Nord Rack 3

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Kind of interesting these were called the Nord Rack when they were primarily desktop synths. Note the placement of the jacks on the back would limit placement in a rack. I forget if you can adjust them like on the Virus synths.

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Zoom ARQ-96 (synthesizer sampler sequencer)

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You can find some demos of the Zoom ARQ-96 in previous posts here.

"Here’s what I think the pros are: 1) Sounds amazing. The sound quality is great, competitive with Roland gear. I was quite surprised at how hi-fi this machine sounds. 2) The round shape is effective. Takes up very little space, and really works well for sequencing. 3) Depth. This is a full featured synth with plenty of tricks up its sleeve. You will be able to record complex, full songs with this. 4) Price. For what I am asking, it’s an unbeatable amount of power for the money.

Now for the cons. 1) You will need a MIDI keyboard. For sequencing, the ring thing is fine. Try to play it like an instrument, it’s awkward and tricky. If you jiggle it too much (and you will) it will think you are detaching the ring and there will be an interruption. This is not wear and tear to this unit, it’s inherent to this design. It really demands that you play it with the ring detached, which is awkward. And to be clear: this controller design is not great for playing. Break out the trusty Keystep. That’s the biggest flaw I have found. 2) Menu diving. All that power comes with a learning curve. The menu is deep. This thing does a lot. You will be downloading a big old PDF and spending some time. (Nobody gives you a full print manual anymore, it seems.) This kind of learning curve is a hurdle for all of these do-a-lot devices. I just want to be clear that this is not an exception. 3) Zoom orphaned the line. You can find some tutorials, there’s a manual available, but that’s it. Zoom bailed on it."

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Blipblox After Dark : Unboxing & Noodling

Masaki Takada

Advantage of drum machine individual outputs (MFB Tanzmaus)

alternatingbitmusic

"While I'm using the individual outs mostly for mixing purposes and general sound shaping, here I demonstrate my dislike of the Tanzmaus CLAP."

Nord World Sessions: Ondrej Pivec

nordkeyboards

"Czech keyboardist Ondrej Pivec (Gregory Porter, Kennedy Administration) jamming on the Nord Grand and Nord Lead 4 in this new episode of Nord World Sessions. Recorded live in Prague, Czech Republic October 2020."

SOLAR 50 REVIEW — 50 oscillator MEGA synth... But is it worth getting?

BoBeats

"Today we are checking out the SOLAR 50, a 50 oscillator synthesizer. Sponsored by Skillshare: The first 1000 people to use the link will get a free trial of Skillshare Premium Membership: https://skl.sh/bobeats11201"

ELTA SOLAR 50 posts

Tombola vintage Korg 800DV - 3/6 Mystical jam | SynthFest 2021

SynthFest France

"SynthFest France 2021 - Tombola vintage
Korg 800DV - 10€
Ticket: https://www.weezevent.com/synthfestfr..."

Yamaha TX16W | The Sampler from Hell | That was Saved

Espen Kraft

"Yamaha released the TX16W in 1988 and it appeared to offer a lot, and it did. Unfortunately, the OS they put into it made using it quite arcane, tedious and annoying to the extreme. However....

The demo song can be downloaded here:
https://espenkraft.bandcamp.com/track...

.... a group of idealists decided they would make a new operating system for this sampler (as the OS i loaded into memory from a floppy disk when you start it up) and so they made what was to be known as the TYPHOON software. This makes using this machine easy, fun and it becomes very powerful.

The original OS is interesting as a case study in how to really annoy a customer and as such it can be fun in itself, if you're into those kinds of things.

Regardless of OS, the TX16W has a very fat and cinematic low end to its sound and it almost rivals the Roland JV-880 for that. Considering you can sample anything you want into it and preserve that bottom end, I find this sampler a real gem."

Yamaha FS1R Unleashed

Robert Skerjanc

"A small session controlling the FS1r Synthesizer live with a custom hardware controller."

Custom controller for the Yamaha FS1r. Almost looks like custome eurorack modules.

Curious how many of the FS1r parameters it controls. I once made an 80 page editor with Touch OSC with over 1000 parameters. It was ported to TB MIDI Stuff. There is also an editor for Patch Base here and free Edisyn 26 editor here. Without an editor it's like trying to paint a canvas through a keyhole.

NAMM2021: Yamaha Introduces YC73 and YC88 Stage Keyboards with YC OS v1.1

The YC61 (additional posts) was introduced back in NAMM 2020. The YC73, YC88, and OS v1.1 are new. Details follow.

"YC stage keyboards feature great sound, expressive touch and modern design. YC is powered by our proprietary Virtual Circuitry Modeling (VCM) organ engine which recreates individual component behavior to reproduce classic organ character and most important - sound. It all comes with acoustic/electric pianos, and iconic FM synth sounds that Yamaha made famous.

Three keyboard actions are available for different players: YC61 features 61 semi-weighted 'waterfall' keys for organ-focused players, YC73 has 73-key weighted and balanced keys for keyboardists, and YC88 uses an 88-key weighted triple-sensor action with synthetic ebony and ivory keytops for pianists."

Some key features include:
- Exclusive Yamaha Virtual Circuit Modeling (VCM) to capture not only the sound of classic “drawbar” organs, but also their behavior down to the component level
- A distinctive rotary speaker effect
- Nine drawbars that shape the sound by controlling individual footages and essentials like percussion and vibrato/chorus enhance the tone
- The organ section also features FM synthesis, the now-famous synthesis method pioneered by Yamaha

In addition to the new YC73 and YC88, Yamaha has also introduced YC OS v1.1, the first OS update for its popular YC Series Stage Keyboards.

And the press release:

Yamaha YC73 and YC88 Stage Keyboards Put Classic Drawbar Organs and Vintage Keys in Packages for All Musicians

BUENA PARK, Calif. (January 14, 2021) — Yamaha will be showcasing the YC73 and YC88 Stage Keyboards during NAMM’s virtual Believe in Music week starting January 21, 2021. The YC73 and YC88 combine great-feeling new keyboard actions with the soulful sounds, drawbar control, and gig-ready ease of use of the YC61 (introduced in January 2020). The YC73 features 73 weighted, balanced keys and is ideal for keyboardists who divide their playing between organ, piano, electric piano, clavi, synth, and other staple keyboard sounds. The YC88 is meant for musicians who prioritize the touch and response of an acoustic piano, offering 88 weighted Natural Wood keys with triple-sensor action, synthetic ebony and ivory key tops. Both add options alongside the semi-weighted “waterfall” action of the YC61 — the key shape preferred by organ players.

The YC73 and YC88 employ exclusive Yamaha Virtual Circuit Modeling (VCM) to capture not only the sound of classic “drawbar” organs, but their behavior down to the component level. VCM also reproduces the distinctive rotary speaker effect, which most keyboardists consider inseparable from the organ itself. In other words, the YC series does not merely take a digital snapshot of the world’s most imitated organ sound — it builds that sound from the ground up. This results in unprecedented authenticity.

In true vintage fashion, nine drawbars shape the sound by controlling individual footages, and essentials like percussion and vibrato/chorus enhance the tone. The player can also customize key click, “leakage,” rotary speaker speed changes, and more. The keyboard may be split between upper and lower organ registrations. In addition to VCM modeling organ, the organ section also features FM synthesis, the now-famous synthesis method pioneered by Yamaha.

Complementing the organ, two “Keys” sections utilize proprietary Yamaha “Advanced Wave Memory” which provides authentic acoustic and electric pianos, strings and brass, analog-style synth sounds, and much more. The Keys section features two dedicated effects processors along with configurable envelope and filter controls for real time manipulation and interaction. Like the Organ section, the Keys section also features FM synthesis for many classic sounds like DX7 electric pianos, leads, basses and more. The Keys section may also be split with the organ section across the keyboard or played from an external MIDI controller keyboard to either the Organ or Keys section.

“A staple of keyboard playing is access to classic keyboard sounds,” says Nate Tschetter, manager, Synthesizer Marketing, Yamaha Corporation of America. “Now more than ever, players want more control of those sounds to express themselves. The YC series gives them that control to easily make adjustments on the fly. And now with the introduction of YC73 and YC88, there are options to suit every player in every situation from the perfect ‘top keyboard’ in YC61 to the great ‘all around’ YC73 and finally our best stage piano action in YC88.”

Pricing and Availability

The Yamaha YC73 and YC88 Stage Keyboards will ship to retailers beginning January 21, 2021, at manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) of $2,999 and $3,499, respectively.

To see the Yamaha YC73 and YC88 Stage Keyboards on display during Believe in Music week, January 21-24, 2021, please register online at https://attend.believeinmusic.tv

For more information about the YC78 and YC88, visit http://yamaha.io/YC