Forgotten synth tech: The excellent VECTOR X/Y stick. Yamaha PSS-51 Part #2

There are only a few synths that have the vector control joystick but it's an ingenious idea that should have had more lifespan. There is something about the oscillating motion of the sound. It's different to the average unthinking LFO.
This video also covers midi input to the Yamaha PSS-51, high pitched tones, and a few other ideas about getting the most out of this quirky old board.

[@Cubik303]

Another great demo! That MIDI sync bug is very strange. Usually Yamaha is very good about implementing clock sync for their consumer keyboards. I’ll have to unearth my PSS-51 and see if I can figure out what is going on.

[@twoontime]

Great video as always. Behrigher did a great job of explaining vector synthesizers.

[@gearfacts]

Thank you :)

[@ilovekeyboards7830]

Hi Gearfacts can you please make a video of the Casio WK 200 next

[@discatte]

one trick that really helps is to make airplane 'vrreeeoooow' sounds with your mouth as you move the vector joystick around.

[@Gerald_Daniel]

I only knew the silver version of PSS795 & 33 years later can't find any single picture of that edition on the internet, what's a pity.

[@gearfacts]

There was a silver version? Cool. Red would have been even better :)

[@Gerald_Daniel]

@@gearfacts Yes, I totally thought there was just the silver edition & 'am now amazed 'bout the whole black "unity". The 795 was supposedly an improved MIDI version of the 790. If you imagine back then I was just using Commodore 64, its MIDI interface & the so-called "Supertrack" program. To sequence that kb in a convenient way, was next to impossible because, as far as I remember, something with the MIDI clock, & the seperation of channels did not work properly, (if I don't confuse anything after all those years). Anyway I've tried heavily & had not succeeded. (That I definitely remember.) Anyway, the silver edition looked extremely well & above all 790/795's speaker system had very good reviews. The device even made it in the German Keyboards (magazine), that usually reviewed "grown" synths & received an exceptionally good rating.

[@Gerald_Daniel]

Looks almost like an updated version of PSS 790 /795.

[@gearfacts]

Yep that's basically correct :)

[@doordedeur]

I never saw the use of vector synthesis. I had a Korg Wavestation EX and tried it out, but it didn't work, because it made the output volume differ too much. It's better to have sliders for the different parts.

[@gearfacts]

Such an under-rated tool, I love it. Would be great to see it on a high-end synth other than the SY-77 which is obsolete now anyway.

[@summerlaverdure]

how did this come about? was this home keyboard made when Dave Smith was making the SY-22/35 for Yamaha? great video and music btw :3

[@gearfacts]

I don't know the answer to the question, but I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@user-rv8wb1nl1b]

no , those synths record the movements of the joystick.

[@summerlaverdure]

@@user-rv8wb1nl1b that is the most irrelevant comment next to goldfish accordion uvala but thanks for playing 👍

[@user-rv8wb1nl1b]

@@summerlaverdure wow ! er ok . . i was only trying to help , i had both , and just thought i would chime in . . . the SY ones have some recordable joystick movements , but the pss51 and 790/795 do not . so . . . .sorry if your butt hurt .

[@summerlaverdure]

@@user-rv8wb1nl1b its not about how it works, its about did Dave Smith have an influence on this keyboard during his Yamaha tenure

[@montazownianr1]

4:52 Resident Evil 4 save game music like ;)