Korg Polysix

Last updated
Polysix
KORG Polysix.png
KORG Polysix
Manufacturer Korg
Dates1981 [1]
PriceUS$1095
UK£899
Technical specifications
Polyphony 6 voice
Timbrality Monotimbral
Oscillator 1 VCO with 1 sub-oscillator per voice
LFO 1
Synthesis type Analog Subtractive
Filter Resonant low-pass
Attenuator 1 x ADSR
Aftertouch expression No
Velocity expressionNo
Storage memory32 patches
Effects Chorus, Phaser, Ensemble
Input/output
Keyboard 61-key
External control CV/Gate

The Korg Polysix(PS-6) is a six-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer released by Korg in 1981. It was one of the first affordable polyphonic synthesizers on the market, and was released as a cheaper alternative to the Sequential Prophet-5 and Oberheim OB-X, priced at approximately a third of the cost of its contemporaries in the polysynth market. [2] It includes one VCO per voice, enhanced by a chorus/ensemble effect for added richness. It also comes equipped with 32 program memories and an integrated arpeggiator. [3]

Contents

Development

Before the introduction of the Polysix, Korg had not yet ventured into the market of modern, polyphonic synthesizers that featured dynamic voice allocation. During this period, the market was dominated by microprocessor-controlled synthesizers such as the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 and the Oberheim OB-X. Instead of directly competing with these high-end synthesizers, Korg aimed to create a more accessible and cost-effective instrument with the Polysix. Upon its launch, the Polysix was one of the first polyphonic analog synthesizers available for under $2,000 in the United States and £1,000 in the United Kingdom, marking a significant milestone in making polyphonic synthesis more accessible to a wider audience. [4]

In order to reduce costs, the Polysix was designed with only one oscillator per voice, unlike its contemporaries, the Prophet-5 and OB-X, which featured two oscillators per voice. To compensate for this limitation, the Polysix incorporated built-in chorus, phaser, and ensemble effects, each with adjustable intensity, which were creating utilizing a bucket brigade analog delay line design. At the time of its release, the inclusion of an on-board chorus was relatively uncommon. [1]

The Polysix offered six-voice polyphony and also included 32 memory slots for patch storage, a cassette port for backing up patches, and an arpeggiator. The release of the Polysix was just months before Roland introduced the Juno 6, which was a main competitor to the Polysix, and also featured a single oscillator per voice and an onboard chorus effect. [1]

Sounds and features

The Polysix features a straightforward synthesis architecture. Each of its voices is equipped with one oscillator capable of producing a sawtooth wave, variable pulse wave, or pulse-width modulation (PWM) outputs, with the PWM option having a dedicated low-frequency oscillator (LFO). Additionally, a sub-oscillator provides the option to add a square wave at one or two octaves below the main VCO pitch. The filter has controls for cutoff frequency, resonance, envelope amount and keyboard tracking. Its envelope generator, which is of the ADSR type, includes a unique centre-zero control, allowing users to choose between normal and inverted envelope shapes.

The VCA can be operated from either the envelope or a gate signal. The combined output of all voices can be processed through an effects section, which provides three modulated delay-based effects: Chorus, Phaser or Ensemble. These effects significantly enhance the sound, contributing to its richness and depth, a key feature at the time of release.

Software

In 2004, Korg released a software emulator of the Polysix as part of the Korg Legacy Collection, which offers a digital emulation of the Polysix with modern features like MIDI compatibility and additional controls. [5] The Polysix Legacy engine was included as part of the LAC-1 expansion for the Korg OASYS in 2006, [6] and was also included as one of the sound engines in the Korg Kronos, released in 2011. [7]

In 2013, Korg introduced an iOS emulation of the Polysix for the iPad called iPolysix [8] as well as a Polysix instrument for Propellerhead Reason 7. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg OASYS</span> Workstation synthesizer

The Korg OASYS is a workstation synthesizer released in early 2005, 1 year after the successful Korg Triton Extreme. Unlike the Triton series, the OASYS uses a custom Linux operating system that was designed to be arbitrarily expandable via software updates, with its functionality limited only by the PC-like hardware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roland Jupiter-4</span> Polyphonic analog synthesizer

The Roland Jupiter-4 (JP-4) was an analog synthesizer manufactured by the Roland Corporation between 1978 and 1981. It was notable as the company's first self-contained polyphonic synthesizer, and for employing digital control of analog circuits, allowing for such features as programmable memory, voice assignment modes, an arpeggiator, polyphonic portamento and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg MS-20</span> Patchable semi-modular monophonic analog synthesizer

The Korg MS-20 is a patchable semi-modular monophonic analog synthesizer which Korg released in 1978 and which was in production until 1983. It was part of Korg's MS series of instruments, which also included the single oscillator MS-10, the keyboardless MS-50 module, the SQ-10 sequencer, and the VC-10 Vocoder. Additional devices included the MS-01 Foot Controller, MS-02 Interface, MS-03 Signal Processor, and MS-04 Modulation Pedal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg DW-8000</span> Hybrid digital-analog synthesizer

The Korg DW-8000 is a polyphonic hybrid digital-analog synthesizer released in 1985. It blends digital waveforms with an analog filter and amplifier, followed by a digital delay for adding echo effects. It boasts eight-note polyphony and its keyboard is equipped with velocity sensitivity and aftertouch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg Prophecy</span> Synthesizer released in 1995

The Korg Prophecy is a monophonic synthesizer released by Korg in 1995. Korg's first monophonic synthesizer since the Mono/Poly, The Prophecy employs the Multi Oscillator Synthesis System (MOSS), which features digital oscillators capable of emulating synthesis techniques such as analog synthesis, FM and physical modelling. Emphasized for its portability, expressiveness, and engaging playability, a distinctive feature of the Prophecy is its multifunctional Wheel 3, nicknamed the 'log'.

The Korg Poly-61(PS-61) is an analog programmable polyphonic synthesizer released by Korg in 1982, as a successor to the Polysix. It was the first affordable synthesizer to feature two oscillators per voice, and was Korg's first largely "knobless" synthesizer, replacing the traditional knobs and switches found on the Polysix with a series of parameter selectors and two incrementing buttons that allowed the user to program sounds one section at a time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg MS2000</span> Synthesizer released in 2000

The Korg MS2000 is a virtual analog synthesizer produced by the Japanese electronic musical instrument manufacturer Korg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg Wavestation</span> Synthesizer

The Korg Wavestation is a vector synthesis synthesizer first produced in the early 1990s and later re-released as a software synthesizer in 2004. Its primary innovation was Wave Sequencing, a method of multi-timbral sound generation in which different PCM waveform data are played successively, resulting in continuously evolving sounds. The Wavestation's "Advanced Vector Synthesis" sound architecture resembled early vector synths such as the Sequential Circuits Prophet VS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oberheim OB12</span> Synthesizer released in 2000

The Oberheim OB•12 is a Virtual Analog synthesizer, designed and realised by the Italian musical instrument manufacturer Viscount, in production between 2000 and 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oberheim OB-Xa</span> Polyphonic analogue synthesizer

The Oberheim OB-Xa was the second of Oberheim's OB-series polyphonic analog subtractive synthesizers, replacing the OB-X with updated features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg DS-8</span> Synthesizer

The Korg DS-8 is a digital eight-voice FM synthesizer released by Korg in 1987. Following an agreement with Yamaha for access to its research and development facilities, it was designed using Yamaha components and constructed under a licensing agreement. It introduced an analog-style interface for controlling FM sounds and could play different patches on each of its eight voices, marking it as Korg's first multi-timbral MIDI synthesizer. Accompanying its launch was the Korg 707, a more portable version of the DS-8, lacking digital effects but equipped with strap pegs for keytar performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg Mono/Poly</span> Analog synthesizer, manufactured by Korg from 1981 to 1984

The Korg Mono/Poly (MP-4) is a paraphonic analog synthesizer released by Korg in 1981, bridging the gap between monophonic and polyphonic synthesis. Released in the same year as the Korg Polysix, as a complementary synth, The Mono/Poly is equipped with four VCOs and can operate as a four-voice paraphonic synth with limited capabilities, or as a monophonic synth using all four oscillators. Upon its release, it was the only monophonic synthesizer with an integrated quad-VCO design available on the market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg DW-6000</span> Analogue synthesizer

The Korg DW-6000 is a polyphonic hybrid digital-analog synthesizer released in 1985. It blends digital waveforms with an analog filter and amplifier, also incorporating a chorus effect to create an enriched analog sound. The DW-6000 features six-note polyphony and was quickly succeeded by the DW-8000, also released in 1985, which introduced a velocity sensitive keyboard with aftertouch, a built-in arpeggiator, increased polyphony and waveforms, and substituted the chorus effect with a digital delay effect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg Kronos</span> Music workstation

The Kronos is a music workstation manufactured by Korg that combines nine different synthesizer sound engines with a sequencer, digital recorder, effects, a color touchscreen display and a keyboard. Korg's latest flagship synthesizer series at the time of its announcement, the Kronos series was announced at the winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California in January 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg Z1</span> Synthesizer released in 1997

The Korg Z1 is a digital synthesizer released by Korg in 1997. The Z1 built upon the foundation set by the monophonic Prophecy released two years prior by offering 12-note polyphony and featuring expanded oscillator options, a polyphonic arpeggiator and an XY touchpad for enhanced performance interaction. It was the world's first multitimbral physical modelling synthesizer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg OASYS PCI</span> Sound card

The Korg OASYS PCI is a DSP-based PCI-card for PC and Mac released in 1999. It offers many synthesizer engines from sampling and substractive to FM and physical modelling. Because of its high market price and low polyphony, production was stopped in 2001. About 2000 cards were produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg Minilogue</span> Polyphonic analogue synthesizer

The Korg Minilogue is a polyphonic analog synthesizer released in 2016 by Korg. It offers users four-voice polyphony with two analog VCOs per-voice and was designed to be affordable. It was designed by Korg engineer and synthesizer designer Tatsuya Takahashi, who said "the concept of the Minilogue was to build an analog synthesizer that doesn't rely on the fame and success of an old synth".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg Trident</span> Polyphonic multi-orchestral synthesizer

The Korg Trident is a polyphonic multi-section synthesizer released by Korg in 1980, combining three distinct synthesizers within a single instrument:: a polyphonic section with two VCOs, alongside dedicated String and Brass sections.. The polyphonic synthesizer section allows for eight-note polyphony with dual oscillators. The String section offers an ensemble effect and simple attack/release envelope controls, whereas the Brass section features an independent filter and a dedicated ADSR envelope. These sections can be assigned to two different regions of the keyboard independently, and the Trident also offers a flanger effect along with a joystick for pitch bending and modulation.

The Nautilus is a music workstation manufactured by Korg, a successor to Kronos 2, which comes with Kronos' nine different synthesizer sound engines and other similar features. It was announced in November 2020 with availability in January 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Magnus, Nick (September 1994). "Korg Polysix". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  2. Howell, Steve (Aug 1982). "Korg Polysix". Electronics & Music Maker. United Kingdom: Music Maker Publications (UK), Future Publishing. pp. 35–37. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  3. Bjørn, Kim (2022-01-01). Patch & Tweak with KORG. Bjooks. p. 178. ISBN   978-8799999552.
  4. Reid, Gordon (October 2002). "The History Of Korg: Part 1". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  5. Reid, Gordon (August 2004). "Korg Legacy Collection (Part 3)". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  6. "KORG releases OS v1.2 operating system for OASYS with demos of MS-20 and Polysix". Sonic State. 13 Nov 2006.
  7. Reid, Gordon (May 2011). "Korg Kronos". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  8. Watkinson, Mike (February 2013). "Korg iPolysix". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  9. Bigwood, Robin (June 2013). "Propellerhead Reason 7". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 2024-03-13.