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Average Price: $3,778
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Description
Experience the magic of retro synthesis with the Korg Trident, a timeless piece of music history. First crafted in 1980, this 8-voice polyphonic synthesizer offers an unmatched nostalgic tone that has touched the hearts of musicians for decades. The Trident boasts independent sections for Strings, Brass, and Synth, allowing you to split sections across the 61-note keyboard. Complementing its unique sound palette, the Korg Trident is fitted with onboard delay vibrato and flanger effects, adding depth and color to your musical creations.
Key Features:
- 8 voice polyphony, capable of playing eight notes simultaneously
- 61-note keyboard, providing a wide range of octave options
- Independent sections for Strings, Brass, and Synth, offering a unique trio of sound categories
- Onboard delay vibrato and flanger effects, adding distinctive tonal variations
- CV Inputs for filter cutoff and trigger, allowing for advanced sound modulation
- Expression Inputs for each section volume and overall volume, providing detailed volume control
- Mono discrete section outputs and mono overall mix outputs (high and low), ensuring versatile connectivity options
Product specs
| Brand | Korg |
| Model | Trident |
| Finish | Black |
| Year | 1980 |
| Categories | Analog Synths, Keyboard Synths |
| Analog / Digital | Analog |
| Key Size | Full Size |
| Keyboard Action | Synth Action |
| Number of Keys | 61 Keys |
| Polyphony | 8 Voices |
FAQs
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What type of synthesis does the Korg Trident use?
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The Korg Trident is an analog synthesizer, known for its rich and warm sound characteristic of vintage analog gear.
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How many voices of polyphony does the Korg Trident have?
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The Korg Trident offers 8 voices of polyphony, allowing for complex chordal textures and layered soundscapes.
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What is the keyboard action of the Korg Trident?
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The Korg Trident features a synth action keyboard with 61 full-size keys, providing a smooth and responsive playing experience.
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Is the Korg Trident suitable for live performances?
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Yes, the Korg Trident is well-suited for live performances due to its robust build and versatile sound capabilities, making it a favorite among live musicians.
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What are the standout features of the Korg Trident's sound engine?
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The Korg Trident's sound engine is notable for its lush analog strings, powerful brass sounds, and a dedicated synthesizer section, offering a wide range of sonic possibilities.
Videos
WilliamSalmela
Farewell Trident (Korg Trident Mk I)
Reviews
PROS
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MKI version acclaimed for superior sound
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8 voice poly synth offers rich layering
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Exceptional string sounds surpassing Yamaha SK and Moog Opus
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Unique brass section with its own paraphonic filter
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Outperforms modern analog poly synths in sound quality
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Tri-timbral capability with top-notch in-synth Flanger effect
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Versatile with beautiful strings and two oscillator synth for various sounds
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Preferred choice for brasses and synth chords
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Can be midified for modern connectivity
CONS
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Patch memory limited to the synth section only
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Memory does not retain split sections or settings
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Midi implementation does not support split settings
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Korg Trident.
Setup and maintenance
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Owners report the Korg Trident often suffers from battery leak issues, requiring repairs and thorough cleaning to restore functionality.
Source
Features and functionality
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The synth contains SSM filters and 3 independent sections (synth, brass, strings), which can be mixed for intricate soundscapes and rich, emotional tones.
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MKI lacks real-time synth parameter editing in patch mode, while MKII allows it, enhancing live performance flexibility.
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MKII offers more keyboard tracking options in the synth section (5 vs 3), providing greater expressive potential.
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MKII is described as having a better PSU and heat sink, potentially increasing reliability and lifespan.
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Comparisons
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The Korg Trident is likened to the Arp Quadra for its multi-section design, offering similar versatility in sound layering.
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MKII is noted for using the same exploding battery as the Polysix, highlighting a shared maintenance issue.
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Sound differences between MKI and MKII are attributed to filter implementation rather than VCO differences, offering distinct tonal characteristics.
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Use cases and applications
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The flanger effect is highlighted for creating cosmic, space-like soundscapes, elevating the Trident's potential for ambient music.
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Value and pricing
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Vintage market trends show a significant price increase for the Trident, with prices reportedly doubling over recent years due to limited availability.
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Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 2 Reviews and 4 Ratings
449
Fantastic sound and versatile
Fantastic sound and versatile. Beautiful strings. And a good two oscillator synth.
Artist usage
Add artist
In the video titled "INSIDE: Charlie Puth Home Studio" by Caleb Simpson on YouTube, at the 0:32 timestamp, a Korg Trident polyphonic synthesizer can be seen positioned in the middle of a synth rack, directly above the Korg Triton Studio 88, confirming its use by Charlie Puth.
The Korg Trident is pictured at the bottom of this picture on Tyco's instagram page, and he states: "Pictured is every synth used to record Dive and Awake" (his first two albums).
In this interview with SOS, Dj Premier talks about some of the keyboards in his modern approach to music, saying, "When I constructed tracks in the past, I usually started with the samples, and then added the drums. Now it is usually the reverse. I may begin with keying a rhythm into the MPC, or play around with a little melody on my keyboards. This may be my Korg Trident, or my Roland Fantom, or my Yamaha Motif — I just got it and I'm still experimenting with it, but it has some really cool sounds."
When releasing their highly acclaimed album, 'A Deeper Understanding', Adam decided to put what synths were used on each track in the Liner notes and Credits.
On the song 'Strangest Thing' the Korg Trident is credited to be used by Adam.
Adam can also be seen quoting the use of the synth in the Boston Globe article with him. That article can be found here: https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2017/09/20/war-drugs-adam-granduciel-sweats-every-detail-pursuit-perfection/Ul3jUYasSWOoblcy8D790K/story.html
The Credits with all the listed synths can be found here: https://www.discogs.com/The-War-On-Drugs-A-Deeper-Understanding/release/10756085
On his official website, Legowelt describes the Korg Trident as visually striking, noting its wooden exterior, MS20-style knobs, and switches. However, he humorously critiques its functionality, calling it "supersexy but dumb as [expletive] on the inside."
In his My Studio feature for Attack Magazine, Mathew Jonson writes:
"This is my Trident and OB-12. Both amazing for pads and ambient sounds. The OB-12 is totally buggy and can explode the speakers with just small changes in parameters so I don’t really let my friends use it. It is super powerful though, aside from all the glitches. The Trident is probably best described as majestic. Literally it sounds like the angels flying down from the sky."
"Zawinul did not stop at the Wurlitzer and Fender Rhodes electric pianos he used in the 1960s. By the late 1960s he was extending his sonic palette with effects like phase shifters, Echoplexes, wah-wahs and ring modulators, and when synthesizers came on the market he was among the first to buy one (the EMS Putney). The list of synthesizers he has used since then — among them the ARP 2600, Rhodes Chroma, Oberheim Four-voice and Eight-voice, ARP Quadra, Sequential Prophet 5 and Prophet T8, Korg Trident, Oberheim Xpander, Korg VC10 vocoder, Emu Emulator, Casio CZ101, Korg DW8000, DSS1, DSM1 and M1 — reads like a synth museum's treasure list."
In this interview Rostam says he used a Korg Trident when making his song "Bike Dream"
Album Usage
The Korg Trident has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Korg Trident, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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