In the context of my previous message - which can be considered by
some lovers of DX/TX and Yamaha algorithm synthesis rather
provocative, rebellious, confrontational, controversial or even
arrogant (but based on my 30 years experience with it, and of course
I'm still in deep love to it after all those years) - it would be
interesting to start new thread:
How do you use Yamaha DX/TX... FM/algorithm synthesis instruments?
Also SY/TG/FS1r or other FM synths, or virtual FM synths like NI FM7/8
or other?
Possible questions can be:
- how many years do you use some FM instrument
- which FM instruments could you experience in your life
- which FM hardware or software instruments do you have recently
- what was your first FM instrument
- hardware X software instrument
- first generation X second generation X AFM X FS1r
- 4 OP X 6 OP X other
- live performance X studio recording
- in which music style
- solo X in combination with other instruments (which?)
- which sound categories do you use or prefer on DX/TX instruments
- which sounds: factory X commercial sound sets X free sounds from the
internet X your own creations
- can you create new patches from zero on DX/TX instruments X do you
make just small edits of some parameters in available patches X you
just use available patches as it is
- do you use FM instrument as source of samples for samplers
- in your opinion what is still so attractive on FM synthesis after
all those years, that we all still love it, use it, and Yamaha even
offers new FM instruments
- what is the most attractive point(s) for you personally on FM
synthesis
For sure there can be more questions, anybody can add some...
I'm sure this discussion can bring some interesting results if lot of
us would send his/her opinion. Let's start :-) Here are my quick
answers.
------------------
- 30 years
- Yamaha DX7, TX7, TX416, TX816, DX7 II D, DX7 II FD, DX7s, TX802,
TX81z, DX11, DX21, DX27, DX100, V50, TQ5, PF FM pianos, some FM
organs, SY77, TG77, SY99, FS1r, PLG100-DX, PLG150-DX, DX200, Korg 707,
DS8 and probably more
- DX5, DX7, DX7 II D, FS1r, SY99, TG77, TX416, 2x TX802, TX816, 2x
TX81z, V50, WT11, PLG100-DX
- DX7
- I prefer hardware
- I like all generations, each can offer something interesting
- I prefer 6 OP or FS1r, but 4 OP synths can have surprisingly good
sounds - I like V50 performances, TX81z multimode and MIDI effects
(pan, chord, echo).
- Mostly studio. Besides keyboard control I use also WX5 Wind
Controller and G10 Guitar Controller.
- Electronic music - classics, pop, rock, jazz, ethnic, experimental,
computer, microtonal
- Mostly in the combination with other analog and digital synthesis,
sampling and physical modeling
- Mostly electronic sounds - metallic, clangorous, inharmonic,
distorted, plucked and percussive sounds, slowly evolving pads,
vocals, lead/bass synths, mallets, microtonal textures, sound FX
- All of this
- All of this
- It was well invented, lot of quite different sounds can be created
with it, range goes from pure FM through component additive to pure
additive synthesis. No other synthesis principle offers so easy
creation of inharmonic specters and very dirty and distorted sounds.
TX816 and instruments with Performance mode allow layering of sounds.
Possibilities go even more far in SY/TG with AFM synthesis, or FS1r
with even more advanced FM/FS combination.
- Sound creation potential, typical sound character with easily
recognizable identity, expressiveness. On the programming level: OP
detune, Fixed Frequency, envelopes (Level 4 higher than zero!), pitch
envelope, keyboard scaling, velocity control, on newer generation
random pitch, unison, Performance and multimode, more LFO,
microtonality, on SY/TG filters and effect processors...
------------------
Daniel Forro
Pop music has rather limited range of its usable sounds. Who would
need another E-piano Nr. 5678, Brass Nr. 4447 etc...? Even very
flexible DX algorithm synthesis has its limits. Let's not forget
that lot of commonly used sounds which came later with digital
sampling or physical modeling surpasses FM sounds in authenticity
and expressivity (when we need acoustic or electro-acoustic
instruments emulations, sound effects, analog synths emulations,
drums & percussion...).
After all those years and recent situation in the field of
synthesizers lot of DX sounds became obsolete and somehow unusable.
Still DX synthesis has a lot of to offer for experimental electronic
music, and serves as an excellent addition and partner for modern
instruments based on sampling and physical modeling.
Daniel Forro