Synth Stuff Ep. 37 - Ensoniq VFX-SD
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- The VFX was an upgrade from the likes of the ESQ-1. The "SD" version added a sequencer and probably competed with the Korg M1. Like most digital synths like these, they are great pad machines - some patches remind me of the Wavestation. The orchestral/acoustic sounds haven't aged well but they don't sound bad...they just sound very 80s. They are cheap enough to make them worth checking out if you come across one and want some of that digital character in your arsenal.
Check out my synth duo at:
www.funayureimusic.com
There is something very emotionally satisfying that I get when playing my VFX. 😎
I just bought one . How do you like it and can you sample on it
@@drnocka-rocksteady no you can't sample on it but there are about 32 banks of 60 patches. Ample stuff to mess with. Yes, the thing is a marvel. I have 2 of them. 1 is in my rack all the time. The other is a spare. For some reason they changed some parts over the life of production and the later one is slightly better. The VFX is a hybrid with transwave synthesis which is an Ensoniq version of wavetable synthesis.
I don't need a sequencer with them as I have several daw options. You can sequence with many options over midi. The VFX is multitimbral so it will sequence on 12 midi channels. With 2 of them you can sequence 24 tracks of midi potentially. 😎. Also later model had drums built in which I also don't need I have plenty of drum samples. 👍
Hello can i have the First Bell Sound as an sample for my kronos?
I'm not sure if there is a bell sound in the factory presets but I will check for you. @@MrJobathome
This thing's a vaporwave MACHINE!
Yes I agree 💯
That intro sound for me sums up the late 80s early 90s !
There's a certain 'cool darkness' to the VFX sound. Maybe it's the reverb they used. It sounds kind of like it looks. The 'Ensoniq sound'.
Yeah it had 24bit effects which was pretty fancy for 1989
I love the ENSONIQ sound. Cold, metallic, digital, but warm at the same time.
Based on the piano sound at 3:47, it sounds like this particular VFX-SD is actually an SD-1 on the inside. For a time, Ensoniq offered to upgrade your VFX-SD to the sounds/sequencer/OS of the SD-1. That 16-bit piano sound is unmistakable. The original piano sound on the VFX (and VFX-SD) was pretty anemic and dull. There was a sound though, called In Concert, that mixed the stock piano with strings and it was dreamy. I would still use it today and not be too embarrassed :)
I always loved that sound too.
Oh, is that why some VFX-SDs have a “now includes mega-piano waves” sticker on them?
HI Shawna, if possible, might you have any other info on this? I have a VFX-SD and this patch (In Concert) is in one of the many banks of patches on the floppy that I can load in (and it sounds the same as in the demo in this video), but I don't know if that in and of itself means that my particular unit has had any kind of an upgrade. Thanks and kind regards either way, and keep the faith (i.e., keep loving and rocking the Ensoniqs!).
My VFX-SD is arriving today... :)
Great demo - your playing style complements each patch perfectly! Some great sounds.
Love the VFX! That first patch with the sequencing really brings back memories. A local music store had some on display aons ago, and you could tinker around with them. One day I will own one of these amazing (now) vintage synthesizers!
Do you know what it is?
STILL THIS TOOL IS FOR FANTASTIC FILMS FOR CINEMATOGRAPHY!
IMO, these vintage sampled digital synths are the most interesting. With synths like Kawai K4/K5000, Kurzweil K2000, Yamaha SY-77, Ensoniq VFX/TS-10, Roland JV-2080/XP-50/D-50, and some more, you can get excellent emulations of analog sounds and make one thousand sounds more that an analog synth will never do.
They certainly have a charm to them. I love analog stuff but I wouldn't compare apples to oranges. I'd love to get my hands on a JD-800, but I have some other videos coming up...Akai AX80, Yamaha DX100, Casio SK1...
Well, I am not really comparing, I like analog sound also. I only want to mean that digital synths offer many more possibilities than analog synths.
BTW, How many synths do you have??
Nooo, I don't own them all. I have a lot, but many are also borrowed from musician friends of mine or loaned. I work in the MI industry so sometimes a company will loan me one to make a video on, such as Yamaha with the Montage. My collection is a bit of a revolving door, but there are some permanent ones that I won't get rid of.. I have a Moog Grandmother on order currently.
Haha, ok. When I see these YT channels like AnalogAudio1, RetroSound, SynthMania, Alphacode and this one from you, I always wonder if all these synths are from your own collection XD
I only own three actually: K4, CZ-1000 and a DS-8. I have sold some like a microKORG, DW-8000, DW-6000, CZ-1 CZ-5000, SY-22 and JP-8000.
A friend of mine who has loaned many synths has a Korg DS-8. I'll get to that one eventually.
Just recently hooked mine up again. I have a lot of good memories with this synthesizer.
A very unique set of sounds on this one thou at times reminds me of a d 50 and korg wavestation collision. Love it , really nice 👍👍👍
You made it! Haha. I agree, The sounds seem a bit more D50. I think the D50 is probably a bit warmed and has more low end, but all that is usually filtered out in the context of a mix anyway.
tritonrecordings Yes exactly,.....and well demonstrated !!
Nice work - I just picked up an Ensoniq EPS 16 plus - am loving it
If only they had included reasonance in the VFX/SD on the filters like the ESQ1 - 80, a great synth, and great demo!
There's no mistake in the lack of resonance in VFX, It's based on transweaves and some other waves to be combined with transweaves, then you modulate the transweave. Much better than resonance
I only had my VFX for about a month before it was stolen from my car so didn't really have time to explore the sound design in depth. Thanks for the explaination, it's a great synth, and I would love to get my hands on another one!@@RelationshipStrategy
I love my ensoniq vfx / sd1 it’s great for that cure sound
I purchased my Vfd/sd new, and I still have it in my studio workflow today!
Akira Yamaoka heavily used it in the first three Silent Hill games. It can be heard instantly. Must have synth for any Silent Hill fan who is also the musician =)
You sure about that? Most of his scores for SH after SH1 were sample libraries.
@@tritonrecordings 100 % sure. Search for his interviews. He mentioned this synth few times. I even remember in one of the videos of this keyboard I found scary morphing sound he used in a school level in Silent Hill 1. And he used not only sampler and guitars. Check his equipment list in a google. VFX is also there.
I started out in 1987 with a Mirage and an ESQ-one. Later added the SQ-80 and then the VFX-SD. The Esq-one was my main synth for eveything, seqs, recordings, driving my Hr-16 drum machine and 3 TX81Z's as well as the Mirage for strings, horns and grand piano sounds. Years of gigging the Esq one (and Mirage) never let me down. My Esq one got knocked of the keyboard stand to concrete in a freak storm one summer while playing an outdoor gig. It broke out an octave of the high keys. I still finished the gig and it still performed. Still works flawless today but only 8 bit and 8 track sequencer. I was excited to get the VFX SD, 16 bit sounds and 16 track sequencer. I relegated my ESQ 1 to slave. I loved the vfx at first but quickly found it to be totally unreliable. It has always had initialization errors and randomly plays notes out of nowhere when left sitting idle. I finally in frustration put it in the closet for about 11 years. Just dug it out last week. Expected a dead battery, but it came up and played a little before it began initialization errors losing random key sounds again. It's possessed. Sometimes you can flex the case and it will play for an hour or two. But mine has been pure junk since day one. I love it, it sounds awesome for synth type stuff but totally unreliable.
Open it up and look for an easy fix like blown capacitors?
I had the same problems...a friend and I opened the case and re-seated and cleaned the connectors to the keyboard, and there have been no problems since. Tested the original battery, and it still put out full voltage +
The first patch reminds me so much about Studio Ghibli cartoons like Castle in the Sky or Princess Mononoke
Do you know what it is?
That’s nice sounding!!
You’re a great keyboardist and a brilliant sound designer.
1:00 wow that is some thick sound !
FRONT 242 used this synth all over their 1991 album TYRANNY FOR YOU.
this is how i ended up here
Same here. They also used the korg wavetstation ad all over that release and both up evil and off. I have yet to hear anyone make any sounds on the vfx or wavestation that sound like what 242 pulled off.
Wow this thing really goes D-50 off the bat
That’s totally what they were aiming at
Great Video!!! :)
Awesome synthesizer 👍👍👍👍
This sounded quite different from its japanese counterparts...imho a digital Oberheim for its fat and rich sound ...very effective
This blows the Roland D-50 and most 80’s and 90’s synths off the earth
I wouldn't go that far, you need to listen to a few more digital synths like the JD990, Wavestation, SY99 or even the Kawai K5000. You can get quite close to these sounds with the Vecto vst from Rob Papen tbh.
@@maccagrabme I would go that far, but it does not blow away the K5000s. Its the greatest synth for soundscapes, because of its envelope to harmonic abilities and highly shapeable formant filter, no synth beats it at morphing, evolving sounds.
@@snuppssynthchannel Im done with digital hardware synths now, the last one I got from Kawai was the K4 which is nice but the vsts are getting so good now that I really dont need anymore stuff.
The VFX/SD-1 are digital MONSTERS. My top 3 extraterrestrial space machines are the VFX/SD-1, Wavestation AD and the aforementioned synth that can't get blown off the Earth because it's not from this world: the D-50! Nothing sounds like those three if you're into soundscapes, ethereal washes and exploratory sonic bliss. When I hear how most people use the D-50.... it bewilders me. It's quite shocking how utterly horrible and tacky it can be used by what seems to be most users. Because for me - I'd offer losing a toe or two over being without it. It's a sonic trip into a blackhole consistently for me. Check my profile and look for the D-50 video. It's SO much MUCH more capable than the vast amounts of crap examples out there would have you believe.
timbres dos anos 80 e 90 são único não tem igual parabéns
Whoah, that’s something. I wonder if Wang Chung used that on TLADILA? At 1:55 it sounds like it even has cassette tape flutter. Great!
The VFX line first appeared in 1989, several years after the movie.
Found one for 200 and I want it
I loved my Esq but that's been gone for years
I have my old Roland's and Wavestation A/D and the new wavestate the deepmind 12 and the Barp Odyssey and a few others but I am jonesing for some of that ensoniq metallic goodness
Love the mid/bass frequencies! As a whole it sounds a bit unfinsihed to me, but lots of charakter for sure. Thanks for this demo...
That's why you gotta tweak it, I used to spend HOURS just shaping my favs!
I find this model slighty more interesting than its younger sibling the TS serie, sound wise.
1:47 Stranger Things -Kids
I thought so! Just finished watching season 4. 😊 I was like, “I thought I knew those chords!” Haha
Good call!
Would you mind sharing what patches you are using? VERY NICE!
I can tell you know your synths by looking around at your collection...Roland D50! The VFX-SD is close to my top favorite.
I recognize the patch at 0:38 especially from many different new age/electronic albums and artists of the late 80s-90s era. (possibly Giles Reeves, Patrick O'Hearn, Peter Buffett, Tangerine Dream etc)
What patch is it?
dm’s “enjoy the silence” maybe?
ensoniq the best
I know I’m late, but could someone please tell me how to make the sound at 3:47? Much appreciated.
0:59 - 01:27 🤘
First one reminds me of the depths of Keelhaul Key
These are not facory patches. They are great! Are they for sale, where? Thanks
I have one too and I like how it sounds and the sequencer, BUT it has lots of problems, and I hate it. Love and hate for one synth!
What patch was the one that the bronco group from Mexico occupies in the wild and tender album? it's like a piano with a little bell
Does anyone know what patch the bronco group from Mexico uses on the high-heeled shoes? they say it's from this synth
Hello does this presets camefrom factory stock sounds? orfrom a cartridge? Really like the sound at 2:20. thanks !
So late 80s movie sound...
Is there any chance you could send me a SysEx of the sounds on your unit? I have the VFXSD and I´m absolutely mesmerized by the sounds in that video!
I'd be super grateful!
By the way...still absolutely interested in the sysex of those very sounds in the video. Only if possible of course!
Is The Sound Or Patch In The Start Of The Video A Preset? If Not Could You Please Post A Video On How To Get This Sound On There?
Which one is your favorite evolving pad/strings machine? Can't decide to buy a K4 or K3, Ensoniq VFX-SD or Blofeld. Looking to find some keyboard which in not a D-50 or a JD-800 and don't cost a fortune :)
thats a really hard question to reply to. Do you want it to sound vintage? Otherwise the Blofeld has a lot going for it, but i somehow always found it a bit too clean sounding. I have never tried the K4 or K3 but o own the Ensoniq VFX, and for me that is pretty nice for such things. Its nicer to program then the Blofeld, unless you use the blofeld editor on the computer as that really helps a lot. There is also the Korg EX8000 (DW8000 rack) that does really great moody pad sounds. So for 80s semi analogue sounds that would be the ideal choice. For a more digital late 80s early 90s i would go for the ensoniq. And if you want modern stuff go for the Blofeld.
Oh and 4m30s name please? I think that was used on a Seal song
Is this keyboard having the same sounds of the sq1 ??
Are you using Big Sky as your Effects??? Really sounds awesome!
It's been a while but I'm 99% certain that I didn't add any reverb to it. It's just the effects built in the synth
The Internal reverb effects Sounds as good as big Sky Effects wow.
Did the onboard sounds differ from the regular non-SD version? I'm about to get one of those...mainly due to the sounds in this video :) And if not...is there a possibility to get them somewhere?
The on-board sounds differ if previous owner didn't program any sounds. The "Presets" are very clean, digital, and nothing like some of the demos on youtube. The magic is combining the digital waveforms and using the modulations to make the sounds do things while a note is held. There are basic building blocks sounds like piano, synth bass, flute, sax, cello, plucked strings, and a basic drum kit.The cool pads in this demo can be made using transwaves that are combined with each other. At first it seems cumbersome to program. I spent 15 minute with mine last night to try and figure it out. Read the manual first.
I just got myself one "Non-SD", equipped with the factory presets...a fun machine to work and play with! And the whole transwave idea is pretty exciting too...But as I`m actually a little obsessed with some of the presets in this video I would love to know if the owner might be actually willing to share them...they are just so lush and beautiful...
@@CharlieYoung-nn4dy check out this library of sounds syntaur.com/vfx_sounds.html also, join Transwave forums. There is one on Facebook that i just joined. There is also an Ensoniq forum that is helpful for tech stuff to sort out. I am hoping in the coming weeks to spend some time learning the VFX.
Sonidos muy antiguos
What kind of melody sounds th-cam.com/video/vnpLitaVxkE/w-d-xo.html ? from which song?
Any chance you've played or tried a SQ 1 plus...
and how compares
Do not get the SQ-1 .. its a nightmare to program.
Ensoniq VFX-SD or D50? 🤔🤔🤔🤔hmmmm
@Aaron Foltz Well i have now owned 3 VFX synths and the poly aftertouch was broken on all of them :/
Why does it sound like a CS80 at 0:59 ? So beautiful; i've never guessed it could.
Ensoniqs of this period had some really nice "analog synth" presets like that one. I think the warmth of their hardware and the great on-board FX went a long way for that. Unfortunately what makes them limited is that the parameters are kind of a hassle to tweak (a lot of menu-diving) and rely on stacks of certain wavesamples and FX together to make them sound convincing if they're emulating anything like a "Moog" or "Analog lead" sound. Plus the aliasing from the wavesamples on the high and low end can get pretty obvious at times. Still makes for some great layering in a mix, though.
1:48 Nice Stranger Things “the kids”?
Hallo can you sell me those Bell sounds as wave file?
What is the first synth used named? That sound is unreal and very beautiful
What the difference between this and the ts10 .. they look the same
The TS-10/TS-12 came out in 1993, a few years after the VFX, VFX-SD, and SD-1, I believe. The presets and wavesamples on the TS-10 are different from the VFX series; the TS-10 was marketed for "hyperwave" synthesis which was basically an expansion of their transwave sounds using sequenced wavetables, mostly for percussive accompaniment to synth pads and that kind of thing. The TS-10 can also load in samples from most Ensoniq samplers, especially the ASR-10, EPS-16+, etc. which to my knowledge the VFX series cannot. Somewhat similar with their sequencers and the types of sounds they can make, and both are great.
pepaw1898 Thank you very much for taking your time to reply me with this full of information answer 👍👍👍👍👍 highly appreciated bro
@@MohammedElSanousi No problem dude, happy to help. If I had to recommend one to own I would say the TS10 has the edge being able to load in samples (only a real benefit if you own old Ensoniq floppies or can format disks for one), having more advanced programming and complex sounds, but depends on what you're playing. I own a TS10 and a TS12, but I'd like to get my hands on a VFX-SD1 for comparison.
pepaw1898 yea i am looking for ts10 can’t wait to buy one 👍👍👍👍👍👍 thank you bro
It would be a little misleading saying the TS-10 has the "edge" over the VFX's or SD-1, because they are not exactly the same direct lineage but rather more like cousins in their relation. I own both the TS-10 and the SD-1, and since sound design and synthesis capability are what I value in an instrument; the SD-1 wins. Here's what the TS series has over the VFX/SD-1: much more robust FX from the DP-4 and considerably more algorithms to utilize. Hyperwave capability, which is more commonly known as wavesequencing. (Transwaves are wavetables that are sliced into tiny sections allowing the freedom to start anywhere within the table and scan through it in various ways during playback.) The sequencer is more advanced, although I NEVER use the sequencer in either of them. And it can have up to 16MB of "sample" memory installed, which cannot be internally stored (disk storage only) and is lost when powered down. What the TS lacks is the ability to sample, which makes that potential sample memory kinda odd to utilize. It can only load EPS-16+ and ASR-10 files into the memory.The TS series only have 8 transwaves available to use.... the VFX/SD-1 have SEVENTEEN. Thats's a big thing. AND... inside the wave list of the VFX/SD-1 is the option to choose 'ALL WAVES' as your OSC choice. You can pick as many as you want to use which will play the number selected in order and continuously loop them. You can choose to play them forward or reverse and you can pick which wave you start on. That wierdo feature is a vital secret weapon to sound design on the VFX/SD-1 in my opinion. Check out the SD-1 videos on my page to hear what that sounds like.
Are these all stock patches or custom?
Stock.
@@BenKirb What's the first patch called, which card is it in, do you know?
@@FoxGAMING-NTF I don't have a VFX-SD.
I've been looking to add some sort of I call "ethereal" digital pad sound you can here in your first two patches pretty good - just that super digital sounding pad sound you hear from the D50's and a like and some of the wavetable synths, but would also like to be able to learn how to edit the parameters at the same time (without taking a whole course on it) -- any synths (at a fair price) that can give me that (4:10 is another good example) super digitally pad sound that you could suggest?
Thanks In Advanced!
The Korg Wavestation is full of stuff like this - the official VST version is $50, it has all of the factory sounds from the original hardware as well as all of the sounds from the expansion cards.
tritonrecordings amazing thanks sounds like a pretty smart way to go!
Christopher Henry Definitely a cheap way to go! I’ve done the Wave station on Synth Stuff already, and I can’t think of any real advantage the hardware would have other than looking cool in a studio
tritonrecordings Hahahah which definitely is a plus tho ;) always gotta look cool :)
tritonrecordings true... looking cool and adding to the collection is always fun ;)
would you be so kind to say the name of the first patch? 0:03
I think it's called "I'm Alive"
@@thomasdivito6221 thank you!
Silent Hill og machine. Playstation sound to me
I know Equipboard mentions he had one, but I'm not able to pinpoint any example of the VFX in a Silent Hill track - can you? The SH1 was largely home-brewed sounds, and many of 2-4 were from sample libraries. But I'd be curious to know exactly what tracks use a VFX.
@@tritonrecordings cant really explain it. i was camparing all Ensoniq line and VFX sonics giving me PSX era graphics to me. I looked it up not having a clue that it was used, but looks like i was onto something
Но обна самая крутая функция этоткнопки ПАТЧ!!!!!
мой SD1 до сих пор жив. это чудо, хотя все звуки я выучил наизусть...но всего все это звучит круто.
Hi, what was the name of that first patch? What card was it on?
These are all factory presets.
@@tritonrecordings Yeah, but what is the patch called?
@@tritonrecordings Was it on a cartridge?
@@tritonrecordings I can't find it on the list
@@tritonrecordings Do you still have the patches?
What is the pad sound at 2m30 called?
Omniverse
@@dayglo98 thanks, I got a vfx sd last Friday
Nice ! Have fun it's one of the synths I'll never sell (actually I have the SD1/32)
@@dayglo98 are the same presets in that?
@@wizards001 I would say yes but don't take my word for it.
2:31
2:32 horror 😴
Used to have a VFX. Build quality was atrocious! Felt like it would snap in half under it's own weight whenever I picked it up... Something was rattling around inside... Engine would crap out if you wobbled effect parameters too fast... But God bless anyone with the patience to still work with these machines.