Synth: Korg MonoPoly
Review by: Ian K Tindale

Summary: Analogue keyboard synth. 4 vco's can be used either as 4-note poly 
	(from keyboard) or as 4 osc mono. Many knobs, wood end panels, 
	attractive, lovable, very well respected.

Years Made: certainly 1981, +- whatever.
Polyphony: 4, but only applies to VCOs, mixed through the one VCF/VCA
Multitimbrality: no
MIDI: no, too old.
    Note on/off: no
    MIDI controllers (aftertouch, CC, etc): no
    Sysex patch dumping: no
    Sysex parameter control: no
Other external control: 
    CV/Gate: ins and outs, 1V/8va (as opposed to Korg's hitherto 
	standard - Hz/8va), gate in is very usefully switchable between +15 
	and s-trig. Also a portamento in (?).
    Clock: arpeggiator in, S-trig (to ground)
    Other CV: VCO Fm, VCF Fm
    Audio input: no
    Proprietary (DCB, etc): no
    Programmer: no
Patch storage: 
    Patch dumping: no - but get a polaroid camera (useful tip!)
Voice architecture: 
        VCO times 4, Tri, Saw, PWM, PW: 16', 18', 4', 2', mix for each.
        PW modulation router
        Noise gen.
        VCF: neg to zero to pos env mod, keyboard track.
        VCA ADSR + single/multiple trig sw
        LFO1 rate, with tri, saw, ramp and square
        LFO2 just rate
        Ultra neat section called EFFECTS, which does:
                complex VCO cross-modulation,
                variable SYNC modulation amounts
Sequencer/Arpeggiator: 
	Arpeggiator; 1oct, 2oct, full, up, down, up/down, latchable
Keyboard/rack: 
	Kbd - 3.5 oct - uses microprocessor controlled scanning = hackable?
Known problems: watch for the odd dead key if buying, a common report, but 
	easily fixed with still-available rubber doughnut things.
Accessories: ?
Related synths/gear: 
  PolySix is it's contemporary and shares styling and arpeggiator, 
	(the polysix was intended to be direct competition for Juno 6)
Price range: not dirt cheap unless it's trashed, but conversely, occasionally 
	not recognised for what a gem it is, so bargains are possible and 
	relatively frequent.
Availability: 
	wide (certainly still many in the UK and US) but not often parted with.
Comments:
    Strengths: Unique sounds due to cross-mod and variable FM sync mod using 4
	VCOs - very knob twiddleable sound freaking arises, which sounds 
	considerably 'different' to the usual filter knob twiddling. Also, you 
	can put it in poly, play 4 note chord 'hold' that chord, and play the 
	VCOs set like that in mono. Awesome for the money, for a normalised 
	keyboard synth. Also, the gate input is SWITCHABLE between the 
	standards of +15 or s-trig (short to ground) hooray, no fuss.
    Weaknesses: Ext CV input is ONLY usable as a mono 4-osc synth, not poly, 
	but most people I know would only use it like that anyway. Not really 
	much cop as a poly synth - if you needed a poly, you'd be disappointed
 	as it is not a true poly with only one VCF/VCA/env path. Best thought 
	of as a mono with extra oddities.
    Overall: good unique synth, used and loved by many
    Other: Contains wood! Easy to get at the insides, 
	unscrew top and it hinges back.