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Boss SY-1000 Guitar Synth and FX Processor | NAMM 2020play button

Boss SY-1000 Guitar Synth and FX Processor | NAMM 2020

BOSS

collapse expand iconDescription

The Boss SY-1000 is a breakthrough creation machine that transforms your guitar or bass rig with limitless sound design options. This powerhouse music tool opens a bold new chapter in the legacy of BOSS guitar synth innovation, fusing decades of R&D with their latest software and hardware advancements. Backed by a cutting-edge sound engine, high-octane DSP, and evolved GK technology, the SY-1000 delivers the finest performance and most organic playing experience to date.

Three simultaneous instruments and premium processing let you craft any sound you can imagine—intense analog-style leads, warm pads, moving synth textures, modeled electric and acoustic tones, or all at once. And with freely configurable footswitches, outputs, and external controls, you can maximize the hardware for any workflow. Sonically vast and deeply expressive, the SY-1000 is an infinite well of inspiration, energizing your musical vision with endless possibilities.

A New Era of Guitar Synth Innovation
The SY-1000 is the most advanced guitar/bass synth BOSS has ever made, hands down. Custom DSP delivers six times the processing muscle of the SY-300, and the newly developed sound engine leverages the power of GK independent string processing for ultra-articulate performance, lightning-fast response, instantly variable tuning, sound panning/layering, and much more.

Deep Sound Design Tools
A standard SY-1000 patch includes three simultaneous instruments—each with a number of distinctive types to choose from—and you can combine and layer them for an endless range of sounds. Fed by the 13-pin GK input, every instrument offers an extensive set of parameters for tone shaping, mixing, and tuning. A normal 1/4-inch input is available as well, letting you blend regular guitar/bass pickup sounds alongside the three instruments.

Ultra-Expressive Dynamic Synth
The all-new Dynamic Synth takes guitar synthesis further than it’s ever gone. GK processing and speedy DSP track your instrument’s characteristics with precision detail, allowing you to craft sounds never before possible. Choose from ten oscillator waveforms—sine, triangle, PWM, three saw types (including Roland’s famous supersaw), and more. Then shape the sound with six different filters, amplifier control, two LFOs, and two powerful step sequencers. Optimum performance is realized with the GK input, but it’s also possible to play the Dynamic Synth via the normal guitar/bass input.

Two Step Sequencers Bring Sounds to Life
After shaping a basic sound with the Dynamic Synth, the fun’s just starting—with two step sequencers, you can infuse it with movement to create complex textures that pulse, breathe, and groove. Each sequencer features 16 customizable steps that control pitch, filter, and amplitude independently. Better still, every step includes 13 different envelope curves for unprecedented sonic control. And by stacking three Dynamic Synths together, you can build massive moving sounds with three oscillators and six separate step sequencers!

OSC Synth and GR-300
Complementing the powerful Dynamic Synth are two additional synth instruments. OSC Synth is an analog-style engine with lots of filter options, full ADSR control, and high-definition sound with the discrete GK input. Also included is a perfect sonic recreation of the Roland GR-300, the legendary 1980s analog guitar synth used by some of the world’s most influential guitarists.

Advanced Guitar/Bass Modeling and Poly FX
The SY-1000 doesn’t stop at synthesis — it also features refreshed instrument modeling derived from historic BOSS and Roland GK gear. A large selection of electric, acoustic, and bass guitar types are available, each with independent tuning, EQ, virtual amp settings, and more. There’s also a highly expressive VIO Guitar instrument, which alters the input signal’s envelope and harmonic characteristics to create tones reminiscent of bowed instruments. Finally, the cool Poly FX instrument delivers richly textured voices with high-res definition only possible with GK processing.

Flagship-Class Effects and Interface
The SY-1000’s signal processing and user interface are derived from BOSS’s flagship GT-1000 multi-effects, lauded for its exceptional audio quality and simple operation. Shape sounds any way you like with a huge palette of effects, plus ultra-responsive guitar and bass amps. Quickly edit instruments and effects, change routings, create parallel chains, and more via the large LCD and hands-on knobs. And to speed up your patch workflow even more, you can save favorite instrument and effect setups in ready-to-go Variation libraries.

Configurable Control
By default, the SY-1000’s eight footswitches select patches, banks, and two control assignments. But you can easily reassign them to nearly any function you want. There’s also a Manual mode for fast on/off access to the three instruments and normal input. Up to four external footswitches or two expression pedals are supported, and MIDI I/O is provided as well. The Main and Sub outputs are normally used for mixed stereo signals, but can also be configured as four discrete outputs, complete with dedicated EQ on each. And with the moveable effects loop, you can smoothly integrate all your external gear.

Record Tracks and Play MIDI Instruments via USB
The SY-1000’s USB audio/MIDI interface opens a world of creative options with your favorite DAW. With the GK input, you’re able to record each of your instrument’s strings to separate audio tracks, either processed live or captured dry for later "re-synth" processing through the SY-1000. And with the Guitar-to-MIDI/Bass-to-MIDI function, you can use your axe to play soft synths, record MIDI sequences, input notation data, and more.
Open Box BOSS SY-1000 Guitar Synthesizer and Multi-Effects Processor Level 1
Open Box BOSS SY-1000 Guitar Synthesizer and Multi-Effects Processor Level 1
Open Box BOSS SY-1000 Guitar Synthesizer and Multi-Effects Processor Level 1

collapse expand iconSpecs

  • BOSS’s most powerful guitar/bass synth and modeling processor ever
  • Next-generation synth engine with custom DSP and 48 kHz/32-bit processing throughout
  • Unprecedented sound and expression with three simultaneous instrument types and advanced real-time signal processing
  • Each instrument provides pitch, level, and panning of each string for instant alternate tunings and wide, layered voicings
  • Dynamic Synth perfectly follows the guitar’s natural envelope for uncompromised tone shaping
  • Dynamic Synth includes two 16-part step sequencers for evolving control of pitch, filter, and amplitude
  • Newly refreshed versions of historic BOSS/Roland guitar synth and modeling technologies: OSC Synth, GR-300, E.Guitar, E.Bass, Acoustic, VIO Guitar, and Poly FX
  • Updated sound engine and GK 13-pin interface deliver clear, dynamic sound and precision tracking with zero latency
  • Normal 1/4-inch guitar/bass input for blending and Dynamic Synth processing
  • Premium effects and amps derived from the flagship GT-1000
  • Large LCD and intuitive editing interface for free-flowing sound creation
  • Eight freely assignable footswitches, external control support, effects loop, and configurable Main/Sub outputs
  • USB Audio/MIDI and MIDI I/O, plus Guitar-to-MIDI/Bass-to-MIDI function
  • Dedicated Guitar and Bass modes
  • Customize sounds with the BOSS Tone Studio editor and download pro patches at BOSS Tone Central
  • Roland GK-compatible pickup and 13-pin cable required for full access to all synth and modeling features

Featured Articles

collapse expand iconReviews

4.5

4 Reviews

100%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend

Filters
Best Uses
  1. Home Studio4
  2. Performances3
  3. Professional Recording3
  4. Amateur Recording2
Cons
  1. Difficult To Use1
  2. Not enough room to describe, see full review1
  3. The Need for Sleep and only 24 hrs in a day1
Describe Yourself
  1. Experienced4
Pros
  1. Compact3
  2. Excellent Sound Quality3
  3. Good Selection Of Effects3
  4. Versatile3
  5. Responsive2
  • Very nice pedal for infinite sounds or styles of playing.

    4

    submitted3 years ago

    byScott

    fromAlbuquerque, NM

    This is a great pedal and has more options for sounds and voicings/virtual guitars, than I have ever seen. I've used the VG-88 for twenty years. This blows it away and brings VG systems to the future. Cons: There is one single drawback. Warbling sounds on some sustained notes while using acoustic simulators. This has been mentioned and I assume Boss is working on a fix for that. There is a HUGE amount of tweaking to get to the sound you want and exactly how you want. The amps are perfect such as the guitar modeling. Then it has synths to add any flavor you want. While editing through a computer by way of (Boss Tone Control) is nice, it's a little sluggish, mostly because of the amount of information it's feeding via USB. However, it's much better and easier to dig deep into it with a large screen than the tiny one on board. I also recommend an expansion pedal to compliment the SY-1000.

  • Not perfect but servieable.

    4

    submitted5 years ago

    byOld Rocker

    fromWashington

    I use this product live. It has excellent emulations of other guitars, as well as sitar and banjo, so if you don't want to carry a lot of instruments, this could be the answer. As with other Boss/Roland products, it has a "clunky" interface (e.g., GR 55, GT1000), and in my view, Boss should really work on that. It takes a significant amount of time and experimentation to get usable sounds from the synths, and quite honestly, the presets are novel but mostly useless. You CAN use them as templates for your own sounds, but as I said, this takes a lot of tweaking...if you're into that sort of thing, this is your processor. Sound quality is very good, and effects are excellent. It isn't perfect, but it works, and I'm keeping mine.

  • Best of my old VG-99 and recent SY-300 in one box.

    5

    submitted5 years ago

    byPatrickI

    fromPhiladelphia, PA

    I've had VG-88, VG-99, GR-55, Voicelive 3 Extreme, SY-300, and most recently, Helix LT. I really missed the SY-300 when I moved to the Helix. The SY-1000 gives me enough of what the Helix did and gives me even more of what I loved about the SY-300. The editor is a little sluggish and flaky, but works. Presets are heavy on goofy arpeggiated things and light on guitar modeling, but I am in the process of filtering a set that are good starting points for my own programming.

  • Mind Blowing!!

    5

    submitted5 years ago

    byJoe

    fromWarrenton, OR

    It's like I got a bucket of assorted boss pedals. Great sounds! It's all about layering with this thing. After my second round through the interface I was moving patches editing affects programming expression pedals quite easily. With my touchscreen laptop running the PC software the editing is even easier. One of the neatest features for me was the effects send and return being able to be placed anywhere within the virtual effects chain. I can tell it's gonna take some time to really dial in the dynamic synthesizer and sequencer. Hours of fun.

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collapse expand iconQ&A

Have a question about this product? Our expert Gear Advisers have the answers.

  • asked byBuddy1955

    fromKent Ohio

    Is the pick up included? If not how much $

    Is the pick up included? If not how much $

    Open Reply - Gear-Support
    The BOSS SY-1000 doesn't require a pup.
  • asked byMalachi

    fromOR

    Does the unit come with the GK pickup accessory for full functionality?

    Does the unit come with the GK pickup accessory for full functionality?

    Open Reply - Beau
    This unit does not come with the GK pickup. This would need to be purchased separately.
  • asked byJason

    fromCumming Ga.

    Will the S Y 1000 be fully compatible with Godin guitars with built in GK 13 pickup systems that are 'drivin' by RMC preamped 
Piezo saddles? Also, what expression pedals/footswitches would be compatible with the pair expression pedal Jack's provided on the unit? Thanks for any answers you may be able to provide.

    Will the S Y 1000 be fully compatible with Godin guitars with built in GK 13 pickup systems that are 'drivin' by RMC preamped Piezo saddles? Also, what expression pedals/footswitches would be compatible with the pair expression pedal Jack's provided on the unit? Thanks for any answers you may be able to provide.

    Open Reply - Gear-Head
    Yes it should be, and I would recommend the following: FS-7 Dual Footswitch. FS-6 Dual Footswitch. FS-5U/FS-5L Foot Switch. EV-30 Dual Expression Pedal.
  • asked bySteve

    fromundisclosed

    Is the GK pickup required?

    Is the GK pickup required?

    Open Reply - Ronald
    The Roland GK-compatible pickup and 13-pin cable required for full access to all synth and modeling features