DS-8 - Dual digital oscillators and a new operating system make the DS-8 an easy to use yet amazingly versatile 8-voice digital synth. You concentrate on the three basic parameters of sound: pitch, timbre, and volume, while the keyboard responds to velocity and after touch. four keyboard modes open new sonic worlds. The single mode combines two timbres on each key. The layered mode gives an even fatter sound with two more timbres added to the single mode effect. The double mode goes beyond keyboard splitting to generate layering in a particular keyboard zone. In the multi mode you can simultaneously play up to eight timbres at once.

Each timbre can be assigned a different MIDI channel to allow multi-part automatic play from a sequencer like the SQ-8. You could use one voice for bass, five for strings, and one for percussion, while simultaneously playing a solo lead line yourself. Each timbre (voice) may be assigned to left, right or center (A, B, or A+B) outputs. Up to 100 sounds may be stoned in internal memory, including 10 in combination with keyboard mode, split point, and multi MIDI channel data. You can save these in RAM cards and use ROM cards to provide new sounds.

With RAM and ROM cards, you can instantly access up to 200 sounds and 20 combination programs. Convenient "performance editor" facilities let you adjust your sounds, switch oscillators, and change other settings while playing. Velocity, after touch and portamento may also be switched on and off without disturbing your performance. For multiple effects, you have built-in digital delay circuitry. Doubling, flanging, chorusing, echo, and more may be stored in memory with particular sounds.