Korg to release ARP Odyssey

Joe Gerardi · Post by **Joe Gerardi** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 2:16 pm

NuSkoolTone wrote:Meh. No disrespect to the past (I remember playing an Axxe and it being really cool), but what 's the point in 2014? I would have much rather seen this as an EXi for the Kronos!

This. I mean, really: what's the point? What can be done on that that cannot be recreated on a more modern instrument?

And then what? Korg - which still own the Sequential Circuits rights - release a new Prophet-5? Well, if they release the -10 they got me, but all y'all get my point: aside from the nostalgia of the thing, I don't get the why of the decision.

..Joe

Kontrol49 · Post by **Kontrol49** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 3:30 pm

Whether anyone sees the point to an analog remake in 2014 is besides the point...

There is a demand there and Korg have responded to it.this certainly sets a benchmark.if this is the start of what's to come I'm all for these analog remakes,after the past two decades of being saturated with VA synths or a massive price to pay for the ever inflating and unreliable real analog dinosaurs it's a triumph for Korg IMO,just wait for the influx of Oddyseys coming up for sale in the coming months in a bid to cash in before it becomes devalued,it was surprising to see how many MS20s hit ebay not long after the Mini version was announced with way over the top prices.

I suspect it may have a detrimental affect to companies like DSI and Moog who perhaps don't have the capacities to compete with mass production runs that Korg could deliver still let's see,but I think there's always a demand for DSI and Moogs niche instruments.

Roland created a hype over the AIRA which seems to have failed miserably to live up to expectations and Korg have come along with this snippet and created a massive buzz,that's put out the flame for Roland.

DrHoo · Post by **DrHoo** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 5:17 pm

billysynth wrote:Why are Korg wasting man power ( or sheila power ) on this crap...why are all you baby boomers stuck in 1975 drooling over this garbage??

Still no Brass/Reed Exi for Kronos

Kevin, korg are telling the world so that they don't go out and spent their money on the competition...hold onto your cash for Sept 2014 -get an ARP and be ported back to 1975

Vote now...Vote Baby Boomer Forever!!!

Here you go 1978 boy...relive your teenage years...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OwSNz7lLLo

Billy

That just sucks ! I don't want certain other things but i don't believe for one minute that other people feel the same. Point in question, i bought the ms20m & have so far found it to be more useful than two V/A poly synths i have in a rack. It's immediate & convenient. I can dial in what i want & there's room for experimentation.
All this is ,is an announcement, that's all.

NuSkoolTone · Post by **NuSkoolTone** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 6:43 pm

michelkeijzers wrote:I think commercially it might be a very good step for Korg and I hope they make profit with it (and make a lot of musicians happy).

I would like to have seen this as EXi for the Kronos too, but probably it's more commercially interesting for Korg to make it a separate device.

Also, the market is changing to people wanting small analog stand-alone devices instead of an one can-do-it-all instrument like the Kronos.

Personally I rather have everything in a box. I play in a band, and I'm not intending to spend a lot of time building up small devices, which take space, money, needs protection, has cables between them etc.

So I hope they will consider it as an EXi for the Korg once they sold enough hardware versions of it.

It's hard to tell how difficult it would be to incorporate it in the software, but if they take already the Kronos (software) design in mind it would be possible, assuming the hardware (read: CPU/DSP requirements) are within the limits of the Kronos capability.

I agree with a lot of points here. If they price it like the new MS20 and it has MIDI it'll fly off the shelves.

The "Small analog devices" thing I think is because it's what the bedroom crowd can afford. Personally I can't stand the clutter and prefer the "many hats" approach myself. If a multitimbral Solaris with Novation mini-Nova vocoding under $4k came out, I'd buy one tomorrow. Same goes for a working man's Schmidt LOL.

As a "Tube purist" guitar player kind of guy, I can totally appreciate the "True Analog" thang. I had a buddy over with his real polysix and dial for dial it was eerily close to the Kronos on expensive studio monitors. Close enough I say that he'd be fine to sell it and get a Kronos if he didn't have room or budget for both.

From a mix/engineer POV, it is true the "Deep Bass" True Analog synths and drum machines can make is still unmatched. However it IS getting scary close. The thing is, in a mix there's only so much room down there and that's if it's being played back on a system that can actually reproduce those frequencies to begin with. With all the tools available now, I find it hard to justify that last 5%. The only scenario I could see if you have a VERY sparse mix with almost nothing going on. By the time you process it (Eq, compresssion, etc...) many would be hard pressed to hear a clear difference. In the past year I'm finally hearing VSTs matching and sometimes besting their hardware counterparts. Dare say in 5 years they will be indistinguishable at the current rate.

Now I need a receptor type box in a Kronos like package! In the meantime, could I have a polyphonic Odyssey for my Kronos?

brambos · Post by **brambos** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 7:54 pm

Kontrol49 wrote:Whether anyone sees the point to an analog remake in 2014 is besides the point...

True; what's wrong with having fun while making music? It's a creative process, right? So being able to use gear that's hands-on and actually pleasant to use can only help to get in the flow. We're not robots, we're humans.

Who cares about effective tools when they're as dull as a doorknob in actual use? Your mileage may vary, but I tend to be more productive and more creative with a bunch of musical toys than with a load of exceedingly dull 'pro' equipment.

Roland created a hype over the AIRA which seems to have failed miserably to live up to expectations

I disagree with you here. After the announcement I am actually more excited about the Aira range than before. The people screaming loudest they are disappointed tend to be grumpy analog-elitist, Roland haters or self-proclaimed experts, basing their opinion on heavily compressed youtube videos.

Read some reviews and watch some movies by people who have actually used the boxes: without exception they're all impressed with the Aira range. I really doubt they're all paid shills and it's all a conspiracy...

Synthoid · Post by **Synthoid** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:18 pm

brambos wrote: We're not robots, we're humans.

Depends on the band...

Kevin Nolan · Post by **Kevin Nolan** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:28 pm

I don't quite get this move by Korg. Accepted it has a lot of charm, and I hope it adds to their overall success (and am personally excited by it). But - why an Arp Odyssey??

Is it a reaction to Arturia releasing a synth with a Steiner-Parker Filter; and the availability of the original designer. Did the designer approach Korg? It looks like he's settled elsewhere and has been drafted in by Korg. It'd be helpful if Korg explained further with some video promos (cool looking Japanese engineers with trendy hair cuts obligatory!).

Seriously though - if for example, a 100% authentic MiniMoog was being released, no qualification of it would be needed - everyone would 'get it'. But the Arp Odyssey is not that. Though - perhaps it kind of was - perhaps in the US it was equally popular? I have no sense of it, so it seems like a curious, ugly, and largely uninteresting synth to reissue.

I would have also thought it smarter (and more consistent) for Korg to reissue a 100% authentic Mono/Poly. That synth was not a huge success of the time. But the shear might of a 4 oscillator monophonic synth and the top-notch filter and modulation features means that it has genuinely gained respect across the industry. It is among the most respected mono synths around; a true workhorse (I own one - my first voltage controlled synth, and I adore it). I suspect if the MonoPoly had been re-released then the synth world would have gone ballistic.

While there's a lot of interest in this Arp reissue for sure - and huge merit in it for all sorts of reasons - I think a lot of people no longer know this ARP Odyssey, and are more curious about the notion of its re-release than the desire to own one. Nobody really talks about it.

And - Korg releasing an Arp synth! Is that rely a plausible scenario? Can they really bring the design back with 100% accuracy? Are all the components still available?

While I'd like to see Korg qualify this a bit more; to me this is positive move from Korg - surely vindicating the notion that good instruments which are sought after will be supported by the industry (assuming this i a good instrument ?!). If this is part of a wider Korg / synth-industry / music user-base trend then it is a good day for the future of all types of synthesis and electronic music.

el_hombre · Post by **el_hombre** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:14 pm

I'm still hoping Korg will go back and reissue some more of the MS family. Particularly the MS50 and SQ10.
Maybe they figure these are too niche, or don't want to be bound to the MS20 so decided to do this instead.
Either way, I can't wait to get one of these things.
Kinda surprised by the negativity in some of the recent posts.
I'm sure Korg won't be neglecting their digital market. It would be foolish of them to do it. I also wouldn't be surprised if they had some eggheads in a lab somemwhere putting together something for the Kronos.
But I mean seriously, (and I must confess I'm not a digital guy, never played a Kronos, it's just not my thing), had Korg came out yesterday with a press release announcing an Odyssey emulator for the Kronos,
would there really be this much interest all over the net?

Kevin Nolan · Post by **Kevin Nolan** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:21 pm

I don't think there's too much negativity - but you have to admit it's a bit curious. And - isn't it an ugly synth? Is anyone actually excited by the model of synth they chose to re-release?

The concept of reissue is, for me, absolutely wonderful. And I adore analogue synths for all sorts of earnest music reasons. But I will likely not buy this - I own a lot of vintage gear but not once has it occurred to me to look for an Arp Odyssey - it never crossed my mind. And - largely nobody talks about it - so I suspect a lot of people are equally hum-ho about the actual instrument model itself.

It looks like Korg plucked the model to reissue out of thin air. Again - I hugely admire the concept of reissue - I'm a big advocate of it and I think this approach has excited a lot of people - only - the Arp Odyssey? Who can honestly say they have been waiting for it? That's why I personally need some video promos to convince me that it's worth considering. Otherwise, I'm delighted to hold onto my money, and admire Korg from afar - but I have no yearning for an Arp Odyssey.

Now - if someone convinces me that this reissue will be 100% faithful to the original Arp strength and character of sound - or convince me that it'll be like an Arp 2600 without the modular ability - then I might think about it.

I just think almost nobody knows what this instrument sounds like; and as said, I find it (all of its versions) as ugly as hell. It has absolutely no design merit. Even those faders look woeful and are surely too small for proper tactile control? Pretty crappy all round!

But don't get me wrong - I think the idea of such a reissue is FANTASTIC!

StephenKay · Post by **StephenKay** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:33 pm

Kevin Nolan wrote:I don't think there's too much negativity - but you have to admit it's a bit curious. And - isn't it a curious, ugly synth. Is anyone actually excited by the model of synth they chose?

The concept of reissue is, for me, absolutely wonderful. And I adore analogue synths for all sorts of earnest music reasons. But I will likely not buy this - I own a lot of vintage gear but not once has it occurred to me to look for an Arp Odyssey - it never crossed my mind. And - largely nobody talks about it.

I tend to agree. I never thought of an Arp Odyssey as being a truly desirable piece of gear. Now, if they were going to release the Arp 2600 or Arp 2500, that I could see...

What are all the big prog rock masterpieces and groups that used an Arp Odyssey? Let's see... "Muskrat Love" by Captain and Tenille, and "Space Race" by Billy Preston are two that come to mind, if I'm not mistaken...

Anyway, it's kind of a cool move and the whole synth internet world is a-buzz with the news, for whatever reason - but I could think of more interesting models to reissue. Perhaps the Odyssey is the only one that Mr. Friend has the intellectual property rights to...

cello · Post by **cello** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:54 pm

Strikes me that Korg is feeding the trolls...

Gimme analogue, gimme analogue they all cry! Arp Odyssey is hardly the jewel in the analogue crown. But hey, it'll be analogue (or so it would seem).

Much prefer the Aira approach - but that's probably just me!

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:28 pm

I am completely perplexed about the missing respect for the ARP Odyssey in this board - and about quite a stunning lack of historic memory concerning this little sonic jewel!

In this German vintage synth rating for analog mono synths you find the Odyssey on place four, and before synths like the ProOne, Roland SH5, Oberheim SEM and OB1, Yamaha CS30, Moog Prodigy and Korg MS20. The Monopoly just made it to the last place of 12 (even if I would rate it before the MS20).
http://www.amazona.de/charts/?cat=118&list=54538
Even if somebody does not agree with the list (and each has his own), it should at least give some of you a clue what we are talking about. The ARP Odyssey sold ~ 17000 units then, and was the hottest piece of live band monosynth besides the Minimoog.

It was a centerpiece of gear in Herbie Hanock's, George Duke's, Joe Zawinul's and Chick Corea's electric bands. Here's Synth Explorers short overview of well known artits:

"Over its 30-plus year history, Odysseys have been used by ABBA, Bomb The Bass, Ultravox, Gary Numan, LTJ Bukem, Air, Tangerine Dream, 808 State, Apollo 440, Nine Inch Nails, Astral Projection, Chick Corea, George Duke, Josef Zawinul, John Foxx, Vangelis, Elton John, Jethro Tull, Jimmy Edgar, DEVO, Sea Level, Boz Scaggz, The Starship, Kansas, Jean-Luc Ponty, Brand-X, Wigwam, R.E.M. and Herbie Hancock."

Click here to get some more insight into the big impression it left in some three decades of music history:
http://www.arpodyssey.com/history.html

StephenKay · Post by **StephenKay** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:32 pm

jimknopf wrote:I am completely perplexed about the missing respect for the ARP Odyssey in this board - and about quite a stunning lack of memory concerning this little sonic jewel!

It was a centerpiece of gear in Herbie Hanock's, George Duke's, Joe Zawinul's and Chick Corea's electric bands. Here's Synth Explorers short overview of well known artits:

"Over its 30-plus year history, Odysseys have been used by ABBA, Bomb The Bass, Ultravox, Gary Numan, LTJ Bukem, Air, Tangerine Dream, 808 State, Apollo 440, Nine Inch Nails, Astral Projection, Chick Corea, George Duke, Josef Zawinul, John Foxx, Vangelis, Elton John, Jethro Tull, Jimmy Edgar, DEVO, Sea Level, Boz Scaggz, The Starship, Kansas, Jean-Luc Ponty, Brand-X, Wigwam, R.E.M. and Herbie Hancock."

OK - thanks for that. You're right, I didn't remember hardly any of that.

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:37 pm

cello wrote:Strikes me that Korg is feeding the trolls...

Gimme analogue, gimme analogue they all cry! Arp Odyssey is hardly the jewel in the analogue crown. But hey, it'll be analogue (or so it would seem).

Much prefer the Aira approach - but that's probably just me!

"Korg is feeding the 'Trolls' "???

What a disgusting way of classifiying people who appreciate analog gear!
Instead of becoming offensive, you could as well just look forward to play with your Airas, and keep silent about something you obviously don't understand and don't want to use.

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:38 pm

It's nice, but I would really rather have something quirky and unique like the Omni (my favourite string machine sound too).

Or something fresh and modern with plenty of hands-on controls and endless encoders with LED indicator rings, touch-strip faders, patch recall at least.. or maybe just a massive touchscreen and really modular sound engine, etc.