Editing A Synth Program; The Structure Of A Synth Program; Overview - Korg Synthesizer/Vocoder microKORG Owner's Manual

Editing a synth program

Overview

The three attributes of sound: pitch, tone, and volume
Sound has three basic attributes; pitch, tone, and volume.
To control these attributes, the microKORG analog modeling synthesizer provides
"oscillator," "filter," and "amp (amplifier)" sections, just as on the analog synthesiz-
ers of the past.
The "oscillator" settings vary the pitch, the "filter" settings modify the tone, and the
"amp" settings modify the volume.
The microKORG's "oscillator," "filter," and "amp"
On the microKORG, the OSC1, OSC2, and PITCH sections control the "oscillator".
The PITCH section specifies the pitch of the waveform that is the basis of the
sound, and the OSC1 and OSC2 sections select the waveforms. The waveforms
generated here are mixed by the MIXER section.
The microKORG's FILTER section modifies the tone. Then the AMP section
modifies the volume and outputs the final sound.
These three sections determine the basic sound of the program.
EG, LFO, keyboard tracking, virtual patch, controllers
In addition to the sections described above, the microKORG provides ways in
which the sound can be varied according to time, key range, or various types of
performance expression. These are controlled by modulators and controllers such
as EG (envelope generator), LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator), keyboard tracking,
Virtual Patch, and the PITCH and MOD wheels. You can use these modulators and
controllers to apply change to the basic sound of the program.
Figure 0-1 (at right) shows the structure of a synthesizer sound on the microKORG.
Look at TIMBRE 1, and notice how the signal flows in the order of OSC
AMP. Also notice how modulators such as EG and LFO can affect these blocks.

The structure of a synth program

As shown in figure 0-1, a synth program consists of timbres 1/2, effects, and the
arpeggiator.
TIMBRE 1/2
Each timbre consists of OSC, FILTER, AMP, EG, LFO, and Virtual Patch blocks. You
can create more complex programs by using two timbres together in one program
using the Layer feature.
EFFECTS
The output of timbres 1/2 is sent to the modulation effect (MOD FX)
(DELAY) equalizer (EQ).
For the modulation effect you can choose from three types of effect such as chorus.
For the delay, you can choose from three types of delay such as stereo delay. The EQ
is a two-band equalizer.
ARPEGGIATOR
You can apply the arpeggiator to a timbre. If the program uses two timbres, you can
apply the arpeggiator to either or both timbres. This is a step arpeggiator with six
arpeggio types.
Figure 0-1
(in the case of Layer)
FILTER
delay effect
Free Assign
KBD Track
Velocity
Mod. wheel
Pitch bend
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