[sdiy] Yamaha VSS-30 Sampler

[CCartCat at aol.com]

FWIW I always rather liked the VSS-30.   But I lucked onto one at a Thrift 
store before famous users and eBay came along . . .

Not much of a hacker, I use one as-is as the shortest distance to 
sampling/playing a short sound.  Something simple can be done simply--without menus, key 
assignments, setting loops, envelopes etc.   The very unsubtle FreqMod/AmpMod 
features are simple pleasures.   That and the sample over button or whatever 
it's called that allows you to sample sound on sound.   Very fun.   

And that you can't save a sound/use more than the one sample you've just 
recorded can be a good thing sometimes.

Those who want better fidelity, more degrees of control and greater 
programablity will prefer a real sampler (all those out of favor hardware samplers look 
good to me too).   But for those of us who like to work quick and dirty once 
in awhile, the VSS can be fun and handy.   It's like the stompbox that has a 
couple of knobs vs. the serious FX box that have many menus; funky limits vs. 
choices aplenty.

Back to lurking,
K. Seward


In a message dated 6/15/05 10:53:17 AM, c0r3dump23 at yahoo.com writes:


> I suppose one would need to appreciate lo-fi sampling to go for
> something like this. I certainly do, and have been regarding the VSS
> samplers - but I'd never pay more than $50 for one, if that. They seem
> to have a lot of Casio converts who used to use the SK-1 or SK-5, but
> then found that the VSS has more features and better sound. Very well
> might be a bit better, but since my Casios I scored from free to $20,
> the VSS is way too pricey in comparison.
> 
> I don't think that Jonsi using the VSS-30 explains anything! The gear
> trainspotting gets silly. Any bit of gear you can think of has been
> used by some "famous" people or other, main difference is whether
> everybody knows which gear was used or not. Or if there are rumors
> about it. This is a consumer approach to instruments, not a musical or
> DIY approach.
> 
> As regards bending, old samplers and delays are often great for
> bending, or modding if you prefer. This is because the firmware and
> memory are simple, and the devices are cheap. Probably easier to bend
> an SK or VSS than an MPC2000! I don't much care for a cult-ure of
> bending, I think it is very much a matter of personal preference rather
> than a spectacle. I started making music about twelve years ago by
> modifying Casio samplers which I found on the street, never would have
> guessed that it woud become such a huge trend. At the very least, it
> does encourage recycling. At best, you can create some very complex
> sounds simply. I love digital synthesis to be harsh, doing mathematical
> and logical operations on digitised audio and other signals, it defines
> the medium for me
> 
> CJ
> 
> 
> --- Kevin Simonson <ksimonson at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > This sampler is used by Jonsi of Sigur Ros, who speaks very highly of
> > it :)  That might explain a lot
> >
> > On 6/15/05, Jay Vaughan <jv at access-music.de> wrote:
> > >
> > > >The damn thing sold for more than I paid for the DW6000.
> > Suspecting
> > > >overlooked mojo, I pulled mine out and hooked it up and....it's
> > still a
> > > >mystery to me.  A complete and utter mystery.
> > >
> > > regarding overlooked mojo: can you say 'bender cult'?
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > ;
> > >
> > > Jay Vaughan
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> 
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