Bad Gear - Yamaha TX81Z

[@AudioPilz]

Audiopilz: *slaps roof of YT channel* Full Tracks, Extended Jams, Sample Packs: www.patreon.com/audiopilz

[@DetroitMicroSound]

The matterhorn bit had me rolling 🤣

[@Novalarke]

Up until 2007, I had both a TX81z and a DX11 in my arsenal. Programming the TX81z was a breeze if you had an Atari 1040ST running Dr.T's 4OP Deluxe. It had a randomisation feature that was amazing - every parameter had a checkbox as to whether or not you were going to randomise it. So, you just go click click click and within a minute you had some seriously crazy sounds. Then you just tweak them a bit and you're done. The lack of FX I see as a feature, not a bug. Most synths then that had built in FX, the FX were shite. I had an SPX90 and a MIDIverb, so I had that covered. The TX81z was, in one respect, better than the DX7, if just for those extra waveforms. Overall I really dug that 4OP joy joy. Especially the DX11. The keyboard on it was very nice and responsive and it had a feature or two the TX didn't have. The TX was not bad gear, at all. If you listen to my music right up to 2000, it was always buzzing around the mix. I stopped using it because I ditched the Atari. Dr.T had folded shop, so there was no way to easily program the beast, so I bought other synths (CS2x, Motif, etc.)

[@vjrei]

You are going to love this kzbin.info/www/bejne/qomvoINvnriIa7s

[@Spudcore]

Roof slaps are essential for optimal functionality of the youmtubes.

[@TheHatMusic]

The description of the operator waveform shapes is absolute gold!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@menhirmike]

Definitely looking to get a squeezed Matterhorn with Reflection oscillator for my next synth!

[@raistaparta]

Gotta get me a squeezed Matterhorn waveform for my PreenFM2

[@tscanlonesq]

I really wish I was drunk in the Alps.

[@1_of_4]

Matterhorn fo lyfe!!

[@brandonharris9160]

On an unrelated note, this thing is awesome, very direct and to the point, simple, powerful sounds. This channel is changing the instrument world and forcing musicians and producers to make do with what they have. Some of the greatest records in the world were made with undesirable equipment and because the artists had to fight with the machine to make it the best it could be, it ended up sounding unique and original

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@odmusicman]

Amen. I toured with one 1989-1993. Loved it.

[@Dartagnan65]

Plus, fully multitimbral! I've used this thing for 6 bada$$ patches at once!

[@JozeatTxb]

Spot on. The best music is often the simplest, and also because it takes exceptional talent to do. The sounds of thse instruments, most may forget, are themselves- by being stand-alone never-heard-before creations - veritable works of genius , even by today's standard. Just imagine them being heard FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE WORLD in the 80s.All that merits respect.

[@hardwaresecuritymodule]

I was sitting impatiently after the second jam, waiting to weigh in about how I use it for sharp, percussive bass noises and squares and then you absolutely nailed it in the techno underground at the end - how could I have ever doubted you? Forgive me, my prince

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@joakimbertil]

To be honest, those are the sounds that won me over.

[@lairdkilbarchan]

My main (only) instrument used to be a Yamaha DX11 - a keyboard adorned TX. FM drums, bass, a lead sound and enough luxurious multitimbral polyphony left over for the occasional minor triad.. Ah, those happy, simpler, less complicated and totally frustrating days...

[@AudioPilz]

Keeping a multitimbral FM ready is still totally worth it!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

An absolute must for those times when you need 4 separate layers of Lately Bass in your live jam

[@lairdkilbarchan]

@@sub-jec-tiv Exactly. 😁

[@cassildaandcarcosa294]

TX81z is amazing. I use that still on a bunch of my tracks. It doesn't sound the same as other FM synths, it has this dirty quality that I love.

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed!!! Quite unique sounding

[@crimson-foxtwitch2581]

this synth’s lineage isn’t connected to things like the DX7, rather its chip, the YM2414, is closer to stuff like the Sega Genesis and 90’s arcade machines

[@raysubject]

FM synthesis is just amazing .. it shows when you start adding more and more fm sounds into mix and they still doesn't competite between each other but rather perfectly fit and shine ine mix ...

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed! Blows my mind every time!!!

[@agenticdevices]

Bought one a couple of years back for $180. Along with a nice delay/reverb and a software editor this thing makes some of the lushest pads I have heard. And yeah, lately bass is a perfect sound. It’s rare you get a preset that doesn’t need any post-production at all. Loved the waveform descriptions btw haha

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed! Thanks!!!

[@ropeburn6684]

Brotip: run lately bass through some kind of note triggered enveloped filter in your DAW. Instant SONIC BOOM

[@yeahright73]

That frequency modulated inter-dimensional man-machine gateway to a dark realm of ice-cold underground techno arenas was slamming, I really didn't anticipate those sorts of textures from the TX! Kinda makes me want an FM synth again...

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!! Yeah, it shines in a real production environment

[@rundtomrasmus]

The quality of this page keeps impressing me! That last jam was a fucking banger, and once again my mind is baffled by, where the hell you find these visuals

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!! There's a lot of Doom fan art around...

[@engx3733]

that intro lead sounds fresh as heck! the best I have heard so far.

[@AudioPilz]

Happy to hear that, thanks!

[@howardanderson3061]

Best channel, always entertaining and never boring. I can only imagine the time it takes to do one show is hours upon hours of editing, writing and tweaking. Thanks for doing what you do!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@boeiend100]

i just bought this. My first bad gear synth. May many will follow

[@AudioPilz]

❤️😀❤️😀

[@stevenwheeler7999]

I’ve got my eye on one. Is $125 a good price?

[@thb-music]

I look forward to these episodes as the way to ring in the weekend. So damned happy.

[@AudioPilz]

Have a nice weekend!!!

[@binarysoldier]

Those demo tracks are straight bangers

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@Psychlist1972]

My favorite part of the TX81Z is the buzzy transformer inside. You can fix it if you want, but it also adds a nice "I think something is broken in my rack" background sound.

[@AudioPilz]

Funny, mine is close to being unusable and still dead silent

[@slaterslater5944]

I have the pleasure of owning a US voltage TX 81. It came with a step-down transformer which seems to turn those extra European electrons into heat and noise. No chance of hearing anything from the tx over that.

[@keithroberts9869]

Funny you mention that because when I first got mine, and turned it on for the first time, I thought "oh sh***t". Now, I'm like "love that transformer buzz!"

[@djlocodoc]

Those Jams!!So tasty! That Space Echo is beautiful. My TX81Z was bought in the late 80's and it is not going anywhere for the reasons you listed. This little beast has been my secret weapon for decades! Great video sir!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@hollywood4834]

@@AudioPilz Space Echo for the next episode?

[@dfreeman120]

Fantastic video as always. Love the Yamaha FM sounds in a track. I don’t think of sounds being dated, they either work or they don’t.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@singingcookie5945]

Yet another piece of Bad Gear I have added to my wish list. Thank you!

[@AudioPilz]

Always a pleasure, thanks for watching!!!

[@lo-firobotboy7112]

"Matterhorn Reflecting in Water"....I'll have to watch the rest of the video later when I get the tears of laughter out of my eyes.

[@AudioPilz]

🏔🏔❤️❤️🏔🏔

[@jamesb8573]

it's always comforting to see City of God on your bookshelf.

[@AudioPilz]

😀

[@SlaserX]

It's here! The Lately Bass episode!

[@AudioPilz]

Finally!!!

[@mixourband]

I still have my TX81Z I bought in the early 90s just for the Lately Bass. I don't use it much now but still nice to have in the rack.

[@calzaronezerozeroone8670]

So happy you did a video on this synth! one of my all time faves! : D

[@AudioPilz]

😀😀😀

[@dvdny]

It's Friday, so that means I have to watch YT with spacebar so I can read the memes. Always excellent commentary and tunes to match. 👏👏

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks! Have a nice weekend!!!

[@CKT1138]

Fun fact, the DX11/V2 (I have the V2 myself, and I love it! Apart from the laughably small number of user savable slots) has one noteworthy advantage over the 81Z. It actually has pitch envelopes!

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, there are some improvements over the TX

[@bitsmasher101]

That bass is just ... **chef's kiss*

[@AudioPilz]

😍 🥰 😍 🥰 😍 🥰

[@mikebass8881]

"Cold-iced underground techno" in the end of the video (from7:15) absolutely incredible.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@synthnerd4539]

I had one of these for 20 years before 'upgrading' through the DX7s, TX7, and SY77... but I ended up getting a DX11 in the end. Needed that specific crunch back. 8 voices with 8 part multitimbral over 2 outputs might seem tight, but all you need to do is make 2 complementary bass patches, layer 4 of each with panning and detune, and you've got a monster.

[@AudioPilz]

DX11 is tight!!!

[@timandtheocean]

yeah love my DX11

[@MGMan37]

Only upgrade you can do from here is Yamaha V50. Same chip but with 16 polyphony, and can set oscillator fixed frequency down to 0hz. Also has onboard FX, a sequencer, and a basic drum machine.

[@dcall7830]

Literally the only channel where I push the like button before I watch the vid. Love Saturday mornings with a coffee watching the new Bad Gear upload after a groggy Friday night in the studio stuck in loopland cul de sacs

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@marcthenarc868]

It was my FIRST SYNTH. I was a guitarist with a GR-700 but wanted to contribute to the band's growing pool of synths and purchased mine back when it hit the market (wondering if I would go for the FB-01 instead). I got even more triggered to see this in "Bad Gear" than my newly purchased DFAM. Its display is so iconic to me that, as a DIY synth guy, I purchased a few 16x2 displays for my homebrew stuff. Great review and jams as always.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@tonyisyourpal]

Try a Korg Z3 - it’s basically the synth engine of the TX81Z with the GR700’s 24 pin guitar interface - but way more playable than that makes it sound…

[@maxspencerkarinen6463]

My latest diy project is minidexed, which is basically a tx81z running on a raspberry pi, with just a little lcd 16x2 display :)

[@mrz80]

@@maxspencerkarinen6463 Details? :D

[@ToreHansen]

Great video and this is the channel that use the space most to get all the cuts and insertes in the video! Worth it and have a great weekend!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!! Have a nice one!!!

[@testohtoby]

I have the 81Z since November 2020: it's sooooo good and it sound so warm even for an fm synth. It might be due to the crunchy 12 bits DAC, it really does punch holes in the wall and the brass patch is 🤩

[@AudioPilz]

Love old converters!!!

[@brickblock369]

Fun fact: Yamaha TX81Z is being emulated on an open-source chiptune music software named Furnace, developed by tildearrow! It's named as Yamaha YM2414 (OPZ) though, which is the audio chip's name. The software itself is still incomplete (but still usable), and TX81Z connection isn't implemented, but it basically does the synth features that the TX81Z has.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks for the heads up. Great stuff!!!

[@bassywax]

would you share it?

[@tristancaver4836]

As a Texan, I can attest to the majesty and sheer brilliance of the BBQ smoker when utilized properly. Also, as a proud owner of a DX11, I can most assuredly attest to the strength of this little beast when utilized properly as well. However, don't get the two confused. One is for cram-packing pure gold into the next smorgasbord and the other is guaranteed to satisfy, whatever the occasion, depending on how many beers you've had.

[@AudioPilz]

So, I shouldn't smoke FM?

[@doktoraat]

Thanks for reviewing this! I got mine totally randomly for 50 golds, and I'm gigging it ever since. We call it the VHS

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!!

[@Rompler_Rocco]

I sure hope the Opsix has a Squeezed Matterhorn Reflecting in Water (since Korg just forced every single US resident to purchase one)🤞

[@AudioPilz]

I thought you get those with the green card?

[@RobbieRyanLMF]

Thank you for the fine rundown and for shouting out my Home State! You are always welcome to visit and we will provide loads of BBQ and crappy synths to discuss.

[@AudioPilz]

❤️❤️❤️Thank you so much❤️❤️❤️

[@unkatom]

Yes! The old “Rack Years”… when we were all convinced that buying a kitchen-refrigerator sized assortment of these high-quality 19inch wonders was the way to unbridled success! My small 6u rack was (well, still is) a tight network of precisely measured 1/4 inch cables… the whole idea was to arrive, drop the box, plug in the power & outputs and DOMINATE! ⚒⛓🔧🔩⚙️

[@AudioPilz]

Way to go!!!

[@unkatom]

@@AudioPilz It weighs well over 50 lbs… I struggle to lift it, especially these days. It mainly holds one synth with a mixer & FX… a Kurzweil K2500r (My 2020 M1 MacBook Air is much easier to tote around… the U-he plugins weigh zero 😁)

[@mudsh4rk]

@@unkatom Use the rack gear to make stuff at home, use an Octatrack and one or two little tesktop modules to perform remixes of your own material. Or an MPC and a rack sampler if you already have them and the Octatrack is too modern. Best of both worlds either way.

[@gonzinigonz]

Thanks for clearing up the confusion with the waveforms, they've been a mystery for me since i brought it back in the early 90's 🤣 I love mine, its a keeper.

[@AudioPilz]

😀😀😀

[@MatthewChristianMurray]

The SY77 and SY99 (maybe the 22 and 33 too?) took that feature and ran with it. Six-op FM with sixteen waveforms and 45 algorithms, plus 100-some samples, and you could combine and cross-modulate (RCM) the two synthesis types within a patch. The 77 was the first synth I ever bought, and I highly doubt I will ever part with it.

[@jack3361]

Best dawless jams ever, seriously, all of your videos kick where it hurts

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@Flat8G]

Great video as always! My first synth was the very rare Yamaha DS-55 which featured the same sound engine, but in a keyboard format with added chord styles and what i think was an analogue BBD delay effect. 😀

[@AudioPilz]

Wow, didn't know that one!!!

[@Flat8G]

@@AudioPilz I very much doubt you can find one, there was likely a very good reason why it sold less than anything reviewed here. :)

[@RhenishHelm]

You've now covered every synth I've ever owned: Roland JX-8P, Yamaha TX81Z, Yamaha TG33 (SY22), Alesis Micron, Korg Microkorg, and Polyend Tracker.

[@AudioPilz]

Congratulations!!!

[@zachariahpoltergeist4516]

Being drunk in the Alps sounds like a great time, not gonna lie!

[@AudioPilz]

Recommended!!!

[@jongdonglu]

I dont own a TX81Z(will do soon though) but i have played with one a bit and as with alot of old things i have played with i find theres far too many modern people who are just whiny little fools who tend to know nothing about the units and get frustrated with them saying bad things about them purely because they dont RTFM! and so cant get it to work right OR try to use it for something its not built for or good at. In my mind there is no such thing as a bad synth, to me every piece of equipment has a field in which it excels, sounds that it is good at making and sounds it is not good at making, im so glad you made this video, and am particularly happy at the tune you pulled off at the end as it really is a nice demonstration of what this unit can do. Thank you for doing the TX81Z justice in this video. i seriously cant wait to buy my own one to go with my Roland D110.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks! Great combination with a D110 (and quite a challenge;)

[@jcjrock]

Great video. I have a tx81z and love it for what it is. Add some effects and some tones really pop through. Definitely a great complimentary Rackmount.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!

[@DJDigitalJosh]

I got 1 of these for $50 back in 2000. It was SO heavy. True meaning of built like a tank. I liked it & like most of my old gear, sold it. Great find BG!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@alanshewitt]

Not surprising the Roland Space Echo dramatically improves the sound of the patch. Surprising, the Alesis drum machine sounds great still after all these years.

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, the RE-201 is a classic!

[@AlineKiler123321]

Again you took the sounds of the fm to another level you own the game. Youre great. Love from TAO sweden

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@opipik1650]

Finally an episode on a synth I actually own (and actually played today!) I personally love it, but I'm a fan of FM - after all the first actual "synth" I played was an old Yamaha 2op FM keyboard. The presets are decent, but there are a few ones I particularly like - Guitar 1, ElecBass 1, BaadBreath, Hi/LoTine81Z, ThinClav (this one actually sounds like some old baroque clavichords!) and the 60s/70s organ emulations (6 Tease and Farcheeza). It, however, "comes alive" with some chorus (and probably also reverb, but the only FX unit I have rn is the Korg Triton LE (which functions as a FX unit with the sampling expansion, which adds 2 audio inputs), which doesn't have good reverbs - I bought a Yamaha SPX990 but haven't set it up yet so we'll see - I was thinking about getting a SPX90 but that seems to only be good for drums, so you should definitely review it).

[@AudioPilz]

Love SPXes!!!

[@slaterslater5944]

SPX 90 is great for much more than drums. Kevin Shields created a whole genre with a guitar through the reverse reverb setting.

[@gelatinous6915]

Just got my wisdom teeth out, sitting with ice packs taped to my face, you can imagine my excitement for a new bad gear episode to start my binge :P

[@AudioPilz]

Get well soon!!!

[@wendelynmusic]

When I was graduated college I owned one of these. I loved it. I had a Kurzweil K2000S for getting crazy. with the TX I would find a preset I liked and then tweak for my purposes and use it that way. I also had an Oberheim Matrix 6. and a soundblaster sound card in my computer that was all run by Cakewalk. I was a beta tester for them. They weren't free back then. but I loved it...

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!! Classic setup!

[@danieklerr]

One of my first synths, and still a favorite. That last jam was like Carl Craig and Sven Väth had a baby. Once again, great show.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!!

[@oblongtom]

Tech house nappies?

[@Pablo668]

Awesome content as always. I got an Arturia keystep pro today. I’m still figuring it out.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! Nice, love that machine!

[@heavysystemsinc.]

What's really fun to do is to exercise the program change per channel via midi. It can keep up sonically, but the display goes nuts!

[@AudioPilz]

Nice, I have to try that!

[@Mamiya645]

One very very rare time where the opening theme done with the gear in question sounds so mm mm MMM good it gives me an unstoppable smile. Not sure if there's a free java programmer for it like the FB01 has but if there is - I'd recommend this one. Can probably be tweaked for cleaner sharper output by component replacing.

[@AudioPilz]

There's a really nice Max4Live editor that is quite affordable

[@ruscular]

@@AudioPilz There is a "Patch Base" editor for this on the Ipad or Iphone. This remind me to ask if you consider reviewing using the Ipad foer the synth, seems like more and more synth are offering a screen connection to them. I use the Ipad as a editor for my Aerophone wind controller, Verselab MV-1, Yamaha VL70m, and the JV1010.

[@matthewcassette]

I can hear the sega games in each preset already. Great video, it's so awesome to see it in action

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@bayradionews415]

The doom guy dancing is amazing 🤩

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@lukeimontv7086]

I came here to say this! 😆

[@jeffzeiler346]

Been waiting for this one. Still have mine after 20years

[@AudioPilz]

Cool!

[@uamee]

Bad Gear on the original donk machine? Count me in!

[@AudioPilz]

Donk!!!

[@TheBroDotTV]

In capable hands this sounds pretty darn nice. I like the way you demonstrated it!

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!!

[@populvuh]

I love using my TX81z with the #Stereoping controller. The brass and organs(run thru delay/reverb) are great for dub techno.

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!!

[@dykodesigns]

That Matterhorn! I dig that pad sound that you used in the demo with the space echo.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@nickfbatombrew1436]

A brilliant episode and an impressive rack.. I dropped some codeine for some knee pain before watching the episode and the bass in my headphones met in the middle brilliant.. The FB01 sound set is just as good and the lately is still tweekable. I for one would certainly push for the rack unit revival…👍☢️

[@AudioPilz]

Rack unit revival FTW!!! Get well soon...

[@djtruflava]

I love your videos. You make me want to blow the dust off of some of my older gear, but I haven't turned my TX on in a few years. I hope it still works.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!! Good luck!

[@DragonGrafx-16]

Ah yes the Lately Bass machine. I bought mine for $90US BTW. Other than Lately Bass I love the SynStrings2 preset. It's the perfect electro strings sound.

[@AudioPilz]

Absolutely!!!

[@DragonGrafx-16]

@@AudioPilz I messed up... it's just Strings 2

[@SphericEl]

That video for your last techno romp track was flippin excellent 😃

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@crisoliveira2644]

I own one. My piano teacher back then gave it to me because he found no use for it. I then programmed a bunch of patches and showed them to him. He said he almost regretted giving it to me after listening to my patches. Haha!

[@AudioPilz]

Seems like you were the teacher there;)

[@bengarland]

These videos are so brilliantly produced 🤟🏻

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@matrix12x]

This synth is actually great for making evolving pads.

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed!!!

[@LondraCalibro9]

ah, finally something on your show I own. one of my favourite synths to program and play with.

[@AudioPilz]

😀😀😀

[@MallardGryph]

Woah, this seems right up my street!! 👀👀👀 Couldn't agree more on racks being due a comeback, they're absolutely my particular poison... but I'm not sure I'd want them to have one, as they're one of the cheaper and more accessible avenues of synth collecting right now!

[@AudioPilz]

It's kind of an investment;)

[@alexlubinski7795]

*casually uses the RE-201 Space Echo in a jam during a cheese-box vintage FM rackmount demo* man you're a legend

[@AudioPilz]

Sometimes you gotta bust out the Space echo;)

[@alexlubinski7795]

@@AudioPilz That one's not gonna be in a "bad gear" review haha

[@alexlubinski7795]

more like "best gear" (or "Top gear" but this name is probably a trademark :D)

[@miamha]

Virgin subtractive user: I need 100+ knobs to sculpt my sound and it still sounds bad Chad FM user: I have 8 buttons and all my sounds are iconic

[@AudioPilz]

Don't Chads use presets?

[@secretelitemusic]

@@AudioPilz Chads curate presets.

[@dreibel]

Of all the stuff I had that was featured on Bad Gear, I miss my DX11 the most. It was a step up from my DX100, and my first dynamic keyboard. It was also very fun to program. Back in the eighties, Yamaha US put out these pamphlets, which I believe was bi-monthly, about new products in the Yamaha line. One feature was reader's patches - and they had a ton of them for TX81Z/DX11, as well as DX7. Whenever I'd visit the States I'd visit music shops and get as many of those issues that I could. I wound up using quite a few of those sounds. First with my Alesis MMT-8, and later with an Atari 1040STe (a mighty 4 megabytes!) running a light version of Notator SL. I also used my Roland GM-70 guitar synth system to do melody stuff. I foolishly traded it on a Roland D-20, then went back to the shop to get it back, only to find out it'd been sold! Wound up with a DX7S, which was pretty cool but just wasn;t the same. BTW, you heard about the deal on NI FM8 through Plugin Boutique? $10 is an insane price, and though it's an older program it's still great. Not quite as good as the DX11.

[@AudioPilz]

Did I really have the DX11 on the show? ;)

[@arpalaser]

The Lately and solid bass patch are worth the price of the instruments alone. Good thing I have both patches ported to my DX7II !

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!! Didn't know the DX7II has the waveforms of the TX

[@arpalaser]

@@AudioPilz it does not. But it is possible to recreate the patch using DX7II algorithms.

[@seanluke3052]

@@arpalaser It's impossible to recreate Lately Bass on the DX7II. You can more or less do *Solid Bass*, as it uses all sine wave operators. But this is not the case for Lately Bass. And they are qualitatively different.

[@arpalaser]

@@seanluke3052 I have both patches in my DX (i did not programed them). I had the DX100 and the DX7 SOLID BASS sounds exactly the same, and may be for the reasons you point out. I'll try to record a sample of the LB DX7 version an post it , but It sounds pretty close to my ears!

[@arpalaser]

I am away from my instruments for the weekend. During the week I will do an A:B comparison to be able to hear what is different.

[@jnkmal9519]

Thanks for letting us hear the deep n' dirty sounds of FM. Usually, people only showcase sissy high pitch bells n' junk.

[@austinmitchell2652]

I never knew I would learn geology from this show Also that final jam title transported me to another dimension

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@raistaparta]

It's another one of those "I remember when you could buy these for X€ and I can't believe what they're going for now!"

[@AudioPilz]

I think you can still get them for under 200 bucks almost everywhere but the super low prices are most probably over

[@raistaparta]

@@AudioPilz it’s funny, I feel like these things reach insane prices exactly when there’s so much better new options to chose from. We’re suckers for nostalgia.

[@RCAvhstape]

I did in fact program my Volca FM and created my own patch from scratch once just to prove to myself I could do it. Wound up using it in some tracks even. It was definitely a challenge and required a lot of patience. But I still don't know how to go from "sound in my head" to "sound comes from synth" with it. Subtractive analog synthesis is so much easier to grasp.

[@AudioPilz]

"sound in my head" to "sound comes from synth" is really hard with FM!

[@DSPKills]

The TX81Z is still a steal in the market. The grungy top-end is ace. I own two.

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed!!!

[@TimWrightDJ]

I had a DX100, and sold it before I knew what it was. I was in the market for a DX a few months ago, and tried to find a TX81Z, but couldn't find one at the right price. I ended up getting a Reface DX, which was nice and good enough until I got the Volca FM2. Now I'm selling the Reface, as the Volca is great.

[@DSPKills]

@@TimWrightDJ I’m a bit of an FM head. I’ve got a DX7, TX816, TX802 and the two TX81Z’s. Korg OpSix on the way. The 7 and 816 were both purchased dirt cheap and I needed to repair them. One of the 81Z’s was partial payment for repairing a friends Oberheim Matrix 1000.

[@thedeepblueskys]

Killer baseline on the techno track. FM has been my thing lately. Just bought a new OpSix from the Korg Warehouse for $329. Crazy deal, but it was for US only. Still the FM itch can be scratched with this Yamaha. Not too shabby! Also I’m with ya on the Rack Mount gear. EuroRacks older brother lol

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks! Heard about that deal, nice!!!

[@thedeepblueskys]

@@AudioPilz you welcome, Yeah that price is crazy low. Last thing I need is another synth, but how could anyone pass that up? It has equity from the get go lol.

[@Jamesjimjimmy]

Lol did they refund you yet?

[@thedeepblueskys]

@@Jamesjimjimmy no, mines in the mail with tracking. In Attica KS to be exact.

[@thedeepblueskys]

@@Jamesjimjimmy although I did hear about how the website glitched out and was selling them when they ran out. I had that happen with reverb before.

[@straighttalk2069]

Your super powers of audio and visual production continue to amaze me. I here by name you PRODUCTION MAN the mightiest super hero in the KZbinVerse.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@AndersEngerJensen]

Haha, great video. They are a bit bland and boring if you don't dive deep into them with an editor. That's for sure. But I find good use of the TwelveStr, Pizzicato, Lately Bass and a few other presets though. And if you have two, detune them slightly, pan them L-R and slap on a few good effects... you got some nice FM goodness going on. :D

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks for the great picture!!! You are the God of rack synths!!!

[@Super8Rescue]

The TX81Z was my first rackmount synth. great piece of kit. Lovely to see one again. I still have the DX7

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!!

[@joonglegamer9898]

Well you manage to test my bass even at low volumes, But no Hatsune Miku colorscheme is a total dealbreaker for me (J/K), hm... can we have too many FM synths? Have 3 already. The answer might surprise you.

[@AudioPilz]

I'd say 3 is the absolute minimum!!!

[@budgetguitarist]

Yup, a perfect summary. I had one. I stupidly sold it for next to nothing about 10 years ago when people were throwing them out. But I won't be buying another one at today's prices.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!! Yeah, they have become kind of costly

[@aksen303]

there was one of these in a second hand store back in the mid-90s, when i first got a part time job and was on the hunt for cheap gear. every time i walked in, it was there, often the only bit of music tech that wasn't a guitar pedal. every time i walked in, i wondered what it was exactly, as the internet was not useful for information on it. every time i walked in, i walked out without buying it. i THINK i made the right choice.

[@AudioPilz]

I'm afraid the times of second-hand store finds of legendary synths are over...

[@OMG_so_Nerdy]

First😅🔫

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!!

[@jmzorko]

I had one of these 30 yrs ago (as well as the FB01), but didn't keep it / them for long. I think the reason was that I already had an SY77 at the time which sounded legions better, and I only purchased the TX81Z and FB01 to expand my polyphony. That being said, with instruments like the Digitone, 4-op FM can certainly sound amazing, so I prob didn't give the TX81Z and FB01 enough of a chance to shine when I had them. Also, I can listen to Skinny Puppy even now and still _really_ enjoy those types of sounds, at least in that context 🙂

[@AudioPilz]

SY77 is a next level beast!

[@jmzorko]

@@AudioPilz I really loved mine and had it for years.

[@akseltech]

what an outstanding Show :D you make me giggle pilz.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@rot_studios]

I got 5 of these... in my Yamaha HS-6 organ :D The organ allows you to only edit operator envelopes and amplitude, but allows for full parameter access through MIDI. After hearing what you did with the TX in this video I really gotta build a MIDI FM editor for the organ (there's software for it already, but I like my physical twiddly knobs). You got some fantastic sounds of it!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@ambrosiajam8008]

I have a Yamaha Electone Organ and I did not realize for years that it had an adjustable FM synth inside there…. My mind was blown. And then having to save patches that will delete themselves after one week if you do not power it on, and using hard to find 32 kb NES style cartridges for sound packs or memory cards, the whole thing is hilariously amazing. I would love to see a bad gear episode about that 3 million kg beast, if not only for the lulz, but I think the Electone users actually are so fond of that thing that it would never happen 😂

[@volkerwiedersheim]

Had one, know it well (the presets that is). Portrait is spot on! Well done🎉

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@PolaBurrr]

i got both tx81z and fb-01 and luv them ... and they keep going up in value

[@AudioPilz]

Nice, these are my two Yamaha vintage FMs two!!!

[@armignac]

Exactly what I need right now. Thanks

[@AudioPilz]

Cheers!

[@jthorpe4droid]

Awesome video, always loved the sounds from that unit.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@cedwards427]

Yet another piece of gear that I own! One day I'll take the plunge and learn FM synthesis.

[@AudioPilz]

It's a bit like chemistry;)

[@centaureacyanus7675]

Thanks, that you remember me to have this gear in a lost corner too. Such a long time ago I used it. Some sounds I changed to get it as a basic element. But my actually workflow is new track sounds to change till it satisfied me. Analog machines with a lot of knobs is the better way in this case.

[@AudioPilz]

Why not both?😏

[@majicboxstudios3996]

The TX 81z is really good. It falls in line with Yamaha‘s ecosystem of rackmount FM Synthesizers. TX216: -2 16 note TG's TX816: -8 16 note TG's TX802: -8 2 note TG's They are all slightly different, have different timber layering options some of them have different DAC chips over the first two generation DX or TX units. I want to know which one would sound better with the cream Xbase 999?

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks for the clarification! Jomox goes with almost everything;)

[@davidszekely1770]

Great episode, thank you for the beautiful FM sounds man!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!