ARP’s David Friend On The Odyssey

In this video, via ARP,  ARP’s cofounder and lead designer of the original ARP Odyssey, David Friend, discusses the role he played as Chief Advisor to KORG for the re-issue of the ARP Odyssey.

Friend explains the story behind the original Odyssey – to provide artists with a synth, designed and laid out for live stage performances.

He also talks about some of the artists who have used the synth and how he is excited to see what young musicians will create with such a historic instrument.

13 thoughts on “ARP’s David Friend On The Odyssey

  1. Mr. Friend, please can we have a tabletop or rack unit for a reasonable price? I love my microbrute because it is compact. I can use the mini-keys to audition sounds and then midi it for performance. But 3 octaves of keys I can’t really use is a lot of wasted space. Many of us playing synthesisers are musicians who need a standard size keyboard to do our thing.

    Please?

      1. How many full size keys would fit (side to side) in the new Odyssey case? 2 and a half octaves?

        Why not install a 2.5 octave full size keybed in there? They’d stick out, you say?

        Just like on the original odyssey, where they keys overhang. I’m surprised no one has modded it yet.

    1. 1. Enough people find them acceptable
      2. It’s an easy way to keep the vintage market distinct and healthy
      3. Smaller = cheaper to build
      4. They are not as bad or small as the tiny Minikeys of the MicroKorg (which sells like hotcakes)
      5. People who won’t buy this based on keys are a tiny minority
      6. Keybeds have never been the distinguishing feature on any synth
      7. Synthesizers are not pianos
      8. Easy to mono-shred on small keys
      9. Trend is for small gadget-filled hobby studios
      10. The best way to offer a compact synth that has more than 2 octaves is with small keys.

        1. Hey, you’re not wrong. But I was just listing Korg’s likely justifications.

          I’d rather have full size, but a world with a new Mini odyssey is better than a world with no new odyssey.

  2. Don’t be worrying about the mini keys. I just bought one and those PPC pads are TOTAL SHITE. And guess what? No pitch bend or modulation over midi!!! I spent 30 mins trying to record one accurate pitch bend. Total failure.

  3. Hey, how about I agree not to pick on people who have limited keyboard skills, and you folks who spend more time twisting knobs and such don’t get hostile with those of us who are keyboardists. There is room for everyone. I don’t often like quantised sequences featuring knob-twiddled filter sweeps or tonal changes, but if that is your thing–fine, go for it. Just don’t try and tell me that’s all there is to playing a synthesizer.

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