Ensoniq • SQ-80

Ensoniq ESQ-1 Image

The SQ-80 is basically a reved-up ESQ-1 with a total of 75 waveforms, a 61-note keyboard with velocity & aftertouch, floppy disk drive for storing patches and sequences, and an enhanced sequencer. Great for organs, analog-type sounds, pads and sound effects. Like the classic ESQ-1, the SQ-80 functions in providing analog-type 4-pole lowpass filtering and editing of digital waveforms. Each voice can combine up to 3 of the 75 waveforms. These waveforms include multi-sampled transient attack waves such as violin bow, plectrum picks, mallet, hammer, breath attacks and percussive sounds. There are also 5 sampled drum sets. Three LFOs are onboard for some pretty wild modulation of the sounds you create or edit. Complete MIDI implementation makes the SQ-80 great for any studio or live use too.

As for playing the SQ-80, it is a dream! Its 61-note keyboard is full, responsive and has polyphonic aftertouch. Polyphonic aftertouch simply means that each key pressed will respond to aftertouch independently of the other keys. The aftertouch can be used to control a variety of modulation parameters such as the LFO. Pitch and mod wheels and plenty of front-panel buttons and a few sliders make accessing and editing fairly easy and hands-on. The keyboard can be split or layered. The pattern-based 8-track multitimbral sequencer is great for creating short to complex sequences live, or in step time with quantization, bounce-able tracks, 60 sequence patterns and 20 songs. And they can be saved to disk along with any patches you've created and any SysEx Midi data. Unfortunately, the SQ-80 has no built-in effects. The SQ-80 is certainly a classic analog/digital hybrid of the late eighties which still holds up well today. It has been used by filmaker/composer John Carpenter.


VISITOR COMMENTS

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ntrsn
Posted 42 days ago
the track BURN MY FLASH is created with the ensoniq sq80
(drums are dr660 + ensoniq dp2 )
CLICK HERE
http://www.myspace.com/ntrsn
Biepang
Posted 67 days ago
@Jimmy: To clarify the statement above, the SQ-80 doesn't contain 5 different drum sets. It has 5 drum set programs, each of which contain the same drum set laid out in 5 different configurations across the keyboard. In addition, each drum sound (Kick 1, Kick 2, Log Drum, Snare, TomTom & Hi Hat) has its own program as well.
JOHN LANGFORD
Posted 69 days ago
Looking to trade sq80 song sequences suitable for small club gigs, wedding receptions, etc, country, top 40, rock n roll, etc. I have about 200 I could trade.
Kirk Slinkard
Posted 214 days ago
(response to Erwin) There is still a lot of support on this great synth at Rainer Buchty's website. Go to the Ensoniq Heaven section and check out all the stuff there. The best possible place to ask tech questions.
http://www.buchty.net/
erwin
Posted 251 days ago
Hallo can someone help me with ideas to replays my backup ensoniq-sq80 battery with an original or some other battery that the keyboard will accept?
 

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