Korg 01R/W
Synth module (1991)

Rackmount digital module of the Korg 01 synthesizer.

Tge direct evolution from KORG M1 keyboard and T series including a new interesting digital sound process WAVESHAPING technology.

RACKMOUNT 2 units. Main panel features a backlit 240 x 64 pixels display, 37 buttons and 1 data slider.


Back panel terminal connectors:
- main signal out
- AUX outs
- Midi interface
- double assignable pedalswitche inputs.

Front panel terminal connectors:
- headphones out
- 2 card slots for data and PCM.

 

SOUND modules based on a 16 bits NEC V50 (μPD70216) CPU manages 32 voices polyphony based on Korg AI2 synthesis with a DAC Burr Brown PCM55HP.
A basic patch is composed 1 or 2 samples (oscillators) that can be set in 2 manners:
- single: 1 oscillator per sound
- double: 2 oscillators per sound.
Just a few oscillator parameters can be edited including: volume, tuning, panning and delay startwave.

 

WAVETABLE internal 6 MB ROM contains 255 PCM coded at 32 kHz wavetable including 3 kinds of samples categories:
- acoustic instruments
- FM sampled
- mathematically generated.

EXPANSION More waves can be added using special PCM cards also compatible with 03RW.
list is NOT complete, cards picture from ebay auction we do not have them yet.

name n. cards catalog producer picture Best of M&T 2 XPC-01 + XSC-801 Korg Orchestral 2 XPC-02 + XSC-802 Korg Piano/Keyboard   2 XPC-03 + XSC-803 Korg   Dance 2 XPC-04 + XSC-804 Korg Synth Design  2 XPC-05 + XSC-805 Korg Ethnic 2 XPC-06 + XSC-806 Korg   Rock chronicle  1   Korg Sounds alternative 1 XPC-11 Korg Urban dance pop 1 W03 Sound source Radical film texture 1 W04 Sound source Industrial cybertech 1 W08 Sound source

WAVESHAPER digital process changes the harmonics contents of a sample distorting it with 59 cycled waveforms each with specific spectral harmonics. Waveshapes are not really editable except for the shaping envelope + amount applied to the sample.
AUDIO EXAMPLE MP3 demo the wave sinewave starts with no waveshaper then processed with same EG through the 59 waveshapers one after one. Below how the waves changes.
TECH :Years later waveshaping had been re-implemented on korg synthesizers including: Z1- Prophecy - Microkorg XL

PERFORMANCE system manages 8 combination parts and some individual parameters:
- Midi channel
- pitch detune
- transpose
- volume / pan
- split zone
- analog out assign.

LFO 3 digital modulators MGs:
- LFO MG1 modulates oscillator 1
- LFO MG2 modulates oscillator 2
- LFO MG3 modulates filter VDF cutoff (the MG VDF can be activated individually to OSC1 or OSC2).
Some extra LFO functions like delay start, note retrig, modulation by aftertouch and ajustable depth.
5 possible waveforms: triangle, saw-up, saw-down, square and random.

ENVELOPE 5 digital EGs:
- EG VDA 1 amplitude for oscillator 1: 4 segments EG + 3 times
- EG VDA 2 amplitude for oscillator 2: 4 segments EG + 3 times
- EG VDF filter: 4 segments EG + 3 time
- EG pitch: 3 segments model + 3 times.

FILTER the VDF is a digital 2-poles lowpass filter, the emphasis Q emulation acts as resonance replacement (same as KORG M1) Extra Keytrack function for cutoff.

EFFECT double engine processors at 16 bits in serial or parallel mode.
This section offers 47 different effects such as reverb, delay, overdrive, EQ, chorus, rotary speaker and some combo of them.

SEQUENCER 16 tracks recordable by real time or step by step mode. Recording system handles various handy functions such as: OVERWITE, PUNCH IN, LOOP, OVERDUB, TRANSPOSE, FILTER EVENT, BOUNCE, COPY TRACK, VELOCITY MODIFY.
SYNC sequencer can be set to external or internal Midi clock in master or slave mode.

EDITOR some computer-based editors for 01w and 01RW:
- Midiquest (PC/MAC, commercial)
- Soundtower 01wEditPro (PC, commercial)
- Atari EMC editor (atari ST)

MAINTENANCE 2 common issues: -after some years the screen may disappear as well as sound generation. Some bad capacitors leak inside creating corrosion around tracks, some luck there is no custom KORG IC around, I had to replace these: C85, C29 and C30, C102, C103 and C130. It seems that NOT all series suffer from this problem. - display backlight: LCD fades out you have to replace the E-foil. Quite easy to do requiring some basic soldering skills. right picture: bad capacitors alert!

 

MEMORY:
- 200 RAM patches
- 200 RAM combi
- 10 songs
- 7000 notes
RAM doubled using l RAM card Korg SRC-512.
TECH: RAM works with a CR-2032 battery in a holder.

 

01 FAMILY RELATED MODELS :

01 FAMILY ALL MODELS: -01/W classic 61 key version -01/W FD same as 01w with additional disk drive -01/Wpro – 76 keys version with drive and an extra piano wavetable -01/WproX – 88 versions weighted, drive and special piano wavetable. 10 Mb with some extra sampled piano and more drum PCM waveforms Korg 03rw budget spinoff, compact, tt misses all Waveshaper features.

 

 

	name	price	demo

 

AUDIO DEMO

Song: full 01 with overdub Song: factory1 Song: factory2 Song: factory3 Song: factory4 Song: factory5 favourite: 01 choir favourite: 01 deep favourite: bells favourite: string pad favourite: LFO bright piano: reverb piano: pan EP: tines dx EP: wurlirhodes Organ: brake Organ: clickpercussion B3 Organ: baviera Organ: old transistor Vintage: old OBX Vintage: Minimoog D Bass : acoustic Harp: delicate pan Guitar: Ultima V ballad

Choir: aftertouch Choir: a bit mellotron Strings: synthetics Strings: chords Pad: tremolo Pad: ambient Pad: resonance Pad: M1 Lore Pad: vector Pad: magic Pad: panning Pad: easy Pad: progression Pad: drama sweep Pad: relax sweep Synth: arpeggio bells Synth: PPG Synth: simple square Synth: mistery Synth: resonance test Synth: digital 1 Synth: digital 2 Synth: another mistery Synth: phaser fx

Drum: standard kit Drum: tr808 kit Drum: industrial kit Drum: taiko Drum: percussion FX : com FX: modulation FX: random computer FX: abyss FX: looped FX: drain pipe FX: flangered FX: movie bend FX: waveshaper FX: tigers FX: space o trip

VIDEO CLIP SELECTION Korg 01 R W - 100% sounds demo Romancing

MANUAL

SERVICE MANUAL

FACTORY PATCHES

original brochure