Korg O1/W

Infobox_synthesizer


image_caption = An image of a Korg O1/Wfd
synth_name = O1/W
synth_manufacturer = Korg
synthesis_type = Digital Sample-based Subtractive
polyphony = 32
timbrality =
oscillator = 2
filter =
attenuator =
left_control = Joystick
lfo =
keyboard = 61-key Aftertouch, Velocity| memory =
ext_control = MIDI
fx = 2x47
dates = 1991
price =
The Korg O1/W was a workstation synthesizer, released in 1991, with which Korg intended to replace the M1 and T series. The workstation/ROMpler was based on an improved version of the AI (Advanced Integrated) Synthesis technology found in the M1, and was called AI². The architecture was so successful that most other Korg synths in the 1990s were based on the AI² Synthesis method.

Flavours

*O1/W: The basic 61 key model
*O1/Wfd: Same as above, but with the optional internal Floppy Drive
*O1/Wpro: Same as above, but with an extra Octave of keys (for a total of 76 keys) and an extra sampled Acoustic Piano sound.
*O1/WproX: This model had all 88 keys and they were weighted keys (to simulate the weight of the keys in a real Acoustic Piano) and also has the extra Acoustic Piano found in the O1/Wpro
*O1R/W: A Rackmount Version of the O1/Wfd (basically just the box with no keys), the sequencer was maintained from the keyboard versions.
*O3R/W: A stripped down version of the O1R/W Rack, about half the height, smaller screen, only about 90% of the Samples found in its bigger brother, and no WaveShaping. It was General MIDI compatible and the sequencer was removed.

There was also an O5R/W, which was based on the Korg X3, not the O1/W. This name & number was chosen as the X3R was already in existence.

Improvements over the M1

*254 real world sampled instruments in 6 megabytes of ROM (the M1 had 100 sampled instruments)
*The AI Squared Synthesis produced much cleaner sound and twice as many special effects were available to be used, over the M1 and T series.
*Korg introduced a feature called WaveShaping.
*The O1/Wfd, O1/Wpro, O1WproX models had an internal 3.5" Floppy Disk drive that could read 720k Floppy Disks, custom Korg format.
*The sequencer of The O1/Wfd, O1/Wpro, O1WproX could hold up to 47 thousand notes, several times more than the M1, allowing the ability to actually make complex musical sequences/songs.
*The polyphony was doubled to a maximum of 32 notes with 16 tracks/MIDI parts.

Key differences

The O1/W only had a few of the M1's samples. Particularly missing were the M1 Acoustic Piano, and some of the M1 Electric Piano sounds. These were replaced by more realistic versions (the Acoustic Piano in the O1/W was radically different and sounded more oriented for classical music).cn The O1/Wpro even went a step further and added another even more realistic Acoustic Piano.

The M1's version was so bright and metallic sounding that it found its niche in Dance/Electronica and some Latin Music where it could cut through other sounds easily and not get lost in the music. Korg acknowledged this fact by integrating their M1 piano back on later incarnations of the X saga, such as in the X5D synth and N264/364 workstations.

The O1/W also beefed up its Electric Piano sounds, having at least 5 times more Electric Pianos, therefore literally becoming the one of the standard keyboards used in Smooth Jazz, which thrives on FM Synthesis based Piano sounds which the O1/W has many samples of.

The O1/W introduced a feature called "Waveshaping". Basically it was a crude variation of Additive Synthesis. One could select a sample from the ROM Wavetable, and process it with one of 59 WaveShapes. The feature would add a specific set of harmonics to the sound depending on which type of waveshape one would select, from for instance, names like "Rezzy", "Parabola" & "Comb". The waveshaping feature could make some very interesting sonic textures as it would literally reshape the sound to fit that specific waveshape. However, the feature was discontinued because it didn't gain popularity. At first glance using waveshaping on stock samples only seemed to add distortion. Very original sounds were achievable but required a lot of trial and error.

The O series took a step backward from the T series: the 1-megabyte sample RAM, on which users could load their own multisamples, was removed. Probably it was a marketing move to secure the card expansion market. No modern workstation nowadays is "accepted" without an integrated sampler or user sample playback features.

Warmness

The O1/W is also known for its "warmness". Many musicians will affirm that the O1/W sounded more organic and full than the Korg synths that came afterward. The two most probable reasons for that are:
#The O1/W's samples were recorded at 16 bit 32 kHz. Subsequent Korg synths had their samples recorded at 16 bit 44 kHz
#More ROM memory was allocated to each sample than the synths following afterward (As an example, the O1/W used 6 Mb of ROM to fit 254 compressed samples. The Korg X3 also used 6 Mb to fit 334 compressed samples in its ROM)

The fact that the O1/W's samples were recorded at a slightly lower sampling rate, therefore reducing sample size, plus the advantage of having more ROM memory to actually store more of each sample meant that more of the nuance of the samples was heard. The 32 kHz frequency would give the illusion of a more acoustic instrument, because it made the samples sound "duller".

All in all, the O1/W can still hold its own, even against some of the newest ROM based Synths/Workstations, and in some ways be the sleeper hit of the Synth world.

Options

*XSC PCM cards set
*XPC ROM cards
*SRC512 RAM card
*VUK01W ROM upgrade kit

Trivia

Apparently when the engineers at Korg were presenting their new workstation to replace the Korg M1, they were going to call it the Korg M10, but apparently someone in marketing saw the name upside down, and M10 now read "O1W". Apparently they liked that a lot better and made it the official name of the synth.

References

*Sonicstate's SynthSite: http://www.sonicstate.com/synth/korg01w.cfm
*Online Guide to the O1/W: http://net.indra.com/~cliffcan/01online.htm
*How to repair Korf 01/W broken audio out: http://www.alchemystudio.it/Strumenti/Korg01/Korg01_en.htm
*Korg01w-List Discussion Group: http://www.korg01w-list.com