Yamaha DX7

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DX7 by Yamaha
Synthesis type:		FM (Phase modulation)
Polyphony:		16 voices
Oscillators:		6 operators
Multitimbral:		1
VCF:		none
VCA:		6 envelope generators
LFO:		1
Keyboard:		61-note with velocity and aftertouch sensitivity
Left hand control:		pitch-bend and modulation wheels
Velocity sensitive:		{{{velocity}}}
Aftertouch:		{{{aftertouch}}}
External control:		MIDI
Memory:		32 patches
Onboard effects:		none
Produced:		1983 - 1986
Original price:		Approx. US$ 2000

The Yamaha DX7 was a synthesizer manufactured by the Yamaha Corporation from 1983 to 1986, based on FM synthesis. It was the first commercially successful digital synthesizer, with its sound included in many recordings from the 1980s. The DX7 was the moderate priced model of the DX series of FM keyboards that included the smaller DX9, DX100, and the larger DX5 and DX1.

One major reason for the success was the precision and flexibility of digital sounds. Although the DX7 was not a sampler, its bright sounds were much clearer than the analog synthesizers that preceded it. Although the DX7 claimed to use FM, it actually implemented phase modulation synthesis, an 'upgrade' on the FM technique. The DX7 is well-known for its electric piano, bells, and other "metal striking metal" sounds. It was monotimbral and capable of 16-note polyphony.

The synthesizer included MIDI ports, but was released shortly before the specification was completed, and has incomplete support for the standard, however, the DX-7 interfaces with most MIDI equipment.

Several improved models were released in later years, most notably the DX7IID which improved sound quality and allowed bi-timbrality. Third-party products for the DX7 also flourished in the 1980s, including Grey Matter Response's E! expansion board, which added sequencer functions to the keyboard. The DX7 family remains popular to this day with many recording and performing artists.

Rackmount versions of the DX7 also exist, ranging from the TX7 (a simple desktop DX7 unit, with limited editing abilities) to the TX802 (a DX7II in a 2-unit rack mount unit, with 8 outputs) and even the TX816 (eight DX7s in a large rack unit, with individual MIDI ports and balanced outputs for each module (via an XLR connector), giving the musician a massive 128 notes of polyphony).

In 1988, in celebration of the company's 100-year anniversary, Yamaha released the DX7II Centennial. It was a DX7IID with a silver case, gold painted buttons and sliders, and 76 glow-in-the-dark keys. Only 300 were made and were priced at US$3995.

[edit] Software Emulation

Native Instruments have developed a popular software synthesizer, FM8 (2006) (previously FM7 (2001-2006)), that emulates the DX7's digital circuitry and can load original DX7 patches.