Korg VC-10
Encyclopedia
The Korg VC-10 is an analogue
vocoder
from the 1970s. Vocoding refers to voice encoding of speech and singing with musical synthesis. It gained popularity in the '70s following utilisation by bands such as Kraftwerk
and ELO
. The VC-10 allows basic functionality in operation and modulation of signal carriers. It has two microphone
input options.
, ensemble mode with speed and depth controls (akin to a chorus
function), accent bend control, octave
-up control (extends the range of the keyboard), and tune
control as well as various settings relating to input and output mix.
The VC-10 allows for an input from an external signal carrier, such as an electric guitar
, to be modulated by the keyboard. It also features an external pitch control input.
connector. This type of connector is now obsolete. It appears to have originated around 1965 and was phased out when XLR became the standard in later years. It is almost impossible to source a microphone that would connect to it. The unit also has a front panel standard microphone phono input jack.
Analog signal
An analog or analogue signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are...
vocoder
Vocoder
A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
from the 1970s. Vocoding refers to voice encoding of speech and singing with musical synthesis. It gained popularity in the '70s following utilisation by bands such as Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
and ELO
ELO
- Music :* Electric Light Orchestra, a British rock music group** The Electric Light Orchestra , the group's debut album** ELO 2, the group's second album* ELO Part II, an offshoot band of Electric Light Orchestra- Sports and games :...
. The VC-10 allows basic functionality in operation and modulation of signal carriers. It has two microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
input options.
Features
The VC-10 "achieved a measure of popularity because it was simple to use, relatively inexpensive and completely self-contained." It features 20-channel polyphonyPolyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
, ensemble mode with speed and depth controls (akin to a chorus
Chorus effect
In music, a chorus effect occurs when individual sounds with roughly the same timbre and nearly the same pitch converge and are perceived as one...
function), accent bend control, octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
-up control (extends the range of the keyboard), and tune
Tune
Tune may refer to:* A melody* A tune-family* A tune , a short piece of instrumental music, usually with repeating sections, and often played a number of times* British slang term, often said when referring to a piece of music that is enjoyed...
control as well as various settings relating to input and output mix.
The VC-10 allows for an input from an external signal carrier, such as an electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, to be modulated by the keyboard. It also features an external pitch control input.
Microphone input options
The unit was originally supplied with a gooseneck microphone which plugged into a bespoke BTSBTS
BTS may stand for:* BTS, LLC, telecommunications company specializing in tactical cellular networks* Bachelor of tourism studies, a bachelor's degree, one of the main degrees given by the RSUTS in Russia and other CIS countries....
connector. This type of connector is now obsolete. It appears to have originated around 1965 and was phased out when XLR became the standard in later years. It is almost impossible to source a microphone that would connect to it. The unit also has a front panel standard microphone phono input jack.
Use in popular music
The Korg VC-10 has featured in music by :| Musician | More info | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Keith Emerson Keith Emerson Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970... |
||
| Roger Waters Roger Waters George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter... |
(used in Animals (album)) "Floyd first used a Vocoder in Animals (recording during 1976) for Roger’s lead vocals in “Pigs” and for the bastardised psalm on “Sheep”, as well as for the treated barking sounds and other effects in “Dogs”. Rick’s keyboards were also fed through the Vocoder, notably during the middle section of “Dogs”. Although it is not documented which particular model was used in Britannia Row studios for the recording of Animals, it is reported that they used the -now classic- Korg VC-10 model" | |
| Apollo 440 Apollo 440 Apollo 440 are an English band formed in Liverpool in 1990. Apollo 440 have written, recorded and produced four albums, collaborated with and produced other artists, remixed as Apollo 440 and as ambient cinematic alter-ego Stealth Sonic Orchestra, and created music for film, television,... |
Listed in Apollo control gear in sound on sound article | |
| Klaus Schulze Klaus Schulze Klaus Schulze is a German electronic music composer and musician. He also used the alias Richard Wahnfried. He was briefly a member of the electronic bands Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel before launching a solo career consisting of more than 60 albums released across five decades.-1970s:In... |
Documented in 1977/1978 he used Korg as well as Sennheiser vocoders | |
| Isao Tomita Isao Tomita , often known simply as Tomita, is a Japanese music composer, regarded as one of the pioneers of electronic music and space music, and as one of the most famous producers of analog synthesizer arrangements... |
Used on 'The Bermuda Triangle' (1979) on the track 'Vocoder' | |
| Labradford Labradford Labradford is a U.S. post-rock musical group from Richmond, Virginia, founded in 1991. They have released six full albums from 1993 to 2001. Though not officially disbanded, its members have since been active with separate projects.-Biography:... |
TBC | TBC |
| Joe Zawinul Joe Zawinul Josef Erich Zawinul was an Austrian-American jazz keyboardist and composer.First coming to prominence with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, Zawinul went on to play with trumpeter Miles Davis, and to become one of the creators of jazz fusion, an innovative musical genre that combined jazz with... |
Documented to use VC-10 in Sound on Sound article. | |
| Rick Wakeman Rick Wakeman Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes... |
TBC | TBC |
| Tangerine Dream Tangerine Dream Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music group founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The band has undergone many personnel changes over the years, with Froese being the only continuous member... |
TBC | TBC |
| Goldfrapp Goldfrapp Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory .... |
In the 'Black Cherry Making Of..' videos, there's an unmistakable Korg VC10 vocoder. | TBC |
| Daft Punk Daft Punk Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop... |
'Sexy Boy' video shows Air using the VC-10 | |
| Air | TBC | TBC |
| Yes Yes (band) Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets... |
In the 1980 album Drama, Geoff Downes uses a Vocoder | TBC |
| The Stranglers The Stranglers The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s... |
Used on meninblack album around 1980s |