The Power of Three

Cherry Audio's Trident Mk III synthesizer is a stunning virtual instrument that not only revives the multitimbral experience and sonic capabilities of the original Trident Mk I and Mk II hardware synths but also exponentially enhances them, offering an unparalleled combination of innovation and authenticity.

Cherry Audio has meticulously recreated each section of the original Trident hardware — the sweeping Synth, the bold Brass, and the stirring Strings — and enhanced the entire ensemble with additional features. The voice count has been increased to 16 for each section, and now includes velocity sensitivity and aftertouch, as well as polyphonic aftertouch.

The lower panels for Keyboard, Motion (a new feature), and Effects have been significantly expanded to include a virtual studio of tools that enhance this "orchestra-in-a-box" experience like never before. These features include drag-and-drop zones and quick templates for splits and layers, a DAW-friendly 16x2 polyphonic step sequencer, and dual arpeggiators. Trident also features 17 studio-quality effects that can now be arranged and reused within its four effects chains. These effects include the original BBD flanger, a compressor, a lo-fi effect, a phaser, a ring modulator, a 7-band EQ, and various delays and reverbs, including the new Lushverb.

With comprehensive MIDI mapping capabilities and over 380 professionally designed presets, Trident is a must-have virtual instrument that will captivate both vintage synth enthusiasts and contemporary music producers.

In 1981, Korg introduced a remarkable synthesizer called the Trident to the music world. This versatile, multi-timbral, multi-section analog polyphonic synthesizer included three outstanding instruments: a robust polyphonic synthesizer, a smooth string machine, and a powerful brass section. This combination made it a comprehensive tool for creating symphonic sounds. In 1982, Korg released an enhanced "Mk II" version of the Trident. Over the years, it has been prominently featured in the music of various artists, including Paul Humphreys from OMD and Rick Wakeman of YES. Additionally, musicians such as Boards of Canada, Tycho, Phoenix, and Pulp have also used the Trident in their work.

Despite its innovative features, the Trident never reached the same level of popularity as the Prophet-5 or the Jupiter-8. The Trident faced several challenges, including its high price, complex design, and unfortunate timing. When Yamaha's DX7 introduced affordable digital synthesis, it overshadowed the Trident's warm analog sound. As the music scene shifted toward digital instruments like the Korg M1 and Roland D-50, the Trident faded from prominence.

Introducing the Mk III

Four decades later, Cherry Audio has resurrected this overlooked gem with the same warmth, depth, and swagger as the original, minus the back-breaking weight, maintenance nightmares, and $4,500 price tag (80s dollars!). Additionally, Trident Mk III enhances the experience with extra features and sound options, making it the ultimate version of the classic synth.

Each section now features 16 voices. The Synthesizer section is fully polyphonic, with a filter for each voice, allowing for independent shaping. The Brass and Strings sections remain paraphonic, like the hardware, each having its own filter to shape their ensemble character.

Cherry Audio's Trident again showcases a thoughtful design and beautifully rendered user interface. It features persistent sound design controls at the top for easy access. The separate lower panel modes reveal additional functionalities, and we have further enhanced these features.

The Keyboard panel includes hideable keys and provides quick access to performance tools. These features enable you to add real-time expressive flourishes that bring a performance to life with techniques such as bending, sliding, and vibrato. In addition to supporting velocity, Cherry Audio's Trident Mk III also offers both channel and polyphonic aftertouch, enabling expressive performances in ways that were not possible with the original hardware.

The all-new Motion panel allows users to easily assign key splits and layers using both one-click Quick Split templates and draggable zone controls. It also features discreet vibrato controls for each section, aftertouch assignment, a transposable 32-step polyphonic sequencer, and two advanced arpeggiators that can be customized. These features enable users to set up and play the Synth, Brass, and String sections simultaneously in various ways, bringing this multitimbral orchestra-in-a-box to life at their fingertips.

The original Trident hardware featured a single BBD flanger and a built-in ensemble effect for Strings. In contrast, Cherry Audio's Trident offers an enhanced set of Effects panels with 17 different effects. You can arrange chains of up to five effects in each section: Synthesizer, Brass, and Strings. Additionally, there is a Global effects chain that processes all three sections together.

Each effect pedal can be adjusted, bypassed, reordered by dragging, copied, soloed, and duplicated. You can also save and recall chains for use in other presets. Furthermore, a dedicated LFO Effect Modulator allows you to modulate entire chains. The Effects panels can be minimized, providing essential control access at the bottom for immediate use.

Cherry Audio has designed Trident to appeal to both new and experienced synth enthusiasts. Beginners will enjoy the instant gratification provided by over 380 presets, many of which come with preconfigured sequencer and arpeggio patterns across multiple layers. More advanced users will discover a range of evolving timbres that extend far beyond what the original hardware could offer.

Cherry Audio has teamed up with Tim Shoebridge and Mike Martin to produce an extensive introductory video for Trident Mk III. This deep dive highlights its standout features, including its three parts, layers and splits, the sequencer, the arpeggiators, and the new customizable effects chains.