![\"Korg](\"https:\/\/greatsynthesizers.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Korg-Trident-01.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nV<\/span>oil\u00e0: On giving it a second thought, the Korg Trident is actually – despite its chunky hardware, annoyingly chorused strings and quite limited synthesizer options – a vintage veteran par excellence<\/em>, a luxury string synthesizer with strong character (and with charming limitations). In essence, one of the last veterans of the old school<\/em> of Korg Synthesizers.<\/p>\n Old school<\/em>? Look at the extremely well-organized panel, the traditional black rotary pots (\u00e0 la Korg MS-20), complete with the obligatory small circuit symbol on the front (designating it as much older <\/em>school), and the traditionally huge logo on the back. If you look closely at the Trident, you cannot help appreciating the timeless design of this vintage dinosaur.<\/p>\n The Korg Trident marks the end of a stylistic era in synth history which began in 1977 with the introduction of the Korg PS series (PS-3100<\/a>, PS-3300), followed in 1978 with the PS-3200, the MS series (MS-10 \/ MS-20<\/a> \/ MS -50, as well as VC-10, SQ-10), among other instruments, and found its end in 1981\/82 with the introduction of a new synthesizer line (Polysix \/ Mono\/Poly \/ Trident MKII \/ Poly 61).<\/p>\n [ The present Studiologic Sledge<\/a> has a similar classic old school<\/em> design: generous labelling, a clear subdivision of the individual function groups, black pots with lots of room for turning. But its inexpensive plastic hardware puts it in a league far below a high-quality Korg synthesizer from 1980. ]<\/p>\n Back to the Trident and its old school<\/em> design. Its successor, the Trident MKII, had a significantly different look from the original version. The new buttons were those chunky and not so elegantly colored pots of the Polysix generation. The Trident MKII logo, now printed on the left side, was a detriment to the optical balance on the panel. In addition, the subtle arrangement of orange switches and orange Trident logo was disrupted when the former were changed from orange to light gray. Be that as it may, we will dicuss the few technical advantages of that Trident MKII below. And there’s no question: The Trident MKII is still a superb instrument in its own right.<\/p>\n [ Trident MKII image by soundgas.com<\/a>. Thanks a lot. ]<\/p>\n T<\/span>he Trident was introduced to the public in late 1980 after over a year of secret development<\/em>. Why they needed a year is beyond me (… the highly complex Prophet-5 was completed in 9 months, so …). To top it off, the principle of a multi-keyboard with several sound sections was by then by no means new. But in any case, the gods seem to been involved, since the “trident” in Greek mythology also bore a scepter, a weapon of the sea god Poseidon. So there you are.<\/p>\n Leaving old-fashioned PR concepts aside, lets turn to an interesting parallel development. In 1980, Korg built a polyphonic synthesizer with SAMPLE technology. Unfortunately (well, actually: fortunately), an incorrect assessment of market needs led to this instrument being abandoned at that time in favour of the Trident<\/em>.<\/p>\n “Almost at the same time as the development of the Trident, we were researching sampling technology. We made a four-voice polyphonic sampling synthesizer, but at that time we thought that this [… the Trident] would be easier to manufacture.”<\/em><\/p>\n (Mr. Mori in Mark Vail’s “Vintage Synthesizers”<\/a>, second edition, page 196)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n As history has shown, Korg’s assessment of market needs could have been wiser. With a polyphonic sampler, the company would have been at the zenith of technological development in 1980. By contrast, the Trident – released more than 2 years after the Sequential Prophet-5<\/a>, and at around the same time as the Roland Jupiter-8<\/a> – represented an old concept<\/em> with old technology<\/em> from day one.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, the Trident was indeed welcomed by some prominent musicians, as an addition to, or as a replacement for the keyboard fortresses that dominated the stages of the world in the early 80s. One famous Korg endorser was the long-time Trident user Rick Wakeman. The following video shows Wakeman and the Trident in action:<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nA Great Mystery<\/h2>\n
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