Arp Odyssey Mark III Analog Synthesizer Model 2821
The instrument
The ARP Odyssey, introduced in 1972, is a duophonic analog synthesizer that has earned legendary status in the world of electronic music. Designed as a more affordable alternative to ARP's 2600, the Odyssey quickly gained popularity for its versatile sound and robust build. It became a favorite among musicians and producers for both studio work and live performances. The Odyssey's portability and intuitive interface made it accessible to a wide range of users, contributing to its widespread adoption. The Odyssey Mk III was introduced in 1978, with a redesigned chassis and orange-on-black color scheme. The Production of the Odyssey Mk III ceased when ARP Instruments declared bankruptcy in 1981.
Over the years, the Odyssey was used by prominent artists such as Abba, Chick Corea, 808 State, Tangerine Dream, Herbie Hancock, Kraftwerk, Jethro Tull, Astral Projection, Chick Corea and Vangelis, solidifying its place in music history as a pioneering synthesizer.
Details
The ARP Odyssey has two oscillators (VCOs) with sawtooth, square, and pulse waveforms, plus a noise generator. It can operate monophonically and duophonically. The Odyssey includes a resonant low-pass filter and a high-pass filter, with ADSR and AR envelope generators for amplitude and filter control. It features an LFO for vibrato and tremolo, sample-and-hold, ring modulation, and a portamento slider. A pitch bend knob and ribbon enhance expressiveness. It has a 37-note keyboard and went through revisions: Mk I, Mk II, and Mk III, each adding features like CV/Gate control and different filters.
The model 2821 of the Mk III series featured ARP's new four-pole 4075 filter, and have an unbalanced XLR output in addition to unbalanced 1/4" outputs. The rotary knob-controlled pitch bend featured on the Mk I and Mk II models was replaced by proportional pitch control (PPC), which utilized 3 pressure-sensitive buttons to control bend up, bend down, and vibrato. ARP included PPC on other instruments, and also offered a kit to add PPC to earlier Odyssey synthesizers.