Yamaha SK-30 | Imaginary Video Game Soundtrack

video by MIDERA

0:00​ Sunset After Rain
5:50​ Maps and Dungeons
9:30​ Ice Caverns
14:10​ Wanderings
18:00​ Chrysalis

"Just a bit of fun using the SK-30 to create an imaginary soundtrack to... a video game? I came up with some titles, but I’ll admit it was late at night when I did all of this, now my right eye is incredibly bloodshot.

Maybe it’s the novelty of the SK-30. Normally I write and write and write with a new piece of gear (I did this with the Moog Matriarch too), and soon enough it’ll wear off and I’ll move on - maybe that’s just part of being human, or maybe I will continue to find great value in the SK-30. Something I really do value here (and could possibly do with other gear, but don’t) is just how easy it is to write music with, all by itself. It just works, of course, my keyboard skills leave a lot to be desired (I mess up plenty here, unfortunately, as this would have been fun to put into an album).

These tracks ONLY USE the organ and the monosynth. I still find the organ to be a pretty fun little part of it, surprisingly. I don’t understand organs at all, or why there are tones at regular and fraction intervals, but they’re all cool in different ways.

Eventide Space and Strymon El Capistan used for FX."

Yamaha SK-30 demos by MIDERA

Yamaha SK-30 symphonic keyboard film soundtrack demo

video by MIDERA

"Maybe I’m crazy - but I think this is one of the most interesting instruments I’ve ever played. The paraphonic parts don’t really subtract anymore, they’re interesting and just do different things (I originally recorded a part really digging into that, but it didn’t sound good because of my playing skills so I gave up on it).

I’m honestly shocked about how little this is talked about. The aftertouch is phenomenal and one of my favorite parts. To be able to play a pad AND an expressive mono part is really just a lot of fun.

What, there’s like two threads on GS about the SK series? Like. Nothing. This is not a legendary instrument. It just looks like one. Whatever, it made it obtainable by me, which I’ll take I guess.

Yeah I know I’ve smothered it in reverb and delay, but I just don’t care. I think it sounds good either way, I just prefer it with FX. You can find other demos without it if you must.

Anyway, I just got carried away. The first 4 minutes aren’t actually that good or interesting anyway. At the end is where I ended up having the most fun, throwing the mono part into “hold” mode.

What an all around fantastic string synthesizer. I’ve realized even the SK-20 must be interesting because you can almost treat the paraphonic poly synth part as a lead at times, and then it can also do pads... but I still think the SK-30 is the one to go with.

Ok, I’m out."

Yamaha SK-30 demos by MIDERA

Yamaha SK-30 | Once upon a life

video by MIDERA

"Yamaha SK-30 through an Eventide Space and Strymon El Capistan.

It's a limited instrument. But I like it. I really enjoy the organ and the monosynth, almost the two best parts of it. Here, the organ is playing along the entire keyboard, so it's played alongside the lead. They just sound so good together.

I thought I wouldn't like this... after reading that all voices in the polysynth engine shared 1 VCF (filter), I was certain this wasn't a keeper. This was something to throw out a week later.

I think I was wrong. It probably won't get into my main rig, but I'll place it meaningfully in my studio as an instrument, like my drums or guitar.

It's got a soul. It helps me write what I'm feeling. And for that, I like it."

Yamaha SK-30 demos by MIDERA

Yamaha SK-30 | Dreams in Prague

video by MIDERA

follow-up to this post

"Day 2 I think. Well, third day. I mean - technically I got it on Friday? So spanning 3 days, but less than 24 hours. Anyway.

Maybe this was more fun to play than it will be to listen. Only way to find out is to see how many little smiters come out to smite me with their dislikes. They're cute.

Monosynth - Ok, that's the part of this that I think really makes this instrument stick out. I mentioned in my previous video (or the comments) - the SK-20 just doesn't seem that interesting, since it contains everything minus the monosynth. The SK-50 has, what, a second keyboard? Crazy. That seems huge. And apparently it lacks the mixer section... but that must be wrong. I can see it in the photos. Anyway, it's too big. The SK-30 is too big too, but it's got a cool look to it.

Where was I? The Monosynth section, yes. Ok - aftertouch on the monosynth is really fantastic. I use it here with "brillance" which like, opens up the filter? At least that's what it sounds like. Really really love how it sounded here. It was also mixed with the organ and sometimes strings to make it stand out.

I like playing a nice 'pad' sound on the lower octaves and then use the mono part for a lead, because I'm not a good keyboardist and couldn't use the monosynth for bass - although it would be wonderful with that if I was capable. Others are no doubt.

I had a lovely conversation with someone about the Yamaha SK-30 versus the Korg Trident, a synth I have longed for for quite a while. The Trident wins as a polysynth because it has 8 voices, each able to articulate with the filter (it has 1 filter per voice, unlike the SK-30 which has 1 filter for all voices). Still - they seem different, the two synths. The SK-30 with it's monosynth for leads on top of pads, seems like it makes sense to me. But obviously, given the two, I'd go for the Trident. If only because it looks cooler, but also I suppose because it has MIDI kits available and that polysynth section seems worth it. Anyway -

Monosynth. That to me is where this shines. I probably would have (within days) gotten rid of the SK-30 if it weren't for that 1VCO SOLO section.

Now, if only I could figure out how to make it sound in tune when using the Analog keys to sequence that... Right now, it works, but it's waaaaay out of tune. Maybe I'll figure it out some day.

Eventide Space used for reverb."

Yamaha SK-30 | The Ambient Organ

video by MIDERA

"Yeah... So I picked up a Yamaha SH-30.

It's big.

Very big. And heavy.

It probably was not the smartest idea to get this, as I literally have no room for it. But did it intrigue me? Yes. It did.

It's got 4 different parts. A monosynth engine, an organ, a 'string synthesizer', and a 'polyphonic' synth section (which is a lie, it's actually paraphonic, but there is a bandpass filter setting which is cool).

The monosynth part has aftertouch (but only on the 'SOLO' section - but that makes sense because the 'Manual Bass' section was meant to be like for a foot pedal? I don't know. I don't use organs or foot pedal bass things. But aftertouch is cool anyway on that part. The monosynth engine is AWESOME. I think the SK-30 is worth it for that alone.

The organ section - used here - is kinda cool too. Good for ambient stuff mixed with FX. Which is what I did. El Capistan and Eventide Space mixed. I wanted to bring in other things, but I didn't do it. Anyway, pretty basic, no real ADSR (organ's usually don't anyway?), but it does allow you to have sustain and decay. That's cool.

The string section doesn't seem to have a dedicated section on the front panel. I think it also uses the Poly-synth section, but it's not that interesting to me. Mixed with the poly-synth section IS COOL.

So... the Polysynth section. I'll admit that when I agreed to buy it - or had committed, was prior to when I realized the Poly Synth section was PARAPHONIC, meaning all the sounds go through a single filter. That sucks. But yeah, it sounds pretty good anyway, but nothing to write home about. If this had actually a proper poly synth egine, I'd probably be over the moon with this synth.

As it stands, I'd say the best part is the monosynth engine. Also cool is the ability to mix all these parts. Mixing the monosynth with the other parts can give it a much fuller and interesting sound for the monosynth. You could probably just mix a mono and a poly synth to get a better effect, I'm not actually sure. That said, it's really beautifully made.

If I were to rate it after one day of use, and not being someone interested in organs or string synthesizers - well, I think that would be unfair. It doesn't really 'sing' to me yet. And it might not either. Being that it's too big for my studio, I am hesitent to grow attached to it.

That monosynth engine is beautiful though - I should probably look up what else uses that VCO, because it's good. Funny that here I am gushing over the mono when all I used here was the Organ part alone, hehe. I guess that's just the way I am. I'm not really good at coming up with interesting mono sounds, because... what am I going to actually do? Anyway... more to come, surely."