Six Months With The Boss SY-1 Guitar Synth Pedal. 

Dear Lord my friend, until today I've never heard of you and your amazing. I'm 45 and have been playing for 37 years, how the hell did you get by my radar sir? Great video, subscribed.

One of the best videos about the SY-1. Most of the so-called "reviews" are like "I'll go through all the sounds and record whatever happens to come out when I do random things on my guitar for a few seconds". Sort of like someone going to a music instrument store and trying to blow, strum or hit all instruments they can get hold of, without having the slightest idea how each instrument might be played. I recommend trying an expression pedal. That way you can tame a lot of the sounds, and you can find more usable sweets spots and useful musical expression that won't come out otherwise.

Ok, so who else is desperate for a "Make your guitar Vangelis with the SY1" deep dive/tutorial? That was absolutely awesome.

Definitely a pedal that’s worth the money. If you find 3 sounds that work for you, you’ve gotten your money’s worth. Finding 3 usable sounds is easy, even for someone with little experience. Once you’ve gained a little more knowledge of what the tone/rate and depth controls do, you unlock SOME of the potential in this pedal. To get the full potential of this, you do really need an expression pedal. If you’re switching between just three settings, you’re getting $75 per setting (a pretty low cost for a good pedal). If you use an expression pedal and get 6 or more settings that you like, you’re under $40 per sound (a price you cannot beat for the quality you get). ***Most importantly*** if you’re getting 3 or more sounds from this, synth is most likely very integral for your sound. If you’re wanting your money’s worth, first think about whether or not you want to build around synth tones often, or if it’s just a passing fancy.

0:14 love that use of a sequencer pattern. a composition on its own already. also shows what kind of stuff you can do if you know what you want or if you get inspired. thank you for this review!

Thanks Simon. I've just ordered the pedal. You've explained the pedal beautifully, leaving me to explore the possibilities. I was never a pedal buff, coming from the early sixties, and having had none at the time ! I have, though acquired quite a few pedals over the last few years and mostly use the tremolo, vibrato, echo and such like pedals. I even have a Roland Processor, which I bought 7 years back, but never got to using it. This is the first synthesizer pedal that I have just now ordered, with the hope that I will now use it, as you have instigated me. Thanks again for the review.

That's rather tempting, Simon. Damn you.

Many thanks man, well done indeed. PS, most excellent outro! Respect from KCMO.

You made me do it. I have been thinking about one of these for some time. Now you have made me watch this.

great video... congratulations

thanks for sharing your experience, been a long time fan of those GR300 sounds and it seems that the SY-1 can nicely replicate, all I need.

YEP!!...great for composing and doing multitrack recording soundscapes!!

Nice level of exploration , quite convincingly well informed, thank you

I have a GR-55..But---you can use ANY guitar with the SY-1.... My favorite function on this pedal is using a Momentary switch with it.For a HOLD Note to solo over.(Think Electroharmonix Freeze Pedal)When you hit the Hold switch-it holds the (Synth) note-s and you can (solo over it with the signal going to your guitar amp).Mono out from the SY-1 goes to a NUX Atlantic Reverb and Delay..Sterio out from the Atlantic goes to the mixer..Guitar signal from the send on the SY-1 goes to my Modeler..Both of these and other pedals are on a small table,so I don't have to bend over when I want to change settings.. Liked how you added different Synth Sounds together for the demos..Good Review..

the song at the end was very good indeed.

that's what it's all about having a great time of it ...👍

Great video. I have one of these and it exceeded my expectations by light years.

I'd been desperate for a pedal like this for years, so jumped at the chance to buy one. I use mine on my live board, with an A/B/Y pedal to split the signals for guitar, guitar & synth and synth only. I mostly use it with both voices, but did find it a little 'dry' in comparison to the guitar sounds, even with delay and reverb set for my main guitar tones. To combat this, I've now stuck an analogue delay immediately after the SY-1 so that it has it's own delay. Really helps with the pad sounds underneath normal guitar tones. A Mimiq for my guitar only tones, and our little 3-piece sounded huge!

The Blade Runner act is so great that you convinced me 🙂

I spent hours with the SY-1 and could not coax but a few decent sounds, not enough to cover its cost. Amazed at those that can and do....

Wow!! Love that Intro - has a Very GENESIS-Y VIBE - to me, which is Cool cause I'm Loving that Sound and Upbeat Vibe. Using the Cabot was a Brilliant IDEA, Works to the Pad Keyboard Synth Sounds VERY WELL. Thanks for Sharing is on my SOON LIST, After the Jackson Audio FUZZ!!!! That's NEXT WEEK!!!!

solid review, thank you

Oh and happy new thingish as well.

Great demo, I’ve had this little box for a while, this is inspiring. The 200 series model is out now too, bridging the gap with the big beast

Good job man....liked your honest opinion... Many thanks and regards from Chris Bunch of flowers music 🎵🎵

I just went the whole hog and got myself the SY-1000. It's a lot to get your head round but it's really the best on the market right now. especially with a GK pickup.

Cheers, really useful review. I got one a few weeks ago and just ordered an expression pedal, which is essential. A few other points: 1. I'd really like it to be stereo (I know guitars and most amps are mono, but...) 2. Synth sounds don't sound great through guitar stuff because they're not designed for the same range. I use a Sono preamp/interface and found it sounds much better through the DI input, bypassing the preamp and cab simulation - but then the guitar sounds thin if you blend it in. I don't play live but you'd want to split this off to the PA and just have the guitar sound going through your amps. 3. It really needs shedloads of effects! 4. I appreciate it's pretty cheap for what it is, but a USB port with basic editing capability would have been nice. Also, to my ears the synth note sometimes sounds slightly sharp compared with the guitar, and the tuning seems a tiny bit dodgy. Overall though, it's an amazing bit of kit for the price. 👍

Wow, that really sounds so Blade runnery-like! 🙋

I enjoyed this Si, I think I might get one.

Great presentation!. I have the GR55 and only a few sounds live may push it back to the studio, compelling to have less gear to haul around

thanks for your Review,I really like what you created with this,For 2 bills I may take a chance on this for a pallet of extra sound,I saw one guy kinda of get the Pat Metheny gr300 sound that he is famous for,He made it sound really nice with some great playing,I mean this is 2 bills the SY1000 is like way more powerful but yeah you need to drop around a grand for that, anyway all one can do is give it a try, if it doesn't work out return the bad boy,thanx

Ladies and gentlemen, Banks, Rutherford and Collins just left the building...

Which bank/voices were used at around 4:00 for that Vangelis style piece? Ugh I wish you would have let us peak! Awesome sounds!

It’s intimidating but I looove it! 80’s all the way

Wow, great video. So please, how could I do that ? ! OK, my chain is : Guitar - Distortion - Noise Gate pedal - Floor unit. So how can I connect the Boss SY1 ? PLEASE ! !

another plus, Roland GK pickup not needed

Sounds great Simon. Is it best to place this pedal in front of the amp or the FX loop?

Sounded like Blade runner soundtrack. I really liked it ;)

Hello. Thank you for the review. Does it sound good in front of the clean channel of à valve amp ?

Damn you and your boxes of noises. That's very tempting. 🤔😂

90% talking, 10% Playing.

dude your face as you played that short song lmao

Good! 🔝

Great review, nice work ! I have one of these as well, and agree that it is very 80's centered. It would have been nice to have some 70's funky farty Moog style options to play with. The Boss pedal is huge fun, I love doing looper jams with it, but I've just seen the Source Audio C4 pedal, and am wondering if that might be more my sort of thing. Can I justify owning both ? GAS strikes again , hahaha. I just subbed, cool channel, cheers, Robbo.

Man, great music!!...

good post

How many really timeless basic sounds are inside? I would search for clean bass, rock organ, clean strings...

That first piece sounded like Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks had a baby. Now I want to hear how this thing sounds with a bass guitar.

ELEVEN times ELEVEN?!

Great demo EXCEPT I wish you had done something with the arpeggio feature of this pedal.

I love duran duran, billy idol, New Order and I can't play key synth so this could be a great asset to have.. but I'm good on another pedal. It is cool though and innovative. Then you said "blade runner"...well I might jus- *THROWS MONEY AT BOSS*

How do you use the FS-5U for tap tempo?

phwooooor

can you play an acoustic guitar with this pedal ?

Scfi 80s sounds,blade runner

i have this and a jamstik. i think this talks better and works better then a midi guitar. i mean yes midi guitar a work better case many sounds, butt y have t0 play in a way that y d0nt hit n0ts that y d0nt w0nt t0 hear. where the sy`1 talks with the guitar case it f0r guitar.

This pedal is just a collection of presets created from the SY-300 with very little parameter control... Don't waste your money on it...

Too much talking

Your getting some great sounds from this pedal but would have been better if had shown the settings. Thanks sounds great.