Yamaha V50
Encyclopedia
The Yamaha V50 is a digital music workstation
introduced in 1989. It combines a sequencer
, rhythm machine, a FM synthesis
- based sound module and a MIDI keyboard
.
of 8 samples. The rhythm machine contains 100 preset short rhythm patterns and allows the user to create 100 additional patterns, known as "internal patterns". The patterns can be assembled into larger rhythm songs.
. The sound unit is basically a slightly upgraded variant of the Yamaha TX81Z
module, with increased polyphony and other minor tweaks.
The synthesis unit has a 16-note polyphony and 8-instrument multitimbral
capability. The unit contains 100 preset instruments stored on ROM
and an additional 100 user-configurable sounds. Multiple sounds can be layered into so-called performances to provide more interesting sounds than one instrument could provide alone. One common way to use this feature is to include several instances of the same instrument in the same performance while detuning each of them slightly to create a "thicker" or more lively sound.
3.5" floppy drive and a memory card slot for storing and retrieving user- or third-party - created content.
The unit also has a built-in effects unit with 31 different effects such as various types of reverb and delay. Most of the effects have configurable parameters. The unit is capable of only one effect at a time, shared both by the rhythm machine and the FM synthesis unit. The ratio of the processed and unprocessed sound in the output can be configured. The processing can also be toggled off for individual channels.
Music workstation
A music workstation is an electronic musical instrument providing the facilities of:*a sound module,*a music sequencer and* a musical keyboard.It enables a musician to compose electronic music using just one piece of equipment.-History:...
introduced in 1989. It combines a sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
, rhythm machine, a FM synthesis
Frequency modulation synthesis
A 220 Hz carrier tone modulated by a 440 Hz modulating tone with various choices of modulation index, β. The time domain signals are illustrated above, and the corresponding spectra are shown below ....
- based sound module and a MIDI keyboard
MIDI keyboard
A MIDI keyboard is typically a piano-style user interface keyboard device used for sending signals or commands over a USB or MIDI cable to other devices connected and operating on the same MIDI protocol interface...
.
The sequencer
The internal sequencer has 8 tracks, with an approximate capability of 16000 notes shared between maximum of 8 songs at a time.The rhythm machine
The rhythm machine has 61 PCM samples, with polyphonyPolyphony (instrument)
Polyphony Instruments that are not capable of polyphony are monophonic.-Synthesizer:Most of early synthesizers were monophonic musical instruments which can play only one note at a time, and are often called monosynth as opposed to polysynth...
of 8 samples. The rhythm machine contains 100 preset short rhythm patterns and allows the user to create 100 additional patterns, known as "internal patterns". The patterns can be assembled into larger rhythm songs.
The sound module
The FM synthesis provided by the sound module is based on 4 operators that could be chained by selecting one of the 8 available algorithms. Each operator can generate one of the 8 available waveforms. Additionally, in each of the algorithms, operator 4 can be set to modulate itself with a configurable amount of feedbackFeedback
Feedback describes the situation when output from an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or occurrences of the same Feedback describes the situation when output from (or information about the result of) an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or...
. The sound unit is basically a slightly upgraded variant of the Yamaha TX81Z
Yamaha TX81Z
The Yamaha TX81Z is a rack-mounted frequency modulation music synthesizer, which was released in 1987. Unlike previous FM synthesizers of the era, the TX81Z was the first to employ a range of oscillator waveforms other than just sine waves, giving it its unique, grating timbre...
module, with increased polyphony and other minor tweaks.
The synthesis unit has a 16-note polyphony and 8-instrument multitimbral
Multitimbral
Monotimbral is usually used in reference to electronic synthesisers which can produce a single timbre at a given pitch upon pressing a single or multiple keys .An electronic musical instrument may be...
capability. The unit contains 100 preset instruments stored on ROM
Read-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
and an additional 100 user-configurable sounds. Multiple sounds can be layered into so-called performances to provide more interesting sounds than one instrument could provide alone. One common way to use this feature is to include several instances of the same instrument in the same performance while detuning each of them slightly to create a "thicker" or more lively sound.
The keyboard
The V50 keyboard consists of 61 keys, covering 5 octaves. It supports both velocity sensitivity and aftertouch. The MIDI transmit channel of the keyboard is configurable. Wheels for pitch bend and modulation control are provided on the left side of the keys.Other features
The V50 has both a double densityDouble density
Double density, often shortened DD, is a capacity designation on magnetic storage, usually floppy disks. It describes the use of an encoding of information, which can encode on average twice as many bits per time unit compared to single density...
3.5" floppy drive and a memory card slot for storing and retrieving user- or third-party - created content.
The unit also has a built-in effects unit with 31 different effects such as various types of reverb and delay. Most of the effects have configurable parameters. The unit is capable of only one effect at a time, shared both by the rhythm machine and the FM synthesis unit. The ratio of the processed and unprocessed sound in the output can be configured. The processing can also be toggled off for individual channels.