KORG DW-8000 - Synth King "vintage sounds"

You can purchase these patches here:
www.particular-sound.de/downl...
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"The Korg DW-8000 is an eight-voice polyphonic hybrid digital-analog synthesizer 61-note keyboard instrument released in 1985. By the time of its launch Korg had already begun a common trend in 1980s synthesizer design: using numerical codes to access or change parameters (synth "voice", tone, etc) with its predecessor - the Korg Poly-61, which was widely regarded as the company's first 'knobless' synthesizer. This was a move away from the heavily laden, complex control panels of earlier designs.
A more unusual feature of the instrument for the time was the use of single-cycle digital waveforms as the basic building block of sound synthesis, and the inclusion of a digital delay effect. This latter feature was one significant factor in the relative success of the DW-8000 compared to the DW-6000 released the same year. It was released after the cheaper model, the Korg DW-6000 synthesizer."
(Quoted from wikipedia)
Personally I think that nowadays the most interesting features of this powerful synth are the analog VCFs and VCAs . Together with its stunning internal delay effect you can create really lush "vintage analog" pads and brass sounds. I spent some hours designing new sounds very similar to the famous Oberheim and Roland sounds. Enjoy the music !
Bernd

[@Bernd_Bruening]

You can purchase the entire sound set with 64 patches here: www.particular-sound.de/downloads/korg-dw-8000-or-ex8000-synth-king-vintage-sounds/

[@madness8556]

I started my synth career on a Korg Poly 61 and the DW8000 was Korg's latest and greatest synth at that time, along with the DSS1 sampler and DS8 FM synth. I owned a DW8000 for a while and then sold it to someone who was desperately after one for almost twice the price of what I paid for it. I really like its hybrid analog and digital sound palette and the digital delay and chorus along with the arpeggiator add much to this instrument. It also looks great IMHO.

[@HenritheHorse]

DSS-1 is the best!

[@ast4127]

Fun fact: A Roland engineer / designer told me a little secret this is one of the most underrated synths!

[@erik_gerhard]

That’s no secret 😉

[@ast4127]

@@erik_gerhard Ah! Shouldnt have revealed it!

[@DmitryGorbushin]

It's no surprise this synth is underrated because it was released in time between Yamaha DX7 and KORG M1. And was overshadowed by Roland D50 (was released almost the same time as DW8000).

[@ourstarsRstars]

Beautiful patches….. I love this synthesizer.

[@jeffevansmusic]

I have just written a five star review on this library. I am just loving it. It sounds fantastic. I was about to sell my DW8000 but this library has completely changed my mind!! It's way too good to sell. The sounds are epic, cinematic and amazing. It's really easy to get lost in these patches! I have never heard the DW8000 sound this good. Add an 8 sec reverb and turn it up loud.

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Thanks a lot for your kind words. Glad you like my sounds.

[@hotfirecaster]

Fantastic patches set! Great sounding synth and soulful player! 😊

[@wiseradical3386]

I went on a two year quest to bring forth this vid to the ''Synth Emperor''. And he agrees, it rocks!

[@Bernd_Bruening]

A heartfelt thank you for your kind words and heroic deed. It’s time to pay the synth emperor a courtesy visit.

[@analogsynthaficionado6027]

The DW-8000 is one of the lesser known synthesizers that can still be had for bargain prices. Some people may be put off by the editing interface, but I don't mind it. Great sounding synthesizer that can sound both analog and digital.

[@madness8556]

I started my synth career on a Korg Poly 61 so the DW8000 interface makes great sense to me. Obviously it's not everyone's cup of tea. It's a fabulous synth IMHO

[@realmsofficialmusic1398]

Nice patches and beautiful demonstration!

[@erik_gerhard]

This is a gorgeous demonstration. Excellent chord-melody agreement! 😊

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Thanks a lot, Erik!

[@pyrexcarrier]

absolutely gorgeous

[@PeachBeach]

This is magic! Thanks for the ace sounds and beautiful playing to match :)

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Thanks Joe! The DW-8000 is really amazing.

[@PeachBeach]

@@Bernd_Bruening I'm back to admire these sounds! Can I ask if any additional effects were used here/any mods to the DW itself?

[@Bernd_Bruening]

@@PeachBeach Hi, there aren’t any external effects used for this demo. The sounds are made with the stock waveforms and the internal delay.

[@PeachBeach]

@@Bernd_Bruening I bought one thanks mainly to this vid!! Hopefully will showcase some patches in a video soon....! It's such an adaptable instrument and the digital delay is a force to be reckoned with!!

[@littlebritain64]

Yes, Dream Theater.... They used it a lot on tour in the '90's. One great analog filter with resonance for each of the 8 voices.... Enough said.

[@EvilDragon666]

Terrific patches!

[@vintagesynths]

Great patches and playing, especially the second sound blowed me away. Very nice slow modulation for silky and melancholic tones. The DW-8000 is really very great sound for little money.

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Thanks a lot, Rüdiger! You’ve got the sound you’re talking about in your DW-8000 as well, patch 12 or 13. This time I’ll keep the synth. I’ll probably make a new eprom for the E version with additional classic waveforms in different variations.

[@vintagesynths]

@@Bernd_Bruening I assumed it, so it’s also in my video as well. Your old DW-8000 is in good hands now. Sometime I will do a video comparing the midrange hybrids DW-8000, ESQ-1 und Kawai K3. Latter has an awesome filter.

[@Bernd_Bruening]

@@vintagesynths I didn’t have the Kawai K3 on my list. Maybe worth to do further investigation.

[@Metalltool]

Klingt unglaublich hammer! Da könnte man wirklich den ganzen Tag dran sitzen

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Danke dir!

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Man kann die soundbank auch kaufen.

[@Metalltool]

@@Bernd_Bruening Gut zu wissen, leider besitze ich aber den Synth nicht.

[@dayglo98]

Great patches ! Really shows what the DW8000 can do.

[@Multi_ToBi]

Hallo Bernd, tolle Sounds..! Eine Frage: Hast Du dein DW8000 verkauft? Ich habe nämlich neulich eins erworben - mit demselben Enter Button und LED und der zusätzlichen Klinkenbuchse... Es sieht genauso aus. Habe neue Schalter und ein Mastervolume Poti eingebaut und auch das Netzteil mit neuen Kondensatoren versehen... Ich bräuchte nämlich noch Info zu den Speicher/Wellenform-Erweiterungen.

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Diese soundbank basiert auf den Werkswellenformen. Wenn du die Wellenformen der E Erweiterung austauschen möchtest, dann musst du einfach neue EPROMs von meinen Images brennen und einstecken, die alten natürlich vorher auslöten. Ich habe meinen DW8000 mit der Speichererweiterung noch. Schau dir mal mein anderes Video vom DW8000 an, da erfährt man etwas mehr.

[@DavidLee07]

Nice sounds and playing, Bernd. My first synth was a Poly-800, so I remember programming everything with the value buttons! What I think makes this sound most Oberheim like is the polyphonic glide--to my ear, it operates very similarly to an OB-Xa (which is to say, deliciously).

[@externetinplorer1712]

wow

[@juno6]

Beautiful, melancholic synth. I don´t own one but I own a DSS-1 which share the same melancholic ADN.

[@frankweiberg614]

Großartig …. Danke Bernd

[@thebreathalyzer]

Very nice. Too bad these aren't a SysEx file. If you use the free FB-7999 plugin, you can load DW8000 soundbanks into it from that format. It's very close.

[@jezgomez]

Will have to try the FB-7999 out. Thanks for the tip!

[@mikemmartin]

I have a DW-8000, FB-7999 doesn’t sound remotely close.

[@thebreathalyzer]

@@mikemmartin would be fun to do a side by side with one…I sold my DW8000 before I had the plugin. I still think I can get some sounds close, the digital delay was unique though. And the keybed itself, I liked the keybed.

[@mikemmartin]

@@thebreathalyzer I’ll see about doing a comparison video in a couple of weeks.

[@skyko]

Does anyone know how these patches sound on Full Bucket Music's VST "FB 7999"? I have no doubt they will load, but does NOT having the analog VCFs and VCAs make a big difference? EDIT: Yes, they are SIGNIFICANTLY different. Not necessarily "bad" but the filter is completely different in the FB 7999. It's a free VST and does a "good" job at reading the sysex files, but is pretty much miles away from a real DW 8000 in my opinion. But, hey it's free. Just don't get your hopes up TOO high if you purchase presets from here or Espen Kraft's - they definitely sound noticeably different.

[@Bernd_Bruening]

@@skyko I tried my soundbank in an early version of the FB-7999. Soundwise it’s quite close and the plug-in is really great, but there are difference especially with the filter. I love the idea of using this plugin as an editor for the hardware. Import/export of sysex and tape dumps are just amazing.

[@skyko]

@@Bernd_Bruening Thank you for your courteous reply! (Much more respectful than the comment I received from Espen Kraft, where I had to discontinue my business with him due to a similar post I made on his DW 8000 preset video where he was showcasing the "FB 7999") Your presets are amazing. This post was not to discourage or undermine your wonderful presets, I just wanted others to know that if they were using the VST that they could expect a different sound.

[@majestichome]

Wirklich klasse. Danke. Wieder ein Grund mehr den DW8000 zu behalten. Woher kommen die Effekte ?

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Die Effekte kommen vom DW8000 selbst. Er hat ja ein eingebautes Delay.

[@sound4label]

Hello :) I'm closing a custom desk synth, may I ask you the width of the upcoming OB-XA please ? :) Many thanks

[@Bernd_Bruening]

I’m sorry, but I’ve signed an NDA and can’t give details about the synth before being officially released. However, it shouldn’t that far away.

[@sound4label]

@@Bernd_Bruening Thanks for your answer I understand, I will wait for the official release or maybe ask directly to Uli :D

[@AllureMusicLab]

Amazing Presets - Thanks ! Are they available as SYSEX too ?

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Thanks a lot. Tape dump only

[@DmitryGorbushin]

The melody playing with "Glare" sound at 6:42 reminds me the song Carrie by Europe.

[@Bernd_Bruening]

That doesn’t surprise me since I’m playing this song with my 80ies cover band :-)

[@DmitryGorbushin]

@@Bernd_Bruening Oh, well, so this wasn't an accident, then? :-) And I didn't expect to have a reply for the comment on video uploaded 2 years ago!

[@Bernd_Bruening]

I get a notification for each comment, regardless how old the video is. I do these video by just pressing record and start playing. Parts that are not that good are cut out. As far as I can remember this one was a one take video.

[@tc12901]

so many special patches here! rich pads & sad wobbly keys.. feels like what the dw-8000 was always supposed to sound like. love your sense of melody + harmony too : ) if you make a bank to sell, i'll buy in a heartbeat.

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Thanks a lot !

[@pablochoren8230]

Hi! My D8000´s tape interface is broken, do u have this patches on SySex files so I can buy them?

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Pablo, I contacted particular sound a few minutes ago. They will include the sys ex file as soon as possible. I'll notify you here when the file has been updated.

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Pablo, go ahead. The sys ex file is included now. Let me know if everthing works as it should.

[@ancientstar2012]

Would you consider writing out Patch sheets of those patches I don't mind programming them in. They are absolutely Beautiful..

[@TiberianFiend]

I bought a nice DW-8000 a few months ago as my first polysynth, and I want to get one of those external controllers for it, but now the UB-Xa is on its way and will only cost a couple hundred more than the controller. Should I just sell my DW-8000 and get the synth that replicates an Oberheim instead of simply imitating it? Does a DW-8000 have any benefits over the UB-Xa?

[@Bernd_Bruening]

DW-8000 and UB-Xa are totally different synths. There are a few sounds I’ve made for the DW-8000 that sound „Oberheimish“, but they are still miles apart. I would keep the DW-8000 and edit it with a software editor and save the money for the UB-Xa.

[@TiberianFiend]

@@Bernd_Bruening Which software do you recommend?

[@Bernd_Bruening]

@@TiberianFiend there is a great CTRLR editor for the DW8000 ctrlr.org/korg-dw-8000/ I use it standalone. Works great!

[@TiberianFiend]

@@Bernd_Bruening Thanks for your advice!

[@M80-]

@@Bernd_Bruening Hi! So, you mean with this software you can save presets on the pc or copy banks? You don't need this tape recording method anymore?

[@danl9407]

Would you share the patches? Thx

[@Bernd_Bruening]

I’ve made only a handful of sounds. I would like to finish a complete bank and maybe offer them for a small fee. I’m working on a new sample eprom filled with variations of standard waveforms only.

[@TimMoney]

Nice, I really enjoy using 2 EX8000s w a DW8P controller. Layers/Splits