instrument has 64 memories which can be backed up to cassette tape in similar fashion to that used for home computers of the time. This system can be prone to error or mishap as the availability of the "verify" feature for the tape backup system can attest to. The instrument does, however, possess the capability in MIDI to SysEx transfer provided you have a computer with suitable software that can send the MIDI dump request message to it. A more reliable alternative to the cassette tape interface is a portable CD, sound player or computer with WAVE files saved on disc (although, in this last case, using SysEx files is faster and saves space). An optional accessory was the MEX-8000, a hardware device which can provide extra storage. DWGS synthesis As basic material, sixteen digital wave cycle waveforms were available to the user through a system Korg called DWGS for Digital Waveform Generator System. The system can be thought of as an early sample playback system where only extremely short, single cycle waveforms are stored on four 256 Kilobit ROM chips, played back through the two free running digital oscillators and processed by relatively familiar subtractive synthesis facilities. The waveforms themselves were the usual staple sine, sawtooth, and pulse waveforms, but more unusually featured waveforms such as emulations (imitations) of acoustic piano and saxophone. To aid the user in appropriate selection, each of the sixteen wave samples are printed on the right-hand end of the operating panel along with the parameter reference below. Any two of the digitised waveforms could be used by the two digital oscillators provided. A noise source could be added separately to add further timbre or tone colour. Oscillator modes The synthesizer makes use of two polyphonic modes and two monophonic modes. Each of the two monophonic modes arranged the oscillators into a single note stack of slightly detuned oscillators. Use of these two monophonic modes changes the character of any given patch quite considerably, generally imbuing it with what could best be described as a powerful or "fat" sound. Analog VCA and VCF stages Whilst the source sounds were digital, the subsequent major sound shaping stages consisted of an analog variable-gain amplifier (VGA) enveloper using six stages and similar arrangement also for the analogue filter. The filter is unmistakably analog and can be pushed into self-oscillation using the filter-resonance parameter. Further modulation of the sound