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Discussion about the Korg PolySix synthesizer

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Polysix tuning

Polysix tuning

2007-06-11 by bildfantomen

This seems to be a popular topic, but once again: I Can't get the 
F***R to "tune". Ive done and redone the procedures in the Service 
manual, but it still only is in tune about one and a half octave in 
the middle. I would like to know if anyone has any hints on how to 
make this LOOONG episode shorter. As it is now all it does is lay 
there beautiful and entizing, but all I can use it for is Noice 
basically...

I've Changed the opto and the battery and all is well, no pots are 
defunkt. What to do, it to cool to just be a coffey-table...

/ Monke

Re: [PolySix] Polysix tuning

2007-06-12 by Johannes Hausensteiner

The tuning procedure in the service manual is written from a technical
point of view, which is OK because it was made by engineers for a piece
of electronics equipment. The user however views devices most often
different than the engineers had thought. So, if you want to "tune"
the Polysix as an musical instrument you should not rely on the
"adjustment" procedure but on your ears ;-
This was the prolog, now to the matter:
1.) Make sure you dont attempt to tune while in strechted tuning mode:
   SW1 on KLM-366 in "back" position (=away from CN12) is normal tuning.
2.) Set tuning control knob on control panel to middle position
3.) Set common pitch potis (VR1 ADJ CENTER, VR2 TUNE HIGH, VR3 TUNE LOW,
   VR14 D#4-E4 ADJ, VR15 TUNE MID) on KLM-366 to a center position.
4.) Set tuning potis (VR10 TUNE LOW, VR11 TUNE HIGH) of one voice (e.g.
   UNIT0) to center position.
5.) Now start to tune UNIT0. Take the adjustment procedure as a hint
   of what will happen when you turn certain potis. Use a standard
   chromatic tuner.
6.) If UNIT0 is tuned to your satisfaction, TUNE THE OTHER VOICES
   (UNIT1 .. UNIT5) TO UNIT0. Use the effect of beating, which is best
   heard with a square wave tone.
   Note that it never will be perfect in all octaves! There is 6
   independent VCOs in the Polysix; they never will be 100% in tune
   over the whole range! After all, nowadays this is a main feature
   of a truly analog instrument; thats what we are after ...
7.) When all six voices are tuned satisfactory switch SW1 to strechted
   tuning position (i.e. towards CN12) crank up the volume of your
   amp or P.A., play spread, six-voice chord and get lost in the beating
   moving sound!

If you cannot get one single voice in tune there is a fault on the
KLM-366 board. Sometimes the opto-coupler labeled "PC-1" is the reason.
Search the archives of this mailing list for how to get a replacement.

Good luck!

Johannes

BTW. search the archives for "SW1" to see other posts to this topic,
   and, of course, "tuning" ...


bildfantomen wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> This seems to be a popular topic, but once again: I Can't get the 
> F***R to "tune". Ive done and redone the procedures in the Service 
> manual, but it still only is in tune about one and a half octave in 
> the middle. I would like to know if anyone has any hints on how to 
> make this LOOONG episode shorter. As it is now all it does is lay 
> there beautiful and entizing, but all I can use it for is Noice 
> basically...
> 
> I've Changed the opto and the battery and all is well, no pots are 
> defunkt. What to do, it to cool to just be a coffey-table...
> 
> / Monke
> 
> 
> 
> PolySix "Digiest" Page: http://www.acc.umu.se/~amber/Poly6 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
>

Re: Polysix tuning

2007-06-13 by bildfantomen

Thanks Johannes. I have changed the PC-1 unit, as well as looked at 
all the outputs from it and all the other pots as well, and they seem 
to be within acceptance. I shall give it one more try, but this time 
borrow a proper tuner (i used a VST plug before). But it looks as if 
I have done excactly what you described. I was very careful about the 
Stretch tuning switch, so I know I at least flicked that. 
I know it's not supposed to be perfect, but as I've said earlier the 
pitch was off quite a lot. If I played C3 and C4, it sounded ok, but 
if I plyed C3 and C5 (for instance) the upper C would be a Flat E. So 
it does work if your only playing a single chord i the mid range, but 
if you wnna play some bass as well (or hi notes) they are off the 
chart so to speak.
But like I said, I'll give it one more try. 
Thanks again for your patience and time...
/ Monke


--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, Johannes Hausensteiner <johau@...> 
wrote:
>
> 
> The tuning procedure in the service manual is written from a 
technical
> point of view, which is OK because it was made by engineers for a 
piece
> of electronics equipment. The user however views devices most often
> different than the engineers had thought. So, if you want to "tune"
> the Polysix as an musical instrument you should not rely on the
> "adjustment" procedure but on your ears ;-
> This was the prolog, now to the matter:
> 1.) Make sure you dont attempt to tune while in strechted tuning 
mode:
>    SW1 on KLM-366 in "back" position (=away from CN12) is normal 
tuning.
> 2.) Set tuning control knob on control panel to middle position
> 3.) Set common pitch potis (VR1 ADJ CENTER, VR2 TUNE HIGH, VR3 TUNE 
LOW,
>    VR14 D#4-E4 ADJ, VR15 TUNE MID) on KLM-366 to a center position.
> 4.) Set tuning potis (VR10 TUNE LOW, VR11 TUNE HIGH) of one voice 
(e.g.
>    UNIT0) to center position.
> 5.) Now start to tune UNIT0. Take the adjustment procedure as a hint
>    of what will happen when you turn certain potis. Use a standard
>    chromatic tuner.
> 6.) If UNIT0 is tuned to your satisfaction, TUNE THE OTHER VOICES
>    (UNIT1 .. UNIT5) TO UNIT0. Use the effect of beating, which is 
best
>    heard with a square wave tone.
>    Note that it never will be perfect in all octaves! There is 6
>    independent VCOs in the Polysix; they never will be 100% in tune
>    over the whole range! After all, nowadays this is a main feature
>    of a truly analog instrument; thats what we are after ...
> 7.) When all six voices are tuned satisfactory switch SW1 to 
strechted
>    tuning position (i.e. towards CN12) crank up the volume of your
>    amp or P.A., play spread, six-voice chord and get lost in the 
beating
>    moving sound!
> 
> If you cannot get one single voice in tune there is a fault on the
> KLM-366 board. Sometimes the opto-coupler labeled "PC-1" is the 
reason.
> Search the archives of this mailing list for how to get a 
replacement.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> Johannes
> 
> BTW. search the archives for "SW1" to see other posts to this topic,
>    and, of course, "tuning" ...
> 
> 
> bildfantomen wrote:
> > This seems to be a popular topic, but once again: I Can't get the 
> > F***R to "tune". Ive done and redone the procedures in the 
Service 
> > manual, but it still only is in tune about one and a half octave 
in 
> > the middle. I would like to know if anyone has any hints on how 
to 
> > make this LOOONG episode shorter. As it is now all it does is lay 
> > there beautiful and entizing, but all I can use it for is Noice 
> > basically...
> > 
> > I've Changed the opto and the battery and all is well, no pots 
are 
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> > defunkt. What to do, it to cool to just be a coffey-table...
> > 
> > / Monke
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > PolySix "Digiest" Page: http://www.acc.umu.se/~amber/Poly6 
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >
>

Re: Polysix tuning

2014-07-11 by atoneontail@gmail.com

Hey folks, I see that this topic was created about 7 years ago, but was there any solution? I am too finding that my voices are at Eb at C5 in 4' and its damn near impossible to get it lower than C# and before the trim pots max out... I know this topic is constantly brought up, sorry to bring it up again. But its quite frustrating when you know how good it sounds properly tuned up and you cant get it there. And once this problem is solved we can get to why Unit 4's voice cuts out every once and awhile.

Any help with this guys would be greatly appreciated....



On a side note and thanks. I have been reading through a lot of these topics and its really inspiring to see what you guys are capable of doing. I even bought Electrical Engineering for Dummies so I can start making my own fixes hahaha.

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