littlebritain64 yep I wish they still made todays synth like these I bought a roland fa06 and yamaha moxf6 and they did not impress me now I put thim aside and am back to my dw8000 d50 and ensoniq esq1 yamaha DX7iifd(:
These are awesome, as an original DW8000 owner it's wonderful to see such a thorough and enthusiastic series on the instrument! Love the Unison2 mode where the envelope doesn't re-trigger. Don't underestimate that mode. Also, for leads if you want a more old school sound that's not as thick just leave in poly mode. Like if you're trying to imitate a Minimoog.
Thanks for the kind words! It's funny, I recorded this so long ago now that I've discovered more about the synth since - you're right about Unison2. Even after years and years, it's always fun to discover new techniques on these beautiful machines!
Try taking the detune out the osc's first for a cleaner sharper sound. Mode 2 is in fact awesome. Solo while using the resonance on the slider then press both up and down buttons at the same time to get back to the original value when solo is done.
Excellent video, and a big thanks for sharing. I just got one of these a week ago, I figured out a few of how things work, but couldn't understand what the 'poly 2' button was for. But wow, I didn't think that this DW8000 was THAT good, your video has totally opened up my mind more to it. I guess having a better understanding of this instrument helps big time!
Thanks for the kind words! To be honest, I don't use Poly 2 mode a lot, it has more application for "note stealing" when you're maxing out polyphony than anything else. Glad you got into the world of the DW 8000, I like mine a lot! Feel free to check out the rest of the videos in the series, where I go into detail on all aspects of the synth. Thanks for watching!
The DW8000 is IMHO a big step up from the DW6000 with 2 extra notes of polyphony, twice as many DWGS waveforms, arpeggiator, built in digital delay and velocity and aftertouch sensitive keyboard. I used a DW6000 and then bought a DW8000 and boy oh boy what a step up!
Thank you for being one of the first to give a deeper review on the DW-8000. I got one a few years ago and have loved it ever since. Perhaps you could do a review on the Korg Dss1, the more complicated cousin of the korg DW-6000/8000. If I could get more info on one I might buy it. Also the Korg Volca series seems very interesting. I have a Volca keys that compliments my DW-8000 very well.
Thanks for watching! I'd love to have a Korg DSS1 - I've had a hard time finding it for a reasonable price. They seem to never turn up for sale around me, and the price/shipping thru ebay is always outrageous. Maybe because it's both pretty rare and REALLY heavy. I have a Volca Keys as well and also love it. You're right, these synths complement each other well: The DW8000 has digital oscillators with a lot of features, and the Volca Keys have analog oscillators with somewhat limited features.
Taylor Atnip I appreciate that! It's actually just something I whipped up quickly in Ableton using the Korg DW-8000. All sounds come straight from the synth except for a bit of reverb on the key sounds and a bit of compression on the bass sounds.
Would it be possible using a standard DW-8000 alone with no computer software and no external effects to replicate that? I just manually program mine and write down the parameters for sounds I create so I can go back later and use them.
Taylor Atnip I suppose so. I guess the main thing I used Ableton for was to track parts: I have one track with a arpeggiated key sound & a second track with a bass sound.
I've been working with the Alumni of Angel City Audio who released a 'Turbo DW' upgrade to the DW-8000 in the 80s. They wished that I release some patches for the original DW as well as the documentation that came with these patches. There is also a lengthy and worthwhile document on understanding Synthesis with the DW-8000 that are hereby released to the public. Enjoy Synthheads, Introductory Manual to the DW-8000www.dropbox.com/s/a382tcyaccfq3yd/Introductory%20Manual.pdf?dl=0…… Volume 8 pdf: www.dropbox.com/s/lws57swm065m1l5/Volume%208.pdf… and finally, Volume 8 in wav format: www.dropbox.com/s/y7tw9o6gbcrq136/Volume%208.wav
Hi, i got a dw8000 and i would lile to send midi notes from ableton to it. I don’t think i need a usb midi converter but only a midi cable (that i have). It is connect in my soundcard and in my synth midi in, but i can’t see it in my ableton midi preferences... have you got any tips? I’m gOnna buy one of those converter anyway to control the parameters of the dw8000, that’s amazing, but i’d love to know how to do without. Nice videos, can’t wait to see the rest of this series. Cheers from Aubervilliers, France. Happy new year 2021
So, this has two different poly modes like the Roland JX synthesizers, but its unison mode is not the same as on a JX, because a JX' unison settings simply switch the polyphony from 6 notes to 3 notes. For lead/solo sounds on a JX, there's a third pair of settings, the second of which puts all six voices together. I almost bought a DW-8000 ten years ago, but it seemed like a frivolous purchase at the moment. I now have a microKorg XL, which is kind of the next best thing to an 8000, since it includes the waveforms in osc. 2.
You're right, Unison on the DW8000 stacks all the voices onto one single monophonic voice. Poly1/2 modes just select how voices are stolen when you max out the polyphony (first note/ last note) It's worth mentioning that the DSS-1 has all the DW8000 waveforms and can do a Unison mode that detunes the voices (not just the oscillators within the voices)!
Nice series! I am interested in controlling pitch and tuning on the DW-8000, for microtonal and just-intonation tunings. Is this possible through patches? Page 15 in the manual gives choices for the octaves, though I am not sure if this is enough for what I have in mind. Any ideas?
Minikeys? 90s? From 1988 KORG used Yamaha keybed similar to the DX7II semi-weighted. The DW8000 and 6000 have the most generic Fater-style synth-keybed, like the Poly 61. However, The Poly 800 and 707 had mini-keys and the X5 which was like a cannibalized KAWAI K1 with a 05R/W sound engine ;D
Hi! I have a question abou MEX-8000. If I would have MEX-8000 I would be able to store 4 banks into it, but does it mean that to use a bank from MEX 8000 I nead to load it into the DW-8000 and replace the bank in the same way as I can do it by my PC and MIDI-OX? Or I would be able to have acces to 5 banks at once, like: one would be in DW8000 and four banks extra on MEX banks and I would be able to "switch" banks like programs in tv by pilot? Saing more simple: I can store 4 banks (A,B,C,D) on MEX and one bank (E) is loaded in the synth. When I will play on bank E from DW8000, and I will have wish to play on bank A from MEX, I will have to replace E by loading A into DW (as I do it now from my PC), or I will be able to press a button on MEX and my DW will be able to play bank A but saving his bank E untouched? Because if it will loading by replacement then I do exactly the same by my PC and having MEX8000 has no sence, right?
5 year old question, but here goes. I have the DW-8000 and an EX800 (rack poly800 minus 🕹). I adore them both for each unique limitation. I think i still want all the Korgs, but as an example I think the Poly 61 is kind of between the Poly 800 and DW8000 in features so it would be less warranted in a way. Whereas the divide down waveforms and analog chorus of the EX800 are totally unique and different to the DW8000. I think a Polysix, DW8000, and Poly800 would be a really neat stack showing the evolution of Korg's more budget polysynths. Each distinct enough. If I had to pick just one, I might stick with the EX800, but this is only because it's rack saves space AND I also have Ensoniq ESQm and Kawai K3r which are similar enough to DW8000. But, I rather sell nothing and have fun with all of them! (: Cheers 🍻
Theres way cooler patches btw then the stock ones . U play the tape into the tape input. So theoretically u can load anything into it . It just takes a while to do it
Hey there, would you happen to know anything about triggering the arpeggiator with midi? I tried setting it to external and connected it to both the daw and a sequencer and it didn't seem to work.
Hey - so I've got bad news - I've never been able to get external clock to trigger MIDI on my synth. I thought mine was just old and defective, but I've heard a lot of similar stories online. I'm not sure of a fix, so I tend to use an external arp - I use Ableton but most any DAW should have one. External hardware sequencers should be able to do something similar. Wish I could be more helpful here!
+MarkusCologne yeah that's how it should work, unfortunately I've never been able to get mine to respond to external clock this way. Not sure if something is defective with my unit or what, but I've encountered others online who have the same issue. Tbh, I tend to use this synth as a sound module more than anything and control it completely from my DAW, so it still works for my purposes
Hi, i bought a dw8000 the other day and as i was playing with it, i noticed that the synth overheats easily. it's a 110v but i'm using a 220v transformer with 200 watts. i've been searching for some forums but couldn't find any that helps
Some synths have a 110-220V conversion switch close the power supplier, inside or outside. I have a synth from USA working only 110V (no switch) and with a different plug from the ones found in Italy, my country. I had to go to a GBC (similar to Radio Shack stores) shop and buy an heavy 220 to 110V converter, luckily not so big, 20 Euros.... And works good! And remember, check always if the synths you buy are common Ac power working or not. In some rare cases, like my Peavey Spectrum Synth, I had to buy a Ac/Dc converter and supplier to feed the module, that came without its one. If I am not wrong was 220V Ac to 220V Dc and then sent to the synth. But not too sure, somebody else could be more useful than me.
This isn't the kind of instrument that I would go for personally, as I am not a great fan of having a single slider for accessing parameters. I like knobs and the ability to change sounds in real time by simply reaching for them. That said, when one of these came my way for free, I did not turn down the offer.
MinimalWave1982 According to Korg's manual, they're analog. Could have been a lie, I suppose, but I do think it sounds warmer than most fully-digital synths I've owned, even with the filter opened.
Great work man. I love my DW8000. It's very underrated synth
Thanks! Yeah, I really like it and use it for a lot of different sounds.
Man, great videos. You put a lot of effort into these videos and please know that they are very appreciated!!.
Such a lovely synth, great sounds in a very clever engineered machine!! Thanks for the video!
littlebritain64 yep I wish they still made todays synth like these I bought a roland fa06 and yamaha moxf6 and they did not impress me now I put thim aside and am back to my dw8000 d50 and ensoniq esq1 yamaha DX7iifd(:
These are awesome, as an original DW8000 owner it's wonderful to see such a thorough and enthusiastic series on the instrument! Love the Unison2 mode where the envelope doesn't re-trigger. Don't underestimate that mode. Also, for leads if you want a more old school sound that's not as thick just leave in poly mode. Like if you're trying to imitate a Minimoog.
Thanks for the kind words! It's funny, I recorded this so long ago now that I've discovered more about the synth since - you're right about Unison2. Even after years and years, it's always fun to discover new techniques on these beautiful machines!
Try taking the detune out the osc's first for a cleaner sharper sound. Mode 2 is in fact awesome. Solo while using the resonance on the slider then press both up and down buttons at the same time to get back to the original value when solo is done.
Excellent video, and a big thanks for sharing. I just got one of these a week ago, I figured out a few of how things work, but couldn't understand what the 'poly 2' button was for. But wow, I didn't think that this DW8000 was THAT good, your video has totally opened up my mind more to it. I guess having a better understanding of this instrument helps big time!
Thanks for the kind words! To be honest, I don't use Poly 2 mode a lot, it has more application for "note stealing" when you're maxing out polyphony than anything else. Glad you got into the world of the DW 8000, I like mine a lot! Feel free to check out the rest of the videos in the series, where I go into detail on all aspects of the synth. Thanks for watching!
straight after watching your videos I wjumped straight onto the synth and bloody hell, what a difference! guys in the band will have shock next week!
chris randell great to hear! 😃
Excellent demonstrations. Thanks a lot for this.
Thanks for watching!
Already have a DW-6000, possibly getting a DW-8000 this week. Thanks for all your vids !
The DW8000 is IMHO a big step up from the DW6000 with 2 extra notes of polyphony, twice as many DWGS waveforms, arpeggiator, built in digital delay and velocity and aftertouch sensitive keyboard. I used a DW6000 and then bought a DW8000 and boy oh boy what a step up!
Just got one of these baby s love it.
Thank you for being one of the first to give a deeper review on the DW-8000. I got one a few years ago and have loved it ever since. Perhaps you could do a review on the Korg Dss1, the more complicated cousin of the korg DW-6000/8000. If I could get more info on one I might buy it. Also the Korg Volca series seems very interesting. I have a Volca keys that compliments my DW-8000 very well.
Thanks for watching! I'd love to have a Korg DSS1 - I've had a hard time finding it for a reasonable price. They seem to never turn up for sale around me, and the price/shipping thru ebay is always outrageous. Maybe because it's both pretty rare and REALLY heavy.
I have a Volca Keys as well and also love it. You're right, these synths complement each other well: The DW8000 has digital oscillators with a lot of features, and the Volca Keys have analog oscillators with somewhat limited features.
If I could ask what is the opening music in this video series? I love the sound.
Taylor Atnip I appreciate that! It's actually just something I whipped up quickly in Ableton using the Korg DW-8000. All sounds come straight from the synth except for a bit of reverb on the key sounds and a bit of compression on the bass sounds.
Would it be possible using a standard DW-8000 alone with no computer software and no external effects to replicate that? I just manually program mine and write down the parameters for sounds I create so I can go back later and use them.
Taylor Atnip I suppose so. I guess the main thing I used Ableton for was to track parts: I have one track with a arpeggiated key sound & a second track with a bass sound.
I've been working with the Alumni of Angel City Audio who released a 'Turbo DW' upgrade to the DW-8000 in the 80s. They wished that I release some patches for the original DW as well as the documentation that came with these patches. There is also a lengthy and worthwhile document on understanding Synthesis with the DW-8000 that are hereby released to the public.
Enjoy Synthheads,
Introductory Manual to the DW-8000www.dropbox.com/s/a382tcyaccfq3yd/Introductory%20Manual.pdf?dl=0……
Volume 8 pdf: www.dropbox.com/s/lws57swm065m1l5/Volume%208.pdf…
and finally, Volume 8 in wav format: www.dropbox.com/s/y7tw9o6gbcrq136/Volume%208.wav
'In case you're playing with anyone out of tune... like a guitarist' Take THAT guitarist!
haha - well I'm a guitarist as well so it was self-deprecating humor :)
I wish todays synths were still made like this one and like my ensoniq Esq 1
Hi, i got a dw8000 and i would lile to send midi notes from ableton to it. I don’t think i need a usb midi converter but only a midi cable (that i have). It is connect in my soundcard and in my synth midi in, but i can’t see it in my ableton midi preferences... have you got any tips? I’m gOnna buy one of those converter anyway to control the parameters of the dw8000, that’s amazing, but i’d love to know how to do without. Nice videos, can’t wait to see the rest of this series. Cheers from Aubervilliers, France. Happy new year 2021
So, this has two different poly modes like the Roland JX synthesizers, but its unison mode is not the same as on a JX, because a JX' unison settings simply switch the polyphony from 6 notes to 3 notes. For lead/solo sounds on a JX, there's a third pair of settings, the second of which puts all six voices together.
I almost bought a DW-8000 ten years ago, but it seemed like a frivolous purchase at the moment. I now have a microKorg XL, which is kind of the next best thing to an 8000, since it includes the waveforms in osc. 2.
You're right, Unison on the DW8000 stacks all the voices onto one single monophonic voice. Poly1/2 modes just select how voices are stolen when you max out the polyphony (first note/ last note)
It's worth mentioning that the DSS-1 has all the DW8000 waveforms and can do a Unison mode that detunes the voices (not just the oscillators within the voices)!
Yateveo, that almost makes it like an Oberheim XP 1 or Matrix 12.
Nice series! I am interested in controlling pitch and tuning on the DW-8000, for microtonal and just-intonation tunings. Is this possible through patches? Page 15 in the manual gives choices for the octaves, though I am not sure if this is enough for what I have in mind. Any ideas?
Minikeys? 90s? From 1988 KORG used Yamaha keybed similar to the DX7II semi-weighted. The DW8000 and 6000 have the most generic Fater-style synth-keybed, like the Poly 61. However, The Poly 800 and 707 had mini-keys and the X5 which was like a cannibalized KAWAI K1 with a 05R/W sound engine ;D
Hi!
I have a question abou MEX-8000.
If I would have MEX-8000 I would be able to store 4 banks into it, but does it mean that to use a bank from MEX 8000 I nead to load it into the DW-8000 and replace the bank in the same way as I can do it by my PC and MIDI-OX? Or I would be able to have acces to 5 banks at once, like: one would be in DW8000 and four banks extra on MEX banks and I would be able to "switch" banks like programs in tv by pilot?
Saing more simple:
I can store 4 banks (A,B,C,D) on MEX and one bank (E) is loaded in the synth.
When I will play on bank E from DW8000, and I will have wish to play on bank A from MEX, I will have to replace E by loading A into DW (as I do it now from my PC), or I will be able to press a button on MEX and my DW will be able to play bank A but saving his bank E untouched? Because if it will loading by replacement then I do exactly the same by my PC and having MEX8000 has no sence, right?
Why does your synth at 55 11 16 sound way different from mine lol
Do you like this over the Poly-800?
5 year old question, but here goes. I have the DW-8000 and an EX800 (rack poly800 minus 🕹). I adore them both for each unique limitation. I think i still want all the Korgs, but as an example I think the Poly 61 is kind of between the Poly 800 and DW8000 in features so it would be less warranted in a way. Whereas the divide down waveforms and analog chorus of the EX800 are totally unique and different to the DW8000. I think a Polysix, DW8000, and Poly800 would be a really neat stack showing the evolution of Korg's more budget polysynths. Each distinct enough. If I had to pick just one, I might stick with the EX800, but this is only because it's rack saves space AND I also have Ensoniq ESQm and Kawai K3r which are similar enough to DW8000. But, I rather sell nothing and have fun with all of them! (:
Cheers 🍻
What sound card you are using?
Феникс Фениксович I’m using a Focusrite Scarlett 8i6
Thank you. I use Tascam US-114, but with it there are a few annoying moments. Is everything okay on Win7-10?
Феникс Фениксович yup I’ve used it for several years now on both Win 7 and 10 and have never really had an issue
Does anyone know if it's possible to "reset" a patch and go to "init patch"? I've been looking, but can't seem to find it..
Theres way cooler patches btw then the stock ones . U play the tape into the tape input. So theoretically u can load anything into it . It just takes a while to do it
What is the number of the piano?
45
Look also for Ensoniq SQ80, 32 digital waveforms and deeper editing. Nevertheless, my DW8000 is a beast!
Hey there, would you happen to know anything about triggering the arpeggiator with midi? I tried setting it to external and connected it to both the daw and a sequencer and it didn't seem to work.
Hey - so I've got bad news - I've never been able to get external clock to trigger MIDI on my synth. I thought mine was just old and defective, but I've heard a lot of similar stories online. I'm not sure of a fix, so I tend to use an external arp - I use Ableton but most any DAW should have one. External hardware sequencers should be able to do something similar. Wish I could be more helpful here!
+MarkusCologne yeah that's how it should work, unfortunately I've never been able to get mine to respond to external clock this way. Not sure if something is defective with my unit or what, but I've encountered others online who have the same issue. Tbh, I tend to use this synth as a sound module more than anything and control it completely from my DAW, so it still works for my purposes
Hi, i bought a dw8000 the other day and as i was playing with it, i noticed that the synth overheats easily. it's a 110v but i'm using a 220v transformer with 200 watts. i've been searching for some forums but couldn't find any that helps
Some synths have a 110-220V conversion switch close the power supplier, inside or outside. I have a synth from USA working only 110V (no switch) and with a different plug from the ones found in Italy, my country. I had to go to a GBC (similar to Radio Shack stores) shop and buy an heavy 220 to 110V converter, luckily not so big, 20 Euros.... And works good! And remember, check always if the synths you buy are common Ac power working or not. In some rare cases, like my Peavey Spectrum Synth, I had to buy a Ac/Dc converter and supplier to feed the module, that came without its one.
If I am not wrong was 220V Ac to 220V Dc and then sent to the synth. But not too sure, somebody else could be more useful than me.
I think people think they are samples because of the way you load custom patch banks
You sound just like Tom Papa. Strange!
wait so does it have chord hold?
is does not, no. for a lot of these videos I was using Ableton's chord midi effect
ah cool, im trying to get one dirt cheap but its difficult atm...
This isn't the kind of instrument that I would go for personally, as I am not a great fan of having a single slider for accessing parameters. I like knobs and the ability to change sounds in real time by simply reaching for them. That said, when one of these came my way for free, I did not turn down the offer.
Retroaktiv DW-8P
It's super easy to use the single slider with bank hold.
the envelopes are analog ? Sure about this ? I think theyre digital
MinimalWave1982 According to Korg's manual, they're analog. Could have been a lie, I suppose, but I do think it sounds warmer than most fully-digital synths I've owned, even with the filter opened.
It's Analog alright. Open it up and see for yourself.
All of your sounds are completely different than mine lol wtf