Oberheim Matrix synthesizers
Encyclopedia
Oberheim Matrix synthesizers are a historic product line of analog synthesizer
s from Oberheim
featuring a method of synthesis which Oberheim called "Matrix Modulation" as a method of defining preset and user patches. While the Matrix 12 (a 12 voice version of the Oberheim Xpander
along with an added keyboard) are based on CEM Oscillators, the two models Matrix 6 and Matrix 1000 are notable for their implementation of DCO
s, which maintain a completely analog sound but are controlled by digital circuitry, making them much more stable. The Matrix 6r and Matrix 1000 are both rackmount versions of the Matrix 6. Matrix synthesizers continue to be popular due to their characteristic late-1980s analog sound.
Analog synthesizer
An analog or analogue synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog computer techniques to generate sound electronically. The earliest analog synthesizers in the 1920s and 1930s such as the Trautonium were built with a variety of vacuum-tube and electro-mechanical technologies...
s from Oberheim
Oberheim
Oberheim Electronics is an American company, founded in 1969 by Tom Oberheim , which manufactured audio synthesizers and a variety of other electronic musical instruments.-Oberheim Electronics:...
featuring a method of synthesis which Oberheim called "Matrix Modulation" as a method of defining preset and user patches. While the Matrix 12 (a 12 voice version of the Oberheim Xpander
Oberheim Xpander
The Oberheim Xpander was an analog synthesizer launched by Oberheim in 1984 and discontinued in 1988. It is essentially a keyboardless, six-voice version of the Matrix-12...
along with an added keyboard) are based on CEM Oscillators, the two models Matrix 6 and Matrix 1000 are notable for their implementation of DCO
Digitally-controlled oscillator
A digitally controlled oscillator or DCO is a hybrid digital/analogue electronic oscillator used in synthesizers. The name is an analogy with "voltage-controlled oscillator"...
s, which maintain a completely analog sound but are controlled by digital circuitry, making them much more stable. The Matrix 6r and Matrix 1000 are both rackmount versions of the Matrix 6. Matrix synthesizers continue to be popular due to their characteristic late-1980s analog sound.
Models
| Matrix-6 | Matrix-12 | Matrix-1000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyphony Polyphony 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 .... |
6 voices | 12 voices | 6 voices |
| Oscillators Electronic oscillator An electronic oscillator is an electronic circuit that produces a repetitive electronic signal, often a sine wave or a square wave. They are widely used in innumerable electronic devices... |
12 DCO Digitally-controlled oscillator A digitally controlled oscillator or DCO is a hybrid digital/analogue electronic oscillator used in synthesizers. The name is an analogy with "voltage-controlled oscillator"... s (2 per voice) |
24 (2 per voice) | 12 DCOs (2 per voice) |
| Layers | single, split, 2-part multitimbral | 12 part multitimbral with up to 6 zones | single, monotimbral |
| Filter | 1 low-pass Low-pass filter A low-pass filter is an electronic filter that passes low-frequency signals but attenuates signals with frequencies higher than the cutoff frequency. The actual amount of attenuation for each frequency varies from filter to filter. It is sometimes called a high-cut filter, or treble cut filter... resonant filter |
15 variations of low high band notch | 1 low-pass Low-pass filter A low-pass filter is an electronic filter that passes low-frequency signals but attenuates signals with frequencies higher than the cutoff frequency. The actual amount of attenuation for each frequency varies from filter to filter. It is sometimes called a high-cut filter, or treble cut filter... resonant filter |
| Memory | 100 patches, 50 splits | 100 single 100 multi | 1000 patches (800 preset, 200 user) |
| LFO | 2 (plus 1 for vibrato Vibrato Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation and the speed with which the pitch is varied .-Vibrato and... effect) |
5 | 2 (plus 1 for vibrato Vibrato Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation and the speed with which the pitch is varied .-Vibrato and... effect) |
| Rackmount | yes (as Matrix 6r) | no | yes |
| Keyboard | 61-key (velocity & aftertouch) | none | |
| Control | MIDI In/Out/Thru | ||
| Production | 1984-1988 | 1985-1988 | 1987–1994 |
External links
- VintageSynth.com has specifications and photos
- OB6000.de The Editor for the Matrix 1000