Members tim gueguen Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 I'm afraid that if I had gobs of money to go out and buy a vintage Very Big Synth the GX1 would be very far down the list. A Moog IIIc or System 55 would be far more practical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ozinexile Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 HiGrowing up within a small family business in music retail (and having quite close ties to Yamaha) I have played many of their synths and 'electone' organs through the years, quite often without realising what they were at the time.I recall playing a GX1 some 20 - 25 odd years ago at Yamaha's offices in Australia while my Dad was there on business. I had no idea at the time what I was playing, since to me it was just another electone, but I do remember how cool it was to be seated at, what to a kid, resembled some spaceship cockpit!I've since learned that this GX1 had been brought to Oz in the mid 70s for their electone competitions, and since no buyer could be found was retired and stored at the HQ. Dad now tells me he was offered it at a quite reasonable price but declined - no where to store it.I assume this was the GX1 that Gordon Reid eventually bought and documented in Sound on Sound.I've also had some experience with Yamaha's FX1 (read FX1 is to DX1 what GX1 is to CS80).By the way, I'm new here, so please be gentle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greaseenvelope Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 Welcome Ozinexile! What a cool story. Please share more of your stories on others threads too, as there is a strain of synth history geeks on this list who eat this stuff up. Also, please explain the use of the term "electone", being an american I have never heard this term used before. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Allerian Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 I could have sworn I posted this last night, but it doesn't seem to be here. After I saw the speaker pics I suddenly recalled this. About 15 years ago I visited a friend's house to check out his phenominal model making skills. Single at the time, his kitchen was where he had a B3 and Leslie setup, and his living room was dominated by a GX1 and those crazy huge white speakers. Gonna have to give him a call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Bryce Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 Originally posted by suitandtieguy the keybed on these things is quite unique. us normals will never feel what it's like to play such a thing. We had Hans Zimmer's GX-1 at Alesis years ago - we sampled it for the Vintage Synths QCard.The topmost (mini) keyboard was actually really cool - you could move the keys sideways and it would bend the pitch in the direction that you pushed the keys. dB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fear My Potato Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 wtf am I like the only one who actually likes the GX-1, and the only one who will never play or see one? cmon guys, pull some strings for the taters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fear My Potato Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 Originally posted by ozinexile Hi Growing up within a small family business in music retail (and having quite close ties to Yamaha) I have played many of their synths and 'electone' organs through the years, quite often without realising what they were at the time. I recall playing a GX1 some 20 - 25 odd years ago at Yamaha's offices in Australia while my Dad was there on business. I had no idea at the time what I was playing, since to me it was just another electone, but I do remember how cool it was to be seated at, what to a kid, resembled some spaceship cockpit! I've since learned that this GX1 had been brought to Oz in the mid 70s for their electone competitions, and since no buyer could be found was retired and stored at the HQ. Dad now tells me he was offered it at a quite reasonable price but declined - no where to store it. I assume this was the GX1 that Gordon Reid eventually bought and documented in Sound on Sound. I've also had some experience with Yamaha's FX1 (read FX1 is to DX1 what GX1 is to CS80). By the way, I'm new here, so please be gentle Good to see you around Harmony Central and btw, that story kicks freakin ass! It may be a trivial, outdated dinosaur synth to everyone else around here, but this is the most exciting thread to me in years. No joke.So when you were there did you hear or play it, or see anyone play it, or anything like that? Or were you too young? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fear My Potato Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 Originally posted by Allerian I could have sworn I posted this last night, but it doesn't seem to be here. After I saw the speaker pics I suddenly recalled this. About 15 years ago I visited a friend's house to check out his phenominal model making skills. Single at the time, his kitchen was where he had a B3 and Leslie setup, and his living room was dominated by a GX1 and those crazy huge white speakers. Gonna have to give him a call. A casual GX-1 owner? I would sell all the furniture in my home to have a GX-1 in there, but they'll be dead and gone by the time I have money...even though I remember a few years back on here, Rollerator told me if I worked hard someday I'd have it. Great guy but I doubt that advice will hold true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fear My Potato Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 Originally posted by Dave Bryce We had Hans Zimmer's GX-1 at Alesis years ago - we sampled it for the Vintage Synths QCard. The topmost (mini) keyboard was actually really cool - you could move the keys sideways and it would bend the pitch in the direction that you pushed the keys. dB So what kinda sounds did you shoot for out it? Did you try and sample anything Zeppelinesque? How hard is it to program and stuff like that? DETAILS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members suitandtieguy Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 Originally posted by Fear My Potato So what kinda sounds did you shoot for out it? Did you try and sample anything Zeppelinesque? well considering the Zimmer GX-1 was also the Emerson GX-1, and that Alesis also sampled Keith's Moog modular for the QS, i'm assuming that Alesis were sampling those "cheesy" yet TOTALLY {censored}ING SWEET Keith Emerson GX-1 sounds. also, you do know that John Paul Jones sold his GX-1 to Emerson for the ELPowell tour, right? a tractor ran over Keith's GX-1. (no joke. a {censored}ing FARM TRACTOR.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noision1 Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 A few of the older Yamaha YC series organs had the side-to-side on the key's vibrato. Here is a link for some yamaha chronologyhttp://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/english/info/chron.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fear My Potato Posted October 3, 2005 Members Share Posted October 3, 2005 Originally posted by suitandtieguy well considering the Zimmer GX-1 was also the Emerson GX-1, and that Alesis also sampled Keith's Moog modular for the QS, i'm assuming that Alesis were sampling those "cheesy" yet TOTALLY {censored}ING SWEET Keith Emerson GX-1 sounds. also, you do know that John Paul Jones sold his GX-1 to Emerson for the ELPowell tour, right? a tractor ran over Keith's GX-1. (no joke. a {censored}ing FARM TRACTOR.) So your theory is that Emerson's GX-1 doesn't make the same sounds as JPJ's GX-1, even though at one point JPJ's GX-1 became Emerson's GX-1? I wish someone would sample the patches from "In Through the Out Door" already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Counterpoint Posted October 4, 2005 Members Share Posted October 4, 2005 Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!There are already zero bids on this steal of the century! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ozinexile Posted October 4, 2005 Members Share Posted October 4, 2005 greaseenvelope Electone is just what Yamaha call their organs, just the same as they call their home digital pianos Clavinovas. The top mini keyboard with side-to-side movement was used on most of Yamaha's top end organs and was very expressive when using a mono voice combined with portamento and the knee lever that implemented a pitch bend. I think it all fitted with how Yamaha were promoting these things, not as a pipe organ replacement but as an orchestra replacement. Even though they often fell short on being realistic. Using one of the larger models, you did get a feeling that the sound was pretty powerful. I remember going through all the Yamaha teaching methods and there was a real emphasis on phrasing and expression, things like, when using an oboe sound, don't continue to play legato since the real player will need to breathe at some stage. It all sounds obvious but was a part of the whole philosophy. I'm greatful now I'm attempting some large mock ups with EWQLSO Gold. I also vaguely remember something about Stevie Wonder having 2 GX1s at some stage and he needed to move one from storage. Moving it was an issue and the chosen method was to pick it up with fork lift (unboxed) and simply drive it to its new home, including along the freeway. However my memory could be a bit hazy, I can't remember where I read this, anyone like to correct me? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Counterpoint Posted October 4, 2005 Members Share Posted October 4, 2005 Originally posted by suitandtieguy also, you do know that John Paul Jones sold his GX-1 to Emerson for the ELPowell tour, right? a tractor ran over Keith's GX-1. (no joke. a {censored}ing FARM TRACTOR.) An instance where I would support capital punishment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Marzzz Posted October 4, 2005 Members Share Posted October 4, 2005 Originally posted by ozinexile I also vaguely remember something about Stevie Wonder having 2 GX1s at some stage and he needed to move one from storage. Moving it was an issue and the chosen method was to pick it up with fork lift (unboxed) and simply drive it to its new home, including along the freeway. However my memory could be a bit hazy, I can't remember where I read this, anyone like to correct me? That was a sidebar in the Sound On Sound story by Gordon Reid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FatBaron Posted October 4, 2005 Members Share Posted October 4, 2005 So, I went down and bought that Yamaha organ with the GX-1-like solo keyboard today. I'm going to attempt to take it out and make a seperate instrument out of it. I took my handycam with me and shot about 7 minutes of video of me fumbling around with it. I'll post the links here when they're finished uploading to my server. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FatBaron Posted October 5, 2005 Members Share Posted October 5, 2005 Yeah, ok, here's the MPEG. If you want to see it in all 640x480 glory and gawk at my grease stained hands from spending the weekend working on the goddamned car, well...you'll have to wait until tomorrow...http://fatbaron.com/yamahasolokeyboard.mpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted October 5, 2005 Members Share Posted October 5, 2005 Originally posted by FatBaron Yeah, ok, here's the MPEG. If you want to see it in all 640x480 glory and gawk at my grease stained hands from spending the weekend working on the goddamned car, well...you'll have to wait until tomorrow... http://fatbaron.com/yamahasolokeyboard.mpg About to watch after downloading at 5000K/sec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted October 5, 2005 Members Share Posted October 5, 2005 Aw that's sweet. I'd buy a Yamaha controller that featured that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FatBaron Posted October 5, 2005 Members Share Posted October 5, 2005 Originally posted by urbanscallywag Aw that's sweet. I'd buy a Yamaha controller that featured that! I would think the closest thing to it is the KX5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lakelanddude Posted October 5, 2005 Members Share Posted October 5, 2005 LOL.......Nice to see early model after touch keys..I still don't understand why that early arranger keyboard is something to talk about...except for historical purpose.I don't hear any interesting sound in the MPEG... That kind of electone keys are not that rare..GX1 just used to be the first one to have all sounds and arranger functions considered innovative at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FatBaron Posted October 5, 2005 Members Share Posted October 5, 2005 Originally posted by lakelanddude I don't hear any interesting sound in the MPEG... That kind of electone keys are not that rare.. Simple, yes. But the dynamic vibrato and filter modulation is what makes it a neat real instrument to me. It draws you in and makes you wanna play. Even though I completely suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted October 5, 2005 Members Share Posted October 5, 2005 Originally posted by Counterpoint Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! There are already zero bids on this steal of the century! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WhinyLittleRunt Posted October 5, 2005 Members Share Posted October 5, 2005 Originally posted by FatBaron Yeah, ok, here's the MPEG. If you want to see it in all 640x480 glory and gawk at my grease stained hands from spending the weekend working on the goddamned car, well...you'll have to wait until tomorrow...http://fatbaron.com/yamahasolokeyboard.mpg That's a neat little organ! For 60 bucks you don't like it's sound? I think it sounds worlds better than my Wurlitzer and seems much more flexible... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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