You are one step away from my problem sequencing the Opsix with a Digitone (though I thought of a solution to that one I’ve been meaning to test).
Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any way to do this without additional hardware, but short of the issues in the above link, this setup works great. For the “global channel” problem, I have a Blokas MidiHub set up between the Opsix and the DN. That means:
The Opsix is set to global channel 6 with local control off, and connected in both directions to the DN, also on channel 6.
Playing notes on the Opsix keyboard sends notes on channel 6, but the MidiHub intercepts them and remaps them to channel 10 before they get to the DN.
Because the notes came on channel 10, DN receives those as “current track” - so now I can use the Opsix keys to play internal DN tracks, or if I set the track to external MIDI (channel 6)…
The notes that came in from the Opsix go back out on the channel it expects, completing the roundtrip without double-triggering, and the DN can send trigs the same way with no difference.
I just solved one problem, only to discover a new one.
I had just been editing a patch based a factory preset. When I went to save it, I experienced my first-ever crash on the Opsix. It hard-locked on the save screen when I clicked “yes,” and I had to long-press the power button to turn it off.
After turning it back on, I was momentarily relieved to see my patch had been saved, but when I went to load it, it hard-locked again. Another power cycle, and this time I just went to audition it through the list, and it hard-locked when it reached the patch in the middle of the list.
It appears I somehow managed to create a patch that reliably crashes the Opsix.
I was about to grab my serial number to send my support request, when I realized I had a much older firmware version installed than I had thought I did. So, I downloaded the updater and updated to the latest version.
The corrupt patch still crashed the Opsix after the update, but this time I recreated the patch and saved it over the corrupt slot, which has at least eliminated the crashes. Hopefully the current firmware makes it impossible to create another corrupt patch now.
I still can’t believe how complementary the Opsix and Digitone are. They have just enough in common that jumping between them is easy, while their approaches to FM are meaningfully different and encourage different ways of thinking and experimenting. Going back and forth between sound design and jamming with this setup… bliss.
Well well well…
Just got the panel and it’s almost perfect. The cutting shop workers refused to take money for it, gonna bring them a few beers when I make the next order.
This is amazing! I really love all of the examples this thread has provided. All of yall please keep up the great work! It’s such a shame korg discontinued this one.
The idea of using the 6-carrier algo, setting all the operators to more complex waveforms at different frequencies, and then performing with the level sliders is simply brilliant.
I think part of the fun of this synth is just seeing the techniques other people come up with.
They’re currently running a pre-crowdfunding survey to gauge interest. The price is higher than I had expected at $179, but the case is all black anodized aluminum with a VESA mount and includes a replacement heatsink for the CPU (apparently necessary due to how things are put together). I can imagine the finished mod will end up feeling quite premium after swapping that much plastic for metal.
They’re also gauging interest for some add-ons such as angled wood side panels, multi-unit brackets, and mail-in assembly.
hopefully to make a prequel sized one.