Yamaha SY-77

Some of the presets are very useful especially some of the organic acoustic sounds with some very expressive programming. There are definitely those that are dated though. When i bought the unit it came with loads of disks that were great as examples of the different approaches you can make with this synth.
I'm pretty clever when it comes to editing a patch. I've never tried to use the computer to edit this synth because i've never had to. Everything is really well layed out and the screen is large enough and very easy to read. The architecture of the editing is pretty straight forward with being able to turn elements on and off. I've had a lot of experience with yamaha synths and I find their interfaces really mesh with my personality. Before I purchased the SY-77, I had solely used softsynths and I find that I really enjoy being able to make patches without a computer screen glaring in my face.
The manual is pretty good. Although the other literature on this synth is far more elucidating.

I find the polyphony to be limited (especially with voices of 4 layers). I've never tried to max out the midi multitimbrality. I think this synth, due to the era it was constructed in, is really about using it in a professional setting (ie a studio with a multitrack recorder etc) or in a live performance. It's lovely to perform on thanks to THE MOST IDEAL SYNTH KEYBOARD FEEL EVER! The aftertouch response is just beautiful and the keys feel great. I've never been into weighted keys so the action on this board is perfect for me. I find it very inspiring.
The built in effects are pretty easy to use and have a lot of routing options with the two sets of outputs available which is a pretty useful feature. A lot of the reverbs are pretty fake sounding. With some tweaking you could get some passible sounds.
I've never really fiddled too much with the SY-77's midi but the implementation is pretty extensive and the sequencer can control external synths aswell. The additional modulation wheel is a nice touch and you can even build a very cheap fader or knob to control the breath input to have even more control.

This is where this synth excels. You can program it very extensively to make some very expressive sounds. Interms of hardware synths, this is one of the deepest around. The FM capabilities are the most powerful (next to the FS/1r which i would also like to own). The pcm waveforms are pretty good and have a dark quality to them which is great. You can get some realistic sounds by layering the pcm with a more expressive FM componant underneath. I was making some stunning pads right away. I think this synth is suited for all styles of music. Off the bat, I think it's great for soundtrack work. I use it for Drum and Bass style sounds. I can make really nice atmospherics. Great melodic leads. Very dense "reese" bass sounds. With very little tweaking these sounds become alive and dynamic.
I've made very convincing 303's and used the onboard pattern sequencer to make acid-lines and had a ball tweaking the parameters with the mod wheels. I've made some vangelis-esque leads and string sounds. I've even made some crazy effects that don't sound anything like anything you've heard before. ;oP
I've never tried to use the drum sounds. But some are very usefully to add character to an FM sound with the RCM. The filter is a must but not as powerful as I wanted it to be. there are 2 filters (one is switchable from LP to HP) so you can bridge the 2 filters together to get a bandpass. I would love it to have a bandpass option right off the bat. It would also be cool if you can arrange the filters in a serial or parallel way. The resonance curve is very digital for me but atleast you can drive to self-oscillation-A BIT TOO EASILY.
There is some noise and grit to the sound of the oscillators. The sinewaves aren't the cleanest (possibly because of the sample rate of the DAC) but I like that. There is a character there.

It seems like it's built like a tank. I got this synth because interested in getting into live performances. Very solid.

no dealings with yamaha. I found they have some older websites online that do support the SY series. There are a lot of online communities (yahoo, even some academic sites) that discuss this synth at great detail.

I would definitely get it again or maybe upgrade to the SY99 (the sampler option and better effects intrigue me). Very worth what I paid for it as I also got a beautiful keyboard bag with it. I've been making music for over half my life and I've had some other gear. I've always enjoyed yamaha and I've always liked FM-Synthesis. Having an FM-synth with a Rompler is such a bonus. Being able to modulate them together is DDDDDDAAAAAAARRRRRRRRKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!
My favorite softsynth is Native Instruments FM7 and this is the only piece of hardware (other than maybe the fs/1r or the nord modular) that can make reproduce the sounds I do on FM7. That was one of the main reasons I bought it. The fact that it has other features is icing on the cake.
It's inspired me in ways I didn't imagine when I first was looking into getting it. I had solely used computers to make music for too long and this synth has openned me up to hardware again for which I'm grateful.

Damn am I glad I learned how to synth on this thing! Once you learn how to synth here, nothing is intimidating, and rarely is anything else impressive. Easy to use? not really, but justified in it's complexity. The presets are ok, but the synth power is jaw dropping.

Some of the ROM cards that you can get are really nice, especially for the drums and percussion sounds. Otherwise, ITS A SYNTH, that means make your own damn sounds. 32 voice polyphony is ok but it has come up as a problem.

BEST SYNTH IVE EVER TOUCHED. I make tekno/ tek house, but whenever I use this board the tunes end up more musical, open ended and creative. I have made a few ambient tracks using only this synth. Cinematic, other worldly... the sounds are unique and so expressive. There are patches I have saved that I've been developing for years! YEARS! This is a board where you can truly define your personal unique sound. I'm not a very good keyboard player, but I find the keys very expressive.

I rarely take it out cus' they're to hard to replace. I replaced the disk drive for about $70 a few years back. I've had the board for twelve years now, and that was my only problem.

I met a Yamaha rep and he gave me a ton of sounds! Thanks Rob!

I didnt use it much for a couple of years while getting into software, but now it's patched in again. This was my first piece of gear, I bought from a friend in 93'and the best I've owned. I am really curious about using an SY99 now that I have learned that it incorporates sample manipulation. There is really no match for this synth in my opinion. You can compare it to the Trinity or one of it's contemporaries, but there's no synth like an FM, and this is the most powerful one I know of. The sequencer is easy to use and effective, but when I really get going, I run out of sequencer memory. The 32 voice polyphony can also get in the way when you are getting complex BUT, a soft sequencer and or recorder solves those little problems. BTW the sound will definetly knock you out way before the polyphony is tested.

Here's the bad news: the first time you want to edit your own sounds from scratch, about a 1000 parameters to edit (!), you aren't laughing.
The manual is rather usefull, but for they don't tell you too much about FM synthese! So you have to find out by yourself how it works by experimenting with different parametervalues. But Oh My God, when you've succeeded (to take) this barrier...
Get a software editor, that will help, but watch out! It still will be complicated!

The features aren't shocking in quantity and quality. The panning engine is very usefull but for using effect's you'd better look for a good external hardware or software effectmodule.
Some flanger and chorus effect's are handy, and just a touch of the reverb may spice the sound a little.
I doesn't use the internal sequencer, found it too difficult and not intuitive. I manely use a software seq. which works fine.
MIDI implementation is standard, I wish it had more realtime controllers!
Polyphony isn't very rich, but hey! This beauty is aprox. 15 years old!

But here things change... In a positive manner of course.
This could by (one of!) the most tweakable, digital synths made.
It sounds so unimaginably unique!
OK, a Korg Karma or a Clavia Nord Modular is also very special, but in their own way. For a sounddesigner (like me) or a musician (also) it's a must have, despite his (or her) age...

Never let me alone.
If I had to use it on an live gig, I'd first look for another SY77, I simply can't miss it.
Only the diskdrive broke, yeah that's true.

Never had to deal with them, because it's that reliable

I think I've made myself clear about this synth! Explore the FM synthese theory, and you'll have a very powerfull engine.
Just tweaking the sounds can be very inspiring.
As mentioned, my only complaint is the lack of realtime controllers.

Nobody/ nothing is perfect!

Well, enough said about it, just buy one if you can find.

Lovely layout and once you learn your way arround this classic you'll realize how great this synth is.

Although the SY77 lack the features and memory of modern workstations, what it does, it does well. The 16 track sequencer is basic but very useful. The effects are quite noisy by todays standards but at a lo-fi edgy quality to the sounds.

Has there ever been a more expressive synth to hit the world? I don't think so, and I have played all the classics from the Minimoog to the Triton. How the SY77 isn't rated as an ALLTIME CLASSIC is beyond me.I guess its timing because as ground breaking as the DX7 was when it came in 1983. It doesn't touch the sonic power and expresiveness of the SY77, which makes FM sound magical. Especially for orchestral, new age and sound-track compostion. I have owned this synth for 13 years and it still amazes me. I own a triton and Motif 6 too. But I find myself drawn to the SY77 most of the time, and the reason is its so damn expressive. The weight of the bass sounds it can produce is awesome. And then it can produce the sweetest most moving strings and pads you've ever heard. And it produces those wonderful electric piano sounds that made the DX7 so famous. A Triton can do that, no modern synth can.

Except for the disk-drive on the SY77, Its built to last and is a great work-horse. I have gigged mine and used it in several studios for the last 13 years and its still going strong.

I have never sort company help so can't comment on that. And I have never had to get it repaired damn reliable.

If my SY77 was stolen or did or lost I would seek to buy one straight away. Its now part of my soul.

Not sure of the software version, probably whatever came installed straight out of the box. Presets range from excellent to passable, but there really aren't any terrible patches. Editing patches can be done easily after a little messing around, and does a good job of explaining what exactly is happening while you're editing. The manual, like every other Yamaha owner will tell you, might as well be in Klingon. They need to consult actual musicians when writing these things, and not just engineers.

The 32-note polyphony is good, but begins to rear its ugly head when multiple pads or other multi-layered patches are used in a composition. The keyboard action, while unweighted, is excellent (see below for more on that). This baby will accept low-density, 3.5" floppies, as well as two slots for some kind of native Yamaha patch card, one for instruments and the other for drum kits. MIDI? Sorry, haven't used it on this board yet. The onboard sequencer is a dream, easy to use and very extensive. I was putting together full compositions by day three.

The patches, well, where to begin? It's Yamaha! The SY77 is still a workhorse, and it shows in the quality of the sounds. Pads are abundant (we are talking about 1991, remember), and some are quite simply breathtaking. Excellent, EXCELLENT DX7 recreations. That famous DX Piano sound will never and should never die! Strings are wonderful, very textured, as are woodwinds and brass. Organs are a little more on the "synthy" side here, no real spot-on B3 Leslie patches (which is impossible on any synth, IMHO). The drum kits are a little quiet at first, but with a little editing can become quite formidable. The acoustic basses provide a solid low-end, and the DX basses have that punchiness to them. My only real complaint, and the reason for a score of '9' rather than a '10', is the acoustic piano. Editing can help, but it still won't fool anyone. But hey, this is a 80's/90's keyboard! Pads rule!!

Built like a rock, and not too heavy. I've taken this board around the block a couple of times, and its gotten its share of dings and scratches, but it just shrugs them off. I had to replace the disk drive, which was easy, and the LED is starting to fade, but for a board that's over 10 years old, that's okay by me. This was once my primary board, and it cut through mixes beautifully. I would replace it in a heartbeat if I ever lost it.

As I mentioned above, I had to replace the disk drive on the SY77. I went to Yamaha, who wanted $350 for a drive and cable. I jumped on eBay, and found a guy who was selling them for $15. DO NOT go to Yamaha for replacement parts on older synths. You'll pay for the name, which in this case, was not a good thing.

Overall, this board has withstood the test of time. In its heyday, it was a warrior among synths, and even today is still widely used. Yamaha struck gold when they produced the SY77. GO GET ONE. I have been playing synths for almost 10 years (I'm only 23, so cut me some slack), and I am still surprised by the depth of this board. More polyphony would have been nice, but for 1991, 32 was enough, and still is in most cases, at least for me. Put on a good pair of headphones, and spend a rainy evening with this thing.

The presets are of excellent quality.Programming is easy using the SY'S display,its easier to use a software editor.My unit is purchased second hand,no English manual provided

The keyoard feel is very good.The effects are good,and easy to use.
Can accept cards,and floppy disks for sequences and patches storage.
The on board sequencer seems little complicated compared to software .

Its best use is for natural sounding patches !
Try the "Clarinet" or "Sitar" for realism and expresiveness.
The effects are of good quality in general.
When playing the responsiveness is excellent.

Its a very reliable instrument.I would take it to a gig !!!

I fixed the unit once my self.Its easy [for me at last !] to open it.
They tried ,but they just did NOT knew enough about ...by the year 2001 they did not remember too much about it !

Overall the SY77 is easy to manage by comparison the the sophistication
of current synth-workstations.

It does require quite a while to learn to program FM synthesis
and RCM (a convolution of the SY77 samples with FM which is
_still_ hugely powerful). The difficult learning curve is worth it
because SY synthesis is still staggeringly powerful and unique

For it's time (~1990) all it's features were astounding.
Some of the samples are weak and effects OK, but all dwindle
into insignificance because of FM and RCM synthesis. through
RCM even the weak samples become better than even the best samples
on the market in 2002 - this is because RCM injects actual FM acoustics
into the samples. Try out the french horn sample - poor on it's own
yet _almost_ as expressive 9and controllable in realtime through the
breadth controller) as an actual horn. Same applies for all
wind and plucked or hammered instruments (and competes completely
with virtual acoustics on many occasions).

See above

Rock Solid - no mechanical problems in 12 years.
(a bit of MIDI timing delay if the sequencer is
pushed fast with 16 tracks bu that's the processor capability).

Excellent - Yamaha Kemble in london and Yamaha-Danfay in
Ireland were fantastic with answering queries, providing
free-bees and sound-patches.

I have both an SY77 and an SY99. I do documentary, theatre and film
music, along with some new age CD's on general release.

I couldn't work without these instruments, and highly recommend them
to anyone interested in getting the very best from synthesis.

There are about 20,000 patches free on the web at various sites, making
these instruments versitile beyond descovery in one human lifetime.

Pretty easy to figure out the front panel. Lots of buttons, lots of feedback via LEDs. The display is the largest an FM synth ever had. I've also owned a DX7-II and an FS1R and this is the easiest to edit of the three. Tweaks are very fast once you get used to the layout. In-depth editing...well, it's still FM. The display gives you graphic envelope editing, you can turn operators and parts on/off via front panel buttons, and the on-screen menus are numerous, but it's still a powerful and deep digital synth, with the complexity and learning curve that implies. If you are unfamilar with FM programming (as I was), get one of Howard Massey's FM programming tutorials. They're out of print but well worth the hunt.

The other reviews cover this pretty well, so I'll just add a few observations. 1. The keyboard action is an excellent light/unweighted type w/ useable channel aftertouch (i.e. you don't have to mash the keys to activate it). 2. The extra mod wheel is handy but very few patches use it. 3. There are two stereo outs, but if you only plug one in you get a mix of the two outs there. This means you can use the volume sliders on the front for a real-time mix of the two sounds. Handy for performance. 4. Some of the effects overload the outputs, but some patch tweaking will fix this. 5. Has inputs for sustain, volume, continuous foot controller, foot switch, and breath.

Unbeleivable organ and keyboard sounds. The sound is not quite as crisp as a trinity or motif but the responsiveness more than compensates. Excellent pads and analogue emulations. Great strings. Horns and guitars are weaker but that's true of every keyboard I've ever tried- you just can't play a guitar sound accurately on a keyboard IMHO. If you're doing electronic music this shouldn't be your only board-no good drums, the leads don't slice like an analogue, and the sequencer is no match for Cubase/Logic/Sonar, but as a controller and source of pads/keyboards/strings/Wicked FM bass, it's killer.

It's an older board, but it's all digital and seems very reliable. The keyboard holds up better than Roland's or Korg's of this age. Yamaha built their pro gear very well. It's heavy. If you see one for sale and the case is cracked, it was abused. The display does dims over time. I use an overhead lamp and point it at the display, which is much cheaper than replacing the backlight. )It's not just the price of the backlight itself, it's the difficulity of getting to it to fix it- you have to take about six circuit boards out of the way). The disk drives also go bad, but if you use an external sequencer and ed/lib software, it's irrelevant.

Some final comments here. If you have one of these and it's confusing you- Download the SY Manager software and use it to convert and load some of the billions of DX patches out there. Add filters, effects, mabye a wave layer, and tell me it doesn't sound amazing. And you didn't even have to learn FM programming! Next, screw around with the waveforms in the editor. Think of FM as a waveform generation system- a way to create complex waveforms in realtime. Get familar with how waveforms sound as you increase the modulation amounts, add additional modulators etc. (They get brighter and noisier, among other things).
Get one of Howard Massey's books...before long, you'll see how powerful FM is, and how undeserved its reputation for inscrutability is. Even if yo don't go that far, this is an incredible SYNTH, just for loading presets. Get one.

I don't know what version of software I am using, but I don't think there was ever a factory upgrade, was there? I bought this thing back in the early 90's, and generally it has stood the test of time.

Navigating around the synth is quite easy and intuitive I find. Voice editing goes from moderate for AWM, to extremely difficult for AFM sounds. I find the FM sounds hard to edit not because of the layout, but because of the theoretical nature of FM itself. In my opinion, good sounds are found using FM only by trial and error, and there are hundreds of configurations that produce useless garbage. I believe this is just a consequence of FM itself, and finding an easier way to program it would require lots of research. There is a patch editor for this keyboard which I have yet to try.

The presets sounds lousy to pretty darn impressive. Some of the sounds are just plain useless, while others have some amazing expressiveness and usability. For more details, see the Expressiveness/Sounds section below.

The manual is pretty basic and does not go much further beyond the screens and button presses.

Features are pretty good, even now! The sequencer is fairly complete and usable, but I have maxed out the number of notes many times. I find you get a bit of lag in the sequencer as well if you have too many notes. Getting note cut-offs is one thing, but sequencer lag is a little hard to deal with. The editing features are quite extensive, as are controller assignment capabilities. MIDI features are pretty good, but nothing special.

The polyphony is 32 notes which is fine for performance but sucks for sequencing. The kicker with the polyphony is that it is split among synthesis types. You get 16 notes for AWM and 16 for AFM. If you have a voice with 4 AWM elements, then one note on the keyboard takes away 4 notes of polyphony, so you only get 4 notes of polyphony for that particular voice, this is a drawback. The keyboard action is standard FS keyboard, which is found in most synths past and present, I have no complaints. The keys are velocity sensitive with after-touch, nothing out of the ordinary.

Built-in effects are quite usable, but at the sametime kind of bland. The reverbs are dated, I probably thought they were pretty good 10 years ago, but working in the industry has shown me they are old. The palette of effects is quite complete for a modern synth, but is missing more modern additions such as rotary speaker emulators and modelling effects, oh well.

You can add more sounds using cards, which adds both more presets, AND more waveforms. This is a good thing because there are only 112 internal waveforms, and the internal drums are HORRIBLE. Fortunately Yamaha released lots of drum card sets which have much better drum samples. The disk drive is a great feature, you can save sounds and sequences, even entire preset banks --- cool! One complaint here, maybe because of the state of the industry when this thing was released; the song file format is NOT standard MIDI. Then again, this synth came out before general MIDI was created, so what can you expect.

This is where there are some good and bad. The drums are the worst as I already said, I am sure there are better drums in some CONSUMER sound cards, and this is a PROFESSIONAL synth. The drums you get on the highly over-prices card sets are much better, I generally only use those. The piano was pretty good for its time, but is dated now. I still use it, but I get tired of listening to it. E. Pianos are pretty awesome thanks to the beauty of FM synthesis, which provides some great ones, especially the Doogie Howser classic. In fact, the FM sounds are pretty amazing all around, if you can figure out how to program them. Those FM sounds that I have, which include many DX emulations are great. The acoustic wind instruments are pretty good, saxes, clarinets and flutes still amaze me (I still love the sax with after-touch triggered vibrato). Guitars are not so good, but show me a keyboard that has some good ones. Basses are ok, synth basses are better again thanks to FM. In general the sounds are quite good because of the incredible flexibility of FM. The very limited AWM section is not bad, but easily maxed out due to only 112 waveforms, thank goodness you can add more using the data cards.

To summarize, I think this synth works well for most music types, if you have adequate expansion sounds. You could forget about dance music unless you have the House and Latin card set. The analog sounds that FM can produce though are good for this day and age of phat sounding analog mixes. The effects are good as I previously mentioned. What makes this synth truly unique is the employment of two synthesis techniques, wave-table and FM, and the ability to insert a wave-form into the FM section (I believe this is called RCM: Real-time Convolution and Modulation)

Pretty good, and still goind strong after 12+ years. I have only two issues.

1. The disk drive stopped working recently, but after talking with some other enthusiasts on the internet, I have fixed it. All it was was a worn out belt drive between the drive motor and the disk drive, which was replaced by an elastic band. The drive now works great. This was pretty easy to fix, but there were about 30+ screws to removed to get to it.

2. This is a more recent problem as well. If I leave my synth on for a while, the screen will go blank. I can still use the synth, but I have no visual feedback. The problem is fixed by power cycling the unit. Not sure if I can fix this, anyone know?

Never dealt with them.

I think this synth is timeless. FM will never die, and only a select few will really be able to program it. I have had it for 12+ years and it is still a gig hauler/project studio piece. Major drawbacks are the crappy drums, limited sequencer notes, difficulty of programming FM, and limited polyphony with certain voices. Strengths are the power and expressiveness of FM, some amazing sounds and a wide range of them, expansion capabilities with the disk drive and card slots, and the rock solid construction that Yamaha is known for. Would I buy it again ... no, but I would by a Yamaha again. I have my eyes on a Motif7!

Update : This thing really rocks! If you use an outboard PC editor it is much easier to create patches, and ease of use certainly jumps in leaps and bounds.

Using outboard editing software you can quite easilt get at all the hidden features of the synth. Given that editing is menu-driven on the synth, you could probably say all features are hidden :)

I have now been able to get some crazy and amazing analog emulations on this synth. The external editor definitely make a huge difference to the quality and variety of sounds. The SY77 is capable of some really tearing analog emulations.

Like a work-horse, except for the shoddy disk drive.

I would rate this synth, especially at current 2nd hand rates, as exceptional.

Ian
Analoguesque Sound Designs
http://www.analoguesque.com

I'm not sure what software version my SY-77 uses, but yea... I'd say it's pritty easy to use.
The presets are a bit... "Hit's of the 80's". If you know what i mean. I make Trance, so i had to make most of the sounds myself, but some of the presets are awesome.
Editing the patches can be pritty hard. It depends on what you're trying to make. And i lost the manual, so i cant say alot about it.

Well i'd say it's pritty good. The sounds are VERY clean. And yea, you can expand it. Myself, i have 2 expansions. I only know of one expanios capability and that is in the sounds. The keys are pressure sensitive, but i never bothered to use that. I only operate the synth from my pc. Using it together with FruityLoops3 and MC-307.

Well the sounds are good. Pritty Cinematic if you know what i mean. Sounds like the backdrop music from a motion picture if you play around with the right sounds. hehe!
The sounds work for jsut about anything... The only big minus is that the drumkits are old and sucky.

Yea i can depend on it. Well mostly..... Well if you play one song from your computer, then load another one while the synth is playing, then theres the good old midi feedback. That's the only minus i can think of right now... No! NEVER without backup!

I cant say really... I never met them.

Nah.. It's too old, and i'd probably not be able to get a new one anyways. I've been playing for 3 years or so, and i use a MSB-1 Midi through box, a Roland MC-307, a Oberheim DPX-1 rack synth and a Roland M-160 16-track rack mixer

Presets are useful as a starting-point for making your own sounds. (This is not a preset keyboard, but a synth!) Editting takes a lot of experience, but that's the pleasure. You make the best sounds by try-and-error and use the manual as a back-up.

The 32 note polyphony (16 FM, 16 AWM) is enough for live-performance, but using multi-track sequencer you wish you had 64.
Keyboard is a bit plastic but ok.
Good effects. Two weaknesses: 1) useing reverb over a few FM-sound sometimes results in irritating hiss. 2) switching via program change is possible but takes to much time.
I don't use the expansion capabilities.
MIDI capabilities are great. The SY-77 is THE GREAT CONTROLLER!
I'm very pleased with the on-board sequencer. It's very easy to use, but lacks capacity.

One word: GREAT
Sample-based realistic instruments are acceptable, some are good (strings, piano, horn), but the unrealistics are incredible amazing fnatastic. You are able to create a wide spectrum of sounds. Thin, fat, dark, bright, layered, looped etc. RCM is nice but not the miracle they promised 10 years ago.
I use it for (symphonic) rock, pop, JM Jarre/M Oldfield-like music and classical things.

I have mine sinds 1993 and had no problems. One (of the many) button is sometimes refusing the first attempt to press it.

If it were lost or stolen I would buy it again, or a SY-99 for a few hundred guilders more.
The SY-77 is double worth the money I payed. I spend so much time behind this machine and still have a lot off creative fun with it in creating weird sounds and composing beautifull songs. Much more than the Yamaha DS-55 + Kawai PH1 + BOSS digital effects + Korg sequencer I had before.

Not sure of the software version, but it's reliable and bug free. The presets are typical Yamaha, nice gloss, not much depth, but they do the job. The info screen is quite large (for it's time), so editing is possible without a computer (unlike the DX series), but I have found a good patch editor on the PC and will be giving that a go soon. The manual is very good, better than the earlier synths manuals.

There are 32 notes of polyphony to play with, these are split between the sound elements, 16 for AFM and 16 for AWM2. Depending on how you assign each element, less notes are available. The keyboard is OK, velocity and aftertouch, pitch bend and 2 modulation wheels (mod 2 is assignable, as is volume 2 and the data entry slider).

The effects add a lot to the sound, but the effects are universal (ie, if used multitimbraly, all voices with effects pass through them), although you can select voices to bypass the internal effects if you wish. The effects themselves are high quality, and up to 4 effects can be used (there are 2 effects processors used inside the machine, I believe they are from Yamaha's own REV 5). There is some basic editing of the effects available, but I have not delved too deep into this.

There are 2 card slots on the top of the machine, one for ROM data, the other for RAM cards, as yet I have not used these. There is also an in built floppy disk drive for saving and loading sounds and sequenser patterns.

The sequenser is OK, the display helps and it is similar in operation to the QY10/QY20. I havn't used it for anything complex though, but reviews at the time the machine came out were favorable.

MIDI is well catered for, all the usual suspects are here, plus the assignable controllers make this very flexible indeed.

Well, do you remember the DX7? The FM implementation on this is better, more waveforms, more algorithms, more flexible routing of modulation, superb! The best thing about it though, is you can use the sampled sounds of AWM2 as part of the FM sound (AFM). The two elements can be combined in whar Yamaha calls RCM (Realtime Convolution and Modulation). Hard to get to grips with, but when you do, the sound is just unlike anything else. The AWM2 samples are high quality and the whole synth is very expressive. Combine this with the effects, and almost anything is possible, especially when used with velocity, aftertouch or any other controller you assign. (Just try playing around with the filters, the only digital filters to self oscillate at the time of it's release).

Has not let me down yet, 5 years of service, never even an unwanted click. Display is clear and informative, and the case is built like a tank. I try not to move it around too much due to the weight, but I don't think I could replace it if I was to take my setup out on the road, it would have to come with me, no question.

Never had to deal with Yamaha customer support, but they have put the manual for this and many other Yamaha synths on-line, and as far as I know, they will still service them. On the basis of that...

The only synth to beat this was the SY99, same basic idea, but with more keys, weighted keyboard and sample RAM for you to load your own samples for use in the synth engine. If my machine died or was stolen, I would try to get an SY99, but would be happy with another SY77.

Don't be fooled by the presets, they are 'nice', but it is able to do much more. There is a site with different sounds to download, although I can't remember the address (oops). There are conversion programs available too which will convert DX7 voices into SY77 voices, while not quite the same, with a litte tweaking, you can make these sounds come alive in a way just not possible on the DX series, thanks to the effects and the filters.

Oh yes, the filters can be combined in different ways, they can even be set up as a single 24db filter (like the ones in the minimoog, but digital). They are not as warm as analogue filters, but they are a welcome addition to the Yamaha sound.

As far as editing the AWM stuff goes, it's about as easy as editing a digital sampler can get - the usual rez filter stuff, envelopes, and the like. The FM goodies, however, ares probably a little better than most other FM synths, which means it's still difficult to edit if you don't have a handle on FM synthesis. The Presets, IMHO, suck. It's not that they are THAT bad, but just that they could have been so much better. The SY-77 is capable of some seriously phatt sounds if edited properly, but the presets deny the existence of any analog-sounding patches. As for the manual, it's not bad actually. Yamaha usually make pretty spiffy manuals, and this one does the trick.

The keyboard has 16-note polyphonic AFM (FM) synthesis, as well as 16-note polyphonic AWM (samples) synthesis, so it's pretty much enough for most uses, depending on what you want to do. However, people don't realise (or take advantage of) the 6 oscillators per voice. This thing can be monstrously phatt, given that you can layer 4 voices on top of each other, and each voice can use 6 oscillators!! The keyboard action is probably better than most, and, and it has velocity sensitivity, as well as aftertouch. Expansion consists of a voice data card slot, and a PCM waveform card slot, as well as a 720Kb floppy. There are two banks of 64 preset patches, as well as a 64 user-programmable patches. It has a sequencer too, although I haven't bothered with this at all because my setup is PC based. The effects, for their time, are not bad, and add a lot of punch to the sounds - very good for washy effects and phattening things up.

Expressiveness is amazing, but then most FM synths have excellent expressiveness. The stock sampled sounds are okay - by today's standards they're probably considered very low-end, but mixing AWM and AFM makes this synth a beast. Being able to layer combinations of AFM and AWM (up to 4 voices per patch) each with it's own filters and envelopes really turns this synth into a monster. The self-oscillating filter is pretty good, actually, and the bonus is that you can apply it to the FM parts as well. Think of this : Each AFM voice can consist of 6 oscillators, with FX and filtering applied. The feedback loops seem to be *multi-tasking*, in that you can route one feedback loop into two different oscillators. It literally turns the 6 oscillators into about 12 oscillators per voice!!! Then you get to pass this all through a self-oscillating resonant LPF. What more could you ask for? Four AFM layered voices with 6 oscillators each = 24 oscillators per patch ... not even taking into account the feedback loops. Talk about stacked sawtooths!!! This synth can do amazing analog impressions, brittle and metallic sounds, thumping basses, seering leads, floating pads ... it can do it all. The drums SUCK. Saynomore! The AFM sounds can be extremely velocity driven - FM probably has one of the best responses to velocity on the planet. The expression you can derive from the SY-77's velocity-sensitive FM patches is unbeatable, IMHO. This keyboard is simply highly underrated.

Reliability? As always, it's a Yamaha keyboard - built like a tank. WARNING: The floppy disk is often problematic. In my experience, you can attempt disk access and the light stays on but nothing ever happens ... just keeps spinning and spinning endlessly. No error message. No feedback to the user. Nothing. However, on opening the synth I found that this was simply the drive belt slipping. I cleaned the pin wheels and rubber drive belt, and it came back to life again. It works perfectly now. What's more, the keyboard was very simple to open (like most Yamaha keyboards) and the floppy was equally easy to remove. Childsplay, actually. No hidden springs jumping out at you. No inexplicable reason why you can't pry the backing off the keyboard even though you think you have removed every screw in the universe. It's a 1-2-3 open (albeit many screws later), and you're at the heart of the floppy problem.

Haven't dealt with Yamaha personally, but they offer all their manuals (even ancient ones) on the web in PDF format. Who else does that!???

Oh, I'm not gonna give this baby up. Nothing can do what it does, except another SY-77, TG-77, or SY-99. This keyboard, as I mentioned earlier, is a highly underrated synth when it comes to *synth* sounds. If you get the chance to pick one up in good condition for under $550, go for it - it's well worth it!!

I'll keep this real short. Had this machine for many years but after
playing my mates SY-85 and speaking to Yamaha U.K. realised certain
features on newer synths to be obviously more adapt to my needs.
Only problem is when you hit the right sound on this little cutey
it ROCKS! So still trying to find "THAT SPECIAL SYNTH" to replace it
which I feel I never will.

Excellent

Brill mate but if anyone out there has some new kicking pads and general wacky stuff E-mail charmingant@hotmail.com
CHEERS!

Only just getting key breakages due to too much "Child In Time"
type stuff. long live Jon Lord.

Don,t know as I get it fixed by someone local who's a genius.

Excellnt!

Yamaha should award certificates for those that can actually program these FM monsters. I first got this synth in 1991 (i was 16), and only now (2001) say that i feel i know its power. I would suggest one of the SY synths over a DX anyday (filters, AWM, seq... to name a few reasons). But as always, with all FM synths, expect to spend several years really learning its ins and outs. It is almost as though they expected only sound engineers to buy them. As with most yamaha's the manuals are pretty basic, and don't cover the true capabilities of their synths, or the concepts of FM, as they probably should. In general its complicated programing capabilities are its real bonus. FM should only be recomended for people that understand the basics of synthesis, and are ready for a challenge. I could easily spend several hours on one sound, and it would be amaisingly rewarding as a result.

The 32 voices might seem light compared to todays 128 voice samplers and synths, but i assure you, the complexity of the FM and AWM hybrid in these synths is dizzying, and VASTLY UNDERRATED!!! Take this senerio: It is possible to program a sound that is a simple sine wave in the begining, that is modulated over time by operaters 2, then 3, then 4, then 5, then 6 each with their own independent EGs not to mention the 2 filters with their own EGs... in essence a sound can evolve slowly, yeilding increadible textures. Lost yet? well you will be, especially since a sound on this synth can consist of what i just discribed happening on 2 different FM "elements" each with their set og 6 operators, then you can add to that the 2 AWM waveforms aditionally modulating those other two elements... so essentially you have 6+6+1+1 elements each with their own LFO and two filters with EG and Keyboard scalling each. it is like a symphony of Synthesis! and that is one sound?!?!?! On top of the extreme EGs, elements and LFOs, there are 2 mod whells, aftertouch and a host of other controllers that can be assigned to a sound. from simple to extremely complex sounds all from the same machine!!! Let me Stress again that these are VASTLY UNDERRATED!!!

I touched on the expressiveness of this synth in the above sectioin, but that is but a hint of its capabilities. In general i always use my FM synths to make textures and other "non-imulative" sounds, and reserve samplers for the realistic stuff. FM synths are the most exciting place to "discover sounds", not to recreate sounds, though they do a pretty good job on some. It is possilbe to create sounds that are so expressive (assign velocity responce to the filter and WOW!!!) they sound like they are something real that you recorded, but you cant really figure out what it is... "is that a guitar" a "piano", a "pump organ" "what is that?" AHHHH, the illusiveness of FM! (The only slightly bad thing I could say about this synth's sound quality, is that the Built in effects are rather noisey and generally unremarkable, but they can give you an idea of how you want to effect a sound. I always have my effect BYPASS ON on mine. Again yamaha engeniers doing all of us a favore there.) If you have a chance to play with one of these, ignore the presets, go directly to EDIT and play around. Yamaha has the worst idea of what to put in a preset bank. Their engineers make these great synths and pack them with unremarkable and sometimes terrible sounds that really don't show off the posibilities of their synths.

Ingeneral any keyboard you spill liquids on will be flakey, so i have a few keys that "stick" occasionally, but that is a problem that could be avoided with a little caution. I have had nothing but joy from this synth. Every time I go to turn it on and play it, "IT Works"!!!!!! I foresee a time when the Analogue Craze wanes and people rediscover the great and refreshingly new sounds that can be made from FM synths and other digital synths such as the Ensoniq ESQ-1 or the like. I"ll be ready with my arsenol, will you?

I have no idea about support for this marvel of modern science, as i haven't had to seek it out.

So, it isn't easy to use... That is a blessing in this case! Music hobbists beware... this is for those that actually want to WORK towards something, and what a reward that is once you arrive. oh, you can make ok piano sounds, bitting horns, smooth organs, silky strings with these... but I assure you it is what you don't expect that is the true strength in these synths. ENJOY the hours you will spend lost in EGs, Microtonal tunings, Modulations, etc...

I owned the Sy77 for almost ten years (1991/2000) and I recently had to sold it (with regrets) to purchase a Triton. But now I really miss the FM sounds (the FM sampled sound on Triton aren't even remotly comparable to true FM based synths). So I just submit this review as a ten years old proud ex owner, just to recommend you to never sell it, because you'll miss this black queen.
That was my first synth and I found veary easy to interact with and to create new sounds. The display was great by the standards of that time and although there was lot of pages and parameters, the interface was and still is pretty good (Ok, the touchscreen is another thing, but consider a 10 years gap).

Again, in 1990, 32 voices were a good standard. Just occasionally in some complex songs you could notice a voice chopping; anyway you could make massive pads or split voices with 2afm+2awm voice structure. Very nice action on the keyboard. Great and easy to use sequencer (I miss even now the immediacy of pattern mode to create drumtracks on the fly). Also very good fx section. Basic midi features. Overall great features (until the 99 came out!!)

I made hundreds and hundreds of new fantastic sounds on my own, editing sounds was such a joy, even the complexity of FM synthesis. I really miss the warmth of FM (despite what people says about coldness of FM). Moving pads, atmospherics, bass, strings, RCM Winds, Electric pianos, organs, FX, are sound types where SY77 still shines. I bought the Rock&Pop card to supply some excellent drums (instead of the cheesy ones in the Rom), which I really recommend. Even if the Triton 32 MB ROM has a larger and much better sampled sound palette, it can't reproduce many of the unique FM sounds (maybe some, with the MOSS board that I'll buy soon). This keyboard is still among the favourite synths of many professional synthesist (Brian Eno, Wendy Carlos, William Orbit, to name a few).

Never had any troubles.

X club in Italy published a journal with many hints, tips and tricks.

If I could I'll buy it again. I miss FM sound (did I say it before ?)
I hope to find a good used TX module to add to my Triton, but they are not so easy programmable like the 77. Again, I recommend you: dont'sell this great synth for any reason !!!

This is a combination of easy and difficult. The presets range from blah to astounding. Editing patches is...well, you know, page after page after freakin page. The manual is barely okay.

This is my main keyboard. The action is typical synth and although when it came out some people dissed the effects, they are fine. It has limited expandablity via cards. The sequencer is a breeze. Very cool. Unfortunately, the floppy drive is not double density, so you gotta keep a flock of disks around.

This is where it really shines. I learned FM on a PDP-11 computer, laboriously hand entering code. The DX-7 was a miracle and, because I knew the insides of FM, a breeze for me to use (the DX-7 practically put most U.S. synth makers out of business). But the FM used in the 7 was very limited and, well, weenie. The 77, uses AFM (advanced FM) and what a difference. This is a monster! Analog sounds from FM? Yes. And sample playback, too. Combine them for one of the best synths ever.

I always depend on it.

Ugh. I had one problem: the floppy disk drive died. It has extra stuff on the drive so a freekin floppy drive cost hundreds to replace. This sucks, Yamaha.

I have never found anything to compare. I it was lost or stolen I would either get another or it's bigger cousin, the 99. That one has slightly better expandability and supposedly better-sounding efex.

I've bought it in 1993. This was my first "pro" synth.
The onboard presets are nice but now i've a Korg
05R/W and my SY just acts as a master keyboard. The Korg
is far better...
Strings and brasses are really great ! Leads and pads are as good as
on other synths. Electric Pianos are very good.
I really don't like acoustic sounds on that machine. Acoustic pianos
sounds like toys (compared to the Korg Piano) and guitars are
horrible (except 12 strings guitar).
You can virtually make any sound you want. This synth is a monster.
Before editing a sound, you have to understand the architecture of the
machine (4 oscillators + waveforms) and learn the 1200 edition
parameters ! I don't know very much in sound synthesis but the SY-77
seems to be a very good machine.
Never read the manual for this, the big screen is really
(and enough) helpful.

32 notes polyphony (16 FM + 16 AWM2). Quite good.
The keyboard action was very pleasant but some keys became
a bit harder to press (and did not release as fast as the others)
so i decided to sell it.
There is a quite large range of effects, and those are pretty good.
Yamaha had a great idea including a "bypass effects" button, which allow
to hear the "pure" sound. Cool for effect edition.
The SY77 has a double density floppy disk and 2 cards slots. I only
used the floppies to store my own sequences.
MIDI capabilities seems good. In fact, i've only had to use
1 expander so i've never used advanced midi possibilities.
The onboard sequencer is a 16 tracks one. Limited to 16000 events,
which is a bit short. Enough if you only record songs (about 4-5 minutes).
I really like the sequencer on the SY. This is really more convenient
than a computer-based one. There is 5 dedicated buttons and many
track edition possibilities. You can use it very fast. The sequencer
is (for me), one of the best things on the machine.

As i said... Strings are REALLY fantastic. Brasses are useful
(yes they are !).
I don't like acoustic sounds. Especially pianos. The Korg sound
is far better.
Electric guitars really sucks.
Electric piano are pleasant.
The sound generator is great to play classical music and in general
can be used to play any kind of music.
Hmmm... This is not a good dance/techno synth.
The sounds are very reactive to pressure. Play softly and the
sound will be soft... play hard, the sound will be agressive.

Had it for 7 years and never fails.
The thing is heavy, too heavy (17 kgs).
I regret some keys became harder than others after 6 years !

Never had to contact customer support.

I've sold it and i don't want another one. This is not because the SY
is a bad synth but because i wanna change.
I've used the SY for 4 years as a sound generator but now
i mainly use a Korg 05R/W, which sounds better.
I don't really like many of the sounds, i now hate the keyboard,
but i love the SY77. It's a great synth with a cool sequencer :-)
If you are a beginner that want to make sequences and discover
the synth world, the SY77 is for you. For any other use, you would better
get a more dedicated machine. The SY77 is a multi purpose synth.

Easy to operate and understand Display is a bit limited and dark. I love the pattern sequencer though a bit dated by todays standards. Song sequencer is a bit strange and does not always work as expected. timing on sequncers is very solid. All controls are easy to reach. The interface is a vast improvement over the old DX style.

reasonable polyphony for its age. The real power is in the AFM with a little patience just about any sound imaginable can be created though the sonic density of acoustic instruments is tough to replicate. Samples are limited and while very useful are limited in number. Data entry sliders can be used for live control, very handy

I have always been impressed with the sonic capability of this machine and would nover part with it

8 years and still ticking

The one time I called in on it the staff was helpful
manual could be better written, but then you don't buy an FM based board for it's looks.

The first time I heard the SY it made my ears sing. I spent almost a year saving to buy it and have never regreted the purchase. It has performed well over the years and I still find interesting uses for i. I think it has quite a while before it can look forward to retirement

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 !