Description
Korg-built clone of one of the all-time synth classics. The ARP Odyssey was released in 1972 and produced till 1980. Korg revived it in 2015 with the help & blessing of ARP co-founder David Friend, one of the original designers
It’s a few years since I’ve seen an original, but the Korg version looks to be an exact copy which captures the left-field vibe of the original. At a time when all synths used rotary knobs, the Odyssey bucked the trend with sliders. ARP also built a sequencer with sixteen pitch sliders and, to this day, I don’t think there’s been a more intuitive hardware sequencer. Sure, it was limited, but had the hands-on appeal of giving instant results
So it is with the Odyssey – move a slider and get results. Not always the results you were expecting, it’s true, but with experience you begin to fathom the Odyssey and gain respect for it
Having both an AD and and ADSR seems odd at first but it’s one of the many Odyssey quirks. It has a complex S&H (sample & hold) section which can be triggered by the keyboard (midi) or LFO so there’s lots of scope for making odd noises. There were three distinct VCF filter versions during the life of the Odyssey and the black module includes all three filter types & associated portamento settings
The Odyssey module differs from the keyboard in having a different way to set midi channel – it’s set by dip switches on the back panel. It has USB midi as well as OG midi. Output is on an XLR – a nice touch – and there are Gate in / out, CV in / out and Trig in / out mini-jacks on the back panel
The Odyssey isn’t a synth you’ll get to grips with the first day. It’ll keep you guessing for a while – but the end result will be a real appreciation for the way it works and the way it sounds
“Paddy, Roger and I had been sharing the ARP Odyssey synthesiser. It was one of the most creative pieces of gear I’ve ever come across. You would stumble across an interesting sound by experimenting, and then have to decipher how it had happened. It forced you to learn” – Peter Howell, BBC Radiophonic Workshop
In really excellent, unmarked condition. Supplied with manuals & power supply in original box & packing. Tested & working 100%
Photos show the Odyssey for sale
After zeroing the white ARP for photos I fired it up and recorded some experimentation. This is the ARP alone with no midi input. It’s all based on LFO, FM and ring modulation
ARP was named after Alan R Pearlman, who founded the company with Lewis G. Pollock and David Friend
