The Korg Z1 uses the same Multi-Oscillator Synthesis System tone generator found in the Korg Prophecy. The MOSS tone generator is a direct descendant of the later abandoned Korg OASYS development platform. Later implementations of the MOSS tone generator were available as optional expansion boards for the Korg Trinity and Triton workstations.
Options
ADAT I/O
An ADAT expansion available providing 48 kHz digital output, as well as word clock input.
A PCMCIA card containing 256 programs, 32 multisets and 15 arpeggio patterns.
Synthesis Algorithms
The MOSS system, as implemented on the Z1, offered 13 different synthesis algorithms in the form of programmable oscillators. The various synthesis algorithms employed various synthesis techniques such as physical modeling synthesis, analog modeling synthesis, and Korg's own VPM synthesis. Some of the various synthesis algorithms can be combined together to create a vast range of sound.
A standard virtual analog oscillator, this oscillator generates the standard waveforms typically used by an analog synthesizer such as sawtooth waveforms, pulse waveforms, and triangle waveforms. Wave shaping is available to add various harmonic characteristics to the generated sound.
Comb Filter
This oscillator creates pitched sound from noise or an impulse. It can create a wide variety of sounds—not only noisy sounds, but also sounds ranging from synth-bass to strings.
VPM (Variable Phase Modulation)
Korg's own first version of phase modulation synthesis, producing digital timbres similar to the phase modulation synthesis made famous by Yamaha's DX line, Synclavier, and their successors.
This oscillator is a physical model of an electric piano such as the Fender Rhodes piano. Programmable parameters for the hammer include hammer force, hammer width, and hammer noise. For the tone generator, programmable parameters include decay time, release time, overtone level, overtone frequency, and overtone decay. For the electronic pickup, programmable parameters include pickup position in relation to the tone generator.
Brass Model
This oscillator is a physical model of a lip-reed instrument such as a trombone, trumpet, or tuba. Programmable parameters include Inst, which selects a previously modeled instrument to specify the length and shape of an instrument, Pressure, which changes the force of air being blown into the instrument, Lip, which replicates the tonality changes caused by the shape and tension of the player's lips, and Bell, which modifies the shape of the instrument's bell and creates the relevant tonal changes.
Reed/Wind Model
The reed model is a physical model of a woodwindreed instrument. Programmable parameters include Inst Type and programmable reed characteristics.
This oscillator is a physical model of a plucked string instrument such as a violin being played pizzicato or a guitar. Programmable parameters include adjustable attack parameters, damping parameters, decay parameters, string parameters such as string position, string dispersion, harmonics parameters, and various pickup parameters similar to those on the Electric Piano oscillator.
Bowed String Model
The bowed string model is a physical model of the scraping of a bow across a string on a stringed instrument such as the cello. Programmable parameters include bow speed and bow pressure. The bowed string model emulates various elements of a bowed string sound, such as attack harmonics, providing a more detailed sound than a typical sample-based synthesizer would normally be capable of.
