@@Tiger.Arcade I have given away 2 original Stylophones in the past. One to a friend in Tulsa - guitarist/drummer. He played with it but parked it on a shelf. And one to my brother - who had some piano training. He used to like his bigger Casio electronic pianos. My brother piddled around with it and I guess sold it on eBay.
I sent out the basic stylophone to all my friends and families kids for Christmas one year. I do love them even if they are hard to use praticly for making music you are recording, but when you do they are amazing additions
I spent time learning to play Telstar on a standard Stylophone… I swore I’d never use one again, however.. There’s now a possibility of a Theremin version.. It might take me longer to master Telstar on that…👍
Though you know this already, I would have like mentioning in the video that, it's worth noting the X1 envelope generator does control the filter too, but you need to use the cutoff knob to control the intensity of its effect. Great video.
Thanks man! A great demo of all 3 Stylos with descriptions and examples. Still can't decide- I want to get one for my 14 year old nephew for his birthday. Maybe I'll get two- the Beat and the S1. But the Gen X1 looks very fun! I don't know.
Ok. Being Gen Xer, I'm going to buy the GenX model right now! This is the 3rd time you've gotten me to buy a cool little synth. I'm adding the drum one on there, too!😅
I have the bowie edition and seeing they finally did the stylophone beat made me get back to my obssesion in the stytophone syntetizors, and i think seriously geting back into the world and know buy the gen x1 and the beat😅
Amazon has a bundle right now with those three plus the OG in pink and I’m putting it on my X-mas list so my mother-in-law might get it for me! If I say it’s also for the kids, I’m more likely to get it, right?
Sounds like I should go for the S-1 since I have a massive amount of guitar pedals and a MIDI controller and DAW with a lot of VST plugins. I have to wonder what the S-1 would sound like going into a Boss SY-1 Synth pedal. Hmmmm...
Few days ago I had a friend see a stylophone and what you can do with it. He liked it, but didn't show any interest apart from the "novelty". This, and surely a few more reasons, makes me say that this instrument is not for musicians/people who do music. This instrument is made for those who likes sounds, and how to mess with them. I myself played and messed a lot with the Alchemy lab back in the days, which I miss a lot, and the stylophone was that gadget that I would loved to have in those moments you yourself, and myself, wanted a quick personalized sound. I struggled to buy a basic synth to make it, but it was not the same.
I’ve seen many people use these in music. Just takes practice and layering in a daw. I’ve watched videos of some using it for one thing like the pitch strip for drops or it’s built in fx and filter to run things through it for the Gen x-1. The beat is great for people just live jamming. Wish it had clock sync! Love the classic sounds though. Can’t argue with the prices for some tinkering fun. The s-1 is fun for simple leads or running fx through it. Also nostalgic piece. Again, they each have something great about them. Are they for serious musicians or just toys? That’s up to the user to decide. 🤷♂️
@@Tiger.Arcade yeah, I feel you... And yeah, I've seen many people do covers or even full songs just on stylophone, that's why I can't understand most of people who like to make music but don't like this, apart from the novelty. My friend is a guitar lover, that's why I said it like so. Back in the AlchemyLab days I would had definitelly used it, maybe not for all the sound pads like these UA-cam beast do directly with video edit, but certainly as a lead or a base, even as background. The posibilities it offers for electronic sounds, being that portable and easy to use, are enormous. As you well said, and thank you for the answer, it's my humble (maybe not so) oppinion. Like the PC, the usefulness comes with the user.
Which one has the most polyphony or are they all one voice. Can you create and control two or more zones for example left and right hands controlling pitch and volume of two sounds?
You’ll get the most diversity out of the gen x-1. It’s not polyphonic as none of them can play chords or more than one note at a time. However, you can add depth and tweak your sounds more with all of the knobs. One hand can tweak the sound while the other uses the stylus. You can utilize the -1 and -2 buttons to layer your sound down octaves for more depth.
great content! its possible play Stylophone without the chromatic 12 division? I’m looking for some synth that can play microtonal like a Otamatone. I’m between Stylophone and korg duo. thanks
Got given a gen x1, no music knowledge, can and how can it be tuned with a free phone app, or do i have to buy a digital pocket tuner? Basically how can a noob tune it?
It is and I’ll say why. A synthesizer has an oscillator or something that generates an audio signal that can be modulated or controlled in some form or another. The s-1 has vibrato, you can change its pitch and control its octaves. Therefore, it is a synthesizer by definition.
@@Tiger.Arcade By your definition, sure. Too bad it is incorrect. Now, I don't want to come off as rude or patronizing, so I kindly invite you to read the following explanation (warning: kinda long, sorry): Synthesizer. The name says it. The etymology means "place together". An electronic sound synthesizer is literally a device that allows you to "put sound together" or, in other words, it allows the user to author timbre. That is a fundamental requirement. An electrophone that generates sound, lets you select different octave ranges and even add vibrato to the resulting signal is still not a synth. Not yet. Because so far, you have only modulated the pitch of the sound, not the timbre. If, on the other hand, the instrument does give you control of the WAVEFORM, the harmonic content of the sound, then that is indeed a synthesizer. And anything goes, additive, subtractive, wavefolders, waveshapers, wavetables, vector synthesis, granular, AM, FM, physical modelling.. you name it. But in all these cases, the instrument allows you to control the timbre of the sound. That's why the S-1 is not a synth. It is an electrophone, sure, but you can't change its waveform in any way. It's also why a basic Theremin is not a synth, if it only gives you control over pitch and amplitude. The Gen X-1 though, thanks to its filter (and with a bit of ingenuity also its echo circuit) is a synthesizer, yes, since you can actually control the harmonic content of its sound. In fairness, Dubreq (the company behind the Stylophone range of products) isn't really helping here, since they are advertising the S-1 as the "original pocket synthesizer". But, as it stands, it isn't one. Anyway, sorry fo the long post. And I apologize if my tone seemed in any way condescending. I just feel like, as a community, we should use proper definitions whenever we talk about these intruments we love. Especially for newcomers, who have it hard enough as it is haha ;) By the way, nice video. Good overview.
@@Tiger.ArcadeI could be totally wrong but I don’t see those appealing to many people. With their limitations and all. The kind of thing you get, use for a month and then put away or try and sell. Again…I could be wrong and they’re just not for me. I mean I guess the prices are good for what you get. The x1 sounds alright. Idk seems like a lot of extra plastic. Are volcas all plastic?
It’s a synthesizer. You can trust me on that. Organ was a name given to it originally since it was a more familiar name for its sound. It’s now referred to as a pocket synthesizer.
@@Tiger.Arcade No, trust me. the S-1 is an organ. Not trying to be pedantic, but it is *not* a 'synthesiser'! I'm English and I grew up with Stylophones! I once owned the Stylophone 350S which was a precursor to the Gen X-1, and even though more complex than the S-1, the 350S was still an organ. The term 'synthesiser' means to create a wide variety of tones- mostly those that emanate from an orchestra and beyond. The Gen X-1 certainly *is* a synthesiser, albeit a limited one. The Stylophone S1 otoh is only capable of one tone, a sawtooth wave. it doesn't synthesise anything apart from to produce the sound of a bumblebee, and with vibrato, a bumblebee with Parkinson's disease!! One sound. It's an organ. Nothing to prevent you plugging it into Eurorack (or even a more basic waa-waa pedal) and messing with the sound, but it is still only a rudimentary sawtooth with a very basic vibrato effect. Even the Vox Continental would do a better job, and that really *is* an organ!!
@@tomfenn7149 It is a sythnesizer. Organs are polyphonic. This synthesizer is monophonic, as was common with early synths. Organs have always been polyphonic. If UA-cam allowed the posting of links, I’d post you a link to an article on Synthesizer Wiki that describes the difference. I’m sure you know how to use Google to do your own research. The manufacturer also identifies is as a synthesizer.
Thanks!
Thank YOU Michael Bruchas! Means a lot. ✌️❤️
@@Tiger.Arcade I have given away 2 original Stylophones in the past. One to a friend in Tulsa - guitarist/drummer. He played with it but parked it on a shelf. And one to my brother - who had some piano training. He used to like his bigger Casio electronic pianos. My brother piddled around with it and I guess sold it on eBay.
@@michaelbruchas6663 not for everyone and many don’t see their potential beyond toys.
I sent out the basic stylophone to all my friends and families kids for Christmas one year. I do love them even if they are hard to use praticly for making music you are recording, but when you do they are amazing additions
The gen x-1 and beat offer the most in terms of playability and features for sure
I own an S1 and am getting a beat in a day or 2, Im excited
👏👏👏
With all those features it would have been cool if they could squeeze a waveform selection for sine wave, sawtooth, square, and triangle.
As an X-1 owner that is a shame especially considering the LFO has square and triangle wave options. Could be modified in perhaps?
I spent time learning to play Telstar on a standard Stylophone…
I swore I’d never use one again, however..
There’s now a possibility of a Theremin version..
It might take me longer to master Telstar on that…👍
Interesting comparative review, nice and honest. Thanks.
Thank you!
Cool, this video helped me decide to ask for an S-1 and Beat for Christmas, looks like it will be fun 😀
Woo hoo! You’re gonna have fun ✌️
I got lucky and found a like new orphaned S-1 at Goodwill. Paid $15 and having fun with it.
Though you know this already, I would have like mentioning in the video that, it's worth noting the X1 envelope generator does control the filter too, but you need to use the cutoff knob to control the intensity of its effect.
Great video.
Thanks man! A great demo of all 3 Stylos with descriptions and examples. Still can't decide- I want to get one for my 14 year old nephew for his birthday. Maybe I'll get two- the Beat and the S1. But the Gen X1 looks very fun! I don't know.
That’s probably a good choice. X-1 may be too complicated starting out.
Love the hair
Ok. Being Gen Xer, I'm going to buy the GenX model right now!
This is the 3rd time you've gotten me to buy a cool little synth.
I'm adding the drum one on there, too!😅
That’s awesome! You’re gonna love it! Thanks for the support. ✌️
Now I really wanna get the Stylophone X-1 Just got the S-1 and the Beat, really fun
Got to get them all, and looper. And lots of batteries for outdoor jamming🤔
All of the stylophones are right for me...especially if u hook them all up
i just wish there was one that was like about 3 octaves long
I have the bowie edition and seeing they finally did the stylophone beat made me get back to my obssesion in the stytophone syntetizors, and i think seriously geting back into the world and know buy the gen x1 and the beat😅
You can also kinda "tune" the bass on the Beat by winding the stylus clockwise/counter clockwise on the pad!
Amazon has a bundle right now with those three plus the OG in pink and I’m putting it on my X-mas list so my mother-in-law might get it for me! If I say it’s also for the kids, I’m more likely to get it, right?
Oh! And the theremin is now available for pre-order and I so badly want that one too, please. Thanks!😂
Great video dude ✌️❤
Thank you!
Sounds like I should go for the S-1 since I have a massive amount of guitar pedals and a MIDI controller and DAW with a lot of VST plugins. I have to wonder what the S-1 would sound like going into a Boss SY-1 Synth pedal. Hmmmm...
Going to need a video with the new drone stylophone 🤩☺️🤯
Oh totally and the theremin! I’ll be getting them all.
Few days ago I had a friend see a stylophone and what you can do with it. He liked it, but didn't show any interest apart from the "novelty".
This, and surely a few more reasons, makes me say that this instrument is not for musicians/people who do music. This instrument is made for those who likes sounds, and how to mess with them.
I myself played and messed a lot with the Alchemy lab back in the days, which I miss a lot, and the stylophone was that gadget that I would loved to have in those moments you yourself, and myself, wanted a quick personalized sound. I struggled to buy a basic synth to make it, but it was not the same.
I’ve seen many people use these in music. Just takes practice and layering in a daw. I’ve watched videos of some using it for one thing like the pitch strip for drops or it’s built in fx and filter to run things through it for the Gen x-1. The beat is great for people just live jamming. Wish it had clock sync! Love the classic sounds though. Can’t argue with the prices for some tinkering fun. The s-1 is fun for simple leads or running fx through it. Also nostalgic piece. Again, they each have something great about them. Are they for serious musicians or just toys? That’s up to the user to decide. 🤷♂️
@@Tiger.Arcade yeah, I feel you...
And yeah, I've seen many people do covers or even full songs just on stylophone, that's why I can't understand most of people who like to make music but don't like this, apart from the novelty. My friend is a guitar lover, that's why I said it like so. Back in the AlchemyLab days I would had definitelly used it, maybe not for all the sound pads like these UA-cam beast do directly with video edit, but certainly as a lead or a base, even as background. The posibilities it offers for electronic sounds, being that portable and easy to use, are enormous.
As you well said, and thank you for the answer, it's my humble (maybe not so) oppinion. Like the PC, the usefulness comes with the user.
Which one has the most polyphony or are they all one voice. Can you create and control two or more zones for example left and right hands controlling pitch and volume of two sounds?
You’ll get the most diversity out of the gen x-1. It’s not polyphonic as none of them can play chords or more than one note at a time. However, you can add depth and tweak your sounds more with all of the knobs. One hand can tweak the sound while the other uses the stylus. You can utilize the -1 and -2 buttons to layer your sound down octaves for more depth.
All of them? All of them!
Yep. And looper, lots of batteries for outdoor playing. I have old Zoom g1 multieffect and Boss micro BR 4 track recorder.
I said screw it and got all 3 😂
Beat 🥁
Will you be checking out the new Thermin Stylophone?
💯yes!
3:02 well that's unfortunate that it still has Rolf Harris on the box
That was not a current box. They do not include that individual.
You know you can clip on that Lavalier mic, right?
Very much so. First time trying it out and difficult to monitor. Gives me more mobility but less control of audio level.
I want them all
I just picked up the Beat and it's highly addictive. I let my friends play it and they don't want to give it back.
Real friends Beat together 😃
@@Tiger.Arcade lmao!
@@tommyagain38 😂
What about the Stylophone thereimin? :)
Thx
im a beginner what kind of cords are needed to plat 2 together where to get
great content! its possible play Stylophone without the chromatic 12 division? I’m looking for some synth that can play microtonal like a Otamatone. I’m between Stylophone and korg duo. thanks
What’s your budget?
@@Tiger.Arcade About US250 max. My priority is have analog sound with microtonal capacities. thank you so much!
@@vini_artist Korg monologue. It gives you scale choices and it falls within that price. Great analog sound too. Much more equipped for what you want.
@@Tiger.Arcade thank you a lot! yes, it looks amazing for the job!
Got given a gen x1, no music knowledge, can and how can it be tuned with a free phone app, or do i have to buy a digital pocket tuner? Basically how can a noob tune it?
Yeah all those ideas work! I usually have a tuner handy but if not I use a keyboard and hit the c note
Thanks
Do they still come with a free Rolf Harris flexidisc?
💽
Its not on the ,market anymore, but there was a "full synth" stylophone at one point
Don't shoot the messenger.
But, David Bowie had similar personality traits as Rolf Harris.
I'm getting a word.......
Sound like your playing an f1 games in 1970
Very vintage sound right?!
6:15 Kill Bill
🤺
Just don't mention Rolph!.
Not all electrophones are synthesizers.
The Stylophone S1 is not a synthesizer. The Gen X-1, on the other hand, is a synth.
It is and I’ll say why. A synthesizer has an oscillator or something that generates an audio signal that can be modulated or controlled in some form or another. The s-1 has vibrato, you can change its pitch and control its octaves. Therefore, it is a synthesizer by definition.
@@Tiger.Arcade By your definition, sure. Too bad it is incorrect. Now, I don't want to come off as rude or patronizing, so I kindly invite you to read the following explanation (warning: kinda long, sorry):
Synthesizer. The name says it. The etymology means "place together". An electronic sound synthesizer is literally a device that allows you to "put sound together" or, in other words, it allows the user to author timbre.
That is a fundamental requirement. An electrophone that generates sound, lets you select different octave ranges and even add vibrato to the resulting signal is still not a synth. Not yet. Because so far, you have only modulated the pitch of the sound, not the timbre.
If, on the other hand, the instrument does give you control of the WAVEFORM, the harmonic content of the sound, then that is indeed a synthesizer. And anything goes, additive, subtractive, wavefolders, waveshapers, wavetables, vector synthesis, granular, AM, FM, physical modelling.. you name it. But in all these cases, the instrument allows you to control the timbre of the sound.
That's why the S-1 is not a synth. It is an electrophone, sure, but you can't change its waveform in any way. It's also why a basic Theremin is not a synth, if it only gives you control over pitch and amplitude. The Gen X-1 though, thanks to its filter (and with a bit of ingenuity also its echo circuit) is a synthesizer, yes, since you can actually control the harmonic content of its sound.
In fairness, Dubreq (the company behind the Stylophone range of products) isn't really helping here, since they are advertising the S-1 as the "original pocket synthesizer". But, as it stands, it isn't one.
Anyway, sorry fo the long post. And I apologize if my tone seemed in any way condescending. I just feel like, as a community, we should use proper definitions whenever we talk about these intruments we love. Especially for newcomers, who have it hard enough as it is haha ;)
By the way, nice video. Good overview.
Those are a hard sell way I see it.
What do you mean?
@@Tiger.ArcadeI could be totally wrong but I don’t see those appealing to many people. With their limitations and all. The kind of thing you get, use for a month and then put away or try and sell. Again…I could be wrong and they’re just not for me. I mean I guess the prices are good for what you get. The x1 sounds alright. Idk seems like a lot of extra plastic. Are volcas all plastic?
The S1 isn't a synthesiser. It's an organ.
It’s a synthesizer. You can trust me on that.
Organ was a name given to it originally since it was a more familiar name for its sound. It’s now referred to as a pocket synthesizer.
@@Tiger.Arcade No, trust me. the S-1 is an organ. Not trying to be pedantic, but it is *not* a 'synthesiser'! I'm English and I grew up with Stylophones! I once owned the Stylophone 350S which was a precursor to the Gen X-1, and even though more complex than the S-1, the 350S was still an organ. The term 'synthesiser' means to create a wide variety of tones- mostly those that emanate from an orchestra and beyond. The Gen X-1 certainly *is* a synthesiser, albeit a limited one. The Stylophone S1 otoh is only capable of one tone, a sawtooth wave. it doesn't synthesise anything apart from to produce the sound of a bumblebee, and with vibrato, a bumblebee with Parkinson's disease!! One sound. It's an organ. Nothing to prevent you plugging it into Eurorack (or even a more basic waa-waa pedal) and messing with the sound, but it is still only a rudimentary sawtooth with a very basic vibrato effect. Even the Vox Continental would do a better job, and that really *is* an organ!!
@@tomfenn7149
It is a sythnesizer. Organs are polyphonic. This synthesizer is monophonic, as was common with early synths. Organs have always been polyphonic. If UA-cam allowed the posting of links, I’d post you a link to an article on Synthesizer Wiki that describes the difference. I’m sure you know how to use Google to do your own research.
The manufacturer also identifies is as a synthesizer.
What did you do with your 350S ?
Sell it?
@@FUNKINETIK The 350S (also an organ) I sold, years ago. It was a very boring machine. Don’t waste your money. Get an Gen X1 instead.
Can't take you seriously with a haircut like that but cool vid.
💀💀💀
Save your money and give it to a barber
Neverrrrrrrrrrr!!!
1. Buy a stylophone
2. play daft punk for the barber
3. Impress barber
4. Get free haircut