Vintage Synth Explorer

Oberheim • Matrix 12

Oberheim's Matrix 12 is a legendary analog synthesizer from the mid-eighties that is still the king of analog sounds. One of the fattest, roundest, pleasantly analog synthesizers around! It's long been known for creating some of the thickest and best analog pads, sweeps, buzzes, basses and textures. It features Matrix Modulation for extremely wild virtual patching for almost unlimited range of sounds and modulation capabilities!

The Matrix 12 is similar to the Xpander and the lighter Matrix 6. But the Matrix 12 is much fatter and more programmable than either. Every control can have an effect on some other parameter thanks to Oberheim's flexible design. For example, there are 15 types of LFOs and VCAs per voice! And there's plenty of diagrams drawn out on the front panel of the synth to help you figure out some signal routing. This is not a synth for the beginner. It is used by The Orb, Gravity Kills, Vangelis, Technotronic, and Depeche Mode.

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nvillekeyboards

Posted 7 days ago

I have to weigh in here too; I own and use a Matrix 12 as well as OB8 and OB12. I've used the Matrix 12 when playing live as well as recording and I can assure you that I get HUGE sounds out of this machine. It's fat, warm, with a silky high end and a low end that could literally shake a live venue via a decent pa. Definitely my go-to for an analog wall of sound

Dorijan

Posted 23 days ago

I love this synt.This pad, this brass...my dream synth.Clasic Ob. sound with so distincive caracter.

The MIDIGuru

Posted 54 days ago

The Oberheim 4 pole filter can be difficult to understand. If one is only familiar with common ADSR filters, the 4 pole may seem slow. To solve this "problem", zero the extra parameters. ADSR's with delay time and secondary decay would also seem slow unless zeroe'd. The first parameter is attack. The OB filters attack as hard as any.

cheater

Posted 104 days ago

One thing you might want to know is that all the modulation on this synth (and the matrix 12) is digital. This means all the envelopes and LFOs are generated by the onboard CPU and put out through a DAC. This doesn't mean the synth itself is digital. However: because of the available technology at the time the synth was built, the digital modulation is very slow. This means the LFO's wont reach audio rate, it also means that the envelopes won't be very snappy. This makes the Xpander good for slow sounds, ambiences, pads etc, but not for stabs, basses, transients, or any of those trippy sounds that use high-freq LFOs.

Dave S

Posted 172 days ago

I have to respectfully disagree with you GV...I have worked with many VA synths and love 'em. The matrix 12 is extremely fat and doesn't sound digital or thin to my ears....It's kind of hard for a machine with VCO's and VCA's to sound "digital".... If you spent a good deal of time on it, I think you would feel a lot differently.

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