March 20, 2023
(Originally written on January 3, 2023)
My Digital Baby From 1992
I love my Yamaha SY85 (the one that is on top). It’s a digital synthesizer that in my opinion sounds very different compared to its competitors from that time. It is very easy in use. In voice mode, each sound relies on a single sample that you can modulate using its digital filter (with resonance), some ADSR settings and different effect possibilities (similar, but not equivalent to those of an SPX900 multi fx processor).
Okay, let’s not talk about any geeky details. The SY85 has this sound to it that moves me. A character that I would describe as digital, full, emotional and a bit swirly in all of its ongoing effects (yes, they really liked the internal effects). Sliders can be used to adjust various settings, making it easy to have quick access to – for example – the attack, release, cutoff and resonance. Therefore, you can easily blend it into a mix that you are working on (in real-time). There is a quick edit option which will lead you instantly to all the simple parameters of any sound. I wish more digital synths would have an option like that.
There is more to this synthesizer, but I might write about that some other time.
Devin