The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

From: "Thomas" <tomfinegan@...>

> --- In AN1x-list@y..., "Peter Korsten" <peterk@i...> wrote:
> > Examples are the GX1 (660 kilos of organ and
> > speakers), the FX1 (the same thing but with FM synthesis) and the
> VP1 (16
> > voice polyphonic VL synth).
> Or the 100 Kilo of the marvellous CS80...unreachable it\ufffds sound.
> Listen to Vangelis Bladerunner Soundtrack and you understand what i
> mean.

I know the CS80, but it doesn't come close to the exclusiveness of the GX1,
FX1 (of which I hadn't even heard before last month) and the VP1. For
instance, the VL1 was bloody expensive, but the VP1 was SIX TIMES as
expensive. Paying 20,000 sterling for a synth is no joke. And these are
prices are of six years ago.

Of the GX1, only seven or so were built. It was actually the machine out of
which the CS80 was developed. It has been described as a 23rd century
Hammond organ, or the helm control of the Enterprise. It has two normal size
keyboards, a mini keyboard, a knee controller, those things you play with
your feet, and, since this is an Electone organ, a rythm section with Rumba
and Bossanova.

Then there's the GS1, the first Yamaha FM synth that looked like a baby
grand piano. The FX1, of which I've never seen a picture, supposedly looks
the same as the GX1 and EX1, but works on FM as well - EIGHT operator FM,
that is. The DX1, with more lights than a Las Vegas casino, is just the nice
looking version of the DX5, which is basically a double DX7. It's exclusive,
but not *elusive* as these really, really high-end products.

You've got to love Yamaha.

> > Still I don't have a clue what they have up their sleeve...
> Yeah, it\ufffds like there are a two bunch of peoples fighting over the
> power in Yamaha. The ones that want good music instruments, the other
> ones that wants good money. Unfortunately the last ones won over,
> when they released the FS1r...otherwise i would have thought there
> would be also a FS1 Keyboard...

Keep in mind that the economic crisis has hit Japan hard, and things aren't
over yet. Yamaha was no exception to this decline. If you have the choice
between creating something esthitically beautiful and making money to
survive, I suppose you can always create that beautiful synth in a few
years.

> > What I really wouldn't mind is an update to their AN technology:
> while
> > maintaining the distinctive Yamaha sound, they could increase the
> number of
> > oscillators, for instance, or add extra filters. And I *really*
> wouldn't
> > mind a 30 voice, eight part multitimbral AN keyboard or rack, with
> an mLAN
> > option and optionally PLG slots.
> Oh most definately THAT would be nice, maybe a new AN that is coming
> sonically closer again to the formentioned CS80. AND mLAN AND PLG-
> slots (AND a FS-PLG), that would make my day (and my bankaccount too)

No, it would *break* your bank account. :)

As for CS80 sound, I think it's pretty difficult to get there. And don't
overestimate these 'real' analogue synths. The CS80 may sound good, but you
have to lock it up in a laboratory to reach that sound. It's notoriously
unreliable and suspectible to temperature changes. A friend of mine has a
CS60 (basically, half a CS80) and it sounds good for five notes or so - and
then it becomes completely unplayable.

>  >  Then again, they canned the AN1r (rack
> > version).
> True, but maybe when they see how much success Waldorf, Access and
> Novation have with their rack-modules, maybe they overthink it.
> And in a way, you can see the AN200 as a rack module...

Nah, the AN1r was ready and could have been produced, but Yamaha decided
against it. Don't ask me why, I haven't got a clue. And the AN200 is half an
AN1x, with a lot of knobs - not exactly a rack synth.

Yamaha have released three very interesting synths in a relatively short
period: the AN1x, the EX series and the FS1r. Especially the latter two,
have been artistic successes, but the implementation was far from ideal.

I think Yamaha are concentrating on making instruments that are easy to
sell, and leave the less standard synthesis methods to PLG boards. The
CS6x/r and S80 were also a break with the past: instruments with a PLG
option and smart cards instead of floppies.

My expectation and hope, though, is that in a few years Yamaha will come out
with another of their wonderfully innovative instruments.

- Peter