Stylophone GEN-X1 portable analog synth demo and review

[@gnarlysoundscapes7210]

Anything can become an instrument in the right hands. If you're one of those judgmental people who scoffs at anything cheap, dirty, or limited in capabilities, you don't have the right hands.

[@mini-botco.4364]

So does this redeem my playing of the toy pianos at Walmart?

[@music4laur]

Mini-Bot Co. yes

[@99xara99]

Agree. I get dumb smiles for playing ukulele, melodica, kalimba. "That's not a real instrument duh" 😒😒 While they are, and they're very useful and sound very legit for the stuff I do with them. Same goes for this thing.

[@jeevesdfector3686]

Exactly. A children's keyboard can be implemented as a studio instrument as long as it's got a headphone jack. I use a $50 lofi Casio keyboard frequently when making beats

[@DarkAvatar1313]

Hell, people turn buckets, brooms, and such into music (search for STOMP) so anything can really be an instrument...

[@bobz1736]

Some surprisingly rich sounds. Not bad for 70 bucks...

[@onceuponasynth]

ya agreed

[@KeyserS913]

Definitely. I love these little machines

[@dezlinglife]

Omg 70 bucks?! ☺️❤️

[@stax3000]

@@onceuponasynth The shining

[@nostolgiccontent4996]

It’s only 29.95 on Amazon.

[@HotStrange]

I’ve got one and I love it. The lofi delay mixed with a mad decent filter, 2 sub oscillators, a unique envelope design, PWM, a nice LFO, plus the touch strip make for a unique sound making machine. Surprisingly good basses and leads. Also works great as an delay pedal. I run my guitar, vocals, other synths, etc through it. Mixed with a Gakken SX-150 it can get them both into some truly gnarly territory.

[@MrmelodyUs]

#WOW!

[@MisterHughes]

9:07 Thought we were going to get into some Vangelis Blade Runner stuff there. Definitely surpasses being just a toy.

[@theEpicFailSquad123]

I've been trying to replicate that setting on my stylophone but I can't for my life figure it out. I can't make it out what he's got in the video too.

[@pahwraith]

@@theEpicFailSquad123 you need to add a digital reverb.

[@kosherwinespiritreview7772]

@@pahwraith which one it THIS!?

[@danbutorovich246]

It is a good intro level option. Some may call it a toy but I think it is just as valid as any other analog, especially with a hack to add an external keyboard or in conjunction with other synths and pedals. It sounds good with some reverb. Maybe crack it open and use the board as part of a modular. Lot of possibilities.

[@SelBoi]

I don't think this is a toy. Actually, with all the options the X1 have and the paired to a whammie, it can do REALLY impressive sounds. I'd like the way they used to make (or try at least) music funnier and kind of easier. Absolutely not a toy.

[@randrants1024]

yeah, maybe he was comparing this gadget with all the other professional ones which cost hundred or even thousand dollars. but here, with gen x-1, you can have awesome sounds with such a nice price. definitely not a toy yup :)

[@deathstrike]

Although this is 3 years later, I managed to find an original Dubreq 1968 Stylophone in near cosmetically perfect condition. I did have to recondition the board by replacing the little button capacitors and reflowing the solder to give the device a better ground. Also I replaced the original headphone jack with a spare one I had from an old Radio Shack intercom system (70s mono sound). But other than that, it's a perfect little Stylophone that sounds amazing and is a work of genius. I HIGHLY recommend both the vintage (if you have soldering and basic electronic skills) or the modern Dubreq Stylophone in all its variants. It a fun, somewhat useful device for basic music and really shines for originality. The music is pure 70s analog synth cheese and will put a smile on your face and wish toys were made this original and this high a quality. And it fits well for collectors of analog synthesizers like the original Roland Juno, vintage Korg and even vintage Yamaha FM synthesizers and old Casio.

[@rockstarjazzcat]

Picked one up today in celebration. I like to think of 1968 as an excellent vintage. :)

[@jumpstar9000]

1968 --> 😈🚀👽💫

[@evang2881]

If you have a 3ds you can get the korg dsn 12 which is this but on a 3ds and has a visual oscillator. And even uses a stylus

[@crasheffort]

I agree. I have both korg apps for the 3ds, and the plus version for the dsi/ds, and they are great for getting ideas out on a sequencer. The second screen can be used as XY pad that you can set to musical scales, as well as a keyboard. I also have the original stylaphone and it is just fun to play around with when watching tv. I am seriously considering this version because the biggest drawback of the original is the lack of parameters to vary the sound.

[@davidledoux1736]

Best Stylophone video I've seen yet! Demo and review? This is more like a tutorial and I sub'd before having seen any of your other content. Just learned today about the Stylophone and am really enjoying it. Thinking of getting one for myself as an entry-level introduction to synths now that you've covered everything so well. I can tell you've been doing this for a very long time.

[@wilhelmmusic241]

Definitely worth having one, they sound awesome!

[@tonicez0154]

At 5:27 it sounds like it says "WALL-E"

[@Ailgadem]

whooooo aaaaare youuuu

[@fnglert]

Reminds me of the early pioneers of analogue synth music. Fond memories of growing up with Jean Michel Jarre's music.

[@en16ma_music]

This is surprisingly feature rich for something that costs 75 buckaroos. I ordered one just for fun and portability but it should be a serious consideration for anyone as a first synth.

[@BrandoNoCaps]

This sounds like it's from a classic horror movie

[@ghostinng274]

Mines showing up today. I can't wait for it

[@OmarLuna1981]

I just subscribed as soon as you said aomething about "the fine line between a toy and a tool"... I wish I had a toy like that as a kid! I will buy some of them now I am 40. Greetings from Argentina!

[@theTerribleFamiliar]

I couldn't hear anything coming through the Volca Beat during the section on the Auxiliary input. Still a great review. I kind of want one of these things now.

[@onceuponasynth]

Yeah I'm not sure why it was so quiet and muffled. I'm gonna have to try some different sound sources and maybe different cables.

[@musicauthority7828]

That is pretty cooI, have heard of these little toy like sinths over the years. but this is the first time I have seen a full review and demo of one of them. I definitely like it. Greg Hawks of the Cars used a kazoo as a sound effects instrument in a few of their songs. so it would definitely be useable for sound effects in most any kind of recording. and a bonus is it's completely portable. so you could take it anywhere with you. and goof off with its parameters to get some interesting effects. it really is more than a toy. for people who enjoy techno music it would be a must have. and it can be useable for sound effects other than musical sounds. I'm going to have to check into getting one for sure.

[@lecliche8849]

Nice video. You get better and better at this! I’ve had this little synth for a while and really love the sounds it makes.

[@Avy4]

got my boyfriend this for x-mas

[@jnkmal9519]

do people hear with their eyes? why is it, every small synth is compared to toys? throw this same hardware in a big heavy wood box and it's an instant classic. consumers are stupid.

[@vijayjayaram606]

Right tuned ear can pick music even from an exhaust note 🤘

[@rookmaster7502]

If all one imagines from this instrument is a toy, then all one will get from it is a toy.

[@jumpstar9000]

It was a great demo, but the dude clearly has no clue what he is dealing with here. This thing is a monster.

[@KitsuNoir]

It was made as a toy for children. He says that, and so does the stylophone creator. That's why he keeps saying "really good for a toy".

[@NickRamos]

I have one of these and man, what a fun synth to play Great review!

[@ex35240sx]

How does it compare to the korg kaosilator

[@Invisible-Rhino]

@@ex35240sx different idea, more focussed on varying a single sound,.,.,. kaossillator is more varied, much less of a toy

[@Xottapchenko]

Not for making solid tracks? LOL, listen to Russian group GROMYKA, they use a bigger version and it sounds quite interesting.

[@Invisible-Rhino]

probably meant "you'll have to use mostly other sounds, or else be sounding gimmicky"

[@RetroPlus]

That's pretty cool, I've always loved the stylophone. $70 seems a bit steep though, I'd rather circuit bend and modify an original stylophone as you can get them for really cheap nowadays.

[@TooSlowTube]

You could do that, but the original was just a square wave generator. The Gen-X1 has more of the elements of a real subtractive analog synth. There's a tweakable filter, an ADS envelope (with no R, and no knob for the level of S), an LFO section, plus a sub oscillator and a sub-sub oscillator. The delay section is useful too. You can use it on short settings to get that ghostly synth brass effect, or add a pseudo release to the envelope.

[@Spacecookie-]

That's so old-timey sci-fi sounding there. It's great.

[@madrednome]

Man this has some great potential for dungeon synth.

[@samuelzuleger5134]

My first guitar was a toy. My second guitar was a tool/toy mix. My third guitar is a tool that I use for fun. Sure, there was a price difference, but the real difference came with how serious I became and how far my playing had progressed.

[@joborion]

This

[@musicauthority7828]

This would be good little instrument to have along side a guitar. for sound effects for recordings.

[@TheRealestApex]

When you mention David Bowie, play the song of Space Oddity on Spotify and wait for 30 seconds he was using Stylophone on that song

[@theowlhouseseason3213]

Thank you Mingi from infinity train for introducing me to this cool thing

[@davidlewis1787]

That filter is delicious

[@craigdavidson4378]

Paired with battery powered multiFX, looper, and portable modern busking amps like the Blackstar Superfly, could be quite a strong addition to a street busker..

[@danimations80]

Thanks for the thorough walk-through of the instrument's character and features! A fun little box.

[@timothy6966]

This. Is. The. Most. Badass. Thing. Ever. Period.

[@rifaisaiful3777]

You can be a DJ, only use that tool, a million sound effects in one, super awesome....

[@spartaninvirginia]

3:30ish sounds like some stuff from the early LPs by Air.

[@jackehaus265]

Dude. All of your videos have such a homey feel. Like I haven’t watched your channel in about a year or so and yet the vibe is still the same. The whole aesthetic is perfect for what you make. It reminds me of the perfect version of the Beatles I have in the back of my head. It was when I first thought of them like that that I found your channel. Thanks sooo much :)

[@billytsekeris5817]

Hey great video appreciate it , do you think this would be able to go theough a theremin with a pedal as well ? Or would tou recommend something better ? I would like to just make effect with a theremin and this would also help in keeping a note you want o. The theremin and want to accentuate the sound with theremin . Thank you in advance

[@fentanyljones6956]

Maybe less feature rich but w/ all the ‘budget analog’ synths out there today, this sounds better than many 200 dollar options.

[@dotwashere4498]

the sounds remind me so much of earthbound it's unreal. I want to get this thing

[@SnifferRiffle]

I'm getting strong Earthbound vibes from this thing

[@savanaviolenta]

Alright getting one. Can't skip that for the money.

[@X-boomer]

Very nostalgic sounds!

[@etfoltz]

I could listen to you mess around with those sounds for hours

[@smithfield06]

Great review, very impressed with the analog filter sounds for its budget it’s a good buy

[@bobafruti]

It's a toy, but you could use it on a "hit" record if you wanted... But let's be honest, most hit records are made on computers these days and could be made on a phone if you wanted... So whatever, it looks like good fun so I'd buy one :-D

[@churchofaggressiveaudio6498]

How about this toy? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmXPooaqi7J0o8U :D

[@adamzimmerman2464]

I just ordered one of these and its coming in a few days. I think I could do some pretty cool K-Pop covers on it.

[@edrosa3485]

The next step up would be the Dubreq Stylophone S2. Mari Dangerfield (here on youtube) made an entire song with this and and another youtuber Synthmania sampled this unit and built an entire track.

[@NicholasT-f9n]

Is it possible to put 3 of these in a chain to create a triple oscillator synth ?

[@skin_lizard]

Only one way to find out, man.

[@zooblestyx]

The -2 sub sounded like, legit-legit.

[@andrewkotcher5704]

david bowie used the plain stylophone on his major tom song, also all but the s-1 is sold out so it must be a good instrument.

[@treesmaofficial3873]

Ooooo a fellow ace!!🖤🤍💜

[@jpmcglynn]

Awesome vid and review. What is the name of the digital reverb unit? Thanks!

[@Axoltolion]

Nice Atari gameplay but seriously cool video I have had recent love for synthesizers thanks to NMH and Radiohead I think I'll pick one up sometime

[@robertobonani4631]

Stars of the lid at one point

[@Joe-sc8fu]

David Bowie rocked this thing, like in Heroes. Or if your German, Helden. Just look up the song and listen for it, it’s a great song

[@davidg1612]

10:08 is the start of seriously sweet sounds.

[@The_Haha_Man]

Dude yesss

[@bluedragon3657]

I really want a stylophone, but I don't know if I should get this one, or if the simpler Standart one would be fine for me too :/

[@churchofaggressiveaudio6498]

Thanks! Great detailed demonstration. 👍

[@onceuponasynth]

thanks!

[@danielletch]

Sounds like the score to the movie Forbidden Planet!

[@AndreyLuizDev]

I was used to making music in virtual tools like FL Studio. Is it a good choice for who is getting started with physical synthesizers?

[@MattGreerMusic]

Little thing has a bit of character doesn't it? I like it.

[@Alpha_7227]

I'm here because I saw it on the Get Back movie by Peter Jackson. I didn't even know it existed. Is this how they made all those cool effects in early Sci Fi movies?

[@JohnMassari]

So simple so beautiful.

[@borisundercover]

Maybe it’s a stupid question but is it possible to record from this to your MacBook ? Id like to do some music / sound design myself for short movies. Thx a lot for the demo and your time 🙏🏻

[@JC-es5un]

Bowie initially wrote the song “Space Oddity” on a Stylophone, according to an interview he gave.

[@Sasch94]

Great Video, thank you! How would I connect it to my pc to record what I'm playing? Through the 3.5mm? Ordered one a few days ago cause why not😌

[@binface9]

Any plans to make a track using this?

[@foxglove9]

I have this and never realized you can apply the delay on the input source as well. A shame the filter cutoff muffles the sound so much.

[@onceuponasynth]

yeah it's too bad. I realized after that I was using a TS patch cable (not TRS). I'm not sure if this has any impact on the sound. I'm gonna have to try with a different cable and maybe another sound source later, because when the synth is playing the filter sounds pretty open so I'm not sure why it was so muffled with the aux in. If you end up trying it with something else lmk if yours also sounds muffled.

[@foxglove9]

I tested mine with a TRS cable and, although the gain was a little weak and noisy, the audio was not muffled at all!

[@onceuponasynth]

Oh awesome that's good to hear! Thanks for testing it out.

[@derekfrost8991]

Does it stay in tune?

[@davidkodama8653]

It sounds great, but where do I get music for it.

[@nefariouspreludev2.046]

Just one word describes the sound. BLADE RUNNER!

[@zorbanongreco]

That's 2 words.

[@RootinrPootine]

@@zorbanongrecou braderunna

[@pongtrometer]

Wonderful. CLOCK WORK ORANGE box

[@danielfulop]

Hey, can I connect this directly to my laptop's jack to record the sound on it, or do I need some kind of amplifier?

[@altec003]

Luke: R2! Turn off the trash compactor! R2: 5:15 Luke: Dammit R2! How about BB8? Can he help us? BB8: 5:30

[@mootpoint7053]

Are you related to Ariel Helwani? Anyway, definitely sounds like something Boards of Canada probably used.

[@smellyreally2562]

Dude's not annoying so I guess he's not

[@mootpoint7053]

@@smellyreally2562 tru dat

[@waternosuka]

mine doesn’t work and does not make any sound unless i open the cut off button. Is it normal?

[@benjaminkovacs5034]

MOM! I WANT EVERY SOUND IN THE WORD! Here it is!

[@monumento.f.501]

For more polyphony try an electric heater.

[@TheMetalMachineMusic]

Could be wrong but I don't think Queen ever used a Stylophone on a track.

[@wertdeg]

That thing is pretty badass for a “toy”

[@leondesplenter6742]

Can it be connected to other synths?

[@collinsrijayanta4199]

3:40 reminds me of the 2112 opening. Cool!

[@beefuton1]

what is the reverb hardware u are using?

[@betzoarr]

What kind of device do you use from 8:54?

[@sandmanbub]

Is this what Prince used in his song Delirious?

[@c.morgansparkman1454]

What is the second thing you hooked this up to

[@robertparkside2571]

Yeah. What is the digital reverb unit you hooked up?

[@TheUnofficialMaker]

@@robertparkside2571 OTO MACHINES - BAM Space Generator only $700

[@malyitmayer7771]

Спасибо.

[@davidfarmer2193]

1:22 Sounds like Sweep from Sooty! lol

[@LostStylus]

Is the delay analog in it?

[@therealmodernwalking9695]

How many channels does this thing have, like can you push more that one sound at the same time??

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

i think it's monophonic.

[@will-dd7ou]

Reltih Floda you can use it as a speaker and play it at the same time

[@stickyfox]

7:33 yo... hear them sirens? I know you hear 'em... don't get scared...

[@Tiger.Arcade]

Be perfect for a 70s b film sound effects.

[@sarasuarez5529]

yuh i don't watch this guys other vides but is that an ace ring? :D

[@Justice098]

Dr Dre used this on the chronic album nothing but a G thing. That prominent synth u hear is this

[@JadeSpin]

It sounds similar to an alien invasion... filled with flying saucers.. like in an old science fiction movie.

[@FatGuyWithAKatana]

So it's the logan's run soundtrack pretty much

[@The_Haha_Man]

Does anyone know if the music at 10:30 is an actual song or is it something that he made up on the moment?

[@reinopirttijarvi2487]

Man that black and white face cam looks so good

[@Pr0jectFM]

I have a Korg Volca Keys and a regular Stylophone. Would this stand out enough to be worth buying?

[@parkermanns9143]

Can we talk about that reading rainbow intro