-20M doesn't offer a way to control VCO1 and VCO2 independently.

They sacrificed the VCO2 CV IN socket on the patch field to allow v/oct control (which is more useful in my opinion).

What is more disappointing is that, despite providing a lot of patch points on the main PCB, they didn't offer any patch points for independently controlling VCO2.

This would have required a track cut and wiring in a switched jack. A simple procedure for anyone with a modicum of electronic construction skills.

Unfortunately (and I have looked closely at this), the track cut would need to be made on the panel-facing side of the board. Do you really want to undo all those pot nuts again. I don't. So there it stands.
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MS-20M - SQ-1 - Trinity V3 - Moog Sub 37 - Waldorf Blowfeld