Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!ucbcad!pasteur!ucbvax!cbosgd!mandrill!neoucom!wtm
From: wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Digital synth modules
Message-ID: <952@neoucom.UUCP>
Date: 18 Jan 88 03:20:28 GMT
References: <2368@crash.cts.com> <394@boole.acc.virginia.edu>
Sender: wfd@neoucom.UUCP
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Lines: 63
Summary: Try the Yamaha FB-01 on for size


While the FB-01 is not a sampler device, it can make same very
interesting/entertaining sounds when attached to a computer.  The
chipset in the FB-01 is reputedly teh same chip set that is being
used on the synthesizer board that IBM is marketing.

I bought an FB-01 about a year ago.  I don't remember the precise
price I paid -- I think around $350, but the deflation of the
dollar's value has probably changed that.

Breifly here are some FB-01 features, etc:

1.  Uses Yamaha's inscrutible "algorithmic synthesis".  What
    can I say, it's only $350.

2.  Has stereo output, which can be mixed if desired.

3.  Up to 8 notes can be played can be played simultaneously.
    The notes can be assigned in very complex fashions.  From
    1 to 8 voices can be active at once.  Any voice can be
    assigned any number of notes, as long as the total is less
    than or equal to 8.  The voices can be assigned to any
    desired midi channel, or to odd/even on the same channel.
    The FB-01 is probably the most flexible device I've seen
    in this department.

4.  There are 4 algorithmic operators.  That can be programmed
    into 8 pre-defined synthesis algorithms.  You need a patch
    editor to access the operators.  But...

5.  There are 240 predefined sounds in ROM.  96 user-defined sounds
    can be stored in battery-backed RAM.  16 FB-01 configurations
    can be stored in RAM.

6.  The output signal quality is amazingly good for such an
    inexpensive device; there is less residual noise than in
    my DX-7s.

7.  In hallowed Yamaha tradition, the manual omits underlying
    technical information on how the algorithms really work,
    but does give a complete listing of all the standard and
    system-exclusive codes.


Ir you want a really good sampler, the Yamaha TX-16W is the
instrument of choice offering 12-bit sampling at rates up to 50
KHz.  There all sorts of digital filtering parameters.  The loser
is that you better have a fat wallet since the TX-16W costs a
couple of grand.  I haven't been able to bear the thought yet of a
sampler that costs quite a bit more than my computer.

If you just want to play around, you can get Mimetics' Pro Midi
Studio and the Mimetics sampler that plugs into the Amiga for a
couple hundred bucks.  The limitation is that the sampling is 8
bits and plays back through the Amiga's D/A.  Actually, it isn't
all that bad, and it lets you do a heck of a lot of learning of
what sampling is all about before you drop big bucks.  I can
heartily recommend it.

Applied Visions also makes a sampler called Futresound, but it
offers only minimal soffware support, allowing you to save an IFF
sound or 8SVX sound.  It doesn't do nice decimation, etc like Mimetics.

--Bill