DX Dreams: Capturing the Magic of the Yamaha DX7

A mini-documentary on capturing the magic of the most iconic synthesizer in history.
Producer & sound designer Jim Daneker takes on the challenge of creating a custom virtual instrument based on the Yamaha DX series, and talks about the reasons for taking on such a thing in 2022.
DX Dreams is now available for Kontakt, MainStage, and Logic Pro. For more info:
www.backstagepass.store
For a complete walkthrough of all patches in this collection:
• DX Dreams Walkthrough ...
Table of contents:
00:35 - The Beginning
03:21 - DX Dreams vs. hardware or plugins
07:42 - Myth: you can't sample a DX7
10:18 - Kontakt vs MainStage versions
13:34 - Why DX Dreams in 2022
14:55 - For The Love
Stay in touch:
Personal Website: www.jimdaneker.com
Instagram: / jimdaneker
Facebook: / jimdaneker
#BackStagePass #YamahaDX7 #VirtualInstrument

[@AstorSkywalker]

I admire your passion, let me just say it's not overly dramatic at all! In this day and age were we can have thousands of plugins I admire the dedication of DX Dreams, for the love put into this project, and the thorough explanation of how those sounds came to be. Me being about your same age I appreciate what you have done, and also explaining the production process, and how this sounds were used and produced, fulfilling our childhood dreams, and letting us relive does especial moments, oh so many songs and memories in full production quality, Thank you!

[@JimDaneker]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@matthewcassette]

As a fellow sound designer and owner of a DX7s, DX21 and reface. Great work, this is very cool. It took me a long time to master but i really love FM synthesis

[@JimDaneker]

Thanks for the kind words Matthew!

[@jdubbs9655]

Outstanding Brother! Congratulations and thank you for all of the work into the DX Dreams Project and for this share. Keep Doing That Voodoo That You Do!

[@scottfaircloff9530]

Fantastic work!

[@JimDaneker]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@conservativeokie]

Man.., if I didn’t know better, I would swear you are one of, if not the top expert in this field! 😁 Absolutely amazing what you have done and are doing! Congratulations Jim!!! 👍🏼

[@JimDaneker]

Thanks so much my brother!

[@bennethos]

SY99 is also pretty awesome imho, am restoring one and god does it sound beautiful. One of the last proper early 90's digital FM flagship synths

[@culttelevision]

I left one at my old apartment under the bed by mistake . It was in mint condition . I was gutted.

[@VeryVocalPro]

The video was awesome, but I think the blackout cutaways were a little overused. Got to be almost a strobe light at times. But the info was great.

[@JimDaneker]

Thanks Mark. Yeah, I’m not a fan of that, but unfortunately the way this one was shot I didn’t have much choice. If those edits were tightened together, it was even more jarring. Still learning some things about video editing, and I will be working on that! Thanks for your feedback ;-)

[@tjlaughlin44]

Just got DX dreams for Christmas. Wow! This just took my keyboards to the next level. Thank you for all of your hard work in this project. The sounds are amazing! Listening to them brought me back to a time when I attended your concert in the very small town of Orwigsburg, PA (Blue Mountain High School) back in 1993. It is so great to see how far you have come. : )

[@JimDaneker]

Wow - very kind of you to say! Thanks Terence - glad you enjoy it!

[@ribbontribute]

Excellent explaining t of he Dream DX and the difference of Live verses kontakt . Thankyou for all your hard work so we can experience what most will not get to in piano sounds ! Definately reminiscent of 80s a favorite of many of us! Ty!

[@JimDaneker]

You are welcome! 😁

[@dynoroad]

What a great undertaking. I can tell you're extremely serious about good FM, hooking up all of that rare hardware to great vintage gear. About samling: Yamaha sampled DX7 sounds to great effect even in the era of the Motif classic, with miniscule RAM. DX dreams should be incredible with such a vast amount of samples. Apart from pop music, many legends in the jazz fusion genre used FM to great effect. Chick Corea and Jay Oliver used FM to make incredibly lush pads and leads.

[@JimDaneker]

Thank you for the kind words! Yes, DX sounds were a bit of an obsession growing up in the 80s. DX Dreams turned out great - here’s the main demo! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZS7ZYZ7q5J7opo

[@scottcupp8129]

I've got an original DX7. But I sure would love to check out the DX dreams

[@JayTheLane]

This sounds fantastic ❤ As an aside KQ Dixie for iPad allows you to layer patches and it sounds great with the likes of Fabfilter Pro Q3 and Pro R with FAC BBD chorus etc using Aum or Audiobus 3 sounds great. That said your approach made for some glorious patches and I feel it definitely worth the cash.

[@JimDaneker]

Thank you for the kind words ;-)

[@adamharris7775]

In the opening theme and alphabet rap from The Big Comfy Couch, Yamaha DX7 internal patch "Electric Organ 1" was heard.

[@JimDaneker]

😂😂😂

[@CybershamanX]

I would really like to hear a full extended version of that intro. Man. That blew me away. 😎🤘

[@JimDaneker]

Thanks! I’m actually working on a full project of that sort of thing - 80s on overload! Stay tuned 😁

[@CybershamanX]

@@JimDaneker Yep. I'm a sucker for that "80s sound". 😉 I'm actually a lover of all things electronic. It's just amazing to me what kind of sounds you can create by manipulating electrons, so I'm a big fan of solid state electronic music instrumentation. Looking forward to what you have in store! Take care! 😎

[@JimDaneker]

@@CybershamanX thanks brother!

[@CybershamanX]

@@JimDaneker Oh, jeez. I hate to bother you again. But today a fun little instrumental from the 80s that I loved as a kid popped into my head this morning. I think it would be a pretty fun song to play, if I were a musician. 😉 Now, try not to laugh! It's the main title theme by Alan Silvestri from the 1986 movie Flight of the Navigator. It's on KZbin if you want to give it a listen. Anyway, maybe someone could work that into a future project or something. It could be fun... 😉 Take care! 😀 ☮️

[@antonbriggs5680]

Would love to see a video of the making of a Preset from start to finish of one your up and coming JX or Prophetic Dreams project.

[@JimDaneker]

Great idea! I'll give that some thought!

[@antonbriggs5680]

@@JimDaneker I know it will be a lot of work and editing so if you do let me be the first to say I really appreciate it! And will watch it about 20 times lol

[@b2zap665]

How do you like the system 8 in the back there? I love mine. Such a powerful great sounding synth.

[@JimDaneker]

The System 8 is one of my all-time favorites! Roland absolutely nailed it with that one!

[@andreievkalupniek5717]

Great! Thanks for doing the Kontakt version. Have you ever tried Gig Performer? It is amazing for live performance.

[@JimDaneker]

No but i've heard great things about it, especially for Kontakt users. I'm just partial to MainStage because of all it offers - the content and included plugins are world class, and allows you to build anything you can imagine.

[@IvarFritjofHansen]

I use dexed is great :)

[@MatthewPolack]

Hi Jim. Have you checked out Gig Performer? A lot of keyboardists are starting to use this for live gigging...it allows full customisation...so am hopeful DX dreams would work without issue in that. Would be interested on your thoughts on how the two would go together!

[@JimDaneker]

I am familiar with it but it wouldn’t work for me because I rely on so many of the Logic/MainStage effects & plugins for sound design, and MainStage for building the GUI. But yes, you could simply use the Kontakt version of DX Dreams in Gig Performer no problem!

[@MatthewPolack]

@@JimDaneker Thanks Jim..have purchased and will see how I get on! Gig performer has a global rack space feature...so can integrate in all manner of reverbs/choruses etc..customise the GUI etc...so hopefully can come emulate some of those things. Anyway have purchased and looking forward to emulating some of those classic DX sounds! Well done.Thanks!

[@JimDaneker]

@@MatthewPolack Awesome! Hope you enjoy it! Thankfully all the essential effects are built in using the closest Kontakt equivalents, so the only thing you would need to add would be reverbs, if desired!

[@hanglider]

I would love to see a detailed virtual instrument of the Yamaha FM synths that came before the dx7 such as the Yamaha Gs1, Gs2. They have a more rich and dynamic "Warm" sound than the later DX series. It also features a lush built in ensemble effect similar to those found in old string machines. Listen to Mint Jams by Casiopea for reference. IK multimedia made an ok emulation but imo still lacks in dynamics. I know Behringer bought a GS1 some years ago and i hope they will sample or recreate it somehow one day.

[@JimDaneker]

The artist I work for still has both his GS1 and GS2 and indeed, they do have some gorgeous sounds. I’ve been working on capturing those for an expansion 😁

[@hanglider]

@@JimDaneker Take my wallet

[@hanglider]

@@JimDaneker kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIHJlKlojp2Ab8U Here's the sound I'm talking about.

[@IvarFritjofHansen]

I use dexed and valhalla super massiv id a dream to listen to dx sounds.

[@andisantoso4155]

awesome intro & ending, what's song ?

[@JimDaneker]

“Take Me Home” - Phil Collins, and a snippet of “Man In Motion” from St. Elmo’s Fire.

[@petertraxler9243]

Hello, I would like to buy DX Dreams II for Kontakt, but the shopping cart only shows the version for the main stage and one more question, does DX Dreams II contain the same patches as DX Dreams? I thank you

[@JimDaneker]

Apologies for the confusion… We are fixing the website. DX Dreams II for Kontakt isn't available yet… only the MainStage & Logic version is out. And no, DX Dreams II is a whole new set of content that expands on the original - it's also a much smaller collection.

[@petertraxler9243]

ok i buy dx dreams 1 for kontakt and model 85 @@JimDaneker

[@petertraxler9243]

is there are function to pay with paypal @@JimDaneker

[@liothomasart]

One need Dx dreams original to make dx dreams 2 expansion works?

[@JimDaneker]

No - they are completely separate products. DX Dreams II is simply meant to expand on the original.

[@jerrymcpommes8473]

Sounds awesome! But I didn‘t get the availability for Kontakt. So for Kontakt you only offer DX Dreams 1, not 2, right? And if so does DX Dreams 1 for Kontakt sound as "full and big" as you show it in you demo video with all patches? Or aren’t there as many effects on the Kontakt version because it’s meant for DAW and not for live? And what sounds of the DX Dreams 2 demo video are not available with DX Dreams 1 for Kontakt? Thanks!

[@JimDaneker]

Whew - that's a handful of good questions! 1. DX Dreams (original) is available for both platforms: MainStage / Logic and Kontakt; DX Dreams II is currently MainStage / Logic only. Hopefully the Kontakt version should be done this fall. 2. Yes, the sounds are identical across all versions, but the MainStage version does have some additional reverbs and delays on certain patches. However, that does not reflect on their "fullness" or quality whatsoever… that all comes from the sounds themselves and the way they were captured. Since Kontakt is more aimed at DAW use, you can simply use whatever reverbs and delays you prefer. 3. DX Dreams II is a wholly new collection of sounds that are totally unique to it - there's no overlap between it and DX Dreams. DX Dreams II is a much smaller collection though, focusing on later generation DX hardware.

[@jerrymcpommes8473]

Thank you for your detailed answer!

[@jerrymcpommes8473]

Sorry one more question: Does it make more sense to wait for DX Dreams 2 for Kontakt? Or will an update be for free or let‘s say cheaper for DX Dreams 1 owners?

[@jerrymcpommes8473]

Sorry one more 😄: So I have Logic Pro. But DX Dreams 1&2 doesn’t run on Logic without Mainstage right? With Mainstage I would have to transfer the Midi or Audio files in this certain way into Logic as you described it in one of your videos. So using my Kontakt for DX Dreams would still be easier regarding workflow eventhough I have Logic right?

[@JimDaneker]

@@jerrymcpommes8473 again, DX Dreams 1 & 2 don't overlap at all… They are completely separate… so there's no reason to wait for DX Dreams II. That is really just an additional set of sounds that expands on the original.

[@alexlifeson8946]

What's going on? Thought you were bringing it all out on tour??

[@JimDaneker]

This was a year and a half ago, after I had finished developing this series. I will definitely be using many of these sounds for Arcade Orchestra when the time comes.

[@alexlifeson8946]

@@JimDaneker Cool. Going through your site. I heard a couple Amy Grant patches on the DX Dreams EPs. Very nice 👍 Always loved those Grant 80's synths. Update : Damn dude. It looks like I'll be picking up almost your entire synth line for Kontact. Those samples just sound sooo much better than the modeled stuff I've come across! Specifically the NarfSounds gig sets for Montage. I mean, it's like night and day difference in sound! A bit pricer your way, but I think you get what you pay for in this case!

[@JimDaneker]

@@alexlifeson8946 appreciate the kind words! Those sounds are like a love letter to my teen years 😁

[@alexlifeson8946]

@@JimDaneker Dude. You did it right. The 5150, Genesis, the Amy Grant, Howard Jones, Top Gun, but revitalized! ..and this amazing Arcade Orchestra coming.. Man, I can't wait. And your studio looks awesome, too! 👍. I'd like to see some mid-late 80's Rush hits in the future. The PPG Wave on Grace Under Pressure and whatever they used on Power Windows/ Hold Your Fire would be awesome. Was it the Roland D-50?

[@worldmusicarchives7950]

I hope it will capture the DX7 II FD

[@JimDaneker]

There will be an expansion based on the mkII series for sure. But the existing version captures all the famous stuff from the 80s already ;-)

[@worldmusicarchives7950]

@@JimDaneker Cool I'm looking forward to it I'm hoping to hear the presets

[@JimDaneker]

@@worldmusicarchives7950 there are links at the end of the video and in the description. Here are the two main videos that let you hear everything: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZS7ZYZ7q5J7opo kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJy0aq1shpxqkJo

[@Neil-Aspinall]

I was in a band that had a DX7 and I always thought they sounded dated even then.

[@JimDaneker]

It’s all about context. A single DX7 is indeed largely uninspiring. But things get interesting when you start layering them for much bigger sounds 😁

[@shyboy2112]

Will it work in any version 6 of Kontakt?

[@JimDaneker]

Kontakt 6.7.1 or later. That's a good stable version though 😁👍🏻

[@shyboy2112]

@@JimDaneker thanks for the reply! I have 6.5 and would rather not update for the moment. Stability aside, will I be able to use it? The website mentions 6.4.2 as minimum requirement, so it should be ok I guess? I'm on PC by the way

[@JimDaneker]

@@shyboy2112 ah yes - if you mean DX Dreams (original version, not the new DX Dreams II expansion), you should be good to go, since I developed the original on Kontakt 6.4.2. As for updating, I totally get your reluctance... it takes an act of Congress to get me to update anything because my system is so complex. Kontakt is easy though - you can just make a copy of the app on an external drive, and if you need to roll back for some reason, you can just drag it back into place over the newer version. I’m still on 6.7.1 myself - haven't gone past that. Cheers!

[@JimDaneker]

@@shyboy2112 ah yes - if you mean DX Dreams (original version, not the new DX Dreams II expansion), you should be good to go, since I developed the original on Kontakt 6.4.2. As for updating, I totally get your reluctance... it takes an act of Congress to get me to update anything because my system is so complex. Kontakt is easy though - you can just make a copy of the app on an external drive, and if you need to roll back for some reason, you can just drag it back into place over the newer version. I’m still on 6.7.1 myself - haven't gone past that. Cheers!

[@The_Invisible_Man]

Ops7 is great , sounds exactly the same. Also runs the dx7 patches

[@JimDaneker]

Yep, it’s another great option for sure if you just want a single DX7… but a single DX7 doesn’t do those massive layered textures and iconic EPs you’d get from a TX816. That’s the stuff DX Dreams specializes in.

[@dry298]

I watched the DX Dreams demo video and I have mixed feelings. The author spoke about the history of the creation of Yamaha dx a little superficially. This is his subjective, obvious and very superficial view of the history of music and synth building. I think that behind this pathos video, epic drums loud RMS is just a dream. And behind a couple of layers of samples there is nothing outstanding) Why not immediately show us MainStage end Kontakt without these pompous and overly emotional demos?

[@JimDaneker]

Well, you can’t win ‘em all, I guess! You’re right about one thing: this is subjective. If it wasn’t obvious from the video, I happen to love this part of music history; hence the “emotional” demo. It’s called salesmanship and believing in what you’re selling. The whole point of the intro is to show the contrast between a single “naked” DX7 and the big layered approach of DX Dreams (which is WAY more than “a couple layers of samples”). As a tribute to the 80s, I wanted to have some fun with it. Thank you so much for taking the time to watch, and for the feedback!

[@fender1000100]

You dont need DX dreams. You need a DX REFACE. blows the original DX7 away. Can do everything. Best drums. Best bass. Best pads. Best strings.

[@JimDaneker]

Ummmm... sorry, but Reface is a simple 4-op FM model. DX Dreams is built on 6-op models, and massive layers of them. Reface isn't even in the same city, let alone the same ballpark. It can't create even any of the single sounds in DX Dreams, let alone the iconic layered patches that you will only find there... not to mention all of the processing that was done with legit 80s outboard gear. VASTLY different. Think Ford Pinto vs. a fleet of Lamborghinis.

[@Coowallsky]

The blinking video is annoying.

[@JimDaneker]

I agree - i've learned a lot since doing this video. Hope you got something out of it regardless. Thanks for your comment ;-)

[@speckles9251]

Blah ...

[@JimDaneker]

Thank you for that most thoughtful and constructive insight 😂👍🏻

[@AstorSkywalker]

@@JimDaneker don't waste your time answering nay sayers, love DX Dreams and your passion!

[@JimDaneker]

@@AstorSkywalker thanks buddy!

[@LukeCorradine]

Oh boy how much you talk....

[@JimDaneker]

Ha - well, this was a topic I had been asked about many times. If you'd rather hear the much more interesting part without any talking at all, here ya go ;-) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZS7ZYZ7q5J7opo