MSC-1S Variety
Sound Card Set for the Korg M1 series


The MSC-1S "Variety" sound card set consists of the MPC-01 Program card, and the MSC-01 PCM card.  These two cards install in the slots of the Korg M1 series, adding several new waveforms and programs to the machine.

The MSC-!S Variety card was the first sound expansion set available for the M1 (and compatible) and introduced several useful sounds.  Here's what appears on the actual PCM card:

  • Strings Type

  • Saxophone Type

  • Marimba Type

  • Spring Type

  • Low Violin Type

  • Piano Type

  • Harp Type

  • Chorus Type


These sound are all very well-programmed, and I find the strings and brass to be particularly impressive.  Some of the string pads are programmed with slight vibrato on the aftertouch and plenty of reverb, giving them a wonderful sheen of analog flavor.  You'll also find plenty of wood instruments like marimbas, beautiful orchestral sounds, and even a few special FX.

Click on the audio examples below to hear all 200 sounds contained in this Korg M1 classic expansion set.

Korg MSC-1S Variety factory demo song:

n/a  - this card foregoes the demo(s) in favor of having 100 Prog and 100 Combi instead of 50 + 50 typical of other cards in the MSC-series.

Korg MSC-1S Variety audio demos in mp3:

Stream all demos below

 

Program name
with audio demo
My comments

00 Stringsaw

Gorgeous classical-style symphonic strings

01 Chin-Brass

Pop brass with a very strong attack

02 SimplPiano

Classic M1 piano.... still short samples but due to the technology of the era (1988/89)

03 VoiStrings

Beautiful strings mixed with voices

04 MalletBell

Classic mallet sound, very late 1980s/early 1990s

05 E.Organ

Cool, groovy variant of the classic "Rock organ"

06 Flute

Beautiful and realistic

07 Syn ZIMBA

Typical Korg synthesis sound

08 CelloStr.

Deep and realistic cello with expressive aftertouch vibrato

09 Syn Bass 1

Massive synth bass

10 BrightStr.

Nice Baroque-style ensemble

11 Brasstring

Yep

12 E.Piano

Standard Yamaha DX7 FM style electric piano

13 VoiceWind

Cool vox patch, a bit Fairlight-like.

14 MelodyBell

Cinematically good.

15 ChurchOrgn

Realistic pipe organ

16 DoubleReed

Nice reed-based instrument

17 PizzString

Classic strings played in pizzicato style

18 Soft Harp

"Oh... it was a dream..."

19 SlapS,Bass

Seinfeldian.

20 SawStrings

Ravishing analog strings - perfect.  Aftertouch adds awesomeness.

21 AnaSoftBrs

The analog'ish power of the M1.

22 E.PianoSaw

The '80s

23 MalletFsx

Percussion with lots of fx

24 Brass Down

That's it

25 Mute&Wood

Nice contrabass on the left, and smoky, jazzy muted trumpet on the right

26 Fagotto

Italian for bassoon

27 BoxClavi

F on ky

28 LovelyDuet

Reminds me of the attack portions on the D-50 waveforms

29 Steel Harp

Nice

30 Symphonic+

Large ensemble

31 PhoneEns.

Jazzy brass section

32 PianoWith

Very bright piano

33 Go Away

Exotic M1 pitch effect

34 Elec.Koto

Yes

35 Wind Pad 1

Gorgeous pad

36 SawTrumpet

Analog horn

37 EffectPad

Different

38 GrowlBrezz

Broken sax

39 LowStrings

Menacing

40 DRUM LIVE

Killer drum set

41 BrassEns.

Nice brass ensemble

42 Vibes

Realistic vibraphone

43 Symphonic4

Wavy synth-orchestra

44 12String G

A 12-string guitar

45 LeadGuitr1

Beatlesque guitar

46 Marimba

Nice

47 BoxSitar

Very nice Indian setup

48 SaxWave

1950s rock 'n' roll with lots of reverb

49 Art Of H

A hint to one of the 1980s most characteristic bands... the "Art Of Noise"

50 ChamberStr

Perfect for waltzes

51 SpritBrass

Very nice trumpets

52 GlockBell

Nice bell sound

53 SweetFiddl

American-style violin

54 GlassPad

Typical "cold", digital, glassy pad of the late 1980s

55 Velo.Swich

A nice string ensemble that switches from pizzicato to staccato via velocity.

56 VoiceSing1

Gorgeous vox choir

57 BlockOrgan

Fantastic organ, perfect for many genres, House/Dance being one good candidate.

58 Talking M1

Killer patch with inventive patch design.

59 VoicesBell

 

60 VoiceOrgn

 

61 FilterOpen

 

62 SoftBrasPd

Classic synth brass of the '80s

63 Overtone

 

64 LeadGuitr2

 

65 SpicatStr.

 

66 Swell-Pad

Fat analog pad

67 Glocken

Beautiful, moody glockenspiel

68 DigiSquare

 

69 Single-Saw

 

70 Saw&Pulstr

 

71 SpltWhistl

Synth lead becomes whistle!

72 Wind Pad 2

 

73 ToyPiano

 

74 MalletGong

 

75 SquarePipe

 

76 Sax-Pet

Sax becomes trumpet!

77 DigiPF-Mix

 

78 Velo.SWsax

Raspy sax

79 M1 Racer

Monza

80 HighString

 

81 Saw-Brass

 

82 VeloSweep

 

83 Blockarim.

 

84 WireString

 

85 PanBelPad

 

86 Cristal

 

87 Dark Bass

 

88 DRUM KIT

Nice, solid, punch drums - still very '80s.

89 Oriental

 

90 ORCHE LOW

 

91 Up Part

 

92 P S G 1

 

93 Effect Per

Effect percussion

94 Super Gate

 

95 TaikoSweep

 

96 Art Of N

 

97 VideoWorks

 

98 Pulstrings

 

99 Free Space

 


Stream all demos below

   


Combination name with audio demo My comments

00 Stero Str1

Wide orchestral strings

01 Stero Str2

Ravishing analog string orchestra - perfect for many genres.

02 Stero Bras

The town marching band is playing

03 Stero Bra2

Far away

04 E.Organ

Excellent electric organ of the 1950s

05 P.Organ

Very nice and realistic pipe organ

06 Stero Pf

 

07 Stero EP

 

08 Stero Harp

 

09 Stero Vibe

 

10 Stero Voic

 

11 Cello-Harp

Very nice split - Cello on the left, and harp on the right

12 Harp-Flute

Fantastic medieval-style split: the beautiful harp and the mesmerizing flute

13 Fago-Oboe

Less-glamorous, but very important members of the orchestra - Fagotto (bassoon) and oboe.

14 Bass-Brass

Very cool, classic M1 slap bass, and pop brass.

15 Bass-Guit

 

16 Bras-Drum

 

17 Bras-Pizz

 

18 Stero Marm

 

19 Brass Down

 

20 Bass-ST.Dr

 

21 Bass-MTgrw

 

22 Wind Ens.

 

23 Wood Wind

 

24 Toys Music

 

25 Vive-Mute

Gorgeous jazz setup - dusty vibraphone and moody trumpet

26 Ethnic

 

27 Stero Away

 

28 Brass-Sax

 

29 Video Game

 

30 Tutti

 

31 Velo Piano

 

32 VeloSwitch

 

33 String Piz

 

34 Velo Open

 

35 Cello-Flut

 

36 Wood-Vibe

Classic jazz

37 Japanese 1

 

38 Marimpone

Nice variant of the marimba sound

39 Mari-Glock

 

40 Ethnic Per

 

41 Japanese 2

 

42 Synth Pad

Beautiful synth pad

43 Blocken

 

44 Gen-Fue

 

45 Digi Gen

 

46 Velo Pizz

 

47 Video Gm 2

 

48 Str-12Guit

 

49 Guit-Flute

 

50 Stero Brst

 

51 Japanese 3

 

52 Brass Sec.

 

53 Honky

The typical out-of-tune saloon piano

54 Bass-Pet

 

55 Bass-Drum

 

56 Low-Spicat

 

57 M1 Racer

 

58 Solid Wood

 

59 WoodrumPet

 

60 Super Bass

 

61 Stero Voi2

 

62 Stero Voi3

 

63 Str-GrlBrs

 

64 Str-PFBell

 

65 Str-Reed

 

66 Str-Pizz

 

67 Symph-Pizz

 

68 Bass-SynPD

 

69 Bass-Crist

 

70 OrchestraU

 

71 MidiStack1

 

72 STAR WARS

Nice sound fx

73 MidiStack2

 

74 OrchHit FX

 

75 Gate Music

 

76 Cord 7+

 

77 Cord 6

 

78 TremoloStr

 

79 Fifth-G

 

80 Lead Synth

 

81 PulsLead

 

82 Uni-Bell

 

83 DUB

 

84 E.P Voi V

 

85 Orchestra

 

86 ChurchOrgn

Beautiful, realistic church organ in full flight.

87 Wood-Sax

 

88 Voice Bell

 

89 Gate-E.Pf

 

90 Solo Synth

 

91 Solo Syn 2

 

92 Magic Man

 

93 StreetBand

 

94 MidiStack3

Very nice "Hollywood" piano.

95 Stranger

 

96 Wrapguitar

 

97 Harfvoices

 

98 Divertimen

 

99 Dimly

 


Features at a glance
Year of release: 1989
Polyphony: n/a
Presets: 100 Programs & 100 Combi
Rhythms: no
Keyboard: n/a
Responds to velocity: n/a
Responds to aftertouch: n/a
Sound generation method: PCM
MIDI: n/a
Sound expansion capabilities: n/a
Effects: n/a
Controls: n/a
Outputs: n/a
Display: n/a
Misc: n/a

 

Korg MSC-1S Variety photographs (click on thumbnails to enlarge)

  

Korg MSC-1S Variety manual (click to enlarge)

 

Links

 

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Korg MSC-1S Variety review with audio demo - September 28, 2009