I owned two of these back in the 80s. I used to MIDI them together. Was able to achieve amazing thick, rich textures. Have owned many synthesizers over the last 40 years. And the DW8000 was one of my all time favorites. It really had the ability to cover all the bases, from sweet percussive EPs to outstanding lush strings, organs, brass and fat synth sounds. And, do them all quite well! In fact, if I could only have one hardware synth from my past, it would be this one.
Are there any free packs or tape loads for this keyboard? I know how to load tape a bit where does tape b get loaded into the system? Also what’s with sysex and can I load via tape?
I bought my DW8000 when I was just 16 years old back in 1986. Saved up for an entire year to afford it and I have not been able to part with it. I took it out of mothballs a few months back and replaced the backup battery and got a memory expansion. This video now is my inspiration to hook up to to my rig and actually record something with it now. Such an amazing sounds.
Awesome!!! If you do a bit of searching around there are a lot of the old factory and other patches around too. There are a few guys who are selling patches like these that are really nice also.
Hi Mutant Pixel. I have the EX-8000, and I have been looking to expand its memory. I thought that the techies that used to do mods (e.g. Angel City, etc.) no longer offered the expansion. Where & when did you get the memory expansion? Were you able to do the mod yourself? If you have a link for the expansion kit/services, I'd appreciate you sharing it with me. Thanks in advance. :)
I feel the same way. I just had my battery replaced and the electronics guys was amazed that the batter from 1985 still had enough juice left in it that my original and tweaked sounds were still in memory!! But, some of these sounds, I definitely need.
just got a dw6000 yesterday...awesome shape...seller said it was in his closet for 20 years! I know its not quite the 8000 with your awesome sounds but i look forward to digging in. I miss the dss1 I sold years and years ago. cheers
Finally! Someone is showing off the DW-8000 properly! Nice job! I bought mine, along with an EX-8000 when in first came out in 1985, and just restored it - if you can call it that - all it needed was two new output jacks and a battery! Still works perfectly! 35 years and counting!
Thanks! Yeah, they're pretty solid. If the battery wears out, the synth will appear totally dead, so I assume many 8000s has been thrown out through the years for that reason.
Bought an EX8000 1 week ago, as a big Espen fan, got the pack the same day. Stunning sounds, in combination with my vst lexicon reverb it‘s an 80s heaven :-)
That synth was at our rehearsal studio back in 1988 and I was getting into keys at that time...we had Roland Juno106, D50, KORG BX3, Casio CZ1000, Yamaha DX7 and the DW8000 ate them all for breakfast with it's useable presets :)
OMG where were you when I needed you in 1987! I was in a jazz fusion band, and this with a Roland RD-250 digital piano was my rig. Wish I could have played you some of mine. I programmed a great gospel organ, horn-section stab patch, some punchy mono leads, a great atmosphere echo-y bell thing I called "rainy train," more. Ah, memories...
Yes, it can do great organ sounds as well. You can bring some upper harmonies as well. I have very little use for organ sounds these days though so my pack of sounds contain very few of those ;-)
This sounds great.I mentioned before that this was the first synth I owned.The music shop that I worked in stocked Korg. When I bought it the D50 came out soon after and it became the synth to have.I could hardly play back then but I learned the intro to Jump and got my first gig on the strength of that.Never been out of work since.Those sounds are big and warm.I love the electric piano .Great sounds.Really happy memories.
Thank you for this video man - the DW-8000 is one of my all time favorite machines, and I have a lot of synths! Mine has the Angel City turbo mod, and I'll be loading some of those extra banks with your patches. So much of the Korg gear from this era is amazing - the DSS-1 is a forgotten monster of a synth, a few years ago updated by Straylight Engineering to a modern super synth. Both of these machines are such a bargain its almost criminal. And don't forget the DS-8 FM synth and hella boss DDD-1 drum machine ;)
@@EspenKraft it's the lack of a knob/laden surface I'd guess. Or dedicated 'Korg' control box like the Roland PG's. The DW8K is a joy to program even without that, imo
I bought one when it first came out and then sold it years after. I began missing it and was lucky to find a guy selling 2 of these for just $275 USD. It was the 90s and no one wanted them anymore. People don't realize what a powerhouse this is!
Espen: thank you so much for bringing these forgotten treasures back alive. Truly amazing how you always manage to let the eighties look brand new. Not only with your music but also with this kind of highlighting that only a few people on this earth are able to do. Respect...
Thanks! Yeah, I often try to get some of the old Italo horror movie themes into my videos. I've done that from before in a more elaborate way as well. Frizzi is king.
I recently found one here in Rome, Italy in perfect shape..The guy got it in the 80's..played it in a pop band for 3/4 years...then from the 90's onwards he put it in a case and hide it in a closet...that is why the synth is still aesthetically perfect...I've bought it for "only" 250€, and fully serviced for 50€...A good bargain in the end... Hey Espen...I'm ready to buy these patches now !!! :)))
@@EspenKraft Sorry to bother you mate...I wrote you on Facebook as well... I was wondering if you could help me installing the sysex files for my old friend DW8000 that I just bought from your Patchbay page...The Sysex Librarian seems not to work properly with this Synth..Could you just write me some simple steps to follow?
I bought one used in the mid 90's from a music store in Boardman, Ohio and it was in perfect shape. Also, the guy who owned it traded it in for a digital piano and he too, had it stored hence, it being in good condition. And oddly enough, my story is so similar to yours in that I paid $250 U S. Dollars for it. Great synthesizer with a great sound.
Can’t believe I still have my DW8000. Got when I was 15. Remember playing Rush Subdivisions in high school battle of the bands. It’s the oldest thing I own. Thank you for bringing attention to this classic!
Sounds absolutely gorgeous! A real stunner. This synth was sent from heaven. 100% Liquid Gold ear candy. Exceptional patches, fantastic video. Thanks Espen
Thanks for saying! It is a great sounding synth and some sugar coating with this can often be exactly what's needed on a track to get some x-factor in there. :)
The filter on the dw8000 is amazing. Set up an arp for full and the filter self resonates up in the high end giving you interesting and cool little melodies. 👍😎🇨🇦
This is actually my first synth! I've had it for about a year now and I don't care too much for the factory sounds but Espen's Patches are soooo goood. I've used them soooo much and this thing is literally 90% of all the synth sounds that I use.
Dan or Espen. Does the rack version have all of the functions of the DW-8000 (Arpeggiator? Sequencer? etc), is it missing some, or does it have any ones the DW-8000 does not have? Thanks!
@@derekbaker3279 The rack does not have the arpeggiator no. Not the joystick either if that matters. Buttons are better on the rack and it has a value knob instead of slider.
@@EspenKraft Thank you very much Espen! Normally the lack of arpeggiator wouldn't disappoint me, but I like the ability of the DW-8000 to arpeggiate in the order that the keys are pressed. However, it's not the end of the world either. :)
I've owned my DW8000 since it was new and have spent a lot of time programming sounds on it. These are excellent sounds, some good info being shared too. Nice work focusing on the kinds of sounds the DW8000 is really good at. Your pads are excellent. Love the bit starting at 6:00. Very nice work!!!
It took me a couple of weeks, but watching your video sent me on a mission to acquire this wonderful synth. Now it’s time to get your patches and start playing! :-)
Just want to thank Espen again for this great bank. A friend of mine pulled this synth out of his studio and it was dead. I took it home and wondered about getting it going again. After seeing this video I was really inspired to do so. After many hours of work and some expense it is fully restored back to its former glory and this bank just sounds amazing on it. Now I just need that wonderful Retroaktiv controller! This is highly underrated synth. It sounds amazing and fat and huge. The digital oscillators give it lots of territory it can explore into but the analog filters keep it warm and wonderful all the time. The more you play it the better it gets.
It reminds me of mine Kawai K4, very similar sound architectonics. I owed K4 in the nineghties, made very warm and useful sounds, mainly strings, pads, but also some leads powerful as these you've just shown in this presentation. We never investigate these machinery to the very bottom, it always provides some unexpected, surprisingly versatile features! Even today I regret for selling it, keyboard was amazingly performable, lightweight with aftertouch, velocity-switch etc.
I had one for a couple of years. I never missed it because I hated programming it, could never get quite the sound I wantes out of it. If only these patches were around for it then, I'd have kept it! Hats off sir, great programming!
at 13:06... wow. That's beautiful! Great use of the right amount of delay on these... I've started with a lot of the old factory things, often they have too much delay.
Gorgeous. I’ve always liked the sound of that synth. A co-worker had one in ‘86. He wasn’t really into synths, he just played one in church. I’ve been trying to find him for years to see if he still has this synth and if he’d sell it to me!
J' avais adoré ce synthé ! Il intégrait déjà la fonction KARMA , pour l' époque , il était en avance sur son temps ! Associé au fameux DX7 II FD , c' était une bombe ! Une tuerie ! Fab
@@micknight8158 At that times the DW6000 was cool but new synths were coming to the market quickly so as many people did I also traded most of my synths along the time to buy new ones that were supposedly "better". I miss my DW6000 but I'm not regretting the overall approach because I had not enough money to buy only new synths and always keep the preceding ones. So like many others I bought and sold many synths. And now, decades after, I miss some.. like the DW6000 or my complete set MS20+MS50+SQ10 and some others... But it was very cool times, I saw and used so much different machines, it was really fun. A bit of nostalgia but not regrets, we're living a new age for synths full of fantastic machines too !
Very nice video and as you say, a very overlooked rich and fruity synth. I had one years ago but long since gone. It was a nice combination of analogue and digital but I didn't like not having proper programming controls.
This synth has a simple but yet complete and clever structure and punchy and raw waveforms. Coupled with a Roland Alpha Juno 2 is a dig-alog heaven!! Thanks for this video!!👍
Ambika and Novation Peak are two of my favorite instruments and both are digital osc, analog VCF, VCA. Couldn't agree more. Unfortunately this has me jonesing for an EX8000
@@josephwright5921 sounds awesome ! FM + VCF is such a simple but cool idea !! too bad it is that expensive ; I always wonder why synth manufacters don't look at the sky rising prices on some synth, so they can copy the architecture or the basic principles that makes people want the synth ; anyway ;
@@josephwright5921 The FS1R, Lovely looking synth, but Analogue Multi-Mode Filters? can you confirm this? There is nothing to suggest this in the manual.
I got a DW8000 as part of a payment for a K2000 I sold 10 years ago, and it's become one of my favourite instruments ever. I prefer it over my SCI Prophet-600 or my Kawai K5000.
Oh wow! I love the mid 1980s hybrid synths (Ensoniq ESQ-1 and SQ-80 in particular) and this video shows why. The Ensoniqs lack the delay of the Korg though, but they do have the advantage of being able to combine three waveforms in a single sound.
The DW8000 was my 4th synth back in 1988 and I kept it for about 4 years. It does sound amazing indeed and it's my 2nd favourite Korg synth after the Kronos. And you don't have to sit on the keyboard to trigger aftertouch.
I love your videos. The production quality is extremely high and your playing skill is incredible. You've even helped inspire me to order a DW-8000 from ebay today... this will be my first real 80s polysynth and I haven't been this excited in a long time! Can't wait to get my hands on it! I do own several of the Yamaha PSS series toy keyboards from the 80s, as well as a few Casios, including the SK-1, which obviously are just toys compared to professional synths. But I've found they can do very surprising things using the modification functions and a little reverb and maybe some chorus. If you ever feel like messing around with one of the Yamaha PSS keyboards, I would highly recommend the PSS-380 or the PSS-480. You can usually get them for less than $100 U.S. If you made a video about one of these and somehow incorporated it into a track, that would be an absolute gift from heaven! Anyway, thank you for all the effort you put in to your videos. Glen
Many thanks man! I have a Casio SK-1 video on this channel as you might know. I have used many of the PSS Yamahas in the past, but I can't buy keyboards just to make videos. I only buy synths that I need for my sounds, the rest is gear I loan or are sent to me as donations. ;-)
Great sounds! Very different from how I use my Dw8000. I especially love the saw wave on this machine. But also the the filter, detune, effects and advanced envelopes. The Dw-8000 has some incredible sweetspots where it really comes alive. I pair it with a Dss-1 and an Esq-80m.
I agree that it is a great keyboard. I bought a used one in the nineties, and I used it in my studio. I still have it, but it needs some repair I get no signal at the main output, but I still get signal at the headphone output. Also, I thing all the keyboard contacts need a good cleaning. It probably needs the battery changed as well. Great video!.
love the ARP DARK & RESO ELP, instant mid 80s action movie/tv serie. great patches. some colours reminiscent of few trademark VS, PPG and EII sounds. even tho its just 16 (for today's standards) but korg have chosen a great selection of waves. lot of range covered.
Thanks, yeah you can do a lot with the waveforms that's there, but you need to get that digital delay goinf as the use of that really makes a lot of the sounds.
i had one of these.. loved the effects and the arp.... nice for organs and pianos very underrated one! back in the late 90 ties you could get them really cheap...:) cool patches!
Simply F A N T A S T I C, Espen...really! I had the Poly-800 and 800 II (just like this beauty of a KORG poly 61-M, which I still have in my possession) and these first two lovely instruments approached the DW-8000 rather close, yep, close, but no cigar ;-}The DW-8000 was the one I always 'really' wanted to have ;-{ It was this magnificent period of great sounding synths, as if they were dropped from Jupiter or some... Beautiful examples of adult sounds, Espen! TUBULAR LEGEND (13:05) reminded me, immediately, of OBLIQUE with 'Oblique'...1985, dutch symphonic band/great musical pieces. Thanx pale!
Interesting and underrated synth. The Dave Smith Poly Evolver covers a lot of similar territory but of course costs a lot more. The DW8000 was also put to some impressive solo use on early dream theater albums.
First saw this advertised in Keyboard magazine in 1986. Always wondered how it sounded. Finally bought a used unit a few years ago, held on to it for a while then sold it. Not that I didn't like it, of course. I'd say out of everything I've ever owned, it had the meanest brass of them all.
What an amazing and totally underrated synth- Fantastic 80's sounds and warm analog when needed. Got to get one! And they're still cheap on Ebay...Great video Espen.....
@@EspenKraft I still love the patches and I still use them. However I had to correct some of the patches because (probably accidentally) you forgot to set some of the envelope parameters. I don't remember the exact patch number, but there was some (4 or 5 maybe) where a sustained note came back from 0 breakpoint to a high sustain level, which in my opinion should not. Either on VCF and VCA envelopes. I hope you dont take it as an offense, it is just my note ( :
@@pecne Sure, no problem.- Can't say I remember that and I've had tons of downloads of that bank and can't recall anyone else mentioning it either. In fact, I played through the patches just the other day as I was sampling the DW-8000 and I didn't come across one patch that behaved that way either.
Electrics Nut yeah right you must be an insider of Korg must musicians know that Korg is a piece of junk and it sounds won't last I still have a krome Korg that doesn't work and Korg engineer are not where to be found to fix the sound operational system, Korg is junk.
So, I’ve been thinking about what you said and I have come to agree. May as well put the type of FX on the sound that would likely be used on it in a track. I think you’ll find my recent demos a bit...wetter :)
Propably one of the most under estimated Synths out there. This was my first synth wich I baught 2'nd hand and I never regretted having it. I traded it in for the EW-8000 and later sold it. Still used it together with the M-1. Think it was first when I got the T3, I sold mine, wich I really regret today. This Synth totally flopped cause of the bad timed release around same time as th DX7, and this one sound SO much bigger than a DX-7. It still had the warmth of Analog synths with the perfect pitch of Digital Oscillators. There is a good selection of the Wafeforms in both the M, T- series and also the Kronos, but I'd still be interested in a perfect dump of all internal waveforms for my Kronos. But none of the later Korg synths that has DWGS wafeforms sound any close to the real thing. There is sounds of eg the DX series this can't do, but if people are into both Digital and analog synth sounds, this is propably one of the best combos of both worlds. This can imo easy compare with legendary synths like the Jupiter 8. It has many good really fat analog sounding Brass, Strings and pads, and can also compete a little with the spacious sounds of even a D-50 cause of the build in Digital delay
Brilliant sounds. I love my DW8000 but must concede my own patches aren't quite as slick - will look forward to downloading and trying these out later on...
I owned two of these back in the 80s. I used to MIDI them together. Was able to achieve amazing thick, rich textures. Have owned many synthesizers over the last 40 years. And the DW8000 was one of my all time favorites. It really had the ability to cover all the bases, from sweet percussive EPs to outstanding lush strings, organs, brass and fat synth sounds. And, do them all quite well! In fact, if I could only have one hardware synth from my past, it would be this one.
Are there any free packs or tape loads for this keyboard? I know how to load tape a bit where does tape b get loaded into the system? Also what’s with sysex and can I load via tape?
I bought my DW8000 when I was just 16 years old back in 1986. Saved up for an entire year to afford it and I have not been able to part with it. I took it out of mothballs a few months back and replaced the backup battery and got a memory expansion. This video now is my inspiration to hook up to to my rig and actually record something with it now. Such an amazing sounds.
Awesome!!! If you do a bit of searching around there are a lot of the old factory and other patches around too. There are a few guys who are selling patches like these that are really nice also.
Hi Mutant Pixel. I have the EX-8000, and I have been looking to expand its memory. I thought that the techies that used to do mods (e.g. Angel City, etc.) no longer offered the expansion.
Where & when did you get the memory expansion? Were you able to do the mod yourself? If you have a link for the expansion kit/services, I'd appreciate you sharing it with me.
Thanks in advance. :)
I feel the same way. I just had my battery replaced and the electronics guys was amazed that the batter from 1985 still had enough juice left in it that my original and tweaked sounds were still in memory!! But, some of these sounds, I definitely need.
Is it similar to the Korg poly 800 II ?
I have one also. Does it have any internal batteries that might fail?
Espen, you have been so influential to me. I am so impressed with these sounds! thank you, you are a talent and asset to the community. Thank you.
Sweet! Thanks for saying! :)
just got a dw6000 yesterday...awesome shape...seller said it was in his closet for 20 years! I know its not quite the 8000 with your awesome sounds but i look forward to digging in. I miss the dss1 I sold years and years ago. cheers
I had the DW-6000 for many years, it's great as well, congrats! :)
Finally! Someone is showing off the DW-8000 properly! Nice job! I bought mine, along with an EX-8000 when in first came out in 1985, and just restored it - if you can call it that - all it needed was two new output jacks and a battery!
Still works perfectly! 35 years and counting!
Thanks! Yeah, they're pretty solid. If the battery wears out, the synth will appear totally dead, so I assume many 8000s has been thrown out through the years for that reason.
Bought an EX8000 1 week ago, as a big Espen fan, got the pack the same day. Stunning sounds, in combination with my vst lexicon reverb it‘s an 80s heaven :-)
Many thanks and congrats too! :D
These patches are brilliant I could listen to them the all day
Sweet, thanks! :)
That synth was at our rehearsal studio back in 1988 and I was getting into keys at that time...we had Roland Juno106, D50, KORG BX3, Casio CZ1000, Yamaha DX7 and the DW8000 ate them all for breakfast with it's useable presets :)
Oh man that Blade Runner patch, is so gorgeous! It triggers your sonic pleasure centers for sure!
OMG where were you when I needed you in 1987! I was in a jazz fusion band, and this with a Roland RD-250 digital piano was my rig. Wish I could have played you some of mine. I programmed a great gospel organ, horn-section stab patch, some punchy mono leads, a great atmosphere echo-y bell thing I called "rainy train," more. Ah, memories...
Yes, it can do great organ sounds as well. You can bring some upper harmonies as well. I have very little use for organ sounds these days though so my pack of sounds contain very few of those ;-)
This sounds great.I mentioned before that this was the first synth I owned.The music shop that I worked in stocked Korg. When I bought it the D50 came out soon after and it became the synth to have.I could hardly play back then but I learned the intro to Jump and got my first gig on the strength of that.Never been out of work since.Those sounds are big and warm.I love the electric piano .Great sounds.Really happy memories.
Nice story :)
irishmusico bubububu Korg is a piece of junk
@@joerye5700 You are entitled to your opinion but I have been using Korg for over 30 years. I don't think it is junk.
I bought a Korg DW 8000 when i was a junior in high school in 1985 and still have it today. I absolutely love this keyboard.
It's a great synth.
My dad had one through out the 80s and 90s, but sadly it was destroyed in a flood. He still misses the damn thing.
Does this one have the sound of a jet airplane?
Ditto! Same story. Used it in a trio band I had back then playing Rush, Triumph,& Zebra. Perfect synth!
Thank you for this video man - the DW-8000 is one of my all time favorite machines, and I have a lot of synths! Mine has the Angel City turbo mod, and I'll be loading some of those extra banks with your patches. So much of the Korg gear from this era is amazing - the DSS-1 is a forgotten monster of a synth, a few years ago updated by Straylight Engineering to a modern super synth. Both of these machines are such a bargain its almost criminal. And don't forget the DS-8 FM synth and hella boss DDD-1 drum machine ;)
Yeah, lots of these old Korgs seems to go for a lot less than their Roland counterparts. I always find that strange.
@@EspenKraft it's the lack of a knob/laden surface I'd guess. Or dedicated 'Korg' control box like the Roland PG's. The DW8K is a joy to program even without that, imo
Yeah, I've never had any problems programming membrane button synths or menu driven synths. I grew up with these.
😍All Synth of the 80´s are brillant...Korg M1, Roland D50,Yamaha DX7,Roland Jupiter 8, Ensoniq Mirage, and all the great Drum Machine of this Time...😍
Ensoniq ESQ-1 and SQ-80 too! :)
testing
Back when every synth had a personality. ❤️
And Prophet VS
Goosebumps at 20:00. What a sound and well played Espen! An underrated keyboard for sure.
Definitely underrated. Thanks Dan! :)
I bought one when it first came out and then sold it years after. I began missing it and was lucky to find a guy selling 2 of these for just $275 USD. It was the 90s and no one wanted them anymore. People don't realize what a powerhouse this is!
Espen: thank you so much for bringing these forgotten treasures back alive. Truly amazing how you always manage to let the eighties look brand new.
Not only with your music but also with this kind of highlighting that only a few people on this earth are able to do. Respect...
Thanks David! I only do what I love doing, but I appreciate you saying that ;-)
15:45 This sounds so warm and deep.
also
21:08 - Fabio Frizzi - Zombi 2 theme! Awesome that you played this Espen!
Thanks! Yeah, I often try to get some of the old Italo horror movie themes into my videos. I've done that from before in a more elaborate way as well. Frizzi is king.
I recently found one here in Rome, Italy in perfect shape..The guy got it in the 80's..played it in a pop band for 3/4 years...then from the 90's onwards he put it in a case and hide it in a closet...that is why the synth is still aesthetically perfect...I've bought it for "only" 250€, and fully serviced for 50€...A good bargain in the end...
Hey Espen...I'm ready to buy these patches now !!! :)))
Excellent! And congrats :)
@@EspenKraft Thanks mate...thanks for your precious work with these patches...
@@EspenKraft Sorry to bother you mate...I wrote you on Facebook as well... I was wondering if you could help me installing the sysex files for my old friend DW8000 that I just bought from your Patchbay page...The Sysex Librarian seems not to work properly with this Synth..Could you just write me some simple steps to follow?
I bought one used in the mid 90's from a music store in Boardman, Ohio and it was in perfect shape. Also, the guy who owned it traded it in for a digital piano and he too, had it stored hence, it being in good condition. And oddly enough, my story is so similar to yours in that I paid $250 U S. Dollars for it. Great synthesizer with a great sound.
Can’t believe I still have my DW8000. Got when I was 15. Remember playing Rush Subdivisions in high school battle of the bands. It’s the oldest thing I own. Thank you for bringing attention to this classic!
I now own my dad’s dw6000 😃
Sounds absolutely gorgeous! A real stunner. This synth was sent from heaven. 100% Liquid Gold ear candy. Exceptional patches, fantastic video. Thanks Espen
Thanks for saying! It is a great sounding synth and some sugar coating with this can often be exactly what's needed on a track to get some x-factor in there. :)
The filter on the dw8000 is amazing. Set up an arp for full and the filter self resonates up in the high end giving you interesting and cool little melodies. 👍😎🇨🇦
Love my DW8000, sold my DW6000 to buy it. That's the only synth I'm 100% sure I'll never get rid of. Well that and my Ensoniq SD1/32.
Awesome video! This sounds incredibly beautiful. String/pad sounds seem to be its forte.
Thanks! :)
Ready to use mine more. Wonderful work Espen!
Awesome, thanks my friend! :)
just order mine right now ,cant wait to play it sounds so good on your video
This is actually my first synth! I've had it for about a year now and I don't care too much for the factory sounds but Espen's Patches are soooo goood. I've used them soooo much and this thing is literally 90% of all the synth sounds that I use.
Oh I have an EX-8000. Love it! Got it because it was in the Depeche Mode gear list for a time and I wanted those kinds of sounds.
Hadn't heard of this particular synth until now and have to say it sounds amazing!
Bought! Thanks for making these, I still own the rack version, EX-8000. Great unit, way ahead of it's time!
Hey, thanks Dan! I appreciate it. :)
I wouldn't mind the rack version myself, but got no one to swap with ;-)
Dan or Espen. Does the rack version have all of the functions of the DW-8000 (Arpeggiator? Sequencer? etc), is it missing some, or does it have any ones the DW-8000 does not have? Thanks!
@@derekbaker3279 The rack does not have the arpeggiator no. Not the joystick either if that matters. Buttons are better on the rack and it has a value knob instead of slider.
@@EspenKraft Thank you very much Espen! Normally the lack of arpeggiator wouldn't disappoint me, but I like the ability of the DW-8000 to arpeggiate in the order that the keys are pressed. However, it's not the end of the world either. :)
I've owned my DW8000 since it was new and have spent a lot of time programming sounds on it. These are excellent sounds, some good info being shared too. Nice work focusing on the kinds of sounds the DW8000 is really good at. Your pads are excellent. Love the bit starting at 6:00. Very nice work!!!
Thanks man, I appreciate it from someone that knows the DW-8000! :)
It took me a couple of weeks, but watching your video sent me on a mission to acquire this wonderful synth. Now it’s time to get your patches and start playing! :-)
Excellent! It's a great synth for sure :)
This was my first synth, at that time I didn't really know how to appreciate it. What nostalgia 😌
Just want to thank Espen again for this great bank. A friend of mine pulled this synth out of his studio and it was dead. I took it home and wondered about getting it going again. After seeing this video I was really inspired to do so. After many hours of work and some expense it is fully restored back to its former glory and this bank just sounds amazing on it. Now I just need that wonderful Retroaktiv controller! This is highly underrated synth. It sounds amazing and fat and huge. The digital oscillators give it lots of territory it can explore into but the analog filters keep it warm and wonderful all the time. The more you play it the better it gets.
Many thank man! I'm happy you found the time to get a DW-8000 up and running again, so worth it! :) Cheers
Absolutely beautiful and deserves way more recognition than it's gotten. Practically two synths for the price of one!
It reminds me of mine Kawai K4, very similar sound architectonics. I owed K4 in the nineghties, made very warm and useful sounds, mainly strings, pads, but also some leads powerful as these you've just shown in this presentation. We never investigate these machinery to the very bottom, it always provides some unexpected, surprisingly versatile features! Even today I regret for selling it, keyboard was amazingly performable, lightweight with aftertouch, velocity-switch etc.
I had one for a couple of years. I never missed it because I hated programming it, could never get quite the sound I wantes out of it. If only these patches were around for it then, I'd have kept it! Hats off sir, great programming!
Many thanks man! :)
at 13:06... wow. That's beautiful! Great use of the right amount of delay on these... I've started with a lot of the old factory things, often they have too much delay.
Thanks again! :)
Gorgeous. I’ve always liked the sound of that synth. A co-worker had one in ‘86. He wasn’t really into synths, he just played one in church. I’ve been trying to find him for years to see if he still has this synth and if he’d sell it to me!
Thanks! :)
Gread demo!
I'm glad that we now having soundset for DW-8000 as strong as ours :)
Thanks guys, always healthy with competition.. ;-)
Wow. My nostalgic DW8000. Lot of nights working with it in 80's and 90's. Missing it today in my studio
Oh man you're gonna end up boosting the price of these babies with these amazing patches!
I hope so! :)
One of my favorite synth even in 2021!! There is also the DS-8 and Poly 800 II that share the same look. Two synths that worth beeing tested
I have a Poly-800 video on here. ;-)
@@EspenKraft Is there a way to get these patches as .wav files? I can load them that way via the "tape" port.
I forgot how great this synth sounded... Absolutely gorgeous sounds!
Thanks Xavier! Yeah it's a truly "under the radar" synth for many. :)
J' avais adoré ce synthé ! Il intégrait déjà la fonction KARMA , pour l' époque , il était en avance sur son temps ! Associé au fameux DX7 II FD , c' était une bombe ! Une tuerie ! Fab
Nice :)
Great job programming these patches. Very impressive.
Thanks! :)
I've got a Dw6000 a lot time ago and I miss it... perfect synth to make Synthwave today
Yeah, me too! Did not realize what I had. Traded it for Roland MC 303. I upgraded, but seeing this video made me miss the DW6000.
@@micknight8158 At that times the DW6000 was cool but new synths were coming to the market quickly so as many people did I also traded most of my synths along the time to buy new ones that were supposedly "better". I miss my DW6000 but I'm not regretting the overall approach because I had not enough money to buy only new synths and always keep the preceding ones. So like many others I bought and sold many synths. And now, decades after, I miss some.. like the DW6000 or my complete set MS20+MS50+SQ10 and some others...
But it was very cool times, I saw and used so much different machines, it was really fun.
A bit of nostalgia but not regrets, we're living a new age for synths full of fantastic machines too !
Very nice video and as you say, a very overlooked rich and fruity synth. I had one years ago but long since gone. It was a nice combination of analogue and digital but I didn't like not having proper programming controls.
There's plenty of controllers for it now. I have a video on that ;.-)
Nice programming Espen!
Thanks Jon! :)
This synth has a simple but yet complete and clever structure and punchy and raw waveforms. Coupled with a Roland Alpha Juno 2 is a dig-alog heaven!! Thanks for this video!!👍
I had a dw 6000 and shouldn't have sold it. If I can get either of them again I will not let them go.
So this thing does basically all those sound you think of then you hear synth... i want it :D
Very nice Synth! Great sound and a great video. I love KORG synths and have a Korg Poly-800, Korg TR-Rack and a Korg DS-8. Nice video Espen!
Thanks my friend! Korg has many great synths and you list a few there too :)
One of my favorites synths ever
Bought a DW8000 in mint condition last week and dammm what a beauty.
Congrats!
@@EspenKraft Thanks!
I love hybrid synth ; putting a VCF and a VCA on a digital source is always a good idea imho
Ambika and Novation Peak are two of my favorite instruments and both are digital osc, analog VCF, VCA. Couldn't agree more. Unfortunately this has me jonesing for an EX8000
Check out the Yamaha FS1R .. . FM synthesis with analog filters
@@josephwright5921 will do thanks !!!
@@josephwright5921 sounds awesome ! FM + VCF is such a simple but cool idea !! too bad it is that expensive ; I always wonder why synth manufacters don't look at the sky rising prices on some synth, so they can copy the architecture or the basic principles that makes people want the synth ; anyway ;
@@josephwright5921 The FS1R, Lovely looking synth, but Analogue Multi-Mode Filters? can you confirm this? There is nothing to suggest this in the manual.
Esssspen…Dude! These patches are GREAT! I’m buying a DW8000 asap…and i’m buying your patches!
You have a great ear…
Thanks!
Just bought a DW8000 yesterday...and i purchased the patches you designed ten minutes ago. THANKS Mann!
These sounds are great! I should grab them for my EX-8000.
I got a DW8000 as part of a payment for a K2000 I sold 10 years ago, and it's become one of my favourite instruments ever. I prefer it over my SCI Prophet-600 or my Kawai K5000.
Great patches! I’ve wanted one of these for a while.
Thanks! :)
Wow, those sounds are glorious!
Oh wow! I love the mid 1980s hybrid synths (Ensoniq ESQ-1 and SQ-80 in particular) and this video shows why. The Ensoniqs lack the delay of the Korg though, but they do have the advantage of being able to combine three waveforms in a single sound.
Yeah, they have different treats. As long as they contribute to a great song, that's what matters imo :)
The DW8000 was my 4th synth back in 1988 and I kept it for about 4 years. It does sound amazing indeed and it's my 2nd favourite Korg synth after the Kronos. And you don't have to sit on the keyboard to trigger aftertouch.
This was my first synth back in the 80's. I should have never gotten rid of it.
Beautiful sounding synth. I want one!
I love your videos. The production quality is extremely high and your playing skill is incredible. You've even helped inspire me to order a DW-8000 from ebay today... this will be my first real 80s polysynth and I haven't been this excited in a long time! Can't wait to get my hands on it!
I do own several of the Yamaha PSS series toy keyboards from the 80s, as well as a few Casios, including the SK-1, which obviously are just toys compared to professional synths. But I've found they can do very surprising things using the modification functions and a little reverb and maybe some chorus.
If you ever feel like messing around with one of the Yamaha PSS keyboards, I would highly recommend the PSS-380 or the PSS-480. You can usually get them for less than $100 U.S.
If you made a video about one of these and somehow incorporated it into a track, that would be an absolute gift from heaven!
Anyway, thank you for all the effort you put in to your videos.
Glen
Many thanks man! I have a Casio SK-1 video on this channel as you might know. I have used many of the PSS Yamahas in the past, but I can't buy keyboards just to make videos. I only buy synths that I need for my sounds, the rest is gear I loan or are sent to me as donations. ;-)
the sounds are very inspiring, amazing synth
Sweet! :)
Great sounds! Very different from how I use my Dw8000. I especially love the saw wave on this machine. But also the the filter, detune, effects and advanced envelopes. The Dw-8000 has some incredible sweetspots where it really comes alive. I pair it with a Dss-1 and an Esq-80m.
Thanks! The DSS-1 is awesome as well, as is the Ensoniq.
Superb programming. What a synth.
Cheers!
Excellent play and feel and sound.
Thanks! :)
I agree that it is a great keyboard. I bought a used one in the nineties, and I used it in my studio. I still have it, but it needs some repair I get no signal at the main output, but I still get signal at the headphone output. Also, I thing all the keyboard contacts need a good cleaning. It probably needs the battery changed as well. Great video!.
Thanks! The main output on mine is gone as well, but the headphone output works.
Jon Rowell I bought a krome and didn't last me 7 month korg is junk
i drooled over one of these in the 80's....but had to make due with the Korg Poly 61 that I could afford at the time.
The Poly-61 is great though! :)
Yes, agree! I think that Poly 61 is somehow the Poly 800 big brother, that is a good thing! I liked the demoes of it here on TH-cam.
love the ARP DARK & RESO ELP, instant mid 80s action movie/tv serie.
great patches. some colours reminiscent of few trademark VS, PPG and EII sounds.
even tho its just 16 (for today's standards) but korg have chosen a great selection
of waves. lot of range covered.
Thanks, yeah you can do a lot with the waveforms that's there, but you need to get that digital delay goinf as the use of that really makes a lot of the sounds.
Some of those sounds are very Oberheim/Ensoniq-esque. Very nice!
Cheers!
i had one of these..
loved the effects and the arp....
nice for organs and pianos
very underrated one!
back in the late 90 ties you could get them really cheap...:)
cool patches!
Thanks! :)
Those patches are fantastic! Very nice work.
Thanks! :)
Simply F A N T A S T I C, Espen...really! I had the Poly-800 and 800 II (just like this beauty of a KORG poly 61-M, which I still have in my possession) and these first two lovely instruments approached the DW-8000 rather close, yep, close, but no cigar ;-}The DW-8000 was the one I always 'really' wanted to have ;-{ It was this magnificent period of great sounding synths, as if they were dropped from Jupiter or some... Beautiful examples of adult sounds, Espen! TUBULAR LEGEND (13:05) reminded me, immediately, of OBLIQUE with 'Oblique'...1985, dutch symphonic band/great musical pieces. Thanx pale!
Thanks for the comment! :)
The Bladerunner pad is easy to 'replicate' yourself on the DW-8K. It comes so naturally to make on this synth.
fuckk yeh!
In the late Eighties, I owned a Korg DS-8. It sounded similar to the DW 8000. With this synth we composed a lot of good songs at the time
Interesting and underrated synth. The Dave Smith Poly Evolver covers a lot of similar territory but of course costs a lot more.
The DW8000 was also put to some impressive solo use on early dream theater albums.
atarkus8 this also has double the polyphony of the DSI poly evolver. Not as nobby but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Always love listening to these patches...these are among the best!
Cheers! :D
this has been a great sound bank, i use it all the time in my music thank you!!
Many thanks!
First saw this advertised in Keyboard magazine in 1986. Always wondered how it sounded. Finally bought a used unit a few years ago, held on to it for a while then sold it. Not that I didn't like it, of course. I'd say out of everything I've ever owned, it had the meanest brass of them all.
What a crazy watch around your arm!
Great Synth! Thank you for showing the fine sounds. You inspired me to play my DW8000.... :-)
My pleasure, it's a great synth! :)
@@EspenKraft yes it is! and a very analog sounding one. I love to layer it with my TX816. Perfect timemachines to the 80's.... :-))))
What an amazing and totally underrated synth- Fantastic 80's sounds and warm analog when needed. Got to get one! And they're still cheap on Ebay...Great video Espen.....
Many thanks man! :)
Thank you for these patches. Ijust uploaded them to my DW8000. All of them are amazing!
Many thanks man and thanks for the support. Happy you liked them! :)
@@EspenKraft I still love the patches and I still use them. However I had to correct some of the patches because (probably accidentally) you forgot to set some of the envelope parameters. I don't remember the exact patch number, but there was some (4 or 5 maybe) where a sustained note came back from 0 breakpoint to a high sustain level, which in my opinion should not. Either on VCF and VCA envelopes. I hope you dont take it as an offense, it is just my note ( :
@@pecne Sure, no problem.- Can't say I remember that and I've had tons of downloads of that bank and can't recall anyone else mentioning it either. In fact, I played through the patches just the other day as I was sampling the DW-8000 and I didn't come across one patch that behaved that way either.
@@EspenKraft all right, maybe something went wrong when I uploaded the patchbank. Anyway it is still a huge amount of fun!
Now I know what heaven sounds like, this synth is BLISS!
Electrics Nut Korg is a piece of junk and you know it.
Electrics Nut yeah right you must be an insider of Korg must musicians know that Korg is a piece of junk and it sounds won't last I still have a krome Korg that doesn't work and Korg engineer are not where to be found to fix the sound operational system, Korg is junk.
So, I’ve been thinking about what you said and I have come to agree. May as well put the type of FX on the sound that would likely be used on it in a track. I think you’ll find my recent demos a bit...wetter :)
thanx for creating that awesome pack 👍 just installed
Awesome, many thanks! :)
under 300€ in Germany... I will get one for sure! THX showing it to us!
Propably one of the most under estimated Synths out there. This was my first synth wich I baught 2'nd hand and I never regretted having it. I traded it in for the EW-8000 and later sold it. Still used it together with the M-1. Think it was first when I got the T3, I sold mine, wich I really regret today. This Synth totally flopped cause of the bad timed release around same time as th DX7, and this one sound SO much bigger than a DX-7. It still had the warmth of Analog synths with the perfect pitch of Digital Oscillators. There is a good selection of the Wafeforms in both the M, T- series and also the Kronos, but I'd still be interested in a perfect dump of all internal waveforms for my Kronos. But none of the later Korg synths that has DWGS wafeforms sound any close to the real thing. There is sounds of eg the DX series this can't do, but if people are into both Digital and analog synth sounds, this is propably one of the best combos of both worlds. This can imo easy compare with legendary synths like the Jupiter 8. It has many good really fat analog sounding Brass, Strings and pads, and can also compete a little with the spacious sounds of even a D-50 cause of the build in Digital delay
I agree, hence my statement about it should cost a lot more. ;-)
I remember all the guys crapping on this machine in the 80s. I liked it back, now I want one.
Well avoid the ones that were crapped on lol
At 16:57, some of what's being played kind of reminds me of "West End Girls". Sounds awesome!
Sweet man! :)
Great programming. Going to try and get one. Love your videos man!
Thanks! Get one ;-)
@@EspenKraft my first synth was a dss1 many years ago. i miss some of the sounds so this might assuage some of that loss...
Definitely not the same as the DSS-1 mammoth, but some of the sound is similar.
my first synth, still working ❤️
Wow. With each demo, my brain kept expecting the beat to kick in to begin a synth anthem. A lot of nice options.
Brilliant sounds. I love my DW8000 but must concede my own patches aren't quite as slick - will look forward to downloading and trying these out later on...
Thanks Gylen! :)
Sweet nostalgia, my first keyboard🙀Thanks!
Best bank I have heard from this synth yet!!! dont understand why this synth and Ensoniq ESQ-1 still go for so little money
Thanks! They go for so little because many people don't invest the time into them to make them shine. Instant gratification you know...