Yamaha DX7
The 1983 presented by Yamaha DX7 was the first to a wider audience accessible digital synthesizer.
Sound
The one with the DX7 for the first time available in a programmable from musicians consumer product FM synthesis is characterized by sounds which were partially not possible with traditional ( subtractive ) synthesis. Especially brilliant electric pianos, slapped bass guitars, tubular bells, acoustic guitars and many percussive sounds, and simulations of acoustic and electric instruments (eg harp, acoustic guitar, organ, wind instruments ) are the strength of this sound production. The sounds produced by the DX7 differ in many cases significantly from those of analog synthesizers and were in the 1980s shaped the sound aesthetics of pop and rock music. Probably the most commonly used sounds are electric piano and bass guitar sounds and percussive sounds such as xylophone and the famous Stratotron, similar to an electric guitar. Typical examples of the DX7 piano sound in the song "The Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston and " Stay the Night " (Chicago ) hear, as well as bell-like spherical in " Rosalie " by Spliff and "Touch In the Night " by Silent Circle. middle of the 1980s was hardly a ballad without the" from FM electric piano ".
Innovative and musically as suitable examples of the then new sound characteristics of the Yamaha FM synthesizer can be found about on the albums of Depeche Mode, who worked at that time as plentiful with the FM section of the Synclavier, Spliff, Level 42 and also Brian Eno, who still often used this synthesizer as many other musicians today. FM sounds are now regarded as a suitable resource for a particularly " wicked " and experimental sound material.
Play facilities and technology
Apart from its velocity-sensitive keyboard, the DX7 offers the possibility of the sound with controllers ( Breath Control, Aftertouch, Foot Controller and Switches, Modulation and Pitch Bend Wheel) dynamically to influence intensively during the game, resulting in the emergence time unusually vivid sound. He drew in his presentation to a buying audience that was accustomed to the piano this dynamic opportunity. The DX7 is one of the first synthesizer with MIDI and sound in addition to the internal memory ( 32 locations ) with handy extra storage medium ( here: Cartridge ). His sixteen- voice polyphony was 1983 in this price range sensational.
The tone generator of the DX7 was indeed marketed as FM synthesis, but in fact it is a technically and tonally very similar phase modulation technique. The algorithm has been implemented in Yamaha's specially designed custom chips ( VLSI) and patented what time, to a near- monopoly by Yamaha in FM synthesizer market until the expiry of the licensed Yamaha FM patent from Stanford University (1995 ) led. Each of the 16 votes is formed by 6 ' operators ' (sinusoidal oscillator circuits ), which are combined in algorithms and can modulate each other within established structures. Modulating the operator are referred to herein as a " modulator ," modulated "carrier ". 32 algorithms are available altogether.
The sound generation of the two chips in the DX7 synthesizer is fully implemented digitally. The digital values of the sinusoidal oscillations are read and processed from an internal ROM. Descriptive reads the inscription next to the DX7 logo thus: "Digital Programmable Algorithm Synthesizer" ( " digital programmable algorithm synthesizer" ). The possibility of compiling algorithms themselves, provide the receiver instruments SY77/99 and TG77 using external software editors.
As the digital technology of the early 1980s was not particularly well developed, the sound resolution of only 12 bits. This has the DX7 the first generation a lower signal - to-noise ratio and higher distortion than usual later. In contrast to the keyboard of the successor DX7 II, which gives the DX7 MIDI velocity values only to 100 (of 127) from leading to not fully -utilized dynamics in controlling external tone generator. So some sound DX7 sounds with MIDI Control by " full " MIDI keyboards occasionally a little too rich in overtones.
The New York Times mentioned the DX7 in 1984 as an instrument of a new dimension:
The artist used, like many of his colleagues, lossless, just storing digital sounds and rapid change from one sound to another as the basis for the then-emerging concept of home recording.
Because of his epoch-making significance of the DX7 will display in the Deutsches Museum.
TX -816
Under the name TX816 there is a 19 - inch system, which consists of eight single modules ( " TF1 " ) is given, each of which in principle corresponds to a complete DX7. This and the KX88 master keyboard and the MIDI sequencer QX1 Yamaha offered under the former point of a powerful MIDI Complete Studio at. The " TX7 " is a desk- sound module, which also owns the DX7 sound production.
DX7 II
Followed in 1987 by about 160,000 copies sold of DX7II. This second generation was offered in three versions keyboard: DX7s, DX7IID and DX7IIFD. The now larger and backlit display (except DX7s ) improved compared to tourism in the operation and programming of the instrument considerably. In addition, the DX7II DX7II Centennial in a limited edition of 300 pieces was produced to mark the 100th anniversary of the company as a version equipped with a silver casing, fluorescent 76er keyboard and gilded Wheels and program buttons.
Said parallel to DX7II model there is the TX802 as an expander version of the 19 " format, which thus replaced the TX7. Simplifies its sound generation based on eight 2 -voice DX7 modules allowing up to 8 different sounds are possible simultaneously. Per For Additional Voices sound can be several expander together. however, only up to a maximum number of 16 votes as in DX7II which can generate only two different sounds simultaneously, and these are either stacked ( dual mode ) or each to a clearly defined range of the keyboard ( Split Mode ).
In addition, the D / A converter has been improved, indeed leads to clearer sound image, but is sometimes rejected by sound purists. Another option is the " Unison Mode", which produces particularly rich sounds by stacking multiple voices with selectable upset. The second DX7 generation offers the LFO 16-fold to (read: individually for each polyphonic voice ) and has taken a mono stereo output for the audio signal.
Accessories
For all DX7 models accessories and modifications have been offered by other manufacturers. Particularly well known are the memory upgrade E! ( Grey Matter Response), Supermax and SPX ( EES ). They provide some additional functions such as split, dual, octal mode, Sequencer. Versatile is the choice of storage cartridges available in multiple sizes 32-1024 sounds that were produced by several companies and sold with new sounds in larger numbers. The DX -Programmer ( Jellinghaus ) produced in small edition provides access to all parameters each with its own control knob.
Sound Design
The somewhat cumbersome programming of complex algorithm and parameter structure led to the emergence of a market for Sounds: DX7 users who ruled the then-new craft "Sound Design" and at the same time had commercial ambitions, were able to offer for sale their own sound programming as game -ready " Sounds". The sound trade was through the mass distribution of the DX7 synths temporarily into a lucrative business, making this market segment in the following years for a variety of other instruments was interesting and still is. Sounds were initially as a datasheet, later spread to cartridges and floppy disk. Today most of them are to get via download from the Internet. Some sound designers have been particularly successful attempts at DX7 already established itself as ( in quality and quantity ) and its reputation among musicians.
DX7 applications today
Meanwhile, there are software synthesizers that emulate its technology and continue. The somewhat notorious - complex service of serving as a model Yamaha DX instruments is therefore not necessarily simplified. But the emulators allow, at least in the case of freeware, convenient access to the enormous sound potential of this synthesis method. Another advantage of the software is the global parameter Overview, which is quite limited on the DX7 through the small two-line LC display.