Yamaha DX1

The Yamaha DX1 is the top-level member of Yamaha's prolific DX series of FM synthesizers.

Background

The DX1 features two sets of the same synthesizer chipset used in the DX7, allowing either double the polyphony, split of two voices, or dual (layered) instrument voices. In addition, it contains twice the amount of voice memory as the DX7. It has an independent voice bank for each of two synth channels (engines). Each of 64 performance combinations can be assigned a single voice number, or a combination of two voice numbers - one from channel A and one from channel B.

Notable features

Case
* handmade Brazilian rosewood case

Keyboard
* 73-key weighted wooden keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch

Algorithms

On the left side of the front panel, a printed algorithm chart provides an overview of the 32 selectable algorithms and their associated operator structuring.

Displays

Compared to both the DX5 and of course the DX7, accessibility and programmability are greatly enhanced by the sheer amount of displays available:

''Performance section''
* a comprehensive backlit LCD display (40 × 2 characters) which displays selected programs in Single, Dual or Split mode, as well as LFO setting and other voice-specific parameters

''Algorithm panel''
* thirteen single-character 7-segment numeric displays for indicating (by means of 1, 2, 4, 6 displays in 4 consecutive rows, from top to bottom) the selected algorithm, by providing positions and relationships of all active operators, as each one of these displays is linked to neighboring ones via individual stripe-style LEDs
* one single-character 7-segment numeric display (top) showing amount of feedback
* one double-character 7-segment numeric display (bottom) showing algorithm number (as referenced by the chart)

''Oscillator panel''
* two individual LEDs for indicating either (top) frequency ratio or (bottom) fixed frequency in Hz mode
* one individual LED for indicating positive or negative detune
* one single-character 7-segment numeric display (top) for detune amount
* one four-character 7-segment numeric display (bottom) for value (ratio or exact frequency) of the selected frequency mode

''Envelope panel''
* two individual LEDs for indicating either (left) center pitch or (right) amplitude level mode
* eight double-character 7-segment numeric displays for showing each individual envelope parameter, from top to bottom: R1, R2, R3, R4 (=rates) and L1, L2, L3, L4 (=levels)
* four 16-segment bar-style LEDs that graphically display either rates (in center pitch mode) or levels (in amplitude mode)

''Keyboard scaling panel''
* eight individual LEDs indicating selected curve response
* three double-character 7-segment numeric displays showing (left to right) left depth, break point, right depth values
* one single-character 7-segment numeric display for showing rate scaling

''Sensitivity panel''
* two single-character 7-segment displays showing (top) key velocity and (bottom) amplitude modulation
* one double-character 7-segment display showing output level
* one 16-segment bar-style LED that graphically displays the output level

Note: sections Oscillator/Envelope/Keyboard/Sensitivity show their values for the currently selected operator, while Algorithm does of course not.

Buttons
* solid push-buttons as opposed to the membrane buttons on the DX7, many of them containing individual LEDs for indicating statuses

Sales

Only 140 DX1 units were produced. It was used by artists including New Order, such as their tracks " True Faith" and "1963".

"''When New Order commenced working with Stephen Hague, they brought an interesting array of gear into the studio: a Yamaha QX1 sequencer, a rackmounted Octave Voyetra 8 polyphonic synth, a DX5 that provided most of the bass sounds and which Hague succinctly describes as "Yamaha's attempt to put two DX7s under one roof – it weighed a ton," and an Akai S900 sampler.''"

Related models

The Yamaha DX5 is a derivative of the DX1, introduced in 1985 with a list price of US$3,495. It has the same synth engine, but lacks the DX1's fully weighted keys, polyphonic aftertouch, aesthetics (rosewood case and wooden keyboard), and user interface features (parameter displays). It includes 76 keys with channel aftertouch and slightly improved MIDI features. Programming on a DX1 is still a little easier than on a DX5 because of its extensive parameter displays, but in general both are easier to program than a DX7, because they have larger displays as well as dedicated buttons for some programming tasks.

References

Further reading

*
*: The development outline of Yamaha FM sound synthesizer; especially, the prototypes of GS1 (TRX-100), DX series (PAMS: Programmable Algorithm Music Synthesizer), DX1 (prototype DX1), and these tentative programming interfaces are seen.

External links

mu:zines
Electronics & Music Maker - Yamaha DX1 prototype review, October 1983


DX1 and DX5 info site, including owner's club and technical specs.

Vintage Synth Explorer Site
information

Sonic State Site
user reviews

VINTAGE TUTORIAL - Yamaha DX1 - FM sound design
YouTube video by Cuckoo about the DX1 at Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio

Yamaha DX5 page

Yamaha black boxes: Yamaha DX1 digital programmable algorithm synthesizer

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DX1
Polyphonic synthesizers
Digital synthesizers