ARP Odyssey

[The-Ox]

Any of you used ARP Odysseys before?

Edited January 11, 2016 by The-Ox

[RhysP]

Yes, a long time ago.
Excellent synth. The new Korg reissue does a very good job of replicating it too, despite being scaled down in size.

[BassTractor]

There's a BassChat forum called Other Instruments in the Gear section. If I recall correctly we had a discussion about the Odyssey there, so you may want to have a look there.

But to answer your question: Yes. I played all three originals a few times in the seventies and eighties, and own a Korg remake now. I've sadly not taken it into use yet.
Is there something you want to know?

[RhysP]

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/235727-korg-announce-arp-odyssey-synth-updated/

[BassTractor]

Thanks, RhysP!
Sadly there's not much info in that thread. I just realise the discussion I meant probably was not on BC at all, or the Odyssey was discussed in another thread about synths - though I couldn't find it.

Over to The-Ox, I think.

[BigRedX]

If you can find one, the Octave Cat synth is essentially copy of the Odyssey.

[Beer of the Bass]

The Teisco S110F is very close in architecture too, though I never had the chance to compare it when I owned the Teisco.

[The-Ox]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1452541897' post='2951032']
There's a BassChat forum called Other Instruments in the Gear section. If I recall correctly we had a discussion about the Odyssey there, so you may want to have a look there.

But to answer your question: Yes. I played all three originals a few times in the seventies and eighties, and own a Korg remake now. I've sadly not taken it into use yet.
Is there something you want to know?
[/quote]

thanks BassTractor! Oooh excellent, what was yer favourite one? I'm thinking of purchasing a mk2, its on deal for me at £1,300

essentially, I want to kinda make sounds similar to The Who on their 70s material in order to make demos (apologies if me bleating on about them is getting tiresome!) How did you find the odyssey in this regard? In terms of its versatility and ease of use? Thanks!

Edited January 11, 2016 by The-Ox

[The-Ox]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1452543397' post='2951058']
Thanks, RhysP!
Sadly there's not much info in that thread. I just realise the discussion I meant probably was not on BC at all, or the Odyssey was discussed in another thread about synths - though I couldn't find it.

Over to The-Ox, I think.
[/quote]

did you happen to be on gearslutz by any chance?

[The-Ox]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1452542206' post='2951037']
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/235727-korg-announce-arp-odyssey-synth-updated/"]http://basschat.co.u...-synth-updated/[/url]
[/quote]

cheers mate!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1452543848' post='2951074']
If you can find one, the Octave Cat synth is essentially copy of the Odyssey.
[/quote]

cool! will check it out thanks!

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1452544503' post='2951081']
The Teisco S110F is very close in architecture too, though I never had the chance to compare it when I owned the Teisco.
[/quote]

again will check it out thanks! Thought you said Tesco for a minute

[RhysP]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1452543848' post='2951074']
If you can find one, the Octave Cat synth is essentially copy of the Odyssey.
[/quote]

One of those will cost you almost as much as an original Odyssey these days.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='The-Ox' timestamp='1452545629' post='2951104']
thanks BassTractor! Oooh excellent, what was yer favourite one? I'm thinking of purchasing a mk2, its on deal for me at £1,300

essentially, I want to kinda make sounds similar to The Who on their 70s material in order to make demos (apologies if me bleating on about them is getting tiresome!) How did you find the odyssey in this regard? In terms of its versatility and ease of use? Thanks!
[/quote]

If you are looking the recreate the kinds of synth sounds on Who's Next etc. I think you'll find it's mostly organs or guitars going through the VCF and VCA modules of ARPs 2500 and 2600 modular synths. The Odyssey doesn't really feature on the recordings despite Pete Townshend being mentioned in adverts for the synth in the 70s.

If you are after the same type of sound rather than recreating them exactly then any synth with an audio in before the filter or a polyphonic synth that allows external triggering of the VCF and VCA envelopes will achieve a similar effect and you should be able to find something that does the job at considerably less than £1300!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1452549884' post='2951161']
One of those will cost you almost as much as an original Odyssey these days.
[/quote]

That's a pity considering that when they were both current, the Octave was considerably cheaper than the ARP.

[The-Ox]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1452550485' post='2951165']
If you are looking the recreate the kinds of synth sounds on Who's Next etc. I think you'll find it's mostly organs or guitars going through the VCF and VCA modules of ARPs 2500 and 2600 modular synths. The Odyssey doesn't really feature on the recordings despite Pete Townshend being mentioned in adverts for the synth in the 70s.

If you are after the same type of sound rather than recreating them exactly then any synth with an audio in before the filter or a polyphonic synth that allows external triggering of the VCF and VCA envelopes will achieve a similar effect and you should be able to find something that does the job at considerably less than £1300!
[/quote]

haha cheers mate! Any suggestions?

[RhysP]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1452550485' post='2951165']


If you are looking the recreate the kinds of synth sounds on Who's Next etc. I think you'll find it's mostly organs or guitars going through the VCF and VCA modules of ARPs 2500 and 2600 modular synths. The Odyssey doesn't really feature on the recordings despite Pete Townshend being mentioned in adverts for the synth in the 70s.

If you are after the same type of sound rather than recreating them exactly then any synth with an audio in before the filter or a polyphonic synth that allows external triggering of the VCF and VCA envelopes will achieve a similar effect and you should be able to find something that does the job at considerably less than £1300!
[/quote]

I thought Townshend used EMS synths on Who's Next.

[The-Ox]

he did, using a Lowrey Organ too. I think the ARPs were mainly Quadrophenia - both are well outta my budget!

I can afford a mk2, but have seen an ARP Axxe for £650, thoughts guys?

[BassTractor]

[quote name='The-Ox' timestamp='1452545629' post='2951104']
what was yer favourite one? I'm thinking of purchasing a mk2, its on deal for me at £1,300
[/quote]

I'm no expert, mind.
Roughly speaking, whilst I liked the Moog-like filter in the Mk2, my fave was always the lively, fun filter in the Mk1 (without entering into details as to exactly which build number had which filter etc.). I never liked the Mk3 as much as the other two, but would've bought that synth at any rate.
The last version is also said to be technically speaking the best one, but I forgot for which reason.


A Mk2 at so much money must mean you're talking about a vintage one, yes? Fully serviced and ready to serve you many years to come or more like a risk you're willing to take?


[quote name='The-Ox' timestamp='1452545629' post='2951104']
essentially, I want to kinda make sounds similar to The Who on their 70s material in order to make demos (apologies if me bleating on about them is getting tiresome!) How did you find the odyssey in this regard? In terms of its versatility and ease of use? Thanks!
[/quote]

BRX has already answered this better than I could've done, and I concur.
Even if Townshend had used an Odyssey, I still don't see the need to use an Odyssey if you're not aiming at millimeter correctness in a tribute band.

I feel the Odyssey was versatile for its time, and because it had many switches like the Teisco, the alternative routings gave a lot of possibilities for other sounds than everyday bread and butter sounds.
I felt it was easy to work with only after one had studied the routing possibilities very carefully. Many of the same sliders and many switches in a row, and not all of them immediately clear as to their consequences make this synth not the one that one masters on the first day. I've experienced much easier models there - even very knobby ones.

Today however, synths like for example the Waldorf Blofeld are soooo much more flexible and sooo easy to use, that for general purpose synthing I'd take that one any day before an Odyssey, unless I had specific reasons to buy an Odyssey, that is.
Also, the Blofeld Keyboard has a great little keyboard. I don't remember how the original Odyssey's was. The KARP's is amateuristic.

Also, of it's for demo purposes only, and you must have the sound of the Odyssey as well as its routing possibilities, a softsynth exists that comes very close. You may know it.


[quote name='The-Ox' timestamp='1452545654' post='2951106']
did you happen to be on gearslutz by any chance?
[/quote]

Yes, but that's not the one I was thinking of. The discussion on GS is millions of pages long, and they're fighting-animals over there. I meant a friendlier one, but still can't remember where it was.

Edited January 11, 2016 by BassTractor

[BigRedX]

[quote name='The-Ox' timestamp='1452552156' post='2951189']
haha cheers mate! Any suggestions?
[/quote]

If you want a self-contained unit that will sequence filter and VCA process any instrument you feed through it, then IMO you can't go far wrong with a [url=http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/adrenalinn-iii.html]Linn Adrenalinn[/url].

[The-Ox]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1452555880' post='2951215']
I'm no expert, mind.
Roughly speaking, whilst I liked the Moog-like filter in the Mk2, my fave was always the lively, fun filter in the Mk1 (without entering into details as to exactly which build number had which filter etc.). I never liked the Mk3 as much as the other two, but would've bought that synth at any rate.
The last version is also said to be technically speaking the best one, but I forgot for which reason.


A Mk2 at so much money must mean you're talking about a vintage one, yes? Fully serviced and ready to serve you many years to come or more like a risk you're willing to take?




BRX has already answered this better than I could've done, and I concur.
Even if Townshend had used an Odyssey, I still don't see the need to use an Odyssey if you're not aiming at millimeter correctness in a tribute band.

I feel the Odyssey was versatile for its time, and because it had many switches like the Teisco, the alternative routings gave a lot of possibilities for other sounds than everyday bread and butter sounds.
I felt it was easy to work with only after one had studied the routing possibilities very carefully. Many of the same sliders and many switches in a row, and not all of them immediately clear as to their consequences make this synth not the one that one masters on the first day. I've experienced much easier models there - even very knobby ones.

Today however, synths like for example the Waldorf Blofeld are soooo much more flexible and sooo easy to use, that for general purpose synthing I'd take that one any day before an Odyssey, unless I had specific reasons to buy an Odyssey, that is.
Also, the Blofeld Keyboard has a great little keyboard. I don't remember how the original Odyssey's was. The KARP's is amateuristic.

Also, of it's for demo purposes only, and you must have the sound of the Odyssey as well as its routing possibilities, a softsynth exists that comes very close. You may know it.




Yes, but that's not the one I was thinking of. The discussion on GS is millions of pages long, and they're fighting-animals over there. I meant a friendlier one, but still can't remember where it was.
[/quote]

thanks mate! The GS thread was was started by me not too long ago haha, but the malice came from other guys attacking a guy just because he questioned whether the Korg was analogue, the internet gives a voice to fools unfortunately (I'm probs one of them haha)

I will have a look at these you've mentioned!

[The-Ox]

have any of you got an opinion on the ARP Axxe? Up for sale at £650 - can I save cash here?

[The-Ox]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1452556598' post='2951222']


If you want a self-contained unit that will sequence filter and VCA process any instrument you feed through it, then IMO you can't go far wrong with a [url=http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/adrenalinn-iii.html]Linn Adrenalinn[/url].
[/quote]

Thanks! Added to the list to check out

[BassTractor]

[quote name='The-Ox' timestamp='1452556758' post='2951226']
have any of you got an opinion on the ARP Axxe? Up for sale at £650 - can I save cash here?
[/quote]

Yup. That was their bread and butter machine. Very easy to learn on, but I personally didn't like it.
Since the Teiscos/Kawais have been mentioned already, I liked their Synthesizer-100F a lot better than the Axxe, but then that one, also with one oscillator only, did have the routing switches that made it good for weird noises. Also its core sound to me was nicer, but that is taste.

Personally, I'd rather have an Odyssey at £1,300 than an Axxe at £650. Then again, personally I'd rather have a KARP for that Axxe price than an old Odyssey for that same price. YMMV.

[RhysP]

I'd go for the KARP too - all the sounds & looks of the original with none of the potential headaches & expense of owning a vintage synth.

[The-Ox]

https://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun08/articles/waldorfblofeld.htm

This is the waldorf right? Does it coem with a keyboard? Looks nice!

Ok thanks! I'm getting mixed reviewd eith the karp, some say yes, others slate it (i notice its vintage arp owners who slate it)

[The-Ox]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1452558176' post='2951231']


Yup. That was their bread and butter machine. Very easy to learn on, but I personally didn't like it.
Since the Teiscos/Kawais have been mentioned already, I liked their Synthesizer-100F a lot better than the Axxe, but then that one, also with one oscillator only, did have the routing switches that made it good for weird noises. Also its core sound to me was nicer, but that is taste.

Personally, I'd rather have an Odyssey at £1,300 than an Axxe at £650. Then again, personally I'd rather have a KARP for that Axxe price than an old Odyssey for that same price. YMMV.
[/quote]

I thought the axxe would have been better! Goes to show what i know