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Synthoid · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:54 pm Post subject: Remembering the 80's

I've been looking through some back issues of Keyboard (mid eighties), and having a blast reading the articles/reviews and remembering all the bustle about that wonderful new interface--MIDI!

What stands out the most is:

1.) There's an article, ad, or reference on every other page about the Yamaha DX-7.

2.) Of course everyone was scrambling to create (and become wealthy from) new patches, interfaces, expansions, and software for the DX-7.

3.) Digital synths and sampling were the only way of the future! (Throw away your analog junk, folks.)

4.) Most of the ads back then were absolutely horrible!

5.) The computer GUI's were nothing short of amusing by today's standards.

Other famous keyboards from that era were the Fairlight, Kurzweil 250, Ensoniq Mirage, Casio CZ-101, etc. What a wild ride we've had for the last 20+ years.

Are there any others that recall the "golden age" of synths?

Cool

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M3, Triton Classic, Radias, Motif XS, Alesis Ion

JonSolo · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:55 am Post subject:

Yes I remember! Sadly I had to get rid of my old Keyboard magazines a few years ago in a move. I had every issue back to 1982.

One of my favorite issues was the Synth Programming (with the yellow cover circa 1985) issue, which really helped with the creativity of sound ideas, and sparked tons of new sounds out of my very small rig (about eight keyboards that year...ah, pre-workstation days).

I also loved the fact that they really turned you on to cutting edge synthesist...something that I do not believe really exists today...there are good musicians, but I haven't really heard anything "new" per se...back then a meager soundscape that we can program on one key took weeks to put together and perform and record.

I also remember the ludicrous "Keyboardist of the Year" which Emerson took home the cake till they gave him Keyboardist for Life in the later 80's. I guess Rudess gave that a run for it's money awhile back.

Ultimately, if I had a wish list, I wish programmer were as simple as it used to be on a synth. Twist a knob and get a result. YES, there are some keyboards out there that do this...but I mean as a whole, it isn't about that as much as it used to be.

Oh well, I am a VSTer now anyway.

Solo
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Jon Solo

http://www.solosounds.net
http://jonsolo.me
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Windows 10 | Intel i9 9900K | 64 GB RAM | Scarlett 18i20 | Nektar Panorama P6
Korg Kronos - 88 | Korg Kronos 2 - 61 | Roland Fantom 6 | Push 2 | Maschine Mk2 | Slate ML1 | JBL LSR308/310
Nuendo 11 | Ableton Live 11 | Reason 12 | FL Studio 20.9

Synthoid · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:26 am Post subject:

RiotNrrd · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:43 am Post subject:

I might still have some copies from back then, although I have absolutely no idea where they are, and might even have gotten rid of them at some point. But yeah - Keyboard Magazine, mid-80's. I didn't subscribe, but I bought every issue for a couple of years. '84 - '86, about. And I never removed the cheap-vinyl records that served as their centerfolds - that would have damaged the magazines, and I couldn't bring myself to do that.

I didn't just read those magazines, I consumed them. I read every single article, and pored over every single ad. Repeatedly. My Juno-6 (apparently, if one could believe the constant and prolific hype) couldn't hold a candle to the DX-7, and I wanted one so bad I could taste it. I mean, Eno had one. ENO!

Keyboard Magazine in the mid 80's was outright synthesist porn.

I moved down to the Bay Area in 1987, and actually applied for a job at the magazine. Didn't get it, though (don't even remember what the position was - some clerk-level thing, I'm sure). I was sad then that I didn't get the job, but looking back I wonder if working there maybe wouldn't have taken some of the magic out of how I felt about that magazine back then. Sometimes it's better not to see behind the curtain...

JonSolo · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 8:32 pm Post subject:

AH YES! The plastic record. I think that is where Guy Babylon got his start. He won some keyboard contest and got picked up that way. That WAS the good old days for sure! Laughing

Synthoid · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:47 pm Post subject:

I always wanted one of these back in the 80's. The famous PPG Wave.....what a beauty!

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M3, Triton Classic, Radias, Motif XS, Alesis Ion

Sharp · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:20 pm Post subject:

The thing I remember most about the 80's was I always wanted to own an AKAI S1000. The idea of sampling blew my mind and I wanted to be part of it. The best I could do at the time was a AKAI S01.

That said, man I got some sound out of that puppy. We had it all, thunder and dogs barking at our gigs Smile

Now that I'm all growed up, I don't use them for silly noises anymore, and I finally nailed myself an S5000 Smile

Regards
Sharp.

JonSolo · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:34 am Post subject:

Well I bought into a Mirage. I had the entire catalog of music...hundreds of disks! Crazy. I think I sold the whole deal in the early 90's for around $500...which was probably too much for it (but I snagged a fully loaded K2000).

I wish I had my old Polysix still. My Poly800 finally died four years ago...that is another I would not mind having again.

Jon
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Jon Solo

http://www.solosounds.net
http://jonsolo.me
http://www.soundcloud.com/jonsolo
http://www.twitter.com/thejonsolo

Windows 10 | Intel i9 9900K | 64 GB RAM | Scarlett 18i20 | Nektar Panorama P6
Korg Kronos - 88 | Korg Kronos 2 - 61 | Roland Fantom 6 | Push 2 | Maschine Mk2 | Slate ML1 | JBL LSR308/310
Nuendo 11 | Ableton Live 11 | Reason 12 | FL Studio 20.9