Espen Kraft dives headfirst into the neon-lit world of Italo Disco, armed with a Korg Poly-61 that’s more budget than bling but still packs a punch. This isn’t just another nostalgia trip—Espen’s got the vintage drum machines, sequencers, and a DAW all locked in tight, showing how to wrangle classic sounds without selling your kidneys. Expect sharp sync tricks, arpeggiator wizardry, and a setup that proves you don’t need a museum piece to get the dancefloor moving. If you want to see how to squeeze pure disco juice from 80s gear, this is your jam.
26. November 2025
SPARKY
Espen Kraft’s Poly-61: Italo Disco on a Shoestring
Doepfer MSY2, Drumulator, Korg DDM220, Korg Poly-61, Korg SQD1, Sequential Tom
Budget Bangers: The Poly-61 Steps Up
Espen Kraft doesn’t mess about—he’s here to show that the Korg Poly-61, despite its bargain-bin rep, is a proper Italo Disco weapon. Forget the price tag; this synth’s got the right DNA for those shimmering, octave-driven basslines and lush pads that define the genre.
If you’re after that authentic 80s vibe without remortgaging your flat, the Poly-61 is a no-brainer. Espen’s approach is all about wringing every drop of character from this machine, and he’s not shy about calling it the perfect budget choice for the job.
"If you're interested in how I wired this up, the connections and gear, let's go through it."
© Screenshot/Quote: Espenkraft (YouTube)
Arpeggiator: The Secret Sauce
"The Korg Poly 61 is a great synthesizer and it has a great arpeggio section."
© Screenshot/Quote: Espenkraft (YouTube)
The Poly-61’s arpeggiator isn’t just a feature—it’s the heart of the Italo groove. By latching it in two-octave, up mode, Espen nails that classic octave bass that gets the heads nodding. This is the kind of trick that separates the disco dabblers from the real floor-fillers.
Sync or Swim: Vintage Drum Machines in Lockstep
Espen’s rig is a synchronisation masterclass. The Sequential Tom gets MIDI sync straight from the DAW, then spits out clock to the Drumulator, which only speaks clock and not MIDI. It’s a proper relay race of sync signals, keeping the groove tight and the machines in line.
The Korg DDM220 percussion module gets its DIN sync from the SQD1 sequencer, which itself is slaved to the DAW. There’s even a cheeky adapter in the mix to bridge the old-school and new-school. If you want to see how to herd vintage drum boxes into a modern workflow, this is textbook stuff.
DAW Tricks: Old Gear, New School Control
Espen doesn’t just rely on vintage hardware—he ropes in the DAW to keep everything marching in time. The DOEPFER MSY2 sync box is the unsung hero here, converting MIDI from the DAW into clock pulses for the Poly-61’s arpeggiator. Dip switches let you dial in the perfect tempo and pulse polarity, so your Korg and Roland kit don’t start a toaster-fight.
This is where the magic happens: old synths, modern brains, and a workflow that’s as slick as a disco floor at 3am. The video’s got the nitty-gritty details—if you want to see the clock dividers and pulse tricks in action, you’ll need to watch Espen’s hands do the talking.
"It outputs a clock signal, which I can use to trigger the arpeggio trigger in on the Poly 61."
© Screenshot/Quote: Espenkraft (YouTube)
Live and Direct: Italo Energy Unleashed
The proof’s in the performance. Espen brings the whole setup to life with lively playing and sharp programming, showing off exactly why the Poly-61 and friends are still relevant. The sound is raw, direct, and dripping with Italo attitude—no soft-focus nostalgia here, just pure dancefloor energy. To really feel the punch, you’ll want to catch the full jam in the video.
This article is also available in German. Read it here: https://synthmagazin.at/espen-krafts-poly-61-italo-disco-zum-schnaeppchenpreis/
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