Hey everyone! Just started my syntorial training. Have been putting this off for a while. I’ve considered synthesis a final frontier of sound for me. I am ready to get lost to the endless combinations now. I’d like to start with sounds similar to that on Toro Y Moi’s album Boo Boo. Any direction or guidance would be greatly appreciated!
5 years ago
Any suggestions on a sequencer to work in tandem with the DX7. Think I can get away with using my DAW?
Yes. According to VintageSynth it has MIDI In, so you should be able to play it from your DAW.
0 5 years ago Reply
Joe,
Thanks for all the well gathered info. Went out and grabbed myself the DX7 MKII FD. Plus the new Moog Sirin. Wishing I got the original DX7 now after hearing a comparison video as I noticed it has a nicer warmtg. Hoping I can emulate it with a lower cutoff 🥱🏼 I owe you one for making this so simple to explore. I do have one more question. Any suggestions on a sequencer to work in tandem with the DX7. Think I can get away with using my daw?
0 5 years ago Reply
That album has a strong 80s vibe. So first find the right drum samples. Check out this discussion on Gearslutz for an 80s drum machine:
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-and-electronic-music-production/650517-classic-drum-machines-sounds-80s.html
The synths sound like a combination of classic subtractive and FM synths. The subtractive stuff will come pretty easily to you as you progress through Syntorial. A google search showed that he's really into the Yamaha DX7 for FM stuff. Arturia makes a soft synth version:
https://www.arturia.com/dx7-v/overview
You can also get that DX vibe using other FM synths like Operator, FM8, etc.
Most of the DX7 and FM synth controls you'll be familiar with as you go through Syntorial, except for one: the oscillator Ratios. FM synths work a little differently as the different oscillators modulate each other. We cover FM later in Syntorial, but it's within a subtractive environment. I plan to cover FM Operator in a youtube video soon, but for now Reverb Machine has a helpful article on the original DX7:
https://reverbmachine.com/blog/exploring-the-yamaha-dx7
Scroll down to "Operating the DX"
0 5 years ago Reply