ARP Odyssey

Odyssey
ARP Odyssey Mark III
Manufacturer	ARP Instruments, Inc. Korg Inc. (from 2015)
Dates	1972 - 1981 2015 - Present
Technical specifications
Polyphony	1-2
Oscillator	2
LFO	Sine, Square, S&H
Synthesis type	Analog Subtractive
Attenuator	AR, ADSR
Storage memory	none
Effects	none
Input/output
Keyboard	37-key
Left-hand control	Pitch
External control	CV/Gate

The ARP Odyssey is an analog synthesizer introduced in 1972. Responding to pressure from Moog Music to create a portable, affordable (the Minimoog was US$1,495 upon release) "performance" synthesizer, ARP scaled down its popular 2600 synthesizer and created the Odyssey, which became the best-selling synthesizer they made.

There were several variations of the Odyssey over the years. Following an announcement in February 2014, the synthesizer was reissued by Korg in early 2015, in cooperation with the synthesizer's original designer and ARP co-founder, David Friend.

The Odyssey is a two-oscillator analog synthesizer, and one of the first with duophonic capabilities (the ability to play two notes at the same time). One potential appeal of the Odyssey is the fact that all parameters, including a resonant low-pass filter, a non-resonant high-pass filter, ADSR and AR envelopes, a triangle (not sine) and square wave LFO, and a sample-and-hold function are controllable with sliders and switches on the front panel.

ARP Odysseys produced between 1972 and 1975, referred to as Mark I, were white-faced Odysseys that used a 2-pole voltage-controlled filter, which were similar to Oberheim SEM modules. Some late models used a black and gold color scheme and include CV/gate jacks like the later Mark II's. These earlier units contained a greater number of internal adjustments and were slightly more difficult to calibrate.

Odyssey Mark II's were produced between 1975 and 1978. They are largely similar to Mark I's; the main differences are the use of the black and gold color scheme and the inclusion of CV/gate in all models. These models also use a four-pole VCF, which were similar in design to Moog's four-pole filter. Subsequent models, however, use a different four-pole low-pass filter designed by ARP, the 4075 filter. A later filter with a similar design, the 4072, was used in the 2600, Omni, Axxe, Solus, and other ARP instruments.