I have tinkered with that same GX-1. It is a stage machine, pretty much
intended to be played in a live-performance environment. Perhaps this is
why it didn't work very well for Hans Zimmer, who, while I am sure an
excellent player, needed something more in line with his composing desk.
There are pictures of it on synthfool when it was parked in front of his
Moog wall. Even now it needs some work as the pedalboard and bench are
missing, there is a rather-hacked-in (presumably) MIDI interface that
required chopping a rectangular hole through the 'Electone' logo that
wasn't operating when I examined it, and some of the pedal voice circuitry
is missing, notably the tone module motherboard and tone modules. I
suspect the pedal voice cards are also missing, and Emerson's ∗other∗ GX-1
(now in Italy) was supposed to be the parts machine...except it has a
pedalboard and pedal voice ciruitry.
It was when I obtained a copy of the service manual that I decided to
dig into the voice board modules, with a goal of making new "drop-in" GX-1
voice boards. This MOTM GX-1 stuff is just a side-benefit. I want to
make the GX1 filter EG as it is really necessary for "real" Yamaha
brass/string sounds. I've just recently figured out the circuit for it.
Anyway, CS-80 and GX-1 aren't for folks who want to drive MIDI at it;
they're for expressive control first, and sound second.
I really need to write my book called "Why They Once Built Synthesizers
the Way They Did, and Why They'll Never Build Them That Way Again." ;)
Crow
/∗∗/
On Tue, 8 Feb 2005, Jeff Laity wrote:
> Ah, the heck with him. This is the guy who "sold his GX-1 after getting
> Arturia CS-80V," according to their ads. Not MOTM material. :)