Restoring Yamaha Dx7 Factory Presets

[BigBubbaBrown]

I checked out a new music store in the area and the owner had a DX7 that someone brought in a couple of months ago. $200 got me the synth, a far better keyboard stand than I already had, and a flight case (which he said I could probably sell for $200 - $300 if I replace the foam).

It came with one of the cartridges but all of the internal sounds were wiped out. I reset patch 1 hoping it would go back to the factory default but instead it was just a standard op 1 full volume, ops 2 - 6 on but set to 0 volume.

I'm not normally the preset type when custom patches are a viable option but after watching some videos I saw some presets not on the cartridge that I like. I have no MIDI connectivity until I get a Vista compatible cable so downloading the factory defaults isn't an option. Are there any sites that list the parameters so I can get back the ones I want (primarily all 3 brass settings, strings 1 and 3, and orchestra)?

[TapperMike]

Cartridges? Was it one of the later models? Possibly the DX7 II FD?

Contrary to popular belief the DX7 was not as great nor featured on the songs it's most well known for.

Yamaha released an outrageously priced GS-1 Which was used for the "thinner" sounds on Michael Jacksons Thriller. The GS1 was extremely well developed and they trimmed the meat so yamaha could sell people on FM technology.

http://pixelives.blogspot.com/2009/06/list-of-synths-used-on-michael-jackson.html

You are not going to get a lot of sys ex from them and you aren't going to get that golden TX816 sound which is closer to a GSI

If you are interested in something that has a stronger chasis longer lasting parts but has a better sound.... Get what John has..... A Yamaha EX5. Its the last great Yamaha synth and does a better job of FM (not to mention everything else) then all models that came before it. Even motif's don't handle FM as well.

I don't speak japanese either but this guy has the best demo's of everything

Compare that to... a DX7 II FD

The DX7 while being one of the first truly "Midi" compatible keyboards also was flawed in other area's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_DX7#MIDI

You don't want something that's broken from the start and you can't fix. DX7's didn't survive well and for the price of a bench you could prolly get yourself FM8 by native instruments.

Edited February 15, 2013 by TapperMike

[BigBubbaBrown]

Thank you for the advice but I didn't go with DX7 because of the reputation. In fact, I've read very little positive about it but most peoples' complaints are about things that don't bother me at all, such as programming. I actually have an easier time programming it than I do most VSTs.

It does everything I need it to (modulation, aftertouch, the ability to create your own patches instead of being limited to factory presets, MIDI capabilities (I'll be recording via line out but getting MIDI note data will help immensely with timing animations without losing the human feel), etc.) and when I heard it on videos I fell in love with the sound. I don't care if most people just shelved it after buying it, I've wanted one ever since I saw the demo videos and I don't regret my purchase one bit. It's actually better than I thought it would be.