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Synths & drum machines

Korg MS-20

It forces you to wire your way into the sound — no shortcuts, no safety net.

Worth your time?4.5/5Yes.Use the whole thing.What works, what does not, who it is for ↓
10:49in productionCh. 1 · Timeline/ 10:49 · ceiling 15 min
4 chapters · 10:49Ceiling 15:00

The brief is written and checked. The video joins this page when it is cut.4 chapters · 1 min read · 10:49 planned

Read the brief

A monophonic analog synthesizer from 1978. Two VCOs. Two VCFs in series: high-pass then low-pass. Ring modulation on VCO2. Modulation generator with pulse and sloped outputs. Two envelope generators. Noise source. Modulation VCA. External control via frequency-voltage converter and envelope follower. Patch panel enables rerouting of audio and modulation signals.

Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 1:09
    Timeline

    Launched in 1978 and built until 1983, it arrived after Korg’s miniKORG but before the PS series.

  2. 2:39
    Signal Path

    Two VCOs feed two VCFs in series — high-pass then low-pass — with patchable audio and modulation paths.

  3. 4:34
    Control & Modulation

    A modulation generator with pulse and sloped outputs, two envelope generators, noise, a modulation VCA, and external control options define its articulation.

  4. 6:24
    Oscillators

    VCO1 offers triangle, sawtooth, pulse, and white noise. VCO2 offers sawtooth, square, narrow pulse, and ring modulation.

1 more chapterFewer chapters
Worth your time?

Yes. Use the whole thing.

4.5/ 5
What works
  • patch-routing
  • filter-sculpting
  • external-signal-processing
What does not
  • preset-memory
  • polyphony
  • tuning-stability
Use it if
  • sound-designers
  • patch-curious-players
  • external-signal-integrators
Skip it if
  • live-performers-needing-quick-access
  • studio-users-relying-on-recall
  • melodic-polyphonic-play
Who should use it, and who should skipHide who it is for
The written brief1 min read

What it is and what it was built for

A monophonic analog synthesizer released in 1978. Built for studio experimentation and live sound design using subtractive synthesis and patchable routing.

How it works, in terms a player would use

Two VCOs feed two VCFs in series: a high-pass then a low-pass. Ring modulation sits on VCO2. A modulation generator offers pulse and sloped outputs. Two envelope generators shape dynamics. A noise source, modulation VCA, and external control options — frequency-voltage converter and envelope follower — let outside signals drive the synth.

What it does better than anything else

It routes audio and modulation signals more freely than most 1970s subtractive synths. Its dual-filter cascade gives precise spectral sculpting. External signal processing via envelope follower or frequency-voltage conversion is built-in and immediate.

What it does badly

It is monophonic. It has no memory for patches. Tuning drifts. The patch panel demands constant reconfiguration for new sounds — no quick swaps.

What people made with it

The sources do not specify what people made with it.

Who should use it, and who should not

Players who value physical patching, external signal integration, and aggressive filter interaction. Not for those who rely on presets, polyphony, or stable intonation.

Is it worth your time

Yes, if you want hands-on patching with immediate, tactile feedback. No, if you need polyphony, preset recall, or stable tuning across long sessions.

Same bench · Synths & drum machines4 of 241
11:12
Korg ProphecyKorgThe Korg Prophecy is a monophonic synthesizer released by Korg in 1995. It uses MOSS (Multi Oscillator Synthesis System) to emulate analog synthesis, FM, and physical modelling. It offers five synthesis methods encompassing nine oscillator types: analog, variable phase modulation, brass, reed, and plucked string modelling, noise with comb filtering, and three types of analog-style models — sync, ring modulation, and cross modulation — collectively referred to as 'MOD'. Each oscillator is processed by a linked waveshaper for generating distortion or resonance effects. The signal, combined with outputs from a sub-oscillator and noise generator, and feedback, is then fed through two multi-mode filters, which can be arranged in series, parallel, or split configurations. The Prophecy's modulation options include six multi-stage envelopes and four low-frequency oscillators (LFOs) with a selection of 30 types. The keyboard features velocity sensitivity and aftertouch and is complemented by three physical wheels dedicated to pitch bending, modulation, and the Wheel 3, a cylindrical control that combines a modulation wheel with a pressure- and position-responsive ribbon controller. It is equipped with five programmable Performance Editors (PE) knobs, each of which can control up to four parameters simultaneously, enabling precise manipulation of aspects like filter cutoff frequencies, envelope attack times, filter resonance, and stereo panning with a single turn. KORG was the first company to feature effects on a synthesizer, and the first to use a sample + synthesis sound design.
9:49
Korg MS-10Korg · 1978The Korg MS-10 is a monophonic, 32-key analogue synthesizer released in 1978. It has one VCO (triangle, sawtooth, pulse, white noise), one 12dB/octave low-pass VCF, one LFO with pulse and sloped outputs, and one envelope generator with Hold, Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release. Its normalized patch points allow flexible modulation without cables — but it offers no second envelope, no polyphony, no effects, and no key transpose.
9:59
Korg PolysixKorgThe Korg Polysix is a 1981 six-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer designed for affordability through single-oscillator-per-voice architecture, compensated by built-in bucket-brigade-based chorus/phaser/ensemble effects — features that were relatively uncommon at launch and contributed to its accessibility and sonic richness.
8:38
Korg Z1KorgThe Korg Z1 is a 1997 digital synthesizer using physical modelling synthesis with 12-voice polyphony. It extends Korg's MOSS system—first introduced in the 1995 Prophecy—into a polyphonic, multitimbral format, incorporating OASYS-based physical modelling engines, two physically modelled oscillators per voice plus sub-oscillator and noise generator, and performance features including a 61-note keyboard with aftertouch and an XY touchpad.
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