A CS80 with Midi and Much More, this is the story of the man who did it.

video upload by Jose's Vintage Keys

"Interview with Mark Cox, a real genius that spend 7 years to make the CS80 fully programmable and most off all: full midi implementation."

You can find additional posts mentioning Mark Cox of Xox Electronics here. Check out the The Cox Electronics CS-80 Programmer here.

MIDI on Yamaha CS80 is impressive!

video upload by Jose's Vintage Keys

"Electronic musician ⁨@rimela⁩ shows just how far you can take MIDI on a Yamaha CS-80. I reached out to him, and he generously shared the original tracks so we could take a closer look at the possibilities. In the end, I couldn’t resist adding a little improv of my own to his fantastic tune. Don't forget to check out his original! • Yamaha CS-80 [posted here] - and also check this video bij Mark Cox: • YAMAHA CS-80 Ultimate Upgrade - A Dream co..." [posted here]

Yamaha CS-80 w/ The Cox Electronics CS-80 Programmer

video upload by rimela

"Multitrack recording of the Yamaha CS-80. All sounds are made with the CS-80, except drums.
Very special thanks to Jair for lending me his CS-80 and Cox Electronics CS-80 programmer. Check out the Cox Electronics upgrade: https://cox-electronics.com"

Also see YAMAHA CS-80 Ultimate Upgrade - A Dream come true...

Pic of the programmer and details on the upgrade via https://cox-electronics.com:

"Here is a summary of features provided by the upgrade:

- 3 banks of 128 free programmable performances
- 6 banks of 128 free programmable presets
- possibility of dumping performances and presets by SysEx
- MIDI sending and receiving of almost every parameter (more then 100 CC messages)
- full MIDI support of the CS-80 keyboard's polyphonic aftertouch
- special keyboard settings like octave transpose, velocity and aftertouch response
- automatic keyboard double trigger remove setting
- programmable chord memory
- foot pedal can be programmed sending CC messages (3 simultaniously)
- possibility of manually disabling a defective voice
- autotuning possibility of all 16 oscillators
- 3 extra separate global LFOs for VCO, VCF and VCA (with MIDI clock sync)
- special playmodes providing various algorithms like voice stealing, monophonic and polyphonic in unison with detune setting
- VCF and VCA envelope time can seperately be switched to 5 times the length
- very much care has been taken so the "analog feel" of the CS-80 stays authentic to original

Also extensive service needs to be performed and lots of modifications like:

- all electrolytic capacitors will be replaced since the old ones are bad (around 450)
- all sliders and switches will be professionally cleaned (around 80)
- cleaning and readjustment of the keyboard contacts
- cleaning of the polyphonic aftertouch parts
- removal of 5 old boards, to be replaced by 7 new boards. Now the very rare YM26600 and YM26700 chips are replaced by modern electronics
- around 250 additional wires, several modifications to the boards and around 70 extra capacitors are needed to make everything possible
- complete calibration of all circuit boards
- a nice programmer is included and only one connector will be mounted on the back of the CS-80

Almost every parameter of the synthesizer can be stored in memory and can receive and send MIDI data. For only a few knobs and sliders this is not possible:

- detune CHII slider
- the four touch response sliders
- the master volume knob (exp can be controlled by footcontroller and MIDI)
- foot pedal exp/expwah switches
- sustain slider (although it can be controlled on/off by footswitch and MIDI)
- the switches and knobs of the tremolo and chorus section"

Roland Jupiter 6 w/ Europa Mod

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this Reverb listing

"Roland Jupiter 6 + Europa in near mint condition. The most beautiful you have ever seen. Checked and serviced by Mark Cox, best technician in the Netherlands (i.m.h.o).

Stuff that has been done:
- cleaning of volume knob
- repairing of VCF sustain slider
- cleaning of VCF key follow
- cleaning of VCA attack
- cleaning of keyboard
- removal of dust
- replacing of VCF capacitors
- adjusting of VCF
- testing

Including original Roland manual and manual for the Europa modification."

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Roland Jupiter-8 SN 212297

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this listing

"A perfect looking Roland Jupiter 8 with MIDI for sale. This one is the best looking Jupiter 8 on the planet. It has been completely serviced by the best technician in the Netherlands; Mark Cox. A new battery has been installed, all capacitors have been replaced, sliders have been revised and more. See the last picture for more information. The service costed 1165 euro. Comes with a perfect flightcase. If you want to buy a Roland Jupiter 8, this is the one."

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YAMAHA CS-80 Ultimate Upgrade - A Dream come true...

video upload by roybattytravels

Update: additional details in this post.

Yamaha CS 60 MIDI controlled

video upload by klorisk

"In this video you hear a very simple acid arpeggio, played through MIDI by my Yamaha CS 60 from 1977. The arpeggio is simple, but illustrates the control possibilities over MIDI, along with showing that a CS can even be used for fast stuff that can't be played by hand - it's not just a synth for pads :-)
Apart from playing the notes over MIDI, my CS 60 is controlled by my iPhone - Brilliance and VCF LFO depth.

This is a re-upload from 2013, from my abandoned YT account klorisk.

I just had my CS back from from repair by Mark Cox in The Netherlands. He fully serviced it and built in a marvellous MIDI interface of his own design. The CS now responds to MIDI Note On, to aftertouch and to four separate MIDI CCs to control VCO and VCF modulation, brilliance and level. On top of that, it can route velocity to brilliance and/or level. Even though velocity will then affect *all* playing notes, it gives more expressive capabilities. Mark’s interface is a lot cheaper than the Kenton one and provides slightly different but all the more useful possibilities.

More of my Yamaha CS 60 improvisations (and a lot more musical than this one):

Planeshifter · Yamaha CS 60 Improvisations

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