I upgraded from the SY77 to the SY99 when they first came out. I replaced the floppy drive's belt a few weeks ago (hadn't used the drive in MANY years), and now have access again to my huge stash of patches. Started playing and writing again.
I was lucky to get one about 10 years ago. Brand new ...been sitting unused in a studio in Germany. Paid €250 for it. Still have my SY 77 too. Love the FM so expressive and organic. Just purchased a MODX7 for the FM.
Time to image those disks, and replace the drive with a Gotek :) Floppies are starting to degrade magnetically over the years, so better back them up while still possible.
Yes, it does. And with the Waveblade system by Sector101, you can load in your own samples very easily, expanding the capabilities of this wonderful synth even further. www.sector101.co.uk/waveblade.html
Cool! Thanks for this info man! I had a deal with a German, paid, and the sucker sold him to someone else for the sole reason he then did not have to ship it to me even though I payd shipping as well. He did pay the money back though but still.... No SY99 yet.
As one who owned a DX5, and fairly good at programming it, I was very interested in the SY77/85 and especially the 99 when it came out. I spent a bit of time fiddling with it and found that it was definitely a challenge, but too easy to get very complex, almost non-musical sounds bordering on digital noise. The depth of the machine, and what it took to harness it's power bordered on mind-bending. The SPX900 based fx out of it were very nice. My issue was that this came out maybe a month or so before the Kurzweil K2000, which seemed to blow everything else in the world out of the water when released. It had a generally warmer sound, many more samples and great sampling capability. But looking back, it didn't have the character the SY99 did. I'd say to anyone with any experience in FM synthesis, grab a used SY99 if you can find one.
@@benfactor (yes we know this is a late reply)... More than the same ballpark, the SY/TG-77 have the exact same synth engine as the '99... Only difference is the SY-99 has a better onboard efx processor, and can load user samples in the expansion boards...
A great demo of SY99. It's a big brother of the famous DX7!!! I've mainly concentrated on my beloved DX7 for a while, so I haven't used my TG77 for many years. I need to replace its LCD, find a program to convert my original DX7 patches for TG77............
Thank you for sharing! I have these 2 amazing synths!! I agree with you they are very underrated! I love the ambient, the pads and the effects of SY77... for me they are very useful until today! They are very inspire to me and always surprise me with their sonority!
Hi Jim, on long weekend in UK so spending time in the studio of course! Any update on your analog emulation patch banks as the '99 is great on that front..... best
Hi Jim, super demo of this utterly brilliant synth (don't forget breath control input, your own sample loading/expansions, Channel zoned Aftertouch!). Love the built-in SPX900 myself, much warmer. Any links to steps on how to mod for cool blue LCD display Jim?, as just bought one to fit of EB... happy music making :)
+the audio eng I did the display mod on both my SY99 and SY77 years ago. I do not remember the exact step by step procedure, but I do recall that it was not very difficult. The biggest hurdle was having to create a wiring harness for the new display, which I made by modifying an old IEC harddrive ribbon cable.
Jim, I enjoyed the sounds and your playing. Can you tell me where I can find a good selection of the FM tine electric pianos this keyboard can produce?. thanks, Harry
Loading from a floppy disk so hardware right? I sure liked the organ at the beginning of your video, how would I get that sound? Could you please send me software info also? thanks Jim
Jim, thanks for getting back to me. I have an SY99 with a disk drive which seems to be working well. I'm not familiar with the SYN WAVE 2 cards, are they still available for purchase? Also, any idea where I can get a selection of the FM tine electric pianos made popular in the 80"s. thanks, Harry
There are a lot of free sounds available on the web. Just do a google search for SY77 free patches (you can load SY77 sounds into the SY00 no problem). I believe there are also free programs that will convert DX7 sounds into the SY77/99 format. So you can load in the original DX7 sound banks if you want (which are also available for free on the internet via various sites).
What's the song memory bank on this synth? I'm in interested in obtaining one but would like to know how many songs oner can record on it and up to how many tracks per song?? Thanks in advance
This Yamaha SY 99 is a 76 key version of your SY 77, isn't it? Also, it has another wheel in addition to the common pitch bend and modulation wheels, what does this one do? Check out David Berriman, for he used a DX7 played through a TG77 (the rack mount version of your SY77 synth as a ballpark organ in Tiger Stadium in 1993 and 1994), and it sounded like they never had removed their old Hammond Concorde 2307 three years prior)! He is a pianist that lives in Livonia Michigan and prefers these keyboards over organ (but from what I have heard, you would never know the difference)!
Zach LaFleur The third wheel is for whatever the sound designers wanted it for, generally opening and closing filters, panning left to right, etc. But, you can assign the wheels to whatever you'd like that's listed in the editing parameters in the Controllers section for each of the voices. Not all voices can have controller parameter editing (if there's nothing listed to edit), but almost every voice can be edited. There's also a FOURTH 'wheel', although it's in the shape of a slider. It resides just above the G3 key and it's called 'DATA ENTRY'. This has been used by many programmers, including myself, as an instant percentage mix adjustment between effects levels. Simple Wet - Dry, or more complex such as between effects Group A - Group B. This controller, too, can be assigned for many other things. I've even used MIDI cues embedded in my sequences to run lighting/fog effects, starting/stopping background vocals, switching on and off inputs on the soundboard, and change, and/or split keyboard instrumentation during live shows in order to keep my hands on the keys and no where else. MIDI is a fabulous thing once you really know how to use it to your advantage.
Zach LaFleur The SY99 us an improved and upgraded SY77. Besides the difference in keys, the 77 has 112 AWM waveforms, 99 has 267. 77 has 61 drum voices, 99 has 76. 77 has 40 effects, 99 has 63. And there are several other less obvious improvements.
I'm pretty sure I just used the sequencer, copying and pasting enough bars to improvise over. If I remember correctly, I didn't even MIDI sync the drums (from the JD-Xi) to the sequencer on the SY99. I just pressed play at the right time on the JD-Xi. :)
Jim, great work. I have the TG 77, but still don't know a whole lot about it. In addition to the SYN WAVE 2 voicedata , is there a specific waveform card that you used? I started looking on ebay for the Syn Wave, but it's hard to find. Thanks!
I used to be obsessed with getting the '99, but could never afford it, (was only ~19 at the time it was released). Today, I can easily afford one, but noone seems to ever be willing to sell... :-( So I bought 3 SY-77s instead :-)
@@JimAlfredson I've found I'm actually rather content with the '77, would have liked the idea of loading custom samples as the '99 can do, but even without that capability the '77 has near-endless sound programming possibilities
Is there and point keeping my sy77 now that i have a 99? Im pretty sure ive learned all the differences between the two but i dont want to sell it and find out there was something cool the 77 did that the 99 doesnt. I also have a dx7iid, all 3 in perfect condition. I might just keep them all so i have the trilogy haha
I would really appreciate if someone could help me out. Can you link two sy99's together and use one as a "master" and the other as a "slave" so you get the sound from the both of them when you play the master? Like having 12operators in one voice If so, how do you do this?
You can use the SY99 as a great master keyboard (see Jim's answer), but you can also hook up a second SY99 and have the first one play all even midi note numbers and the second one play all odd midi note numbers, allowing more or less doubling of the number of voices. Its in the manual, but do not know which page right now :)
Wow! You sold me on this synth..was considering buying DX7llfd but I hear about the sy77...and now the 99.. If you could have only one which would you get?
Honestly I would go for the SY99 because of the improved FX and the ability to load custom samples. And with the hardware available via sector101 (the Waveblade), that's even easier. The SY99 is a monster synth.
Jim Alfredson I doubt I will use many of the features but having there is a plus. I think I've read I it's possible to load the original DX7 patches..I'm interested in the legendary tines of course. Those patches would require a conversion?
Yes, they would require conversion. However there are great tines already in the factory presets of both the SY77 and SY99. And there is free software out there to do the conversion from the DX7 sysex.
I would not call myself an expert, rather a serious fan! :) I do own an FS1r and it is a monster. I was hoping that Yamaha would put an expanded FS1r engine into the Montage, but the 8 operator engine they did include in the Montage is really nice. I don't own a Montage yet; hope to in a few years. Anyway, the FS1r is incredibly powerful. And really hard to program without a computer editor. I have the ZeeEdit program and it is fantastic. Honestly, I haven't had much time to delve into it but I did use it on my electronic solo album In Memorandom. I'm really hoping Steinberg / Yamaha put an FM engine into the next release of HALion.
Thanx Jim. I still own a TX802 but the FS1R obviously adds a new dimension to FM. So I´m about to buy one for one of my live rigs as I´m missing a FM synth there. I know the TG77 pretty well and I was just wondering if it could compete with the FS1R in some way but I guess those are two totally different beasts.
Yeah, they are different. The TG77 is still a great synth. Since I made this video I acquired an original brown DX7. That was my first synth when I was a kid. I'll never forget when my father brought it home. I'd love to have a DX7II-FD or even better a DX5, but they are pricey. The FS1r has gotten really expensive lately, too. I got mine about 10 years ago for $400. They are over $1k now.
Well, it's probably easier to talk about their similarities. They are both FM synths. That's about it! :) Okay, that's an over-simplification but the TG77 is a 6 operator FM synth with a sample playback engine as well. Whereas the FS1r is 8 'voiced' operators plus 8 'unvoiced' operators and a formant filter engine. They are very different beasts, though they can make some similar sounds. The FS1r specializes in vocal type sounds that are generated in real time using the formant filters and the unvoiced operators. You can even load in your own short vocal phrases if you have the correct computer software to use as formant filters on the operators. It's very strange and unlike anything Yamaha did before or since. But it can also do all the classic DX7 sounds and in fact has an entire bank full of them from the factory.
Günter yeah..I hope you didn't just sell the single best hardware VA for an sy99. Nothing against the 99 it's great, but the anx1 is fucking amazing, and are getting rare and expensive.
30 years old and still sounds awesome! Nice demo!
I upgraded from the SY77 to the SY99 when they first came out. I replaced the floppy drive's belt a few weeks ago (hadn't used the drive in MANY years), and now have access again to my huge stash of patches. Started playing and writing again.
Any music to share?
Thanks for asking but nothing to really share.
I was lucky to get one about 10 years ago. Brand new ...been sitting unused in a studio in Germany. Paid €250 for it. Still have my SY 77 too. Love the FM so expressive and organic. Just purchased a MODX7 for the FM.
Was it hard to fix the floppy?
Time to image those disks, and replace the drive with a Gotek :)
Floppies are starting to degrade magnetically over the years, so better back them up while still possible.
The best presentation SY99 I've ever seen.
My buddy borrowed one from school back in the 90s. We had fun playing with it. I still remember the onboard demo.
At around 8:00 the real demo starts! Love that FM bass and the Berlin style music.
Great....Where I get the SYN WAVE 2 voicedata and waveform cards? I think its very rare? someone knows something??
This thing blows many of today's new synths of the water. Unbelievable. I need one. Now! :-)
Yes, it does. And with the Waveblade system by Sector101, you can load in your own samples very easily, expanding the capabilities of this wonderful synth even further.
www.sector101.co.uk/waveblade.html
Cool! Thanks for this info man! I had a deal with a German, paid, and the sucker sold him to someone else for the sole reason he then did not have to ship it to me even though I payd shipping as well. He did pay the money back though but still.... No SY99 yet.
One of the warmest digital synths, typical Yamaha.
Still an awesome machine..
Unique in that you can introduce AWM into the FM algorithm...love mine and will be keeping it even though I recently added a MODX 7 .....
As one who owned a DX5, and fairly good at programming it, I was very interested in the SY77/85 and especially the 99 when it came out. I spent a bit of time fiddling with it and found that it was definitely a challenge, but too easy to get very complex, almost non-musical sounds bordering on digital noise. The depth of the machine, and what it took to harness it's power bordered on mind-bending. The SPX900 based fx out of it were very nice.
My issue was that this came out maybe a month or so before the Kurzweil K2000, which seemed to blow everything else in the world out of the water when released. It had a generally warmer sound, many more samples and great sampling capability. But looking back, it didn't have the character the SY99 did.
I'd say to anyone with any experience in FM synthesis, grab a used SY99 if you can find one.
The DX5 is a beauty.
The SY99 is a sleeper. So much power under the hood.
SY77/TG77 is in the same ballpark
@@benfactor (yes we know this is a late reply)... More than the same ballpark, the SY/TG-77 have the exact same synth engine as the '99... Only difference is the SY-99 has a better onboard efx processor, and can load user samples in the expansion boards...
I think that you can make a killer single hit starting at 8:00. Be shure!
I agree
Sounds hot. Awesome synthwave composition
awesome demo of sy 99 love it your song from 10 minutes in the video just love it :)
+Ivar Fritjof Hansen Thank you, Ivar!
A great demo of SY99. It's a big brother of the famous DX7!!! I've mainly concentrated on my beloved DX7 for a while, so I haven't used my TG77 for many years. I need to replace its LCD, find a program to convert my original DX7 patches for TG77............
Thank you. I'm pretty sure sy.factory can convert DX to SY/TG format.
Thanks for the info. I have to look into that. Cheers, Power DX7.
Thank you for sharing! I have these 2 amazing synths!!
I agree with you they are very underrated!
I love the ambient, the pads and the effects of SY77... for me they are very useful until today!
They are very inspire to me and always surprise me with their sonority!
+Novas Imagens (Cine video) Thank you! They are wonderful synthesizers.
Hi Jim, on long weekend in UK so spending time in the studio of course! Any update on your analog emulation patch banks as the '99 is great on that front..... best
Love it!!!! And... I want it!!!!
Amazing Music and programming man! Great mix and effects for sure! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jim, super demo of this utterly brilliant synth (don't forget breath control input, your own sample loading/expansions, Channel zoned Aftertouch!). Love the built-in SPX900 myself, much warmer. Any links to steps on how to mod for cool blue LCD display Jim?, as just bought one to fit of EB... happy music making :)
+the audio eng I did the display mod on both my SY99 and SY77 years ago. I do not remember the exact step by step procedure, but I do recall that it was not very difficult. The biggest hurdle was having to create a wiring harness for the new display, which I made by modifying an old IEC harddrive ribbon cable.
Ok many thanks for taking the time to reply back ... keep the 'SY' flag flying :)
Jim, I enjoyed the sounds and your playing. Can you tell me where I can find a good selection of the FM tine electric pianos this keyboard can produce?. thanks, Harry
Thanks, Harry. In what format? Hardware, software?
Loading from a floppy disk so hardware right? I sure liked the organ at the beginning of your video, how would I get that sound? Could you please send me software info also? thanks Jim
To get any of the sounds in the demo, you'd need an SY77/99 and the SYN WAVE 2 cards. Do you have an SY77 or SY99?
Jim, thanks for getting back to me. I have an SY99 with a disk drive which seems to be working well. I'm not familiar with the SYN WAVE 2 cards, are they still available for purchase? Also, any idea where I can get a selection of the FM tine electric pianos made popular in the 80"s. thanks, Harry
There are a lot of free sounds available on the web. Just do a google search for SY77 free patches (you can load SY77 sounds into the SY00 no problem). I believe there are also free programs that will convert DX7 sounds into the SY77/99 format. So you can load in the original DX7 sound banks if you want (which are also available for free on the internet via various sites).
Great demo ! Thanks for sharing 👌👍🤗
I remember that i was having two floppy 3,5 disks… one with chik coreea and the other one with greogorian choir enigma style songs
What's the song memory bank on this synth? I'm in interested in obtaining one but would like to know how many songs oner can record on it and up to how many tracks per song??
Thanks in advance
Awesome Sound at 9:15
that first pad is so lush...are those patches available also in sysex?
This Yamaha SY 99 is a 76 key version of your SY 77, isn't it? Also, it has another wheel in addition to the common pitch bend and modulation wheels, what does this one do? Check out David Berriman, for he used a DX7 played through a TG77 (the rack mount version of your SY77 synth as a ballpark organ in Tiger Stadium in 1993 and 1994), and it sounded like they never had removed their old Hammond Concorde 2307 three years prior)! He is a pianist that lives in Livonia Michigan and prefers these keyboards over organ (but from what I have heard, you would never know the difference)!
Zach LaFleur The third wheel is for whatever the sound designers wanted it for, generally opening and closing filters, panning left to right, etc. But, you can assign the wheels to whatever you'd like that's listed in the editing parameters in the Controllers section for each of the voices. Not all voices can have controller parameter editing (if there's nothing listed to edit), but almost every voice can be edited. There's also a FOURTH 'wheel', although it's in the shape of a slider. It resides just above the G3 key and it's called 'DATA ENTRY'. This has been used by many programmers, including myself, as an instant percentage mix adjustment between effects levels. Simple Wet - Dry, or more complex such as between effects Group A - Group B. This controller, too, can be assigned for many other things. I've even used MIDI cues embedded in my sequences to run lighting/fog effects, starting/stopping background vocals, switching on and off inputs on the soundboard, and change, and/or split keyboard instrumentation during live shows in order to keep my hands on the keys and no where else. MIDI is a fabulous thing once you really know how to use it to your advantage.
Zach LaFleur The SY99 us an improved and upgraded SY77. Besides the difference in keys, the 77 has 112 AWM waveforms, 99 has 267. 77 has 61 drum voices, 99 has 76. 77 has 40 effects, 99 has 63. And there are several other less obvious improvements.
Hi there! Great sounds! May I ask if you remember what you used to arpeggiate the sound at 8:00?
I'm pretty sure I just used the sequencer, copying and pasting enough bars to improvise over. If I remember correctly, I didn't even MIDI sync the drums (from the JD-Xi) to the sequencer on the SY99. I just pressed play at the right time on the JD-Xi. :)
@@JimAlfredson thanks Jim! Great work
Thanks for the info Jim, Harry
You're welcome! Best of luck!
Jim, great work. I have the TG 77, but still don't know a whole lot about it. In addition to the SYN WAVE 2 voicedata , is there a specific waveform card that you used? I started looking on ebay for the Syn Wave, but it's hard to find. Thanks!
+DWS The SYN WAV 2 is a set with a wave data card and a voice data card.
+Jim Alfredson Thanks Jim.
I used to be obsessed with getting the '99, but could never afford it, (was only ~19 at the time it was released). Today, I can easily afford one, but noone seems to ever be willing to sell... :-(
So I bought 3 SY-77s instead :-)
I have an SY77 with another one coming. I lucked out and found the SY99 about 10 years ago for $500. I snatched it up quick! :)
@@JimAlfredson I've found I'm actually rather content with the '77, would have liked the idea of loading custom samples as the '99 can do, but even without that capability the '77 has near-endless sound programming possibilities
Is there and point keeping my sy77 now that i have a 99?
Im pretty sure ive learned all the differences between the two but i dont want to sell it and find out there was something cool the 77 did that the 99 doesnt.
I also have a dx7iid, all 3 in perfect condition. I might just keep them all so i have the trilogy haha
I'd keep it unless you need the space. Why not? They are not worth all that much.
Yea thats what im thinking. Its got a case so putting it away is easy enough.
what is the preset at 0:30?
I would really appreciate if someone could help me out.
Can you link two sy99's together and use one as a "master" and the other as a "slave" so you get the sound from the both of them when you play the master? Like having 12operators in one voice
If so, how do you do this?
Yes. Page 284 in the manual. Master Control ability.
You can use the SY99 as a great master keyboard (see Jim's answer), but you can also hook up a second SY99 and have the first one play all even midi note numbers and the second one play all odd midi note numbers, allowing more or less doubling of the number of voices. Its in the manual, but do not know which page right now :)
help!!! I recently purchased WAVE 1 but no work! you now same thing? thank you :-)
Wow! You sold me on this synth..was considering buying DX7llfd but I hear about the sy77...and now the 99..
If you could have only one which would you get?
Honestly I would go for the SY99 because of the improved FX and the ability to load custom samples. And with the hardware available via sector101 (the Waveblade), that's even easier. The SY99 is a monster synth.
Jim Alfredson I doubt I will use many of the features but having there is a plus. I think I've read I it's possible to load the original DX7 patches..I'm interested in the legendary tines of course. Those patches would require a conversion?
Yes, they would require conversion. However there are great tines already in the factory presets of both the SY77 and SY99. And there is free software out there to do the conversion from the DX7 sysex.
Hi Jim, you seem to be a FM expert - so what do you think about the FS1R?
I would not call myself an expert, rather a serious fan! :) I do own an FS1r and it is a monster. I was hoping that Yamaha would put an expanded FS1r engine into the Montage, but the 8 operator engine they did include in the Montage is really nice. I don't own a Montage yet; hope to in a few years.
Anyway, the FS1r is incredibly powerful. And really hard to program without a computer editor. I have the ZeeEdit program and it is fantastic. Honestly, I haven't had much time to delve into it but I did use it on my electronic solo album In Memorandom.
I'm really hoping Steinberg / Yamaha put an FM engine into the next release of HALion.
Thanx Jim. I still own a TX802 but the FS1R obviously adds a new dimension to FM. So I´m about to buy one for one of my live rigs as I´m missing a FM synth there.
I know the TG77 pretty well and I was just wondering if it could compete with the FS1R in some way but I guess those are two totally different beasts.
Yeah, they are different. The TG77 is still a great synth. Since I made this video I acquired an original brown DX7. That was my first synth when I was a kid. I'll never forget when my father brought it home. I'd love to have a DX7II-FD or even better a DX5, but they are pricey.
The FS1r has gotten really expensive lately, too. I got mine about 10 years ago for $400. They are over $1k now.
How would you describe the difference between the TG77 and the FS1R?
Well, it's probably easier to talk about their similarities. They are both FM synths. That's about it! :)
Okay, that's an over-simplification but the TG77 is a 6 operator FM synth with a sample playback engine as well. Whereas the FS1r is 8 'voiced' operators plus 8 'unvoiced' operators and a formant filter engine. They are very different beasts, though they can make some similar sounds. The FS1r specializes in vocal type sounds that are generated in real time using the formant filters and the unvoiced operators. You can even load in your own short vocal phrases if you have the correct computer software to use as formant filters on the operators. It's very strange and unlike anything Yamaha did before or since. But it can also do all the classic DX7 sounds and in fact has an entire bank full of them from the factory.
Cool Sounds it,s a outstanding Synthesizer !! I sell my Yamaha AN1x and buy a SY 99 Synthezizer.
No dont do it.
Günter yeah..I hope you didn't just sell the single best hardware VA for an sy99. Nothing against the 99 it's great, but the anx1 is fucking amazing, and are getting rare and expensive.
Do you have yamaha sy 99 for sale?
I have it. wanna buy this? Can I know your e-mail address?
You said you're working on a back of analog emulations, creating sounds with the SY99 ?
ish233 Yeah... and by working I mean that I haven't done anything on the bank in 3 years. :)
beautiful if less then 5kg buy it
it weights 18 kilo...
Sounds fantastic, sans the drums...
This keyboad is famous only for those great sounding eps
The Rhodes emulation is better than many of the originals, sorry to the purists. I bought this keyboard just for its EP sounds :)
The drums ruined everything for me...
the older the better