Korg Lambda ES-50 Vintage Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer SN 234417

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"The Korg Lambda is a fully polyphonic 48-key preset synthesizer, and this example is very well-kept and thoroughly tested.

The Lambda ES-50 features two banks of sounds. Percussive (Electric Piano, Clavi, Piano, Harmonics) and Ensemble (Brass, Organ, Choir, Strings I, Strings II). These presets are all available simultaneously, ideal for thick layering, and each key is articulated independently (ensuring none of the "note stealing" pervasive in synths with fewer voices).The Percussive sounds have a fast attack and variable decay envelope, and the Ensemble sounds have both preset and variable attack/release envelopes.

The Lambda uses divide-down technology with three oscillators that are mixed and filtered using fixed circuits to create the preset sounds. The control panel boasts controls for basic low-pass filtering of the Percussive and Ensemble tones, and each bank of sounds has its own dedicated Volume slider and Tone knob. There is also a control for "click" (used to add attack to the EP sound) and a filter cut-off control for the Brass sound, which has its own paraphonic filter - tuned to give a slightly resonant peak to the sound, and with its own preset filter envelope.

An Octave switch puts the keyboard in regular or Octave Down mode. The three oscillators can be detuned to thicken the sound further, and analog chorus can be independently applied to the Percussive and Ensemble sections. The joystick acts as a pitch bend control, doubling as a sweep control for the chorus. Vibrato can be switched off the Ensemble sounds, and Percussive sounds feature a variable Tremolo and a Sustain switch that turns Decay into a Release."