Vintage Synth Explorer

Novation • BassStation Keyboard

Before the famous Novation BassStation Rack module came the small and portable BassStation Keyboard! Basically a 2-octave keyboard with a BassStation rack built-in. This synthesizer uses analog sound emulation to reproduce the sounds of a monophonic 2-VCO analog synthesizer with the same simple and intuitive controls via 17 knobs, 10 switches and 2 Moog-style pitch/mod wheels.

The BassStation can faithfully reproduce analog bass sounds just like a TB-303, Minimoog or Prophet synthesizer. The small keyboard and monophonic architecture set this keyboard up for strict bassline or lead synth lines. It also transmits MIDI continuous controller data for its pitch/mod wheels, frequency cutoff, resonance, filter modulation depth, env1 attack, decay and env2 attack and decay.

Unlike the Rack version, however, the keyboard lacks basic patch storage options. There are only 7 memory patches and 1 manual patch (what the knobs are doing right now). The memory can be stored externally using MIDI SysEx dumps. But for the low price (under $500) this makes a great and compact analog bass synth for any user with simple but tasteful bass needs. It is used by Apollo 440 and Lo Fidelity AllStars.

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Posting Rules: Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

 

Kyle

Posted 158 days ago

Hey Prophet, I have to disagree! I think this is a great little synth and I have had it for about 12 years and it's always worked a treat, no bad pots here! I have a Moog Voyager (amongst others) too but I still find really fat or weird useable sounds from this plastic gem from time to time. I think one of the best things about it is the speed that it takes, it's so simple!

Steve E

Posted 184 days ago

i would have to agree with prophet down there however what he failed to mention was the possibility of midiing the headphones into the back and having a phase shift controller capability. the notes sound awesome, especially the high e, which i use a lot, a lot. i think the vcf is great it helps work the korg vocorder i have (rack mount of course) and i can sound just like oghr. my only complaint is it tends to stay in the band basement a lot because my place is so small. it does not meow it sounds like a jupiter except the jupiter is a little bigger. casios [beep] only bassstations get you norwegian young girls. XD http://www.myspace.com/idiosynchratic

Prophet

Posted 203 days ago

Having a Juno 60 & a Prophecy to compare it to, I'd say steer clear of the 'Bass?' Station if you want usable bass & lead sounds. OTOH it's a great little midi controller, as long as the cheap pots don't break (and they will). After having the volume knob break from light use on my rack & the calc. control pad working only when pushed hard, I wasn't sad to see it go. The Bass station can produce some cool random blips & blops but it wants to make meow noises. About the filter. Some of the older actual analog synths can produce wide ranges of sound using the filter & envelopes, this synth OTOH has one of the weakest VCF I've ever heard (and it steps), I'd place it somewhere above the VCF on the Casio HT-700 & just slightly below the Korg Poly 800. If you've heard either of those synths you have a pretty good idea of what's in store for you.

Clock Carlos 147

Posted 257 days ago

This replaced my Juno. Nothing so small and cheap ha so much bass and squelch and zip. Payed only 290 euro for mine.

DJ Dupiex

Posted 265 days ago

This is one of my all time favourites. Great for phat and funky bubbling gurgling analogue sounds. If anyone likes the sounds of Vitalic or Mr Oizo, this is the synth for you.

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