Something different Yamaha PSR-36 pt 1: Useful or not? Sounds, added effects, 5-fader editor

Something different and very unexpected for me, the Yamaha PSR-36, a home keyboard from 1988.
3:11 Skip intro talk, go direct to basics sounds
5:45 Adding chorus
7:35 Adding reverb
8:32 Adding delay
9:16 Digital synthesizer parts and faders
11:56 Using midi to run arpeggios on PSR-36 from external source like Roland FA-07 (out of sight)
I happened to see this for sale locally for about 1/100th of a high-end synth like the Nord Stage 4, Yamaha Montage or Roland Fantom, but is this a useful keyboard or synth? I've heard that some people really like these keyboards and I knew some of them has a FM engine. Yamaha PSR-36, a 6-voice keyboard, has a 4 op FM engine with a "digital synthesizer" editor part, so when I saw this for sale I grabbed it to test it myself. Here we go.
As usual I've added some chorus from the built-in effects unit in my mixer and some delay and reverb from a Zoom MS-50G pedal.
#synths #synthesizers #keyboardist #music #improvisation #yamaha #yamahapsr36 #psr36 #fmsynth #synthsounds

[@tetkiktedavi1674]

Great exposition, thanks! No doubt about it for me, it sounds great!

[@patsonmusic]

Thanks! Yes, it offers an easy way to get FM sounds and manipulate them, without having to deep dive into the world of algorithms, operators and carriers.

[@dwsel]

Sounds good to me with effects. Verdict: useful!

[@patsonmusic]

Yes, it sounds great! And very useful, I've sampled a few sounds into my Nord Stage 4 and using the effects section of the Nord with the sounds of this lite gem is very nice!

[@WarriorEsoteric]

I like the way it sounds, I want one

[@patsonmusic]

Yes, it has some great sounds. An easy intro to FM synthesis without having to be a mathematician. And if you're are looking for one of these 4 OP FM home keyboards, the PSR-36 and PSR-41 are almost identical.