Katana VentraIP

ARP Odyssey

The ARP Odyssey is an analog synthesizer introduced by ARP Instruments in 1972.

Odyssey

ARP Instruments, Inc.
Korg Inc. (from 2015)

1972 - 1981
2015 - Present

1-2

2

Sine, Square, S&H

Analog Subtractive

AR, ADSR

none

none

37-key

Pitch

CV/Gate

History[edit]

ARP developed the Odyssey as a direct competitor to the Moog Minimoog and an answer to the demand for more affordable, portable, and less complicated "performance" synthesizers.[1][2]


ARP produced several versions of the Odyssey from 1972 to 1980. In early 2015, Korg reissued the Odyssey in cooperation with the original designer and ARP co-founder, David Friend.[3][4]

Switchable between sawtooth, square, and pulse waveforms with , a "ring modulator", and pink or white noise. (As with the Korg MS-20, the "ring modulator" is actually a logical exclusive-OR between the two VCOs' pulse waves.[5])

oscillator sync

Software emulations[edit]

In 2002, GForce Software released Oddity, a software synthesizer version of the ARP Odyssey, with additional features like a sub oscillator and increased modulation options offered by X-LFO and X-ADSR.[7]


On Nov 1, 2016 Korg announced the ARP ODYSSEi app for iOS.[8]

- on "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"[11]

ABBA

Chick Corea

[12]

Devo

- on "Sail On, Sailor", "Steamboat", and "Leaving This Town" from their 1973 album Holland.[13]

The Beach Boys

- on his album Metamatic[14]

John Foxx

- on "Chameleon"[11]

Herbie Hancock

Used as lead instrument of 's incarnation of the Doctor Who theme.[15]

Peter Howell

- on his album Oxygène[14]

Jean-Michel Jarre

- on "Blinded by the Light"[14]

Manfred Mann's Earth Band

who borrowed the synth from French singer Christophe in the 1970s.[16]

Dominique Perrier

frequently used one during his tenure with Frank Zappa

George Duke

- on "Vienna"[1]

Ultravox

on "Rocky Mountain Way" and “Life's Been Good”

Joe Walsh

of Deep Purple used ARP Odyssey from 1973 till 1976 Burn, Stormbringer, Come Taste The Band, Sarabande

Jon Lord

Latvian space-rock band

Zodiac

of Styx on "Come Sail Away" from their 1977 album The Grand Illusion

James (JY) Young

Peter Brown - on "Fantasy Love Affair"

used an ARP Odyssey MkIII on their 1979 TransAtlantic tour, Technopolis 2000-20, and 80' World Tour.

Yellow Magic Orchestra

The following is a partial list of artists and musical groups who have used the ARP Odyssey:

Reid, Gordon (January 1988). . Music Technology. Vol. 2, no. 3. p. 68. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 24835173.

"The Odd One"

Ultimate Odyssey Information Resource Web Site

Odyssey entry at Synth Museum

Odyssey entry at Vintage Synth Explorer

Archived 2015-01-06 at the Wayback Machine

RetroSound-ARP Odyssey

Korg ARP Odyssey on the official ARP Synthesizers website

Korg Unveils ARP Odyssey Analog Synthesizer