Great overview (and thanks for sharing the list!) Still don't get why they didn't at least have an official list of the presets. Seems like an unforced error on Yamaha's part.
To dump the current patch (to save an edit to your PC/Mac, instead of SoundMondo), paste this into the midi Out / sysex window of Bome's SendSX or MIDI-OX, or equivalent: F0 43 20 7F 1C 05 0E 0F 00 F7 - and save that as a sysex (.syx) file to use again. When you send it, the Reface DX responds by sending the currently loaded patch - save that as a sysex file, so you can load it in again. When you load it back to the Reface DX, it goes into the edit buffer, so you'll then need to store it to one of the 32 voice slots, if you want to keep it on the synth. In their less than infinite wisdom, Yamaha decided we don't need a menu item to dump out a patch, because we all have iPads and use Chrome, and are permanently connected to the cloud by wifi...
Does this have all the same original 32 sounds from the DX7? I understand that they’ll sound slightly different due to the 4-op, but I’m not gonna get it unless it has all the sounds.
UPDATE: Never mind. It only has the electric piano and the tubular bells. What a rip-off. I’m gonna get the original DX7 or at least something similar.
I read someone saying (without any evidence) that only 10% of DX7 owners ever cracked open the patch programming and I bet that is actually true. I tried once; just once.
I replaced most of my factory patches with nicer patches found on SoundMondo. Any patch is easy to tweak with the decent DX interface. The DX can save 32 patches.
Read the older comments. I typed them out, about two years ago. FWIW, the presets are all over-writeable, and you can back them up first. I use Bome's Send SX, in Windows, to do that.
Had an original DX7 in the '80's (didn't everyone) and managed to make some amazing, sonically beautiful and a few very strange timbres - so far this mini DX sounds horrible - it's giving me a headache. Back in the 70's and 80's I tried to sculpture musical sounds out of all sorts of synths but there seems to be a new trend in music where any electronic sound is a good sound - my headache does not agree .
It's got a lot closer to that 180 Euros, if you shop around. It's a fun synth, less buggy than the Reface CP, and a lot more versatile. You can edit the sounds remarkably easily, which is one of the main things I like about it - it's even pretty intuitive. Martin Tarenskeen has provided a huge collection of 4 op patches from older synths, converted to work with it too: home.kpn.nl/m.tarenskeen/download/sysex/RefaceDX/RefaceDX.html
I play guitar and ukulele - almost equally badly. Size is only important to some. I've never heard anyone say "This ukulelele fretboard is too small! Why, oh why, didn't they make it guitar sized? Are these things built for midgets?"
To each their own, but this is one of my favorite synths for playing lead at live gigs and jams due to its form factor, ease of creating sounds from scratch and modifying them on the fly, and the ability to use it as a keytar with the great little pitch bend stick right where your left hand can easily access it. I just used a couple of strong zip ties to attach a simple strap to it, and this thing is the keytar of my dreams. You can even easily warp the FM ratios and algorithms while you play. but yeah, the keys take a little while to get used to and if you're not interested in creating FM synths from scratch, I could see it being far less appealing.
Good demo, and a useful reference for the factory presets. Thanks.
There doesn't seem to be an official list of them, so I've typed the names out, as I watched this video:
1-1 DigiChord
1-2 WobbleBass
1-3 MotionPad
1-4 LegendEP
1-5 DynaLead
1-6 DarkBass
1-7 TubularBell
1-8 D'n'Beats
2-1 BeginSweep
2-2 MoDemLead
2-3 DeepBass
2-4 BitTune
2-5 TinPerc
2-6 BleepClv
2-7 FeelIt
2-8 BuzzSiren
3-1 WoodEP
3-2 UniLead
3-3 AttackBass
3-4 CloudPad
3-5 AmbiPluck
3-6 Marimba
3-7 CheezOrgan
3-8 FM Brass
4-1 SolPhase
4-2 FlyinKode
4-3 AlTiPad
4-4 StarPad
4-5 WarmPad
4-6 FutureBell
4-7 GlassHarp
4-8 Chopper
Oh wow, thank you!
You're welcome :)
Great overview (and thanks for sharing the list!) Still don't get why they didn't at least have an official list of the presets. Seems like an unforced error on Yamaha's part.
a lot of the sounds on the Nick Cave album "Ghosteen" are from this synth
To dump the current patch (to save an edit to your PC/Mac, instead of SoundMondo), paste this into the midi Out / sysex window of Bome's SendSX or MIDI-OX, or equivalent:
F0 43 20 7F 1C 05 0E 0F 00 F7
- and save that as a sysex (.syx) file to use again.
When you send it, the Reface DX responds by sending the currently loaded patch - save that as a sysex file, so you can load it in again.
When you load it back to the Reface DX, it goes into the edit buffer, so you'll then need to store it to one of the 32 voice slots, if you want to keep it on the synth.
In their less than infinite wisdom, Yamaha decided we don't need a menu item to dump out a patch, because we all have iPads and use Chrome, and are permanently connected to the cloud by wifi...
Thank you i found this video very very useful 👍👍👍👍
The DynaLead is so great,warm, fat sounding lead tone.Love it.
Sounds even better with a bit of chorus on it and a little feedback.
Excited to see the DX through distortion pedals!
Setting both the onboard effects to distortion is fun!
Put it through a Marshall supervibe chorus and turn off the inferior onboard chorus and you will have an eargasm.
I'm too lazy to watch the whole video...but can someone tell me if there's a good fender rhodes type sound?
Does this have all the same original 32 sounds from the DX7? I understand that they’ll sound slightly different due to the 4-op, but I’m not gonna get it unless it has all the sounds.
It won’t for that exact reason. I’m not sure if it has anything from Yamaha’s 4-op FM synths though or if they can be loaded to the Reface easily.
UPDATE: Never mind. It only has the electric piano and the tubular bells. What a rip-off. I’m gonna get the original DX7 or at least something similar.
3:32 ¿Are you lowkey playing Zelda's Lullaby?
Did you play all presets? I thought, there must be a harp sound in the DX.
Yeah, these are all the stock presets.
Some really nice, and some really crappy factory patches. Luckily the DX is easier to program than the original DX7.
Yeah, overall they show what the strengths are with these types of synths. But it is all about getting stuck in and programming it.
I quite like the way some of the patches are totally useless - it removed any dilemma about which ones to overwrite, to get started on editing :)
I read someone saying (without any evidence) that only 10% of DX7 owners ever cracked open the patch programming and I bet that is actually true. I tried once; just once.
I replaced most of my factory patches with nicer patches found on SoundMondo. Any patch is easy to tweak with the decent DX interface. The DX can save 32 patches.
How many are polyphonic versus monophonic? Anyone? Thanks
I'm looking for a voice list, instead I got answers to questions I never asked. It's a big secret, what preset sounds are in the Reface DX....
A Modx6 will be overqualified to me...
Read the older comments. I typed them out, about two years ago.
FWIW, the presets are all over-writeable, and you can back them up first. I use Bome's Send SX, in Windows, to do that.
Thanks for making this demo of the DX!
Are these chords you play (22:00) from a song ?
Yeah
open.spotify.com/track/2Gw3j70nqdxL81ZzHBR1RB
] Duplan [ - 1st four chords are the same as one of the tunes from the Amelie soundtrack if that's what you were thinking of
Oh wow! Had not noticed this.
My friends tell me I'm border line autistic with how quickly I hear these things, so i wouldn't worry about it, I'm just a freak apparently haha
There are only so many notes, and so many chords. They all get repeated, eventually. Best not to worry about it :)
13:20 yeah sunburn
None of those are usable really imo. But I’ve heard this sounding badass after some tweaking 👍
.....a lot of tweaking >.>
Had an original DX7 in the '80's (didn't everyone) and managed to make some amazing, sonically beautiful and a few very strange timbres - so far this mini DX sounds horrible - it's giving me a headache. Back in the 70's and 80's I tried to sculpture musical sounds out of all sorts of synths but there seems to be a new trend in music where any electronic sound is a good sound - my headache does not agree .
One of the crappiest products Yamaha has ever made. Luckily it comes with a free dwarf to play the tiny keys.
It's got a lot closer to that 180 Euros, if you shop around.
It's a fun synth, less buggy than the Reface CP, and a lot more versatile. You can edit the sounds remarkably easily, which is one of the main things I like about it - it's even pretty intuitive.
Martin Tarenskeen has provided a huge collection of 4 op patches from older synths, converted to work with it too:
home.kpn.nl/m.tarenskeen/download/sysex/RefaceDX/RefaceDX.html
I play guitar and ukulele - almost equally badly. Size is only important to some.
I've never heard anyone say "This ukulelele fretboard is too small! Why, oh why, didn't they make it guitar sized? Are these things built for midgets?"
Mine didn't include the free dwarf :(
Damn! I really want that free dwarf, now.
To each their own, but this is one of my favorite synths for playing lead at live gigs and jams due to its form factor, ease of creating sounds from scratch and modifying them on the fly, and the ability to use it as a keytar with the great little pitch bend stick right where your left hand can easily access it. I just used a couple of strong zip ties to attach a simple strap to it, and this thing is the keytar of my dreams. You can even easily warp the FM ratios and algorithms while you play. but yeah, the keys take a little while to get used to and if you're not interested in creating FM synths from scratch, I could see it being far less appealing.