YAMAHA VSS SERIES SAMPLE
GRINDER MODS: £65
The yamaha VSS series were strange beasts. They came in three versions, the VSS30, VSS200 and VSS100. Essentially the VSS200 and 100 appeared to be other PSS series keyboards with a sampling section strapped on, where as the VSS30 seems to have actually been designed as a sampling keyboard (possibly as an answer to casios SK1 and SK5) and as such it is the best sounding of the three. The VSS30 sampling has a mysterious 'bastard hard' crunching 8-bit sound about it that gives drum loops an almost magical quality. As a result they are the most expensive of the range, sometimes fetching insane prices secondhand.
These mods are only applicable to the VSS200 and the VSS30. We have yet to find a way to iimplement these mods on a VSS100.
MODS INCLUDE:
14 way main patchbay: More information and details of our patchbay mods can be found HERE. Having a patchbay on a Yamaha VSS Is rather like having a stack of VST plug-ins built into a lo-fi sampler. As every connection produces a different effect you end up with a vast number sample grinding options available. Anything from sinister delayed time stretching sounds and distorted fuzz-fests to chopped up random loops and beats that sound like they've been through a major Recycle session.
 |
 |
Patchbay connections can be made before or after sampling for different effects and you'll often find that sampling over the top of a previous sample with connections in place will result in the two samples being cut and spliced together in bizarre ways. The patchbay on these machines only effects the sampled sounds.
The patchbay also includes 2 X Patchable switches and 2 X 3 way Patching multiples for a huge range of extra percussion grinding possibilities.
Click on the demo's below for mp3's of what these mods can do.
VSS200 COLD CATHODE LAMPS: £35
This mod is only available for the VSS200. It simply installs two 12" cold cathode lamps above and below the main patchbay area. The lamps can be turned on and off using a switch on the back of the machine.
 |
 |
In order to actually run the cathode tubes you will need a power supply capable of delivering a minimum of 700ma at 12 volts. This means that the PSU that you are currently using will probably need to be replaced. The VSS will still run on a lower rated supply with the lamps turned off.
You can choose the colour of the tubes from any that we are able to get hold of. Probably green, red, pink, blue, white or purple, just ask and we'll see what we can do. We are willing to use UV tubes but bear in mind that you will be looking at the screen a lot and staring at a UV tube for any length of time can be more than a little unpleasant.