Yamaha SY-77

I have version 1.2 of the SY77. The presets are nothing compared to what this machine can do! I found that out once I had downloaded some patches on the web.
Editing the FM part is tricky, but it can be learned in about a day. The EG editor sucks. the rest is OK, but notably behind the ease of use of say, the Wavestation.
the manual is very good. the first part is a quick start of every feature, the rest is an indepth reference.

16notes FM and 16 notes AWM polyphonic, 16 voices multitimbral. the keyboard is *alive* (and that's a good thing 8O)
the built in effects are enough for a beginner, but I know I'll soon need to go external. the range of the parameters is not enough for me. Fortunately, it has double stereo outputs, so you can hook up two stereo effects processors.
You can expand it by using floppies for all data (except samples), use RAM cards for all data (except samples), use ROM Waveform cards (but only 12 samples per card for about $ 100), or you can go wild and get yourself a motherboard expansion with 127+ sounds (4MB) for $150!
It does everything you can ask for in MIDI, except zoned aftertouch. It has only polypressure aftertouch, but hey! who cares! It has *two* modulation wheels (one bidirectional), foot controller, breath controller and foot volume connectors, and a data entry slider that can be assigned to any controller.
the onboard sequencer is quite limited at 16,000 notes, 15 tracks (one pattern track) and one song. You have to store your work before turning it off, because it has no powered memory (strange, since the SY55 has that, as does the sy99). If I record aftertouch with it, and go wild in a solo, I can fill the memory up pretty quickly. Playback of the aftertouch does not sound fluid enough. It's like it has been quantized.
So I will do my "scetching" on the SY, but my recording on the computer.

This synth is not meant to produce realistic sounds, cuz it has FM. Still, it can produce pretty convincing sax and woodwinds. Especially with a breath controller routed to the filter section. The grand piano's suck, but the steel drums (a preset) are the best I've ever heard and, I have to admit, the steeldrums are the real reason I bought the beast. I've got something for that jamaican vibe...
This instrument is a classic in itself. the last of the bizar FM synths, now with AWM as a modulator for the FM. Really out of this world sounds, combined with the familiar DX7 feel (even if you've never played a DX7, the SY77 will sound very "real" and you've definately heard it in hit songs).
I have a voice bank whitch mimics the Wavestation. Since I've owned a wavestation, I can tell you I was amazed at how close the SY77 comes!
Over all, the playing of any sound on an SY77 makes you want to toy with velocity, modulation, aftertouch and keytracking. So yes, it's dynamic alright!

Wow, can you depend on it?
Hmm. This machine I have is nine years old. It's in pretty good shape.
It weighs a hefty 35 pounds, so I suppose it's pretty solid.
If I had the money, I'd never go anywhere whithout two socks, two shoes, one pair of trousers and two SY77's.

As you can expect after 9 years, there are no more extra's for it. Sold out. I've never talked to yamaha, so I don't know.

I would try to replace it if it got stolen, but since I've got the motherboard expansion and the company that builds them has only 15 left, I might go for a SY99. It has user expandable sample memory and better effects.
the SY77 definately enables me to make music *my way*.

Check out my SY77 site at homepage.mac.com/buisman

The preset sound are good to use but not the best I ever heard.
Editing patches is a lot of work because of the 6 waveforms (Frequency modulation). This is the power of this synth.
Editing the ADSR is a bit strange but you get used to it.
I never read the manual but it looks clear to me.

Polyphony is very bad on the SY 77. It's not really a good one if you like to use it in the perform mode. But for using it as a solo synth it is oke.
You can use 4 effects at one time and they are very good. Editing the effects is easy to do. There are a lot of reverbs.
You can put a data card and a wave card in the synth. It also has a floppy drive.
On thr back you can find the midi outputs, breathcontrol input, foot volume, sustain, foot controller and four jack outputs. It also has two modulation wheels.
The 16 track sequencer is on board but I never use it.
There is no general midi.

The preset are like standard. The best sound you have to make your own. There are many ways to express the sounds by using all the controllers. Speccially the breathcontroller and the second modulation wheel is very good to use.
Because of the FM synthese you can use this synth for many styles.
I like to use it for classical because you can make some realistic strings and wind instruments.I also use it for techno and ambient.
Sometimes the keys react a little bit late. You better use another masterkeyboard if you like to use it live.
Velocity and aftertouch react good.

I never had any troubles with the SY. The display is to dark and to small. Using it on a gig I prefer a piano action keyboard.

If my SY will die I would buy a yamaha VL-1. But I'm the third owner and it is still working. I also use the Roland JV-1080, the Alesis QSR, Alesis SR-16 and some software like soundforge.
My next synth? the Acces Virus!

At the first glance, you turn it on and play. But that synth is very powerfull and it's difficult to go as far as it can. The manual could be better. The display is ok.

The polyphony is short compared to the stuff you get today especially if you built complex sequences. It comes with 2 effects units, two slots for expansion cards (but so few cards on the market!). The sequencer is ok for I never composed very long pieces, and easy to use.

All instruments are very good. The acoustic piano presets are a bit weak but you can download good patches from some sites. Great strings, good saxes, lovely synth sounds and fantastic expressiveness especially for the aftertouch (accordion!) It's very versatile. The only style I wouldn't use it for is dance or techno.

No problems for 4 years and no special care!

Saw guys from Yamaha in a meeting but they weren't cool and seemed bothered with my questions...

I'd buy another one. Sometimes I think about getting a TG77 (SY77 module). It would be a solution to the problem of polyphony. I never felt the need to change for another synth for 4 years !