Lightman - Yamaha YS100 demo (YS100 does all the sounds)
Channel: TheRealTakumaji
Date: 2013-03-03

YS100 demo - a demonstration of Yamaha's 4-op FM synthesizer YS100.

This is a small demo track for the Yamaha YS100 FM synth made on 03/03/2013. The YS100 is an FM synthesizer with 4 operators released in 1988. FM synthesis is slightly more difficult to get into than classic subtractive synthesis but well worth the hassle. Even comparatively small and simple 4-op FM synths like the YS100 are capable of a huge range of sounds that you'd be hard-pressed to make with a standard analog or VA synth. FM is best known for glassy and metal stuff but it can also sound very warm and smooth if you know what you're doing. The YS100 has 8 voices and is 8-times multitimbral. Watch the video for a screenshot of the multitimbral performance instrument list, as well as edit screens of all the sounds.

All sounds have been created from scratch using Martin Tarenskeen's YSEDITOR 2.8, then I arranged them with Cubase Lite and finally recorded the whole thing with CoolEdit Pro. No external processing or post-production has been applied.

Download the mp3 here: http://www.mondfeuerwerk.de/files/Lightman-YS100-demo.mp3

I've created a ZIP file with all single sounds of this track in YSEDITOR/SysEX and standard MIDI file formats that you can download here: http://www.mondfeuerwerk.de/files/YS100-Demosounds.zip . In order to send the standard MIDI files to your YS100, a sequencer with MIDI file support is needed. Simply load one of the files ending with .MID, set the tempo to 100, make sure that both the sequencer and the YS are on the same MIDI channel and press play to transfer the data. The files with the suffix .BNS can be directly loaded into YSEDITOR and then sent to the synth.

The YS100 has the same FM chipset than the YS200, V50, EOS B200 and TX81Z so these sounds will work on them as well. You can also try to transfer them to other 4-op Yamaha FM synths like the DX11/21/27/100, FB-01 or TQ5 but the patches may sound slightly different on them.

Patchlist:

New Wurly - A velocity-driven Wurlitzer-style patch. Can be smooth and cloudy but also harsh and bright if you hit the keys hard enough. Route it over a slow-running Phaser for maximum oldschool effect.

ElectroBD - Soft bassdrum, quite bassy.

ElectroSN - Classic 80s drummachine snare, not too snappy.

ElectroHI - Slightly glassy and short hihat.

ZeroBass - Modelled after the FM bass sound from the title track of the Sega Mega Drive game Zero Tolerance. The sound gets brighter and punchier the harder you hit the keys.

SpacePiano - A patch that sits between an E-piano and a string instrument with long release phase.

YSEDITOR 2.8 and other fine programs can be downloaded here: http://yseditor.atari.org . YSEDITOR is a public domain program for Atari ST and compatible computers but also runs very well with the Steem emulator. In my opinion, it's the best, most convenient and powerful editor around. Apart from the YS100 it also supports the DX100, DX27, DX27S, DX21, TX81Z, DX11, WT11, DS55, TQ5, YS200, B200, V50 and FB01.

I hope that you like this little something and find it inspiring enough to start exploring the wonderful world of Frequency Modulation.

Questions & comments welcome!

(c) 2013 Lightman

The track and all patches are public domain, you can do anything you want with them but I'd be happy for a bit of credits if you use them in a commercial production.