■Toy keyboard sampler at 8 bits with interetsing edit functions. Like Casio SK-1, the VSS samplers are considered cult lo-fidelity addicted and toy-synth geeks.
Portable 32 minikeys with a 8 cm speaker, the main panel features 42 buttons, a slider for volume and a built-in condenser (cheap) microphone.
■ VSS system handles sampling process + a bunch of presets on the ROM wavetable.
Monophonic SAMPLING process is based on a YM2416 IC (common on all VSS series) + DRAM at 8 bits resolution.
■The VSS30 is able to record with 2 different modes and quality:
- 16 kHz for a maximum of 1,8 seconds of sampling
- 9 kHz for a maixmum of 3,5 seconds of sampling
■Sample edit The sampled sound can be edited with 5 basic functions:
- loop mode
- reverse sample
- uturn: alternates forward + backward
- overwrite: sound on sound, bu it quickly saturate
- voice editor (see "VOICE EDITOR" below)
■ FX section VOICE EDITOR 4 internal sound effects, quite surprising for such a "toy":
- ECHO is a kind of delay, not really a DSP effect but a kind of envelope trick with 15 preset settings.
- FUZZ adds a simple fuzzed effect No control on fuzz.
- MODULATION is a simple modualtion LFO on pitch - 8 presets fixed rates
- AMPLITUDE MODULATION is another LFO but on EG vibrato
(note: AM modulation shares same LFO rate as FM frequency modulation)
■ WAVETABLE 11 internal preset sounds with no possible edit, however they can be arpeggiated or processed by various amplitude or modulation functions.
PRESET LIST: piano, vibes, strings, clarinet, harpsichord, marimba, jazz organ, galaxy, banjo, crystal and brass.
■ SEQUENCER very simple MUSIC PROGRAMMER offers a maximum of 500 notes recorded in real-time (also chords) at 1/48 resolution. No other special functions.
■ ENVELOPE 1 EG 4 segments ADSR control for sample amplitude: just choose the segment and change to one of the 8 stepped values tapping the increase/decrease buttons.
■ No midi, but third part Highly Liquid UMR-2 were available.
■Related Family
- Yamaha VSS-100 It is bigger than vss30 and handles 4 parts.
- Yamaha VSS-200 49 keys, and 2 seconds of sampling and 9 effects. Special internal resample mode.