Blah Blah Cafe, the Jean-Michel Jarre forum

Dr. Who

I need a good learning synth to better understand synthesis such as an ARP2600. Basically I’m looking for a really good learning tool that is also a wicked cool analog synth that I can use in my mix. I’ve read many a good thing about the MS20. I’m wondering if there are any owners on this board that can put their 2 cents in and tell me if this is a good idea. I’m not much of a softsynth guy so buying one of the excellent ARP2600 softsynths doesn’t really appeal to me. However, if I were to buy a MS20 and also the softsynth version, does the softsynth show where each patch cable is wired to for presets? I could very easily use that to learn even more, especially once I find certain sounds that I like. Any and all help would greatly be appreciated. Thanks guys!

Feffeli

If I were you, save up 150 bob then use your TARDIS to go back to 1976 when they were selling EMS AKSs for that little and get yourself one of those. Tons more fun than an MS-20, and the patch matrix is just as good, if not better than wires at showing what's connected to what.

Sorry, couldn't resist the jab.

synthx

I have a Korg MS20. I really like this synth. The only thing missing is one more oscillator and it would have been a compact rival to the 2600 (Ok missing the springreverb and some other stuff).

But the Korg MS20 is a good synth, maybe a little bit confusing in the patching area, but once you master it many sounds can be done with it. Best of all is the filter, you have both Lowpass & Highpass which easily can be made into bandpass. So there are three filter modes.

Thanks to the two filters the MS can do a bunch of sounds. And it is a good bang for the buck. There is two versions of the MS one uses the Korg 35 filter chip. the other uses another solution for the filters. However people generally like to buy the older "first" version for some reason.
I suggest you search the net for info on the serial numbers, and also read up on the Korg 35 filter. It is a little bit like with the ARP odysseys, the white mk1 is much more powerfull than the mk2 & 3. The white odysseys sound really agressive, while the mk2 & 3´s are really thin sounding (Might be due to the filter design misstake ARP did in the later mk2/3).

Doing basic synth sounds on the MS is easy. The patching is only necesary if you want to do more weird sounds. I think you can see the patch cords in the soft version. However you must know that the simulation of the MS in the Legacy pack is not really good. So count on sound differences if you set up the sound on a real MS. I would also not recommend buying the MS 2000, as this does not sound anything like the real MS-20.

I own a MS20 too, and I think it's a great learning tool. Indeed a bit confusing in the patching area, as SynthX says, but once you know what you're doing it's great fun. I think it's the most flexible analog synth around in that price range, and it has great filters too, indeed.

Nico_Noyau

And is the JP8000 good to learn synthesis ?
And instead of a MS20, is the MS20i with the Legacy Pack good ?

noyau wrote:And is the JP8000 good to learn synthesis ?

Yeah, I guess. At least better then D50, LOL!

And instead of a MS20, is the MS20i with the Legacy Pack good ?

NO! That crappy emulation is nowhere near the original...! That doesn't mean it's good for learning to program sounds, but I wouldn't just buy such a piece of garbage...

Nico_Noyau

Gah, I love the JP8000

What have you against this Legacy pack my dear ?

Or maybe you only saythat because you already have the REAL MS20

No, I don't. MS20 legacy stuffs stink. Believe me

radek tymecki

noyau wrote:And is the JP8000 good to learn synthesis ?
And instead of a MS20, is the MS20i with the Legacy Pack good ?

well jp i really better in programming than d50. you have all editable parameters on the front panel [sliders, knobs etc]

Nico_Noyau

I love to can acceed to all without menus, sub menus and so on
That's why I love analogs and modular

So JP8000 : you'll become mine soon

Mind you, programming a modular can be really tedious to do!!

Dr. Who

Nice to know this board has a good sense of humor. I did get a chuckle from Feffeli

Many thanks for the responses out here. I think my mind is made up and I will start shopping for a MS-20! What tracks does Jarre use the MS20 on???

Nico_Noyau

Dr. Who wrote:What tracks does Jarre use the MS20 on???

I don't think he used one, unfortunately

Jakob BC

I am not sure if he ever used the MS-20 but he used it from the studio recordings of the Place De La Concorde concert.

According to the MS-20... Damn! I would like to own one of those, I guess it isn't hard to program if the patcharea doesn't count, but thats the same for many vintage analog synthesizers, but the MS-20 gives you a great overview.
I think the MS-20 has been used much for synthesis educations as a teaching model was made to put on a blackboard

The ARP2600 is known to have been designed for eductional purposes. But that's offtopic.

@Dr.Who: Jean Michel never used the MS series of Korg, as far as I know. He did use the PS series, on the Equinoxe and Concerts In China albums

Attn: Korg MS20 owners