21 thoughts on “Herbie Hancock On The ARP Odyssey

  1. I tried the Korg ARP last week at a music store, along with other synths like DSI, Moog, Elektron.
    I don’t know what Korg were thinking when designing those keys. It’s not so much about them being small, but they are close to unuseable, flimsy, elastic in a weird way, just like a 100$ midi controller. The rest of the instrument is of solid build quality. I really don’t get it. It’s not like the instrument would be huge with normal keys. Everyone else uses normal keys in this price range.

    1. I completely agree. The choice seems even sillier when you look at the big void space on each side of the keyboard. They still could have made the product smaller than the original using full-sized keys that actually span the full width of the instrument.

      I really like the sound of this Odyssey, and I would absolutely buy one if it sported full-sized keys – or maybe as a module.

    2. When everybody who says they do not buy it because of the slimkeys would buy the Odyssey, they will sell in he future more modules than standard versions….
      It’s the same argument as with the MS-20 mini. The truth is I have only seen a few musicians playing the module or the original size version….

  2. On what’s different, Herbie says: “Midi! …now you can control other keyboards” etc… Except the new Arp only has midi in! Not that you’d really want to use this keyboard as a controller as the mini keys are the weak link here. I still bought one but just sayin…

  3. Let’s face it seeing Herbie Hancock talk about it is enough to make you reach for your wallet! There is something cool about these synths…….they look well funky

  4. At 0:43:

    “And look at the size of it. It’s tiny.”

    Yeah, that’s an understatement. I would add to that, “What a disappointment.”

    I don’t know what it is with the Japanese big three and their mini this and mini that?

      1. exactly, they make small stuff for small homes. They make square watermelons!

        Wait for the DIY kit or the module, they’ll come eventually.

  5. kinda bummed there was not more meat to this, I like hearing Herbie speak though, that guy is great and so many phenomenal albums.

    the karp odyssey is ok. I remember how blown away I was the few times I’ve gotten to use an original odyssey, and I haven’t felt that the few times I’ve played the korg version. The size is fine and I have a hard time imagining that actually being the determining factor for buying a synth like this. What has gone through my head when I’ve played the reissue is “this is just another synthesizer, do I need yet another synthesizer?” instead of the lightning charge I’ve felt with the original. Still planning to pick one up, just kinda waiting for used prices to drop another hundred bucks or so.

    1. It’s called ‘maximizing your revenue’.

      sell things at the higher price to the people that will pay the premium, then cut the price and sell it to everybody else.

      Korg does this regularly (King Korg, MS-20 Mini, etc).

  6. What irritates me more than mini keys is their obsession with mini jack outputs. I was going to buy MS20 mini but didn’t because of the mini jack. The new electribe sampler – mini jack, Volcas – shared headphone mini jack. Not sure how others feel about it as most people moan about the mini keys and seem not to mind the mini jacks.

  7. I get that it’s an endorsement but I just don’t care. What do I have to do in this life to spend a couple of hours hanging out with Herbie Hancock? In his studio, at a bar, at a shitty fast food restaurant, I do not care.

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