Korg OpSix

[bpoodoo]

On the Opsix - there is a vast amount of operator+modulator images on panel.

Looks very much like the alien hieroglyphics on the Yamaha DX-7 panel which describe its FM operators and algorithms. Only a few humans have been able to decode them and understand how they work. I am not one of them!

[robinkle]

The OPSIX seems almost like the FM synth I've always wanted.

6-Operators is the sweetspot for me. It might be based on the DX7 or Volca FM, but with some new features by the look of it.

There seems to be 4 Operator modes. FM, RingMod, Wavefolding and Filter FM. Very interesting indeed.

To the left of the display, you have 6 dedicated knobs for Ratio setting, one for each operator.
There is also a Level slider for each operator below the ratio knobs.

The six knobs on the right, seems to be dedicated to various parameters. AMP EG, PITCH EG, LFO/EG, filter, and Effects.

There is an interesting Analyzer button, wonder what it does.

Below the display, there is operator select toggle buttons. (Would prefer dedicated buttons). And navigation buttons.

There is a randomize button as well at the top right corner.

Operator mode button.

The hardware looks finished, atleast the panel. It looks like an LCD is in place, as well as knobs and buttons. At this stage, I would assume and hope to see the product announcement later this year. It looks very promising to me.

It wouldn't hurt if it had more controls and took advantage of the free space on the panel. As it's designed now, there is a risk there might be a 3-octave version instead, same format as the Wavestate. Might be good for some, not me though. I'd take 5 Octaves, and hope to get aftertouch as well.

[Kevin Nolan]

On the Opsix - there is a vast amount of operator+modulator images on panel.

Looks very much like the alien hieroglyphics on the Yamaha DX-7 panel which describe its FM operators and algorithms. Only a few humans have been able to decode them and understand how they work. I am not one of them!

It's not hard at all. Two hours, max, will have to understanding it. I'll give you a primer:

- Each Box is an "Operator" - that is - an Oscillator. On the DX7 - A Sine Wave Oscillator

- One 'voice' plays 6 Operators or Oscillators

- The arrangement of the 6 Operators is set by the pattern (Algorithm) you choose. Look at the last one on the 2nd row - it's 6 Boxes in a line, in a row. That means tha a single note plays all 6 Sinewaves as if it's a 6 oscillator-per-voice synth. You can even detune them to fatten them up. On the MOD7 and SY77/99 the Oscillator can play other waves other than Sine waves so you get to play 6 oscillators per note, detuned, and it can sound very 'thick' and lush

- If you choose a pattern where one Box is sitting on top of another Box, then this is signifying that the top Box is "Frequency Modulating" (FM) the bottom box - and - depending on the amount of the top Box Oscillator feeding into the bottom one, the richer the resulting sound (more harmonics generated through FM). The top oscillator is then called a "Modulator" because it's Frequency Modulating the bottom one - which is then called a Carrier (because it's carrying the signal, no FM modulated, that you'll ultimately get to hear (or - view it aa - carrying the Modulator sitting on top of it!).

- If both the Carrier and Modulator are at the same frequency to start out with, then, when the Modulator FM-modulates the Carrier, the resulting sound is quite homogeneously 'thick' as in pad like, or perhaps brass like. But - all FM synths let you adjust the base frequency (or more accurately the frequency ratio) of both the modulator and the carrier oscillators. So if for example you increase the Modulator frequency to be twice that of the Carrier - then the resulting FM sound (managed over the play of the note via envelope generators) will start to sound quite like the famous DX7 Electric Piano sounds. And if you make the Modulator base frequency an odd number ratio that of the Carrier - say 3 or 5 times the frequency - then the resulting sound will sound quite bell or chime like.

- Even one Modulator on one Carrier (two of the 6 available Operators or Oscillators in an Algorithm) can make a vast array of sounds - so when you set out to design sounds on an FM synth - you first try to imagine the kind of sound you're after - then choose the most appropriate Algorithm to hopefully enable those results, and then start to adjust Operator Levels, Frequencies and Envelope Generator settings. That's the generic approach to FM programming.

- So if you want a thick pad like sound - that last algorithm is likely the one you want. If you want a sound with, say, three separate / distinct components to it - then pick an algorithm with 3 Operators as carriers and 3 modulators above them. If you're after a highly complex sound with lots of harmonics and harmonic movement - pick an algorithm with, say, 4 or even all 6 oscillators - one stacked on top of the other - where the highest one is FM modulating the one below it, and so on all the way down the chain - so that the amount of FM harmonic content generated is essentially limitless - and can then be shaped in timbre by the base frequency ratios, over time by the Envelopes, and how it's played on a keyboard by affecting how the keyboard velocity and aftertouch affects parameters such as Operator amount, envelope attack times and so on.

On OASYS / Kronos - at 80 note polyphony and 6 oscillators (operators) per note - that's 480 oscillators the instrument is making available at a given moment.

Indeed - on MOD7 - if you choose the last Algorithm - the one where all 6 Operators are side by side - then MOD7 becomes effectively an 80 note Virtual Analogue "Beast" with 6 oscillators per note/voice! It wipes the floor with AL-1, MS20EX and PolysixEX as a VA And what's _really_ impressive about it is that the oscillator "phase" can be set to random so that every note that plays, the phase relationship of all 6 oscillators is randomly set - making it sound _incredibly_ convincing from an "analog" point of view (the dreaded "twoing" you hear from many VA's when you trigger several oscillators at once - even detuned oscillators - is because they maintain a fixed phase relationship with one another, causing audible phase cancellation problems (the "twoing" sound!).

Hope you don't mint the "tutorial" I adore FM synthesis, and contrary to some of the comments made here that suggest FM is a tired synth format - nothing could be further from the truth - and why it is making a comeback. the option are limitless, the flexibility of sound design when you kow a little about what you are doing can be very exciting; and "acoustic" like performance capabilities of FM when linked to real time control such as key Velocity or breath control are to die for; and with things like RCM on the SY99 and even in MOD7 - that is - the ability to use PCM sounds as Modulating Operators - the sky literally is the limit from a sound design point of view.

[skinmechanic]

The FM synth engine on the Montage and MODX Yamaha synths are way easier to program some great sounds on there with the FMX engine the UI is easier to understand than the Korg MOD7.

Like most though i don’t see what all the fuss is about with FM synthesis i do like it but overrated.

[robinkle]

The FM synth engine on the Montage and MODX Yamaha synths are way easier to program some great sounds on there with the FMX engine the UI is easier to understand than the Korg MOD7.

Like most though i don’t see what all the fuss is about with FM synthesis i do like it but overrated.

MOD-7 isn't more difficult in my opinion, it's just less intuitive with all the page browsing. Hopefully the OPSIX becomes the hands on experience we want. The prototype has plenty of panel space.

[robinkle]

I made this illustration a while back for a hands-on FM synth. It proves it's possible, in my opinion.

Check the link for High-res image.


https://i.imgur.com/1p1XCFG.jpg

[Kevin Nolan]

I made this illustration a while back for a hands-on FM synth. It proves it's possible, in my opinion.

Check the link for High-res image.


https://i.imgur.com/1p1XCFG.jpg

My DX1 is pretty good too

But this design by you is magnificent - not completely - kind of like a merger of what Korg are doing here with a DX1 - and indeed - better than what it looks like Korg are up to. Very nice work. It does indeed address all the major aspects to what FM programming is about.

[Kevin Nolan]

The FM synth engine on the Montage and MODX Yamaha synths are way easier to program some great sounds on there with the FMX engine the UI is easier to understand than the Korg MOD7.

Like most though i don’t see what all the fuss is about with FM synthesis i do like it but overrated.

"Most" aren't thinking like you on this! "Most" think FM is amazing - and rightfully so. Aside from Virtual Acoustics, FM offers a stunning performance based system - because - FM occurs in acoustic instruments - and is a significant contributing factor to what we understand "Acoustic" to mean.

Other dimensions to it: There are 71,000 uniques sounds available for DX/FM synthesizers - the most for any instrument. Meanwhile, FM8 is one of the cornerstones of EDM. And - both the Synclavier in the past, and the Nonlinear Labs C15 today both significantly harness FM. And then there was the GS1 as used by Vangelis on albums such as Soil Festivities, Mask and Private Collection; and of course by TOTO on the iconic "Africa" track.

The crowning achievements for me are Realtime Convolution and Modulation (RCM) on the SY77/99. It's absolutely stunning. Similarly, the application of polyphonic aftertouch to FM algorithms (as heard on the GS1) and as implemented on the DX1 is truly breath-taking. It offers the opportunity to shape the timbre of the sound in real time, on a per-note basis. When played through modern effects from chorus to top-end reverbs, the DX1 with subtle polyphonic aftertouch is, as said, amazing. I own both the CS80 and DX1 - and I kid you not - when I got the DX1 I couldn't believe that that within just hours I was questioning the capability of the CS80 as a performance instrument when compared to the DX1. Thankfully I regained a sense of balance and perspective - but imagine how good the DX1 must be if it caused me to inadvertently question the calibre of a CS80 as a performance instrument! I've said this across numerous forums, and perhaps here - polyphonic aftertouch "completes" FM - and makes it, at most, a notch away from being like a Virtual Acoustic synthesizer. FM synthesis and polyphonic aftertouch are a match made in heaven.

So I assure you, there are so many dimensions to FM synthesis that actually confirm the initial Yamaha 1908s "hype" about the near infinite combinations of sounds possible - here we are 40 years later still inventing new incarnations of FM synthesis, with interest in FM synthesis showing no sign of abating. Korg aren't making this instrument for the fun of it. The Montage isn't FM based by accident - and Kurzweil haven't added FM synthesis to the PC4 on a whim. The demand is there.

[bpoodoo]

Hope you don't mind the "tutorial" I adore FM synthesis, and contrary to some of the comments made here that suggest FM is a tired synth format - nothing could be further from the truth - and why it is making a comeback.

Actually I appreciate the tutorial Kevin - thanks for taking the time to write it up. I've never owned an FM synthesizer or tried programming an FM soft synth. I'd only heard that FM programming was hard. But you explained it well. I suppose it is to a degree a different mindset - additive versus subtractive synthesis. i.e. what do I add (mix) to this waveform versus what do I remove (filter) from this waveform to get the sound I want. The sound from true FM synthesis (not sampled) is quite unique and desirable. The MOD-7 in the Kronos would be one of the reasons I'd consider upgrading from my Triton Extreme. Or maybe keep the TEx and consider the OpSix if/when it is released.

[Narioso]

Hope you don't mint the "tutorial" I adore FM synthesis, and contrary to some of the comments made here that suggest FM is a tired synth format - nothing could be further from the truth - and why it is making a comeback. the option are limitless, the flexibility of sound design when you kow a little about what you are doing can be very exciting; and "acoustic" like performance capabilities of FM when linked to real time control such as key Velocity or breath control are to die for; and with things like RCM on the SY99 and even in MOD7 - that is - the ability to use PCM sounds as Modulating Operators - the sky literally is the limit from a sound design point of view.

I saved it away for future needs, thank you.
Not sure yet if even any applies to VPM oscillators of Prologue, but will see if I recognize it and see similarities.

When Reface DX came I was tempted, but not seing sysex compatible with DX7 I dropped it.

Discouraged by attempts on TX81Z module.

Went of Boutique D-05 as that is compatible with sysex for D-50. No fun to do own sounds with that - so depends on picking cherries from what is out there.

Had a D-50 long ago with 6 Voice Crystal cards with sounds for it - some neat sounds in there.

[robinkle]

I made this illustration a while back for a hands-on FM synth. It proves it's possible, in my opinion.

Check the link for High-res image.


https://i.imgur.com/1p1XCFG.jpg

My DX1 is pretty good too

But this design by you is magnificent - not completely - kind of like a merger of what Korg are doing here with a DX1 - and indeed - better than what it looks like Korg are up to. Very nice work. It does indeed address all the major aspects to what FM programming is about.

Thanks!

My philosophy is based on the idea to not have more than ONE press of a button in order to access a parameter. So you basically select operator and tweak it, and that’s it. And you could edit more than one operator simultanously by selecting multiple operators, which is handy with E.G’s for example, or if you wan’t to make two or three identical operator stacks.
So I think this is the best solution for programming FM.

[Bachus]

Looks like a slightly improved MOD7 engine..
The tactile control tough makes a huge difference..