How to use the Ensoniq ASR-10 Sampler: Meet the ASR

Here's a comprehensive introduction and primer 'crash course' on how to use the legendary Ensoniq ASR-10 Sampler from 1992. Arguably the most formidable 'Hit-Making' Work-Station of the '90s. Famously used by Wu-Tang Clan, Timbaland among others, still to this day!
Download 'ready-made' Kits in ASR, MPC & SP1200 format from TONELAB!
tonelab.merchi.co/products
Feel free to share with keen ASR/EPS enthusiasts 🕊
NOTE:
Ensoniq EPS, EPS-16, EPS-16+ owners will also be able to learn a lot from this series.
How to use/understand Macros on the ASR
• Ensoniq ASR-10 Sampler...
How to Step Edit (aka Event Edit Track) on the ASR
• Ensoniq ASR-10 Sampler...
How to quantize 'Loops' to fit any Tempo
• Cycle your loops to an...
Direct Dial Short-Cuts
tonelab.tv/asr-shortcuts.php
ASR Replacement Parts and Service from SYNTAUR:
syntaur.com/keyboard.php?bran...
Replacement Displays
maruniolcd.com
Bespoke Digital I/O Boards
/ zincircuits
WaveBoy Effects, SCSI & Floppy Emulator Devices:
SamplerZone.com
Index:
0:00 Introduction
2:05 Model Overview
3:45 Specs
5:29 Rear Panel Tour
12:10 Front Panel Tour
15:10 Navigating Pages
23:00 Page Browsing
23:50 Direct Dial
25:49 ENV1
27:00 ENV2
28:05 ENV3
28:55 Envelopes
29:39 One-Shot
30:49 Pitch, Filter & Amp
31:52 LFO, Wave & Layer
32:58 Track Category
33:25 Patch Select Buttons
37:03 Instrument Tracks
39:45 Sequencer Status
41:30 What is an Instrument?
42:11 Instrument Stacks
44:15 Stack Presets
46:33 Sample Management
48:10 FX & Sample Rates
52:54 ROM vs BANK FX
53:25 Mod Sources
55:55 Select an Effect
56:45 INST FX
58:11 FX Busses
01:03:10 Set Sample Rate
01:03:40 Monitor Audio
01:09:23 Edit Start, End, Loops
01:15:55 Sample Selection Page
01:19:31 Set Sample Key Range
01:22:00 Naming Instruments
01:22:56 Layers
01:23:14 Patch Select Buttons
01:27:49 Stereo Sample Layer Link
01:28:53 Copy & Delete Samples
01:34:13 Create New WaveSample
01:35:19 Rec Source Page
01:37:32 VU Meter & Input Threshold
01:39:46 Pre-Trigger Sampling
01:40:29 Play Root Key or Enter
01:42:12 Tuning a Sample
01:44:25 Sample Time Remaining
01:44:47 Sequencer
01:48:26 How to Save Songs
01:50:27 Set Tempo
01:53:53 Seq Rec Modes
01:56:27 Seq Metronome
01:57:26 Create, Copy, Delete Seq
01:58:32 Quantize Seq Track
01:59:32 Erase Seq Track
01:59:49 Append Seq
02:02:06 Ext MIDI Instrument
02:04:28 MIDI Panic ALL Notes OFF
02:04:54 MIDI Sync
02:06:04 Floppy vs SCSI
02:09:25 Create Directories aka Folders
02:12:01 Know how to Save
02:16:13 Format Floppy & SCSI
02:19:05 Loading Files
02:21:21 Macros
02:22:35 Operating Systems
Additional Operating System Notes:
OS v3 - 3.52: A little bit more bloated, but full featured. I've heard rumours that the Sync latency is a little more laggy, but I haven't yet verified this claim.
OS v2: Quite a popular OS, as it's the edition most of the 'bells & whistles' were introduced into, such as Hard Disk Recording & 44.1kHz effects.
OS v1.50: Quick, responsive, but without the bells and whistles. No Hard Disk recording & No 44.1kHz Effects.
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#ensoniq #asr10 #sampler

[@tonelab]

Download 'Ready-Made' Kits in native format for SP1200, MPC & ASR now from TONELAB tonelab.merchi.co/products

[@djchromatix4640]

Wow

[@RustyShacklefordIrishHipHop]

You absolute LEGEND!!! Quality ASR content like this is much needed

[@curtis2299]

Gotta be the best and most “to the point” video out there.

[@Bass_Levelz]

This is great. There’s not alot of thorough tutorials for the ASR-10 online. We’ve been kind of fending for ourselves. Thank you

[@BillyBatsonMarvel]

What a Masterclass. I’ll be studying this for YEARS… THANK YOU ABBOT 👐🏾

[@tonelab]

Glad you found it useful 🙏🏻 ..but, who's 'Abbot'?! 🙊

[@djkaoz]

👑👑👑 KING!!! Thank you for the Work Mate !!!

[@juno6]

The sample calculator and the asr shortcut are really handy, thank you!!

[@tonelab]

You're welcome! 🙏🏻

[@unc1589]

What a unique machine this is. Comparing it to the other “workstations” that came out around the same time. Korg Trinity/Triton and all the others. The ASR was a Sampler keyboard that had a sequencer AND synthesis creation software. The others came with “sounds” and a little sampling on the side. “Just in case.” This is a samplers keyboard. It’s more useful now than it was back in the day. Very few got deep into what it could do with a sample. We weren’t really trying to go too far beyond sampling drums and vinyl. Maybe Tim goofed around with transwave editing but not many others. That sound was what sold it. What company called their unit an Advanced Sampling Recorder? Didn’t happen. Not even MPCs or SP1200s (SP meant sampling percussion) lol.

[@Rhythmattica]

The best thing about the ASR ,(besides everything that makes it what it is...) People think with only a 2 line display, its literally ,mostly ,only 3 buttons to get wherever you need to.. (its a matter of timing and knowing your menu list., as you have mentioned..... Excellent!..) Yep, its just a Hop , Skip & jump wherever you need to go.... Best button "Flowchart" eva! Still got my 2 ASR key versions, max out.. well, neither with the Digital I/O, but at least one OEX-6 for one. Oh yeh... As an ASR lover, Subbed.

[@Rhythmattica]

BTW... Quick tip to empty all memory, is to use the "Copy OS" system option... Then exit , and youve got all memory freed up.

[@beatsheik]

@Rhythmattica There are 3rd party Digital I/I boards that work excellent. If you are looking to making the ASR complete I highly recommend it

[@Gasparzinho311]

Ooo my Goddess, thank you so much! This was exactly what I’m looking for. If you can do more of this tutorials like this one. This is a masterpiece. Thank you. Good vibes from Brazil 🇧🇷 ❤

[@tonelab]

Thanks very much 🙏🏻 There are more tutorials, just like this one, here on the channel.. so, feel free to browse the other videos and support by Subscribing 🤓

[@gabrielbrillantes5115]

thank god, damo mate you are doing the lords work

[@tonelab]

🙏🏻🫡

[@duleswim]

Man thank you for this. I’m using asr10 for almost 8 years and i still pick up something new from video. It’s shame that asr it’s not used so frequently by the peoples this day in music industry 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@pascaldeshayes5459]

This is an absolute godsend, thank you so much!

[@12w3hji123456789]

Many thanks for doing this video!!

[@adamfreiholtz929]

Great video! Thanks

[@tonelab]

Cheers 🙏🏻

[@CEEPMDEE]

Please make a tutorial like this for the MPC X and MPC LIVE 2.

[@SkyePlayzGamez]

Ive always been concerned about the learning curve of the ASR-10, which has kept me from picking one up . Your tutorials like the Akai s900 and this one are done superbly. I think I feel confident enough now to take a crack at one of these beasts ! Thanks so much for your logical, well laid out and easy to follow tutorials :-)

[@tonelab]

Thanks for the generous feedback. They have a fairly logical workflow, once you're across the Sample Context page.. they're fairly easy to navigate 🙏🏻 🫡

[@jo_da_pharaoh]

I promise its easy to use once u atleast learn it a lil, I had one since Christmas and its great

[@AriestheLegendRVA]

Thank you so much brother ❤

[@freeplaysamples]

Nice job! 🫡

[@EvLoutonian]

Oooooooh BABY it's on ⭐️

[@tonelab]

🙏🏻🫡

[@michael_mack]

100th thumb up is mine 😅 Thank you for great video.

[@tonelab]

Hah, cheers 🙏🏻 😉

[@kannon3979]

Thank you Sir!!!😊

[@tonelab]

🙏🏻🫡

[@monkeyflava1436]

Thanks ❤

[@samplidium]

Excellent video about ASR-10! Btw, i didn't find how to sync Lfo from external midi, as i didn't find how to change Pan from external too.

[@saren6538]

Wow wow and wow i just literally bought an asr10 rack

[@juno6]

Amazing video! At 1:13:49 , after playing the sample once, the subsequent looped repetitions sounds weird on the stereo field...

[@tonelab]

Yeah, the loop can knock the 'phase' around a bit, particularly when there's LFO values present. It can be a challenge to iron out but I tend to start by zero'ing all the parameters.. and see if I can help it along a little 👍🏼

[@kapnokap]

finalllly

[@MurderToCassette]

These videos are so well done, I would've killed for something like this back when I got my ASR 10. Do you happen to own a Kurzweil K2000 series sampler? I'd pay money for a video going over those samplers in similar depth

[@tonelab]

Thank you! ..I love the K2000, unfortunately don't have one at this time.. however, Jordan Rudess did a series on the K2000 years ago... pretty sure it's on KZbin, so try look that up, if I remember correctly... it was quite deep 👍🏼

[@roystroebel]

Wicked

[@jnfe]

My whole career as a producer started with this machine back in 93. I used to love it and thought about getting it again as a collectors item, then I saw it going for like $1500. It was about $1800 back then. There's NO WAY that I would pay more than $300 for this as it is incredibly antiquated for use in today's world. To each their own though.

[@basedvato]

You can get close but never that true asr-10 sound in the box.

[@Rodarooni]

Hi great informative video thanks.Im trying to work out the best hardware option for SCSI as my scsi hard drive failed so what is the best option for a scsi hard drive replacement and also a floppy drive replacement.thanks

[@tonelab]

Thank you 🙏🏻 ..there's a section of the clip, perhaps you haven't seen yet.. where I talk about the pro's & con's and a suggestion for SCSI.. this should help 👍🏼kzbin.info/www/bejne/noubh4ONhL5qqsU

[@kamikaze6295]

This Channel is dope as hell 🦾 subbed fasho Thank you

[@tonelab]

🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@dominikkaciniel1870]

😁👍

[@studiomtl5147]

Do you have a link to the exact SCSI device you hooked to the SCSI port of your ASR-10? Thanks so much for your video!!

[@tonelab]

Cheers! ..I'm using an older device (link below), but I'd recommend the External ZuluSCSI 👍🏼 samplerzone.com/collections/scsi2sd/products/external-scsi2sd-v5-2-drive

[@raydecoux5150]

fkn tone does it agin

[@2can2do]

beautiful, wonderful, powerful keyboard. the price tag though...

[@analogcrunch4716]

Tonelab - can you tell me in Edit Event Track I see the program change note to delete do you also delete the MV ones? Thanks

[@tonelab]

If you didn't place, any kind of, event specifically / intentionally.. then delete it 👍🏼

[@analogcrunch4716]

@@tonelabyeah I notice “MV” or “MW” shows up for some reason thinking it’s mod wheel?? Maybe I can shut the wheel off

[@mydasmurray]

How much of this works on the EPS16+ (I haven’t got it yet - next month)

[@analogcrunch4716]

Pretty much all applies to EPS 16, EPS is just the prior version.

[@EvLoutonian]

I might be just as confused about the ASR-10 after learning all about it hahaha Is it just me (maybe due to coming up on Akai S2000, MPC2000 etc), but also did Ensoniq just do stuff in pretty weird ways?

[@tonelab]

It's quite a monster.. but then, coming from an MPC.. which is more based around 16 sounds per 'Bank', the ASR-88.. for example.. is kinda more like an MPC4000.. but with 88 keys, instead of 16x4 Pads!.. or 61 (but the OS caters to 88 keys!). So, yeah.. stark differences.. and then the ASR has more of an emphasis on Keyboard patches and 'synthesis', rather than the MPC being slightly more 'affiliated' with Percussion, I guess one could say.. given the 'lack there of' physical keys 👍🏼

[@analogcrunch4716]

Remember when clowns would say ASR has a stutter and wouldn’t loop properly like an MPC lol? 😂 MPC is for simpletons, ASR is for those who wanna really get down you ain’t making Enter the 36 on an MPC.

[@tonelab]

There's a Program Change inserted into each blank Sequence, by default.. that actually causes a 'glitch'. I make a note to remove it before I get too far into anything I'm working on. 👍🏼

[@analogcrunch4716]

@@tonelabtone - can you tell us where you delete that??

[@tonelab]

Yeah, I show how to delete Events in this clip 👍🏼 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qquupXqirLV8j80

[@analogcrunch4716]

@@tonelaboh so do you mean there’s an extra event added to each sequence??

[@tonelab]

If you watch the clip, you'll see I specifically roll over the Program Change event 👍🏼

[@cvltzilla]

Thanks for helping me learn my EPS 🫡

[@tonelab]

Glad it helped out for an EPS user too! 🫡 🙏🏻