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.

41 VISITOR COMMENTS

Carl

May 10, 2012 @ 5:38 am

Yes, u n i q u e sound design possibilities. Not an all in one box. Great for Industrial FX, strings, leadsound. Needs to be explored to get full potential, though. realtime tweaks would be fantastic. Mine is a tricky beast with a couple of flaws. Nevermind. Still you may get this for a bargain since it still a secret weappon. so grab yourself a rare and raw sounding synth.

Daniel

April 28, 2012 @ 10:18 pm

Seriously looking to purchase mint/near mint/excellent condition SQ-80. Please contact me if you have one ready to go.

Ricardo

March 25, 2012 @ 12:19 pm

Ken whats your contact info? Iam interested.

Erik Crestwood

March 19, 2012 @ 12:52 pm

Keep your eyes on eBay under the Musical Instrument section; there is someone there that is selling a custom made 16-Bank ROM Cartridge for the ESQ1, ESQm and SQ80.

It contains ALL 11-banks of the Factory Sounds PLUS 5-additional sound banks.

Amazing that this keyboard is still so popular.

I guess the best way to check eBay is to search on 16-Bank ESQ Cartridge in the Musical Instruments section.

Kinda a neat idea.

The last one that sold was under eBay item # : 230760068820






Thanks, now I have to go bidding on one myself!

Ken

March 9, 2012 @ 2:55 pm

I have an SQ80 in perfect condition that I could be talked into selling.

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