Korg MS-10

MS-10
Korg MS-10
Manufactured by Korg
Dates 19781983
Price US$450
Technical specifications
Polyphony Monophonic
Timbrality Monotimbral
Oscillator 1 VCO per voice
Synthesis type Analog subtractive
Filter 1 low-pass
Aftertouch no
Velocity sensitive no
Memory none
Effects none
Input/output
Keyboard 32 keys
External control CV/Gate

Korg MS-10 is an analogue synthesizer created by Korg in 1978.[1] Unlike its bigger brother (The MS-20), the MS-10 only has one VCO. It is monophonic and has 32 keys.

The MS-10 is well known for its huge sounding electro bass sounds.

Audio path

Oscillator

The MS-10 has one VCO with 4 waveforms: triangle, sawtooth, pulse, and white noise.

Filter

The MS-10 has the same low pass filter as the MS-20

Output

There is a simple single transistor VCA. The amplitude of the VCA can be controlled by the envelope generator.

Modulation

Modulation generator

The MS-10 has one LFO, labelled "modulation generator". It has two controls (rate and shape) and two outputs (pulse and sloped).

The shape control affects the pulse width and the shape of the sloped output. At midway, the pulse width is 50% and the output is a triangle wave. Both outputs are available through the patch panel and can be used for triggering the envelope generators - the pulse wave with a key held down, and the sloped without. The depth of LFO modulation of the VCO frequency and the filter cut-off can be controlled from knobs in the respective sections of the control panel.

Envelope

There is one envelope generator with controls for Hold, Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release.

Patching

Although the MS-10 has normalized connections, they can be modified with patch cables. This allows the LFO to modulate the pulse width (which is called pulse width modulation, or PWM) of the VCO or the amplitude of the VCA. It also has a noise generator with white and pink noise outputs, CV in and out, and an external signal input (not to be confused with the "External Signal Processor" of the MS-20).

Compatibility With Other Synths and Modules

The MS-10's VCO uses linear voltage control (Hz/Volt) and a converter is needed for V/Oct CV control. The rest of the synth will work with standard synth modules.

References