DmitryKo Posted September 10, 2023 Share Posted September 10, 2023 I just came across these series of demo videos by Yamaha Synth Space, a showroom established in 2018 at Yamaha Corporation offices in Buena Park. Yamaha Synth Space History - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS-Ia4lCojtxWZrYwrvc6ptlrEZ06vmkl Presented by sound designer/engineer/composer Dom Sigalas, these videos focus on classic and quite rare Yamaha synthesizers from the past, like formant synthesis and 8-operator FM FS1R, 6-operator FM DX1, 16-voice polyphonic virtual acoustic VP1, 2-voice virtual acoustic VL1, and analog subtractive CS80. No demo has been recorded for the AN1X unfortunately. The sound quality surpasses everything I has ever heard, especially for oldies like FS1R and VP1, since the official Yamaha Synth site only had low-bitrate VQF sound demos (before it was rebranded to a community forum). I didn't really expect that 8-operator FM with formant synthesis could produce such lush soundscapes, and virtual acoustic physical modeling sounds even more exciting in a polyphonic version. So I thought it would be a good idea to start a new thread and link these demos here, along with some third-party videos for the same synthesizers. Dom also uses an unique custom-made, analog-style control surface for the FS1R, so I have linked its creator as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 10, 2023 Author Share Posted September 10, 2023 1. Yamaha FS1R formant shaping and 8-pperator FM synthesis, with a custom-built realtime control surface Yamaha Synth Space History | FS1R | Dom Sigalas - YouTube This is the custom-designed performance controller for the Yamaha FS1R from the above video - I wonder how did this controller end up appearing in a Yamaha Synth Space history video? https://www.amazona.de/mega-hardware-controller-fuer-yamaha-fs1r/ Yamaha FS1R Unleashed - Robert Skerjanc - YouTube New Voices for the Yamaha FS1R - Robert Skerjanc - YouTube 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 10, 2023 Author Share Posted September 10, 2023 2. Traditional 6-operator FM Yamaha DX1 (and hybrid AFM + AWM Yamaha SY99) Yamaha Synth Space History | DX1 | Dom Sigalas - YouTube Yamaha Synth Space History | SY99 | Dom Sigalas - YouTube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 10, 2023 Author Share Posted September 10, 2023 3. Virtual acoustic physical modeling, 16-voice polyphonic Yamaha VP1 https://www.yamaha.com/en/about/innovation/collection/detail/2066/ Yamaha Synth Space History | VP1 | Dom Sigalas - YouTube Some third-party demos YAMAHA VP1 | 10.000,- USD Synthesizer | Factory Songs (HQ) - YouTube Yamaha VP1 Demo - No Talking - YouTube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 10, 2023 Author Share Posted September 10, 2023 4. Virtual acoustic physical modeling, 2-voice Yamaha VL1 https://www.yamaha.com/en/about/innovation/collection/detail/2025/ Yamaha Synth Space History | VL1 | Dom Sigalas - YouTube Third party demos YAMAHA VL1 Demo & Review - musictrackjp - YouTube Another custom-designed realtime control surface, complete with assignable displays VL1 Expert Controller: First Details and Contacts – Dr. Robert Skerjanc https://vl1.skerjanc.de/ Expert Controller for the Yamaha VL1 Synthesizer - YouTube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 10, 2023 Author Share Posted September 10, 2023 5. Finally, Yamaha CS40M 2-voice analog, Yamaha CS80 6-voice analog, and Arturia CS-80 V (VST instrument). Yamaha Synth Space History | CS40M | Dom Sigalas - YouTube Yamaha Synth Space History | CS-80 | Krzysztof Pająk - YouTube Third party demos Steve Porcaro | Meeting CS-80 V - YouTube The Mighty CS-80 - GForce Software - YouTube https://www.gforcesoftware.com/blog/yamaha-cs-80/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Emm Posted September 10, 2023 Share Posted September 10, 2023 You know what opens portals to other dimensions? An FS1R, an E-mu Morpheus and a Technics XS-WSA1. Triple that if you can figured out a way to play them from an Osmose. Yeesh, I *am* a colossal synth nerd. 🤓🙄 1 2 Quote "Stay tuned for a new band: Out Of Sync." ~ "The Vet Life" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphybridget Posted September 11, 2023 Share Posted September 11, 2023 Is it possible to replicate concertina sound on this instruments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 12, 2023 Author Share Posted September 12, 2023 I'm pretty sure Yamaha VP1 virtual acoustic would make a terrific concertina emulator, if you could convince one of the 4 currently known owners to sell it below its original list price of US$30,000. While we're at it, more videos of factory demo songs for Yamaha VL1 and Yamaha VP1 (from the forum thread below). VP1 Demo 1 NoisyKing - YouTube (playlist of 10 factory songs) YAMAHA VL 1 | VIRTUAL ACOUSTIC SYNTHESIZER 1993 | FACTORY DEMO SONGS - YouTube These are rather "factory solo tunes", considering the 2-note polyphony of the instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AROIOS Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 On 9/10/2023 at 1:34 PM, DmitryKo said: ...The sound quality surpasses everything I has ever heard, especially for oldies like FS1R and VP1, since the official Yamaha Synth site only had low-bitrate VQF sound demos (before it was rebranded to a community forum). I didn't really expect that 8-operator FM with formant synthesis could produce such lush soundscapes, and virtual acoustic physical modeling sounds even more exciting in a polyphonic version. ... The kick and snare in the FS1R video are surprisingly good, especially for 80's styles. Yamaha would have doubled DX7s' already massive sales if they had those patches back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnderGroundGr Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Very nice topic! Quote Kurzweil K2661 + full options,iMac 27",Mac book white,Apogee Element 24 + Duet,Genelec 8030A,Strymon Lex + Flint,Hohner Pianet T,Radial Key-Largo,Kawai K5000W,Moog Minitaur,Yamaha Reface YC + CP, iPad 9th Gen, Arturia Beatstep + V Collection 9 https://antonisadelfidis.bandcamp.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 This is SUPER cool. Thank you for sharing it! I cannot wait to dig in and watch all of the videos. I am aware of all of these synths, though I can't say I ever really had much, if any experience playing them. The DX1 has always been an icon to me. I remember when I got a Keyboard Magazine around early-mid '80s with Guy Fletcher from Dire Straits featured in a small 1-2 page article. They had a picture of him on stage with this monster rig, including a prominent DX1. SO COOL!!! Thanks again, this is really interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHarrell Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 Thank you for sharing these! I came away knowing a lot more and being really impressed by the VL1: it's very expressive, but the sound technology wasn't quite there to emulate the timbre of an instrument like the flute the way we hear modelling instruments do now, and so you get this cool quasi-synth/quasi-acoustic sound that's really unique. Would love if there was a VST version of this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/11/2023 at 12:42 AM, David Emm said: You know what opens portals to other dimensions? An FS1R, an E-mu Morpheus and a Technics XS-WSA1. Yes, morphing Z-plane filters in E-mu Morpheus / Ultra Proteus etc. and E4/E4 Ultra samplers vere quite an interesting concept because they could interpolate between filter configurations in realtime - though Yamaha also has a similar concept of "scenes" which would capture realtime control parameters like filter cutof/resonance, implemented in Yamaha VP1 as seen in the video above (controlled with two scene buttons and a dedicated "morph" slider); CS6X (two buttons and a dedicated control knob); EX5 and EX7 (two buttons and second mod wheel); AN1X, CS1X and CS2X (two buttons and mod wheel); and of course Montage and MODX (two buttons and the Super Knob). They were probably more practical, as keyboard players rarely need anything beyond a few tweaks to filter cutoff/resonance knobs to would create the same filter sweep effec OTOH the morphing Z-plane filters in the E-mu Morpheus were notoriously difficult to control in a musical way, as Dave Rossum explains in an interview from 2015 - these 14-pole digital filters were essentially seven 2-pole filters (i.e. 12 dB per octave ) with two parameters each, therefore the firmware had to control 28 parameters per each filter (in morphing mode, that's anything from 2 x 28 = 56 parametrers in one dimension to 8 x 28 = 224 parametrers for all three dimensions of the full Z-plane cube), and also monitor the audio output to prevent the filter from self-oscillating (which could be triggered by any combination of parameters due to the inherent instability of this complex filter configuration) - so E-mu had to include a very powerful Motorola 68020 processor (the same as used in Apple Macintosh II desktop computer from 1987), and even then, only one of these control "dimensions" could be varied in realtime, while the other two were fixed at note-on (initialiized from note velocity and frenquency (i.e.note number)). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 18, 2023 Author Share Posted September 18, 2023 Regarding morphing/scenes, unfortunately the Yamaha Synth Space didn't review the Yamaha AN1X, a 10-voice 2-part multitimbral physical modeling virtual analog syntehsizer, so here's some 3rd-party content. BTW shame on me, but I didn't really understand that the 8 assignable Control knobs each have 8 parameters selected by Parameter Group buttons on the right, for a total of 64 realtime parameters! They also double as push-button switches to confirm voice edit parameters on the LCD Screen, in addition to the 6-position Edit Rotary knob and 10 pairs of up-down buttons on the right side. Reviews of by Katsunori Ujiie (musiktrackjp) YAMAHA AN1x Demo & Review - YouTube YAMAHA AN1x Demo & Review [English Captions] - YouTube 10 factory demo tunes Yamaha AN1x Demo Songs - Specifications - Home Music Studio - YouTube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 19, 2023 Author Share Posted September 19, 2023 BTW Yamaha built up on AN1X, CS6X and EX5 scene morphing to come with the Smart Morph feature for the FM-X engine, which can interpolate between several different FM-X patches, even those with different FM algorithms! Mastering MONTAGE: Smart Morph - Yamaha Synth https://yamahasynth.com/learn/montage/mastering-montage-smart-morph Review by Katsunori Ujiie (musiktrackjp) YAMAHA MONTAGE Smart Morph of ver 3.5 Demo & Review - YouTube Quote Smart Morph uses sophisticated machine learning (specifically a “self-organizing map” or “SOM”) to analyze several different FM-X sounds and creates an interpolated FM-X sound based on the analysis. A Smart Morph Part is created from an analysis of up to eight FM-X Voices assigned to Parts 9 through 16. You can choose which FM-X parameters are part of the analysis and then touch “Learn”. Learn activates machine learning and puts the new “Smart Morph” sound in Part 1. The process creates 1024 possible variations and can be accessed on a Smart Morph Play screen: a cool, colorful 32x32 grid map. You can then change this sound by touching the grid from the Smart Morph Play screen. Whatever position you touch changes Part 1. You can also touch and move around on the map for real time morphing or move between any two points using the Super Knob. Smart Morph was added in the latest Montage OS 3.5, as described in the "MONTAGE 6/7/8 Supplementary Manual", and MODX OS 2.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphybridget Posted September 25, 2023 Share Posted September 25, 2023 On 9/13/2023 at 2:55 AM, DmitryKo said: I'm pretty sure Yamaha VP1 virtual acoustic would make a terrific concertina emulator, if you could convince one of the 4 currently known owners to sell it below its original list price of US$30,000. While we're at it, more videos of factory demo songs for Yamaha VL1 and Yamaha VP1 (from the forum thread below). VP1 Demo 1 NoisyKing - YouTube (playlist of 10 factory songs) YAMAHA VL 1 | VIRTUAL ACOUSTIC SYNTHESIZER 1993 | FACTORY DEMO SONGS - YouTube These are rather "factory solo tunes", considering the 2-note polyphony of the instrument. Wow, I think I'll just get a true concertina for that price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted September 25, 2023 Author Share Posted September 25, 2023 If you can play it then definitely get one, but Yamaha DX1 would be a nice alternative for keyboard players, and one of these rare units is currently on sale for a mere US$41,000 plus shipping - so it could be yours if you can offer a few hundred concertinas to trade! Meanwhile, few more sermi-official and 3rd-party demos of Smart Morph for the FM-X engine in Montage OS v3.5 Montage OS3.5/MODX OS2.5 Updates! SMART MORPH!!! 🧨🧨🧨#yamahamontage #modx - YouTube | Dom Sigalas These are my Performances for Montage OS3.5 and MODX OS2.5! 🎹🎹🎹🎧🎧🎧#монтаж #modx #sounddesign - YouTube | Dom Sigalas NB some of these new sounds were unexpectedly very Vangelis-like! SMART MORPH! The amazing new feature on the Yamaha Montage - Youtube | Matt Johnson Jamiroquai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radagast Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 I want them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 A few more Smart Morph demos from Yamaha Synth official page on SoundCloud: MODX+ sound demos (including Smart Morph performances) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted October 8, 2023 Author Share Posted October 8, 2023 Yamaha Synth has Behind the Synth podcast, hosted by Blake Angelos and Nate Tschetter. It features interviews with engineers and sound designers who worked on classic Yamaha synthesizers, including VL1, CS80, DX7/DX7II, SY99, and EX5. Guests inlcude John Chowning, the inventor of FM synthesis, Manny Fernandez, Dom Sigalas, Katsunori Ujiie, Dave Polich, Phil Clendeninn, Matthew Jordan, and many others. https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/sets/btspodcast https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2019/08/08/new-yamaha-podcast-behind-the-synth/ Behind the Synth: Classic Yamaha Synth Retrospectives A playlist featuring classic Yamaha Synthesizers of the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00. BTS037: Manny Fernandez and the DX7II Manny Fernandez stopped by the Synth Space and chatted with Nate about his work on the DX7II. The DX7II added many new features and improvements to the original DX7. Manny and Nate discuss and demo some of these features including one of Nate's favorites: Poly Unison Detune. They also check out a few of Manny's sound sets from the 80s. BTS016: CS-80 Retrospective In this episode Nate and Blake explore one of the most sought-after analog synthesizers in the galaxy: The CS-80. They talk about its history, go through the Voice architecture and do some high-quality nerding with this amazing synthesizer. BTS015: DX7 Retrospective Blake and Nate discuss the legendary DX7, their first experiences using it and recreate a Manny Fernandez sound from the December 1985 issue of Aftertouch Magazine. BTS014: Dr. John Chowning Conversation Blake chats with FM Algorithm discoverer, Dr. John Chowning at Knobcon 2019. Learn about Dr. Chowning's upbringing, his time as a drummer in the US Navy band, studies with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, his compositions and FM Algorithm discovery powering Yamaha synthesizers from the original DX7 in 1983 to the modern MONTAGE music synthesizer. BTS013: EX5 Retrospective In this episode, re-discover the EX5 - an Extended Synthesis (AWM2-sampled-based, AN-virtual analog, VL-virtual acoustic, FDSP-formulated DSP, sampling, whew!) workstation from 1998. Join Blake and Nate as they get re-acquainted with the EX5 sounds, discuss the technology inside like what is FDSP "Seismic," "Tornado" and "Water" and attempt to "out-jazz" each other! BTS004: SY99 Deep Dive with Manny Fernandez In this Podcast Blake interviews sound designer Manny Fernandez and discusses his work with the legendary SY99 Synthesizer. https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/sets/classic-yamaha-synth-retrospectives BTS019: VL1 Retrospective with Manny Fernandez Behind the synth showcases the people bringing you Yamaha synthesizers. When Nate brought Manny Fernandez in to talk about the groundbreaking VL1 Synthesizer we knew it would be quite a conversation. As Manny puts it, he was “one of about six people who really got the instrument”. Manny wrote the VL Expert Editor Programming Guide, a must-have for anyone programming the VL1. After the fourth hour (!) we knew we had to break this excellent chat into four separate “Behind the Synth” episodes. During each conversation you’ll hear audio demos from the VL1. This entire four-part series is both interesting and entertaining. Anyone interested in synthesizers and product development will want to check it out! https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/sets/vl1-retrospective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted October 8, 2023 Author Share Posted October 8, 2023 Behind the Synth: Sound Designers A playlist featuring chats with Yamaha Synthesizer sound designers. BTS063: FM-X With Manny Fernandez In this episode Nate and Blake talk FM synthesis with renowned sound designer, Manny Fernandez. Manny has been involved with sound design and synthesizer development for over 30 years. His FM programming articles are among the most popular on YamahaSynth.com BTS050: Howard Massey Chat In this episode we chat with keyboardist, producer, and author Howard Massey. Howard literally wrote the book on digital FM. His first two books were “The Complete DX7” and “The Complete DX7II.” Beyond synths, Howard is also an authority on music recording and production. "Behind the Glass" features interviews with the world’s leading record producers. Howard also co-authored "Here, There and Everywhere" with legendary Beatles engineer, Geoff Emerick. BTS044: Ben Israel SynthChat In this episode, Blake and Nate chat with Ben Israel. Ben is the Planning, Development and Research Manager for Content, Research and Development (CRD). Part of his work is managing content creation for Yamaha Synthesizers. He also conducts future product research and administrates the YamahaSynth IdeaScale community. Or as Ben sums up: "I get to come up with wacky ideas for experimentation." BTS042: Scott Plunkett Synth Chat In this episode Blake chats with Scott Plunkett. Scott has performed with Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, Boz Scaggs and Chris Issak to name a few. He's also a longtime Yamaha sound designer, starting with the DX7II. “I think it’s impossible for people who weren’t around then to understand what a big deal the DX7 was. Here was this instrument that cost half as much as these other synthesizers with 16 notes of polyphony and was velocity sensitive. It was a no-brainer: you just had to have one.” BTS041: Richard Devine MONTAGE OS v3.5 Synth Chat In this episode, Blake and Nate chat with electronic artist and sound designer Richard Devine. Richard created some of the new MONTAGE OS v3.5 and MODX OS v2.5 Smart Morph Performances. Richard is one of the top sound designers and synth experts around. He had this to say about Smart Morph as a synthesis tool: "I'll be honest with you I was blown away when I first sat down and played with this feature. It really took me by surprise. I was like 'this is where we need to be going'. It's an inspiring springboard to create new sounds." BTS040: Dave Polich Synth Chat In this episode we caught up with sound designer Dave Polich. Dave's credits include David Foster, The Cure, Fleetwood Mac, Bonnie Raitt and Michael Jackson. He's also a longtime Yamaha sound designer contributing sounds to SY77/99/85, MOTIF and MONTAGE. Dave and Blake talk about his career, synthesizers, sound design, production and MONTAGE. BTS007: Richard Devine Synth Chat In this podcast, Blake and Nate interview Sound Designer and Electronic Artist Richard Devine. https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/sets/sound-designers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DmitryKo Posted October 9, 2023 Author Share Posted October 9, 2023 Finally, here are assorted interviews with sound designers, product specialists, and presenters for some of the videos above - Dom Sigalas, Katsunori Ujiie, Phil Clendeninn, and Matthew Jordan. BTS021 Dom Sigalas and Hans-Peter Henkel Chat In this podcast Blake and Nate interview London-based composer and producer Dom Sigalas and YamahaSynth guru Hans-Peter Henkel during Superbooth 19. https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/bts023-dom-sigalas-and-hans-peter-henkel-chat https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/bts060-phil-bad-mister-clendeninn-2 BTS027: Dom Sigalas Chat In this episode Blake chats with London-based producer and composer Dom Sigalas during the Yamaha Synthesizers 45th Anniversary event at Innovation Road at Yamaha HQ in Hamamatsu, Japan. https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/bts026-dom-sigalas-chat BTS035: Blake and Dom Chat with Katsunori Ujiie NAMM 2020 In this episode from NAMM 2020 Blake and Dom chat with Katsunori Ujiie, a renowned Tokyo keyboardist, session musician and founder of the popular YouTube channel musictrackjp. Katsu talks about his background, his vast experience with synthesizers his incredible musicianship. Dom poses this question to Ujiie: "Whenever I hear you playing any synth it sounds good...it sounds amazing when your hands are playing it. Do you search for the best presets or do you create your own sounds?" Find out Ujiie's answer to this question and more in this episode of Behind the Synth. https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/bts035domsigalasandkatsunoriujiiechatnamm2020 BTS055: Katsunori Ujiie Chat In this episode: Blake and Nate chat with Tokyo-based keyboardist and sound designer, Katsunori Ujiie. As a sound designer, Ujiie-san has created sounds for many Yamaha Synthesizers including DX, SY, QY, VL, EX, CS, MOTIF and MONTAGE. Learn more about Katsunori Ujiie on his YouTube channel and at musictrack.jp. Check out his Soundmondo sounds for many different Yamaha Synths and Stage Keyboards here. https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/behind-the-synth-katsunori-ujiie-chat BTS052: Matthew Jordan In this episode Blake and Nate chat with Yamaha Synthesizer artist, Matthew Jordan. He’s worked as a keyboardist, background vocalist, producer and music director with Mike Love (The Beach Boys), Sabrina Carpenter, Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray), Terri Nunn (Berlin), Tommy Tutone, Martha Davis (The Motels) and Art Alexakis (Everclear.) Currently, Matthew is the keyboardist for the indie pop band Rooney and an accomplished singer songwriter. https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/matthew-jordan-bts BTS060 Phil "Bad Mister" Clendeninn In this episode, Blake and Nate celebrate the career of Phil “Bad Mister” Clendeninn. Phil recently retired from Yamaha after 35 years. We chatted with him about growing up in the Bronx, NYC (“the Boogie Down” as Phil calls it) and his formative years. We discussed his college years at Syracuse University, his work as a founding member and keyboardist for the band Tarika Blue, his work as a recording engineer in NYC and the circumstances that brought him to Yamaha in 1987. It’s been an honor working with Phil over the years. He’s mentored many people in the industry and within Yamaha. Check out our hang with the Baddest Mister of them all! https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/bts060-phil-bad-mister-clendeninn-2 BTS006: Phil "Bad Mister" Clendeninn Synth Chat In this podcast Blake interviews legendary YamahaSynth guru Phil "Bad Mister" Clendeninn. https://soundcloud.com/yamahasynth/bts006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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