I had one of these in 2004.. had no idea what i even had at the time.. some people stole it and sold it for cocaine.. kills me every time i think about it.
'Son, it's only natural to be attracted to the opposite sex, and you will feel a little funny inside when it happens. Especially if they have huge tits.'
my dad once saved a dx11 from a garbage bin. It only needed a battery change and I also swapped out a couple of broken keys on it. a once in a lifetime find!
Indeed it is :) We musicians love to create and the energetic enthusiasm we have for our passion really shows. Some of my BEST days were playing live. I was fortunate enough to play keyboards for a Journey tribute band. THAT was amazing. Nowadays, I am all studio though. There's just something about feeding off your band mates though and hearing 30k people singing "Don't Stop Believin'" at the top of their lungs. I loved doing shows with those guys but what made it amazing were our precious fans. How we loved them!!
The DX7 and the Juno 106 are essentially the gold standard for beginner/intermediate synths. And definitely two of the best from the 80s. Easy, affordable(ish), and downright sexy.
beginner intermediate? bro back in the day, adjusted for inflation, a dx7 was almost 6000 usd. this was not a consumer synth and neither was the 106. these were made to get busy making music not to learn. (if u had the cash that is)
I guess you probably meant 'above level professional' and misused the words refering to as beginners/intermediate, otherwise you'd be a troll or a ignorant or perhaps as a last option: arrogant...this keyboard was used in 'a man in the mirror' ( which he probably didnt even notice he played the effect on the video cause he was so excited (by michael Jackson to list one....so...i dont know what you mean really
In 1986, when my father bought a DX7 (which was a difficult trick to pull out as we were living behind the Iron Curtain, so a COCOM list product was forbidden to enter the country, so one needed excellent connections to do it, and, of course it cost an arm and a leg...) I felt the same. I browsed through the presets and nearly cried when I found the Take on me bass and the Kool and the Gang Cherish E.Piano. I was 13 years old back then and when I later heard the Electric Cafe album by the Kraftwerk and recognized the DX7 presets in the amazing sound, I started to worship this synth. Fun Fact: My father, an entertainer, nearly always used the Accordion patch, which I started to hate quite quickly. :-)
@@nutster9000 th-cam.com/video/5tlN-JH7Gwc/w-d-xo.html Check out from 3:34. The motif is played on different presets such as the "Strings 3" "Music Box", "Marimba", etc. :-) I guess the bass motif is a slightly altered Dx7 patch and the "Electric Organ" preset appears as well.
@@Galova Haha, the problem is that I am not. Read about the Cocom list: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinating_Committee_for_Multilateral_Export_Controls Any technology that represented high level was forbidden to be sold to Eastern Block countries. At that time THAT particular DX7 was bought by a touring musician in (western) Germany and brought to Hungary. The owner told a second hand instrument dealer about it, he notified several people who were interested. My father was among them and he could show the money first. Just to put you in perspective, the price we (I mean the whole family) payed for it was 120.000 HUF. I don't even dare to try to calculate the inflation adjustment, however, I clearly remember that a decent second hand car was about 150.000-200.000 HUF at that time.
E. piano = Instant Whitney Houston, Bass1 = Howard Jones and Kenny Loggins, Bass2 = take my breath away. Harmonica sound = What’s Love got do do with it. Tubular bells = Top Gun Anthem (especially the low octaves). There are also some really good uses of the Synth by Madonna, I wonder which patches they’ve used on Live To Tell as that song has some really good DX7 sounds on it. I wonder if they layered the sounds. Michael Mac Donalds No Lookin’ back also has some pretty sharp DX7 sounds on it as well.
DX7 owner since 1985 here. It was my very first synth. Upgraded it with an E! expansion board in 1990 and replaced the torn front panel last year. A few years ago I bought an Eventide H9 pedal for it, it sounds like a million bucks now.
I remember getting my DX7 back in '84, taking it home, plugging it in and having a total eargasm when I started playing the default electric piano sound. At that moment, I vowed never to lug around another Rhodes the rest of my life. Also, to this day, the DX7 has the best semi-weighted keyboard ever (IMHO).
Su tacto es de lo mejor, de hecho, en mi pequeño estudio; uso un viejo Roland RD-300s, para pianos, y los synths los hago a travez del DX7 como controlador
I wanted a DX7 so badly - and by the time I could afford to get one, the popularity of the DX7 was waning, and the Korg M1 was dominating - and I gave in. It would be another 20 years before I found and purchased a used DX7IIFD. There really is nothing like a real DX7. The keybed feels amazing, even 30+ years later. Only those who grew up around that time understand the fever that came over the keyboard community around that synth. Those sounds were not just good, they were REQUIRED for any 80's keyboardist. There has not been a synth fever like that before or since. Congratulations on your new baby!
I actually loved the detuned sound! So many 80s songs dance around the semitones a bit from the variations in the tape speed detuning. Totally a vibe. Lovely sounds and absolutely stellar playing!
Growing up my Dad was a jazz pianist. He wound up buying one of these in the 80s shortly after it came out. He loved it! A couple of years before he passed I bought it from him. I still have it, though rarely use it. No low end at all... I'll never get rid of it though with all of the fond memories of him playing it. I still have recordings of him performing on it. He was an amazing jazz musician. Glad you are as enthusiastic about this instument as he was. Enjoy!
@@John_Stone_ Hahaha... I know that. Joke appreciated. Compared to most of my Roland gear it just lacks the bass end. I've even used an external sequencer to go lower than the keybed.... I don't suggest trying it. Sounds really muddy. DX7s are known for their high end and excellent bell and chime sounds. Even the famous Bass patch from "Danger Zone" still has high end in it. Any of the Junos have a much richer deep end at the same register than the DX. Compare it to the JP-8000 and there's no comparison. I'm not hating on the DX, it is a staple in Soooo many songs from the 80s. The music industry wouldn't have been the same without it. Just not right sounding for my rig and style of music I write. When I try to incorporate it it sticks out like a sore thumb. Anyway, Cheers John!
@@Behnan I think I might get into legal problems for that. All copyrighted music. I think I'd fair better just uploading them here. Mostly old standards from the 20s-40s. He didn't really do anything from the 80s or 90s.
I would have to agree. It's captivating. When I got my DX7 two weeks ago, that is the first sound I started looking for. Not to mention Chicago used that preset on some of their songs. it was impossible to hear any song in the 80's without hearing a DX7 on it :)
I scored a well-preserved DX-7 here in Thailand for a song just a few weeks ago, basically for sentimental reasons but also because of the keybed. It was my first synth when I was a teen and had to take a bank loan to pay for it. I’ll never forget the feeling of owning that very synth you saw on stage of any band playing back then. It’s an iconic gem to own and should be part of any studio, just for the fun of it and to pay hommage the 80s, the best music decade ever! Keep up the great work, Dr. Mix - you rock 🎶 Love and light from Khao Lak, Thailand ❤️☀️🏖🌴🥥🌈
Bass 1: A-Ha - Take on Me Cool and the Gang - Fresh Howard Jones - What is love Mr Mister - Broken Wings Bass 2: Berlin - Take my breath away ...just to name a few (btw: you have a switch on the back of each cartridge for another 32 Sounds)
If you are an artist of today and want it, it's not very expensive on the used market, so I think if you want one, you can get it, and probably far cheeper then a new issue. I see they go for round £€$600 (2023-04)
I got one when they first came out. Paid $1695 for it. Still have it. Works great. Plays great. Work horse and solid as a rock. My studio is filled with Yamaha "stuff" and none of it has ever required servicing. My DM2000 board is almost 20 years old (I did have to replace the internal memory battery recently tho. But easy to do). Sounds great and all the motors still work. Did I say I love Yamaha stuff? But now I use my old Yamaha controller, KX88 and mostly plugins since I don't travel anymore. Dexed is a fantastic vst emulation of the DX7 by the way. And the patch collection from the net is enormous. But you are right, the real DX7 is magical. Best playing non weighted keyboard I ever had. I love the KX88 controller as well.
This is such a trip. Love your love for it. In school, our band director had one and was so precious about us playing it, but I'd sneak in at lunch and jam for half an hour every day. Beautiful machine.
The DX7 wouldn't just go on to change music forever, but video game music composition as well ! The Sega Genesis uses the powered down YM2612 or OPN2 chip, a variation of the YM21280 found in the DX7. It led to many iconic soundtracks like Sonic the Hedgehog or Streets of Rage. I loved this video !
Don't forget about those iconic INTERNAL sounds, looks like you were just looking at the sounds found on the cartridges, Also those cartridges likely have an A-B select switch on the front so they have 2x the sounds you previewed! Access the iconic DX-7 internal sounds by selecting INTERNAL button under the Memory Select label located directly to the left of the display.
Battery need to be change, once he does that he can get all the sound load back in. That's why he is only loading the cartridge bank. I have never seen that one book on 600 voice that can be program in. I hope I can track that book down.
@@ruscularYou can find pretty much all the sounds of theses book on the internet now, plus many more patch that sound very different from the originals ones (yeah bells and gongs are funs but you can do so much more with FX). And yes it's a good idea to change the batterie now, it may be possible that the dead battery was responsible for the odd detuning on some patches. When I bought mine, the battery was so dead that the screen constantly displayed weird hieroglyphs, the memory was reset at every restart and every single note was randomly detuned
Might depends where you purchased your DX7, but when mine was delivered (36 years ago!), the internal sounds were the same of cartridge 1-A. Still working, and still have the entire packaging.
@@francoisbasquin6974 ya my 1st gen DX7 from ohio USA also had the base cartridges with the internal sounds. i think i actually still have the box in the attic, although it might crumble to dust by now. i also saved all the nice plastic cartridge cases and even the original instruction manual. mine needs work tho. dead battery and something crapped out on the output section. still a great MIDI controller if i want some aftertouch.
I just looked on the front of my DX7 cartridge and lo and behold there was the switch!! Had you not of said something, I would have never looked for it. So cool. Thank you!! I just bought my DX7 on eBay a couple of weeks ago. What an AMAZING synthesizer it is. It's the one that got it all started and defined the era of 80's music. I've been composing like crazy with it. I also have a Behringer Deep Mind 12, Model D, and K2 along with an Ensoniq SQ1+, and a Novation Mini Nova. The DX7 laid the ground work for so many synthesizers. And of course countless VSTi's but mostly sample based ones as I do a lot of film scoring. I use 8DIO string libraries as well as East West Samples. Good stuff man. But again, thanks for mentioning that switch!
The mod wheel is most likely not broken! :) If I remember correctly, when loading sysex patches from a computer, pitch and mod wheel assignments don't carry over. You just have to go through each patch and enable the wheels for each one, as far as I know.
I worked on a friend's DX7 (yep - the OG!), and I can confirm the above. Follow the buttons to get there after hitting the red "function" button. The mod wheel settings carry over afaik on the DX7s/IID, though.
@@dennisbartello7682 yea i know this because i import patches on my dx7 all the time its a lot more convenient than creating new patches from scratch all the time
Your such a musical ambassador when you visit people. Splendid video again. Glad you got your DX7. You look like a 12 year-old with that big grin 😀. Couldn’t help but grin with ya. I’m so jealous of that Soundbook..
I love my DX 7 :) It is in "maintenance mode" right now, refurbishing the power supply and replacing the old LCD with a LED display. The display replacement is a plug & play exchange if you source a HD44780 type display. Makes a huge difference and comes in a lot of colors with backlight and so on. Haven't gone through all the comments yet, but somebody has probably already mentioned Dexed. A great piece of software to try out new patches and then download them to the keyboard.
Dx7 did for the 1980's what Rhodes electric piano did for the 1970's they changed music big time. Thanks for the awesome video and the 1980's memories.
So cool. I never owned an original DX7, but I've had a DX7 II-D ever since I was 19 (I'm about your age), and still use it as my master keyboard and main sound generator for almost everything except acoustic piano and some specific analogue-ish pads. It makes good brass, pseudo-analog super-sawtooth grumbles, tines, electric pianos, string pads, lead synths and whatnot. I envy you for some of your cool stuff, but to me the DX7 (II) still rules supreme, not least because of its excellent keyboard.
Its actually crucial to replace battery, performace settings (mod wheel, aftertouch and their behaviour) and tuning etc.. is stored internally. Also I would recommend to install battery holder for easy swaping in future.
My dx7 says replace battery, but it still holds the sounds. The mod/pitch wheels and slider don't work and it drops out of tune by about 2 semi tones unless I play it over midi
I've repaired a few DX7 over the years, sold them all now except for a DX7s I still keep. Mostly because the key action has a lovely feel, and I needed a MIDI keyboard. It's still fun to do the 80s favourites from presets. DX7s has two banks of 32 voices, and a proper set of buttons for selecting voices, not that membrane thing which I always find ends up splitting over time.
The entire DX series was built like a naval fleet. I had the 800-pound gorilla: the DX5 and the little squirt in the family: the DX21 (I'm not counting the DX100 because it didn't have full-size keys). I still remember the wonderful feel of the keybed and those solid green toggles. Very well-built instruments.
@@turpialito I had a call from one of my customers. Had managed to drop a DX7 Mark 1 from the stage to the dance floor six feet below. The case was slightly bent out of shape, the mains transformer had become detached from the pcb needing a bit of re-soldering, and the dance floor was severely dented.
Membrane keeps muck out, must have been pretty well - used if it split. Mine is one of the first production (8xxx) and the case is a bit scratched. Membrane is fine after 37 years.
With my Atari 520 ST, I made computer-assisted music with Cubase software, my Roland 808 drum machine and my Yamaha DX7 keyboard synthesizer - the good old days of the late 80s. What memories 🙂
Yeah the DX9 is a cool synth too. I played one in the field show in high school. We actually had two synthesizers on the field during half time. A DX7 and a DX9. It was cool. Then our street marching band used them too. We had keyboard carts. On the front was the amp and then there was a tray for the synth. It was on wheels of course and it had a 12VDC to 120v AC converter on it. The whole setup ran on a car battery. It was cool
Same here, still got my DX9, programming is upside-down compared to rest of the DX series, but can get some really great warm sounds out of the 9 I found. Did the battery holder mod with extended wires on my 9 and 11, much easier to replace the batt now!
DX9 is a cool cat on its own. Lacks velocity and aftertouch and like you said, two operators missing but that's not the point. Gotta dig deep into its engine to actually know what it's capable of. The DX series hate is, in my opinion, unjustified because 80s pop stars never learned to program on it, so all you hear on those records are just the presets when it is much more capable of just those basic sounds. I've created a sound bank for use with Dexed which has sounds that are created out from either 3 or 4 operators and they're very usable. On its own sounding too dry? Stick a delay or a reverb to it and all is good. Come back to the presets once in a while and you'll have the quintessential DX experience.
I had a Dx7 in the early 2000s and didn't know its value, opting for another Yamaha, I gave it away as a gift. Well, I miss the keyboard now after watching your video. The Organ sound remains one of the richest that can be for a keyboard...Thanks for sharing and letting me know more about this keyboard - With love and respect from Nigeria
I've had a DX7S, a DX7 Mk 1, two TX7s and a TX802 over the last 30 years. I now use a Korg Kronos for my FM needs, as it can load up DX7 sysex and converts those sounds very accurately (except for the famous El. Bass 1 preset, which I had fortunately sampled off my last DX). The DX7 is an interesting machine. When I first played one in the 80s, I found it too dry, cold and clean and decided it was sonically no match for the Roland analogues I already owned. However, a lot of those seemingly uninteresting sounds really come alive in the context of a mix once you have EQed them and, more importantly, when you have added suitable effects. The DX7 really excels at wood-on-wood and metal-against-metal tuned percussion sounds and synth electric pianos, which analogue synths simply cannot touch, no matter how good they may be. This makes it the perfect companion for your, say, Juno-106. In fact, Mark Kelly of Marillion had those two synths MIDIed up to one another permanently in his Misplaced Childhood-era rig. My only gripe is that the Mk 1's keyboard cannot access the whole velocity range but then, it was one of the very first MIDI synths. I really started to appreciate the DX7 when my I borrowed one for a gig after my Juno-60 and JX-3P synths were stolen (I got them back eventually) and I needed a second synth to complement the JX8P I had just acquired as a replacement. This new combination completely changed my usual 'sound' but it worked.
Similar to my experience. It was the lack of an effects section (which of course was typical back in the day), horrible programming procedures, monotimbrality, no filters and the absence of "warm" sounds killing the fun slightly to severely and making me look enviously towards the analog competitors and upcoming samplers . With most of these issues being nothing to write home about today. I have the feeling the keybed of Claudio's DX7 is not okay anymore, there's some mechanical noise I don't remember. But hey - the comrade has seen quite some years of age. :)
I've had a DX7 mk1 but cant for the life of me remember when I sold it or who I sold it to, its unusual for me not to remember a sale or purchase. I've also had a Tx802, Sy77, Tx81z and Volca FM. Currently have a TX7 and Volca but tend to use the vst variants now as more convenient but there is no beating the grit and bite of the originals and the tx81z hasnt been replicated fully in a vst yet and is still very useful on bass duties as is the DX7.
Yeah had a few dxs. Back in the day FYI the Kurzveill PC4 loads all the dx sounds, and they’ve banged out a few examples In there to start you off… nice !!
And honestly doc, I've wanted a DX7 for decades as well. It was so cool to get mine. Standing in the presence of an iconic machine. SO cool. I just received a RAM cartridge that I ordered on Ebay. It's got some AMAZING sounds. I think they were programmed by the former owner of the card. It's got an amazing B3 patch.
Earlier today I watched a vid ' is time travel possible?' Man! when you played that first tune on that thing I was back in the 80's a kid again back in my bedroom laying on the floor in front of my hi fi & 100w speakers. Cassette armed on pause/record waiting for the dj to stop talking over the intro.......
I am 53 years old and also at 11 years old it was a dream to be able to have a Dx 7 for my 50th birthday my son gave me one imported from Japan in excellent condition, it has been the best gift imagine my emotion I identify 100 % with you Claudio, it is more when I met your channel what caught my attention was that it said Dr Mix and I always imagined DX 7 greetings from Guatemala🇬🇹
I just got one too, and it's all cuz of you; thank you! And just like you, I was in heaven...my childhood dream, became a reality! 😍🤩 And for once, I was glad to meet my childhood hero! 😅 Thank you for all your help, guidance, and GREAT vibes! You are AWESOME! P.s. We love you too! 😄😉😘
You always put a smile on my face with your videos... such a passion, such a fresh "improvisations"... I always love watching your videos. Thanks for this and... congratulations for getting the synth of your dreams!
Mine shows 4.4V battery voltage which I found that its ADC is to be replaced. Interestingly mod wheel also doesn't seem to work. Battery change will possibly not be enough to enable mod wheel again.
I have a mk1 and love it! It's an essential piece of gear for 80's cover bands and they’re still reasonably affordable. I still use the DX100 for live talkbox performances.
I got to work on a II a few months back. My favorite part was how easy it is to work on these things when they break. Most of the new synths and workstations are absolute nightmares. Also it sounds awesome!!
You have a twin!!!! Funny I'm about the same age as you and always dreamed about owning the DX7. I just bought my first one about a year ago!!!! Never too late. Love your enthusiasm in these videos.
Hi Claudio, it’s a good idea to replace the battery ASAP. When it’s old it can pop and ruin the motherboard. Unfortunately the battery is soldered onto the motherboard. But it’s replaceable. I did it myself on my DX7IID and replaced with a holder. So next time it’s easier to swap. There are a number of TH-cam video’s on this topic.
Fantastic to see you so passionate and enthusiastic about this synth! It's a trip down memory lane for me, had a DX7 and DX7S back in the day. Learnt to program it and discovered just how versatile it was as a synth, outside of the presets. Got a DX11 when it was released that I still have to this day and the performance mode on that is just amazing. Boss Chorus pedal and a Microverb II were always attached. Loving this, enjoy your 7!!
The video us 80s kids have been waiting for. Congratulations. Looking forward to future explorations on this instrument. Maybe a 2 hour jam stream. Nice job on the Malagueña by the way.
I've never really sat down and listened to all the DX presents (apart from the obvious piano and slap), but wow, that trumpet at 6:10 is *very* good in the upper ranges. You can see why something like that would've absolutely blown the minds of people back in 1983. P.S. Full Tines is a preset on the DX7 II.
I saw a demo from the Yamaha rep before I bought mine. The horn sounds with the breath controller (along with horn drivers mounted behind actual trombone bells), is what sold me. Still have it after all these years.
Those “TUB BELLS” are used tremendously well in Eric Serra’s “Le Grand Bleu” (Luc Besson) soundtrack - one of my favorite movies of all time 😻🤤 (“The Big Blue - Overture” & “La Raya”)
Qué suerte tienes, Doctor Mix! Yo estaba enamorado del DX7 a los 17 y junto con el Casio VZ1 fueron mis síntes soñados durante muchos años, pero nunca los conseguí... Disfrutalo!
I could listen to that No 11 E piano sound all day. It is such a beautiful sound and the combination of your talent and the DX7 together makes it so sweet. I just wish I had the talent to play like that.
Like a kid experiencing 5 or more Christmases.....****DROOL****. DO. WANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm surprised it didn't get wet from YOUR drool, as opposed to the relaxing English rain! Cheers! Enjoy that BEAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was 22 years old when it was introduced, it's new sounds and expansive capabilities created the 1980's new music revolution that endure decades later. The crystalline sounds of simply red's holding back the years I believe is the pinnacle of its perfection. I love the 1980's, DX7 brings it all back. Thank you for the love. 💓👍😎🌞💥💃🏖🇺🇸
Has it's nephew the DX100, works mostly though one key is silent the white keys are badly scratched (that's how I got it cheap probably 20/25 years ago). Glass covering the screen is gone and some of the internal sounds have been reprogrammed - tried restoring the defaults but no luck. Don't have the original power supply using one I think came from some Christmas lights.
I was one of the proud owner..still miss my very own DX7 and my QX 7 combo.miss my favourite EP.The 6 algorithm sound engine based monster that changed the music world along with roland juno series and korg m1 in mid and late 80s.those days, here In India,we didn't have much chance to buy US made products as now.These are the monster keyboards which really made a super impact in Indian market as well.Great video.thanks a lot.❤🇮🇳
BASS 1 Songs: 1. "Danger Zone", Kenny Loggins 2. "Only You", Chicago 3. "The Night I Fell In Love", Luther Vandross (coupled with a bass guitar) 4. "The Next Time I Fall", Peter Cetera
Brings back great memories. Back in the 80s, I used to stay behind after school and play the DX7 they had in the music room. It was the first proper synthesizer I ever played.
I don't know if you know this, but the keyboard velocity of the DX7 only goes from value 7 to value 120, instead of from 1 to 127. The upshot of this is that when you connect a keyboard that goes from 1 to 127 you will hear the sounds change. I used this a lot when playing the electric pianos, the external keyboard all of a sudden gives you way more expressiveness. To quote Michael Caine; 'Not too many people know that!".
I have been going for a long time to make a computer indie game, in a retro style. If hands reach, then the music for this game will necessarily participate DX7
Picked one up last year for £75 off of marketplace. Guy thought it was broken but just needed battery. It has the e! Expansion card and is basically mint. Love it.
Your excitement is infectious. So much so, that before the video ended I went onto eBay, found what looked like a smoking deal…..and I bought it, ON THE SPOT. and get this; I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO PLAY KEYBOARD!!! 🤣😂🤣. And no, I’m not made of money, so the credit card debt just got a little deeper 😕. Picked it up the next day. Almost pristine condition, everything works. Touch pads excellent, keys, lovely, case excellent, battery voltage 4.4 huh! I thought the max was around 3V. Still, who’s complaining! Came with a seriously heavy duty case and cartridges 1 and 2, which is good because the internal patches aren’t standard. The original capacitor on the power supply is still there, so according to someone on eBay USA that will need replacing sometime. Other than that I’m loving it. Watching a newb learning synth and FM programming “they’re operators not oscillators dummy” AND how to play, on this icon of the 80s would make most of you weep 😢 but, it’s in good hands, and I’m loving it. I see myself as it’s custodian, for if I ever sell to on. Unfortunately, after playing with it a while I discovered a problem 😩. Seems if you play a note more than about 8 notes from the last note, there’s a weird swoop sound before that note rings out true; only the first time it’s played. Oh dear! Capacitor? RAM? Couldn’t find the problem on TH-cam, and didn’t know how to describe it to ask tinternet. Finally gave it a go, and THE FIRST response to someone else’s question, was the right answer. Turns out someone had turned on Glissando (I live alone) 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️Turned it off as instructed, and we’re back to 1983 with a fully functional, almost new DX7. 😃 I’m loving it. Thank you.
I just finished building a Microdexed DX7 clone. And like Dr Mix, I cannot express how much fun can be had simply running through the countless presets out there. Growing up in the 80s these sounds were everywhere - and I mean everywhere! For a teenager they were also very, very expensive. And you got moved on pretty quickly at the music shop if you tried to play one of the display models. I managed to borrow one for a couple of weeks back in the early 90s, but by then my ultimate synth was a 303 or a Novation Bass Station -.it had an analog filter with cutoff and res, man! Yes, the DX7 was as unfathomable to program as you've heard - I turned so many of the sounds to compete shit.... But almost 40 years on those bells and epianos and chord pads can still create so much impact in a mix. And the basses - how low can you go! The DX7 rules!
Congrats on a life-long dream. The DX7 is the sound of the 80's. I was a teenager back then who loved making music, so I get it. I wish you many years of happy playing in good health!
I remember seeing a top end Yamaha synth at a music store at the mall when I was a kid in the 80’s and instantly became obsessed. I definitely couldn’t afford one, but it stuck with me and I’m still in love with FM synthesis to this day.
I had one of these in 2004.. had no idea what i even had at the time.. some people stole it and sold it for cocaine.. kills me every time i think about it.
Dam I would be raging about that I beat they sold it for a £20 bag of cocaine or something stupid like that
How was the cocaine?
Buy u another one .....I got 3
Tell me about it, I used to see these at pawn shops for no more than 200bux in the late 90s some as low as 100bux lol
In a way that's still a super 80s story.
Electric piano 1 is like "heartfelt moment when your dad talks to you" in every late 80s and early 90s family TV show
Nailed it.
'Son, it's only natural to be attracted to the opposite sex, and you will feel a little funny inside when it happens. Especially if they have huge tits.'
It literally was
I imagined bob saget on full house when I heard it.
Here's the timestamp
11:17
my dad once saved a dx11 from a garbage bin. It only needed a battery change and I also swapped out a couple of broken keys on it. a once in a lifetime find!
A rainy day, a comfy living room with a nice carpet, coffee, cookies and... a DX7... Looks like heaven.
Definitely! Oh, that was my very first computer back in the '80s.
This cat is a pure musician. Seeing his enthusiasm and excitement when he starts playing is infectious.
Indeed it is :) We musicians love to create and the energetic enthusiasm we have for our passion really shows. Some of my BEST days were playing live. I was fortunate enough to play keyboards for a Journey tribute band. THAT was amazing. Nowadays, I am all studio though. There's just something about feeding off your band mates though and hearing 30k people singing "Don't Stop Believin'" at the top of their lungs. I loved doing shows with those guys but what made it amazing were our precious fans. How we loved them!!
I play all the instruments! guitar cover sound like Stevie ! th-cam.com/video/A__ePQHqZwo/w-d-xo.html
He Really Is!
The DX7 and the Juno 106 are essentially the gold standard for beginner/intermediate synths. And definitely two of the best from the 80s. Easy, affordable(ish), and downright sexy.
I paid mine DX7 FDII in pristine condition 150 USD. I see they go now for 600 USD.
beginner intermediate? bro back in the day, adjusted for inflation, a dx7 was almost 6000 usd. this was not a consumer synth and neither was the 106. these were made to get busy making music not to learn. (if u had the cash that is)
@@david35197 Key word "are." Not "was."
I guess you probably meant 'above level professional' and misused the words refering to as beginners/intermediate, otherwise you'd be a troll or a ignorant or perhaps as a last option: arrogant...this keyboard was used in 'a man in the mirror' ( which he probably didnt even notice he played the effect on the video cause he was so excited (by michael Jackson to list one....so...i dont know what you mean really
@@TheFlyMan3829fm synthesis is not for beginners. Subtractive synthesis is much simpler for beginners like the juno.
It's incredible that the man can make a melody for every specific tone he found!!!
ITS CALLED INSPIRATION
@@krz9000 Indeed it is, my friend. Indeed it is.
In 1986, when my father bought a DX7 (which was a difficult trick to pull out as we were living behind the Iron Curtain, so a COCOM list product was forbidden to enter the country, so one needed excellent connections to do it, and, of course it cost an arm and a leg...) I felt the same. I browsed through the presets and nearly cried when I found the Take on me bass and the Kool and the Gang Cherish E.Piano. I was 13 years old back then and when I later heard the Electric Cafe album by the Kraftwerk and recognized the DX7 presets in the amazing sound, I started to worship this synth.
Fun Fact: My father, an entertainer, nearly always used the Accordion patch, which I started to hate quite quickly. :-)
Never knew there were DX7 preset sounds on Electric Cafe. Are they the same percussion sounds as used on Purple Rain I wonder?
@@nutster9000 th-cam.com/video/5tlN-JH7Gwc/w-d-xo.html Check out from 3:34. The motif is played on different presets such as the "Strings 3" "Music Box", "Marimba", etc. :-) I guess the bass motif is a slightly altered Dx7 patch and the "Electric Organ" preset appears as well.
you are lying about this and iron curtain. you simply had no money to buy
@@Galova Haha, the problem is that I am not. Read about the Cocom list: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinating_Committee_for_Multilateral_Export_Controls Any technology that represented high level was forbidden to be sold to Eastern Block countries.
At that time THAT particular DX7 was bought by a touring musician in (western) Germany and brought to Hungary. The owner told a second hand instrument dealer about it, he notified several people who were interested. My father was among them and he could show the money first.
Just to put you in perspective, the price we (I mean the whole family) payed for it was 120.000 HUF. I don't even dare to try to calculate the inflation adjustment, however, I clearly remember that a decent second hand car was about 150.000-200.000 HUF at that time.
@@laszlomagyar_music Exuse me but I used to play this synth in late 80s
E. piano = Instant Whitney Houston, Bass1 = Howard Jones and Kenny Loggins, Bass2 = take my breath away. Harmonica sound = What’s Love got do do with it. Tubular bells = Top Gun Anthem (especially the low octaves). There are also some really good uses of the Synth by Madonna, I wonder which patches they’ve used on Live To Tell as that song has some really good DX7 sounds on it. I wonder if they layered the sounds. Michael Mac Donalds No Lookin’ back also has some pretty sharp DX7 sounds on it as well.
the Bells sound in "Do they know its christmas time" refrain
Awesome comments - live the music I grew up with and looking forward to getting my 1983 DX7
You can hear a lot of Roland D50 in Madonna's True Bue
Live to Tell (and almost all True Blue songs) most of DX7-ish sounds came from a Roland MKS80 (but FM synthesis also used ofc)
Lovely sounds. I have the PSR 4600
Your boyish enthusiasm was really contagious. Like a kid on Christmas morning playing with his new DX7!!
DX7 owner since 1985 here. It was my very first synth. Upgraded it with an E! expansion board in 1990 and replaced the torn front panel last year. A few years ago I bought an Eventide H9 pedal for it, it sounds like a million bucks now.
I remember getting my DX7 back in '84, taking it home, plugging it in and having a total eargasm when I started playing the default electric piano sound. At that moment, I vowed never to lug around another Rhodes the rest of my life. Also, to this day, the DX7 has the best semi-weighted keyboard ever (IMHO).
Su tacto es de lo mejor, de hecho, en mi pequeño estudio; uso un viejo Roland RD-300s, para pianos, y los synths los hago a travez del DX7 como controlador
That harmonica patch is Tina Turner " What's Love Got to Do With It".
flute as well
True, classic sound of the DX.
Flute and Calliope
The legendary DX7...The keyboard that defined the 80s & 90s...Used to dreamt of having one as a teenager in the late 80s
I wanted a DX7 so badly - and by the time I could afford to get one, the popularity of the DX7 was waning, and the Korg M1 was dominating - and I gave in. It would be another 20 years before I found and purchased a used DX7IIFD. There really is nothing like a real DX7. The keybed feels amazing, even 30+ years later. Only those who grew up around that time understand the fever that came over the keyboard community around that synth. Those sounds were not just good, they were REQUIRED for any 80's keyboardist. There has not been a synth fever like that before or since. Congratulations on your new baby!
I actually loved the detuned sound! So many 80s songs dance around the semitones a bit from the variations in the tape speed detuning. Totally a vibe. Lovely sounds and absolutely stellar playing!
Growing up my Dad was a jazz pianist. He wound up buying one of these in the 80s shortly after it came out. He loved it! A couple of years before he passed I bought it from him. I still have it, though rarely use it. No low end at all... I'll never get rid of it though with all of the fond memories of him playing it. I still have recordings of him performing on it. He was an amazing jazz musician.
Glad you are as enthusiastic about this instument as he was. Enjoy!
Put the songs on eBay. I really would like to here them :)) especially when the songs are recordings of the 80s or early 90s.
You have to play the keys on the left for low notes.
@@John_Stone_ Hahaha... I know that. Joke appreciated. Compared to most of my Roland gear it just lacks the bass end. I've even used an external sequencer to go lower than the keybed.... I don't suggest trying it. Sounds really muddy. DX7s are known for their high end and excellent bell and chime sounds. Even the famous Bass patch from "Danger Zone" still has high end in it. Any of the Junos have a much richer deep end at the same register than the DX. Compare it to the JP-8000 and there's no comparison. I'm not hating on the DX, it is a staple in Soooo many songs from the 80s. The music industry wouldn't have been the same without it. Just not right sounding for my rig and style of music I write. When I try to incorporate it it sticks out like a sore thumb.
Anyway, Cheers John!
@@Behnan I think I might get into legal problems for that. All copyrighted music. I think I'd fair better just uploading them here. Mostly old standards from the 20s-40s. He didn't really do anything from the 80s or 90s.
@@synthlord2368 dont have a clue why I wrote ebay:)))) Of course I mean TH-cam:)))
Ok but for real. This is the best I've ever heard you play. The inspiration is so obvious.
The sound of the electric piano is just epic!whitney houston songs had it everywhere....
I would have to agree. It's captivating. When I got my DX7 two weeks ago, that is the first sound I started looking for. Not to mention Chicago used that preset on some of their songs. it was impossible to hear any song in the 80's without hearing a DX7 on it :)
@None i think so. they probably just sound similar, but her 1987 song “didn’t we almost have it all” used the dx7 electric piano
8:12 Mario 64 : Inside Peach's castle
16:38 Air - Sexy Boy
19:30 Final fantasy - Heaven's Tower
4:54 Maryla Rodowicz - Remedium th-cam.com/video/ucfNtTsyjYA/w-d-xo.html
5:57 is from Air-Ca Matin La
11:18 Super Mario 64: Dire Dire Docks
It's the intro of "After the Love Has Gone" by Earth, Wind & Fire. @@stevezac_cptlpnshmnt
12:50 Chick Corea - Got a Match?
I scored a well-preserved DX-7 here in Thailand for a song just a few weeks ago, basically for sentimental reasons but also because of the keybed. It was my first synth when I was a teen and had to take a bank loan to pay for it. I’ll never forget the feeling of owning that very synth you saw on stage of any band playing back then. It’s an iconic gem to own and should be part of any studio, just for the fun of it and to pay hommage the 80s, the best music decade ever! Keep up the great work, Dr. Mix - you rock 🎶 Love and light from Khao Lak, Thailand ❤️☀️🏖🌴🥥🌈
Stumbled on this channel. Good to see you are happy as a child with this marvelous DX-7.
Never had one myselve but indeed it was the sound of the 80's
Bass 1:
A-Ha - Take on Me
Cool and the Gang - Fresh
Howard Jones - What is love
Mr Mister - Broken Wings
Bass 2:
Berlin - Take my breath away
...just to name a few
(btw: you have a switch on the back of each cartridge for another 32 Sounds)
I absolutely love the joy and enthusiasm this instrument brings out here!
I love this legendary synthesiser . Yamaha should start to make it again for today’s keyboard artists .
it's not like it'd even be hard as the synth can be (and is by a lot of software) emulated accurately in software
If you are an artist of today and want it, it's not very expensive on the used market, so I think if you want one, you can get it, and probably far cheeper then a new issue. I see they go for round £€$600 (2023-04)
It’s called the MODX+
They have the DX Reface
I got one when they first came out. Paid $1695 for it. Still have it. Works great. Plays great. Work horse and solid as a rock. My studio is filled with Yamaha "stuff" and none of it has ever required servicing. My DM2000 board is almost 20 years old (I did have to replace the internal memory battery recently tho. But easy to do). Sounds great and all the motors still work. Did I say I love Yamaha stuff? But now I use my old Yamaha controller, KX88 and mostly plugins since I don't travel anymore. Dexed is a fantastic vst emulation of the DX7 by the way. And the patch collection from the net is enormous. But you are right, the real DX7 is magical. Best playing non weighted keyboard I ever had. I love the KX88 controller as well.
It might not be the ultimate DX7 song, but I’d be really happy to see a remake of Chaka Khan’s version of I feel for you
To me its the ultimate DX7 song (actually DX1).
Ooooooooho .... You're so right! Uffff that would be the Episode of all Episodes!
This is such a trip. Love your love for it. In school, our band director had one and was so precious about us playing it, but I'd sneak in at lunch and jam for half an hour every day. Beautiful machine.
the mod wheel likely works, you need to play with its function parameter to assign it and set its values to your liking
Usually the mod wheel is assigned on those presets though
I just got a dx7 and mod wheel didn't work initially. Had to change some settings on synth and it works just like that
The DX7 wouldn't just go on to change music forever, but video game music composition as well ! The Sega Genesis uses the powered down YM2612 or OPN2 chip, a variation of the YM21280 found in the DX7. It led to many iconic soundtracks like Sonic the Hedgehog or Streets of Rage.
I loved this video !
Don't forget about those iconic INTERNAL sounds, looks like you were just looking at the sounds found on the cartridges, Also those cartridges likely have an A-B select switch on the front so they have 2x the sounds you previewed! Access the iconic DX-7 internal sounds by selecting INTERNAL button under the Memory Select label located directly to the left of the display.
Battery need to be change, once he does that he can get all the sound load back in. That's why he is only loading the cartridge bank. I have never seen that one book on 600 voice that can be program in. I hope I can track that book down.
@@ruscularYou can find pretty much all the sounds of theses book on the internet now, plus many more patch that sound very different from the originals ones (yeah bells and gongs are funs but you can do so much more with FX). And yes it's a good idea to change the batterie now, it may be possible that the dead battery was responsible for the odd detuning on some patches. When I bought mine, the battery was so dead that the screen constantly displayed weird hieroglyphs, the memory was reset at every restart and every single note was randomly detuned
Might depends where you purchased your DX7, but when mine was delivered (36 years ago!), the internal sounds were the same of cartridge 1-A. Still working, and still have the entire packaging.
@@francoisbasquin6974 ya my 1st gen DX7 from ohio USA also had the base cartridges with the internal sounds. i think i actually still have the box in the attic, although it might crumble to dust by now. i also saved all the nice plastic cartridge cases and even the original instruction manual. mine needs work tho. dead battery and something crapped out on the output section. still a great MIDI controller if i want some aftertouch.
I just looked on the front of my DX7 cartridge and lo and behold there was the switch!! Had you not of said something, I would have never looked for it. So cool. Thank you!! I just bought my DX7 on eBay a couple of weeks ago. What an AMAZING synthesizer it is. It's the one that got it all started and defined the era of 80's music. I've been composing like crazy with it. I also have a Behringer Deep Mind 12, Model D, and K2 along with an Ensoniq SQ1+, and a Novation Mini Nova. The DX7 laid the ground work for so many synthesizers. And of course countless VSTi's but mostly sample based ones as I do a lot of film scoring. I use 8DIO string libraries as well as East West Samples. Good stuff man. But again, thanks for mentioning that switch!
E. Piano is probably my favorite DX7 sound ever.
The mod wheel is most likely not broken! :) If I remember correctly, when loading sysex patches from a computer, pitch and mod wheel assignments don't carry over. You just have to go through each patch and enable the wheels for each one, as far as I know.
@@GlenJDiamond would you happen to remember if the SER-7 chip changes any of that?
The mod wheel settings transfer through sysex its just that most patches don't utilise it
I worked on a friend's DX7 (yep - the OG!), and I can confirm the above. Follow the buttons to get there after hitting the red "function" button. The mod wheel settings carry over afaik on the DX7s/IID, though.
@@dennisbartello7682 yea i know this because i import patches on my dx7 all the time its a lot more convenient than creating new patches from scratch all the time
I love this guy
Your such a musical ambassador when you visit people. Splendid video again. Glad you got your DX7. You look like a 12 year-old with that big grin 😀. Couldn’t help but grin with ya. I’m so jealous of that Soundbook..
I love my DX 7 :) It is in "maintenance mode" right now, refurbishing the power supply and replacing the old LCD with a LED display. The display replacement is a plug & play exchange if you source a HD44780 type display. Makes a huge difference and comes in a lot of colors with backlight and so on.
Haven't gone through all the comments yet, but somebody has probably already mentioned Dexed. A great piece of software to try out new patches and then download them to the keyboard.
Ok
I got a amber LED for mine. Battery died and had to replace it. Recapping the power supply is a must for any old gear from the 80s.
Dx7 did for the 1980's what Rhodes electric piano did for the 1970's they changed music big time.
Thanks for the awesome video and the 1980's memories.
So cool. I never owned an original DX7, but I've had a DX7 II-D ever since I was 19 (I'm about your age), and still use it as my master keyboard and main sound generator for almost everything except acoustic piano and some specific analogue-ish pads. It makes good brass, pseudo-analog super-sawtooth grumbles, tines, electric pianos, string pads, lead synths and whatnot. I envy you for some of your cool stuff, but to me the DX7 (II) still rules supreme, not least because of its excellent keyboard.
Katsuori Ujiie's demo is insane
I lusted in the 80s I'm a year older than u. My parents tried with various Casio keyboards. What a legend as are u for your channel
Three songs with the iconic DX7 bass: Dangerzone - Kenny Loggins, Aha - Take On Me, Howard Jones - Equality
Never gonna give you up.
Never gonna let you down.
Never gonna run around and desert you.
Never gonna make you cry.
@@dave-874 Never gonna say goodbye.
11:03 It's tuning sounds like slide guitar. That sound in itself is brilliant. I hope DeXed has that feature.
Its actually crucial to replace battery, performace settings (mod wheel, aftertouch and their behaviour) and tuning etc.. is stored internally. Also I would recommend to install battery holder for easy swaping in future.
My dx7 says replace battery, but it still holds the sounds. The mod/pitch wheels and slider don't work and it drops out of tune by about 2 semi tones unless I play it over midi
@@funkmachine6420 it will eventually. That’s what happened to mines
Every time I move away from music, I go to this channel and get inspired.
These sincere emotions are so strong that they overwhelm me.
I've repaired a few DX7 over the years, sold them all now except for a DX7s I still keep. Mostly because the key action has a lovely feel, and I needed a MIDI keyboard. It's still fun to do the 80s favourites from presets. DX7s has two banks of 32 voices, and a proper set of buttons for selecting voices, not that membrane thing which I always find ends up splitting over time.
The entire DX series was built like a naval fleet. I had the 800-pound gorilla: the DX5 and the little squirt in the family: the DX21 (I'm not counting the DX100 because it didn't have full-size keys). I still remember the wonderful feel of the keybed and those solid green toggles. Very well-built instruments.
@@turpialito I had a call from one of my customers. Had managed to drop a DX7 Mark 1 from the stage to the dance floor six feet below. The case was slightly bent out of shape, the mains transformer had become detached from the pcb needing a bit of re-soldering, and the dance floor was severely dented.
@@niksgarage I'll bet he saw it happen in slow-mo: Must've been a heart-stopping moment for the guy. Still, battleships, I say. Cheers!
Where are you based bro?
Membrane keeps muck out, must have been pretty well - used if it split. Mine is one of the first production (8xxx) and the case is a bit scratched. Membrane is fine after 37 years.
With my Atari 520 ST, I made computer-assisted music with Cubase software, my Roland 808 drum machine and my Yamaha DX7 keyboard synthesizer - the good old days of the late 80s.
What memories 🙂
Proud to say I own a DX9, the variant of this missing that’s missing two operators yet sounds much the same. I love it so much.
Yeah the DX9 is a cool synth too. I played one in the field show in high school. We actually had two synthesizers on the field during half time. A DX7 and a DX9. It was cool. Then our street marching band used them too. We had keyboard carts. On the front was the amp and then there was a tray for the synth. It was on wheels of course and it had a 12VDC to 120v AC converter on it. The whole setup ran on a car battery. It was cool
Same here, still got my DX9, programming is upside-down compared to rest of the DX series, but can get some really great warm sounds out of the 9 I found. Did the battery holder mod with extended wires on my 9 and 11, much easier to replace the batt now!
DX9 is a cool cat on its own. Lacks velocity and aftertouch and like you said, two operators missing but that's not the point. Gotta dig deep into its engine to actually know what it's capable of. The DX series hate is, in my opinion, unjustified because 80s pop stars never learned to program on it, so all you hear on those records are just the presets when it is much more capable of just those basic sounds.
I've created a sound bank for use with Dexed which has sounds that are created out from either 3 or 4 operators and they're very usable. On its own sounding too dry? Stick a delay or a reverb to it and all is good. Come back to the presets once in a while and you'll have the quintessential DX experience.
I had a Dx7 in the early 2000s and didn't know its value, opting for another Yamaha, I gave it away as a gift. Well, I miss the keyboard now after watching your video. The Organ sound remains one of the richest that can be for a keyboard...Thanks for sharing and letting me know more about this keyboard - With love and respect from Nigeria
I've had a DX7S, a DX7 Mk 1, two TX7s and a TX802 over the last 30 years. I now use a Korg Kronos for my FM needs, as it can load up DX7 sysex and converts those sounds very accurately (except for the famous El. Bass 1 preset, which I had fortunately sampled off my last DX). The DX7 is an interesting machine. When I first played one in the 80s, I found it too dry, cold and clean and decided it was sonically no match for the Roland analogues I already owned. However, a lot of those seemingly uninteresting sounds really come alive in the context of a mix once you have EQed them and, more importantly, when you have added suitable effects. The DX7 really excels at wood-on-wood and metal-against-metal tuned percussion sounds and synth electric pianos, which analogue synths simply cannot touch, no matter how good they may be. This makes it the perfect companion for your, say, Juno-106. In fact, Mark Kelly of Marillion had those two synths MIDIed up to one another permanently in his Misplaced Childhood-era rig. My only gripe is that the Mk 1's keyboard cannot access the whole velocity range but then, it was one of the very first MIDI synths. I really started to appreciate the DX7 when my I borrowed one for a gig after my Juno-60 and JX-3P synths were stolen (I got them back eventually) and I needed a second synth to complement the JX8P I had just acquired as a replacement. This new combination completely changed my usual 'sound' but it worked.
Similar to my experience. It was the lack of an effects section (which of course was typical back in the day), horrible programming procedures, monotimbrality, no filters and the absence of "warm" sounds killing the fun slightly to severely and making me look enviously towards the analog competitors and upcoming samplers . With most of these issues being nothing to write home about today.
I have the feeling the keybed of Claudio's DX7 is not okay anymore, there's some mechanical noise I don't remember.
But hey - the comrade has seen quite some years of age. :)
I've had a DX7 mk1 but cant for the life of me remember when I sold it or who I sold it to, its unusual for me not to remember a sale or purchase. I've also had a Tx802, Sy77, Tx81z and Volca FM. Currently have a TX7 and Volca but tend to use the vst variants now as more convenient but there is no beating the grit and bite of the originals and the tx81z hasnt been replicated fully in a vst yet and is still very useful on bass duties as is the DX7.
Yeah had a few dxs. Back in the day FYI the Kurzveill PC4 loads all the dx sounds, and they’ve banged out a few examples In there to start you off… nice !!
And honestly doc, I've wanted a DX7 for decades as well. It was so cool to get mine. Standing in the presence of an iconic machine. SO cool. I just received a RAM cartridge that I ordered on Ebay. It's got some AMAZING sounds. I think they were programmed by the former owner of the card. It's got an amazing B3 patch.
Earlier today I watched a vid ' is time travel possible?' Man! when you played that first tune on that thing I was back in the 80's a kid again back in my bedroom laying on the floor in front of my hi fi & 100w speakers. Cassette armed on pause/record waiting for the dj to stop talking over the intro.......
I was doing the same! 😀
Time travel, in fact, actually is possible :)
I am 53 years old and also at 11 years old it was a dream to be able to have a Dx 7 for my 50th birthday my son gave me one imported from Japan in excellent condition, it has been the best gift imagine my emotion I identify 100 % with you Claudio, it is more when
I met your channel what caught my attention was that it said Dr Mix and I always imagined DX 7 greetings from Guatemala🇬🇹
Best DX7 song I can think of is Foreigner's "That was yesterday" ♥
How about Do They Know it’s Christmas, by Band-Aid. Something about Christmas Time by Brian Adams and numerous songs by Enya.
I just got one too, and it's all cuz of you; thank you! And just like you, I was in heaven...my childhood dream, became a reality! 😍🤩
And for once, I was glad to meet my childhood hero! 😅
Thank you for all your help, guidance, and GREAT vibes!
You are AWESOME!
P.s. We love you too! 😄😉😘
Dr. Mix please another polite reminder.. Please don't forget "Leaving" by Pet Shop Boys🙏🏾
DX7 is absolutely beautiful piece of gear. All time classic and still looks absolutely modern by any standard!
A monsoon is going on outside? What a PERFECT day to stay inside and play a DX7.
So glad you own one! You were made for it lol.
You always put a smile on my face with your videos... such a passion, such a fresh "improvisations"... I always love watching your videos. Thanks for this and... congratulations for getting the synth of your dreams!
Modulation wheel is disabled by default. Change battery, copy everything from cartridge to RAM and then edit each instrument and enable mod wheel.
Mine shows 4.4V battery voltage which I found that its ADC is to be replaced. Interestingly mod wheel also doesn't seem to work. Battery change will possibly not be enough to enable mod wheel again.
@@infolla6769 discoHR wrote that after changing the battery you have to edit the single patches to enable it!
@@bonuebonue OK I will try this. Thanks!
True! Also this behaviour can depend on the eprom software.
I could FEEL your EXCITEMENT when you first set this up and played it at your place!
EPIC like that rain storm!! it’s beautiful machine!
I have a mk1 and love it! It's an essential piece of gear for 80's cover bands and they’re still reasonably affordable. I still use the DX100 for live talkbox performances.
Still incredibly useful today. That harmonica sound is pure Stevie Wonder.
I got to work on a II a few months back. My favorite part was how easy it is to work on these things when they break. Most of the new synths and workstations are absolute nightmares.
Also it sounds awesome!!
That's why these things will pretty much still be around for decades from now
You have a twin!!!! Funny I'm about the same age as you and always dreamed about owning the DX7. I just bought my first one about a year ago!!!! Never too late. Love your enthusiasm in these videos.
Hi Claudio, it’s a good idea to replace the battery ASAP. When it’s old it can pop and ruin the motherboard. Unfortunately the battery is soldered onto the motherboard. But it’s replaceable. I did it myself on my DX7IID and replaced with a holder. So next time it’s easier to swap. There are a number of TH-cam video’s on this topic.
Fantastic to see you so passionate and enthusiastic about this synth! It's a trip down memory lane for me, had a DX7 and DX7S back in the day. Learnt to program it and discovered just how versatile it was as a synth, outside of the presets. Got a DX11 when it was released that I still have to this day and the performance mode on that is just amazing. Boss Chorus pedal and a Microverb II were always attached. Loving this, enjoy your 7!!
The video us 80s kids have been waiting for. Congratulations. Looking forward to future explorations on this instrument. Maybe a 2 hour jam stream. Nice job on the Malagueña by the way.
This guys is the best...... Thank you for bringing me to the 80's .... my era for ever ;-)
I've never really sat down and listened to all the DX presents (apart from the obvious piano and slap), but wow, that trumpet at 6:10 is *very* good in the upper ranges. You can see why something like that would've absolutely blown the minds of people back in 1983.
P.S. Full Tines is a preset on the DX7 II.
I saw a demo from the Yamaha rep before I bought mine. The horn sounds with the breath controller (along with horn drivers mounted behind actual trombone bells), is what sold me. Still have it after all these years.
i just love your enthusiasm. i got my dx7 in 1983 and still have it!
Those “TUB BELLS” are used tremendously well in Eric Serra’s “Le Grand Bleu” (Luc Besson) soundtrack - one of my favorite movies of all time 😻🤤 (“The Big Blue - Overture” & “La Raya”)
It’s also used on Do They Know It’s Christmas, by Band Aid, and Something About Christmas Time, by Brian Adams.
In your memory - Depeche Mode
My all time fave movie too. God knows how many times I watched it .
in my teenage days we have this wonderful dx7 in our church i really miss the sound so nostalgic to hear it once again
Qué suerte tienes, Doctor Mix! Yo estaba enamorado del DX7 a los 17 y junto con el Casio VZ1 fueron mis síntes soñados durante muchos años, pero nunca los conseguí... Disfrutalo!
I could listen to that No 11 E piano sound all day. It is such a beautiful sound and the combination of your talent and the DX7 together makes it so sweet. I just wish I had the talent to play like that.
This is super amazing
Thanks!!
And Claudio and I own our own and that is even more amazing! The DX7 is a legend. TBH when I got mine, I was star struck LOL
Like a kid experiencing 5 or more Christmases.....****DROOL****. DO. WANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm surprised it didn't get wet from YOUR drool, as opposed to the relaxing English rain! Cheers! Enjoy that BEAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also: 10:40 with the paddle, and subsequent tune......Sublime!
@@LazerMage77 I drool on mine everyday LOL
I was 22 years old when it was introduced, it's new sounds and expansive capabilities created the 1980's new music revolution that endure decades later. The crystalline sounds of simply red's holding back the years I believe is the pinnacle of its perfection. I love the 1980's, DX7 brings it all back. Thank you for the love. 💓👍😎🌞💥💃🏖🇺🇸
I've got the younger brother, the DX11. Still works fine.
Has it's nephew the DX100, works mostly though one key is silent the white keys are badly scratched (that's how I got it cheap probably 20/25 years ago). Glass covering the screen is gone and some of the internal sounds have been reprogrammed - tried restoring the defaults but no luck. Don't have the original power supply using one I think came from some Christmas lights.
Reuniting the family, LOL!
Shame hardly ever see the dad of the family the dx1
@@lisajohnson1528 Or Mom the DX-5, LOL!
That was the best concert I've heard in a decade!
You are very good at the keyboard!
Best synthesizer you can here it a lot in prince songs💜
I was one of the proud owner..still miss my very own DX7 and my QX 7 combo.miss my favourite EP.The 6 algorithm sound engine based monster that changed the music world along with roland juno series and korg m1 in mid and late 80s.those days, here In India,we didn't have much chance to buy US made products as now.These are the monster keyboards which really made a super impact in Indian market as well.Great video.thanks a lot.❤🇮🇳
BASS 1 Songs:
1. "Danger Zone", Kenny Loggins
2. "Only You", Chicago
3. "The Night I Fell In Love", Luther Vandross (coupled with a bass guitar)
4. "The Next Time I Fall", Peter Cetera
Also, 'When I Think of You' by Janet Jackson
"Broken Wings" - Mr. Mister (1985) as well.
And so many others...
Dress you up by Madonna too.
Brings back great memories. Back in the 80s, I used to stay behind after school and play the DX7 they had in the music room. It was the first proper synthesizer I ever played.
I don't know if you know this, but the keyboard velocity of the DX7 only goes from value 7 to value 120, instead of from 1 to 127.
The upshot of this is that when you connect a keyboard that goes from 1 to 127 you will hear the sounds change. I used this a lot when playing the electric pianos, the external keyboard all of a sudden gives you way more expressiveness.
To quote Michael Caine; 'Not too many people know that!".
I’ve had one since 1987 when I was touring Japan with Yamaha! Loooooove my DX-Heaven! Just replaced the internal battery again. Great video!
I can feel a mullet growing at the same rate as my shoulder pads.
Oh my goodness, thank you for taking me back to my teenage years and the BEST music of the 1980s
I have been going for a long time to make a computer indie game, in a retro style. If hands reach, then the music for this game will necessarily participate DX7
The perfect choice, the DX7 is incredible for making game osts, it's been a secret weapon of mine for a long time
Dx7 sounds like Sega genesis to me
@@skippyzk They used very similar sound chips, both from Yamaha
Somehow I managed to buy a dx7 for a hundred bucks yesterday! It’s in great shape and in this day and age the nostalgia alone is priceless.
Smooth criminal, Another Part Of Me and I think too with take on me
Top Gun song. Danger ZOne :)
Picked one up last year for £75 off of marketplace. Guy thought it was broken but just needed battery. It has the e! Expansion card and is basically mint. Love it.
Had 1 of these 10 years ago but sadly had to sell it. Had to change the battery in the one I had as well and upload the voice bank again via sysex
I could listen to someone playing a DX7 EP patch for days, such a chill sound. Absolutely beautiful.
Hey Doctor Mix, how about a future video on creating your own patches? It would be great to see a tutorial on how to do FM synthesis.
this one is masterpiece of 80th Music..... the sound make me goose bump, remind me when I was kid.
Please make a cover of "One Vision - Queen" with this synth
Your excitement is infectious. So much so, that before the video ended I went onto eBay, found what looked like a smoking deal…..and I bought it, ON THE SPOT. and get this; I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO PLAY KEYBOARD!!! 🤣😂🤣. And no, I’m not made of money, so the credit card debt just got a little deeper 😕. Picked it up the next day. Almost pristine condition, everything works. Touch pads excellent, keys, lovely, case excellent, battery voltage 4.4 huh! I thought the max was around 3V. Still, who’s complaining! Came with a seriously heavy duty case and cartridges 1 and 2, which is good because the internal patches aren’t standard. The original capacitor on the power supply is still there, so according to someone on eBay USA that will need replacing sometime. Other than that I’m loving it. Watching a newb learning synth and FM programming “they’re operators not oscillators dummy” AND how to play, on this icon of the 80s would make most of you weep 😢 but, it’s in good hands, and I’m loving it. I see myself as it’s custodian, for if I ever sell to on. Unfortunately, after playing with it a while I discovered a problem 😩. Seems if you play a note more than about 8 notes from the last note, there’s a weird swoop sound before that note rings out true; only the first time it’s played. Oh dear! Capacitor? RAM? Couldn’t find the problem on TH-cam, and didn’t know how to describe it to ask tinternet. Finally gave it a go, and THE FIRST response to someone else’s question, was the right answer. Turns out someone had turned on Glissando (I live alone) 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️Turned it off as instructed, and we’re back to 1983 with a fully functional, almost new DX7. 😃 I’m loving it. Thank you.
2:48 Even these three books go for a fortune on ebay :)
Damn, I was just about to check. As a kid in the 80s I remember thumbing through The Complete DX7 Book 😞
I just finished building a Microdexed DX7 clone. And like Dr Mix, I cannot express how much fun can be had simply running through the countless presets out there.
Growing up in the 80s these sounds were everywhere - and I mean everywhere!
For a teenager they were also very, very expensive. And you got moved on pretty quickly at the music shop if you tried to play one of the display models.
I managed to borrow one for a couple of weeks back in the early 90s, but by then my ultimate synth was a 303 or a Novation Bass Station -.it had an analog filter with cutoff and res, man!
Yes, the DX7 was as unfathomable to program as you've heard - I turned so many of the sounds to compete shit....
But almost 40 years on those bells and epianos and chord pads can still create so much impact in a mix.
And the basses - how low can you go!
The DX7 rules!
I still want one....or the Rack version TX802 (not TX7)
TX7 its a desktop expand module. Rack version of DX7 is TX802
Congrats on a life-long dream. The DX7 is the sound of the 80's. I was a teenager back then who loved making music, so I get it. I wish you many years of happy playing in good health!
The mod wheel probably just needs a recalibration after the battery change. The service manual is your friend.
I remember seeing a top end Yamaha synth at a music store at the mall when I was a kid in the 80’s and instantly became obsessed. I definitely couldn’t afford one, but it stuck with me and I’m still in love with FM synthesis to this day.