Hi! Keyboard magazine did similar polls a few years ago. I am not a keyboard player, but do love midi sequencing. I will start this:
1)Roland D50
2)Yamaha Dx7
3)Korg M1
4)Kurzweil K2600
5)Korg Wavestation
:s:
Comments
Hey Alecio, I should say that your list is pretty damn good in
Hey Alecio,
I should say that your list is pretty damn good in any case! I played around with a DX7 for a while and liked it a lot too. Kurzweil 2600, well who could argue with that??! Why don't we throw in Drum machines and modules as well. Now we're talking!
Best regards,
mIchAEl
Howdy If you're talking strictly about top '80s keyboards, th
Howdy
If you're talking strictly about top '80s keyboards, the list (for me) is:
- Oberheim Matrix-12
- Yamaha DX7
- Prophet 5
- Roland Super Jupiter
- PPG Wave
'90s keyboards could be
- Korg M1
- Yamaha SY99
- Yamaha VL1
- Roland Sound Canvas (cheap polyphony)
can't think of a fifth one right now...
I remember the first time I played with a CZ101/cz1000 -lol The
I remember the first time I played with a CZ101/cz1000 -lol
Then a D20 > W30 > Jw50> JV880> 01W > Trinity > Xp80.
In fact I just learned how to program/sequence because our keyboard player was always at his boring girlfriend´s place and a few years later gave up to dedicate exclusively to telecommunications..
Life is so funny!!!
I was so bored audiotining and losing time with amateur keyboard players that I decided.. today I am going to buy this things and see what happens..hehee
I guess I am the worst keyboard player in the world that has produced more sequences per square meters -lol
Nate pegged the mother of all awesome keyboards with his list-to
Nate pegged the mother of all awesome keyboards with his list-topper of...
Oberheim Matrix 12. This is my dream synth. I wish I had one...
Also, I still have a soft spot for the Roland D-50. It's only drawback is the ubiquity of its presets on 80's commercials for Arbys, Jeep and assorted non-sense.
Howdy Heh...the original "plastic fantastic" synth. Don't
Howdy
Heh...the original "plastic fantastic" synth.
Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a really powerful synth but its hard to figure out if "Digital Native Dancer" was heard more often than the "Electric Piano" patch from the DX.
Ah...the Matrix-12...you know, if you're into something like that, check out the Nord Modular or something like the Arturia Moog Modular. I used to have a Matrix-12 and its a great synth but these days its nice to have MIDI controllability of a few things and the M12 is quite limited in that regard.
Howdy Alécio! I hate polls like this; they're so subjective.
Howdy Alécio!
I hate polls like this; they're so subjective. However, I noticed that the DX7 comes up on a lot of the lists. A venerable workhorse even though it was a bear to program, not much in the way of computer interfacing and editing software back then. It became a staple of the 80's because it sounded "real" and because it was built like a tank.
The CZ-101 was cool because it was relatively dirt cheap. It was built that way too, not very roadable but fun in the studio.
The D-50 was one of the first Romplers, so it goes up there on the list as well.
The M-1 was the alternative to the D-50, but for some reason, at least for me, just seemed a little thin and grainy.
And lets not forget the Mirage, the first affordable sampler.
The 90's goes to Nord for reintroducing knobs and sliders, and the Korg Prohecy for a good try that didn't work.
The rest were just jumping on the bandwagon as far as I am concerned, not that there aren't some fantastic keyboards out there, but a list like this should be more of a what broke new ground sort of thing rather than a popularity contest.
Wow, that was fun! I remember using all of that stuff!
Thanks Alécio,
Bob
:p:
Howdy I agree that the polls are entirely subjective but that
Howdy
I agree that the polls are entirely subjective but that's also what's cool about them. For one, you find out the preferences of those participating. You also find the "least common denominator" of everything polled.
Good point about the Casio CZ...that was an interesting synth.
Now, how about those '70s keyboard!
Nate, I haven't checked out the two synths you mentioned that
Nate,
I haven't checked out the two synths you mentioned that compare with the Matrix-12.
I'm sure they have better controls- the Matrix-12 was first gen MIDI if I recall. But what I recall most vividly about this paragon of the formidable Oberheim 80's line was the delicious "rubberyness" of the filters. They could squizzle and schmoink quicker and more wonderfully than anything before it or since.
Ahhhh....
Originally posted by Todzilla: Nate, I haven't checked out
Originally posted by Todzilla:
Nate,I haven't checked out the two synths you mentioned that compare with the Matrix-12.
I'm sure they have better controls- the Matrix-12 was first gen MIDI if I recall. But what I recall most vividly about this paragon of the formidable Oberheim 80's line was the delicious "rubberyness" of the filters. They could squizzle and schmoink quicker and more wonderfully than anything before it or since.
Ahhhh....
Yeah...it was real swirly sounding. Throw in a "Small Stone" phase shifter...whoa nelly. The phase filters were really cool.
Ah...waxing nostalgic...
Originally posted by pmolsonmus: How about those groovy, white
Originally posted by pmolsonmus:
How about those groovy, white (Yamaha?) electric grand pianos. I'm stoked just thinkin 'bout 'em.
Heh...good one...CP70 / 80? I think the white was a custom job.
There's a great owner's manual story about those. Yamaha wanted to appear hip back in the day so some guy in Japan looked up a synonym for the word "screw" (as in "screw in the leg to the piano"). Well, the word he came up with was "**** ". The first few manuals came out with this miscue printed..."**** the leg to the piano".
d'oh!
..."**** the leg to the piano". LOL :D That's what keyboard
..."**** the leg to the piano".
LOL :D
That's what keyboard players do at the end of the gig, 'cause they're still tearing down when the singer and guitarists leave!!!
BTW - I never liked the Yamaha elec grand , we were just waxing nostalgic.
How about those Sequential Circuits keyboards- I forget the number. But I still have their TOM drum machine. I keep it as a reminder. I had set up a keyboard sequence on a DX7 and an Apple II-C Computer, The TOM was programmed and would jump to new grooves with an external trigger. I was singing w/ an analog delay on one mic that I could then loop and then mixed with a live mic. I was all set up to create vocal loops over a repeated chord change and then vocal improv over the top.
Worked great in practice.....got to my Senior Recital as a jazz vocalist, this was going to be the avant-garde closer with an eye for the future.
Hit the start button on the TOM, lights blink..., flash.., TOM drum machine stops,computer connected via MIDI goes blank. I smile at the audience, sit down and the 9 ft Baldwin and play My Favorite Things and get out. Sometimes analog is just better!
Originally posted by Nate Tschetter: I've heard of Elka but n
Originally posted by Nate Tschetter:
I've heard of Elka but never that machine.Used a Synclav a long time ago. Saw a guy selling one a few months ago.
Hey, that's a really hip website you have...did you do the design?
I dont remember the Name of that beast - a friend came over with it and really blew me with the sounds...
Synclav - it is a monster system, you propably need a new room to fit into...fairlyheavy, not light;-)
Our website is designed by flink-solutions.de - one of their first projects! We just supplied pictures and an idea, the rest was up to them.
Have a good time, Niko
Believe it or not, I used to own an Elka Synthex (and sometimes
Believe it or not, I used to own an Elka Synthex (and sometimes wish I had it back). It delivered the fat pads of a Prophet 5/10 (if not better) and the piercing stabs of an Oberheim. That thing was in my opinion the most underrated high-end synth of the 80's. Probably largely because ELKA was otherwise ONLY known for really cheesy organs.
The synth was still expensive at the time (half of the price of a Prophet 5) and it weighed about a ton (which was one of the main reasons that I sold it).
Man, I miss that thing ...
MisterBlue.
lets continue in this thread about beloved old synths, that you
lets continue in this thread about beloved old synths, that you sold, because they got out of fashion or you got a "similar" synth, that did the "same" sounds for only a fraction of the
*weight/money/tuning problems/sync issues/overall hassle*
or caused by monetary problems or your wife/husband
...and you want to get back immediately!
My TB303 - monetary problems...
n
Hey Alecio, I own a Juno 106 and quite like it. I would love t
Hey Alecio,
I own a Juno 106 and quite like it. I would love to find a Yamaha SY99 somewhere out there in the universe!!
Question: Aside from the fact that the Korg M1 is the highest selling synth. of all time, why do you think that it's one of the 5 best? I know that my question sounds like I'm contradicting myself but I have always thought that the M1 did so well because of it's abilities at that time. (which were great, at THAT time) Pound for Pound though, it's not a "crazy" 80's synth though, I think it's a tad boring compared to some of the other 80's options out there. Anyone disagree??
mIchAEl