MOTM

Here you go, keyboard players -

http://cgi.ebay.com/vintage-1974-YAMAHA-GX-1-synthesizer-electone-
keyboard_W0QQitemZ7367790357QQcategoryZ64387QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I can only imagine what freight from Australia would be, but if you've 
already hit "Buy It Now", you probably don't care.

Chub-should be working, but isn't...

Unbelievable!!! It's been over an hour now since I saw
those pictures, and I still haven't recovered.... and
I was "only" dreaming about a CS-80..... if this isn't
the most beautiful synth ever made....

Dear fellows, this is one of those moments, where it
would just be very handy to have unlimited financial
resources! 
Hmmm. Actually, it's all Paul's fault. If he hadn't
made that MOTM-480, I wouldn't be obsessed with that
sound.   :-) 

Happy Thanksgiving to everybody here in the States!

Dino








--- Charles Osthelder <osthelder@...> wrote:

> Here you go, keyboard players -
> 
>
http://cgi.ebay.com/vintage-1974-YAMAHA-GX-1-synthesizer-electone-
>
keyboard_W0QQitemZ7367790357QQcategoryZ64387QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
> 
> I can only imagine what freight from Australia would
> be, but if you've 
> already hit "Buy It Now", you probably don't care.
> 
> Chub-should be working, but isn't... 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> --------------------~--> 
> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make
> Yahoo! your home page
>
http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/VpLolB/TM
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
> 
> 
>  
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
>     motm-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> 



	
		
__________________________________ 
Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 
http://mail.yahoo.com

Speaking as one who has tinkered with a couple of GX-1s, and owns a 
relative of it (the EX-2), I can comment on a few things:

   The machine, as well-built as it is, as great-sounding as it is when 
the beast is working properly, is not worth $100K (in AUD or USD).  I 
would put its "best possible" value at *maybe* USD$25K.  It is very hard 
to repair, mainly due to the fact it has several hundred epoxy-potted 
submodules.  These are incredibly difficult to reverse-engineer, let alone 
repair.  In addition, there are dozens of custom ICs in the key assigner 
circuits, old, strange devices that run an weird voltages.  Again, really 
tough to repair--Yamaha doesn't have the materials (or the interest) to 
fix them.

   Of course, this didn't stop me from tearing apart the submodules that 
comprise a GX voice.  The filters of course became the MOTM-485 and 
MOTM-475, just as my investigations of the CS-80 filter led me to make the 
MOTM-480.  I've figured out the VCO, the waveshaper and the filter & 
amplifier EGs as well (though save for the filter EG none of them will 
likely become MOTM modules).  As I have described before, the filters of 
the GX and the CS-80 are not the same types.  They have similar 
configurations (LP->HP for GX-1, HP->LP for CS-80) and in fact Yamaha uses 
this "tone color circuit" in many organs from the 1970s, starting with the 
GX-1.  Still, when calibrated properly the filters of GX vs. CS sound very 
similar.  This was due to Yamaha's rather strict control of Fcv and 
maximun Q factor.  In the MOTM versions of my GX and CS filters these 
Yamaha limitations can be overdriven or even removed entirely.

   Anyway, back to the GX-1.  The things that makes it nice to play are the 
user performance controls, most of which made it to the CS-80.  Of course, 
things like the twisting of the expression pedal to vary modulation, or 
the knee lever to cancel a preset (remember the GX-1 is a synthesizer 
masquerading as a stage organ, and has registrations, preset pistons and 
the like) can't exactly cross over to a "portable" CS-80, but it is still 
a good translation.  Ihe GX-1 (and EX-2) do have a touch vibrato upper 
manual action: press a key and wiggle it side to side, the more wiggle the 
more vibrato.  I sometimes wish the CS-80 had that, but assigning LFO mod 
depth to the aftertouch works nearly as well.

   Of course, if someone actually bids *and pays* (this is ebay, remember) 
the asking price, they can afford to hire, say, me, for $100/hr plus 
expenses to keep the thing running. ;)

   I now return to hacking the Voyetra-Eight while the turkey is in the 
brine. ;)

Crow
/**/

On Wed, 23 Nov 2005, Dino Leone wrote:

> Unbelievable!!! It's been over an hour now since I saw those pictures, 
> and I still haven't recovered.... and I was "only" dreaming about a 
> CS-80..... if this isn't the most beautiful synth ever made....
>
> Dear fellows, this is one of those moments, where it would just be very 
> handy to have unlimited financial resources! Hmmm. Actually, it's all 
> Paul's fault. If he hadn't made that MOTM-480, I wouldn't be obsessed 
> with that sound.  :-)
>
> Happy Thanksgiving to everybody here in the States!
>
> Dino

Scott, thanks so much for your comments on the GX-1,
its filters and also on the performance-related
features of those wonderful instruments! I appreciate
that very very much!!!

    Are there any hints you can give us as to how to
adjust the MOTM480 and 485 so that they sound as
closely to their originals as possible? On obvious
things seems to be the trimpot in the 485 which limits
the resonance... is there anythings else? How about
the 480?

And what are the differences between the 485 and the
475? I think Paul mentioned the 475 beeing in the
"pipeline", but it would be really great to get more
info.

With "waveshaper", I assume you mean the part of the
VCO which generates triangles, square and sine waves
from the saw? Would you be willing to share some of
your findings about that?
 
> though save for the filter EG
> none of them will 
> likely become MOTM modules).

Is that any different from what we're used to - e.g.
MOTM800 or other EG/ VC-ADSRs?

With Best Wishes,

Dino




		
__________________________________ 
Yahoo! Music Unlimited 
Access over 1 million songs. Try it free. 
http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited/