Conference napalm::commusic_v1

I've never even heard of it.  Can you tell us anything about
it?  (I hope you didn't plunk down your cash with no information
at all!)
    John Sauter

 5 FULL OCTAVES, 128 ROM VOICES, 32 RAM VOICES, 32 PERFORMANCE VOICES,
 8 "ALGORYTHMS" FOR VOICE GENERATIONS, 2 FM GENERATORS, SPLIT KEYBOARD
WITH USER DEFINABLE SPLIT POINT, 3 KEYBOARD MODES (SINGLE, DUAL, AND
SPLIT), DOWNLOADABLE TO AUDIO CASSETTE FOR STORING YOUR OWN VOICINGS,
NON-VELOCITY SENSITIVE KEYBOARD, MIDI, $795.00.

KURLANS CANT KEEP THEM IN STOCK. SAME WITH LASALLE BOSTON AND HARTFORD.

I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING TO COMPARE WITH IT FOR TWICE THE PRICE.

OH YEAH, ONE OTHER FEATURE.... A "BREATH CONTROLLER", FOR MODULATING
HORN (OR OTHER) VOICES. IT SEEMS TO STEEPEN (?) THE ATTACK SLOPE IN 
DIRECT PROPORTION TO THE PRESSURE EXERTED INTO IT VIA YOUR MOUTH.
I WAS IMPRESSED.

    	Now that some of you have had DX21/27/100's for a while, do
    you have any recommendations?  I played a DX21 yesterday and very
    nearly decided to make it my next board.  Lasalle's is selling it
    for $ 695.
    
    	1)  I noticed in Keyboard's December review that user-programmed
    patches can only be stored in the DX21's performance memory, which
    as it follows cannot be dumped to cassette.  Since this will be
    my only MIDI board, it seems like it could be troublesome.  Any
    comments?
    
    	2)  There is talk here and there about Yamaha's FB01 MIDI module.
    I'm wondering if it would be good to pick up a used MIDI analog
    and wait for the FB01 as a slave module.  Any news about the FB01
    here in the states?
    
    	3)  Does anyone know if Sam Ash or Manny's in N.Y. carry Yamaha
    products?  I want to cover all reputable dealers before nailing
    any one price.
    
    	Any help would be appreciated.
    
    	Dan Eaton

    I've had my 21 since September. The performance memory should not
    be confused with RAM for storing patches. They are 2 different beasts.
    Performance memory is a kind of "set-up" memory. Example
    
            Song A requires a split keyboard with bass on bottom and
            guitar on top. You enter this config into PM.
    
            Song B requires a dual mode layered string patch. You enter
            this also.
    
            Now all you have to do is press one button to bring up
            either of these configs.
    
            One "problem". Performance memory refers to bank addresses
            not specific patches. If you bring up another bank and store
            it your PM can be next to worthless. One nice feature, though,
            you can name each performance. Press key and LCD displays
            "Holiday" or whatever. Nice.
    
    You CAN store your own patches. Just assign them to a bank/address
    and dump away.
    
    You may be better off getting the rack and a controller. The 21
    has velocity recieve only. No send from keyboard.
    
    And $695!!!! I paid $795 and then they went up to $845... I couldn't
    find anyone to knock a nickle off! 
    
    One pan.... The strings are definite sinus waves.
    
    Edd

    Demo's can be arranged....
    
    Edd

    	I just got off the phone with a Yamaha dealer and heard that
    the FB-01 will be coming out next month (at least that's what they
    said...).  Essentially it is the rack-mount DX21 - multi-timbral,
    velocity-receptive, 4-op/eight-alg....  And the list price: $ 350.00!
    
    	Now what am I gonna do!
    
    	Really, the only problem I'm dealing with is the issue of not
    having those nice polyphonic strings.  I can do them in mono just
    fine on my CS-15, but oh, I don't know...
    
    	Dan (the poor and bewildered)

    
    Hot from the British Music Fair.
    
    The FB01 is far from being a simple DX21 MIDI module. It is in fact
    (you might have guessed) more like an SFg05 without having to have
    the CX5 to go with it.
    
    With the FB you can set up a number of instruments from an almost
    endless list of patches (i seem to remember it was around 200) and
    select the Polyphony (up to 8) stereo , left or right). It's probably
    better if I give an example.
    
    
    			POly Voice Side
    
    			 1     BAss LR
    			 3     BRASS R
    			 3     VIBES L
                         1     SNARE LR
    
    Provided the total polyphony adds up to 8 you can play all sorts
    of tricks you want.
    
    The synth sounds are the same as for the DX21 etc i.e. 4 operators
    Price in the U.K. is 250 pounds approx.
    
    If you can afford this and a sequencer and a keyboard it would be
    a superb setup. You could of course by a CX5 and get it all in one
    box for 400 pounds.
    
    				Paul.
    
    P.S. the one snag so far with the FB is that Yamaha have added an
    extra parameter around the velocity sensitivity area so none of
    the standard FM programmers will work with it. Still with 200 odd
    patches you may not care.                        
    

Is the FB a replacement for the TX7?  If so, it's a lot cheaper!

LaSalle has a typo on their ad this week.  They say the DX21 is $249, which
is actually the price of the CZ-101!  Anyone care to make them stick to the
printed price?


				Mark

    
Quote Yamaha "The FB01 is not a replacement for the TX7 but a development
    of the 4 operator F.M. module used in the DX100/27/21 and CX5. The
    TX7 is explicitly a six operator DX7 expander".
    
                                                  Paul

    Wow... my first note. A year ago today!
    
    Someone will buy me a beer? Yes?
    
    Edd

    re. 11
    	Edd, if you come tonight I'll buy you a beer and light the candle
    for you....
    
    	rik s. (1 k)
    

    Oh my, another year! How time flies when you're having phun!!
    
    ...lemme take this occasion (the second anniversary of my entry
    into COMMUSIC) to say 'thanks' to all of you, for the enormous
    help, countless UBI, and loads of laffs I've received over the
    past 2 years.
    
    You folks are great. I look forward to many more years...
    
    Edd
    
    P.S. Now who's gonna show up at LEDS-BIM tonite and buy me a drink?

                             
    
                        U B I
                        s i n
                        e t f
                        l s o
                        e   r
                        s o m
                        s f a
                            t
                            i
                            o
                            n

    Since Dan set his "DX-21 for Sale" not no-write, I'll add my
    comments here...
    
    This is a *great* deal for someone looking to get into FM. I've
    had one as part of my set-up for 3+ years and it gets alot of use.
    The split and layer capabilities are a real advantage, especially
    in a 1 keyboard set-up.
    
    Frankly, if I wasn't tapped out after buying a road rack, mixer
    and other stuff I'd own this one. $475 is a steal...
    
    Buy it.
    
    Edd (who_isn't_working_on_commission)

    Argh. It smoked.
    
    Well, not really smoked, but there's so much noise appearing at the
    audio outs (L+R, L, R, phones) that it's all but unusable. The noise
    consists of a 'hissing' along with assorted pops and snaps.
    
    I figure the problem originates a good distance into the output
    circuitry. It responds to the volume slider. Tonight it goes under the
    knife to be o-scoped.
    
    damndamndamn
    
    Edd

    damndamndamn, it works. No noise, quiet as it ever was. Drat...
    
    ...took it apart last night at a friend's house to check it with the
    scope. The noise was right there. "Yep, sounds like something in the
    output stage. Probably be simple to fi....wait, it stopped."
    
    No amount of heat, freon, wiggling or tapping would start it again.
    Left it on for about 3 hours. Nothing. It's working fine. 
    
    So why ain't I happy?
    
    Edd                                    

    Could be a filter cap starting to fail.  Eventually it will get bad
    enough that you can find it.  Meanwhile, noise will be intermittent.
    
    Steve

	Ever wonder how Yamaha figures a checksum for a DX-21???
    
    Edd
    
	#include          <stdio.h>;
	int 	          i,limit={92},mask=127;
	unsigned int 	  adder={0};
	unsigned int      sysex[]={insert all 93 data bytes, in decimal, here};
	main()               
	{
	  for (i=0;i<=limit;i++)
		adder+=sysex[i];
	  adder=((~adder)+1)&mask;
	  printf("Checksum: %x\n\n",adder);
	}
    

            <<< DNEAST::SYS$TOOLS:[NOTES$LIBRARY]COMMUSIC.NOTE;2 >>>
             -< * * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * * >-
================================================================================
Note 146.0            Yamaha DX21 4 Operator FM Synthesizer           20 replies
MENTOR::COTE                                         11 lines  16-SEP-1985 12:07
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               ^^^^^^^^^^^
    
    Five years. Gee, one would think I'd be able to play like Karl Moeller
    by now...
    
    Edd

    >Five years. Gee, one would think I'd be able to play like Karl Moeller
    >by now...
    >Edd
    
    First, you sell everything you have, and then you move to Arizona.