Sora from thedigitalpurrgatory recently had kittens! Mazel Tov! Here we see her nursing her kittens atop the “kitten” of the Yamaha DX series, the DX100.
Sora, her kittens, and Yamaha DX100
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Sam Sam, Yamaha TX802 and TX81Z
We don’t get a lot of “CatSynth pics” of Sam Sam. But she does like this cozy little corner of the studio, especially after the recent reorganization of the studio. The rack next to her has our vintage Yamaha FM modules, the TX81Z and TX802 (with the latter turned on), along with a cassette deck that comes in handy every once in a while.
Scout, Yamaha SY-35, and Modular
Scout sits behind a Yamaha SY35 synthesizer. We also see a small modular system – we’ll leave the identification of the individual modules as an exercise for the reader.
Submitted by Carl Peczynski via our Facebook page.
The SY35 is an interesting synth among Yamaha’s SY series in that it allows one to move between FM synthesis and AWM (sampling) synthesis via the joystick, a bit like the “vector synthesis” found in the Prophet VS.
Murdock and Daisy-Mae, Yamaha Clavinova
Murdoch and Daisy-Mae enjoy sitting in a bright spot atop a Yamaha Clavinova digital piano. The issue of Sound on Sound sitting on the music holder features the UDO Super Gemini.
Submitted by Pete Dolan via our Facebook page.
Jasper, Yamaha DX7ii, Ensoniq ESQ1
Saruman with TR-707, Yamaha SK50D
Our pal Saruman is vibing to a synth jam featuring the Roland TR-707 drum machine and lush pads on the Yamaha SK50D synthesizer.
From Héctor Genis @hdgenis via Instagram.
Lilly and Yamaha DX21
Beautiful Lilly sits atop a Yamaha DX21 synthesizer. Behind her, we espy a Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator. (The reel-to-reel tape recorder is nice as well.)
Submitted by N3ncehead on Reddit.
Cat on my first synth, the Yamaha DX21
The DX21 was a 4-operator FM synth in Yamaha’s DX line. Not quite as powerful as the 6-operator instruments like the DX7, or the later 4-operator synths like the TX81Z, but nonetheless fully capable of complex FM synthesis. It also featured multiple layers and keyboard splits, which separated it from the other 4-operator instruments at the time like the DX27 and DX100. (Yes, there were a lot of DXs in the 1980s.)
Jam with Yamaha SK50D and Saruman
We just saw Saruman with his Yamaha SK50D, CS30, and DX7. Now we can here them being played. While Héctor Genis plays a classic synth-pop jam with lush cords, Saruman bounces around and supervises, as a cat does.
Mistie and Yamaha DX7
Mistie poses proudly atop a vintage Yamaha DX7 synthesizer. From Rob Puricelli (Pro Synth Network) via Facebook.
I think I also espy a Yamaha QX3 sequencer just to the left of Mistie.
These 1980s DX-era instruments loom large in my personal synth history, often as aspirational. We do have a couple of TX modules still in use along with our RX5 drum machine here at CatSynth HQ.
Saruman with Yamaha SK50D, CS30, and DX7
Our friend Saruman is back, and he is showing off his vintage Yamaha gear. We see a Yamaha SK50D to the left, a CS30 to the upper right, and a DX7 at the bottom. Three different types of instruments from three different periods of Yamaha’s keyboard and synth history.
Submitted by Héctor Genis (@hdgenis) via Twitter/X.