SQ80 emulating VSTi available

[audiojunkie]

I took the screencap. Yes, this is v0.91 beta, and will probably be released as such unless Sigi fixes anything major before he releases the beta. Sorry about the trouble with the photo link. If anyone wants to go directly there, it is in a Google photo gallery:

http://picasaweb.google.com/wynkoop/SQ8L

Here is the direct download URL:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/wynkoop/SD7FRjNadz ... pg?imgdl=1

EDIT:

R.E. A Possible Release Date:
No firm day on this, but you'll probably have it in your hands within a couple weeks, assuming nothing weird happens, like a new bug or Sigi gets abducted by aliens. The beta runs quite stably for me, and is still very VERY light on resources.

--Mark

Great news!!! Only two weeks to go!!! Thanks for accomodating all of us!

--Sean

[maxmace]

Siegfried Kullmann is the developer and real hero. All I did was get his permission to post this info. I am the same kind of eager and grateful SQ8L user as the rest of you.

Of course while you are waiting you could go to my band name blog and kill some time (and some brain cells).

--Mark

[MarsHottentot]

Huh Whuh?
I juust -JUST- downloaded the 2007 update! What a weird coincidence!!

[djsubject]

more updates to come


Subz

[nasenmann]

Man, I'm really enjoying this thing. I never bothered too much about looking into the synths of the 80's, but it turns out that this wavetable sound is right up my alley. It just strikes the perfect balance between cheesyness and character.

Here's a stupid dance thingy I threw together, about half of the synths are SQ8L.

http://www.tindeck.com/audio/filestore/ ... 0oontz.mp3

I sure love that slap bass patch


Big thanks to the programmer!

[DuX]

Those direct access buttons look sweeet! Now it's even more like real SQ80.

Excellent news! Thanks!

[maxmace]

nasenmann, enjoyed that track. What is the big PWM sound at the very beginning?

Good bass performance, BTW. Too many demos have by-the-number, uncreative bass work, but this stands out as excellent.

--Mark

[zerocrossing]

I tried some of the preset links on the site and they all came up as 404 errors. Anyone want to point me to where I might find them?

Mark

[nasenmann]

Cheers max!

The intro sound is just the 'instant strings' factory preset + chorus.
It's actually the same sound I used for the string hookline.

[Yagushi]

It just strikes the perfect balance between cheesyness and character.

I totally agree with you. The immensely stupendous character of the synth keeps the cheese factor from overriding the whole sound.

BTW I really dig the track you posted. You mentioned that half of the synths are SQ8L... would you mind giving us the lowdown on what's what?


@maxmace: If Siegfried's not going to charge for this next update, will he at least be accepting PayPal donations or something?

[Mad Jack]

I tried some of the preset links on the site and they all came up as 404 errors. Anyone want to point me to where I might find them?

Mark

Yagushi bumped this post for me many moons ago... The link still appears to work.

Or you could just DL the set of banks I've already converted and weeded through, posted earlier in this thread. It's quite exhaustive and comprehensive on everything available via the net, with no bank dupes, and very few preset dupes.

SQ8L Banks

edit: Included link....Also much appreciation goes to tomg for his early work on this effort

[MarsHottentot]

SHWEET!!

[maxmace]

If Siegfried's not going to charge for this next update, will he at least be accepting PayPal donations or something?

I have told him several times he is crazy. I think even the first free beta had the essential character down. Even though it didn't run on a couple hosts, it already had more power than 90% of free VSTs (and many for-pay VST's!). With the new graphical interface, that power is no logger hidden.

I think Sigfried hopes that you just go ahead and purchase the (imminent) SQ8X, which will have all the commercial bells and whistles they strap onto other vintage re-creations. It is my understanding that the price-point will be attractive, so there is really no reason not to get it, considering you've already paid more for other tools you'll use a lot less. I have seen parts of the SQ8X, so it really is coming, folks!

When some of you mention the "cheese" factor--it IS there if you just set the wave to "piano" (or similar) and pass it through the signal path essentially unchanged. --Pure 8-bit. But if you use the synth to really SCULPT the sound (which is not 8-bit, but full fidelity), I think you'll be amazed that SQ8L BOTH has its own character, AND is one of the best *chameleon* voice architectures you'll come across. You wouldn't write a DX7 sound for an Oberheim, but the SQ8L can nail BOTH of those for pennies on the dollar, or it can sound like nothing but itself.

I seem like a raving fanboy, and maybe I am, but the ESQ/SQ80 has earned it's place in my setup for almost 20 years, and the rigs of guys like Erik Norlander and Kirk Slinkard. The ESQ was NOT my first hardware synth, but it is one of favorites, and I can't imagine not having a place for it. I even use it in my orchestral stuff. So I'm glad the SQ8L exists so I can share the sounds I love with folks like you!

--Mark

[nasenmann]

BTW I really dig the track you posted. You mentioned that half of the synths are SQ8L... would you mind giving us the lowdown on what's what?

let's see...
SQ8L:
all bass sounds
detuned saw/string sounds (minus the hookline at the end, that one's done with Helix)
lead sound at 0:19
organ
vocal pad at 0:57

The rest is mostly done with TAL-Uno-62 (just seems to complement SQ8L nicely).

I didn't much get into programming the synth really, seems kinda daunting for now. Definitely looking forward to that update!

[MarsHottentot]

God, I am friggin' giddy for this! I've been so busy I haven't tried out that last version. So, Mark, wanna drop any little spoilers in regards to the SQ8X?