Title link takes you to shots via this auction."Nice to meet you"
A little synth history: The TG-33 is a direct descendant of the SCI Prophet VS, vector synth. It is different than wavetable synthesis found in the PPG and Waldorf synths. When SCI folded, Dave worked for Yamaha and the technology used in the Prophet V went into the TG-33 and eventually the KORG Wavestation when Dave moved on to Korg. The Prophet V had analog filters, the TG-33 and Wavestation were all digital and of course they all sounded different. BTW, if anyone has more to add to the story, feel free to comment. The one thing I always wonder was who owned the technology and how it moved from Yamaha to Korg. You'd think Yamaha would have held onto it if they could. I'm sure I heard the story at one point, but it's all a blur...
Update: MP3 demo via smackos in the comments.
Correct me if I'm wrong. But I would say the Prophet 5 has nothing to do with the TG33 at all.
ReplyDeleteIts more based on concepts of the VS.
The VS has a completely different architecture designed to compete with other digital and analog synthesizers in the 80s. The majority of 'vector' synthesizers have Dave's finger prints all over and the vector syntheses method to my knowledge was not conceved by Dave himself.
Also - the price the TG-33 is going for is strictly a sucker/collectors price. I'll send you one for $35 plus shipping (CDN). Since thats what they go for over here.
If it's in the exactly the same shape as the one listed on eBay, i'll gladly buy it from you for $35.00 plus shipping CDN. I'm no collector, but I only buy used gear in mint shape.
ReplyDeleteThanks, yes of course the VS, I missed the S. The Prophet-5 of course is the Prophet-5 and not the Prophet-V.
ReplyDeleteI owned one of these. It's a very powerful and expressive synth, and fairly easy to use, too. I didn't really want to sell it, but it was unfortunately too bulky for me to have in my setup. (I only have one full-sized synth in my setup, and it sits in my closet 90% of the time because I don't have anywhere to put it) Maybe one day I'll have enough room to have a real studio setup rather than one tiny corner of my bedroom =(
ReplyDeleteAt least I made back my money when I sold it *shrugs*
Anyway, it's a really good synth for things like complex pads, leads and just generally odd sounds, as well as a slew of very useful sounds.
Yo, first anon, I'll buy it from you. Post back if you are serious about selling it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYeah these are cheap here too in Europe, the same as the keyboard versions, the SY-22 and the SY-35(Which is a version with some more ROM or something)
ReplyDeleteI've got one, its a really simple thing somehow...you can just mix these rom sounds/waves whith eachother and put envelopes over them and pitch them around. There is also a 2 operato FM synth (! thats really crappy old school 19920PC soundcard FM synth style ;) ) build in which you can mix with these rom samples. These FM sounds are almost uneditable but some of the presets are pretty characteristic and can spice up the rom samples now and then.
but the TG-33 somehow sounds very good, its got some very nice rom samples in it, some really crazy weird ones especially if you pitch them all the way down....exotic mixtur trautonium tones and very dark soundtrackstuff...also very good for new age stuff (its got a streaming river sample even and birds!). The joystick is cool on it but sometimes the transitions with the joystick are a bit too abrupt...you really have to control it slowly and with skill.
Here is an MP3 demo of the TG33 I made a long time ago
TG33 demo by smackos
Regards,
Danny (from the mini-pony video ;))
Great blog btw!
At one point Yamaha owned Korg and that's how the technology was transferred between the two companies.
ReplyDelete