Yamaha TX81Z
| TX81Z | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Yamaha |
| Dates | 1987-1988 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Polyphony | 8 |
| Timbrality | 8 |
| Oscillator | 4 operators per voice 8 waveforms |
| LFO | 2 in performance as well as dedicated vibrato(multitimbral) mode 1 in single voice mode assignable to pitch or amplitude |
| Synthesis type | Digital Frequency modulation |
| Aftertouch expression | yes |
| Velocity expression | yes |
| Storage memory | 128 factory patches 32 user patches 24 user performances |
| Effects | reverb for each voice |
| Hardware |
YM2414 (OPZ) CPU 63B03 |
| Input/output | |
| External control | MIDI |
The Yamaha TX81Z is a rack version of Yamaha DX11 and rack-mounted (keyboard-less) frequency modulation music synthesizer, which was released in 1987. Unlike previous FM synthesizers of the era, the TX81Z was the first to offer a range of oscillator waveforms other than just sine waves, conferring the new timbres of some of its patches when compared to older, sine-only FM synths. The TX81Z has developed a famous reputation, largely based on some of its preset bass sounds. A keyboard version with more onboard editing abilities was released the following year as the Yamaha DX11.
The unit is multitimbral, and has 128 ROM voices, 32 editable voice slots, and 24 editable Performance memories.
The RAM slots were rarely utilized due to the perceived high quality and usability of the original patches and the difficulty of programming new sounds with the limited front-panel interface. Among the presets is the famous LatelyBass, one of the most popular presets in synthesizer history.
The TX81Z is backwards-compatible with sound patches developed for Yamaha's DX21, DX27, and DX100 synthesizers. It is also very similar, and almost completely patch-compatible, to the DX11 synthesizer, which is essentially a TX81Z with a velocity and pressure-sensing keyboard, and a pitch envelope.
Some say the prevalence of the TX81Z's presets was also because of the difficulty in creating new patches. Creating new sounds from the unit's front panel is possible, but numerous nested parameters must be navigated by way of 11 buttons and a backlit 16 character, 2-line LCD. However, several personal computer-based editing applications have been developed since its release. The Dutch company KissBox released in 2013 a TX81Z editor based on RTP-MIDI communication, which makes the hardware synth appear as a VST plugin, while being controlled over a network link in real-time.
...
Wikipedia