About
Often advertised as string machine, Korg Delta is more than that. Split in two sections, synth and string with separate outs and a mix output. Providing two outputs brings lot of production possibilities. You can route one output through one effect processor, and other one through completely different, mixing them at the desk.
My baby is not for sale! :-)
String section is simple with pitch sliders 16' and 8' and a tone control, kind of EQ with bass and treble. It also has a simple but effective TVA made from attack and release control. Synth section is made from four pitch sliders (harmonics) 16', 8', 4', and 2'. Each of them is a pure square wave. However, having some knowledge in harmonics and manipulating their levels, it is easy to turn this square wave into a saw wave. For best results connect Korg Delta to a PC and watch the scope. Synth section has also a white noise generator. Next comes the filter with resonance and a switch between LPF and BPF type. Filter can be manipulated by the envelope (ENV amount) which can go positive or negative. Filter can also be triggered via CV. Next comes TVA which is standard ADSR envelope and can be triggered via GATE inputs.
It's hot!
Now comes the undocumented part. For example, you won't find in online brochures that this synth has LFO. It is routed to pitch. But, you can route it to the joystick. From there you can select amount of VCF you want to modify. Result is LFO connected to the filter by turning joystick into front position (that is front, not left or right). This can be heard in sweep.mp3 example. But that's not all. There is another modulator available. It is noise generator on the joystick when you push it back (lfo-noise.mp3). This again can be routed to pitch or filter or both. And of course, standard left right joystick movement can be routed to pitch and filter. This can be heard on Delta2.mp3 and Delta3.mp3 examples. Really a magic joystick.
Here are the .mp3 sound examples of Korg Delta that will demonstrate it's synthesis capabilities. All sounds were programmed by Don Solaris. Most of them have a touch of chorus / delay, but that was with purpose because it is expected in most situations this machine doesn't go dry in the mix. If it does, don't worry i also included a few 100% dry sounds..
Wet sounds:
Raw 100% dry sounds:wetmono.mp3 (499kB) - Ambient chord sound.
This unit is perfect for backing, making some dreamy pads or slow evolving textures. It doesn't have fast envelopes, and it doesn't need them either. One thing that you need to have for this unit is effect processor. Ideally it would be Roland Space Echo since it adds even more warmth and gentle chorusing effect. Result instantly blows away any digital machine. If you can't afford Space Echo, some standard DSP unit will do fine. All you need is mix it with a little bit of chorus or delay (depending on situation).
In our examples processing was done on Virtualizer
Pro 2024P and Digitech Studio Quad v2
KORG DELTA Scematics (1.2MB) by courtesy of James @ Carbon 111 site
Deep Synthesis: Home12. 22. 2005
Don Solaris