Vintage Synth Explorer

Korg • Poly-61

The Korg Poly-61 was released in 1982 as the successor to the Polysix. It was somewhat of a step up from the Polysix, as it has 2 DCOs for better reliability. It also retained the arpeggiator of the Polysix. It has a very dirty sharp sound much like the Yamaha DX7. This is good if you are into the lo-fi sound of electronica. The Poly-61 can provide cool gritty basses or trippy analog sounds and fx.

Also added is the familiar Korg joystick, which can be used to modulate the VCO or the VCF. However, its filter only has 7 steps of resonance and is not as fat as the Polysix's filter. It also uses the same method of programming the Poly-800 and Yamaha DX-7 use, so it's not a very useful synth for real-time-tweaking junkies. The first Poly-61s didn't have MIDI, but the Poly-61M released in 1984 corrects this. Overall, the Poly-61 is still a decent synth, and it can be acquired for practically nothing! It has been used by FM Static and The Faint.

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Posting Rules: Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

 

Pepe

Posted 5 days ago

The weak point of the Poly-61 are all the connectors that may not work properly after 25 years.

Here is a site of a friend of mine that has tons of information about this synth and its insides:

www.mik-music.org

The forever

Posted 10 days ago

I have one of these synths and they are great,mine has a problem though-It will not save the sounds even when the power is switched on.
I press write and the led blinks I then press write again and hey presto the led goes off but sound does not save.
Anyone have any ideas?I have replaced the battery.
Thanks

Pepe

Posted 12 days ago

AliMC:

I know this problem and it is solved pretty easy!
When you open the case of the Poly-61 there is a big connector on the main board (on the left) that has got a few empty holes. This connector must have been places unproperly. Just loosen it and fit it in the right place. Everything should sound normal again!

I had this problem a few months ago when I worked at my own Poly-61.

Hope this helps you!

Ali MC

Posted 21 days ago

Heya, I got given one of these but I can only get it to emit a strange highpitch sound... is that because the battery has died? I have read online the batteries need to be replaced and then the sounds re-uploaded via tape... can anyone help me with more info about this? I'm not much of a synth person at all but would love to get this thing going... Cheers!!

edwarddelavilla

Posted 25 days ago

does anyone know where i can get one, i need one badly! here is my email, incase anyone can help, this is THE keyboard that is missing in my rig, I have a Moog LP Stage ii, a Micro Korg, and alot of soft synths for my electro dance project called "The Warning" this would def add a dark 80's feel to the mix, just what I need, anyone can help EMAIL: EdwardDelavilla_3@msn.com

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