What’s REALLY the best era for synthesizers? Part 4: 1987-1994

[@korolchukpp]

I have SD1, its super cool machine! And I'd like to buy SQ-80.

[@VincentPresley]

@@korolchukpp prices have really dropped so it’s a good time to grab one.

[@LoveinScarcity]

Thanks for doing this series! Missed this episode back in October. Surprised how good that SD1 sounds! Loved those Ensoniq sequencers back in the day when was making do with a 2 track Korg SQD1. I never connected with those 90’s VA synths but I am looking forward to your take on them in the next episode!

[@VincentPresley]

@@LoveinScarcity thanks a bunch. I’ve been waiting to get one of my favorite synths back for the next episode. It’s been away for 6 months. Hoping it will come home soon.

[@LoveinScarcity]

🙏🏻 Thanks for the update!

[@mournblade1066]

27:33 Wow, that's some horror film score shit there! What a fantastic sound!

[@obsessive_discipline]

yesyesyes. i am lucky to have the ensoniq sq-80 (and vfx) from this age. i instantly recognized some of ensoniq's signature timbres here. i love those descending bell layered sounds you did on the sd-1. also the abandoned sequence with rompler drums has its charm. really nice wavestation demo too.

[@christ5826]

youre a mungrel of a unique programmer synth bro...love the cruel tease of the fizmo there for next episode, youre the ME of the US, awesome work, big regards from wild south west oz from my equally radically wild experimental bus studio with cats

[@timothyverbist5795]

Well, i can't wait for part 5.

[@telantas]

Happy 2025! 🎉 Here's hoping for instalments 5 & 6 of this *awesome* series in this new year. 😊

[@VincentPresley]

@@telantas definitely. I’ve been waiting to get an important synth back from the doctor. It’s been out 6 months. Thanks a bunch

[@telantas]

@VincentPresley best wishes for your synth's prompt and full recovery! 🙂

[@markpeters284]

With you on how great Ensoniq was. My ESQ1 was my most used synth in my time playing, gigging and collecting synths from 1984 to 1998. It was my first new poly I brought in 1986 when they first came out. The internal memory battery lasted over 20 years, way better than the Wavestation A/D which barely lasted 3 years.

[@Johnsormani]

Same here, my Esq1 battery lasted until 10 years ago. Amazing.

[@klinkske]

Sounds like MJ intro’s 😁 - i was looking for this episode. And now i understand the next one, looking forward to that too 🥳

[@davidsharp3110]

You are very focused today. I got an Ensoniq SQ-1 in 1987, thought it was the coolest at the time. I soon lost interest as it bored me. Stayed a non-owner until 1996, then it was back on for me. I guess this era is the deep hole of digital synths I couldn't get my head around at the time.

[@VincentPresley]

@@davidsharp3110 I got up early and told myself I had to do it today because once that vinyl arrives I will be busy for weeks. So I chugged some cold coffee and just jumped in. Thanks a bunch for watching.

[@fizgak]

My favorite era - the SQ-80 era!

[@VincentPresley]

@@fizgak My eyes hate this era and the extreme lack of design but my ears really like it and my hands are happy with the build quality. So, shut up, eyeballs.

[@rmcq1999]

Ensoniq was great. I still have a VFX.

[@g3cd]

I actually like my EMU Orbit 9090 ROMpler, it has like all the early 90s house sounds and some pretty good modulation ... if you use it with a Faderfox EC4 MIDI controller, as the internal settings are utterly inaccessible. I also got a Roland JP8080 which is as much fun as your JD800, but the MIDI implementation back then (by anyone but Dave Smith) was really weird.

[@VincentPresley]

Yeah, for some reason every Korg was made to default to midi Omni mode. I still can't figure out why anyone would want that. The Poly800 MK1 was only Omni mode (useless), the Dss1, DS8, etc all default to Omni mode when powered on. I think even my Wavestation does that. I had a JP8000 for a little. That one will be mentioned in the next episode for sure. VA synths like crazy coming up.

[@culttelevision]

I left a mint SY-77 under a bed in an apartment after a stressful break up. Always regret it.

[@Valentine98766]

Dang bitch probably gave it to her next boytoy for free eh? 🤢

[@EdwinDekker71]

12:31 kitty! Was going to say something about ensoniq but the cat made me forget it

[@EdwinDekker71]

I remembered. Used an sq1+ in the 90s it was cool

[@mournblade1066]

30:12 Sounds like Skinny Puppy, who actually used Ensoniq synths and samplers quite a bit.

[@jorgemellooliveira9611]

muito importante ter uma coleção de teclados assim podemos saber como foi evoluindo a criatividade obrigado por postar ótimo vídeo Jorge Sul do Brasil

[@universalvibe72]

I dig your enthusiasm. You have many synthesizers. If it was me personally I would have a better curriculum set up. You remember a lot however you don't really do that much depth. This is pretty much 'synthesizers as Vincent remembers', would be a better title.

[@VincentPresley]

@@universalvibe72 yeah pretty much

[@mathumphreys]

I accept that my TS-12 isn't pretty, but I like to think of it "handsome".

[@VincentPresley]

@@mathumphreys I always have a ts10 and ts12 in my watch list on Reverb..

[@Johnsormani]

The ts10 is much prettier than a ts12, with that brushed metal top panel

[@robertlee1176]

I was waiting for a Vincent Presley return to eurodance track.

[@VincentPresley]

@@robertlee1176 ha! If only I had more time. Maybe the next episode will get something special. Although I’m waiting for Focusrite to send back a synth for that one.

[@wkelly-hn4kb]

The rising price is more to point. $6000 for something with one decent piano you may use hopefully one passable electric guitar .. And a bunch of Larry Ferriri era organ and karioki arrangements"styles" i dont need or want .

[@VincentPresley]

What synth are you talking about? What is $6000? I'm not a piano guy and if I want a guitar sound, I play the guitar. I usually want my synthesizers to sound like synthesizers.

[@wkelly-hn4kb]

@@VincentPresley don't like synths much myself .I write guitar oriented music but can't play a lick. I mean yamaha arrangers like Genos 2 and even their lesser units.

[@VincentPresley]

@@wkelly-hn4kb I can't stand any of that stuff. Genos, Motiff, Kronos, etc etc. I call those wedding band keyboards. Any keyboard with patches named after top 40 hits is about as far away from a synthesizer I want as you can get. Zero interest in commercial jingles, wedding bands, "tribute" bands, or anything like that. I find it gross.

[@russ254]

a disappointing era . . .

[@VincentPresley]

@@russ254 meh. It’s something different and I sure appreciate that. So far era 3 is the loser of the bunch for me.