Korg 01/W


The Korg 01/W series are workstation synthesizers, the first of which debuted in 1991, and were intended to replace the M1 and T series. The workstation/ROMpler was based on AI², an improved version of the AI Synthesis technology found in the M1. The success of the AI² architecture ensured it was used in the majority of subsequent Korg synths of the 1990s.

Variations

  • 01/W: The basic 61 key model without floppy drive. Did not sell well due to its very small amount of sequencer memory, although it had the benefit of retaining sequencer data in battery-backed memory when powered off.
  • 01/Wfd: Same as above, but with greatly increased sequencer memory and internal floppy disk drive.
  • 01/Wpro: Same as above, but with an extra octave of keys and an extra sampled Acoustic Piano sound.
  • 01/WproX: This model had 88 piano-weighted and hammer-action keys and also has the extra Acoustic Piano found in the 01/Wpro
  • 01R/W: A 2U high rackmount version of the 01/WFD, with the sequencer maintained from the keyboard versions but without a floppy disk drive.
  • 03R/W: A stripped-down version of the 01R/W Rack, 1U in height, with no Waveshaping, a smaller 16-character x 2-line display, only 5MB of sample ROM, and only 100 Programs/100 Combinations internal memory . It was General MIDI compatible including 130 GM Programs in ROM, and the sequencer was removed.
There was also the subsequent Korg 05R/W half size 1U rack unit released in 1993. In spite of its name it was actually based on the Korg X3 and essentially served as a prelude to the X3's successor, the original Korg X5 keyboard that was released the following year. It was GM compliant and, while it didn't include a sequencer and had only half as many patches, it did include a serial interface for Mac/PC.

Improvements over the M1 & T-series

  • 255 multisounds/119 percussion samples in 6 megabytes of PCM vs. M1's 100/44 in 4MB vs. T-series' 190/85 in 8MB.
  • 47 effects algorithms vs. 33 in the M1/T-series
  • More effects routing options in 01/W than M1/T-series
  • Dynamic Modulation realtime control of effects parameters like wet:dry balance or modulation speed, choice of 13 control sources.
  • Korg introduced a feature called Waveshaping which is most significant addition to the original AI synthesis engine, and was produced by a discrete custom Korg IC chip in the 01/W models, producing 32 simultaneous Waveshapers each with control envelope and choice of 60 Waveshaping tables.
  • Various synthesis engine enhancements such as random LFO shape, LFO fade-in, additional LFO realtime control, independent pitch LFO per oscillator in Double mode, etc.
  • The 01/WFD, 01/Wpro, 01WproX models had an internal 3.5" floppy disk drive that could read single-sided 720k floppy disks, custom Korg format, for storage of Programs/Combinations/Drum Kits/sequencer data/MIDI SysEx data.
  • The sequencer of The 01/WFD, 01/Wpro, 01WproX could hold up to 48,000 notes, vs 7,700/4,400 in M1, and 50,000 in T-series.
  • Sequencer resolution maximum 96ppqn, and dedicated Tempo Track.
  • Maximum of 32 polyphony/32 total oscillators with 16 tracks/MIDI parts.
  • The 01/W models featured a backlit 240x64-pixel LCD which could display graphics, pop-up windows, custom fonts, and/or up to four times the standard characters of the M1's 40-character x 2-line LCD.
  • 200 Programs/200 Combinations internal memory capacity vs. 100/100 in M1 and 100/200 in T-series.
  • 200 Programs/200 Combinations optional data RAM card capacity vs 100/100 in M1/T-series data RAM cards.
  • PCM expansion card slot with 2MB capacity, vs. 512KB capacity of M1/T-series PCM cards.
  • 01/Wpro and 01/WproX featured and additional dedicated 4MB acoustic piano multisample.

Key Differences to Earlier Korg M-/T-Series and Later "AI2" Models

The 01/W only had a few of the M1's samples. Particularly missing were the M1 Acoustic Piano, and some of the M1 Electric Piano sounds. These were replaced by more realistic versions. The 01/Wpro even went a step further and added another even more realistic Acoustic Piano.
The M1's piano was so bright and metallic sounding that it found its niche in Dance/Electronica and some Latin Music where it could cut through the mix easily. Korg acknowledged this fact by integrating their M1 piano back on later incarnations of the X range, such as in the X5D synth and N264/364 workstations.
The 01/W also added more electric piano sounds, having at least 5 times as many, therefore becoming one of the standard keyboards used in smooth jazz, which often uses electric piano sounds.
The 01/W introduced a feature called "Waveshaping". This was a feature where each sample value was run through a non-linear function, and thereby producing new harmonics. This is similar to the way a tube amp distorts sound. It was possible to select from 59 different waveshapes having names like "Rezzy", "Parabola" & "Comb", to transform/distort/harmonically alter the sound. Waveshaping would add different harmonics to the sound depending on the selected waveshape, but the added harmonics depended also heavily on what kind of sample that was fed into the waveshaping function. The waveshaping feature could make some very interesting sonic textures as it would literally reshape the sound to fit that specific waveshape. However, the feature was discontinued on subsequent models. Original sounds were achievable but required significant experimentation, as using waveshaping on stock samples often only seemed to add distortion.
Because Korg removed the discrete custom Waveshaping IC chip and capability from all "AI2" models subsequent to the 01/W-series, and the Waveshaping feature was the most, or arguably only, significant addition to the original "AI" core synthesis engine, it might be said that the 01/W-series comprise the only "true" "AI2" models released by Korg..
In addition, all Korg "AI2" models subsequent to the 01/W-series used smaller and/or lower resolution and/or non-graphic LCD displays. Further, all 61-key "AI2" keyboards subsequent to the 01/W-series included cost-reduced and lesser-quality keybed compared to the top Yamaha FS model keybed installed by Korg in the 01/W, 01/Wfd, 01/Wpro, and all of its top workstation and synthesizers from 1988 until circa 2011 - as well as by Yamaha in its top models.
Although difficult to directly quantify because the absence of technical data released by Korg, many users feel the 01/W-series PCM base-ROM waveforms are "higher quality" than the more numerous PCM base-ROM waveforms included the in subsequent AI2 models.
Also, the 01/W-series featured expandable PCM ROM via new, higher-capacity 2MB external add-in cards unavailable to all subsequent "AI2" models. Further, 01/W-series keyboards featured on-board removable Program/Combination/PCG and sequencer data storage via 3.5" floppy diskettes that most subsequent "AI2" models lacked. Finally, the aluminum and steel chassis construction of the 01/W-series keyboards is heavier-duty than most subsequent "AI2" models.
For these reasons, the 01/W-series may be viewed as the most "deluxe", easy-to-use, and "true" "AI2-synthesis" models produced, despite being the first released.
The 01/W-series lacked the earlier, significantly more expensive T-series' 1-megabyte sample RAM, into which users could load their own multisamples. However, in some compensation, the capacity of 01/W-series PCM ROM expansion cards was increased fourfold to 2MB from the M-/T-series' 512KB PCM ROM cards.
The 01/W-series had the major updated benefit of market-competitive 32-voice/32-oscillator polyphony compared to the relatively substandard 16-voice/16-oscillator polyphony of the M-/T-series.

Sonic character

The 01/W is also known for its "warmth". It has been suggested the 01/W sounded richer than the Korg synths that came afterward. The two most probable reasons for that are:
  • The 01/W's samples, like those of the M-/T-series, were recorded at 31.25 kHz. Subsequent Korg top synths beginning with the 1995 Trinity had their samples recorded at 48 kHz. The sample rate of 31.25 kHz limited the frequencies possible in any sample to below 16 kHz, instead of the 22.05 kHz of later synths by Korg.
  • More ROM memory and/or bit-depth resolution was allocated to each sample than the synths following afterward..
The fact that the 01/W's samples were recorded at a lower sampling rate compared to Compact Disc CD-DA Redbook standard, thereby reducing sample size, plus the advantage of having more ROM memory than the M1 it replaced, meant that longer samples could be stored, possibly adding more realism to sustained sounds and so forth. The 31.25 kHz frequency might give the illusion of a more acoustic instrument, because it might be perceived as reducing the amount of high frequencies, which tend to be attenuated in physical/analogue instruments when compared to digital ones.

Options

  • XSC PCM cards set
  • XPC ROM cards
  • SRC512 RAM card
  • VUK01W ROM OS upgrade kit

Name origin

Reportedly, the 01/W was originally intended to be named the M/10, but the marketing department read the name upside down.

Notable users