Nine thoughts on the ESQ-1, an instrument that I absolutely love: 1. No synth ever shipped with such filthy ROM waveforms. They are all 8-bit and a bit noisy, they alias easily, some have audible loops. Buried in a mix, these sounds bring life and grit to a track. 2. So many modulation options! Unforunately (or fortunately), if have big mod depth settings you can hear audible stepping as the synth's envelopes and LFOs do their job. 3. The ESQ was unique to have panning as a mod destination. So an LFO or an envelope or key position or velocity can actually move a sound across the stereo field. 4. The ESQ was the first synth to feature dynamic voice allocation, which made it really useful with its built-in sequencer - you don't have to tell it how many voices are allowed per part, it will just do the work and use voices when they're available. 5. The ESQ was the first synth to allow you to hold notes and change patches, so you can sustain a long chord and change the patch - the chord will continue to sound, and newly played notes will be on the newly selected patch. 6. The non-hierarchal, soft key-based patch editing was best-in-class, and no other synth ever did it as well. 7. The ESQ came in three different versions. There is the commonly-known metal and plastic versions, but a third version came from Japan. The metal version is the most common, and is surprisingly heavy. 8. There is a surprising number of ESQ users to this day. There are newly manufactured RAM/ROM cartridges on eBay, which are a great way to get the most from this machine. 9. You can easily upgrade to the hacked ROM so you can access the so-called "hidden waves" - these strange sounds come from the processor reading other areas of internal memory as though they were stored audio waves. They sound strange and often surprisingly musical.
The ESQ-1 is the first vintage synth I bought, and it's still a favorite. This run down is great! The 8-bit single cycle ROM are the grimiest, filthiest raw sounds ever, and when you throw those into the CEM Curtis filters, it's just magic. Still finding and writing new patches on it. It's truly just underrated and underappreciated in my opinion.
Thank you for revisiting the ESQ1. This was my dream synth when I was in high-school. I used to take a bus over an hour to the other side of town to the only shop that had one on display and just sit and listen to 'real musicians' play through sequencer and was set on making this my first ever synth purchase. Sadly the music store relocated before I could save enough money from washing cars to get one. This was a real heartfelt video and I feel like I've come home and met old lost friends again. Maybe now is the time to finally fulfil that boyhood dream.
I've had a DX7. Sounded crap: too much '80s cheese - and it was a headache to program. I've had a D-50. Sounded gorgeous, but also a headache to program (couldn't afford a PG-800). Got rid of both. Didn't bother with the M-1: what? no resonant filter??? Got an ESQ-1 ... and got a SECOND ESQ-1. Here are ten things about it that I really appreciate: 1. Simple, shallow menu structure: each button brings up a screen where you can modify all the associated parameters with the soft keys above & below the screen, and the slider or Up & Down keys. 2. Extremely flexible routing and modifying! 3 oscillators, 3 LFOs, & 4 envelopes. The envelopes are more detailed than simple ADSR, and you can invert them! Modify anything with anything - GREAT for sound design experimentation. And there are more more modification options than on many other synths. Bizarrely, you can even quasi-reverse the keyboard (high notes on the left; low notes on the right). 3. Specifically, stereo output can be modified with anything - LFO, envelope, mod wheel, whatever - even graduate the keyboard from low notes in the left speaker, through the middle, to high notes in the right speaker - or the opposite. You don't have such stereo options on many newer "great," "classic" synths I have, e.g. JD-800, AN1x, Z1, & V-Synth. The original DX7 didn't even have stereo output! 4. The keybed feels great - somewhere between synth action and piano action. I don't know of a synth with a similar keybed. Better than many later synths, even modern ones. 5. Sequencer. Primitive & not the easiest to work with, but it's there, & comes in handy if you don't have enough hands. 6. Patch remain. This is where you're in patch 1, and hold a note or allow it to fade out, and select patch 2 - and even play it! - without patch 1 cutting out. Again, none of the above-mentioned other synths can do that. The V-Synth & Juno-Di have that feature, but it doesn't work properly; the sounds glitch together horribly. 7. This is UNIQUE among synths: If you modify a patch and turn the synth off, and then back on, it will be on that patch but with the original parameters. But, by modifying any parameter with the Up or Down arrow key, ALL your modifications return. 8. It has a mod wheel. I know a lot of synths do, but many have a lever that ties up your left hand holding it in position. I don't know why they don't make mod levers that stay where you put them instead of springing back. Adjust the wheel, and play with both hands. 9. There is a setting to force patches to play all the way through their envelopes - no matter how long - even after you let go of the key. This also frees up hands. Yet again, you can't do this on many later synths. 10. The user manual is excellent - actually very explanatory and helpful! buchty.net/ensoniq/index.html#stuff
@@holygeneration7 I really can't advise you on that ... Depends what it's worth to you, and how patient and how much of a gambler you are. I got mine locally in '13 and '15 for $350 each, but I was specifically waited for such good deals (I couldn't afford much, and had to longingly pass up more expensive ones). The first one went totally quiet within a month, which cost
fun fact: Commodore sued the Ensoniq-founders for building a keyboard for the Atari 2600, so they went on building synths instead. Thank you, Commodore! :D And he, Creative, bring back Ensoniq!
I owned the Esq-1 and the VFX. The EPS was also a big hit. Sampling for the masses. The P is for Performance but it could also stand for Personal. A great company. It's a bit like Dave Smith's Evolver. The sound was so impressive I bought no.302. I'm still using it as bass and lead.
I always wanted to own the ESQ-1 or the SQ-80 as I believe I once read somewhere that Bob Yannes stated that these synths were more in line with what he wanted the C64 SID chip to be. I always fashioned these synths to be similar to a SID chip, just on steroids!
I was lucky enough to find this one at a pawn shop and fell in love with it. It just exudes 1980s. I had to switch the battery and bought a custom cartridge with probably more presets than I need.
@@HayesMartialArts I bought a cartridge on Reverb made by someone in Italy. It was made with a lot of capacity and came with all the known presets loaded onto it in several banks (supposedly). I did come across a few repeats, but that might be because some of the original cartridges had a few of the same sounds? I have nothing to compare it to though. I think it was still worth it with all the extra sounds to work with, in addition to having a few blank banks to save custom sounds on. It has a black dial on the front and a switch on the top to transition through the banks. It's pricey, but considering how expensive the original cartridges are with only a fraction of the sounds on them, it's a pretty good deal in addition to having blank space to save your work. It's the only cartridge you'll ever need.
@@HayesMartialArts I moved recently, so I took a break, but I still very much enjoy playing it. Can't say I've done anything meaningful with it though. Of course technology has advanced enough to make this synth seem insignificant, but it really does have a wonderful '80s vintage quality going for it, which is what I love about it.
I'd say that the ESQ-1 (God bless it) would be a fitting fourth horseman based mainly on its availability. Every po-dunk music store that didn't carry the other big box names, carried Ensoniq products, that one in particular.
As a Hydrasynth owner I‘m having a déja-vue regarding the module buttons on the right-hand side and the central display columns. I bet Glen Darcey was inspired by the ESQ-1.
I thought the same thing, especially the way the signal chain is laid out with the buttons for the different modules. But Glen said in an interview that he wasn’t particularly familiar with the Ensoniq synths. He said that if there was any inspiration for the Hydrasynth edit UI, it would be the Xpander. There’s your daily tidbit of worthless synth trivia!
DX7, M1, D50 & Casio CZ series. With the CZ's, you could start with the affordable CZ-101 and upgrade all the way to the $1400 or so CZ-1 and retain your sounds. The CZ's offered the most bang for the buck, and Casio had little choice with the reputation as a toy company, but the CZ's were capable of sounds much more expensive, usually analog synths created.
Yeah the CASIOs are sooooooo Underated there is a CZ video here........th-cam.com/video/i9xXdhMEj6M/w-d-xo.html i Think its the CZ5000 but the CZ3000 and Others were Very GOOD !!!!!!!!!
Hey, do you know or does anyone know if I need to have the cartridges in this for it to work ? I bought one of these but it did not come with any cartridge and there is only around 4 sounds that I can play. Thanks
The Swedish pop-group Roxette used the ESQ'1 on some of their songs as well. There was also other famous artists. I still got mine, bought back in 1986. And mine was the fourth of its kind in Norway. I still love it!
I was buying an M1 about a year ago. It was in nice condition, almost mint. It was an older man that also was cleaning out his barn because he was going to move. We talked a lot and he understood that I was really interested in synths. He said he had an Ensoniq in a case in his barn. He had tried to start it up but dead battery. I did not know a lot about it but did a quick Google. It looked terrible, coffee on the keys etc. so I got it for about $80. At home I started cleaning it up. It was only dirt, not scratches etc. So when I had cleaned it it actually looked mint! I bough a new battery and soldered a battery holder. Restored the factory patches and it works 100% and sounds amazing! A real barn find! 😁 It is now on my Jaspers stand together with a DX-7 and the M1.
My dad bought one of these in 1986 or 87. It blew my mind. The thing made the most surreal sounds, and the vacufluorescent display was mesmerizing. It was (and still is) the only keyboard that could muster an accurate “Jump” sound. I wish I had one.
I think the reason it is overlooked is no knobs and your edits down show up still you press the keyboard again. It was a great synth in 1986, where you got a wide range of sounds + a sequencer for around $1100. Add a drum machine and a 4-trk and you have a nice little studio for roughly $2000. Still a very versatile synth with 3 osc, lots of modulation possibilities, and a great sounding filter. Plus it just looks cool.
I think you mean that the edits don't change the sound right away. They show up onscreen right away, but you can't hear the change until you play a new note. You can sustain a chord while selecting a different patch, then your next note is the all new sound. It is 8-voice multi-timbral, too -- split, stack layers, or even do both. That is a feature of a digital synth, but a drawback if you want to fiddle with the sound in realtime while looping a sequence.
The SQ80 is basically an ESQ-1, but it has twice as many wave forms (I believe) and a few other upgraded features. They changed the keybed however and I much prefer the action on the ESQ-1. Both are versatile synths. Also the VFX/SD and the TS-12 are quite good, but they share a similar sound. The Fizmo is Ensoniq's most infamous synth and commands the highest prices as they are rare. Of course, Ensoniq is most famous for their samplers like the Mirage and ASR-10.
The SQ80 is awesome and the poly aftertouch keyboard was revolutionary at the time. The SQ80 would have been much more successful if the Korg M1 wasn't released just a couple of months later.
Bought mine in the early 90s (for about $300 AUD). Still use it today. Such a wonderful synth with incredibly rich and flexible voice architecture, and almost too many modulation routings. I've always felt that the factory presets really don't show the instrument at it's best (and the panning LFO is overused, becomes a bit tiresome after a while). There are no patches that demonstrate the Ring Mod which is fierce as hell and can take the patches into a whole other plain. I always liked the capacity to layer a polyphonic patch with a monophonic patch, and one that I used a lot was a Moog-style lead (mono) mixed with a choir patch (poly) - the lead would cut through the mix really well and there was this ethereal vocal wash behind it, lots of fun. There are also the "hidden" waves which were not without their uses.
I worked at Alamo Music back in the 80's and sold all those keyboards when they were new!! I had an ESQ-1 and it had what I consider in "icy blue" timbre to it.
I still use one of these as my master keyboard and hardware sequencer today! It has a very unique sound, and the sheer range of modulation options is wild for a synth of it's day (3 lfos and 4 envelopes!).
I bought one of these around 2006 (?) and they were going for around $150-$200 at the time. I got mine for $150 off of craigslist. I made a bunch of songs just on this synth. Really warm and deep tones with it. Had a ton of fun! I got a DX-7 shortly after and tho it sounded amazing, the ESQ-1 has bad ass sequencer, so I played it more often.
I feel the same way about mine. I lose hours and hours patching it, I've had it for years, and I feel like I learn something new about what it can do every time I sit down and play at it. Used it on tracks, live, and just for straight up sound design sessions.
This was my first real real synth.. i was grateful for my mum and dad buying me the Yamaha PSR300 keyboard as my first keyboard but the ESQ1 was my first pro keyboard
Last year I purchased a Ensoniq synth from one of the original product specialist for Ensoniq. It was a MR 61. Actually it was an emu developed synth branded as an Ensoniq. I sure miss the good old days of the synth renaissance.
The MR-61 was developed in 1996, two years before Ensoniq was acquired by Creative and later merged with E-Mu. The Ensoniq branded product that was in fact developed by e-mu is the Halo. This was in fact a rebranded e-Mu PK-6 board with the sounds of the ZR rom installed . I have both the ZR and the Halo and the halo is a Cheaply built plastic toy with a lousy keybed, where the ZR was built as a tank.
Judging from patches i heard on You Tube this synth is highly capable of way much more then sound he played on this video. Probbably factory presets. One thing it do perfect are warm Strings out of the box. So warm and full, love it.
Man you didn't even scratch the surface of the ESQ-1 .Not even a mention that it's Multi-Timbral too. Also not one bass of any of the other "out there" type sounds you can get out of it. . sounded like you stuck to only 80's type patch sounds which made it sound boring it's not!. I used it a lot for nasty industrial type sounds back in the late 80's. Still have mine from 1987 and also the rack mount ESQ-M . Great synth and a real workhorse!
Love this synthesizer. Crafting your own sounds can make some insane stuff! The triple 8 bit digital wave OSC just gets gritty when stacked and you open up that analog filter. I need to replace battery on mine so it's out of my setup till then, this video makes me want to turn it on once and do a fast video creating some sounds tho =)
The waves were its weakness too , being so narrow bandwidth they sounded very midrange , the whole esq sounds midrange , the filters are ok but you can only go so far if they being fed with poor waves, the real selling point in 1986/87 was its multitimbrality + good sequencer
Hi! With this wonderful synthesizer, the Swedish super duo of ROXETTE, created the legendary song "The Look", N°1 in 32 countries in the world, (Record!!..) including USA, and ITALY!!! The sound of the song "The Look" is truly something exceptional, the atmosphere they have managed to create is truly Incredible, even listening to it today one is left speechless!!!
At the time, it was hard to make a sound with this that would CUT through a mix of guitars and drums. I think that may have been an issue with a lot of Ensoniq synths. The sounds were so dark and lush. That didn't work at the time where bright synth sounds were what we wanted, something that would get heard. Today, it's a much more suitable synth because there's more music that's synth-oriented and not rock-band oriented.
Adamski used this and all his sounds were presets too with the bass coming from one of the several us eprom cart soundsets, ensoniq synths were the only ones where you can hotplug the cart with the unit on
I had a similar SQ-1 that I bought for $1100 in 1991. I loved that synth. It had a built in sequencer that was often to have back in the days when recording was done on tape. You could record 8 tracks in a sequence, then chain the sequences together into song, which gave you 8 more song tracks to layer on top. It was very sturdily built, and compared to modern synths it weighed a ton. You could get an expansion memory card that could be used for expanded sequencer memory. By modern standards it was tiny, but at the time it was fantastic. The sequencer enabled me to compose out my songs on the keyboard and edit them before recording it all to tape on a 4 track. I still kept composing on the synth's sequencer for a while after I started using a DAW because it was actually quicker and less broken up on the synth, since early DAWs needed to record one track at a time, and the synth could do more than that. I mostly used the synth for orchestral style soundtrack-like pieces, and it was actually really good for that.
When discussing the "big 4", the ESQ-1 was the only one with oscillator sync and a resonant filter, which made for some great leads and basses. Also, it's a little known fact that it could do pulse width modulation. If Ensoniq had bit the bullet and included reverb and delay, they'd have done even better against the M1 and D-50. I had one of these in the early 90's, and based on what I know now, I didn't realize what a cool synth this and the SQ-80 (polyphonic aftertouch!?!?) were.
I have this synth and it is a total winner. All the early classic ensoniqs are great. I can find little faults in them. They are not as popular as the rest of the brands thats for sure but they are held in high regards in general and I have 4 classic Ensoniqs.
I've had two ESQ-1s over the past 25 years and stupidly parted with both. A great synth. Btw, I remember saving patches to cassette originally, then saving to my Atari ST via editor/librarian software. Good times! 😄👍
Great upload good to see a shout-out to this underrated synth, had one for years though unfortunately, mine has developed a couple of duff oscillators now. There is a really good software emulation that gets surprisingly close considering the filters are analogue on the real hardware. I like the sound so much I always make sure I have the SQ8X VST installed on any new set up even works on Linux.
This synth was very popular in Australia. It never really lost its value here, of course prices are rising now, but I think the lowest they ever got was around $300 USD
I paid either £1100 or £1200 (UK Pounds) on it's release (can't remember which) and loved it, had it for years and gigged with it for years and then alongside a Korg X3 (which was a great combination!) ... such a warm, lush sound and that 8-track sequencer was a great writing tool.
Mine was £1,000 as part of a deal on other kit from Dougies Music Store, in Cheshire in 1987. Had 3 over the years (one stolen, one died, one sold) and one day will get another.
I think I purchased my ESQ-1 around 1985-86. I think I paid around $1250 to $1350. I purchased it from a music store in Texas, back in the no tax out of state sales days, shipped to NY. I played it through a Roland JC-120 that I purchased at Manny's in Manhattan. I wanted a Guitar Amp, that I could play a Keyboard through. The JC-120 back in the early 80's had line inputs in the rear, something they no longer have. I tell you the ESQ-1 with the JC-120 sounded fantastic. I needed a 88 note Keyboard, so I sold the ESQ-1, I think for $300. I wanted a Bass Guitar, so I traded the JC-120 in on a Precision Bass. I still kick myself over that. I still have a Ensoniq ZR-76 in Mint Condition, I probably have used it less than 10 hours. if anyone is interested. Make me an offer!!!
Skinny puppy used the hell out of it (to my knowledge, I'm a huge fan of theirs). It's on one of their most famous tracks, Testure, on VIVISectVI. Jexus has a great demo of it as well.
I think Skinny Puppy is a good example of a band that had taken creative advantage of its quirks to craft pretty wild sounds. Definitely a prominent member of their rig during the late 80s early 90s era which they are probably most well-known for.
A great video presentation. I've recently picked up the Arturia SQ 80 V, and it's great - trying to find a hardware version of it now (or maybe even the ESQ-1).
18:38 Not many machines at the time could hold a patch when choosing another.... Just like their EPS allowed playing while loading.... The little things ahead of their time.... 3 years (85) ahead of the infamous M1 (88) also as a workstation idea.
I think it was none, instead of not many. I know of no instrument of that era, and only a small number of instruments of later date that could do this. Even Ensoniq instruments were not capable of doing that anymore
I remember this from 1992. We got a local music store to loan us this keyboard. The manual was super easy to read through in an hour. Started working and laying tracks in just 8 hours to complete a song we recorded for the university at the time. I had a lot of using it for 2 days. Programming and getting it into the recording studio. After using it I did wanted to get one but $1,500 is a lot of money back in 1991. That would be $3,400.00 in today's money.
This synth is the perfect example of what frustrates me with most synths of that era. Sounds good, is not insanely overpriced on the used market but has a menu driven interface for sound design. It doesn’t look as bad as the DX7 where you have to use the button to select from a list of dozens and dozens of parameters before you can use the slider to enter the value but still, we are far away from the one knob per function we see nowadays.
I'm an Australian who got mine from Hong Kong in the late 80's, it was on sale at the time because it was being replaced by a newer model which had a floppy disk drive. This ESQ-1 relied on an external cassette tape drive for writeable storage (cartridge ROMs and backup of sequences). I replaced the internal battery with a regular 9V battery, got adaptors to use with headphones and it still works to this day.
And spot-on regarding the analog filter not being appreciated at the time; I got mine in 1988 when I was 15 and although I really got a lot out of it, I always 'disliked' its association with 'analog' - as everything 'new' and 'cool' was Digital back then (I desperately wanted a DX7, but had to 'settle' for a much cheaper ESQ'1 !!).... oh, how little we knew back then !
This was my first poly synth which I bought for $650 in the late 80's. Still have it (replacing the battery on it at the moment). Also got a SQ-80 ($325) around '95. 3 oscillators?! Super easy-to-use sequencer?! Incredibly easy to program given the soft buttons around the screen, and the diagram on the right side of it. If this thing had drum sounds it would have been a complete workstation. Program you own sounds and this thing comes alive. The stock sounds are cool, but it really doesn't show it off as well as if you dig in on it. Super fun synth, if you can get one, get one.
I was looking in forums to see what joe smooth used for promised land, a certified hood classic. In the video you can see the keyboard and I refused to believe it was the mirage because it didn't have a screen like the one in the video. It was probably this one.
I just got an Ensonic SQ2 from a buddy of mine for free. I've never used a digital keyboard/ synth before, but I have plenty of experience with electronics/ robotics. I just wanted to throw this out here and see if someone could help me figure this out. So, when I jack into the headphones port, I don't get any sound. The display works, but the LEDs above each button don't light up when you press whichever button you want. I tried giving the kayboard a factory reset, but the display didn't show anythinf other than "Button #_" when I did what was necessary to reset the keyboard. I honestly have no clue what to do about it. I assume the LEDs are possibly blown or aren't drawing any power. Bad battery? I dunno.
I got a lot of work done with that keyboard. When I switched to computer apps to run the sounds, I faded. The ESQ 1 got parked..It never left my big table..Just got covered up with cloth. It's a super early metal version.
I pondered long and hard over a Yamaha DX7 and an Ensoniq ESQ1 back in 1983. I finally opted for the DX7. Insanely expensive. Did I make the right choice ? ABSOLUTELY NOT !! The DX7 was not multi timbral so I had to spend more money buying other keyboards. I also had to buy a sequencer. I went for a Yamaha QX5. You needed an engineering degree to work it out. I decided to cut my losses and sell everything as it was not giving me any satisfaction. It's then that I became an advocate of the Ensoniq brand. After the ESQ1 I also owned a Mirage, SQ80 & SQ1. Very under-rated brand. I was able to do some really awesome stuff in the 80s with just 1 keyboard. Of course, you can now do it all on an IPhone with even better results but I wouldn't swap my memories for anything.
The esq1 was quite unique and although it was not a big brand they sold well. They had to even use a special factory in Italy just for the European market. The big dog at the time was the dx7 but the esq found a niche because it had the analog filters and 3 powerful oscillators with good base sounds ( saw) so it could mimic prophet or oberheim sounds, which the dx7 couldn’t. All changed when the d50:came out in 87 and included effects and the M1 a year later. Ensoniq didn’t foresee this and had nothing to offer in terms of an effects processor so it released th sq80 in 88.This was just a minor upgrade from the esq1: some more wave forms and aftertouch . That was not enough to fight against these 2 monster synths and it took them to 1990 before they had a product with a decent effects section ( eps16plus)
You are right on the Price, $1800 Canadian at the time (87?) Isn't the headphone out at the bottom left of the keyboard? Near the control wheels? This developed into the SQ80, VFX, VFX-Pro, and then the "FIZMO" , which sounded pretty amazing but looked meh. How about a Video on the Chroma Polaris?
i love my esq. i make oldskool ambient jungle and dnb....sometimes i'll stack it with my Prologue 8 and get t he thickest contrasting sounds between the two. It has a big dark sound. very dark and organic. i love this synth.
love the ESQ-1 (a poor man's PPG Wave) and it's very easy to use, digital OSC and analog filters :-) nice seq onboard too - get one of those multicarts on eBay and load up a ton of great patches sadly they merged with E-mu and all were gobbled up by Creative Labs and quickly became just software and sound cards only E-mu made great stuff too and in the end some of the E-mu Proteus sample spinoff product libraries (ROMs) had E-mu and Ensoniq sounds on them - great used instruments
Anything Box used the hell outta the SQ80 on their first couple of albums. It can really do some beautiful stuff. Also, John Carpenter used the ESQ-1 all over Big Trouble In Little China.
Yeah !!!!!!!!!!!!!! This Is MAJOR 80s KOOL !!!!!! I really think the LOOK and NAME was not sooo SEXY as "ROLAND" "KORG" or even "YAMAHA" for stage but.....ME being a Studio guy More per se I NEVER had that Vanity Issue !!!!!! and Don't let that FOOL U !!!!!! there are EXCELLENT sounding and Very, VERY FLEXIBLE in the right hands and "A LOT of 80s and early 90s Synth based Recordings FEATURE THIS SYNTH" A LOT !!!!!!!!!!! but yeah these later on became the "SOUND BLASTER" GUYS a lot of PC sound cards and internal audio mixers "AWE 64" anyone??????????? OH and Lets NOT Forget...... the early 90s ----- SOUND FONTS or "SF2" this PLAYABLE Sound Bank format is STILL used and USEFUL !!!!!!!!!!!! These is a LARGE set of EMU n ENSONIQ sounds floating AROUND !!!!!!!!! I Have a Quick series of #shorts called "SYNTH LOVERS LOUNGE" if interested Peep it real quick !!!!!!!!! "ROCK ON SYNTH LOVERS" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🎹🎹🎹
Those Ensoniq synth had strong Physical Build and Great 👍👍 SOUND but that DAMN internal Battery was annoying 😂😂😂😂😃 still a GREAT Synth WELL WORTH THE WORK TO LEARN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I understand the ESQ1 was probably a much bigger seller in the US, but I think the korg DW8000 and maybe Kawai K3, we're the first "affordable" hybrids. The ESQ was a fantastic first effort for a new synth company, amazing features for the time. It’s still a good option as a first synth! That said I Personally I don't think the ESQ had aged well and there’s a reason it’s forgotten ...it's emulation of real instruments etc sound lo-fi & bad, and it just doesn't "analog" particulary well either . It’s all subjective of course but In basic sound quality things like the Korg Dw are significantly better ( just not its features or build quality!) .
The Korg DW-6000 was probably the first affordable Digital/Analogue hybrid and came out around 1984 with the DW-8000 coming out a year or so later. I'd disagree with your comment about it not "analoguing" well, as it used a Curtis CEM 3379 Filter->Amp->Pan chip for each of its 8 voices. Sounds are subjective, as I don't know what you associate with analogue synth sounds that you feel the ESQ doesn't do as well. My main gripe was No PWM! However you could sync Osc 1 and Osc 2 and sweep them gently to get a PWM-ish sound with Osc 3 to add the detune. Loved it for pads and the way you could fade oscillators in via their DCA and an ENV or LFO. It out-matrixed the Oberheim Matrix 6 that I went to try in 1987, with 2 more voices, 1 more Osc, ENV and LFO with an 8 track 20,000 note sequencer, aimed at DX7/PPG-esque and anlogue sounds for £100 cheaper than the Matrix 6. The easier interface and "Air" (Ah choir) sound sold me. I liked the dynamic voice allocation so when you held notes and changed the sound, the held notes played the previous sound and new notes played the new sound. The stereo spreading was impressive.
Right this is one I am interested in . There is something about Ensoniqs. I guess these synths are more sought after now that old analogues. They are cool!
I remember the ensoniq synths in our band in the 80s. Our sound was akin to ultra Vox and our synth guy had this and an sq2 ??? And then he had some Roland but these were my favourite
Hey, do you know or does anyone know if I need to have the cartridges in this for it to work ? I bought one of these but it did not come with any cartridge and there is only around 4 sounds that I can play. Thanks
I really hope Behringer decide to clone an Ensoniq. I have an MPC One and it's excellent but somehow for melodies and chords from samples it's still not the same experience as a keyboard sampler.
Maybe title this video "synths that I never heard of until this year". The ESQ-1 is talked about writhe the EPS 16+, SQ80, Kawai K3, Korg DW8000 or DW6000. I have never heard it compared or spoken in the same breath as the D50 and never ever the DX7 or M1. Been in the business 30 years. Dean Morgan's Organs
This is my first synth, though years ago it stopped reading cart. Even switched out for a new cart reader, nothing. Been asking online for many years, nothing I was told was any help. I even asked Rainer Buchy, he sent me some schematic sheets that was way beyond my comprehension and stopped replying to me. Any idea?
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Nine thoughts on the ESQ-1, an instrument that I absolutely love:
1. No synth ever shipped with such filthy ROM waveforms. They are all 8-bit and a bit noisy, they alias easily, some have audible loops. Buried in a mix, these sounds bring life and grit to a track.
2. So many modulation options! Unforunately (or fortunately), if have big mod depth settings you can hear audible stepping as the synth's envelopes and LFOs do their job.
3. The ESQ was unique to have panning as a mod destination. So an LFO or an envelope or key position or velocity can actually move a sound across the stereo field.
4. The ESQ was the first synth to feature dynamic voice allocation, which made it really useful with its built-in sequencer - you don't have to tell it how many voices are allowed per part, it will just do the work and use voices when they're available.
5. The ESQ was the first synth to allow you to hold notes and change patches, so you can sustain a long chord and change the patch - the chord will continue to sound, and newly played notes will be on the newly selected patch.
6. The non-hierarchal, soft key-based patch editing was best-in-class, and no other synth ever did it as well.
7. The ESQ came in three different versions. There is the commonly-known metal and plastic versions, but a third version came from Japan. The metal version is the most common, and is surprisingly heavy.
8. There is a surprising number of ESQ users to this day. There are newly manufactured RAM/ROM cartridges on eBay, which are a great way to get the most from this machine.
9. You can easily upgrade to the hacked ROM so you can access the so-called "hidden waves" - these strange sounds come from the processor reading other areas of internal memory as though they were stored audio waves. They sound strange and often surprisingly musical.
Great info thanks for sharing
There is surprisingly little information on the web about these
The ESQ-1 is the first vintage synth I bought, and it's still a favorite. This run down is great! The 8-bit single cycle ROM are the grimiest, filthiest raw sounds ever, and when you throw those into the CEM Curtis filters, it's just magic. Still finding and writing new patches on it. It's truly just underrated and underappreciated in my opinion.
And the other rare type is neither Plastic, Nor metal.. but Glass?
@Alamo Music Audio Lab Nile Rogers used its sequencer to compose.
Thank you for revisiting the ESQ1. This was my dream synth when I was in high-school. I used to take a bus over an hour to the other side of town to the only shop that had one on display and just sit and listen to 'real musicians' play through sequencer and was set on making this my first ever synth purchase. Sadly the music store relocated before I could save enough money from washing cars to get one. This was a real heartfelt video and I feel like I've come home and met old lost friends again. Maybe now is the time to finally fulfil that boyhood dream.
Skinny Puppy used it a lot at the beginning
Clock dva was all esq1 (final program,digital soundscapes) so was the weathermen's poison , its a synth well used in industrial
Came here to say this. All over early Skinny Puppy
Too Dark Park...
"SPENDING MY TIME IN A DOWNTOWN HIGHRISE!"
I've had a DX7. Sounded crap: too much '80s cheese - and it was a headache to program. I've had a D-50. Sounded gorgeous, but also a headache to program (couldn't afford a PG-800). Got rid of both. Didn't bother with the M-1: what? no resonant filter??? Got an ESQ-1 ... and got a SECOND ESQ-1. Here are ten things about it that I really appreciate:
1. Simple, shallow menu structure: each button brings up a screen where you can modify all the associated parameters with the soft keys above & below the screen, and the slider or Up & Down keys.
2. Extremely flexible routing and modifying! 3 oscillators, 3 LFOs, & 4 envelopes. The envelopes are more detailed than simple ADSR, and you can invert them! Modify anything with anything - GREAT for sound design experimentation. And there are more more modification options than on many other synths. Bizarrely, you can even quasi-reverse the keyboard (high notes on the left; low notes on the right).
3. Specifically, stereo output can be modified with anything - LFO, envelope, mod wheel, whatever - even graduate the keyboard from low notes in the left speaker, through the middle, to high notes in the right speaker - or the opposite. You don't have such stereo options on many newer "great," "classic" synths I have, e.g. JD-800, AN1x, Z1, & V-Synth. The original DX7 didn't even have stereo output!
4. The keybed feels great - somewhere between synth action and piano action. I don't know of a synth with a similar keybed. Better than many later synths, even modern ones.
5. Sequencer. Primitive & not the easiest to work with, but it's there, & comes in handy if you don't have enough hands.
6. Patch remain. This is where you're in patch 1, and hold a note or allow it to fade out, and select patch 2 - and even play it! - without patch 1 cutting out. Again, none of the above-mentioned other synths can do that. The V-Synth & Juno-Di have that feature, but it doesn't work properly; the sounds glitch together horribly.
7. This is UNIQUE among synths: If you modify a patch and turn the synth off, and then back on, it will be on that patch but with the original parameters. But, by modifying any parameter with the Up or Down arrow key, ALL your modifications return.
8. It has a mod wheel. I know a lot of synths do, but many have a lever that ties up your left hand holding it in position. I don't know why they don't make mod levers that stay where you put them instead of springing back. Adjust the wheel, and play with both hands.
9. There is a setting to force patches to play all the way through their envelopes - no matter how long - even after you let go of the key. This also frees up hands. Yet again, you can't do this on many later synths.
10. The user manual is excellent - actually very explanatory and helpful!
buchty.net/ensoniq/index.html#stuff
@@holygeneration7 Your life will be better.
@@holygeneration7 I really can't advise you on that ... Depends what it's worth to you, and how patient and how much of a gambler you are. I got mine locally in '13 and '15 for $350 each, but I was specifically waited for such good deals (I couldn't afford much, and had to longingly pass up more expensive ones). The first one went totally quiet within a month, which cost
Nice, but I think the sequencer is simple to use. And it has a step mode making it pretty flexible. Also, the raw sound takes FX very well.
@@DavidComdico These are very Good for the Price !!!!!!!!!!!
2:35 - The Ensoniq's founder was Bob Yannes, who's the one behind the C64's SID chip. They got acquired by Creative Labs in the 90ies.
fun fact: Commodore sued the Ensoniq-founders for building a keyboard for the Atari 2600, so they went on building synths instead. Thank you, Commodore! :D And he, Creative, bring back Ensoniq!
@@klangkombinat-de I didn't know that. Thanks for the trivia :-)
I owned the Esq-1 and the VFX. The EPS was also a big hit. Sampling for the masses. The P is for Performance but it could also stand for Personal. A great company.
It's a bit like Dave Smith's Evolver. The sound was so impressive I bought no.302. I'm still using it as bass and lead.
I always wanted to own the ESQ-1 or the SQ-80 as I believe I once read somewhere that Bob Yannes stated that these synths were more in line with what he wanted the C64 SID chip to be. I always fashioned these synths to be similar to a SID chip, just on steroids!
Anyone know how to get the source code for the in Ensoniq operating systems?
I was lucky enough to find this one at a pawn shop and fell in love with it. It just exudes 1980s. I had to switch the battery and bought a custom cartridge with probably more presets than I need.
Is this the one that could be reprogrammed with the waveboy disks?
Where did you get your cartridge from? And how are you saving your work? I use to have an Alesis Datadisk but those are discontinued
@@HayesMartialArts I bought a cartridge on Reverb made by someone in Italy. It was made with a lot of capacity and came with all the known presets loaded onto it in several banks (supposedly). I did come across a few repeats, but that might be because some of the original cartridges had a few of the same sounds? I have nothing to compare it to though. I think it was still worth it with all the extra sounds to work with, in addition to having a few blank banks to save custom sounds on. It has a black dial on the front and a switch on the top to transition through the banks. It's pricey, but considering how expensive the original cartridges are with only a fraction of the sounds on them, it's a pretty good deal in addition to having blank space to save your work. It's the only cartridge you'll ever need.
@@IntoxikateASMR that's awesome! Do you still use it?
@@HayesMartialArts I moved recently, so I took a break, but I still very much enjoy playing it. Can't say I've done anything meaningful with it though. Of course technology has advanced enough to make this synth seem insignificant, but it really does have a wonderful '80s vintage quality going for it, which is what I love about it.
I'd say that the ESQ-1 (God bless it) would be a fitting fourth horseman based mainly on its availability. Every po-dunk music store that didn't carry the other big box names, carried Ensoniq products, that one in particular.
As a Hydrasynth owner I‘m having a déja-vue regarding the module buttons on the right-hand side and the central display columns. I bet Glen Darcey was inspired by the ESQ-1.
I thought the same thing the first time I used a hydrasynth. Instantly intuitive to me, an ESQ-1 user. Not a bad way to program, really.
I thought the same thing, especially the way the signal chain is laid out with the buttons for the different modules. But Glen said in an interview that he wasn’t particularly familiar with the Ensoniq synths. He said that if there was any inspiration for the Hydrasynth edit UI, it would be the Xpander.
There’s your daily tidbit of worthless synth trivia!
DX7, M1, D50 & Casio CZ series.
With the CZ's, you could start with the affordable CZ-101 and upgrade all the way to the $1400 or so CZ-1 and retain your sounds. The CZ's offered the most bang for the buck, and Casio had little choice with the reputation as a toy company, but the CZ's were capable of sounds much more expensive, usually analog synths created.
Yeah the CASIOs are sooooooo Underated there is a CZ video here........th-cam.com/video/i9xXdhMEj6M/w-d-xo.html i Think its the CZ5000 but the CZ3000 and Others were Very GOOD !!!!!!!!!
I still have mine and my father bought it for me in 1988 for 1200.00 dollars. The group called Skinny Puppy was known for using this synthesizer.
Hey, do you know or does anyone know if I need to have the cartridges in this for it to work ? I bought one of these but it did not come with any cartridge and there is only around 4 sounds that I can play. Thanks
The Swedish pop-group Roxette used the ESQ'1 on some of their songs as well. There was also other famous artists. I still got mine, bought back in 1986. And mine was the fourth of its kind in Norway. I still love it!
I was buying an M1 about a year ago. It was in nice condition, almost mint. It was an older man that also was cleaning out his barn because he was going to move. We talked a lot and he understood that I was really interested in synths. He said he had an Ensoniq in a case in his barn. He had tried to start it up but dead battery. I did not know a lot about it but did a quick Google. It looked terrible, coffee on the keys etc. so I got it for about $80.
At home I started cleaning it up. It was only dirt, not scratches etc. So when I had cleaned it it actually looked mint! I bough a new battery and soldered a battery holder. Restored the factory patches and it works 100% and sounds amazing! A real barn find! 😁 It is now on my Jaspers stand together with a DX-7 and the M1.
My dad bought one of these in 1986 or 87. It blew my mind. The thing made the most surreal sounds, and the vacufluorescent display was mesmerizing. It was (and still is) the only keyboard that could muster an accurate “Jump” sound. I wish I had one.
I think the reason it is overlooked is no knobs and your edits down show up still you press the keyboard again. It was a great synth in 1986, where you got a wide range of sounds + a sequencer for around $1100. Add a drum machine and a 4-trk and you have a nice little studio for roughly $2000. Still a very versatile synth with 3 osc, lots of modulation possibilities, and a great sounding filter. Plus it just looks cool.
I think you mean that the edits don't change the sound right away. They show up onscreen right away, but you can't hear the change until you play a new note. You can sustain a chord while selecting a different patch, then your next note is the all new sound. It is 8-voice multi-timbral, too -- split, stack layers, or even do both. That is a feature of a digital synth, but a drawback if you want to fiddle with the sound in realtime while looping a sequence.
The SQ80 is basically an ESQ-1, but it has twice as many wave forms (I believe) and a few other upgraded features. They changed the keybed however and I much prefer the action on the ESQ-1. Both are versatile synths. Also the VFX/SD and the TS-12 are quite good, but they share a similar sound. The Fizmo is Ensoniq's most infamous synth and commands the highest prices as they are rare. Of course, Ensoniq is most famous for their samplers like the Mirage and ASR-10.
43 additional waveforms IIRC + 5 drum kits. I own an SQ-80, and although I got it for a steal, great synth.
The SQ80 is awesome and the poly aftertouch keyboard was revolutionary at the time. The SQ80 would have been much more successful if the Korg M1 wasn't released just a couple of months later.
Bought mine in the early 90s (for about $300 AUD). Still use it today. Such a wonderful synth with incredibly rich and flexible voice architecture, and almost too many modulation routings. I've always felt that the factory presets really don't show the instrument at it's best (and the panning LFO is overused, becomes a bit tiresome after a while). There are no patches that demonstrate the Ring Mod which is fierce as hell and can take the patches into a whole other plain. I always liked the capacity to layer a polyphonic patch with a monophonic patch, and one that I used a lot was a Moog-style lead (mono) mixed with a choir patch (poly) - the lead would cut through the mix really well and there was this ethereal vocal wash behind it, lots of fun.
There are also the "hidden" waves which were not without their uses.
I worked at Alamo Music back in the 80's and sold all those keyboards when they were new!! I had an ESQ-1 and it had what I consider in "icy blue" timbre to it.
I still use one of these as my master keyboard and hardware sequencer today! It has a very unique sound, and the sheer range of modulation options is wild for a synth of it's day (3 lfos and 4 envelopes!).
I bought one of these around 2006 (?) and they were going for around $150-$200 at the time. I got mine for $150 off of craigslist. I made a bunch of songs just on this synth. Really warm and deep tones with it. Had a ton of fun! I got a DX-7 shortly after and tho it sounded amazing, the ESQ-1 has bad ass sequencer, so I played it more often.
I have an SQ-80, and I barely scratch the surface of the instrument - it's pretty awesome!
I feel the same way about mine. I lose hours and hours patching it, I've had it for years, and I feel like I learn something new about what it can do every time I sit down and play at it. Used it on tracks, live, and just for straight up sound design sessions.
This was my first real real synth.. i was grateful for my mum and dad buying me the Yamaha PSR300 keyboard as my first keyboard but the ESQ1 was my first pro keyboard
Last year I purchased a Ensoniq synth from one of the original product specialist for Ensoniq. It was a MR 61. Actually it was an emu developed synth branded as an Ensoniq. I sure miss the good old days of the synth renaissance.
The MR-61 was developed in 1996, two years before Ensoniq was acquired by Creative and later merged with E-Mu. The Ensoniq branded product that was in fact developed by e-mu is the Halo. This was in fact a rebranded e-Mu PK-6 board with the sounds of the ZR rom installed . I have both the ZR and the Halo and the halo is a Cheaply built plastic toy with a lousy keybed, where the ZR was built as a tank.
Judging from patches i heard on You Tube this synth is highly capable of way much more then sound he played on this video. Probbably factory presets. One thing it do perfect are warm Strings out of the box. So warm and full, love it.
Yeah, this is mostly factory presets
Still have and use mine. Bought new back in the day. Love it! Will never sell it.
Me too, It sounded so brutally fat through a PA.
How are you saving your work? I use to have an Alesis Datadisk but those are discontinued
@@HayesMartialArts I would send out sys-ex data from the esq to one of my other ensoniqs that have a 3.5” floppy disc drive and store on there.
Thanks
Man you didn't even scratch the surface of the ESQ-1 .Not even a mention that it's Multi-Timbral too. Also not one bass of any of the other "out there" type sounds you can get out of it. . sounded like you stuck to only 80's type patch sounds which made it sound boring it's not!. I used it a lot for nasty industrial type sounds back in the late 80's. Still have mine from 1987 and also the rack mount ESQ-M . Great synth and a real workhorse!
Love this synthesizer. Crafting your own sounds can make some insane stuff! The triple 8 bit digital wave OSC just gets gritty when stacked and you open up that analog filter. I need to replace battery on mine so it's out of my setup till then, this video makes me want to turn it on once and do a fast video creating some sounds tho =)
Teach me how to use the sequencer! Seems pretty intuitive but would love your suggestions on best practices!
@@asoundlab Todd Smith has a TH-cam video on basic Ensoniq ESQ-1 sequencer use at th-cam.com/video/CcIwVXq9jwc/w-d-xo.html
The waves were its weakness too , being so narrow bandwidth they sounded very midrange , the whole esq sounds midrange , the filters are ok but you can only go so far if they being fed with poor waves, the real selling point in 1986/87 was its multitimbrality + good sequencer
Do us a favor and replace the battery.
@@cnfuzz I think those "weak" 8 bit waves are the strong point
Strings at 9:24 are very Juno 60ish. They sound as if they have an analog chorus ensemble effect applied. Very nice... thanks for the review.
@@group-music Sounds great!
Hi!
With this wonderful synthesizer, the Swedish super duo of ROXETTE, created the legendary song "The Look", N°1 in 32 countries in the world, (Record!!..) including USA, and ITALY!!! The sound of the song "The Look" is truly something exceptional, the atmosphere they have managed to create is truly Incredible, even listening to it today one is left speechless!!!
At the time, it was hard to make a sound with this that would CUT through a mix of guitars and drums. I think that may have been an issue with a lot of Ensoniq synths. The sounds were so dark and lush. That didn't work at the time where bright synth sounds were what we wanted, something that would get heard. Today, it's a much more suitable synth because there's more music that's synth-oriented and not rock-band oriented.
Damn man. Its my dream synth! I think its the best synth ever made, period. So lucky you are, have it in your hands)
Adamski used this and all his sounds were presets too with the bass coming from one of the several us eprom cart soundsets, ensoniq synths were the only ones where you can hotplug the cart with the unit on
Did not know! Thanks for sharing
he used the SQ-80 not the ESQ-1
Adamski used SQ-80 Ensoniq
i payed $3400au in 86 from kosmic sound wester australia still have and works i liked it because the front screen could change sounds easy
I had a similar SQ-1 that I bought for $1100 in 1991. I loved that synth. It had a built in sequencer that was often to have back in the days when recording was done on tape. You could record 8 tracks in a sequence, then chain the sequences together into song, which gave you 8 more song tracks to layer on top. It was very sturdily built, and compared to modern synths it weighed a ton. You could get an expansion memory card that could be used for expanded sequencer memory. By modern standards it was tiny, but at the time it was fantastic. The sequencer enabled me to compose out my songs on the keyboard and edit them before recording it all to tape on a 4 track. I still kept composing on the synth's sequencer for a while after I started using a DAW because it was actually quicker and less broken up on the synth, since early DAWs needed to record one track at a time, and the synth could do more than that. I mostly used the synth for orchestral style soundtrack-like pieces, and it was actually really good for that.
When discussing the "big 4", the ESQ-1 was the only one with oscillator sync and a resonant filter, which made for some great leads and basses. Also, it's a little known fact that it could do pulse width modulation. If Ensoniq had bit the bullet and included reverb and delay, they'd have done even better against the M1 and D-50. I had one of these in the early 90's, and based on what I know now, I didn't realize what a cool synth this and the SQ-80 (polyphonic aftertouch!?!?) were.
I have this synth and it is a total winner. All the early classic ensoniqs are great. I can find little faults in them. They are not as popular as the rest of the brands thats for sure but they are held in high regards in general and I have 4 classic Ensoniqs.
This was my first real real synth . I was 21 in 97.
I've had two ESQ-1s over the past 25 years and stupidly parted with both. A great synth. Btw, I remember saving patches to cassette originally, then saving to my Atari ST via editor/librarian software. Good times! 😄👍
Those 4 synth are on my bucket/shopping list right now! The golden 4 synths.
Great upload good to see a shout-out to this underrated synth, had one for years though unfortunately, mine has developed a couple of duff oscillators now. There is a really good software emulation that gets surprisingly close considering the filters are analogue on the real hardware. I like the sound so much I always make sure I have the SQ8X VST installed on any new set up even works on Linux.
This synth was very popular in Australia. It never really lost its value here, of course prices are rising now, but I think the lowest they ever got was around $300 USD
Does this thing have seamless sound transitions, or what?
I paid either £1100 or £1200 (UK Pounds) on it's release (can't remember which) and loved it, had it for years and gigged with it for years and then alongside a Korg X3 (which was a great combination!) ... such a warm, lush sound and that 8-track sequencer was a great writing tool.
Mine was £1,000 as part of a deal on other kit from Dougies Music Store, in Cheshire in 1987. Had 3 over the years (one stolen, one died, one sold) and one day will get another.
I think I purchased my ESQ-1 around 1985-86. I think I paid around $1250 to $1350. I purchased it from a music store in Texas, back in the no tax out of state sales days, shipped to NY. I played it through a Roland JC-120 that I purchased at Manny's in Manhattan. I wanted a Guitar Amp, that I could play a Keyboard through. The JC-120 back in the early 80's had line inputs in the rear, something they no longer have. I tell you the ESQ-1 with the JC-120 sounded fantastic. I needed a 88 note Keyboard, so I sold the ESQ-1, I think for $300. I wanted a Bass Guitar, so I traded the JC-120 in on a Precision Bass. I still kick myself over that. I still have a Ensoniq ZR-76 in Mint Condition, I probably have used it less than 10 hours. if anyone is interested. Make me an offer!!!
There is some really good free patch downloads on internet for the esq1.
Skinny puppy used the hell out of it (to my knowledge, I'm a huge fan of theirs). It's on one of their most famous tracks, Testure, on VIVISectVI. Jexus has a great demo of it as well.
I think Skinny Puppy is a good example of a band that had taken creative advantage of its quirks to craft pretty wild sounds. Definitely a prominent member of their rig during the late 80s early 90s era which they are probably most well-known for.
After a Juno 106, the ESQ-1 was the second synth I ever owned ... long lost in a fire and dearly missed.
A great video presentation. I've recently picked up the Arturia SQ 80 V, and it's great - trying to find a hardware version of it now (or maybe even the ESQ-1).
18:38
Not many machines at the time could hold a patch when choosing another.... Just like their EPS allowed playing while loading.... The little things ahead of their time....
3 years (85) ahead of the infamous M1 (88) also as a workstation idea.
I think it was none, instead of not many. I know of no instrument of that era, and only a small number of instruments of later date that could do this. Even Ensoniq instruments were not capable of doing that anymore
Some guy nearby has one for $300 mint...think I’m gonna go for it
I hope U GRABBED IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🎹🎹🎹
I remember this from 1992. We got a local music store to loan us this keyboard. The manual was super easy to read through in an hour. Started working and laying tracks in just 8 hours to complete a song we recorded for the university at the time. I had a lot of using it for 2 days. Programming and getting it into the recording studio. After using it I did wanted to get one but $1,500 is a lot of money back in 1991. That would be $3,400.00 in today's money.
This synth is the perfect example of what frustrates me with most synths of that era. Sounds good, is not insanely overpriced on the used market but has a menu driven interface for sound design. It doesn’t look as bad as the DX7 where you have to use the button to select from a list of dozens and dozens of parameters before you can use the slider to enter the value but still, we are far away from the one knob per function we see nowadays.
I'm an Australian who got mine from Hong Kong in the late 80's, it was on sale at the time because it was being replaced by a newer model which had a floppy disk drive. This ESQ-1 relied on an external cassette tape drive for writeable storage (cartridge ROMs and backup of sequences). I replaced the internal battery with a regular 9V battery, got adaptors to use with headphones and it still works to this day.
How did you replace the battery? It’s a 3V one inside, 9V seems a bit much
The Kawai K3 / K3m was also a great hybrid synth with additive based DCOs and analog VCF...
As was the Korg DW8000 that also included digital delay and modulation fx and an arpeggiator.
I loved my Ensoniq esq1. The sequencer is beautiful. I even had the rack mount one. Truly excellent
My first synth I ever bought was the ESQ-1. Had a job for the summer and spent all my money to buy it. That was back in 1987. :-)
And spot-on regarding the analog filter not being appreciated at the time; I got mine in 1988 when I was 15 and although I really got a lot out of it, I always 'disliked' its association with 'analog' - as everything 'new' and 'cool' was Digital back then (I desperately wanted a DX7, but had to 'settle' for a much cheaper ESQ'1 !!).... oh, how little we knew back then !
Is there a library download for the patches used in this video ?
How does the ensoniq T series hold up against this. I saw one in excellent condition for about 600 Euros.
This was my first poly synth which I bought for $650 in the late 80's. Still have it (replacing the battery on it at the moment). Also got a SQ-80 ($325) around '95. 3 oscillators?! Super easy-to-use sequencer?! Incredibly easy to program given the soft buttons around the screen, and the diagram on the right side of it. If this thing had drum sounds it would have been a complete workstation. Program you own sounds and this thing comes alive. The stock sounds are cool, but it really doesn't show it off as well as if you dig in on it. Super fun synth, if you can get one, get one.
I was looking in forums to see what joe smooth used for promised land, a certified hood classic. In the video you can see the keyboard and I refused to believe it was the mirage because it didn't have a screen like the one in the video. It was probably this one.
3:35 they were bought by e-mu, and they went on to create the proteus series which is regarded as one of the top 30 best synths of all time
I just got an Ensonic SQ2 from a buddy of mine for free. I've never used a digital keyboard/ synth before, but I have plenty of experience with electronics/ robotics. I just wanted to throw this out here and see if someone could help me figure this out.
So, when I jack into the headphones port, I don't get any sound. The display works, but the LEDs above each button don't light up when you press whichever button you want. I tried giving the kayboard a factory reset, but the display didn't show anythinf other than "Button #_" when I did what was necessary to reset the keyboard. I honestly have no clue what to do about it. I assume the LEDs are possibly blown or aren't drawing any power. Bad battery? I dunno.
Synthesis-wise it is very similar to Korg DW-8000. Korg sounds fuller and warmer, but I like that ESQ-1 has more waveforms to work with.
I got a lot of work done with that keyboard. When I switched to computer apps to run the sounds, I faded. The ESQ 1 got parked..It never left my big table..Just got covered up with cloth. It's a super early metal version.
I pondered long and hard over a Yamaha DX7 and an Ensoniq ESQ1 back in 1983. I finally opted for the DX7. Insanely expensive. Did I make the right choice ? ABSOLUTELY NOT !! The DX7 was not multi timbral so I had to spend more money buying other keyboards. I also had to buy a sequencer. I went for a Yamaha QX5. You needed an engineering degree to work it out. I decided to cut my losses and sell everything as it was not giving me any satisfaction. It's then that I became an advocate of the Ensoniq brand. After the ESQ1 I also owned a Mirage, SQ80 & SQ1. Very under-rated brand. I was able to do some really awesome stuff in the 80s with just 1 keyboard. Of course, you can now do it all on an IPhone with even better results but I wouldn't swap my memories for anything.
This was the only synth used on progressive death metal band Nocturnus' debut album The Key.
I paid $1995 for my ESQ-1 in 1986 at DB Music, Anchorage, AK. That was the suggested retail, it was a relatively new release synth.
Goodness, that seems like a lot of money for that period; what did you do for work at the time if you don’t mind me asking?
Don't forget the ESQ also featured keyboard splitting (one sound lower keyboard, another
sound upper keyboard) and sound layering.
I personally think the esq was the best sounding and most flexible of the hybrid synths of back then, of course not counting the PPG.
The esq1 was quite unique and although it was not a big brand they sold well. They had to even use a special factory in Italy just for the European market. The big dog at the time was the dx7 but the esq found a niche because it had the analog filters and 3 powerful oscillators with good base sounds ( saw) so it could mimic prophet or oberheim sounds, which the dx7 couldn’t. All changed when the d50:came out in 87 and included effects and the M1 a year later. Ensoniq didn’t foresee this and had nothing to offer in terms of an effects processor so it released th sq80 in 88.This was just a minor upgrade from the esq1: some more wave forms and aftertouch . That was not enough to fight against these 2 monster synths and it took them to 1990 before they had a product with a decent effects section ( eps16plus)
You are right on the Price, $1800 Canadian at the time (87?) Isn't the headphone out at the bottom left of the keyboard? Near the control wheels? This developed into the SQ80, VFX, VFX-Pro, and then the "FIZMO" , which sounded pretty amazing but looked meh. How about a Video on the Chroma Polaris?
No, there's no dedicated headphone out.
Skinny Puppy, from Canada, used the ESQ-1 a lot on their earlier albums.
In 2022 I still use my ESQ2 pianos ,e pianos clavis and tonewheels kick ass 1,800 sounds on one disk
i love my esq. i make oldskool ambient jungle and dnb....sometimes i'll stack it with my Prologue 8 and get t he thickest contrasting sounds between the two. It has a big dark sound. very dark and organic. i love this synth.
*As of today, 12/22/23, my son is learning how to play piano using Ensoniq ESQ-1*
They the Commodore 64 SID chip, were sold to Creative Labs.
Thnx,.. cool reso filter!
Seems you forgot about the Korg DW6000/DW8000. These were hybrids...
Jean Michel Jarre used it. He was a big ensoniq fan.
I'm trying to decide whether to get this or an SD1.
Skinny Puppy : Vivisect VI
My favorite Band, and favorite album from them.
love the ESQ-1 (a poor man's PPG Wave) and it's very easy to use, digital OSC and analog filters :-) nice seq onboard too -
get one of those multicarts on eBay and load up a ton of great patches
sadly they merged with E-mu and all were gobbled up by Creative Labs and quickly became just software and sound cards only
E-mu made great stuff too and in the end some of the E-mu Proteus sample spinoff product libraries (ROMs) had E-mu and Ensoniq sounds on them - great used instruments
Anything Box used the hell outta the SQ80 on their first couple of albums. It can really do some beautiful stuff.
Also, John Carpenter used the ESQ-1 all over Big Trouble In Little China.
Yeah !!!!!!!!!!!!!! This Is MAJOR 80s KOOL !!!!!! I really think the LOOK and NAME was not sooo SEXY as "ROLAND" "KORG" or even "YAMAHA" for stage but.....ME being a Studio guy More per se I NEVER had that Vanity Issue !!!!!! and Don't let that FOOL U !!!!!! there are EXCELLENT sounding and Very, VERY FLEXIBLE in the right hands and "A LOT of 80s and early 90s Synth based Recordings FEATURE THIS SYNTH" A LOT !!!!!!!!!!! but yeah these later on became the "SOUND BLASTER" GUYS a lot of PC sound cards and internal audio mixers "AWE 64" anyone??????????? OH and Lets NOT Forget...... the early 90s ----- SOUND FONTS or "SF2" this PLAYABLE Sound Bank format is STILL used and USEFUL !!!!!!!!!!!! These is a LARGE set of EMU n ENSONIQ sounds floating AROUND !!!!!!!!! I Have a Quick series of #shorts called "SYNTH LOVERS LOUNGE" if interested Peep it real quick !!!!!!!!! "ROCK ON SYNTH LOVERS" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🎹🎹🎹
Yeah those chips "SID" where in the Commodore 64 and I think the VIC20 computers had a similar sound chip !!!
Those Ensoniq synth had strong Physical Build and Great 👍👍 SOUND but that DAMN internal Battery was annoying 😂😂😂😂😃 still a GREAT Synth WELL WORTH THE WORK TO LEARN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh and that "SYNTH LOVERS LOUNGE" Series ROCKS, FUN THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Skinny Puppy, the song Testure.
I always thought these looked cool. The name sounded so futuristic and high tech. Didn’t one of these have a disc drive on it?
I understand the ESQ1 was probably a much bigger seller in the US, but I think the korg DW8000 and maybe Kawai K3, we're the first "affordable" hybrids. The ESQ was a fantastic first effort for a new synth company, amazing features for the time. It’s still a good option as a first synth! That said I Personally I don't think the ESQ had aged well and there’s a reason it’s forgotten ...it's emulation of real instruments etc sound lo-fi & bad, and it just doesn't "analog" particulary well either . It’s all subjective of course but In basic sound quality things like the Korg Dw are significantly better ( just not its features or build quality!) .
The Korg DW-6000 was probably the first affordable Digital/Analogue hybrid and came out around 1984 with the DW-8000 coming out a year or so later. I'd disagree with your comment about it not "analoguing" well, as it used a Curtis CEM 3379 Filter->Amp->Pan chip for each of its 8 voices. Sounds are subjective, as I don't know what you associate with analogue synth sounds that you feel the ESQ doesn't do as well. My main gripe was No PWM! However you could sync Osc 1 and Osc 2 and sweep them gently to get a PWM-ish sound with Osc 3 to add the detune. Loved it for pads and the way you could fade oscillators in via their DCA and an ENV or LFO. It out-matrixed the Oberheim Matrix 6 that I went to try in 1987, with 2 more voices, 1 more Osc, ENV and LFO with an 8 track 20,000 note sequencer, aimed at DX7/PPG-esque and anlogue sounds for £100 cheaper than the Matrix 6. The easier interface and "Air" (Ah choir) sound sold me. I liked the dynamic voice allocation so when you held notes and changed the sound, the held notes played the previous sound and new notes played the new sound. The stereo spreading was impressive.
When you are dealing with a synthesizer, with so many sound possibilities, a little (or frankly a lot) of distortion may be an advantage?
How does this synth. compare to the Ensoniq TS-12 which I already own
Right this is one I am interested in . There is something about Ensoniqs. I guess these synths are more sought after now that old analogues. They are cool!
Watching this because i heard this is what Necro uses. I love his beats.
I remember the ensoniq synths in our band in the 80s. Our sound was akin to ultra Vox and our synth guy had this and an sq2 ??? And then he had some Roland but these were my favourite
Still have mine in the synth graveyard, right next to the VFX-SD.
Hey, do you know or does anyone know if I need to have the cartridges in this for it to work ? I bought one of these but it did not come with any cartridge and there is only around 4 sounds that I can play. Thanks
I love my ESQ-1.
I know Avey Tare of animal collective has made use of it in the last decade or so of their output.
I really hope Behringer decide to clone an Ensoniq. I have an MPC One and it's excellent but somehow for melodies and chords from samples it's still not the same experience as a keyboard sampler.
Akai MPCs don't sound as good as Ensoniqs.
Yea ASR10 has crazy digital magic dust
This was basically an 01/w before the 01/w
Maybe title this video "synths that I never heard of until this year". The ESQ-1 is talked about writhe the EPS 16+, SQ80, Kawai K3, Korg DW8000 or DW6000. I have never heard it compared or spoken in the same breath as the D50 and never ever the DX7 or M1. Been in the business 30 years. Dean Morgan's Organs
This is my first synth, though years ago it stopped reading cart. Even switched out for a new cart reader, nothing. Been asking online for many years, nothing I was told was any help. I even asked Rainer Buchy, he sent me some schematic sheets that was way beyond my comprehension and stopped replying to me. Any idea?
John Carpenter the most famous user of the esq1 and later 80 you could hear why it was almost an instant ppg
Its no ppg and i own both , a ppg has 1800 waveforms , an esq cant scan a wavetable , filters are much better on ppg so is its low end
Skinny Puppy.