Kawai K1 & Yamaha FB-01 Sample Pack for Prophet X and SF2

video upload by Espen Kraft

"A new patch bank for the Prophet X. Also available in the SF2 format for Logic and the Tal Sampler.
50 multi-samples from the Kawai K1 and Yamaha FB-01. Great sounds to add texture and depth to your music and productions.

The samples were originally meant for MY Prophet X, for my live needs. A way of having all my vintage synths in one keyboard when doing live gigs doing MY own songs as faithful as possible to my albums.
Every sample in here has been recorded by me personally and sounds exactly how I want them to sound. They've all been recorded through the Yamaha DMP7 digital mixer for extra mojo.
Many of the samples are velocity layered multi samples, some upwards of 30-50 samples per set.
Be aware that this pack is the multi-samples only.
IMPORTANT info for Prophet X users: This sample user add-on pack is imported like this : px/u01

If you want to purchase this bank, please send me an email and I'll give you the download details.
Please specify if you want the Prophet X or SF2 bank. They cost the same.

My CONTACT email address is this: espenkraft69@gmail.com
Price is $15 USD or €15 Euros if that's your preferred currency. PayPal only. * The above email is NOT the one to use for payment. That will be given upon ordering.

If you haven't already bought my big epic Prophet X sample- and patch bank from before, I'll be happy to offer both that AND this new one in a bundled price of $40 USD (or €40 Euros) combined. Let me know in the email."

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FB-01 Vs MT-32 | History and Combat

video upload by Espen Kraft

"Yamaha FB-01 from 1986 and Roland MT-32 from 1987. Two modules that over time has gained a cult classic status. For different reasons. Before any of them became that, they were 2 multi timbral sound modules that fought for the money of the happy amateur musician in the mid-to late 80s.

00:00 Intro
00:34 Rumours about the MT-32
01:00 The D-50 is released
01:26 The MT-32
02:24 The FB-01
04:40 Sound comparison
10:42 Gaming
11:45 Outro/Conclusion

The MT-32 had 32 voices of polyphony and had a simplified D-50 sound, effects and drums. The Polyphony came with one "downside", if the voices were made up of the maximum of 4 partials, the total polyphony was only 8 voices. The voices/partials were dynamically allocated so you didn't have to keep track of the numbers though.
The FB-01 has a total polyphony of 8 voices, but you can distribute those as you wish in a quite flexible way. 8 mono voices over 8 different midi channels was very new in 1986.
None of the modules made it possible to edit sounds on the front panel, so you needed a sysex editor for that."

YAMAHA FB-01 FM synthesizer DX7 TX81z volca opsix

video upload by KAI neutrino

KORG volca fm も
使いこなしていないのに
KORG volca fm2
¥19380税込
YAMAHA FB-01
49,800 円(税抜)
があるので我慢、、、

Bad Gear - Yamaha DX100

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Yamaha DX100 Digital Programmable Algorithm Synthesizer. Is this cute 80s keyboard, keytar, Roger Troutman talkbox carrier and little sibling of the Yamaha DX7 the dirtiest FM synth of the Yamaha DX range? Does it have DAT BASS (solid bass, lately bass)??? Why didn't I get a Korg Volca FM2 like all the other YouTubers???

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:12 Overview Yamaha DX100
02:36 Workflow
04:17 Short comparison DX100 vs. FB-01 (same FM chip)
05:02 Hate
05:24 Jam 1
06:16 Jam 2
07:09 Finale
07:40 Verdict

AudioPilz Bad Gear posts

Yamaha FB-01 SN 03631

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

via this auction

You can find a demo of one here.

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FM40P mkIII by NYZ

"Originally released January 17, 2022 available as limited physical edition CDr & name your price abridged digital on Psøma Psi Phi => pspsph.bandcamp.com/album/fm40p-mkiii

Unabridged digital only edition.

https://noyzelab.bandcamp.com/album/fm40p-mkiii

'In a third volume of his ongoing FM40P series of recordings, Dave Burraston continues to explore a myriad of tangents and timbres within the Yamaha V50, TX81Z and FB-01 machines - all of them uniquely apart from one another, their commonality being their identities as four-operator digital FM synthesizers. FM synthesis is well known for both its ability to convey otherwise impossible sounds and its general unapproachability as pure programming and sound design. Through this lens of context, Burraston's ability to direct these machines towards unforeseen and inexplicable pathways says much about the rarity of recordings like these. On a deeper level, Burraston is perhaps always testing, measuring, adjusting and analyzing, interacting with synthesis and its many vessels. Acting with the interests of both musician and scientist, NYZ brings us always to fresh perspectives and sonic locations that feel as if they are entirely new, often alien, but never predictable or repetitive. It's a lot to consider, as music and also as concept, but at the end of the day, you can always count on NYZ recordings for their utterly uncompromising sense of displacement and dizzying enchantment.'

released January 17, 2022

Generated during various sessions on 1-3 Jan 2021, 24 Feb 2021 and Oct 2013 at Noyzelab. Yamaha V50, Yamaha TX81Z, Yamaha FB-01 and MANIAC [custom sysex code for fractional note tuning/timings]. Mixed early Jan 2022 at Noyzelab in the hazement annex. Text and cover design by ABM&D. This is Psoma Psi Phi number NYZ-XVII. David Burraston and the Noyzelab logo appear courtesy of Noyzelab."

Lewismidi CZPL 88 Mini Synth Patch Library / SysEx Filer/ Arpeggiator

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by Iestyn Lewis

"An updated video covering all of the features of the new CZPL Mini, with thousands of built-in patches for multiple synths.

* Casio CZ Series
* Yamaha DX7 / Volca FM
* Roland D-50
* Yamaha Reface Series

And many more! Thank you to @TheSynthDad (https://www.youtube.com/user/dmgalindo) for the use of his footage.

Video production by Abby Lewis. More information and ordering info at https://lewismidi.com/czpl88mini"

CZPL 88 Mini control of Roland MKS-7

video upload by Iestyn Lewis

"The Roland MKS-7 provides a Juno-106 in a rack. It did not come with any real time controls or user patch storage. The CZPL 88 mini can receive CC messages from any MIDI controller and translate them to the system messages the MKS-7 expects. It can also store thousands of user created patches, making the MKS-7 far more usable. More info at https://lewismidi.com"

CZPL Patch Storage for the Yamaha Reface Series

video upload by Iestyn Lewis

"An overview of the CZPL 88 Mini when used with the Yamaha Reface series. Thousands of built in patches, the ability to store all of your own sounds, and a built in arpeggiator."

via this auction

via https://lewismidi.com

"The CZ/PL 88 mini offers thousands of preloaded patches for many brands of synthesizers. It also allows you to save patches and banks that you have created on your favorite synthesizer. No more tracking down expensive RAM catridges or having to resort to a computer. Lastly, it features a very nice arpeggiator.

It works especially nicely with the Casio CZ series of synthesizers, for which it was originally designed."

The CZ/PL 88 mini comes with a MicroSD card that is preloaded with thousands of patches:

Synth # Presets
Casio CZ Series 2,198 patches
Ensoniq VFX Series 126 banks of 32 patches
Roland D-50 / D-550 / D-05 305 banks of 64 patches
Yamaha DX7 / Volca FM 4,400 banks of 32 patches
Yamaha FB-01 125 banks of 48 patches
Yamaha SY77 226 banks of patches
Korg M1 295 banks of patches
Roland JD-800 174 banks of patches
Yamaha Reface CP 158 patches
Yamaha Reface CS 4,551 patches
Yamaha Reface DX 4,270 patches
Yamaha Reface YC 1,655 patches"

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Yamaha DX100 Frequency Ratios Decoded by noyzelab

noyzelab has decoded the Yamaha DX100 Frequency Ratios, on github.

"The Yamaha DX100 owners manual contains a very interesting chart of its 'carefully chosen' frequency ratios, although there is barely any discussion about them at all or what they actually are or relate to..

These mysterious ratios also appear in the other 4, 6 & 8 operator Yamaha FM synthesizers/chips, such as the DX7, DX21, TX81Z, FB-01, DX11, FS1R, DEXED, you name it.. so the information here is relevant for any FM synthesizer capable of producing these ratios.

With a little deciphering using a tiny Python program it turns out this mysterious chart contains 4 groups of inharmonic ratios : √2, √3, π/4 and π. Included in this repo are =>

- spreadsheet in Open Office & PDF format deciphering and organising these ratios into a more coherent layout, plus an Addendum of complete tables computed up to 30x multiplication

- Python program to produce the Addendum tables. Edit & rerun this code to generate output for higher ratios, for example alter the multiplier variable to print out higher ratios for use with 6 & 8 operator synths.

- excerpt from the original DX100 owners manual showing these ratios obtained from here =>

Yamaha have been quite cunning, as you will see from the tables I've made decoding this mysterious chart. The inclusion of these 4 inharmonic ratio groups has been done in such a way that they contain exact multiples of themselves. This is incredibly useful when programming an FM sound using just sine waves, and as Yamaha hint they "produce extremely complex waveforms" for things like "sound effects including extremely realistic bells, explosions, etc."

Here is a simple example I tried poking around on my DX7ii:

Consider creating a sound containing inharmonic timbres, where you would like to have a complex wave modulating a simple sine wave carrier tracking the keyboard normally. This could easily be achieved with a 3 operator sine stack 3>2>1. For the carrier [operator 1] you could choose a ratio of 1.0. Then you could setup operator 2 at √2 = 1.41 creating an inharmonic ratio, and modulate it with operator 3 using √2 but at x 2 = 2.82. This would give you a 2:1 ratio for operators 3 & 2 respectively and create a nice complex modulating wave with minimal to no beating. You could further adjust either or both operator 2 & 3 ratios using √2 as the inharmonic ratio to keep it whole number [integer] based.. or move across to another inharmonic set for one or both and explore futher from there.

how to keep me going ==>
if u find this repo useful please think about supporting my work either thru my bandcamp page: https://noyzelab.bandcamp.com/ or send a Paypal donation or otherwise get in touch via noyzelab [at] gmail [dot] com

thanks, dave"

Update: this reminded me of an interview I did with Barry Schrader in which he discusses his deep dive into FM synthesis after working with vintage Buchla systems. Scroll down to Triptych for an example and/or search for Yamaha for more.

Yamaha FB-01 | A Cult Classic!

video by Espen Kraft

"Yamaha FB-01 from 1986. By many considered cheap and bad, but it's the opposite. Just like the TX81Z, it has the ability to really cut through a track, especially in the important mid frequencies.

The first multi timbral sound module from Yamaha at the time, (the TX816 can be considered multi timbral though) and flexible in how you wanted to set up the midi channels and polyphony, but then the Roland MT-32 came along and blew this out of the water and the FB-01 was discontinued just the year after, in 1987. However.....
.....In the years to come afterwards, this little module has gained somewhat of a cult following. Websites dedicated to its worship came along and different genres within synth music started using it and modding it. Mods to reduce the noise, mods to increase the output gain and other stuff.

I'm using the FB-01 editor you can find here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/fb01...
Some of the patches I use in the video can be found here: http://mmmazes.blogspot.com/2010/05/f...

The demo track is only FB-01 except for the drums. All the sounds are either factory presets or sounds found through the banks above.

Cheaper than a TX81Z, but for how long?"

AudioPilz - Synths - Bad/Better Gear

Bad Gear - Yamaha CS1x - Not Exactly My Thing video by AudioPilz

Just discovered this series. Above is the latest video featuring the Yamaha CS1x. Below is a playlist of previous videos in the series. I'm guessing the CS1x will be added. P.S. I actually own a CS1x and SU10 so it's kind of fun seeing them paired in this video. The CS1x is all ROMpler but it does have some nice icy strings. It has a bright digital character about it - like it's permanently run through a glassy sounding reverb.



Playlist (enjoy, or not - use the controls on the bottom left or upper right of the player to skip around):
Bad Gear - Roland TB-3 - A Touchscreen TB-303 Nightmare???
How To Control The Microkorg Using Midi Controllers??? (Tutorial)
Bad Gear - Microkorg - A Hipster Synth???
Bad Gear - Am I Too Bad For This Synth???
Bad Gear - Akai Timbre Wolf - Weakest Poly Synth???
Bad Gear - Korg Electribe EA-1 - Worst Of The Tribe???
Bad Gear - Red Sound Darkstar - Worst Synth Of All Time???
Bad Gear - M-Audio Venom - Biggest Software Dongle Of All Time???
Better Gear - DIY Yamaha DX7 Realtime Controller (Tutorial)
Bad Gear - Roland JX-305 - Pub Gig MC-505???
Bad Gear - Arturia Minibrute - The Tutorial Synth???
Bad Gear - Roland D-110 - 80s Sound In A Box???
Bad Gear - Yamaha FB-01 - Second Worst FM Synth???
Bad Gear - Yamaha SHS-10 Keytar - Most Embarrassing Synth Of All Time???
Bad Gear - Quasimidi Sirius - 90s Techno Machine???
Bad Gear - Korg Kaossilator Pro - The Synth of Christmas Past???
Bad Gear - Nintendo Korg DS-10 - Game Boy MS-20???
Roland U-110 - Yet Another Boring 80s Synthesizer???
Bad Gear - Roland Sound Canvas SC-55 - Vintage Gamers Synth???
Bad Gear - Yamaha DJX - Kid’s Keyboard???
Bad Gear - Roland SH-201 - The MP3 Synth??? (feat. Alex Ball)
Bad Gear - Casio SK-1 - The Original Fart Sampler
Bad Gear - Waldorf Blofeld - Vintage Sound of the Future???

AudioPilz Bad Gear posts

Edisyn 26 Free Open Source Patch Editor Released

You can find it here.

"Edisyn is a free open source patch editor for a number of synthesizers. Version 26 has new editors for the M-Audio Venom, Waldorf Kyra, and Casio CZ-230S. Version 26 also has several new patch exploration tools, including real-time morphing between four patches, and merging of random patch pairs from your synthesizer. Version 26 also has many bug fixes and improvements.

Edisyn runs on the Mac, Windows, and Linux.

At present Edisyn supports: the Alesis D4 and DM5; Casio CZ series; DSI Prophet '08, Mopho series, and Tetra; E-Mu Proteus 1/2/3, Morpheus, and UltraProteus; Kawai K1, K4, and K5; Korg MicroKorg, MicroSampler, SG Rack, and Wavestation SR; M-Audio Venom; Novation Drumstation and D Station; Oberheim Matrix 6, 6R, and 1000; Preen FM2; Red Sound DarkStar; Roland D-110, JV-80, and JV-880; Waldorf Blofeld, Microwave XT and XTk, and Kyra; most Yamaha 4-Operator FM Synths (such as the TX81Z and DX11); Yamaha FB-01; Yamaha DX7, TX7, TX216/816, Dexed, Korg Volca FM, and other DX7 compatible synths; Yamaha FS1R; Yamaha TG33, SY22, and SY35; Tuning standards and MTS; and generic CC, NRPN, and RPN control.

Edisyn has infinite levels of undo, a broad spectrum of patch exploration and creation tools (mutation, merging, nudging, morphing, blending, and evolutionary methods), and a wide array of other useful features. Try it out!"

Selected Tracks From Synthesizers Demos Vol​.​11

Nacho Marty Meyer

01. Kawai XD-5 - The Cardos 00:00
02. Clavia Nord Rack 2 - Nord Police 7:36
03. Clavia Nord Rack 2 - Voices From 1983 13:40
04. Clavia Nord Rack 2 - In That Building 17:19
05. Clavia Nord Rack 2 - Plaza VA 19:45
06. Clavia Nord Rack 2 - El asunto de Gadi 23:10
07. Clavia Nord Rack 2 - The Sun Goes Down 25:39
08. Clavia Nord Rack 2 - Muebles 29:13
09. Clavia Nord Rack 2 - Patio secreto 1 30:20
10. Clavia Nord Rack 2 - Patio secreto 2 32:11
11. Waldorf Pulse+ - Sending A Fax 33:45
12. Waldorf Pulse+ - Todavía programamos 37:31
13. Yamaha FB-01 & Yamaha REX50 - The FM Gang 42:03"

high-quality (WAV 24 bit 44.100 Hz) download:


Additonal Selected Tracks From Synthesizers

Yamaha CX5M Music Computer SFG-05 FM Sound Synthesizer II - MIDI Upgrade

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

via this auction

"Rare refurbished and fully tested SFG-05 FM Sound Synthesizer Unit II (upgraded from SFG-01 unit) for Yamaha CX5M MSX Music Computer in mint working and cosmetic condition.

This upgrade allows a CX5M Music Computer to be controlled wwith any MIDI-compatible keyboard or other controller. The unit is 4-part multi-timbral, using an updated SFG-05 software interface to control the onboard 4-operator FM Synthesizer (build on the same architecture as the Yamaha FB-01 or DX11).

Disclaimer: The unit is a fully tested refurbished unit. I installed an AMD 27C256 Eprom with the new SFG-05 firmware, performed all additional upgrade modifcations, and added an IC socket for the firmware chip, so it can be easily replaced without soldering. I also created a label for the case, based on the original Yamaha label design for the SFG-05.

The photos of the board show the differences between the standard SFG-01 board (for comparison, not included in purchase) and the SFG-05 board (photo the actual board inside the cartridge you are buying).

The SFG-05 comes in the original SFG-05 packaging, incl. a copy of the Yamaha SFG-05 hardware/software manual."

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Yamaha CX5M Music Computer SFG-05 FM Sound Synthesizer I

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

via this auction

"Rare refurbished and fully tested SFG-05 FM Sound Synthesizer Unit II for Yamaha CX5M MSX Music Computer in mint working and cosmetic condition.

This upgrade allows a CX5M Music Computer to be controlled wwith any MIDI-compatible keyboard or other controller. The unit is 4-part multi-timbral, using an updated SFG-05 software interface to control the onboard 4-operator FM Synthesizer (build on the same architecture as the Yamaha FB-01 or DX11).

Disclaimer: The unit is a fully tested refurbished unit. I installed an AMD 27C256 Eprom with the new firmware, performed all additional upgrade modifcations, and added an IC socket for the firmware chip, so it can be easily replaced without soldering. I also added a label for the case, based on the original Yamaha design.

The SFG-05 comes in its original packaging and with a copy of the Yamaha SFG-05 hardware/software manual."

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FB-01 Trials

All Yamaha FB-01. "The sounds at the end are what you get if you feed it too much sysex at once!"

---

Side note: the FB-01 shares the same sound engine as the CX5M. See this post. You can find additional posts featuring the FB-01 here and here. Unfortunately, Blogger treats dashes differently, so FB-01 and FB01 bring up different results. Go Blogger! :)

CX5M & C1 Yamaha Music Computer

Published on Feb 14, 2020 thebrackett

"Explore some lovely Yamaha music computers from days gone by with me! Yamaha sent me a few pieces from their synth museum so I could make some videos and share these beauties with all of you!

(This video was sponsored by Yamaha)"

Apparently the Yamaha FB-01 has the same sound engine. It gets mentioned at 4:52 in the video.

CX5M & C1 Yamaha Music Computer (RSVP Part 2 of 3)

Published on Feb 22, 2020 thebrackett

CX5M & C1 Yamaha Music Computer - RSVP (Part 3 of 3)

Published on Mar 18, 2020 thebrackett

"The final video of my synth series on the CX5m and C1 music computers."

Boehm Dynamic 4x9 FM-Synthesizer - Two Demosongs & Realtime editing

Published on Feb 13, 2019 Stereoping

Neve seen one of these before.

"The Boehm Dynamic 4x9 is a fully editable 4 OP FM-Synthesizer similar to Yamaha's FB-01. It's got 4 'blocks' each supplying 9 voices from rough Yamaha YM2203 FM-chips.The Boehm is always in Multimode making it easy and funny building layersounds or multitrack arrangements. It also houses 2 different analogue BBD-effects called 'Phasing' and 'Ensemble' bringing some sound-modulation and Solina-feeling to the cold FM-world.

The video contains 2 little arrangements making use of several presets. 1st one is pure Boehm Dynamic 4x9 with a bit of reverb, no other gear used. Some photos show the inside of the unit.

The second song - starting with 'german volksmusik' and ending quite jazzy - uses drums from the Nord Drum 2 and displays the midi activity of the 4 blocks together with the Fruity Loops arrangement.

There is also a followup video showing realtime editing of the unit with a Midi-Controller."

Boehm Dynamic 4x9 - Realtime editing

Published on Feb 13, 2019

"Demo for realtime editing of the Böhm Dynamic 4x9 FM-Synthesizer. Session one scrambles a Strings preset. Second session starts with the sound of an E-Tom. The color of the LED dispays which parameters are currently changed. Switching the BBD-effects around 2:24 & 2:45 (should have made that first on the unchanged string preset, i know).
Caution! The sound is partly distorted and aggressive, you might want to turn the volume down before starting the video."

Selected Tracks From Synthesizers Demos Vol​.​1

Published on Dec 4, 2018 Nacho Marty Meyer

high-quality download: https://nacho80.bandcamp.com/album/se...

01. Yamaha TX216 - TF1 Dream
02. Ensoniq ESQ-M - HARD_CEM3379
03. Kawai XS-1 - MAPA_3
04. Casio CZ-5000 - Adrenalynn_7
05. Roland MT-100 - Orange Buildings
06. E-MU Vintage Keys - Hidden People
07. Yamaha FB-01 - Peleadores
08. Roland MKS-70 - ETIONS
09. Kawai K4r - Factory Outside
10. Kawai 100F - The Arabian Dude

Selected Tracks From Synthesizers Demos Vol.2

Published on Dec 8, 2018

Published on Dec 8, 2018 Nacho Marty Meyer

high-quality download: https://nacho80.bandcamp.com/album/se...

01. Commodore 64 - SID_B 00:00
02. Oberheim Matrix-1000 - Her Bodas 00:26
03. Casio CZ-5000 - Lucy en el telo con amantes 8:13
04. Yamaha FB-01 - Dubbian Dub 10:04
05. Roland MKS-70 - Oceanfront 14:28
06. Yamaha TX216 - Looking For Robox 17:29
07. Roland M-VS1 - Room 5_1979 22:21
08. Kawai XD-5 - Mapa Incorrecto 25:06
09. Yamaha TG33 - Afternoon Road Show 27:00
10. Korg EX-800 & AKAI S2000 - Octakorg 29:03
11. Roland MKS-70 - Telefunk70 31:21
12. Roland JV-1080 - Gaming The Ghetto 34:03

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Yamaha FB-01 Multi-Timbral MIDI FM Synth SN 14973

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

via this auction

Check out the just released NYZ - NTE GDN => Behind the scenes with the Yamaha FB-01 for what an FB-01 can sound like.

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NYZ - NTE GDN => Behind the scenes with the Yamaha FB-01

Photo Credit: Calum Gunn * all other pix by NYZ *

"The new NYZ - NTE GDN tape on Conditional is just out [limited edition of 50 copies]! Matrix heard on the synth grapevine that it heavily featured the Yamaha FB-01 operating in a secret sysex mode, so he asked me if I'd write a little about how it was used. You can check the album out on the Conditional Bandcamp page here, release date July 6th =>

and have a listen while reading. Its also available from Boomkat [with track previews] =>

Boomkat review => "Blinding new batch of synth and computer music chaos from Dave Burraston’s cultishly regarded NYZ. With such a wild variation to his purist approach it’s perhaps silly to draw comparisons or contrasts, but these are patently some of NYZ’s sweeter treats, such as the curdled harmonics of ‘ARTOFNYZbitcompander’ and the funky lil’ vamps of ‘RLD syncs’ for more insatiable and curious listeners. In other words it’s fucking ace!"

and Norman Records =>

Norman Records review => "9/10 Conditional unleash this beautifully wild and playful tape from David Burraston aka NYZ. Here he harnesses the spectrum splitting potential of John Chowning’s FM synthesis to birth and animate ludicrously cute and cuddly synthetic creatures that come to life before our very ears. What even are these little mutant alien lifeforms? Where is this strange place in which they dwell?

The overall experience of imbibing these sounds is a lot like an experience I once had watching Teletubbies on acid, where I thought the little blighters were actually communicating directly to me. This world NYZ has created and its inhabitants are clearly fantasy, but it’s so brilliantly, vividly realised and skillfully executed that if you just let go of the shackles of reality and submit yourself, it can be an authentic place where these things live and breathe, eat and sleep and go through their life cycle. We get to hang out with them as they speak, sing, laugh and cry. I’d much rather hang out with these chirpy little fellows because humans are the absolute worst. For music to get a miserable, misanthropic, curmudgeon bastard like me to grin like a child holding a cookie the size of its head is quite an achievement.

This tape is just so much fun - it's like a little utopia for the most part, but there are occasional darker moments - at times it feels like the big bad wolf or some kind of predator is lurking with intent to gobble up our little friends. Burraston’s custom-built MANIAC Cellular Automata Sequencer is instrumental in giving life to these sounds - a tool that gives this work a unique voice and an unpredictable energy that seems to organically flow through his machines. This music is most certainly unconventional even by avant-garde standards, and although on the surface is definitely weird and kinda eccentric, it taps into something deeper. Like Victor Frankenstein’s unorthodox scientific experiment in Mary Shelley's novel where scientist becomes an architect of life. This place, it's lifeforms and their language seems bewilderingly genuine - a sonic virtual reality -- a hybrid analogue/digital world where what is “real” and synthetic is blurred."


So why am I interested in the strange and esoteric Yamaha FB-01, and what are these secret sysex codes? Well, first up its a nice little 8 voice FM synth, and I'm well known for being a bit obsessed with FM [see the NYZ - DRN4 Declassified article]. Secondly, its a kind of in-between synth, arriving after the first 4 operator synths, such the DX21, but before the TX81Z which featured a full microtonal tuning table. Its this inbetweeness that really interested me, and its really the only first gen sine wave only 4op that can be micro-tuned, albeit in a very roundabout way via some secret sysex codes.

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