Korg to release ARP Odyssey

[SanderXpander]

I'm with Jim, even though that German top 12 is really weird (Octave CAT, really?) :p
The 2600 is a great machine, but have you ever seen one? It's unwieldy by today's standards.
My guess is they're going to try for "stunning value" and easy portability again, neither of which would be as obtainable with a 2600 remake.

[jimknopf]

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.

No big deal: I'm not trying to be smart-alec, just happen to like it from many songs and artists I appreciate.

[Broadwave]

The Oddy has always been my "go to" synth for instant inspiration - If I create a great patch, the chances are I can generally recreate it on the Kronos (and SAVE it!)

I really don't get the naysayers… For the size, there's nothing to compare for flexibility, OK, it's not perfect but let's not forget that it's a 42 year old design.

[Vangelismusic]

When KORG announces the development of the SIGMA, I will be the happiest person on earth, Moog is getting very close to a sigma.
This was the most powerful duophonic synth ever built.

[Kevin Nolan]

Jimknopf - thanks for that very informative post. I knew essentially none of that.

I did make the point however that I was open to be convinced - and you've helped - but my main point is that almost nobody knows that - so Korg has some work to do on this front im my opinion. They need to take your points and make some excellent promos out of them - otherwise, apart from the excitement of a 'generic analogue synth re-release', the instrument may otherwise struggle to convince.

Also - I still find it interesting that of all the vintage synths discussed, emulated, debated on forums, this one seems to me to be definitely on a lower tier of 'classic-ness'. And - it's still an ugly little beast

[DrHoo]

The Oddy has always been my "go to" synth for instant inspiration - If I create a great patch, the chances are I can generally recreate it on the Kronos (and SAVE it!)

I really don't get the naysayers… For the size, there's nothing to compare for flexibility, OK, it's not perfect but let's not forget that it's a 42 year old design.

Most of the naysayers PROBABLY don't own one or have never touched one. They have no case. If any of them are oddy owners then they ought to know better. I have never layed hands on on before but if the price is in my range, i might just buy one online without even trying it first, i've seen enough video footage. It's my kind of synth.
... Oh yeah, & it's roughly my age. Old synths rule !!!

[jimknopf]

Kevin, I'm no fan of the fancy colours on the sliders either.

But concerning patch overview, I prefer sliders (like on some vintage Roland gear and many softsynths as well) over knobs: you instantly see the basic characteristics of a patch (making it a "go to" synth like Kronik described). The sliders of the vintage Odysseys have become quite a problem though, because they caught too much dust over the years and are a constant source of trouble. I also don't like the pitch/modulation knobs of the Oddy.

But the sound of this synth is just marvellous! It's the only synth I know which can sound really, really fat and nasty and dirty at the same time: togteher with the Arp 2600 it just has the by far best "in yer face" synth sound on earth! It would be a dream if AL-1 got even 95% of this kind of juicy, vivid characteristics, or even better, if Korg would model the Oddy for the Kronos in one or two years, after selling the hardware.

Even modern dance sounds would be a lot more attractive with this kind of sound than with most of the lifeless harsh digital and VA gear often used for them IMHO. Nasty does not have to be of the cold earbleed kind, or as thin as the basic MS20 sound.

[Hugo]

This is a fantastic announcement, but I hope they reduce the size of the unit. The original designs seem a bit too big.

[Jan1]

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.

I agree that's a very spiteful remark.
If I reverse the statement then Roland could be seen as feeding the trolls because the company comes up with a digital replication of an analog drum machine 'to cater to the demands of the digital purists'.
It's not about feeding any perceived trolls, it's about being aware of a need for analog and responding to it.
I hope that after the Odyssee KORG will give the 2600 serious consideration.

[roblabs]

This is a fantastic announcement, but I hope they reduce the size of the unit. The original designs seem a bit too big.

True, but as long as they don't make the keys mini size. Portability is always a nice thing. This looks to be slightly bigger than the minibrute, which is nice because its very easy to carry anywhere.

[Joe Gerardi]

As someone who was gigging quite regularly at the time, let me put the Odyssey in perspective...

First, you had a Mini. If you couldn't afford a Mini you had an Odyssey.

If you were doing well, you had an Arp 2600, and didn't care about the Odyssey.

If you were doing reallywell, you had an Arp 2600 and a Mini. You're attitude was "What's an Odyssey?"

Because combined with the Hammond you HAD to gig with, the EP you HAD to gig with, and the archaic sound reinforcement that was available at the time, that was what you could bring.

I was gigging in NY at the time, and the prevailing feeling was that Odysseys were the instrument that were there for the low-end sound; that it was built to a price. It was thin, reedy-sounding, and its only - its ONLY - saving grace was that it was duophonic in a time when monophony was what was expected in synths.

Now, if Korg wanted to resurrect an Arp of note, the Quadra would be a better choice; a Chroma would be a fantastic choice, as it was stillborn in the death throes of Arp, and never fully explored.

..Joe

[Kevin Nolan]

Thanks Jimknopf for the insight. I'm a huge Vangelis fan and I have a hunch that this instrument featured as the solo sound on "Alpha" from the album Albedo 0.39. Whatever produced that sharp, spiky sound, it is _very_ good - incredibly 'plucked' feel only producible with an instrument with good oscillators, filter and really fast envelope attack.

Also interesting Joe that you gigged with one and found it thin. Does it not contain the same underlying circuitry as the 2600? As Jim has pointed out - quite a lot of big name electronic music artists used on back then - suggesting it wasn't too bad? Did you truly find it that woeful?

[nitecrawler]

Interesting discussion. Back in the day, mid-70's, I had a choice between the Arp and a Mini Moog. I chose the Mini and never looked back at my choice. The Mini just sounded better, more substantial. By the way, I still have my Mini-Moog, although it rarely gets played these days.

[jimknopf]

As someone who was gigging quite regularly at the time, let me put the Odyssey in perspective...

First, you had a Mini. If you couldn't afford a Mini you had an Odyssey.

If you were doing well, you had an Arp 2600, and didn't care about the Odyssey.

If you were doing reallywell, you had an Arp 2600 and a Mini. You're attitude was "What's an Odyssey?"

Because combined with the Hammond you HAD to gig with, the EP you HAD to gig with, and the archaic sound reinforcement that was available at the time, that was what you could bring.

I was gigging in NY at the time, and the prevailing feeling was that Odysseys were the instrument that were there for the low-end sound; that it was built to a price. It was thin, reedy-sounding, and its only - its ONLY - saving grace was that it was duophonic in a time when monophony was what was expected in synths.

Now, if Korg wanted to resurrect an Arp of note, the Quadra would be a better choice; a Chroma would be a fantastic choice, as it was stillborn in the death throes of Arp, and never fully explored.

..Joe

Joe, sorry to diagree completely with your notion of "thin" (it would much more describe the basic MS20 sound). Even the low quality video URLs quoted in this thread are more than enough proof for the exact opposite.

I think I still understand what you mean: the Oddy could not only sound fat-agressive, but also nasal-thin (with the appropriate filter and resonance settings), and was used like that by people toying around with it.

In Herbie Hancock's 'Chameleon" you have a bit of both: a fat, but still edgy bass and a thin, nasal synth solo probably really sounding quite dreadful from the perpective of most musicians today (though it certainly would fit into some kind of EDM if played in that style).

What you and some others do, is revive the oldfashioned antagony of a time, when most musicians couldn't buy both (or even a 2600), and were divided into two camps. I still think the warm and yet punchy Minimoog is king and irreplacable by anything. But I completely disagree to disregard the Oddy for that reason. I also wouldn't choose one of the alternatives you named over it, because they either would be too expensive and/or big or not be a real alternative from my view. Korg aimed at EXACTLY the right thing to do something special IMHO, and live up to a great occasion.

As I said, the most clever and most skilled electric keyboarders then (Hancock, Zawinul, Duke, Corea) knew very well why they used both, and probably none of them would have followed or follow your verdict or that of some others.

[aron]

Might not need to fix mine now!

I still think it's cool!