Sweet memories! In 1992 I was a poor student and I finally could afford myself a SY77 for half of the original price, thanks to the introduction of the SY99. I spended 100s of hours behind de SY77. I traded it for a SY99 in 2007, wich I still own. I will never sell it.
Very good choice. There is still nothing that compares to the mighty SY99. No VST, Nothing. Even when they put a virtual Montage out with 8 operators, it will not have these possibilities of 3 loops going anywhere and implementing another wave, preferably a single wave into the fold at multiple points. That was making the SY99 actually a '7 Operator Synth'. The FM8 did not add additional operators, or did they try with including samples? Their eight operator was just an effect device.
This was a big nostalgia trip for me, and you show how much better it can sound with some good programming. I traded in almost everything I had to get an SY-99 in 1991, and made a lot of music with it, but when I listen back to it, I remember the issues I had using it as a multitimbral synth, hitting the max polyphony regularly, and finding that you couldn't have different effects on every track. To be honest, the songs I did previously with the Korg M1 sound better. I think the SY-99 is better as a sound design tool than as a workstation, but you have to use the cursor keys a lot, as there's only one set of parameter change controls, not multiple sliders like the later SY-85 (which didn't have FM). In many ways, the 99 made FM more complex and harder to programme. SY-99s are still relatively cheap secondhand, compared to classic analogue synths, which suggests that Yamaha missed the point, somehow, when trying to produce the ultimate synth for its era. Roland countered with the JD-800, something completely different, which has become almost mythical now, even though the synth engine is just four layers of a basic single-oscillator virtual analogue machine. I still have good memories of the SY-99 though. It was a wonder at the time, but I think we've now got instruments which are at least as powerful for sound design, are easier to use, and easier to live with.
Hi, thanks for watching! I agree - the SY99 / 77, and even the EX5, aren't great workstations but very forward-thinking synthesizers for sound design enthusiasts. I think the understanding what FM is and can be used for dawned upon many people just in the last decade or so. Before that, it was some kind of arcane magic, mostly due to two-line LCD display editors. The SY99's ability to use samples for FM was unique for almost two decades and I think most people still don't know why you should use that, when you can use that and what kind of sound you can create with that. ;-)
Thanks a bunch for this amazing tutoria! I followed the entire video, it was a good introduction to editing this amazing synthesizer I haden't tried to edit yet. Everything is much clearer now. Will definitely check your other tutorials and hoping you will make more in the future.
Thanks for your kind words! I only did one other video on the SY99 which shows how to replace the screen - it was one of the most strenous videos I've ever made ;-)
Bought my 77 and 99 new when they came out and still own them. Recently updated both with new screens and usb drives. Bought the OpSix as well. The Opsix is quicker to program but lacks the cool envelopes of the 77 and 99. I get great sounds out of all 3 synths. Thanks for the video.
Hello Floyd have you seen the Kodamo essence fm. Its a 6 operator fm synth that helps tries to help beginners learn and understand fm synthesis easier.its pretty cool
Awesome synth, I'd heard of it back in the late 90s when I first got into synths, but I never actually knew it had FM synthesis until the Montage released.
@@mr_floydst yes. I took a look. I had seen someone do it before and it is quite a job. I also did not realize that there was so much to do with the floppy emulator. I’m a bit of a software noob and I primarily use a Mac for that reason. But I love my SY99 😂😎
Great vid Should get dr synth aka manny Fernandez involved. Was involved in the sy development. Rcm is interesting...can do a variation of it with the waldorf blofeld and audioterm.
Hi, I'm sorry to disappoint, but this will remain the only SY99 video I've done. I got it for a job and sold it afterwards (I don't have space for a lot of big synths like this one)
The big question: do you prefer this or the EX-5? I really love the Self FM & Tornado algos on the EX-5 but not so much the rest of it. Thinking about trading for an SY.
I think FM itself only recently became accessible through easier-to-understand user interfaces / plugins (and of course, TH-cam tutorials). Plus, a lot of people use synths for their preset sounds and never for sound design. Yamaha was some 30 years into the future with the synths they released in the 90s and while people were certainly impressed, they also were a bit overwhelmed when using them. The OPSix is one of the best FM synths around, and it sounds absolutely lovely. I'd like to have one, one day ;-)
Since the SY99 seems quite intricate to program, I'd like to know if there's (still) anything, that this synth can do, modern synths can't. I own a SY99, but I also have synths like Iridium, Polybrute, Hydrasynth or Essence FM. Is it worth the effort diggin' deep into the SY's guts?🤔🤘
Hi! A few years back I would have answered "yes, worth it", but since then the MODX and the synths you mentioned came along, and FM in itself is much easier to grasp today thanks to well thought-out haptical interfaces.
The SY99 had that unique feature which allowed you to use samples as modulators. It's still not common thing, but as I said - there are other synths that can do that. The only thing that sets the SY99 apart from other synths are the nice keybed and the typical Yamaha sound, which delivers the B A S S in spades. ;-)
Unless it's your microphone, I found this keyboard to sound very flat compared to my Roland Fantom, (with the latest firmware v3.02) Have done a comparison? Thanks.
Hi, thanks for watching - I'm glad you're happy with your Fantom ;-) This video is more of a demo how to program a Yamaha SY99 synthesizer and not really a showcase of it's general sound. As long as Roland doesn't send me a test unit, I won't be able to make comparisons. The Fantom is a pretty expensive keyboard.
@@EgoShredder - The Roland Fantom Workstation leaves this Synth in the dust See what it can do on many YT channels. It's touch screen is very superior. Even Musicians Kebu & Madis use one!
Uuh, ahh, Floyd. Just to see U gain. U present substance. The Vulture just flies over controls of long dead stuff, without completely understanding what he is doing, picking on rotten flesh. Sometimes i do like the Vulture approach as well. Because it is such punk attitude. Not quite there, but half human half biscuit. Premium fodder for MAGA.
Thanks for having me on the channel! Such a great video! 🙏
Thanks for your awesome contribution! I hope this video isn't a dud but a slow burner ;-) :-(
Sweet memories! In 1992 I was a poor student and I finally could afford myself a SY77 for half of the original price, thanks to the introduction of the SY99.
I spended 100s of hours behind de SY77. I traded it for a SY99 in 2007, wich I still own. I will never sell it.
Thanks for watching - I can totally understand that. With FM, there's always yet another idea to try!
Very good choice. There is still nothing that compares to the mighty SY99. No VST, Nothing.
Even when they put a virtual Montage out with 8 operators, it will not have these possibilities of 3 loops going anywhere and implementing another wave, preferably a single wave into the fold at multiple points. That was making the SY99 actually a '7 Operator Synth'.
The FM8 did not add additional operators, or did they try with including samples?
Their eight operator was just an effect device.
Oh this is a proper beast ... so much going on with FM and Samples ...
This is an incredible flexible and good-sounding synth with a very nice aftertouch keyboard (that has "aftertouch zones")
@@mr_floydst oh very nice.... that's very useful
Thank you so much for this! I acquired my own SY99 earlier this year and look forward to the challenge of making my own presets.
Thanks for watching!
This was my teenage dream. Now I have a SY22. 🎹
SY22 is a great synth.
This was a big nostalgia trip for me, and you show how much better it can sound with some good programming. I traded in almost everything I had to get an SY-99 in 1991, and made a lot of music with it, but when I listen back to it, I remember the issues I had using it as a multitimbral synth, hitting the max polyphony regularly, and finding that you couldn't have different effects on every track. To be honest, the songs I did previously with the Korg M1 sound better. I think the SY-99 is better as a sound design tool than as a workstation, but you have to use the cursor keys a lot, as there's only one set of parameter change controls, not multiple sliders like the later SY-85 (which didn't have FM). In many ways, the 99 made FM more complex and harder to programme. SY-99s are still relatively cheap secondhand, compared to classic analogue synths, which suggests that Yamaha missed the point, somehow, when trying to produce the ultimate synth for its era. Roland countered with the JD-800, something completely different, which has become almost mythical now, even though the synth engine is just four layers of a basic single-oscillator virtual analogue machine. I still have good memories of the SY-99 though. It was a wonder at the time, but I think we've now got instruments which are at least as powerful for sound design, are easier to use, and easier to live with.
Hi, thanks for watching!
I agree - the SY99 / 77, and even the EX5, aren't great workstations but very forward-thinking synthesizers for sound design enthusiasts. I think the understanding what FM is and can be used for dawned upon many people just in the last decade or so.
Before that, it was some kind of arcane magic, mostly due to two-line LCD display editors.
The SY99's ability to use samples for FM was unique for almost two decades and I think most people still don't know why you should use that, when you can use that and what kind of sound you can create with that. ;-)
Thanks a bunch for this amazing tutoria! I followed the entire video, it was a good introduction to editing this amazing synthesizer I haden't tried to edit yet. Everything is much clearer now. Will definitely check your other tutorials and hoping you will make more in the future.
Thanks for your kind words! I only did one other video on the SY99 which shows how to replace the screen - it was one of the most strenous videos I've ever made ;-)
Thx for the history, and finally a tutorial!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you! I’ve got to dive into my SY99 and not be intimidated by all the menu diving.
Thanks for watching! The menu diving on this synth isn't that bad, it's quite logical once you've got the basics.
Hell yes, I've been waiting for this video! Excellent work as always, Dr Steinberg.
Thanks, Mr. X! :-)
Bought my 77 and 99 new when they came out and still own them. Recently updated both with new screens and usb drives. Bought the OpSix as well. The Opsix is quicker to program but lacks the cool envelopes of the 77 and 99. I get great sounds out of all 3 synths. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching!
Hello Floyd have you seen the Kodamo essence fm. Its a 6 operator fm synth that helps tries to help beginners learn and understand fm synthesis easier.its pretty cool
I've seen it, and it seems to be a great synth. I can't justify buying it just to show it on my channel, though.
@@mr_floydst understable its possible to find it for 900, but I think it's better the the korg opsix 61 SE since the korg cost more.
Lets go!
Thanks for watching!
Awesome synth, I'd heard of it back in the late 90s when I first got into synths, but I never actually knew it had FM synthesis until the Montage released.
Thanks for watching - it is. I learned about its existence some 20 years later ;)
Great dive-in to this 90s synth beast. Is there any software synth today that uses sample as operators?
OPX-4 has a sample layer that can't be used as an operator.
Tone2 Nemesis should be able to do it, see www.tone2.com/nemesis.html
Fantastic
Thanks!
@@mr_floydst do you have anymore SY99 videos?
I have made one that shows how to replace the screen. Man, that was a strenuous one to make. th-cam.com/video/xtfgSyIepFc/w-d-xo.html
@@mr_floydst yes. I took a look. I had seen someone do it before and it is quite a job. I also did not realize that there was so much to do with the floppy emulator. I’m a bit of a software noob and I primarily use a Mac for that reason. But I love my SY99 😂😎
Great vid
Should get dr synth aka manny Fernandez involved. Was involved in the sy development. Rcm is interesting...can do a variation of it with the waldorf blofeld and audioterm.
Thanks for pointing that out! I didn't know that... I've been following his channel for some years now ;)
Hello, please talk in a future video about uploading your own samples and using them
Hi, I'm sorry to disappoint, but this will remain the only SY99 video I've done. I got it for a job and sold it afterwards (I don't have space for a lot of big synths like this one)
The big question: do you prefer this or the EX-5? I really love the Self FM & Tornado algos on the EX-5 but not so much the rest of it. Thinking about trading for an SY.
EX5 for me. The keyboard is better and overall, it's easier to create the sound you were thinking of.
I have an Opsix, and I think it's mental it took so long for people to adopt non-sine FM. It's like painting only with brown.
I think FM itself only recently became accessible through easier-to-understand user interfaces / plugins (and of course, TH-cam tutorials). Plus, a lot of people use synths for their preset sounds and never for sound design. Yamaha was some 30 years into the future with the synths they released in the 90s and while people were certainly impressed, they also were a bit overwhelmed when using them.
The OPSix is one of the best FM synths around, and it sounds absolutely lovely. I'd like to have one, one day ;-)
Since the SY99 seems quite intricate to program, I'd like to know if there's (still) anything, that this synth can do, modern synths can't. I own a SY99, but I also have synths like Iridium, Polybrute, Hydrasynth or Essence FM. Is it worth the effort diggin' deep into the SY's guts?🤔🤘
Hi! A few years back I would have answered "yes, worth it", but since then the MODX and the synths you mentioned came along, and FM in itself is much easier to grasp today thanks to well thought-out haptical interfaces.
The SY99 had that unique feature which allowed you to use samples as modulators. It's still not common thing, but as I said - there are other synths that can do that. The only thing that sets the SY99 apart from other synths are the nice keybed and the typical Yamaha sound, which delivers the B A S S in spades. ;-)
If having to chose; the SY99 or the EX5?
EX5.
Unless it's your microphone, I found this keyboard to sound very flat compared to my Roland Fantom, (with the latest firmware v3.02) Have done a comparison? Thanks.
I can guarantee you that the SY99 doesn't sound flat. In my opinion this is one of the best sounding synthesizers.
Hi, thanks for watching - I'm glad you're happy with your Fantom ;-) This video is more of a demo how to program a Yamaha SY99 synthesizer and not really a showcase of it's general sound. As long as Roland doesn't send me a test unit, I won't be able to make comparisons. The Fantom is a pretty expensive keyboard.
(Could be my patch programming that made a bad impression but I thought it wasn't that bad tbh ;-)
The SY99 is one of the best sounding synths ever made.
@@EgoShredder - The Roland Fantom Workstation leaves this Synth in the dust
See what it can do on many YT channels.
It's touch screen is very superior.
Even Musicians Kebu & Madis use one!
3:02 you skipped the Fs1R
Yep, I did. My bad. ;-)
Uuh, ahh, Floyd. Just to see U gain. U present substance.
The Vulture just flies over controls of long dead stuff, without completely understanding what he is doing, picking on rotten flesh.
Sometimes i do like the Vulture approach as well. Because it is such punk attitude. Not quite there, but half human half biscuit.
Premium fodder for MAGA.
Thanks for your kind words; in my opinion, both approaches are valid ways of creating engaging content of TH-cam. ;-)