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I am looking at buying one of the expansions for the O.

I am a little perplexed to say the least when it comes to programming this beast.

Should I go for the MS-20/Poly Six or the Mod 7.

The MS-20 certainly has a more pleasing GUI. But then, it does look mighty comlpex at the same time.

I know there is not a one size fits all synth to choose from, but I was just looking to see how other people got on with each.

Cheers.

I would recommend MOD-7 as AL-1 already covers most of the Analog synth bases in my opinion. There are plenty of patches available for MOD-7 so whilst you're learning to program it yourself you'll not be short of sounds There are 3 banks from Korg and many many DX-7 sounds to import.

If I were in the same position, and had to have one or the other, I would definitely get the MOD-7

Yes, Mod7 is the way to go, however in programming this beast, one has to know a bit more than simply programming a polysix...

Nowadays wrote:Yes, Mod7 is the way to go, however in programming this beast, one has to know a bit more than simply programming a polysix...

True, but the good part is instant access to 200,000 DX downloads in Kevin Nolan's file!

+1 on MOD 7, but.... get them both! I love how simple the PolySix is - add some polyunison and some detune and it sounds badass.

If you really have to decide between those two then I recommend MOD-7. As posted by Daz, Nowadays and Mike you have access to Korg's sound banks + the huge file made available by Kevin. The sound banks from Korg are an excellent starting point for own sound experiments and make use of the controllers.

But if I were you I would try to get both EXis. Although AL-1 covers most of the analogue sounds the sound character of MS-20 and Polysix is different. I agree with Mike, Polysix will give you good results as it is very easy to program.

peter

Thanks for the replies guys.

I wish I could buy both, but unfortunately, don't have the funds at the moment.

I could have bought both if the exchange rate was what it was 6 months or so ago. Damn global economy

I would recommend both, but given that you have to choose between the two, it all depends on your taste for synth sounds. If you are an old DX fan and are looking to go well beyond FM, then go for MOD-7. On the other hand, if you are into legacy analog synth sounds, then definitely get LAC-1.

Both EXis are superb. So, definitely do return to pick up the one you passed over.

By the way, "The Dark Side <LAC>" http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplaye ... 26779&q=hi combi from our Catalyst v 1 collection uses LAC-1 sounds.

Cheers,
Eric

I voted for the Mod7 too. But it's a tough choice! Overall Mod7 covers a much wider range of sound-types IMHO than LAC1. But there are some extremely unique and great sounds esp. on the MS20 which I wouldn't want to miss either. AL1 is no replacement for the MS20 - IMHO it has a different sound characteristic (which reminds me of Peter's saw-comparison between the different synth-engines).

I would say go for both. they seem to offer different options and capabilities.

I intend to do this very soon along with the EXS3 brass and woodwinds collection to give me some working tools etc

lew

Cookie monster is on the loose. if anyone sees him he is armed and dangerous. do not approach him unless you have a spear cookie or two to calm him down. then by all probability he should be rather harmless

If programming is a genuine problem - you need to think seriously before purchasing Mod-7. It is hugely powerful but it is extremely tricky to program, it is not for the casual musician but instead requires a thorough understanding of FM synthesis, and then some, before meaningful sounds can be synthesized from scratch. So you'll have a very steep learning curve - if creating new sounds is what you are after.

To give you some sense of the issue - the MS20EX is vastly simpler - a minute fraction of the complexity of Mod-7. So if the MS20 seems complex, do not even consider Mod-7 - if as I said, creating or synthesizing sounds is what you are actually after.

Furthermore, while you already have AL-1 on board, it too is quite complex. Hence if you are interested in actually synthesizing your own sounds, then Polysix is by far your best option.


However - and this is an important ‘however’ - if you wish to use existing sounds, then Mod-7 is a very serious contender. Its 128 program sound set is exquisite; and there are more than a hundred new sounds for free on korguser.net for you to download. These all demonstrate the Mod-7 capabilities quite well, and are very usable. Furthermore, as Mike has mentioned, I've posted 200,000 DX sounds for download at the link Mike provided - and these can be loaded into the Mod-7 synth engine, giving you access to the vast Yamaha legacy of FM sounds. Though many of these are quite basic, they can be easily enhanced through layering two DX sounds in a single Mod-7 program, and by adding effects and modulation and so on. They are a very comprehensive archive from which to use Mod-7.

Also - though Mod-7 is very complex, many useful parameters are available on the realtime controls for simpler sound editing and where you can make quite drastic alterations even if you do not know what you are doing - and then save the results to new programs.

Finally, Mod-7 is a gargantuan beast. If eventually you become an expert in it, it will be capable of significant new programs. I woudl argue that nobody to date – not even Korg programmers - has programmed Mod-7 to anything like its true potential. I say this because I've been using Yamaha's SY series of FM synths for 20 years, and although they represent a sub-set of the capabilities of Mod-7, programs exist for the SY instruments which are far more advanced than anything I've heard from Mod-7 to date. So given Mod-7's hugely extended capabilities, I'd say it is capable of staggering programs with staggering performance control. It will take a lot of programming expertise to get there - but at least if you buy Mod-7 you have that potential under the hood for the long term future.

So the question really is - are you intent on actually programming your own sounds - if so start with Polysix and MS20. But if you're after a huge palette of sounds and massive future potential, Mod-7 is you man.

Kevin.

Kevin Nolan wrote:I've posted 200,000 DX sounds for download at the link Mike provided - and these can be loaded into the Mod-7 synth engine

My apologies, Kevin - I didn't post the link. Do you still have it?

Oops - my mistake -

the link is;

http://www.knect.ie/OASYS.html

It's also mentioned on korguser.net


Cheers,
Kevin.

Wow Kevin,
after that exemplary explaination I'd go out and buy both EXi's ( I have them all by the way - and will continue to buy whatever they release to support Korg and the Oasys )

The Exi's are very cheap at $250.00 US Dollar. If you consider how much a Yamaha DX-1 cost in Australia in the 80's - i remember seeing one ( the only one ) in one of our music stores here in melbourne...it had a price tag of $15,000.00 AusDollar. The DX1 allowed layering of two sounds...well you can do this with Mod7 ( at a much cheaper price ) and have a lot more power available to you...something, according to Kevin that Korg have not really shown in the sound sets they have given us...that perplexes me Kevin, to read what you wrote. I'm blown away by the sound sets provided to us by Korg yet you say Mod 7 is capable of far more staggering sound production??

Well...if Korg didnt deliver what you really believe can be delivered I'm dumb founded

I'll wait for someone to release 128 Staggering MOD7 Sounds I would definately buy these in an eye blink. Anybody want to take on this gargantuan task?

Thanks Kevin for your input, always a pleasure to read your posts.

Billy

Hi billysynth

The best way I can demo the SY 77 and show some of its exquisite FM/RCM synthesis capabilities is to play a number of little pieces, since it’s all about playing the instrument. So below are just three mp3 example files. All pieces were played live to Adobe Audition with no editing – my playing (warts and all) is needed to give a genuine sense of the SY77 in a live scenario. I make no excuses for what you hear – but you are of course entitled to dislike it! I hope the various pieces demonstrate the SY77 however.

The first mp3 is called Remirez, named after a pure FM program for the SY77 of the name. On this mp3 you will find three little compositions of mine within the one mp3 file – the first piece is a little baroque style ‘cannon’ for want of a better term. The second is a little theme I once wrote for a theatre play, and the third is a kind of Spanish guitar improvisation (I know nothing about spanish music, little about guitar or how to emulate it on keyboard, so please excuse the cliched nature of that piece). Never the less I hope you will agree that, with hearing varying dynamic response to key velocity and even ‘string finger scratching’, that this sound is very acoustic and very acoustically responsive. There are literally hundreds of programs available offering variations of this one program (and interesingly nothing from Mod-7 comes close, IMO, to matching the acoustic performance 'response' of this program):

Remirez:
http://www.knect.ie/Remirez.mp3

The second mp3 demonstrates one aspect of RCM synthesis – making PCM samples more 'live' - here applied to a French horn. First you hear several notes of the actual program, which I hope you agree sounds quite good. Then you hear several notes of the actual SY77 French horn PCM sample on its own (pretty bad!). Next you hear several notes from the FM sound that will be convolved with the French horn via its RCM 'engine' (the FMsound on its own sounds like a really cheap organ, but when convolved with the sample, thy produce the vibrant French horn program in its totality). You then hear several notes of the full RCM patch again, followed by a (really bad) rendition of a French horn from one of Dvorak’s symphonies; and then you hear a demo of several parallel 5ths. Again I hope you agree that, despite the rushed playing (I just threw thesee together), the RCM synthesis works very well. This is but one scenario for RCM, and there are many other sound design and more electronic possibilities:

French Horn:
http://www.knect.ie/French_Horn.mp3


The third mp3 is actually of a piece I did well over a decade ago on the SY77 only. I used some reverb from a Yamaha DMP7 mixer; other than that the piece was done purely on the SY77 on its internal sequencer. Actually, I lost the original MIDI file for this piece (stupidly wiped over it in the SY77), so what you here is a cassette tape copy, with noise removed with Adobe Audition (a fantastic application). I did this piece over a few hour one evening and never returned to it so you will hear timing errors. But I’ve resurrected here for demoing the SY77. Actually on reflection I'm quite quite happy with it and might recreate it. Nevertheless, despite its demo only quality, again I hope you will agree that even if you do not like the music, the SY77 demonstrates its power, fullness of sound, capacity for dynamics, given that this is all being played live from MIDI sequencer on the instrument with no overdubbing - and this is a synthesizer now 20 years old:

Khafre:
http://www.knect.ie/Khafre_Nr.mp3

So if there is a way of conveying the strength of the SY range it is in its acoustic like dynamic capability. In as much as we can all tell when something is played loud (even when listening back at low level) - because of the dynamics of the instrument or performance - the SY range similarly provide very convincing dynamic response to loud and soft playing which give great authenticity to a performance dynamics.

Into the barging, the SY77 and TG77 sell for next to nothing these days; and there are about 50,000 patches available for them over the web – check out ebay and you will find many of them on sale for next to nothing including large sound archives.

Overall, the SY77 and its bigger brother the SY99 are still contemporary, and offer sound capabilities the match of any synthesizer today and, IMO, are more useful than MOD-7 because they have benefited from significant programming over the years.

Cheers,
Kevin.

... no doubt about the quality of Yamaha's SY series. I am not sure but I think that Mike is a fan of the french horn sound, too. But I could be wrong on that one.

Kevin Nolan wrote: Khafre:
http://www.knect.ie/Khafre_Nr.mp3

Kevin, a very very nice track. Like it a lot !!!

peter