Yamaha TX81Z: Is it still useful today ?

[@KrisNebroso]

The 'absolute effort' you're putting into these videos; for your subscribers, is 100% not going unnoticed, Jonas. 💙 Every new video that pops up is guaranteed to be a 'no-nonsense, golden lesson' from yourself. You receive a lot of POSITIVITY. That is, without doubt, because your contribution to Trance/Dance music is 'flawless' and 'everlasting'. 💙

[@Estuera]

Thanks a lot :) Its totally worth it. I love the reactions. There is this really nice creative feedback loop going on. Should have started doing videos about making music a lot sooner :)

[@LightBlazeMC]

agreed 💯

[@birdy369]

@@Estuera I thought I was already subbed, I found this video and went to your channel and KNEW from the thumbnails of certain videos, that I'd seen your channel before & enjoyed it (made SURE I was good and subbed right away this time!) I was so happy to see a song making video on 80s music! Can't wait to see that one next!

[@DanFreeman723]

The Tx81z is the best bass synth ever made imo. Deep rich bass & subs are there. The strings & piano are excellent. Crazy synths. It's still at the center of my studio after 30 years. The truth is that there are some patches that never seem to die & have become standard in music. Many are in the TX81Z. It's a good box to buy to give your sound kits some essential classic tones to put along side the crazy stuff you make on a day to day basis.

[@Iofflight78]

I bought mine just for the lately bass. I have an approximation of that bass sound on the Dx7 but it's not quite the same though it's good too. But it's great for so many other things as well.

[@simonjefferytaylor]

Lately rules

[@deanandthebeans857]

Good example of how it’s possible to get useful sounds out of any old module if you put the time and effort in - thanks!

[@ANKR_DJ]

Most synth channels just skip through presets and add a bunch of reverb to it. I found anything can sound fine that way. Your approach helps to understand much better what a synth is really capable of. Congratz

[@Estuera]

Thanks. The process of getting from a raw sound to finished track is where all the fun is. Glad its appreciated :)

[@brownerthanu]

sounds awesome. nice work!

[@rjbush7955]

Nice ‘after hours’ track. Love FM. I never can get enough latelybass.

[@bluebull399]

Demo track you made was really nice.

[@Flo-M]

Thank you! ❤

[@Coasterdude02149]

I remember when the TX81Z came out. I had a DX7 FD (Mk 2) at the time and didn't really understand for see the need to get the rack mount 81Z. And I was young, very impatient and ended up switching to guitar because I just wanted to play. I didn't want to fiddle with programming and tweaking. So typical for a 20 year old me. Now at 52 I'm getting back into keys and trying to get my chops back to produce trance and ambient music. Taking the time to tweak and programme is more fun now that I'm older. I can appreciate it. Another awesome video Jonas! Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into these videos 🤟🏻

[@Estuera]

My pleasure :)

[@86Ivar]

Nice track!❤

[@Slurkz]

Wow.... What an amazing end-result. I love it so much 💜 Thanks for creating this wonderful video!

[@ISLAInstruments]

Enjoyed this!, Lovely tune too ,Jonas!

[@gtubgle]

Killer track dude.

[@dvuemedia]

You have talent, that's for sure. The track at the end is very nice.

[@SoundPeer]

Lovely chords, and that Tune Bells patch is pure mellow goodness. So appropriate for a dreamscape such as this one.

[@meilstone]

I think this little module sounds great, and your video is awesome!

[@romanwisniak]

Thank you so much for this video. The 90's are back!

[@ВладимирХ-д2ы]

Any instrument is useful in the right hands, no matter how old is it )

[@JoseVGavila]

You always find new things to do with those somewhat forgotten synths!. I have a TX81Z and now I see it with other eyes!

[@aukevalk1536]

Sounds really great!!!!!!!

[@kurisuchiinathecrocodile333]

Great video, and I love the track you got in the end!

[@hurricane6014]

I’ve owned a number of synths through the decades from the mid 70’s to current. I’m in my senior years now and seriously considering getting one of these for the first time. They’re selling for just over $200 now. Your videos are a proving treasure. Thank you. P.S. - How to get the editor?

[@Estuera]

The editor used in the video can be found at ctrlr.org/yamaha-tx81z/. There are also several hardware controllers available. I got a stereoping controller for example.

[@squoblat]

This is an absolute tune

[@korolchukpp]

This is so wonderful! Крч, обалденный контент)

[@Estuera]

Спасибо :)

[@smoothstate]

Оо, і Паша тут)) Привіт, земляк)

[@korolchukpp]

@@smoothstate привееет))

[@stephenmorring3370]

Loved the composition and sounds you teased from the TX!

[@FashionDeejay]

11:05 - What a boss. Love it. 👏🏼👏🏼

[@neonether]

Stoked this was toward the top of my search results. Really great demo and info, earned a new subscriber.

[@jellycoding]

Sounds great. The final track is smooth.

[@SunlightProjectOfficial]

my favourite bass since early 90's ❤❤❤

[@edjefferson9175]

Love the track. Well done!

[@E4RLIES]

My TX81Z arrived today!! Thanks for your amazing tunes and vids man you are a massive inspiration to many! 😎

[@Estuera]

Have fun :) and feel free to share some music you made using it !

[@ET2carbon]

Great video

[@Thought-Forms]

Amazing overview and that final track is impressive! Makes me want to go dig deeper on mine. Cheers for the quality content man, keep it up

[@Estuera]

Thanks :) My pleasure

[@fretnoize]

I have a V50, which is essentially two TX81Zs in keyboard form, set up as a workstation with a sequencer and RX era type drums and an effects unit. I'm pretty sure it can pull in TX81Z patches. Interestingly enough it has the nicest feeling keyboard I've played on... not that tried tons... anyway, definitely worth checking out if you think you're interested in what the TX81Z offers. To top it off, I picked it up for about $60 USD!

[@unclemick-synths]

That's good to know.

[@Cryo837]

Used to have 2 16 rack space racks full of gear (~1990) and a lot of synths (TX81Z, U110, MKS-50, Matrix 1000, etc,). I used TX81Z the least because I had a D-50 as my keyboard controller which was my favorite synth at the time followed by the Oberheim Matrix 1000. But after watching this video I realize the TX81Z had more in it than I realized/used. It sounds really good here.

[@m.schmied1714]

Thank's. Great Job!! I love all of the old 4-OP FM Synths...like TQ5, YS100/200, FB-01, B200...and the 4-OP FM-Monster ...V50!!!

[@Estuera]

100% agreed

[@stereofloat]

Nice track Jonas, greetings from Frankfurt.

[@Estuera]

Thanks :)

[@FLH3official]

I bought my tx81z new. A while ago 😃 Now I work mainly "in the box" but it's still here in the rack, plugged, connected & ready to use when I want a shot of nostalgy.

[@travisguide4516]

I love your friendly opinions

[@johntammaro]

Really enjoyed this one. Reminds me of the chill out Balearic style back in the days when trance was king

[@Estuera]

It certainly has those balearic vibes going on indeed. That was on my mind as well when relistening this track.

[@johntammaro]

@@Estuera I'd love to see you tackle the Roland Alpha Juno and show us your hoover skills 👍😁

[@Estuera]

Yes, I'm also quite interested in this machine. Especially because I already encountered it in other studios years ago but never really dived into creating new patches. I'm starting to run out of space here though :D And I'm not sure if I would be able to let the alpha juno go again once I got my hands on it.

[@LightBlazeMC]

💯💯love rack mount gear!

[@thb-music]

Dude, you killed this! Love this walk through.

[@aex2170]

The king of the house dance music from 90s. Thank you!

[@buxtehude6669]

Impressive. Especially the drum groove.

[@dutchtranceproducer2450]

Nicely donne Jonas. I like the sounds and the vibe of the track.

[@johnnydekock]

Great video once again. Wow awesome track so chilled. Amazing that all of this is from the TX81Z. Keep up the great work man.

[@Estuera]

Thanks :)

[@VinceRiviera]

That's a really cool vibe and composition - liked it a lot! Was also not familiar with this synth, so it's a nice new acquaintance. Keep up the good work with these videos!

[@Estuera]

Thanks and my pleasure :) The synth itself has been under the radar quite long but I'm sure you did hear its sounds (especially preset C15) a lot more than you might realize.

[@GrantWyness]

Outstanding! Super informative video with a big fat gift at the end 🍻

[@filtomsun]

Loving your videos. We share a love of old gear and it's much more helpful to hear someone use it to make music than just demo factory presets. Loving your accent, too.

[@Estuera]

Thanks, my pleasure :) And can't hide the dutch 😁

[@filtomsun]

@@Estuera Why would you want to? 😊

[@Niele160]

Sounds like it's very capable still. Great track Jonas. Groetjes from Limburg!

[@Kludgedean]

Absolutely still useful! Honestly quite gorgeous! Most excellent work good sir!

[@Estuera]

Thanks :)

[@KUPHSER]

i still own a dx7, sy99, and recently got a FS1R. yamaha fm will always be relevant!

[@oldschoolsoldier1634]

beautiful stuff. I love my TX81z but after watching this I love it even more!

[@persona83]

Another great video. Loved the track, so chillin'!

[@ljp711]

Haven't used my TX81z in awhile. Thanks!

[@texacomann]

Absolute phantastic

[@squishmusic]

Did you mean FMtastic? :P

[@texacomann]

@@squishmusic YES

[@lairdtomfrenchelectromusic2545]

De la pure F.M !!! Comme j'aime ! Of course yes, this Yamaha expandeur can still used for music production today ! Thank you one more time Jonas, for this excellent title which took me back to a not so distant time (the 90's). : )

[@Estuera]

The 90's are just a year ago ! Right ? ... right.. Merci ;)

[@lairdtomfrenchelectromusic2545]

@@Estuera All right !!! ; )

[@kiko1935]

I'm gonna save this one for later, this is exactly the type of nerdiness I wanna watch when I'm sound designing 👍

[@Estuera]

Hope it brings some inspiration :)

[@Pan6888]

Great tune with only an old fm synth, so its always what you do with the synth and not the synth itself although the tx is a classic one for some reason, wirh this video you are asking your self why they only used the 'lately bass" patch only in so many productions of the past. Well done Jonas.

[@melvinriga465]

I love your videos man, Cool stuff

[@neilomac]

5:30 BAH GAWD IT'S THE UNDERTAKER, THE DEAD MAN IS HERE!

[@chrishopkins209]

BAH GAWD BUSINESS IS ABOUT TO PICK UP

[@mrbottle6466]

Awesome. I have the TX81Z. Not fired it up for a while. One is inspired.

[@maus3454]

Interresting video. Many thanks. Nice song at the end. Well done!!!!!

[@JamesAville]

Quite a nice sound! That bass has some range!

[@J._Campbell]

Very talented, man! Great job! So warm sound

[@Estuera]

Thanks 😊

[@Trumanday]

Great vid. Thanks a lot for your work.

[@DiscoCitizens240]

This is so awesome. I have the 4op DX100 and have been making drum sounds on it too. 4op fm can yield some realistic results. Great job as always. Greetings from Barbados

[@Estuera]

Thanks :) And yes especially for percussive and bass sounds this synth is perfect.

[@tehedx]

Well done, great to hear how you managed to get drum sounds with limited envelopes!

[@lukebussey5218]

really nice track

[@АнтонИгумнов-п6з]

Beautifull track

[@Estuera]

Thank you :)

[@CesarPantoja0]

Lovely! Has a bit of a Schiller feel to it

[@martinberlugue2769]

This is super nice !!

[@gstoelen]

Bought mine today 😄 Guilty pleasure: obviously the Lately Bass but I also love that 6 Tease patch 🥳 Great video!

[@Estuera]

6 Tease is a classic as well indeed 👍

[@yokushe_music]

Great! You good at using it.

[@ryanbrennan2911]

I was never aware of this synth. Love that bass sound so much and a great song youve made as well. I mostly use an Elektron Digitakt so maybe I can get samples of the presets to use. If you start a patreon you should definitely put together some sample packs.

[@robbelliii]

Very nice track. I always hated all the techno produced with the lately base, but you use it well here.

[@EnglishPalette]

C15 LatelyBass FTW

[@jasonlaakeofficial144]

Altijd tof om je op YT langs te zien komen :)

[@Estuera]

Thanks en goede tracks btw ! Echt heerlijke dark techno.

[@chriswareham]

Love those drum sounds! The editor really makes the TX so much nicer to work with, similar to something like Dexed with the original DX7.

[@Estuera]

It really helps unlock the true potential of this machine indeed !

[@patrikknoerr9777]

Very impressive. You got skillz.

[@Estuera]

Thank you :)

[@PrimitiveBaroque]

You almost played Cheetahmen at 3:48 XD. I just got myself a MegaFM, and people compare it to this module. Thanks for the demo.

[@6502phreak]

This feels so... solid. I don't know why.

[@pn2543]

Cool, I used to have one, sold on ebay, alas. I really like the electric piano patch. The complexity of tweaking any parameters on it via the buttons was crazy.

[@JayOneAlumni]

He’s a genius

[@jamesteej]

That rhodes sound is so fire 🔥 dope track

[@tonycarpenter-Makzimia]

Bought mine in the 80s. Still have it :). Racked along with a JV 1080. Both very useful. BTW, I upgraded my firmware to 1.06.

[@cubdukat]

I say definitely. I don't really think we've even scratched the surface of all we can do with Yamaha's FM synthesis, and definitely not with the TX81z's non-sine wave operators. Besides, I'm always of the belief that any instrument is useful, no matter its age, if you use it. If it gets you the sound you want, it's useful.

[@bjharvey3021]

Very interesting, thank you. Subbed.

[@musicxtn]

Love this video! Great insight. I’ve used my 81z for over 25 years now. One can easily add a guitar pedal or two. ... well done! Ps: now I’m going to go listen to What is Love by Haddaway!

[@Estuera]

Thanks :) And now I'm hearing that bassline in my head again off course 😜

[@gregleonti8740]

That break at the end tho! 🍭

[@deejayemceeflounder4328]

Killer track. I feel like pulling out my TX802. Yeah I know, different beast, but deserves some love.

[@Estuera]

Thanks :) And go for it !

[@trancextend]

This is why I Follow you! This is amazing!! 😆 I love it Jonas. 🍷😳

[@Estuera]

Thanks again ! :)

[@mudi2000a]

Great Demo! I am really surprised how good this old guy sounds.

[@Estuera]

And with some programming it can still be used in any modern (electronic) production. Also a great low end

[@jamiehamilton7568]

I've got a TX81z I've had from new in storage. I must get it out sometime!

[@midifilescom]

Stop making videos, it costs me too much !!! (but it brings so much joy ;)

[@stevereaver]

I've got one. AND I LOVE IT!!!!

[@stefandumoulin1872]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned yet, but you can solve the midi buffer problem by adding 50ms latency to the midi commands. Did it with my bcr2000 and can tweak the tx81z with no problems. Great videos !

[@dussie920]

And is this done on the 81z or on the sender's side?

[@stefandumoulin1872]

@@dussie920 the latency was added on the controller, good luck!

[@Estuera]

I solved this myself by getting a Stereoping controller configured for the TX81Z. In the background its doing the same as you do with the bcr2000.

[@stefandumoulin1872]

@@Estuera it also looks like it's a lot less confusing to work with. The behringer is a nice option on a lower budget though :)

[@ThomasARichardson]

a quiet wizard for sure!

[@eyerium2]

getting 2 unlimited vibes from this

[@lars-fenin]

i love the perc organ patch as well on this synth.. used it quite often for house and detroit kinda stuff..