BOOcast - Synth of the Month: Korg Opsix

[@scheetmcborsten7977]

Impulse bought one for $350 during a big Korg sale and it ended up being my favorite synth.

[@Goettel]

A synth to truly lose yourself in, I love mine.

[@KooriGraywolf]

Describing this as an "FM synth" is selling short. It can do subtractive, additive, ringmod, and wavefolder. I once heard someone describe this rather as a "operator-based synth" and I think that is accurate. Especially when you use individual operators as filters rather than using the global filter.

[@BOOelectric]

Well, they did add "altered" before the FM, but agreed. If I'd had this synth, and only this synth at age 15, and the time to explore it's depths, I'm pretty sure I would still be finding new stuff in the opsix today, and, like loch Ness, we may never find it's bottom.

[@powermix24]

Software is cool and all, but having hands on with this machine makes it feel like the Ultimate FM Synth.

[@ffrostengren]

It’s a really great piece of hardware. Just got mine as well and have just scratched the surface, but already realised it’s potential.

[@Peter_S_]

Every Alex Ball subscriber really needs to be a BOO subscriber as well. Your tours of these machines are some of the best synth demos I've ever seen. Brilliant!

[@BOOelectric]

Thank you so much, that's huge praise! X

[@DjArum19]

great synth, so much you can do with it

[@marcochirico7504]

iT sounds really well. Good demo, thank you

[@PCoyte]

Finally picked one of these up - first synth for ages that inspired me while going through presets

[@BOOelectric]

It's surprisingly inspiring, isn't it?

[@PCoyte]

@@BOOelectric Korg mucked up with the form but it really suits me & I see it’s perfect for your live setup. It’s like an East & West coast synth and a secret synth weapon

[@arpsyntharts5968]

Good work!

[@Some_Cat_]

I've been curious about getting an FM synth and I can safely say, I'm sooooo glad I came across the OPSIX. Fully intend to get one now. It's a lovely looking synth too imho. Your video is excellent because it shows what's possible without blinding me with science. Fantastic! 😎👍✨

[@BOOelectric]

Ah thank you so much!

[@gula_rata]

Is that a Thomas Dolby reference?

[@groovelove3361]

I really appreciate your tutorial.I’m trying to get up to speed with opsix. What a deal. Your tutorial was very clear and showed me the questions to my answers way quicker than some of the other longer tuts .wow. Synths within synths. Fo gigging…it is Up in 30 seconds when you hit the stage. Been looking for this for a long time.

[@BOOelectric]

That's very kind of you, thank you!

[@synthsploration9523]

Mine is coming back out of the box this weekend.

[@BOOelectric]

Yes! Free the Korg Opsix!!

[@MarkoDeLaVoota]

great , unexpected, I like it

[@pongtrometer]

Gr8 overview 👾 I got a little comfortable with FM synths via the volca FM, which I love, but this synth demystifies FM further, with a great interface and patching navigation that lets you focus on sound design ideas , and can tweak your ideas without doing an open university degree in FM synthesis. I would definitely consider getting one, I love the amount of textures this thing conjures.

[@BOOelectric]

As Nick Batt said: great sounds just seem to fall out of it!

[@bilkoprince4222]

I'm getting one for crimbo . Can't wait. Had to buy it myself though but not allowed it till xmas 😬👍

[@BOOelectric]

That's some excellent self-control there Bilko Prince! You're in for a treat.

[@bilkoprince4222]

@@BOOelectric 🤷‍♂️wifes orders hee hee

[@BOOelectric]

@@bilkoprince4222 Quite right too ;)

[@EchoKraft]

I own one of these and they’re wonderful. I do have one question if you know because nobody seems to have the answer why was this discontinued?

[@BOOelectric]

I wasn't aware it was... That seems lice a strange decision if the have discontinued it. I hope not, I know quite a few people who want one.

[@mwmusic29]

It appears to be discontinued, in the US at least, according to Sweetwater. I've been puzzled by the short run of the synth and was equally puzzled by the software version coming along when it did. I have all my fingers and toes crossed that they will release an updated version with a 61 key, aftertouch keybed. In my mind the 37 keys was the biggest shortcoming of the opsix. It's a marvelous synth!

[@EchoKraft]

@@mwmusic29 yeah it’s really strange. That would be interesting if they came up with a 61 note version. But yeah when they came out with the software I ended up buying it because it was really cheap at the time. It was like a special intro deal so I got that too. Enjoying the hell out of that as well.

[@mwmusic29]

@@EchoKraft It's great software for sure! Just a strange synth story overall...

[@BOOelectric]

@@mwmusic29 Thanks for this info, I guess Korg must have something up their sleeves... It was originally supposed to be in a larger format, wasn't it? apparently Reverb has thousands of opsixes in stock which were dumped there by Korg just before the discontinuation.... Been hearing stories about broken units, dodgy screens etc... curiouser and curiouser...

[@mastaboog749]

they have a kickstarter to turn this, and the other korgs of this size into a desktop style synth.

[@BOOelectric]

That's cool. And to plug it into a keyboard with aftertouch will release more opsix goodness.

[@wolfgangdevries127]

Thanks. Great vid.

[@BOOelectric]

Thank you!!

[@thomasyon4332]

Great. the part about lfo was really interesting. I hope you'll find a way about having enough imagination to use it, for sure I trust in you.

[@BOOelectric]

Thank you for believing!!

[@chinossynthesizer705]

I have a kodamo essence mk 2 its a very powerful fm synth. And i sold my korg opsix long time ago.

[@BOOelectric]

Fair enough! I'll have to check the Kodamo out.

[@Farold_Haltermeyer]

Avoided this one, despite being an FM fan, as the presets were resolutely cheese ball and bingo hall...but then discovered that once you get into your own sound design you find that it’s a bit of a dream synth. Does need a good EQ and analogue treatment as like the Wavestate and Modwave it’s pretty disgustingly digital in tone, very starched and stiff...a good tape emulation does the trick. Great demo, you show all of this clearly, thanks!

[@BOOelectric]

Thank you! X

[@kimdiez2681]

Can you make good monophonic lead and bass patches by any chance?? Anyone...thanks !

[@BOOelectric]

The Opsix should be more than capable of mono bass and lead sounds, though I haven't yet put it to these tasks as there's always a choise of monphonic analogue synths around. The fact that it's a bit more than just an FM synth, and that it's multiple engines can transform it into a virtual analogue, or a virtual modular madness machine lead me to believe that if I only had the Opsix, I would probably be ok. One thing I will say is that programming is not always as immediate as I'd like, and some of the digital oscillators might be described as a bit thin, but if you put the time in, it can yield pretty convincing fatness. Here's a link to some bass examples I found: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5-VnolpZbqEbqs And here are some leads: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIG7pJWsi7WgZ7c Hope that helps!

[@kimdiez2681]

@@BOOelectric Thank you so much !