Korg monologue
Lesson 3: The oscillators and mixer
Goal: know what each waveform sounds like, and use VCO 2’s tuning, sync and ring modulation to make a single note sound big.
Start from a known patch
To hear one control at a time you need a plain starting sound. Either select an empty user slot (081 to 100 hold “Init Program”), or set every knob roughly as below and press SHIFT + PLAY (Panel Load), which makes the sound match the panel exactly.
Suggested starting panel: VCO 1 saw, SHAPE 0; VCO 2 level 0; CUTOFF fully right, RESONANCE 0; EG TYPE A/G/D, ATTACK 0, DECAY about a quarter, EG INT fully left (0) with TARGET CUTOFF; LFO INT fully left (0); DRIVE 0.
VCO 1
| Wave | Sound | SHAPE knob (0 to 1023) does |
|---|---|---|
| Sawtooth | Bright and buzzy; classic bass and brass | Changes the waveform’s complexity |
| Triangle | Rounder and softer | Changes the waveform’s complexity |
| Square | Hollow, woody, reedy | Changes the duty cycle (pulse width) |
Korg describes SHAPE only as setting “shape, complexity, or duty-cycle”. Listen rather than relying on a description: sweep SHAPE slowly on each wave with the oscilloscope on.
VCO 1 has no pitch knob. Its pitch is set by the keyboard and the main OCTAVE switch, and the instrument’s overall tuning is Master Tune (GLOBAL EDIT > button 3).
VCO 2
- OCTAVE (16’, 8’, 4’, 2’): 16’ is lowest, 2’ highest, one octave per position.
- PITCH (−1200 to +1200 cents, so ±1 octave): fine tuning against VCO 1. SHIFT + PITCH moves in semitones.
- WAVE: saw, triangle or noise. Noise is for percussion, hats, wind and sweeps.
- SHAPE: as for VCO 1.
Detune, intervals and the mixer
The MIXER’s VCO 1 and VCO 2 knobs (0 to 1023 each) set each oscillator’s level.
- Bring VCO 2 up to match VCO 1, both on saw, VCO 2 OCTAVE at 8’.
- Turn VCO 2 PITCH a few cents off centre. The slow beating between the two is what makes a fat mono bass or lead.
- Now hold SHIFT and turn PITCH to +7 semitones (a fifth) or +12 (an octave). Every key now plays an interval.
SYNC and RING
The three-position SYNC/RING switch: centre is off.
- SYNC: VCO 2’s phase is reset by VCO 1 each cycle. You hear VCO 1’s pitch, and moving VCO 2 PITCH changes the harmonics instead of the note. Sweeping VCO 2 PITCH with sync on gives the classic tearing sync lead.
- RING: VCO 1 ring-modulates VCO 2. Detuned intervals give metallic, bell-like and non-tonal sounds.
Both only affect what VCO 2 outputs, so bring the mixer’s VCO 2 level up and VCO 1 down to hear them clearly.
AUDIO IN
The rear AUDIO IN jack feeds an external mono source into the monologue’s circuit, so you can filter another synth or a drum machine. Enable it at GLOBAL EDIT > button 4 (Audio In: On); when Off the input is muted. Korg’s block diagram routes it in alongside the oscillators.
Exercise 3
From the starting panel, build three sounds without looking at this page: a detuned two-saw bass, a square wave with VCO 2 a fifth up, and a sync lead you sweep with VCO 2 PITCH. Save nothing yet.