Korg MS-20 Mini bass through synth

[Quatschmacher]

How did I not know this was possible? MS-20 has a built-in pitch-to-CV converter! This means one can play synth with the bass using the pitch and trigger cv.

 

Edited February 8, 2018 by Quatschmacher

[BigRedX]

If it's the same circuit as the original MS20 (and I would imagine it will be since Korg make a big deal about this being an authentic re-creation) then it is 40 year old technology and almost completely useless for turning pitch accurately and quickly into a stable voltage to use to drive the VCOs.

I had an original MS20 in the early 80s, and I think I tried the built-in pitch to voltage module twice with little success before giving up on the idea of being able to use my guitar or bass to drive the synth. If you wanted random VCO glitches and warbling effects then it was great, but if you wanted to play an actual tune it wasn't up to much.

However the trigger detection part of the circuit was excellent and allowed us to use any drum sound from our Roland 808 to trigger the synth without tying up the sounds that were also the built-in voltage triggers.

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

If you wanted random VCO glitches and warbling effects then it was great, but if you wanted to play an actual tune it wasn't up to much.

@Quatschmacher - Nirvana postponed methinks?

[BigRedX]

Actually having watched the video all the way through now, I don't think he's actually using the pitch to voltage conversion, just running the bass sound through the filters and using a combination of the envelope follower and the trigger detection the modulate the VCFs and VCA.