RADIAS Wishlist !!

[pillbug]

Would be nice to load wav samples as Oscillator 1 or both osc alla Cakewalk Rapture.

Yea it would be nice if you could upload your own samples in the PCM bank but don't know if that will happen. Unfortunately the RADIAS is not set up to sample from the audio inputs either. I guess that's more the ESX-1 territory.

But more realistically, maybe Korg could release a "PCM Version" update (as seen in the VerUp mode) to improve existing or add new Synth and Drum PCMs. Which of course could be a revenue stream for them as well.

[tpantano]

Would be nice to load wav samples as Oscillator 1 or both osc alla Cakewalk Rapture.

Yea it would be nice if you could upload your own samples in the PCM bank but don't know if that will happen. Unfortunately the RADIAS is not set up to sample from the audio inputs either. I guess that's more the ESX-1 territory.

But more realistically, maybe Korg could release a "PCM Version" update (as seen in the VerUp mode) to improve existing or add new Synth and Drum PCMs. Which of course could be a revenue stream for them as well.

the question is, is there writable memory available in the radias other than for patches and global settings?

[X-Trade]

Would be nice to load wav samples as Oscillator 1 or both osc alla Cakewalk Rapture.

Yea it would be nice if you could upload your own samples in the PCM bank but don't know if that will happen. Unfortunately the RADIAS is not set up to sample from the audio inputs either. I guess that's more the ESX-1 territory.

But more realistically, maybe Korg could release a "PCM Version" update (as seen in the VerUp mode) to improve existing or add new Synth and Drum PCMs. Which of course could be a revenue stream for them as well.

the question is, is there writable memory available in the radias other than for patches and global settings?

The idea is that the OS can be upgraded, so perhaps the samples can be upgraded when the OS is.
I don't think it is possible. The waveforms may very well be on a separate ROM chip.

Not that I wouldn't like to see it, but I think it is likely either KORG just won't do it or it isn't possible anyway.

[phlykr]

I'd love the EGs improved - Delay, longer attack time, hold before decay, tempo syncable (yeah, I know it can be achieved with the modseq... )
Improved lfos - REAL S&H, modulate tempo synced lfo speed with the second lfo or modwheel, etc
Formant filters and filterbank
Jam-friendly step sequencer - Realtime recording the 16/32/64 steps without stopping playback

Now, Radias fantasy: Pitch tracking via inputs - and consequently pitch to midi, KARMA!!!
TUUUUBES! (Just kidding, though it would look RAD!)

But seriously, I'm really looking forward to know what will be the next Korg synthesizer and what direction it will go.

[X-Trade]

I agree with all of those, phlykr.

Really I'd just like to see a synthesizer with more features that we're only seeing on workstations. More flexible EGs, more flexible FX routing.
Real S&H should have nothing to do with the LFO section. I'd love to see that - ability to run the EGs through S&H. Something I haven't seen on any fixed-architecture synthesizer. I like the sound of tempo-synced EGs too.

Furthermore, I don't see why we can't modulate the LFO speed when it is tempo synced. Surely it should just be quantized/stepped like the actual knob/control is in that mode. Would be great to control that from the modwheel. Similarly I wish LFO waveform shape parameter was a modulation destination - PWM on LFOs! etc.

and KARMA, yes indeed! I'm using my Radias-R with a KARMA workstation and it is a fantastic combination. Stephen Kay should have at least released a KARMA-RADIAS software package.
Or failing that, more programmable arpeggiators like on the triton series.

[Timo]

Radias Wishlist:

• I would love to be able to browse/audition for new timbres in a Timbre slot within a Program without it stopping the playback of all the other three Timbres in the Program if they are running. Currently if you want to browse through timbres or switch out a timbre when it is all playing then all playback ceases when you switch in a new timbre, and you have to fire each and every timbre all up again to continue where you left off each time.
• Make Pulse Width for pulse/square available for Osc 2. In fact why not make Osc2 a fully fledged oscillator like Osc 1, with all the same synthesis options.
• FM synthesis option to allow the other oscillator to be a modulator (again would be better if Osc 2 had all of Osc 1’s synthesis options too, then the options available as potential FM modulator(s) would be absolutely vast).
• Ability to set initial phase of oscillator(s) on note-on. In fact better phase control between oscillators would be great as the Radias can sometimes have a tendency to sound overly phasey, I feel.
• At least one more LFO. And faster LFO speeds.
• Ability to link Mod Sequences together to form longer sequences (like you can with the two Step Sequencer[s]).
• Band reject (notch) filter. Am unable to program some of my favourite trance sounds as a consequence of the lack of a band-reject filter.
• User importable/customisable single-cycle PCM/DWGs.
• Smooth interpolation between knob values to eliminate MIDI zipper artifacts. The Access Virus has already been doing this since the late 90's!
• Filter emulations. A nice really dirty MS20 filter. No clean stuff, please!
• I'd like to see more routing options including more sources but particularly destinations.
• Finer oscillator detune ("tune") values. Currently it starts to become really detuned after a tune value as low as 10. Separately, when using unison, detune values beyond 25 are already discordant meaning the further 75 values are potentially going to waste.
• Although Drive/WS can be placed before or after the filters, it would also be nice to be able to place Drive/WS inbetween the two filters for serial usage. Filter1>Drive>Filter2
• Patch compatibility with EXB-Radias (and, within the given limits, R3)!!
• Changing the “Catch” knob mode to temporarily steal LCD display while tweaking a knob before the LCD reverts back exactly to what page and parameter you were editing previously. For example you may be currently setting up some effects (or similar) from within the menus but decide you want to increase the filter cutoff slightly, so you tweak the filter cutoff knob to do so, but then you have to dive back into all the menus again to find the page and parameter in the effects section (or similar) you were editing beforehand.
• Ability to memorise your LCD brightness selection after power down. Currently I have to jump into the Global menu to whack the brightness up to level 9 each time I turn the Radias on.
• Lastly, for a new physical Radias v2, but by no means least, aftertouch and a ribbon controller.

The Radias is already an awesome synth, but I think it could have gone a lot more places. Sadly, in many respects I feel the synthesis engine and options have actually taken a backward step compared to the Z1/Moss in terms of numbers of main oscillators per voice, available synthesis/oscillator types including corresponding modulation options, quantity of LFOs, dynamic modulation (controllers), even the (un)suitability of ranges of some given knob values, etc.

However the mod/step/arp sequencing is really great, along with the drum and synth PCM samples, great sounding vocoder, analogue-esque 'drive' option for either pre/post filter depending on the effect you're after (very nice to have that option), many of the insert effects (tape echo and grainshifter for the win!), customisable two-band shelving EQ per part, and even little flourishes like the morphing LFOs.

Programmable arpeggiator patterns!

You can actually program your own. (Page 96 in the paper manual)
It has up/down/up&down1/up&down2/chord action, customisable up to 32 steps, programmable trigger/velocity/gate[time] per step, plus configurable resolution, swing function, and a specified octave range.

[X-Trade]

I don't intend to reply to every post here, honest! But I did notice a few things in Timo's list:

Radias Wishlist:
• FM synthesis option to allow the other oscillator to be a modulator (again would be better if Osc 2 had all of Osc 1’s synthesis options too, then the options available as potential FM modulator(s) would be absolutely vast).

KORG doesn't have FM synthesis, but you do have cross modulation, which I believe is a kind of phase modulation. Very similar sounding to FM. In fact virtually identical. You can already put OSC1 in 'crossmod' mode and then OSC2 becomes the modulator, OSC1 the carrier.
I do think it would be nice though to put the filters in Individual mode and then take the crossmod modulation from after filter2, to get more control over the sound.

• Band reject (notch) filter. Am unable to program some of my favourite trance sounds as a consequence of the lack of a band-reject filter.

If you set filter1 to somewhere between LP and HP modes, you can get a very convincing mild notch/allpass sound. I've found it fairly useful before.

• Ability to memorise your LCD brightness selection after power down. Currently I have to jump into the Global menu to whack the brightness up to level 9 each time I turn the Radias on.

I think you have to 'write' global settings, just like you do on any other KORG synth. Just checked - yep, mine does it!

[pillbug]

Radias Wishlist:

Programmable arpeggiator patterns!

You can actually program your own. (Page 96 in the paper manual)
It has up/down/up&down1/up&down2/chord action, customisable up to 32 steps, programmable trigger/velocity/gate[time] per step, plus configurable resolution, swing function, and a specified octave range.

Wow, thanks for that Timo! My eyes (and brain) tend to gloss over when reading more than 2 consecutive pages of owners manual at once.
I'll check it out!

[axxim]

Yea it would be nice if you could upload your own samples in the PCM bank but don't know if that will happen. Unfortunately the RADIAS is not set up to sample from the audio inputs either. I guess that's more the ESX-1 territory.

But more realistically, maybe Korg could release a "PCM Version" update (as seen in the VerUp mode) to improve existing or add new Synth and Drum PCMs. Which of course could be a revenue stream for them as well.

the question is, is there writable memory available in the radias other than for patches and global settings?

The idea is that the OS can be upgraded, so perhaps the samples can be upgraded when the OS is.
I don't think it is possible. The waveforms may very well be on a separate ROM chip.

Not that I wouldn't like to see it, but I think it is likely either KORG just won't do it or it isn't possible anyway.

Verifying the OS version of the Radias, ther are three Version fields:
SYS: Ver 2.00
USR: Ver 1.01
PCM: Ver 1.01

It may mean nothing but I think they are updateable.
Probably the reason is that if Korg would let the users rewrite the PCM, this would involve that all patches using PCM sources would change and depending on what you write there could sound weird. I can imagine the amount of complaints they will recive from unexperienced users who just try all new things just to see what it brings and then discover that their favourite paches are sounding different or wrong!

But hell, I would love this feature! I would fill them with real warm analog saws, pulses and stable vocals!

[pillbug]

Having worked with other synths (like Alesis Micron), I have come to appreciate the RADIAS' 2FX per timbre + Master FX per program. What I really wish RADIAS had though, is a Send level per timbre to the Master FX (since the Master FX "Wet/Dry" setting is essentially the "Return.") For example if you want less (or more) reverb on your drum or bass timbre than you want on your lead or strings.

Korg implements this in the Triton Extreme for example, which after the 5 insert FX available has 2 Master FX each with individual send levels per program in Combi or Seq mode (which basically correlate to the RADIAS' Program mode).

So does anyone else agree, this implementation would be a helpful feature in RADIAS? Or has anyone found a workaround?

[X-Trade]

Having worked with other synths (like Alesis Micron), I have come to appreciate the RADIAS' 2FX per timbre + Master FX per program. What I really wish RADIAS had though, is a Send level per timbre to the Master FX (since the Master FX "Wet/Dry" setting is essentially the "Return.") For example if you want less (or more) reverb on your drum or bass timbre than you want on your lead or strings.

Korg implements this in the Triton Extreme for example, which after the 5 insert FX available has 2 Master FX each with individual send levels per program in Combi or Seq mode (which basically correlate to the RADIAS' Program mode).

So does anyone else agree, this implementation would be a helpful feature in RADIAS? Or has anyone found a workaround?

The 'Master FX' on the Radias isn't really the same as the 'Master FX' on KORG's workstations. It would be nice possibly to have the completely flexible system like on the workstations but then like you I also like the way that the two IFX 'belong' to the timbres - when you select a timbre from another program or when you are working with templates, the IFX go with them. But then sometimes you are only using one for one timbre but could do with three for another!

Anyway, the master FX on the Radias is more akin to the 'Total FX' on the M3. Using a traditional send/return system would rule out 100% wet FX, which would be bad because I often use that Master FX slot for master limiting or EQ. However, I certainly think there should be some better way to route the FX from individual drum parts, possibly say whether some drums bypass the FX or only go to FX 2.

[pillbug]

Exactly.

(And completely off topic, I am selling the Micron 2 days after buying it. It's just a toy compared to the RADIAS!)

[slammah2012]

Exactly.

(And completely off topic, I am selling the Micron 2 days after buying it. It's just a toy compared to the RADIAS!)

the sound of it is nice,.... but that miniature toy keyboard bed is the reason i ditched mine....and dammit all, the ion had the same mini keys...

[Synthoid]

(And completely off topic, I am selling the Micron 2 days after buying it. It's just a toy compared to the RADIAS!)

the sound of it is nice,.... but that miniature toy keyboard bed is the reason i ditched mine....and dammit all, the ion had the same mini keys...

Neither the Micron or Ion have mini keys!

Now the MicroKorg... that does.

[slammah2012]

you are wrong.... They do have substandard mini keys....