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YAMAHA Portasound PSS-390
2-OP FM with Sliders

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About

YAMAHA Portasound PSS-390 is an editable 2-Operator FM synthesizer with parameter sliders.


YAMAHA Portasound PSS-390 (1990)

PSS-390 Overview

8 polyphonic, 2-OP FM synthesizer.
2 presets can be layered. As some presets are made of 2 set of 2-OP FM, up to 4 sounds can be layered.
100 Presets can be edited with 7 sliders for spectrum, modulation depth, attack, decay, release, vibrato and volume. The sliders are stepped - no continuous tweaking.
The operator seems to have multiple waveforms (as in PSS-680), and the envelope seems to be loopable.
PCM drum machine and auto accompaniment are available.
49 Mini keys and stereo speakers. No MIDI.

Sound Examples

Here are .mp3 sound examples of PSS-390. The demos are recorded without external effects. Overdub is used where indicated.

Multi-track demo

2 tracks overdubbed (323KB)
4 tracks overdubbed (231KB)
5 tracks overdubbed (270KB)

Single sounds

EG loop (118KB)
Metal (174KB)
Dual layer eats polyphony (259KB)
Digital noise (25KB)
Whistle with sliders (129KB)
Guitar release (93KB)
Strings (231KB)
Auto obsession (205KB)

Here are demos recorded with YAMAHA FX500 multi-effects. Overdub is used where indicated.

Multi-track demo

4 tracks overdubbed (421KB)
3 tracks overdubbed (353KB)
3 tracks overdubbed (1.1MB)
4 tracks overdubbed (572KB)

Single sounds

Dist seq (150KB)
Saw (347KB)
Cuba (463KB)
Swing (259KB)
Delay Bell (287KB)
Attack (192KB)
Cello (195KB)
EP (179KB)
Brass (419KB)
Mother (225KB)
Loop pad (301KB)
Dist bell (324KB)
Bell (231KB)
Guitar (219KB)
Early Ref (456KB)
Flange (452KB)
Techno pattern (416KB)
Steel (274KB)
Timpani (273KB)
Dist drums (411KB)

 

Related Models

Many Portasound series in the 80s used 4-waveform version of 2-OP FM synthesizer (called OPL2), and some had editability. PSS-680 is the workstation version with ten-key editing interface (no slider). It has MIDI, analog chorus, drum pads and a pitch bender. Using System Exclusive, all the FM paramteres can be edited.
Unfotunately, slider-editable PSSs have no MIDI, and MIDI SysEx is only supported in PSSs without sliders.

YAMAHA PSS-680 (1989)

YAMAHA TG33 is the highest-end of the 2-OP FM synth series. It has 8-waveform version of 2-OP FM, 12-bit PCM engine, vector synthesis and a reverb unit.

YAMAHA TG33 (1990)

Though not closely related, YAMAHA DX200 is a rare FM synth editable with knobs.

YAMAHA DX200 (2001)

 

Links

YAMAHA Manual Library .pdf files
legoluft PSS-390 circuit bending .mp3 demo - a must see
Future: Komp Songs made with PSS-680
Scott's Synth Pages YAMAHA PSS-570 - another slider-editable FM synth: info and demos

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3.22.2007