ensoniq ESQ 1 - one of the best hybrids ever
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- Demo of ESQ 1 with wether GFI soecular reverb or GFI clockwork delay. No additional processing but those two pedals (first the reverb, than delay and in the and the reverb).
I used the sounds form the PA-Decoder RAM cartridge and another multi cartridge from different sound banks found in the web. Everything is played live without overdubbing.
There are some nice pianos, later on strings, pads, bass sounds, PPG like glassy sounds, bells and leads in this video.
The ESQ-1 is a very capable hybrid synth with 32 digital waveforms, three oscillators and analog filter. There is also a very rudimentary sequencer. The ESQ-1 is very capable thanks of ring modulator, orc-sync, three LFO and four (!) envelopes. I only lacks effects, but with outboard it sounds stunning. It is possible to make great pianos, quite realistic for that tim in 1987, glassy PPG-like tones, bells, fat sync leads, brass sounds and warm pads.
It really shines and has some resemblance to the SCI Prophet VS I also own and which is my all time favorite hybrid synth.
I just got a wave expansion board with 32 additional waves from PA-Decoder, a german manufacturer, which I will install soon and maybe do another video.
Thanks for watching and see you next time. Cheers!
This was my main work horse since 1986, when I bought it new. Still have it . One of the best synths ever
One of the biggest unsung hero’s of the synthesizer world .
Weren't they pretty popular though? The Korg DSS-1 is underrated as well.
I feel very fortunate to own the now rarer ESQ-M rack module of this truly beautiful 80's hybrid synth. Has such a gorgeous lo-fi digital bite but warm analogue overtones- defo remains a keeper in my studio!! 😎👍🎹🎶🇬🇧🍻
The ESQ-1 has the absolute easiest, most intuitive sequencer ever!
Wow, wellI guess Im gonna try mine now !!
I used the Sequencer on my ESQ-1 back in High School with the expander Cartridge and 3 other Synths. A Yamaha TX81z, Roland MKS50, Korg Poly800. With a Yamaha RX11 Drum machine. I thought it sounded amazing back in the day. Was so much Fun I remember.
The ESQ=1 has been sitting on my studio desk for years as my main midi controller and idea generator and I never plan to get rid of it, such a wonderful synth.
It was my first synth (l'm not a synth head), and it spent over 10yrs in my leaky garage roof, yet after finally giving it a thorough clean the other day, it still works.Amazing! Won't sell it either.
@@caspianderrick2943 😲👍
same
Yes, A good memory of my second synth ever. It was this synth that got me wrapped up in home recording and composing pretty much the kind of music Jean Michel Jarre was doing in that time. It led me into film score. The ESQ1, served well with awesome sounds and the convenient 8 track sequencer. We have come a long way since then with soft synths and DAW's but I think this ESQ1 still does it well as one of the finest retro's
Aside of the versatility of the sounds it offers the 8- track onboard sequencer is a great tool for sketching out ideas. It really is worth a closer look even today.
Fabulous! Outstanding! and thanks for posting. This is my first synthesizer (ESQ-1 metal) I just repaired it (recapped the supply) cleaned up a bunch of dirty/bad key switches and updated the firmware to custom 3.5 (had to get a chi programmer UV/c lamp & all that. I'm am brand new. Just trying to do the simplest things on it and learning the absolute basics about synths. It sat here 14 years before I finally decided to take it all apart and fix it up. If was a gift from a friend that passed away and wanted me to have it when they were gone in 2008. I made good on this for both of us.
Thank you man! Great story about your esq-1
@@vintagesynths Yeah, lovely but super sad story there .... 🙏
This was designed by the guy who did the SID chip for Commodore 64. I'd never heard this synth until recently and realized: oh my gosh, this was used heavily by The Legendary Pink Dots on SO MANY early albums.
Yes very interesting story about this company
The sound chip used in this synth, the Ensoniq ES5503 DOC, was also used in the Apple IIGS computer from 1986. Pretty cool stuff.
I love The Legendary Pink Dots! I am also considering getting one of these since I was interested in getting a workstation and one popped up for sale, locally. Thanks for the info.
Wow, I didn't know that was the same guy. BTW, the ESQ-1 gave Roxette their first international break as Per Gässle got one to learn how to program a synth. From that experiment that actually began as an attempt write something ZZ Top-ish, The Look was born.
And - I believe - the Amiga@@ifeltlikeit64
I have wanted this machine since 1986. Got it 3 months ago and have not been disappointed. Especially pleased with the way it comes apart to be maintained too. :) Thanks for the vid and hope to see more of it soon.
My biggest regret was selling this synth. Weighed a ton, built like a tank, sounded superb :)
The SQ8L freeware synth has become one of my most often used plug-ins over the years. That alone says a lot about the versatility of the ESQ-1 and SQ-80.
Great Plugin.
This Synth is one of the funnest to program because how Easy it is to understand how to program it. It is also laid out very intuitively.
Definitely yes
Glorious sounds!
Best $120 I spent at a local pawn shop about 8yrs ago and it came with a case and 5 cartridge 👍....was shocked no one bought it at full pawn shop price which was $240, I bought on a "half off certain items Day" lol
Hi!
With this wonderful synthesizer, the Swedish super duo of Roxette, created the legendary song "The Look", N°1 in 32 countries in the world, (Record!!..) including USA, and ITALY!!! The sound of the song "The Look" is truly something exceptional, the atmosphere they have managed to create is truly Incredible, even listening to it today one is left speechless!!!
Wow, I didn’t know about that. Thank you for this historical input.
@@vintagesynths
In addition to the song "The Look," ROXETTE used the "Ensoniq ESQ-1," on their entire 1988 "Look Sharp" album, and also used the legendary Yamaha DX7.
😉👍🏻
Wasn't it a SQ80 Instead or a EPS? Id'love a clear answer especially for listen to you heart.
my first 'real' synth back in the late 80's. sadly, it was stolen. but i got a sq80 at a pawn shop and ate ramen noodles for a week to pay for it. amazing synths. 3 oscillators per voice! best sequencer and sound editing layout ever. what a great company. had a couple of mirages, too. stolen! so, got a EPS16+ now. all great instruments. just get them insured, darnit!!
Could not agree more! My fav! Best random Swedish Retrowave producer
Don't forget that the Esq1 can split and layer sounds and do it at the same time!
I was about to put my ESQ-1 on eBay, but after watching your video, I'M KEEPING IT!
I am very happy about it that you didn’t sell it
I want one of those Blue erasable Multi bank Carts. What an awesome thing to have with 16 banks. There is even a bigger one with switches and 48 banks WOW!!! So need one of these.
This sounds great. Hard to justify with a Prophet 12 and Ambika in my studio - but I've always wanted one.
Nice set of sounds
Realy a Great Synth and a very good presentation. ONCE more please with the additional waveforms. 🤟
4:44 that one is cool, and great playing by the way!
I have one too, scored it cheap on eBay years ago.
Regards from France and happy new year to you and your family,
Rene
Thanks and also happy new year for you!
Really nice, had the keyboard too in the 90s but still sounds fresh today!
I have my left mono going into my Hammond A122 preamp, which also feeds a Leslie A122 cabinet, and the right side going into an Ampeg B12XT so now I get Hammond Ball Park Reverb, Leslie boogie tremolo, and Ampeg Vibrato and bass. I balance the two with a passive volume control to the Hammond preamp, so I can control the volume of the Hammond with the expression pedal.
Total class. Nice sounds the re. Liked the choir in particular. Another synth getting harder to find for reasonable cash. Hybrids are my favourite. K3, ESQ, VS - never owned a Korg DW or Microwave 1 though, and they're fair bit now compared to just a few years ago. Even the hybrid samplers with analogue filters are disappearing fast.
Soon I will do a comparison vid of esq-1, K3 and DW-8000. I prefer the esq over all and also over the microwave 1.
@@vintagesynths Really, over the microwave 1? The ESQ-1 is a great machine. I like the Prophet VS best because it just sounds like nothing else, but an ESQ can do a dirty version, the K3 a smoother version. I'm interested in trying a Microfreak, with the PPG waves installed. I'm going to look now.
@@vintagesynths Thanks for the video. There was a time when I was obsessed with digital sound generators with analog filters and at one point had: Korg DW8000, Kawai K3, Ensoniq ESQm, Waldorf Microwave 1 for synths, Korg DSS-1, Ensoniq Mirage, Akai x7000 and S900 for the sampler side, and the Pearl SC-40 for hybrid drum synth.
I sold the Korg DW8000 because I felt it was too static and 'same-y', the Korg DSS-1 has exactly the same filters and can do all of what the DW can do and a lot more.
I sold the K3 because it was too big and brought too little in architecture and sound to the table, one thing I liked to do with it, was to record a sequence rhythmically changing the waveform, so when you played the keys the oscillator would move underneath the evolving envelopes. And finally I sold the ESQm because it is not easy to program from the front panel, the interface is reduced and you need to do A LOT of sideways scrolling to get to the parameters and does not respond smoothly to SYSEX editors so it crashes, whereas in the ESQ-1 everything is button presses away.
People call the DW series, the K3 and the ESQ wavetable synths, but they are not, they have a table of waves for oscillators, but they don't do wavetable scanning, for that reason I kept the Microwave 1 (and the rest of the gear that I mentioned), but wouldn't say no to an ESQ-1 or an SQ-80 because their sound and architecture are amazing!
@@joeltaylor2830 I think "dirtier" because it is 8bit along with an analog filter !!
@@soundlabsounddesign9392 Wavetable is just that, single cycle waveforms for the oscillator. You are referring to wave sequencing like on the Wavestation. I still like the DW8000. The DSS may contain the same sound, but the DW8000 has that awesome Knightrider asthetic no other synth has. Even the totally square keys look amazing. And as far as I know, the DSS has no arp and needs way more menu diving. I don't have it, I do have a DSM that is planned to get 16 channel cutoff-resonance midi control.
I have an SQ-80, damn the ESQ-1 sounds just as good
I have one of these sitting unused in my room since I "rescued" it from a failed memory protect battery replacement.
After watching this I'm going to have another go at replacing the battery, this time getting the polarity right 😕
Then I need to source some patches for it as the factory presets are a bit bland.
Did it work 🤔🤷
Man!!!! After watching alot of synth videos here on CZcams i realised ive owned ALOT of really awesome synths. Bought for nothing and sold for less all because i didnt know what i had. Didnt know what i was doing with any of them. Now that im waaaay more educated ill probably never see the likes again in my hands. Stupid stupid stupid. 😞 blaaah.
Nice, rich, tones...!
You play so beautifully
Thank you so much
Yes, sounds really good
Best synth ever. Period.
...erm, CS80?
The synths of today dont have the sound of these old puppies
That’s true. Most vintage keyboards are too pricy now. But some, like the Esq 1 are affordable and still a better package than a lot of modern stuff for that price
@@vintagesynths Galway Tribesman
What amps are you using man? Unbelievabler sound
@@galwaytribesman9289 no amps at all. Just a nice delay and reverb
@@vintagesynths Can you get a hardware effects maching for the ensoniq for adding delay and chorus. I have an SQ80
@gal get a DP4!
Can the SQ 80 make the same patch as the one at 2:38 ?? Because I will be programming away if so!! Thanks for the fantastic sounds!!
I think so. The sq-80 is basically the same synth with double waveforms.
Wow that’s stunning! Havnt quite got My ESQ-1 to sound any where near this yet😂😂
Have some of the best analog polys of this era and if I could only keep one synth this would be probably be the one. cheap synth does not mean bad, and this one is the best example of it. the specs kills almost every synth of the 80s and 70s.
An awesome synth! Although I noticed one very interesting thing. The Ensoniq ESQ1 has no effects! Dry as a bone. He's using something that is working really well. Probably literally any effects processor is a good addition to this synth.
Yes it is. I’m this video I used GFI clockwork and specular
Also no decent drums either. They tied to modify noise samples to make similated drum sounds. I always midi'd a real drum machine to mine. That at least worked ok.
Good morning . For the Demo, you indicate using a PA-Decoder cartridge as well as another Multi-Cartridge... At 29min26" this chorus pad sound is fabulous (it reminds me of the Prophet VS).. Could you tell me please the name of the patch as well as the origin of the sound bank from which it comes? Thank you in advance.
Where is the "JBELLS" sound ?
Do y have any of the parameter settings for some of these sound patches? The only cool pad I have on mine is the original “SINPAD” patch that was part of the original factory presets. You have some really cool patches here,, especially the first few.
Thanks, unfortunately I don’t remember wich sounds I played in the beginning. But you find trillions of patches in the web
No, you will not. The factory presets should always be there. If you have your owners manual, it will tell you how to reinitilize the unit. If there are any patches in there you want to save, you have to save them through the tape save. I save mine into my Tascam multi track recorder. Again, the manual walks you through this and is very easy to follow. Good luck.
@@holygeneration7 Correct. They should always be there.
Very nice demo, thank you! Could you please tell me how to get in touch with PA-Decoder? I'd love to get additional waveforms
I have one of these in my attic, I bought it new when they came out. The internal battery has hone and lost its seconds. Any advice?
Just change battery and load Sounds via sysex
You will dry out the components in the attic. Move that baby to climate control !
Bonjour super tutoriel je voudrais vous poser une question je fais de la création Music Trance je cherche Roland JP 8000 se qui se rapproche du son un autre clavier merci avance pour votre réponse cordialement french Dj's Masterdaddy K Daniel
I need help. I can get my hands on one for $100 but the battery needs replacing and they said it needs an OS update. Is it still a good buy?
@@Phoniq yes definitely
Hello friend, a question: how can I change the octave of a tone?
Better than a DX7
I agree 💯
I would love to hear sounds with the additional waves you got!
Once I built in the board, I will do. I am just very busy and have no time
Anyone here know how to get some of the Skinny Puppy sounds they used this for? Eg Worlock?? 8:41 seems like a preset to work off? Anyone? Maybe 22:27
Is this PA decoder company still in business? Do they still sell the expansion? Do you have a link or contact info?
They are for very long time out of business. Those components you get only with good luck on eBay
I love my.SQ-80, but the Korg EX 8000 sounds better imo. Mot nearly as flexible as the ESQ, but a better sounding filter.
Where’s a good source to get all these sounds as sysex files ?
Obviously sysex
But for esq1
Hey, do you know or does anyone know if I need to have the cartridges in this for it to work ? I bought one of these but it did not come with any cartridge and there is only around 4 sounds that I can play. Thanks
Without cartridge you have 40 Sounds in 4 banks
@@vintagesynths Thanks, I just found out I have a low battery so that is why everything keeps saying Brass. Do you know the cartridge to buy or where to buy it form ?
@@vintagesynths Hi, I just changed my battery and all the sounds say " brass". Is there a way to fix this, or did I buy a broken keyboard ? Any chance I can pay you to Face time for 5 minutes ? If so, thanks so much
Would you be willing to upload the sysex for the PA Decoder patches? Lovely sounds and playing
Don’t know how to do from the card directly. I don’t want to erase my user patches.
@@vintagesynths couldn't you save your internal memory, transfer the cart and put them back in? They sound great!
@@onionsknight9125 The PA Cart patches can be found here: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TnLe98en_NubA6uXLTpAX2WawZOTBx7c
The PA Cart patches can be found here: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TnLe98en_NubA6uXLTpAX2WawZOTBx7c
@@icecreammm2 thanks
The ESQ1 and SQ80 didn't have built in digital effects but your demo clearly features them.
There are external effects used in this demo
This machine sounds great - it's an analogue filter? The same as on The Mirage? I have an Ensoniq ASR10, it's got a function on it called "synthesise loop", I wonder if that uses the same algorithm as in Ensoniq's wavetable synths?
Yes it is an analogue filter. I don't know the Mirage, but I suppose to that it is the same. I don't know the wavetable synths either. The Waveforms in the ES!-1 are static, like in the Korg DW series or in the KAWAI K-3. There are no wavetables in the ESQ-1.
@@vintagesynths ahh, I thought it was one of their "Transwave" machines
PLEASE tell me more qbout the wave expander card from PA-Decoder! I didnt know that existed.
That is very rare and made by a german small Company. Just Google It. Very view Info in the Internet
@@vintagesynths i did google it. yea its unobtanium.
is this Synth just pads?
….Quantum?? Oh …. 😉
Thnx 4 the demo.... but cheap reverb deteriorate the whole sound
Sadly is 8bit machine
The Esq1 was probably the worst synth I ever owned. Never got it to sit right in a mix. Ever. Bought it from new and made a big loss on it when I sold it a couple of years later. There’s a reason why this synth was forgotten…
Really? I think it’s one of the best hybrid synths
Whaaaat ???
Need to review your mixing skills mate maybe it' just not for you. Mixing and playing are not the same package. Not everyone have both nothing bad there.
Are you kidding! It’s a great synth. I still gig with mine. It’s awesome!
sounds cheap
LOL
8 bit waveforms ever heard of the commodore c64 sid chips 6581 and 8580?
@@chinossynthesizer705 ya. i don't like it...sounds like crackling chips
@@richiedon9133 analog sounds like shet then fm synthesis is better and more versatile
@@chinossynthesizer705 ya FM is good...then again, to each their own. for me , it's how it sits in the mix...this synth sits nowhere. it's garbage but it's good for collectors who's got a decent paying day job
Boring
Where is the JBELLS sound ?