Yamaha DX-7

L'approche du DX7 peut sembler difficile pour un debutant notemment dans l'edition des sons mais dans l'ensemble, l'interface du DX7 est relativement simple et l'approche est relativement commune aux instruments Yamaha de l'epoque (RX15...) Le manuel est en anglais ce qui pose des diffucultes aux non anglophones dans l'apprentissage des fonctins du DX7.

16 voix de polyphonie
Dump permettant l'echange des banques et des fonctions entre plusieurs DX7 et accessoirement de sauvegarder les sons sur ordinateur quand on ne dispose pas de cartouches RAM
L'edition FM bien depasse aujourd'hui permet pourtant d'obtenir une tres grande varietes de sons.

MIDI : IN / OUT / THRU : Attention toutefois, le DX7 peut parfois poser quelques problemes lors d'un DUMP (MIDI DATA ERROR!)

Pour autant Conservez votre DX7 car il est un tres bon clavier maitre notemment grace au clavier sensitif.

Les pianos electriques sont imbattables et sont rarement biens reproduits sur les expandeurs ou claviers actuels non YAMAHA. De tres bons sons de basses, d'orgues, de cloches. Les fonctions d'edition du DX7 permettent de creer ou de reproduire une tres grande variete d'effets.

En ce qui concerne les sons, le DX7 etait LE synthe de reference dans les annees 80

Avec un processeur d'effets, le DX peut parfaitement etre utilise aujourd'hui en combinaison avec un expandeur recent (type Roland SC 880 ou JV) et un logiciel sequenceur comme Cakewalk.

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J'utilise aujourd'hui le DX7 comme clavier maitre et en complement avec un Roland SC-880, un Roland P-330, un studio numerique Roland U-8 et un ordinateur.

When I got this, there were no ROMs included, and the battery had just been replaced, so there were no sounds in it. Luckily, the Internet has an abundance of patches for it, so I got some sounds pretty quickly.

The menus are few and easily understood, but the tutorial in the manual is a waste of time. Although I would never be able to program any patches like the ones Yamaha did themselves, FM synthesis is quite easy to comprehend, once you start experimenting.

I only wished, the Function parameters were stored with the patches (somehing the E-card and the DX7II added); I've built a little controller box for it, where I can switch the portamento on and off, and also control the Breath controller with a knob.

The 16-tone polyphony is just great, and quite unheard off in its time (late 1983). I use the classic DX Electric Piano all the time (with an external chorus), and it's a sure winner each time. MIDI specs are also great, although the biggest complaint in my book is the lack of local off. The 28 kHz DAC may be a bit laughable by todays standards, but I think this is what gives the DX-7 its character; the DX-7II sounds too "clean" and dull to me compared. Everything is easily accessible through the well-layed out buttons.

You can't beat the sound of a DX-7. Most other DX-synths have only 4-operators, but the last 2 are the ones to give the final touches. Browsing through the factory patches, you get surprised every time you try a new patch; some of these sounds are quite realistic! There's one guitar-patch, that's priceless - I haven't heard anything like this on any wavetable-synths ever!

The keyboard has a great response, and the (then new feature of) aftertouch and velocity are very well calibrated IMHO.

One of my favourite patches is just one carrier, with lots of portamento and monophonic mode turned on. This sine-patch is AFAIR unproducable on other non-DX synths, and makes a great honey-dripping background lead.

As long as my RAM cartridges don't go balistic on me, it's dependable like nothing else. I use is extensively on gigs, mostly because the sounds it can make are unreproducable by most others - this is the real McCoy. It's stabel and it's rugged for those rough transports. A bit heavy, though...

I only tried to contact Yamaha's Scandinavian subsidiary trying to get some factory ROMs, but they hadn't any more. I've never dealt with them regarding repairs or parts or such, so I really dunno...

Nothing beats this puke-brown beast. It's heavy like a fridge, but I can spend hours on end going through libraries of patches and/or twiddling my way around the Edit-menu to make my own sounds. This is the cornerstone of my 80s setup, and I don't think I'll ever part with it.

I think $250 was a bit much, but I guess these are prices today; I wouldn't pick one up for anything more than that. I wish I had an E-card, though...

At the moment Im using a mix of factory and downloaded presets. Most of these sound pretty good. Its easy to become dissapointed with the DX especially when listening straight out the headphone socket. Take a line out of the output however and it suddenly seems to come alive. Even the sounds that dont come close to there intended original sound interesting. Editing is easy enough, its just creating sounds from scratch that might cause you problems. Once you've got your head round the 6 operator system and realized that at the most basic level editing can be acheived by changing algorithm or frequency course on any or all of the operators, you have an infinate amount of sound options, some useable, some not.

Polyphony is fine for my needs, after all I only have ten fingers. Effects are only available if you want to create some kind of reverb by shaping the sound envelope to do so. Alternatively, chorus can be programmed by detuning two or more of the six operators. Caution should be used here though, you can program a really thick silky chorus at home and then get to the gig only to find out you've detuned the operators so much that you are out of tune with the rest of the group. I have no expansion on my DX as yet. The midi capabilities are basic, but again, its fine for my needs. I use it to control a Roland JV1080 and I have the patches on the JV numbered according to the buttons on the DX so changing patches is a piece of cake. Also, the mod wheel on the DX provides the best leslie switch/speed control for the JV's hammond sounds. No sequencer but then I use my M1 and a Yamaha MDF2 for that.

To name but a few, the electric piano's, organs, brasses, basses are all useable classics. I must say that I have a preset of a yamaha CP70 electric grand and I cant believe how relistic it sounds. If anybody wants a copy I will gladly zap it over for free.
Velocity and aftertouch are great for the internal sounds but seems to be a little sluggish for anything Im controlling using MIDI.

This think is now 17 years old and still going strong. Need I say more? I do use it at gigs without back up, but I have been considering getting a TX7 or FS1R and replacing the keyboard itself. The keyboard is fine but the overall weight of lugging it around makes it a little less user friendly.

I have dealt with yamaha on a number of occasions and found them to be quite helpful. Ive never had problems getting instruction manuals and ROM cartridges from there spares department.

I would replace it. The model Im using now is my third DX7 and wether I continue to gig it or keep it in the studio, I will always have one. The DX has become a love em' or hate em' type of thing. The newer music fans who like all this retro analogue/digital stuff will probably find it uninspiring but I love it to bits and as a point I have to say, if you are going to go for analogue type sounds, go and try to buy the original gear first, its much more rewarding.

Could be difficult for someone not used to FM.
Some presets are ok.
Manual doesnt help one bit

16 note poly.
no effects
32 internal sounds, 32 more on rom and ram cartridges
touch sensitive, with velocity
no sequencer

Quite simply, this is the best keyboard I have ever used.
Sounds are up to you, you can go anywhere, I have had mine for 11 years and am still discovering new sounds, its like a guitar it, takes on the personallity if the player. I have used analogues, and they just dont interest me, too limited. Realtine control of sounds is possible on the dx7, and always surprises people, you can get some really unique morphs with the wheels. I will take this to the grave with me.

Very reliable

Very helpfull hear in England, (good old Dusty!)

Magical

The DX-7 isn't as hard to use as one would think. It is true that the outcome of your editing occasionally sounds nothing that you had in mind... doesn't really bother me, unexpected noises usually trigger the underlying inspiration.
The layout of parameters is quite simple, no endless menu labyrinths, everything is within one-or-two push-a-buttons... Manual is helpful for those save, sysx,...etc. key combinations, but for editing you should use your own imagination.
One thing I really love is that DX-7 remembers its current state, so, you can turn it off anytime and when switched back on, its like nothing had happened.

The DX-7 is monophonic and monotimbral. 12-bit 28kHz Polyphony is 16 voice. Memory for 32 sounds in RAM, plus optional 32 in ROM (modules). 6-operator FM-synthesis. 6 x amp. env per voice 1 x pitch env per voice 1 x LFO sine,tri,ramp up,down,sq,s/h ...etc.
No samples, No filters, No effects, No sequencer
The keyboard action is unweighted and excellent. Keys are velocity sensitive, and have channel aftertouch. The only "bad" thing I could think of is the minimum velocity, which isn't too low.
The MIDI standard is about as old as the DX-7, still DX-7 has MIDI (in,out,thru). Sounds can be transferred via sysx (millions of patches in Net), modulation and pitch wheel are sent properly. Unfortunately velocity is off-standard, so DX-7 doesn't really shine as a master keyboard. But with rather rare (in Finland that is) expansion/ enhancement cards, forementioned problem is fixed, along with additional memory etc..
Due to algorithm based synthesis and lots of parameters, the sonic variety of this unit is unlimited. (<-- that's the thing...)

First we pretty much forget the preset, usually they have been overwritten several times by now. Sounds are... different, weird, cold, scary, funny, sad, hmm... If all you know about FM-synthesis is your old SB, you have no idea what noises DX-7 brings. I plugged my DX-7 into old Peavey UniverbII, and it showed me places I hadn't been before.
I often mute the clean signal and use only the reverbed sound, and it gives me evolving, haunting sounds. I would say that effects unit is mandatory to unleash the soundscapes. Of course the DX-7 produces great electric pianos and weird basses, and everything in between. With a little imagination, you can assign sound morphing to mod wheel, and it goes beyond filtering.
As history proves DX-7 works for any music type. It is especially great for those cold, metallic voices that aren't too common in all-round synths. Actually, DX-7 is one of the few synths that have their own sound, you can't say that this and that sounds better because this sounds just like DX-7. Due to adjustable velocity sensing per operator, aftertouch, scaling, heap of EGs and other parameters, the expressiveness is outstanding. A player's instrument.

This unit IS rugged... metal chassis, no knobs to fall off, everlasting membrane buttons, and even the keys can handle quite a hammering... Absolutely reliable, not a single problem, ever...

It sure is worth what I paid... If it were stolen I would find another one, or maybe Yamaha Fs1R (though it sounds a little too clean for me). Todays synths rarely inspire the way the DX-7 does. With samplesynths, radical change in sound often takes excessive editing, as with DX-7 a single change alters the voice completely.
The DX-7 is not the only thing you need but whatever music you do, it adds to it.

It is not difficult to use, you select parameters and then enter their values, it gets very tedious though. Some of the factory presets are great but most are nothing special. However you cand find thousands of exellent patches on the internet. The lcd is small and not backlighted and the buttons are the membrane type, but it doesn't bother me.

It has 16 note polyphony,is velocity and after touch sensitive and has exellent keyboard action with a semi-weighted feel. Also there are pitch and modulation wheels, and a 32 patch memory. There are no effects, but none are are really necessary. It stores patches using cartriges. It is, or was possible to get an expension card which gave more memories and better midi implimentation. No sequencer and it is monotimbral. Has midi in out and through, and can use a breath controller. Also you can use the foot pedal to control volume, modulation, sustain and portamento.

The range of sounds it can produce are virtually unlimeted, and it has huge potential. It does exellent pianos and organs very realistic bells and some wierd FX. With carefull programing it even does pretty good analog basses and good strings. It is good for almost any kind of music, especially ambient,and rock. Also it is extremely expressive since for example you can make velocity control the brightness of the sound.

Extremely dependable, built like a tank and is indestructable. Mine is 14 years old and shows no signs of aging.

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I love my DX7, it is a true classic. Exellent sounds a lot of potential and it is very expressive. I would definately buy it over again, maybe for even more then what I paid. I like the sounds and the keyboard, I don't like the interface but it doesn't bother me that much. It woul be more user friendly to have a couple of knobs for the envelope generators and a bigger LCD. Also idealy I would want it to be multitimbral. It helps me make music by allowing me to create new sounds. For the price I paid it is a real bargain, and a must have for everyone.