Korg DS-8

The Korg DS-8 is two oscillator digital FM synthesizer released by Korg in 1987 which used the Yamaha FB-01 FM synthesis engine.[1][2]

DS-8
ManufacturerKORG
Dates1987
Price$ 1400
Technical specifications
Polyphony8
Oscillator2
LFOTriangle, Square, Sawtooth, Sine
Synthesis typeFM Synthesizer (2 operators)
Filter1 per voice
AttenuatorADSR Envelope
Aftertouch expressionYes (monophonic)
Velocity expressionYes
Storage memory100 Programs and 10 Combinations
EffectsManual Delay, Long Delay, Short Delay,
Doubling, Phaser, Chorus, Portamento
HardwareYM2164 (OPP)
Input/output
Keyboard61-key
Left-hand controlJoystick
External controlMIDI

Features

The DS-8 is 61 Keys in length, is velocity sensitive with aftertouch and stores up to 100 programs and 10 combinations in its internal memory. By using one of the optional non-volatile (but battery-powered) Korg RAM cards MCR-01, MCR-02, or MCR-03 this program memory can be expanded by extra programs and combinations: 100/10 for the MCR-01, 200/20 for the MCR-02, or 400/40 for the MCR-03. Programs can be backed up and received via standard MIDI dumps.

It features one joystick controller for bending pitch, timbre and modulation speed, one card slot for the aforementioned Korg RAM Cards, MIDI IN/OUT/THRU jacks, a damper pedal, assignable pedal, assignable switch, program up pedal, one balance slider, four keyboard modes (Single, Layer, Double and Multi) and two slider controls which indicate the ability to edit the two oscillators from fast to slow. The three editable banks shown on the right side of the board (Function, Voice Parameter and Combi Parameter) provide multiple ways in which the user can edit the programs, banks and patches.

At $1400 RRP the DS-8 was a revolutionary, cheap and affordable product for its time.

Notable users

References
  1. "Korg DS-8 | Vintage Synth Explorer". www.vintagesynth.com. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  2. "Korg DS8 Digital Synthesizer (SOS Mar 87)". www.muzines.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-04-26.

Further reading
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