SOUND ON SOUND

[BillB]

"These days, it’s difficult for current Japanese companies to create the types of synths that I used to develop"

In the case of Korg, that’s not entirely fair:

Monotron (++)
Monotribe
Volca Keys
Volca Bass
Volca FM
Volca....
Monologue
Minilogue
Prologue
MS20 variants
Odyssey

A couple are re-hashes, but it was Korg who proved that was even possible. They led the way, Behringer followed.

[DGL.]

Alas no 909 for 909 day but Crave and PRO 1 are in full production!
Also the bloke who did the GliGli mode for the P600 is now working for behringer (unfortunately I'm on my phone I can't his name and I can't remember it)

[The Elf]

"These days, it’s difficult for current Japanese companies to create the types of synths that I used to develop"

In the case of Korg, that’s not entirely fair:

Monotron (++)
Monotribe
Volca Keys
Volca Bass
Volca FM
Volca....
Monologue
Minilogue
Prologue
MS20 variants
Odyssey

A couple are re-hashes, but it was Korg who proved that was even possible. They led the way, Behringer followed.

Just to be clear - it's not *me* saying that - it's the Japanese engineer that Uli has employed! To be fair he says it's 'difficult', but doesn't say 'impossible'.

[BillB]

No, understood Elf, I should have taken your name out of the quote box there.

I am as excited as anyone by the direction Behringer are going with this - it does look like they want to move beyond copying into innovation. I also think they are going to make Roland look pretty silly in the near future. I’ll rephrase that, more silly than they already have done, with their 101 and 808 clones.

But credit where credit is due for actually driving the low cost analogue market, one model at a time... > > Korg!

[DGL.]

and here is a video from Behringer of the K-2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-tyaZgx3Ao

They manage to at no point call it a clone of the MS20 for obvious reasons but still announce it as a clone of something ;)

[The Elf]

But credit where credit is due for actually driving the low cost analogue market, one model at a time... > > Korg!

I'm not sure about 'low cost'. As the owner of an Odyssey FS I would say that example was eye-wateringly expensive! By contrast the Berry Odyssey is a downright bargain.

[BillB]

Agreed, but Behringer have "stood on the shoulders of giants" to get to where they are.

[johnny h]

Agreed, but Behringer have "stood on the shoulders of giants" to get to where they are.

Fine yeah, but what have the "giants" been up to recently? Roland haven't touched anything analogue since the 80s.

[BillB]

I never mentioned Roland, Johnny, I wouldn’t dare provoke you :protest: :protest: :protest:

[johnny h]

I never mentioned Roland, Johnny, I wouldn’t dare provoke you :protest: :protest: :protest:

:bouncy:

[nathanscribe]

Well, they did add analogue voices to the JD-Xa and Xi, which nobody ever seems to talk about. I've no doubt even if Roland stuck 8 of those voices in the Jupiter X case, people would still find something to grumble about. ;)

The boutiques have their market, for sure, but I for one have been awaiting the Behringer RD-8. The TR-8s is a good enough machine, but what I do relies quite a lot on the wonkiness of analogue, so as good as the emulations are, I find they need more work to fit in. It'll be interesting to compare the RD-8.

Horses for courses, and all that.

[baward]

I found this quote from Korg big cheese Katoh-san from quite a few years ago which I thought was interesting - “We are a young company that started nearly twenty years ago and we have maintained the announcement of a steady flow of original world leading products since our formation. We developed the first Rhythm Machine, the first synthesizer, and the first mass market tuner in Japan.

We never resort to imitation and we would consider taking the fruit of other people’s efforts without doing our own development as something utterly inexcusable. We place our emphasis of free creativity and we are constantly pursuing excellence without chasing after rainbows.” - Tsutomo Katoh, Korg President & Founder, 1980.

[BillB]

Ah, principles! I remember them. :?

[DGL.]

and the latest tease,

"Caption this..."

[Dan LB]

Dwayne Dibley! :D

[Dan LB]

Why the Quadra though? Was (is) it really that desirable a synth?

[Hugh Robjohns]

Gordon likes it -- it has hidden talents and depths... ;-)

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/arp-quadra-part-1
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/arp-quadra-part-2

H

[Wonks]

Instant early '80s Genesis.

[The Elf]

Instant early '80s Genesis.

Ugh! The Abacab years!

[Wonks]

Certainly on Duke.

Yes, not their finest hour.