Homepage Music and synthesizers Comments of my synths RM50/RY30 PCM cards


 
Email comments and typos to cubase@sci.fi.
 
Last update
25th of Feb 2002

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Composing and playing

I have played keyboards already for 25 years, since I was 5. First I played only piano, but 14 years ago I bought my first synthesizer, Yamaha DX7-II. Soon I bought more of them and started to compose my own music. I also played in bands for a few years. Last few years I have been too busy with my studies and work, so I have mostly just wiped out the dust of my synths. But just recently I started to update the sound collections in the synths.
 
Today I have the following instruments:

  • Arp Axxe analog monophonic synth
  • Korg Wavestation A/D digital synth module
  • Moog Minimoog analog monophonic synth
  • Oberheim Matrix-6 analog/digital polyphonic synth
  • Oberheim OB-X 8-voice analog polyphonic synth
  • Roland D110 digital synth module
  • Roland JV-2080 digital synth module
  • Roland JX-10 analog/digital polyphonic synth
  • Roland MKS-20 digital piano module
  • Roland R8 (x2) digital drum machine
  • Sequential Circuits Prophet 600 analog polyphonic synth
  • Simmons SDS-9 analog/digital drum synth module
  • Yamaha CS-5 analog monophonic synth
  • Yamaha DX7-II digital synth
  • Yamaha RM50 digital drum synth module
  • Yamaha TX81Z digital synth module


    • ...and some recording equipment like a sequencer, a Sony DAT, a Soundcraft Folio SX mixer, effects processors etc.

You may read my comments of my synths and drum machines.

I have also written a Yamaha RM50 sound card page.
 

 
Musical projects

Because I hunted Minimoog for many years without any luck to find one, I decided to build one myself. I have already finished the filter of it, but I have had problems to find parts to the oscillator. Instead of a Minimoog oscillator I built an oscillator of Oberheim SEM. And I found a suitable ADSR from schematics of Korg Mono/Poly.

Above is the PCB containing the circuits of a SEM oscillator and a Korg ADSR.

I didn't build the original ADS from the Minimoog, because I wanted the release control. Maybe it was a mistake, as the EG of the Minimoog is part of the sound. It is very fast (2ms rise time) and there is a short delay before the decay begins. Well, the ADSR of the Korg works well too. The rise time is 4ms and it can easily be modified to have also variable hold time. The sound of the hybrid synth is moogish, but not just like the original. But my dreams came true in 1997 when I found a Minimoog for sale. It wasn't cheap, but I didn't think too many seconds. If you wonder what's so special in Minimoog, it's the incredible fat and punchy bass sound of it.

 
 
My music taste

Last ten years I have been listening mostly fusion jazz and pop. To name just a few I like very much Herbie Hancock, Mezzoforte, Thomas Dolby, Al DiMeola, Santana, Billy Cobham, Jeff Beck, Eric Johnson etc.