New instruments: Korg's string machines (Lambda, Delta) and the Trident

bcox commented

2026-10-13 01:01:46 +00:00

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Ben said on 2026-10-12, on #49, that he will want Korg's string machines and string-and-lead machines eventually: the Lambda, the Delta and the Trident. Not started, and not soon. Everything below is from recollection, with no manual read; issue #20's list was wrong in several places for the same reason, so read the manuals first and correct this.

All pass the rule of 2026-10-12 (#26). engine/divide_down.h was written for the Omni so that the next string machine would be built on it, and Roland's RS machines (#44) and ARP's String Ensemble and Quadra (#36) are waiting on the same.

Two instruments, decided by Ben on 2026-10-12: the Trident is an instrument of its own. The Lambda and the Delta are the other, as one unless their manuals say otherwise.

The Lambda and the Delta, as recalled

Lambda, ES-50 (1979). 48 keys, every key sounding. Two sections of presets on switches: a percussive one (electric piano, clavi, piano and the like) and an ensemble one (strings, brass, organ, chorus). Three tone generators, slightly apart in tuning, where most string machines have one and an ensemble effect after it; a chorus-phase effect; a joystick.
Delta, DL-50 (1979). 49 keys. A string section, with its own attack, release and equalizer, and a synthesizer section: four footages and noise through one filter with resonance and one envelope for every key, as the Omni's synthesizer section is. A joystick.

The Trident, as recalled

Trident (1980) and Trident mkII (1982). 61 keys. Three sections under one keyboard: strings, with an ensemble; brass, with a filter and envelope of its own; and a polyphonic synthesizer of eight voices, two VCOs each, with a filter and an envelope for each voice and sixteen memories, 32 on the mkII, which also has a second envelope. A flanger. Each section can be put on either half of a split keyboard.

To decide and to find out

Whether the Lambda and the Delta are one instrument: strings and presets, with the Delta's synthesizer section, as the Omni and Omni-2 are one.
Whether the Trident's synthesizer section is near the Polysix's or the Mono/Poly's voice (#49), which would say what it shares with them.
The Lambda's presets. If they are circuits, they are fair game by rule 4's second paragraph, as the SH-1000's are (#43); the schematics will say. Whatever the Trident's memories shipped holding is not used.
The Lambda's three tone generators: three sets of twelve counters in engine/divide_down.h, and how far apart they are tuned.
What each tone is ahead of its filters, which on the Omni wanted the voicing schematics.
The ensemble, the chorus-phase and the flanger: a figure-true ensemble in engine/ is already wanted by #44, #45 and the Polysix (#49).
Cost. The Trident is every key's strings and brass and eight whole voices at once.

Out, by Ben's word the same day: the DSS-1, the M1 and anything else of Korg's of that era.

Ben said on 2026-10-12, on #49, that he will want Korg's string machines and string-and-lead machines eventually: the Lambda, the Delta and the Trident. Not started, and not soon. **Everything below is from recollection, with no manual read**; issue #20's list was wrong in several places for the same reason, so read the manuals first and correct this. All pass the rule of 2026-10-12 (#26). `engine/divide_down.h` was written for the Omni so that the next string machine would be built on it, and Roland's RS machines (#44) and ARP's String Ensemble and Quadra (#36) are waiting on the same. **Two instruments, decided by Ben on 2026-10-12: the Trident is an instrument of its own.** The Lambda and the Delta are the other, as one unless their manuals say otherwise. ## The Lambda and the Delta, as recalled - **Lambda, ES-50** (1979). 48 keys, every key sounding. Two sections of presets on switches: a percussive one (electric piano, clavi, piano and the like) and an ensemble one (strings, brass, organ, chorus). **Three tone generators, slightly apart in tuning**, where most string machines have one and an ensemble effect after it; a chorus-phase effect; a joystick. - **Delta, DL-50** (1979). 49 keys. A string section, with its own attack, release and equalizer, and **a synthesizer section**: four footages and noise through one filter with resonance and one envelope for every key, as the Omni's synthesizer section is. A joystick. ## The Trident, as recalled - **Trident** (1980) and **Trident mkII** (1982). 61 keys. Three sections under one keyboard: strings, with an ensemble; brass, with a filter and envelope of its own; and **a polyphonic synthesizer of eight voices, two VCOs each, with a filter and an envelope for each voice** and sixteen memories, 32 on the mkII, which also has a second envelope. A flanger. Each section can be put on either half of a split keyboard. ## To decide and to find out - **Whether the Lambda and the Delta are one instrument**: strings and presets, with the Delta's synthesizer section, as the Omni and Omni-2 are one. - **Whether the Trident's synthesizer section is near the Polysix's or the Mono/Poly's voice** (#49), which would say what it shares with them. - **The Lambda's presets.** If they are circuits, they are fair game by rule 4's second paragraph, as the SH-1000's are (#43); the schematics will say. Whatever the Trident's memories shipped holding is not used. - **The Lambda's three tone generators**: three sets of twelve counters in `engine/divide_down.h`, and how far apart they are tuned. - **What each tone is ahead of its filters**, which on the Omni wanted the voicing schematics. - **The ensemble, the chorus-phase and the flanger**: a figure-true ensemble in `engine/` is already wanted by #44, #45 and the Polysix (#49). - **Cost.** The Trident is every key's strings and brass and eight whole voices at once. **Out, by Ben's word the same day:** the DSS-1, the M1 and anything else of Korg's of that era.

bcox referenced this issue

2026-10-13 01:01:46 +00:00

More Korgs #49

bcox commented

2026-10-13 01:04:02 +00:00

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Owner

The sigma is probably out too.

bcox changed title from ~~New instruments: Korg's string and string-and-lead machines (Lambda, Delta, Trident, Sigma)~~ to New instruments: Korg's string machines (Lambda, Delta) and the Trident

2026-10-13 01:49:30 +00:00

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New instruments: Korg's string machines (Lambda, Delta) and the Trident #57

The Lambda and the Delta, as recalled

The Trident, as recalled

To decide and to find out