Slightly OT - Keyboard Memory Lane

[Synthoid]

I've been looking through some back issues of Keyboard (mid eighties), and having a blast reading the articles/reviews and remembering all the bustle about that wonderful new interface--MIDI!

 

What stands out the most is:

 

1.) There's an article, ad, or reference on every other page about the Yamaha DX-7.

 

2.) Of course everyone was scrambling to create (and become wealthy from) new patches, interfaces, expansions, and software for the DX-7.

 

3.) Digital synths and sampling were the only way of the future! (Throw away your analog junk, folks.)

 

4.) Some of the ads back then were absolutely horrible!

 

5.) The computer GUI's were nothing short of amusing by today's standards.

 

 

Other famous keyboards from that era were the Fairlight, Kurzweil 250, Ensoniq Mirage, Casio CZ-101, etc. What a wild ride we've had for the last 20+ years.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tusker]

Indeed. The promise of all of digital's potential in one box. I liked the ads by Fairlight and NED. However the one that looked most attractive was this:

 

 

http://www.synthmuseum.com/kin/prism01a.jpg

 

The Prism offered Fm, Additive, waveform plotting and re-synthesis. An attractive double manual keyboard.

 

Only two were made and they never made it to market.

 

Jerry

[Synthoid]

And let's not forget this beauty:

 

 

http://www.synthmuseum.com/conbrio/conads20001.jpg

[mate stubb]

I lusted for the E-MU Audity. No, not that lame-o rompler box that they desecrated the name with. The real one.

 

http://www.synthmuseum.com/emu/emuaudity01.jpg

[Synthoid]

I almost forgot about that one. A rarity indeed.

 

[MusicWorkz]

This is one image I remember from back in the day. I SO wanted a Poly-800...

 

http://karlosthejackal.com/images/chuck-l.jpg

[ABECK]

Oh man, look at that sweater!

 

I vividly remember the picture of the guy in the add for the ear training videos - sitting there at the K250 with an overjoyed expression.

 

Some more memories:

The SuperJX ad with the guy in the sunglasses looking almost as cool as a guitarist - almost.

The Yamaha ad with the guy in his towel playing his keyboard (as if inspiration hit him in the shower and he had to rush out to his rig to compose the next pop hit.)

Quincy Jones at his Synclavier.

 

[JeffLearman]

I wonder why anyone would want a poly-800.

 

I got a Juno 60 just before seeing a Poly-6 for the first time, and almost had buyer's remorse over that. So, later, when Roland and Kork had released the next gens of both of these units, with MIDI, I was eager to try them out and get the best of the two.

 

I nearly puked. Kept the Juno and got an SCI 6-trak, an odd little beast that had in spades exactly what the Juno was missing (hot leads, wild xmod-based sounds) and was terrible where the Juno excelled (crisp clavish, punchy organ, lush strings).

 

[Synthoid]

Some more memories:

 

The SuperJX ad with the guy in the sunglasses looking almost as cool as a guitarist - almost.

The Yamaha ad with the guy in his towel playing his keyboard (as if inspiration hit him in the shower and he had to rush out to his rig to compose the next pop hit.)

Quincy Jones at his Synclavier.

 

How about the guy in a leather jacket stepping out of a black Lamborghini....with his girl and a Peavey DPM 3.

 

[MuzikTeechur]

Memory lane indeed:

I owned

Yamaha DX-7

Kawai K-1

Casio CZ-101

Korg CX-3 (I think that was the model - it was their first effort at a clonewheel, circa 1984?)

Yamaha CP-70

Ensoniq EPS

Ensoniq Mirage

Roland Juno 106

Roland SoundCanvas (still use in my keyboard lab at school)

Oberheim OB-3squared (still rather current)

 

I spend THOUSANDS for those early synths. It's amazing how far we've come. I hope we finally reach the plateau where the human ear just can't discern the difference (then what? synths get lighter, less expensive...?)

[DaveMcM]

The Prism offered Fm, Additive, waveform plotting and re-synthesis. An attractive double manual keyboard.

 

Only two were made and they never made it to market.

 

Jerry

 

What a beauty that was. I got to play with one at NAMM way back when. IIRC there was a large cabinet that sat on the floor that housed the "bubble" memory.

[Synthoid]

Must have been the "Lawrence Welk" option.