The Korg Trinity is a synthesizer and music workstation released by Korg in 1995. It was Korg's first modern workstation and marked a significant evolution from its predecessors by offering features such as built-in digital audio recording, 32-note polyphony, an extensive internal sound library, assignable effects, and a large touchscreen for advanced control and editing functions, a feature not previously seen on any musical instrument.[2][3] It also offered modular expansion for not only sounds, but also studio-grade features such as ADAT, various sound engine processors, audio recording capability, and more.[4]
The Trinity was considered one of the most comprehensive music workstations, in terms of features, at the time.[1] In 1998, Trinity V3 models were introduced, incorporating sound engines from the Korg Z1.
Background
The Trinity and the Korg Prophecy were both introduced on the same day, drawing significantly from the technology developed for KORG's OASYS "Open Architecture Synthesis System" synthesizer. While the OASYS was a prototype that was showcased but not released commercially, it was built on an open DSP system concept capable of loading diverse models for various synthesis types and physical modelling sound generators, utilizing a multi-DSP architecture. The Trinity boasted the ACCESS sound generator, which included 48 MB of PCM waveforms and introduced resonant filters into Korg's workstation lineup for the first time.[3]
The Trinity's design, from its aesthetic to its operational framework, draws heavily from the Korg 'T' and '01' series, incorporating elements such as Programs, Combis, and sequencing capabilities, as well as familiar global configurations and disk operations.[1]
Sounds and features
The Trinity utilizes a large, touch-sensitive screen for editing, allowing users to select parameter names or icons and modify values using the data entry fader, up/down buttons, the 10-key keypad, or the spinwheel. Resting a finger on the screen displays an enlarged control, which can be adjusted by dragging the finger up, down, or around the screen.[1]
It utilizes 16-bit, 48kHz PCM samples stored in 24Mb of ROM, effectively doubled to 48Mb through 2:1 data compression. The sound library comprises over 1,000 individual samples, including 374 multisamples and an extensive drum library of 258 PCM sounds. Users can create up to 12 customizable drum kits, with the ability to apply up to four effects per kit. Additionally, each drum sound can be independently panned and sent to the filter.[1]
It includes eight 'Insert' effects for individual programs and two separate 'Master' effects buses for grouped outputs. Each program can have up to four insert effects, not exceeding eight across all programs. There are 97 total effects: 28 mono, 51 stereo, and 18 complex effects. The Master effects include seven reverbs and delays, plus a modulation section with effects like flanger and chorus, totalling 110 effects with the addition of master EQs.[1]
Models and upgrades
The Trinity series launched with four different models, starting with the base Trinity version that featured a 61-note keyboard. The Trinity Plus introduced the 'Solo' board, incorporating the sound engine of the Korg Prophecy for integration into the workstation's programs. This feature was also standard in the higher-end models: the Trinity Pro, with its 76-note keyboard, and the Trinity ProX, offering an 88-note weighted keyboard.[3]
Each of the four Trinity models was capable of being enhanced with multiple upgrades. The PBS-Tri expansion board doubled the Program and Combi memory capacity and introduced 8MB of flash ROM for loading Akai, Korg, and AIFF format samples. An SCSI option facilitated the connection to an external hard drive, complemented by the DI-Tri ADAT interface, which allowed the Trident to be integrated with ADAT-compatible systems. The HDR-Tri upgrade transformed the Trinity into a four-channel hard disk recording and editing platform, adding SCSI, S/PDIF and audio inputs. This upgrade also enabled the user to process external audio through the Trinity's onboard effects. The Solo-TRI board, featuring the Korg Prophecy sounds, was also available as an optional add-on.[4]
Trinity V3
Korg TR-Rack soundmodule (1998)
In 1998, Korg updated its Trinity series by replacing the Solo board in the Trinity Plus, Pro, and ProX models with the MOSS (Multi Oscillator Synthesis System) board, a technology previously utilized in the Prophecy and Z1 synthesizers. This update led to the introduction of the Trinity V3 models, which were equipped with the MOSS board. The inclusion of six extra voices from the Z1 in the V3 models not only expanded the Trinity's polyphony to 38 but also allowed the workstation to leverage the Z1's modelled sounds through the Trinity's superior effects. Additionally, Korg offered the MOSS board as a standalone upgrade for existing Trinity owners, providing an opportunity to retrofit the advanced synthesis capabilities of the MOSS technology in place of the original Solo board.[3][5]
1998 also saw the launch of the TR-Rack, a 1U rackmount version of the Trinity, which not only compacted the workstation into a rack format but also introduced several enhancements, including a doubling of the patch memory and an expansion of the Trinity's 24MB ROM to 32MB.[3]
