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Model nomenclature in synths: what does it mean?


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usually the higher the number the better they are, but its pretty much random.


some of them E.g korg K49 / K61

represent the number of keys.

 

 

Seems like these days the number is more related to the size of the board.

 

One synth line that definitely goes against the "higher=better" system... Yamaha DX.

 

But as you say, "usually" the higher the number the better they are.

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Roland J* series (JX, JD, JV, JP) likely derive from the Jupiter/Juno series. D-50, "D" for digital. JD, Jupiter+Digital.

 

The Korg MS series were "monophonic synthesizers"; the PS series were "polyphonic synthesizers". Though there were curious exceptions to that naming scheme (MS2000 for example).

 

The Korg 01/W was originally going to be called the M10, as a successor to the M1. Then someone saw "M10" upside down which looks like "01W" and the name stuck.

 

I wonder if the "D" in "DX" (Yamaha FM synths) stands for "digital" too. Yamaha often calls their keyboards "synthesizers" and rack modules "tone generators", hence the SY and TG series. Maybe the "T" in the TX series stands for "tone generator" too.

 

Korg went "T" crazy for a while with the Trinity, Triton, and TR series. Now they've gone back to "M".

 

But for most newer stuff, the number corresponds to the number of keys. 61 keys: Motif 6/ES6/XS6, Fantom 6,X6, G6. Change the "6" to "7" for the 73-key versions, or to "8" for the 88 key versions.

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With Yamaha it's fairly easy; their first synthy was YS-1 which stands for
Y
amaha
S
ynthesizer.

Their much later SY comes with the same meaning;
S
ynthesizer
Y
amaha.

 

 

You might be confusing it with the later YS series... their first was indeed SY-1 ... just like the later SY series.

 

It could simply be "SYnthesizer" though. Where did you find that it stands for "Synthesizer Yamaha"? Some proof would be nice.

 

I suggest buying "Anatomy of a Home Studio" by Scott Wilkinson if you want to find out some really interesting facts about the "manufacturer mambo jumbo" (chapter 23)

 

A few gems from that book:

 

"Roland DEP-5 is a Digital Effects Processor with five different effects

 

Their Sinchronization BoXes are designated by the letters SBX

 

the Ensoniq TS-10 derives its handle from its internal code name, Tucson

 

the sampler that followed the Mirage was the EPS, which stands for Ensoniq Performance Sampler. The next generation was the EPS-16 Plus, so called because it used 16-bit resolution and included a bunch of new features.

 

the letters on their ESQ-1 denote the fact that this Ensoniq instrument included a Synthesizer and seQuencer"

 

and many more.

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Not sure about the numbers, but the letters for the old Roland boxes are:

 

TB = Transistor Bass

TR = Transistor Rhythm

SH = SyntHesizer

MC = MicroComposer

JP = JuPiter (pretty obvious i know)

 

 

I'm sure the Yamaha SY does mean SYnthesizer

 

Casio CZ = Cosmo Zynthesizer

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You might be confusing it with the later YS series... their first was indeed SY-1 ... just like the later SY series.


It could simply be "SYnthesizer" though. Where did you find that it stands for "Synthesizer Yamaha"? Some proof would be nice.


 

 

Ah, I mixed the letters for the later series, you are right, although there was YS-100 and YS-200 then they turned again to SY. I think I read somewhere about SY-YS meanings, but can not get any official proof.

But as far TG series modules goes, it must mean Tone Generator.

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