Korg Sample Library for the DSS-1 Sampling Synthesizer
This is the original Korg sound library for their DSS-1 Sampling Synthesizer.
It is interesting to note how many of these original samples ended up in the ROM of very famous Korg synthesizers – especially the classic M1. I think many of these samples still hold up very well – after many years.
I recorded a few examples from each diskette. Each diskette has the capabilities of storing up to 128 sounds (four banks (A, B, C, D each containing 32 sounds) The great thing is that all the new samples can be edited and modified via the internal VCF and VCA parameters – so the final result is often of very warm, analog character. Many of these sounds are staples of the mid-late 1980s.
Every floppy also contained a few synth sounds from the DWGS-based synths like the DW-8000 (“DWGS synthesizer presets included in each system”).
Korg DSS-1 Sound Library audio demos
Note: I used a Roland SRV-3030D for light reverb only, on all audio demos. The delay/echo fx comes from the DSS-1 itself.
KSDU-001 Piano
KSDU-002 Brass
KSDU-003 Strings & Choir
KSDU-004 Guitar & Bass
KSDU-005 Japanese Inst
KSDU-006 Indian Inst
KSDU-007 Bass Groups
KSDU-008 Pianos II
KSDU-009 Electric Guitars 1 & 2
KSDU-010 Acoustic Guitar
KSDU-011 Group & Orchestra Hits
KSDU-012 Brass Hits
KSDU-013 Combined Groups
KSDU-014 Sound Effects
KSDU-015 Drums
KSDU-016 Latin Percussion
KSDU-017 Percussion
KSDU-018 Strings
KSDU-019 Voices
KSDU-020 Brass
KSDU-021 Guitars
KSDU-022 Pianos
KSDU-023 Flutes & Harp
KSDU-024 Woodwinds
KSDU-025 Strings
KSDU-026 Harpsichord & Organ
KSDU-027 Brass
KSDU-028 Brass & Sax
KSDU-029 Percussion
KSDU-030 Electric Guitars
KSDU-031 Percussion II
KSDU-032 Orchestral Perc
KSDU-033 Combination Snds
KSDU-034 Woodwinds
KSDU-035 Vibes, Glock, Piano, Clav
KSDU-036 Strings II
KSDU-037 Mixed Percussion
KSDU-038 Voices
KSDU-039 Woodwind & Strng
KSDU-040 Strings
KSDU-041 Wind Instruments
KSDU-042 Brass
KSDU-043 Reeds 1
KSDU-044 Reeds 2
KSDU-045 Guitars (Acoust)
KSDU-046 Guitars (Rock)
KSDU-047 Bass
KSDU-048 Electric Piano 1
KSDU-049 Electric Piano 2
KSDU-050 MIDI Combos
KSDU-051 Japanese Inst 2
KSDU-052 Orchestra & Video Games
KSDU-053 Drums & Effects
KSDU-054 Ethnic Perc
KSDU-055 Voices II
KSDU-056 Performance 1
KSDU-057 Multiple Inst
KSDU-058 Industries
KSDU-059 Synth Bass & Drums
KSDU-060 Metal-Metalism
KSDU-061 Sound Tapestry 1
KSDU-062 Sound Tapestry 2
KSDU-063 Drums III
KSDU-064 Drums IV
KSDU-065 “D”-Synth Sounds
KSDU-066 Performance 2
KSDU-067 Rhythm Section & Guitars
KSDU-068 Drum Kits
KSDU-069 Lore, Comb, FX
KSDU-070 Ambient Drums, Timpani
Each of these floppies also contained “WGS synthesizer presets included in each system”. These are a few audio demos of some of these presets:
Glen Stegner’s Monster Analog audio demo:
Korg DSS-1 Sound Library specs
| Year of release | 1987 |
| Sound generation method | sampling |
| Preset memories | 4 banks of 32 |
| Sound expansion capabilities | sampling; diskettes |
Korg DSS-1 Sound Library photos
Korg DSS-1 Sound Library links