From: dce@smsc.sony.com (David Elliott) Subject: Re: synth modules TX81Z, FB01, ... Date: 18 Oct 91 17:40:26 GMT In article <1991Oct18.105008.7766@cs.ruu.nl>, ajlijnse@cs.ruu.nl (Bart Lijnse) writes: |> The TX-81Z is an old DX-like module. The sounds are generated via |> FM-modulation and can be editted. FM-modulation is very good in making sounds |> like organs,bells, basses, electric piano's ,flutes, horns, trumpets, etc. |> With FM-modulation you cannot make drums, piano's (real) and other 'real' |> intruments. (or very poor ones) The TX-81Z is able to play 8 notes on 8 |> midi-channels at once and has a effect-unit build in. While this is accurate, it's a little incomplete. The TX81Z is a 4-operator FM synth, but, unlike the older DX/TX synths, the operators can be more complex than sine waves, making it possible to make some more complex sounds. The sounds are still "thinner" than the 6-operator synths, but it's still a great-sounding machine. It's true that the TX81Z doesn't make very realistic sounding drums and pianos, but the ones it does make are quite interesting. As with any synthesizer, it depends on what types of sounds you are after. The performance mode is a bit more complex than just being able to play 8 notes on 8 MIDI channels. Basically, there are 8 'slots', each of which has a patch, MIDI channel, number of voices, output selection, volume, modulation, note range, transposition, and a couple of other parameters. The effects unit is not strictly an effects unit. What it does is to use a pair of voices to simulate a single voice with a delay. It can be useful, but I find it easier to do the same thing with Megalomania or MAX, and I have more control over the process. Overall, the TX81Z is considered to have very good price/performance. In the last two usenet synth polls, the TX81Z was by far the most popular unit (even more so when combined with the FB-01 and DX-11). I've owned one since 1989, and I owned two at one time (I replaced one with a K3m -- sorry Ben). |> The FB-01, never seen, never heard, no opinion. The FB-01 is essentially a TX81Z without front-panel editing, with a different set of patches, and a few other features missing. -- ...David Elliott ...dce@smsc.sony.com | ...!{uunet,mips}!sonyusa!dce ...(408)944-4073 ..."Art is never fair" - paa