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"Yamaha's competetor to the SK-1. Samples sound a LOT better than SK-1 samples when sampled via the built in condenser mic. Very fun keyboard which can make some wicked cool sounds!
Allows combining/overwriting of samples
ASDR envelope can be applied to sounds/samples
Effects can be applied to sounds/samples including Reverse, Echo, Fuzz, Freq. Modulation, Amp. Modulation, U-Turn, Loop at various levels/values.
Built in arpeggiator with 12 preset rhythms
11 preset sounds (all are fairly lame, but can be tweaked to sound great)
No drums or drum patterns
8 bit sound"
TOY #3 YAMAHA VSS-30 Sampling Keyboard (original, not circuit bent) HQ DEMO
YouTube Uploaded by AnalogAudio1 on Sep 13, 2009
"This little sampling keyboard has a lot to offer. It has 8-bit sampling and synthesizer functions. Samples can be looped with a variable loop point / lenght. Forwards / backwards or both possible. If you want, you can overdub the sample - there is no overdub limit - make your own mellotron choirs! ;-).
It has an ADSR envelope for volume like a synthesizer. LFO and TREMOLO speed is variable. FUZZ and ECHO effects. It has 12 different "arpeggio styles". The samples and the 12 synth sounds can be tweaked as well. It has a little sequencer, which records what you play.
The VSS-30 is the competitor of the famous Casio SK-1, but the VSS has more to offer and the sampling engine sounds better to my ears. Indeed, you can use it for recording, if you like great lofi sounds - which the VSS-30 can deliver. I like the sound, because it sounds less trashier than a Casio.
Also a great advantage is the absence of the "automatic power off" of the Casios. The VSS-30 remains powered on as long as you want.
This one is in original state - not circuit bent."
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More than you wanted to know: It was used to produce the first radio/TV commercial for electronic money transfer, which became today’s ATMs. Yes, a Lincoln Nebraska savings and loan company started electronic money transfer. It was called TMS, transmatic money service. TMS service was at a special service counter in chain grocery stores. It was very rudimentary, sort of like going to a bank and requesting money from a saving account – no mag card or machine was involved.
The savings and the loan company that pioneered TMS knew that the banking industry would use legal means to shut down this service and that the courts would decide if TMS was legal. The banks claimed that the savings and loan company had not chartered a branch operation through the Banking Dept. of the State of Nebraska, which in their view was required for any money transaction. Not knowing which way the courts would rule the ad agency for the savings and loan company had me do a relatively low cost track rather than purchase a track from the jingle-jungle in Dallas Texas. ATMs are everywhere today so we know how the court ruled. At that time I think I was recoding with my Ampex 440, 4 track recorder (like the Beatles used early on), or an 8 track Ampex 350 deck with 440 electronics. Some of my synthesizer settings for the TMS commercial are written in the back of the user’s guide on blank registration pages. I know some say this is a wimpy synthesizer, but the fact remains that it has that great full Moog sound and it is a quick way to lay down a bass line, banjo track, or a track using any of the other great sounds it will create."
