Come for the sleeper synth tutorial, stay for the Ableton wizardry. Didn't realize how easy it was to make a sample synth in Ableton, might have to bail on kontakt
Definitely a lot easier than Kontakt, although you don't have quite the same level of tunability and control though. But it's perfectly fine for the vast majority of synths I make
Fantastic use of the VSS-200! Few little secrets about that gadget (I have one too!) - If you hit voice bank and overwrite at the same time you can layer multiple fm sounds together -If you try do this with 04 while you already have a sample, it won't work. Instead you can switch to another sound and play something and it'll sample that! (can make some chord stabs that way) -If You hold C#3 while sampling you can make longer samples! Up to 3.5 seconds but lower quality. This is actually a feature from the Vss-30 as well! It takes some practice cos sometimes it just flat out doesn't work. Normally it samples at C4 but holding any key lower than that will assign it to that key I have all the VSS instruments and both the 30 and 200 have found themselves in several songs (the 100 isn't as good, I might sell it)
Ooh nice tips, thanks! Will definitely give those a try. At some point I am keen to do a mod to access some of the other features from the VSS-30 like the arpeggiator and the preset sounds. So a follow up video will be in the works at some point 🙂
Definitely looks like the VSS-200 has so much more to offer than the VSS-30 … maybe this will be reflected in the 2nd hand prices eventually. Guess these all have circuit bending potential?? The beauty of these beasts over many other samplers is the ease with which you can create so many fresh ideas with 3 button presses! … and layer them down in a composition b4 you get bogged down and bored by technical hindrances … once whacked thru an effects box and Ableton(if you can afford it - and traverse that learning curve) … the sky is the limit.
Yes, they definitely have circuit bending potential, in fact I've seen a couple of examples. Both the FM and sampler chips can be manipulated. And because the front panel has lots of space, there's plenty of room for switches and sockets
Another informative and inspiring video, great stuff. I’ve just bought a vss 200 so it’s very useful to find this before it arrives to see what it’s capable of. I’ve just subscribed 🙌
While looking at some low-fi sampler keyboard options... I was put off the usual Casio SK-1 or SK-5 as well as the Yamaha VSS-30 due to silly prices for what you get. Then I found out about the VSS-200. Just pulled the trigger on one. Your video certainly helped with my decision making. Cheers!
The nice thing about the VSS100 is that you get 8 seconds of sampling and tha ability to use and store 4 different samples. As opposed to the VSS200 which has only 2.9 seconds of sample time and use only one sample at a time.
@ The Orphic Creative You forgot to mention that in Single Fingered mode, pressing a black key and a white key to the left of the root note will give you a minor seventh chord. 5:57
I had a vss 200 when I was a kid,I use to oversample voice 70 about 5 times and allocate it to bass on disco auto accomp and then just play bass riffs it's how I learned my chords u can make a bass sound out of the xylophone voice
No, unfortunately they will be wiped when you turn the power off, like the SK1. The only way to save them would be to record them to some kind of tape machine or digital recorder, then resample back onto the keyboard from there.
@@TheOrphicCreative Yeah, but only some models. Also Casio SK-5, but allegedly not SK-1 (so I heard, as I don't have any of these) but it is perfectly thinkable, as I had a german Casio (Hohner branded) back in 1989 and it was much bigger, but could be battery powered.
It has an arpeggiator, but no drum sounds. This is fine but not so useful when trying to use it to make a complete track with only its sounds. Yes, the sample edit capabilities are more advanced than the SK1 - they are the same on the VSS-30. I talk about this for quite a while in the video 😊👍
Come for the sleeper synth tutorial, stay for the Ableton wizardry. Didn't realize how easy it was to make a sample synth in Ableton, might have to bail on kontakt
Definitely a lot easier than Kontakt, although you don't have quite the same level of tunability and control though. But it's perfectly fine for the vast majority of synths I make
I've been re-sampling my PSS-680 a lot recently. This makes me want to get some more Yamaha gems!
I'm selling my Montage so I can start saving for this bad boy!
Fantastic use of the VSS-200!
Few little secrets about that gadget (I have one too!)
- If you hit voice bank and overwrite at the same time you can layer multiple fm sounds together
-If you try do this with 04 while you already have a sample, it won't work. Instead you can switch to another sound and play something and it'll sample that! (can make some chord stabs that way)
-If You hold C#3 while sampling you can make longer samples! Up to 3.5 seconds but lower quality. This is actually a feature from the Vss-30 as well! It takes some practice cos sometimes it just flat out doesn't work. Normally it samples at C4 but holding any key lower than that will assign it to that key
I have all the VSS instruments and both the 30 and 200 have found themselves in several songs (the 100 isn't as good, I might sell it)
Ooh nice tips, thanks! Will definitely give those a try. At some point I am keen to do a mod to access some of the other features from the VSS-30 like the arpeggiator and the preset sounds. So a follow up video will be in the works at some point 🙂
Thanks for the tips... I knew about the c Sharp trick but not the other ones.
Can you plug/use your own microphone for sampling? Or get samples from other external sources?
Definitely looks like the VSS-200 has so much more to offer than the VSS-30 … maybe this will be reflected in the 2nd hand prices eventually. Guess these all have circuit bending potential??
The beauty of these beasts over many other samplers is the ease with which you can create so many fresh ideas with 3 button presses! … and layer them down in a composition b4 you get bogged down and bored by technical hindrances … once whacked thru an effects box and Ableton(if you can afford it - and traverse that learning curve) … the sky is the limit.
Yes, they definitely have circuit bending potential, in fact I've seen a couple of examples. Both the FM and sampler chips can be manipulated. And because the front panel has lots of space, there's plenty of room for switches and sockets
Awesome channel I love it! I have the VSS-100 and it's hugely nostalgic for me as I grew up with that machine👍🤗 Cheers from Stockholm Sweden
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you're enjoying the content ☺️
Another informative and inspiring video, great stuff. I’ve just bought a vss 200 so it’s very useful to find this before it arrives to see what it’s capable of. I’ve just subscribed 🙌
Very well presented, thanks. Nice track at the end. I had a VSS-30 and SK-1 in the day. Fun keyboards and a bit different unlike most you see today.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it ☺️
Making this video must have taken a ton of time! I have a VSS-200 but still learned a few tricks here, so thanks :)
Haha, yeah it took me nearly 6 months to get it finished, but I did move house as well so I suppose that's ok! Glad you enjoyed it
While looking at some low-fi sampler keyboard options... I was put off the usual Casio SK-1 or SK-5 as well as the Yamaha VSS-30 due to silly prices for what you get. Then I found out about the VSS-200. Just pulled the trigger on one. Your video certainly helped with my decision making. Cheers!
Awesome! I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with it. Definitely a bit of a hidden gem in all the crazy prices.
The nice thing about the VSS100 is that you get 8 seconds of sampling and tha ability to use and store 4 different samples. As opposed to the VSS200 which has only 2.9 seconds of sample time and use only one sample at a time.
@ The Orphic Creative You forgot to mention that in Single Fingered mode, pressing a black key and a white key to the left of the root note will give you a minor seventh chord. 5:57
I had a vss 200 when I was a kid,I use to oversample voice 70 about 5 times and allocate it to bass on disco auto accomp and then just play bass riffs it's how I learned my chords u can make a bass sound out of the xylophone voice
That's cool! Gonna try these ☺️
Is possible to store the samples U make???? or is like the SK1?
No, unfortunately they will be wiped when you turn the power off, like the SK1. The only way to save them would be to record them to some kind of tape machine or digital recorder, then resample back onto the keyboard from there.
@@TheOrphicCreative Thank U very much!!!! U are a genius!!!! Thanks for your videos!!!!
@@TheOrphicCreativeI heard, if you put AA batterries innit, it keeps the samples even after you turn it off
@@gameon2000 Interesting! I'll have to try that
@@TheOrphicCreative Yeah, but only some models. Also Casio SK-5, but allegedly not SK-1 (so I heard, as I don't have any of these) but it is perfectly thinkable, as I had a german Casio (Hohner branded) back in 1989 and it was much bigger, but could be battery powered.
How do you mean the VSS 30 has no rhythm generator? Sure it does. And the edit capabilities for the samples is pretty huge compared to the SK-1
It has an arpeggiator, but no drum sounds. This is fine but not so useful when trying to use it to make a complete track with only its sounds.
Yes, the sample edit capabilities are more advanced than the SK1 - they are the same on the VSS-30. I talk about this for quite a while in the video 😊👍
vss 200 sells for ridicules prices now too because the cats out of the bag about how much more capable it is than the 30 😪
Yeah it's the way it goes with these things unfortunately. Still cheaper than the VSS30 though :-)
sounded great until you put it in reaper or whatever, then it started sounding like total ass.
Lol. Thanks for your insightful comment
It was great.