Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs

Sacred Synthesis

Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« on: January 19, 2021, 08:50:55 AM »
I have a question for those of you who are experienced with Korg's ARP Odyssey.  It's been a long time since I've had a vintage old school synthesizer.  Many moons ago, I owned successively each of the three Odyssey models, but my memory of some aspects of the instrument is dim. 

Korg's reissue has only MIDI In, not MIDI Out.  Hence, you could control either the keyboard or the module version with a modern synthesizer, but you couldn't control the Odyssey module with the Odyssey keyboard.  But with the Gate in/out, Trigger in/out, and CV in/out, can you more or less achieve the same as with MIDI?  Could the Odyssey keyboard version trigger the envelopes and pitch of the module version, so that you would have a four-oscillator Odyssey?  My understanding is that this arrangement would work, but I haven't the opportunity to experiment with it.
« Last Edit: January 19, 2021, 09:10:43 AM by Sacred Synthesis »

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2021, 09:48:28 AM »
Bull's eye!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ZSaAjjpVs

This could be a fabulous stereo mono synth configuration.  My only hesitancy is with the - for me - limited range of a three-octave keyboard.  It would make more sense to control two Odyssey modules with a Prophet '08/Rev2 keyboard.  But I like the idea of the Odyssey as an actual keyboard instrument, enhanced by a module.  Forgive me, but...the two would look superb together.

« Last Edit: January 19, 2021, 09:56:46 AM by Sacred Synthesis »

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2021, 09:28:53 PM »
I believe Korg has silently discontinued the ARP Odyssey since the Behringer version was released. This month, I'm putting two desktop modules on the ol' credit card.

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2021, 07:32:15 AM »
That's unfortunate on Korg's part.  Yet, the company is still producing the ARP 2600M, in spite of Behringer's version.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2021, 08:20:38 AM by Sacred Synthesis »

timboréale

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Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2021, 07:35:27 AM »
The B-word is not the only company making 2600-style synths. Antonus makes a gorgeous reconstruction: https://antonus-synths.com/en/antonus-2600/

If I were to buy a 2600 today, I would buy this one, not even Korg's.
Prophet 6 keyboard, Rev2-16, Prophet 12 Keyboard, Nords, etc...

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2021, 08:22:18 AM »
The B-word is not the only company making 2600-style synths. Antonus makes a gorgeous reconstruction: https://antonus-synths.com/en/antonus-2600/

Yes, that is nice.  What's the price in US dollars?

timboréale

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Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2021, 09:19:15 AM »
Using Google's exchange rate converter I get an answer of ~$4089. Quite reasonable for the quality and far cheaper than buying one new during the decade in which they were introduced, it seems to me.
Prophet 6 keyboard, Rev2-16, Prophet 12 Keyboard, Nords, etc...

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2021, 11:57:12 AM »
Thanks for that price estimate.  I'm now completely over the instrument.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2021, 12:18:13 PM by Sacred Synthesis »

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2021, 04:39:55 PM »
Next Question.  Does anybody here have experience with the keyboard version of the Korg ARP Odyssey?  I've read that the keybed is of a very low quality, regarding the feel and the durability.  Is it really that bad, or just mediocre?

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2021, 05:35:33 PM »
Next Question.  Does anybody here have experience with the keyboard version of the Korg ARP Odyssey?  I've read that the keybed is of a very low quality, regarding the feel and the durability.  Is it really that bad, or just mediocre?

Depends if you get the standard mini key version of the U.S. Made Full Size.

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2021, 08:15:21 PM »
Next Question.  Does anybody here have experience with the keyboard version of the Korg ARP Odyssey?  I've read that the keybed is of a very low quality, regarding the feel and the durability.  Is it really that bad, or just mediocre?

Depends if you get the standard mini key version of the U.S. Made Full Size.

Heh heh, I don't think so.  No minis for me, ever.  Only full-sized keys.

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2021, 02:41:07 PM »
I actually thought the mini keys felt better (apart from their small size) than the full-size version; that keybed was really quite disappointing.

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2021, 02:50:49 PM »
That's true, but it's not a matter of the keybed quality, but of the size of the keys.  I don't like the finger memory issues of going back and forth between two different sizes. 

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2021, 11:47:07 AM »
That's true, but it's not a matter of the keybed quality, but of the size of the keys.  I don't like the finger memory issues of going back and forth between two different sizes.

I got similar things happening going between flute and piccolo.

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2021, 02:18:00 PM »
That's true, but it's not a matter of the keybed quality, but of the size of the keys.  I don't like the finger memory issues of going back and forth between two different sizes.

I got similar things happening going between flute and piccolo.

Even worse!

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #15 on: May 11, 2021, 08:50:22 AM »
Next Question.  Does anybody here have experience with the keyboard version of the Korg ARP Odyssey?  I've read that the keybed is of a very low quality, regarding the feel and the durability.  Is it really that bad, or just mediocre?

I have the KArp Oddy w/mini keys and I personally think it's boss.  It has THAT sound, just like the P10.  Nothing like it.

I have NO problems jamming on it and it's that's going from the Oddy to say the P10 or weighted full size hammer keys like on my Nord Grand.  I suppose some people can't stand that.  Whatever.

I don't understand the fuss with the crowd that hates on the mini keys.
Either you can play or you can't. 

You like flashy lights and fugazi components?
Get a Behringer.

Quality over Quantity.

ITS ABOUT THE DAMN SOUND

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #16 on: May 11, 2021, 08:28:48 PM »
I respectfully disagree.  For many of us, it's not all about the sound; no, it's more about the music.  And the music points to the means of triggering the sound, which, in this case, is a keyboard.  The feel that the player gets from the keyboard can influence the music every bit as much as the sound can.  Have you never played a really cheap key bed and said, "Yuck, I don't even want to touch it"? 

Miniature keyboards are nothing new.  The Baroque clavichord has a miniature keyboard, but it's one of the few instruments that does.  It's not for meaningless arbitrary reasons that the key size that is most common today has become the most widely accepted.  It's due to the fact that it's the most comfortable fit for the average sized hands and fingers.  A miniature or slim key size might suit yourself or a child, but it most certainly wouldn't suit someone with a big fat fist and fingers like egg rolls.  And as we get older, our hands tend to get larger...as does everything else.   :-[

My wife has a Korg Minilogue XD, which has the miniature keys.  I've played it quit a bit and like the instrument, except for the key size.  I find certain things like trills to be nearly impossibly to play on it well.  Even more, playing on it for extended periods of time, and then switching to a full size key, invariably results in mistakes until my mind and fingers have adjusted to the different key size.  This is especially true for held intervals.  Try playing a tenth interval with one hand on one keyboard size, and then suddenly switch to the other size.  Play a series of parallel tenths up or down the scale, and tell me that switching key sizes midway doesn't result in mistakes.  To each their own, but I try to avoid mistakes.  Why risk one, ever?  Playing well is already difficult enough without the problem of key and interval distances changing right in the middle of a piece of music.

I would never buy a miniature keyboard for these and many other reasons.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2021, 09:00:04 PM by Sacred Synthesis »

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #17 on: May 12, 2021, 08:03:11 AM »

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #18 on: May 12, 2021, 01:03:00 PM »
Yes, I know of that instrument.  It looks fabulous.  But I believe the last time I checked the price, I lost count of the zeros. 

Re: Korg ARP Odyssey Ins and Outs
« Reply #19 on: May 12, 2021, 01:16:06 PM »
Yes, I know of that instrument.  It looks fabulous.  But I believe the last time I checked the price, I lost count of the zeros.

It's about $3368.93 USD