YesterSYNTH Once More

[SilverBeast]

Hmmm...Kept reading old posts that I have this urge to start a new topic. Here goes :

I really missed the yesterSYNTHs (synthesizers of yesterday) like the D70, D50, T1, M1, SY77/99, etc where there was this nice injection of analog nature into their instrument sounds and effects. I personally regard the LA-synths as the true definition of what emulation in a synth is all about. I mean every preset sound is just so inspiring and useable (Needless to mention are those in their external sound cards). It was a pity that the flagship D50/70 had no built-in sequencers (not to mention that the D50 was not multi-timbral and it was only much later that a third-party developer rectified that). Else, I am sure they would have reigned above the rest then.

These days, many sounds and effects are just too "overly perfect" and digitised that the "warm" feeling you would get from playing yesterSYNTHs seems missing. I could still remember the disappointment I had (after sinking nearly 3K) when I got my digital workstation because for one, the supposedly sampled A Piano sound was so "fake" that it took me some time to edit it to satisfy my minimal expectation. Till today, the first kybd that I'd switch on most of the time for inspiration to play and compose is still my good old LA-synth. To give credit to my digital workstation, I regard it as a very good kybd controller (especially the very good feel of its keys and the very expressive ribbon controller which few synths have).

Anyone care to join me in this "nostalgic journey"?

 

[bongman]

wow! my first synth was a Yamaha DX11 afterwhich no money to buy any...
years later bought a used Ensoniq VFX, a used Korg Poly800, a used Korg X3r and
a new Yamaha Cs1x. So that was it !

Had a good working knowledge with Yamaha SY77 but didn't own one
until last year bought a used TG77 at a giveaway price.

Wasn't sure much about Roland D50 but that was the flagship from
Roland during the MIDI multi-timbral time when Korg M1 was king.

The Rick Wakeman video in another posting sees Wakeman still uses a
D50 and VFX. Although it's not multi-timbral but shld be a solid performance synth.

You any D50 demos to share ?

 

[lowjk]

I really missed the yesterSYNTHs (synthesizers of yesterday) like the D70, D50, T1, M1, SY77/99

Damn. That makes me feel old. The ones that I miss is at least a generation before this:

1) Roland JX8P/MKS-70 : underated analog digital hybrid.
Pros - Sweet sounds esp strings, pads, electric piano, electronic type sounds
Sweet sounding chorus.

Cons - slow midi response (not so good for bass/fastg attack sounds). Noisy chorus. Lauched during the height of DX-7 mania; never got the respect it deserved.

2) MKS-80 Super Jupiter
Pros - 2nd best sounding analog-digital hybrid. Nice programmer
Cons - Cost (couldn't afford it )

3) Oberheim Xpander
Pros - Best sounding analog-digital hybrid (when it works)
Cons - Bought 1 at a sale. Not very reliable. Tends to hang after a while even when not in use.

4) Korg DW8000/EX8000
Pros - nice strings, pads.
Cons - not much else.

 

[Cheez]

Hmm. Some of it still give me ths shivers. Remembered the T1 - gave me such a big headaches because it is SOOOOO user unfriendly (can still remember those round buttons). Also remember using the D70 - nice epiano sounds.

But my favourite - the Casio ROM player that doubles up as a calculator. I think James still has one of those in his closet somewhere.

 

[Indigo_blues]

Haha, i still have a D70 in church which we still fiddle with now and then when we need the horn section. Otherwise it just sits in the corner. Poor thing. Think it must be more than 15 years old now. hahaha.. I always liked the D70 sounds too.. the piano is good for accompaniment and jamming. The horns are done much better than the JV1080 and i choose that over the JV anyday in a live gig. The strings/pads are also quite nice. The patch layering is also excellent- can modify the presets in a pinch. The keyboard action actually died on us a few years ago but we got the whole set of keys changed by sweelee so its like good as new.

We also have a DX7 in the chinese congregation room. So nice and warm the 'full tines'. :lol: :lol: Not much else nice about it though.. :lol:

 

[SilverBeast]

Wow, good response...welcome aboard!

During the reign of M1, Ensoniq was its strong contender with their value for money SQ1 and SD1 (their breakthrough following the VFX). Too bad it still needed a lot of improvement in its hardware. In fact, I find the sounds (especially the piano sound) for the SQ1 better than that of the M1. In those days, the piano sound was often used as a gauge when choosing a synth as very often that if the piano sound was good, the rest of the sounds would not be too bad.

Then at one point (during the time of Prophecy & JP8000), the truly analog era was revived and appregiator style techno music became the sort of in thing (I wondered why? Anyone historians here?). Of course that died down and now, I find that the synthesis of synths these days has stagnated with sampled waveforms laying the foundation for their sounds but the breakthrough focus is towards increasing the level of expressiveness for the kybdist with ease and the competition hots up with each maker pursuing to emulate acoustic instruments with more realism.

Not forgetting to mention that these days, the ultimate workstation would include and can do almost everything...and are much more affordable too!

 

[lowjk]

>> During the reign of M1, Ensoniq was its strong contender with their value for money SQ1 and SD1 (their breakthrough following the VFX). Too bad it still needed a lot of improvement in its hardware.


The guys at City Music told me not to touch Ensoniq as the reliability was poor. They were getting more Ensoniq than Korg for repairs even though Korg was outselling Ensoniq.

>> Then at one point (during the time of Prophecy & JP8000), the truly analog era was revived and appregiator style techno music became the sort of in thing. Of course that died down and now,


Appregiators are found in many softsynths.


>> Not forgetting to mention that these days, the ultimate workstation would include and can do almost everything...and are much more affordable too


That's what every manufacturer claims. Buy this keyboard and you'll NEVER need another.

Of course, we know that to be false now. Not even the mighty Oasys will be the only keyboard that a studio will own.

IF that statement is true, no one would be in the synth business anymore and we would all still be on the M1.

 

[Indigo_blues]

I remember now.. there is a sort of dissonance captured in the horn patches of the D70 and they also have a very sharp attack.. I think thats what makes these patches stand out. Well, to me anyway.

 

[bongman]

I remember now.. there is a sort of dissonance captured in the horn patches of the D70 and they also have a very sharp attack.. I think thats what makes these patches stand out. Well, to me anyway.

probably Roland did a good sample of it.
dissonance always create a kind of human feel,
the sharp attack is the characteristic of brass sound.

all the brass patch in my Roland XV5050 is fantastic !!!
it gives a raw dissonance attack.

thinking of getting the Brass SRX expansion board

 

[bongman]

>> During the reign of M1, Ensoniq was its strong contender with their value for money SQ1 and SD1 (their breakthrough following the VFX). Too bad it still needed a lot of improvement in its hardware.

The guys at City Music told me not to touch Ensoniq as the reliability was poor. They were getting more Ensoniq than Korg for repairs even though Korg was outselling Ensoniq.

oh yes! talking about Ensoniq... I bought a VFX for $400 in 1995,
the sounds were good and cool but always have boot up calibrating problem.

it's still in my store, sometimes it works, sometimes don't.
anyway for $400, I gigged enough with it and recovered the cost.

 

[qfactor]

Damn. That makes me feel old. The ones that I miss is at least a generation before this:

Wah, if you're old, then I'm "ancient" already!
In fact, I still go on eBay now and then to look at what's for sale in the modular synths, section and all.
I still have (though some not working well now) the likes of a Rhodes 73, Moog Source, ARP Odyssey, Roland SH-101, SH-09, TB-303, Prophet Pro-1, Korg Poly Six, MS-20, MS-50, Oberheim OB-8.

QF

 

[soft]

my first encounter was a Juno60, used it at a community centre band room. all the patch were missing. didn't know how or where to load it back. so end up spending weeks 'trying' to create some piano, stings and brass sound. best part - made some thunder efx too!

first workstation was D20 - only to find out that there's no way to edit whatever you record!!!! and i am a lousy player!!!

Desmond from Loop System is an avid collector, http://loop-system.com

 

[SilverBeast]

And I thought this thread was dead...Welcome, Soft!

My first kybd is the D10 coupled with a Yamaha QX5 sequencer. I don't know if you'd agree that the lower-end D-series kybds then were capable workhorses? Of course, their days ended when the M1 and other workstation kybds with wave-sampling tech arrived.

I could still vividly remember that the D5/10/20 then cost S$1000/S$1500/S$2000 respectively and Swee Lee, located at Plaza Singapura in those older days, rarely had any sale! 8O

Funny why Roland then produced only synth without sequencers and at killer prices too - D70, JDs, JVs, etc. Good thing that they do have workstations nowadays and I do look forward to owning a Fantom. BTW, anyone has comments about the Fantom? :?:

 

[bongman]

maybe it would be out of thread to talk about Fantom...

you can go www.rolandus.com to test out the sounds,
the site has a very good interactive sound demo.

I have a Roland XV5050 with exp. boards Ultimate keys and Plat. trax,
not sure is the XV engine the same as Fantom.

What was said there's a difference between Fantom and Fantom X,
tried getting a Fantom XR last week at Swee Lee sale but realised maybe
I should test the sounds first in case it is the same as the XV engine.
So will buy later after testing the Fantom X synth.

Fantom X - 128 polyphony with sampler expandable to 512MB
can cater 6 SRX exp. boards
XV5050 - 64 polyphony, no sampler, cater only 2 exp. boards

Get it, get it, get them all... GEAR LUST !!!

 

[headhunter]

I must really BE on a nostalgia trip. In the last 2 years i bought all the synths i couldn't afford as a kid. DX7, D50, JX8P, ESQ1, JD800, Juno 60, Juno 106, TB303, M1, K2VX. The 'newest' synth i have are a Triton & MS2000R. Blame it on my subscriptions to Keyboard mag, Future Music, etc. Gear lust man. Sometimes i forget that the music is more important. Still, it warms my heart to see all my fave yestersynths in my house. Now for actually making music....

 

[bongman]

I must really BE on a nostalgia trip. In the last 2 years i bought all the synths i couldn't afford as a kid. DX7, D50, JX8P, ESQ1, JD800, Juno 60, Juno 106, TB303, M1, K2VX. The 'newest' synth i have are a Triton & MS2000R. Blame it on my subscriptions to Keyboard mag, Future Music, etc. Gear lust man. Sometimes i forget that the music is more important. Still, it warms my heart to see all my fave yestersynths in my house. Now for actually making music....

Hi, would like to share your rig setup in thread
http://soft.com.sg/2006/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=12417 ???

How much you pay for a year's subscription to Keyboard mag and Future music ?

 

[lowjk]

Just found this interesting little device for vintage Roland fans:
http://www.cox-electronics.com/

 

[headhunter]

How did you find this little gem? I have the PG800 controller for the JX already tho.

 

[headhunter]

How much you pay for a year's subscription to Keyboard mag and Future music ?

LOL :lol: about GBP80 ($240) for FM and a bit less for Keyboard. I used to subscribe to Electronic Musician too and buy SOS, Recording Mag, MIX, et al whenever i could but now i just download those from the web heehee. Thanks for the link bongman nice thread.

 

[lowjk]

How did you find this little gem? I have the PG800 controller for the JX already tho.

Saw it here. http://www.gearjunkies.com/default.php

Well, the function is a little different. This lil device makes it easier for you to control the synth using Midi CC controller data.

Otherwise you have to program it thru sysex which makes it more unwieldy/takes up more processing time in the sequencer -> ?timing problems.