Conference napalm::commusic_v1

               The following is  the  writeup  in  Musician  Magazine,
          March 1985, of Yamaha's CX5M computer system.

                              All typos are mine.

                - Rick
                 ----------------------------------------------
                       DEVELOPMENTS, by Jock Baird, p. 86

               Music computer software has come on with  a  vengeance,
          and  most  likely  you're more than ready to MIDI up to your
          own Apple, Commodore, IBM PC,  Yamaha...   Yamaha??!!   Yes,
          the major music manufacturer has decided to build and market
          an under-$500 computer, the CX5M, two  inexpensive  keyboard
          controllers and a library of software.  Their secret weapon?
          The same digital FM voice generation that's been making such
          a  big noise in their vaunted DX series synths.  When hooked
          up with their full scale remote keyboard, the YK-10 (all  of
          $200)  or  the  smaller YK-01 ($100), the basic system gives
          you forty-six pre-programmed eight-note polyphonic FM voices
          (yes,  you  can  split the keyboard), a real-time sequencer,
          and an  automatic  bass  and  rhythm  pattern  accompaniment
          system.

               The CX5M picks up potency when you load on of the first
          four  $50  (more  coming)  software  cassette programs.  The
          Voicing program gives you precise  control  in  editing  and
          creating  your  own  sound library.  The DX7 Voicing program
          lets you program DX7 synths with your parameters shown right
          on the video monitor, simplifying complex setups.  The Music
          Composer program gives you eight monophonic  voices  written
          on an on-screen music staff.  There's full control over time
          signatures, dynamics, phrasing - even exotic  commands  like
          sforzando,  legato  and  fermata.  The Music Composer system
          also  drives  other  MIDI  connected  keyboards   and   drum
          machines.   Compositions  and patches can be off-loaded into
          data cassettes.

               The CX5M is a real Z-80  based  computer,  despite  its
          musical  prime  directives.   It's got Microsoft's MSX BASIC
          built right in - the Music Macro program lets you write your
          own   BASIC   programs,   even   incorporating   games   and
          audio-visual  effects  using  FM  synthesis.   And  it  does
          computer  nuts  and bolts work like word processing, filing,
          business applications, games, even graphics.

               Yamaha's    groundbreaking    move    into     computer
          manufacturing   may  have  been  speeded  by  their  growing
          frustration with the Personal Composer system (mentioned  in
          this  month's "Software City").  A Yamaha spokesman admitted
          the Jim  Miller  system,  which  has  knocked  out  N.A.M.M.
          reviewers  for  two  shows  now,  was plagued by operational
          glitches that finally forced Yamaha  to  drop  the  project.
          The  new  CX5M  system,  which  allows  a  musician into the
          computer universe for under $700, may prove to be a far more

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          revolutionary replacement.

	For those of you who would like to hear about the CX5M
	slightly rephrased....... (sorry, I spent the time typing
	it in, because I hadn't read the previous notes)


	Taken from March 1985 MIX magazine.

	Introduced at last month's NAMM show in Anaheim,
CA, the Yamaha CX5M Music Computer combines a Z-80
based microprocessor with an FM voiced sound synthesis
system. In addition to accepting all MSX tape and cartridge
programs from Microsoft, Inc., the unit uses custom Yamaha 
software for a variety of musical applications. Built-in software
accesses the synthesizer's 46 preprogrammed voices, which
can be recorded and played back via internal memory (up to
2,000 notes). An auto-accompaniment section provides bass,
rhythum and chord  patterns. With the addition of an optional
keyboard (either the full size YK-10 at $200, or the mini YK-01
at $100), the computer beomes a live performance syn-
thesizer, equipped with MIDI and a preprogrammable keyboard
split.
	Software programs available at present include: FM
Music Composer, which visually displays the notes played on
the keyboard and allows storage and printing of compositions
via a standard dot matrix or ink jet printer; FM Voicing Pro-
gram, for the manipulation of and creation of new sounds using
the computers FM synthesis system; DX7 Voicing program displays
the parameters of the voices in a visual graph form when a Ya-
maha DX7 and video monitor are connected to the computer; and
the FM Music Macro program facilitates the creation of FM
synthesis sounds for games and video applications without the 
use of a music keyboard.
	The CX5M Music Computer is priced at $469, and the
software described above are $50 each. Optional accessories 
include plug-in data memory cartridges and an RF modulator
to display the omputers output on a standard Television set.

	Well there are the list prices at least


	John

	Anyone know more about the Music Composer?

	Specifically, whether it can handle rhythms which are NOT
a multiple of 2? 

	You know, triplets, quintriplets, etc. So many musical
stave oriented editors seem unable to do this.

					- Karl

Quintuplets, how about unmetered rhythm (proportional spacing/)?
TOM

Does it have a polyphonic sequencer ?  Can it drive more than one 
midi synth at the same time ?  If so how many ?  Are there any 
provisions in the sequencer software for syncing with a drum machine ?
Or with a tape click track or non-midi drum machine ?

Is the memory expandable ?  Is mass storage expandable ?

re .4
I'm afraid I don't know the musical terms so I can't check on that in the
documentation.

Re .5
The sequencer is polyphonic. About 2000 notes. The sequencer is for the internal
synth only.  The software that can talk midi lets you send it out on any
channel number so I guess It could drive 16 channels.  You would have to
write your own software to do much midi input on this machine such as syncing
with tape or drum machine.  The machine is designed to be the source of signals
and no software was provided for input.

The computer is a MSX standard machine.  There is probubly lots of software
and hardware for this machine in Japan.  But rather than looking at this
machine as a musical insterment with a computer built in, it is much more
accurate to see it as a Japanise personal computer that has a synth built
in to it.  In fact the synth is a box about 3" square by 1" deep that plugs
into the underside of the standard MSX computer.  It would not supprise me
if YAMAHA sells it as a computer add on in Japan.  Much more software is
needed before this computer will be usefull to the pro-musican.

Mike.

    I can offer somehelp and information regarding the CX5M computer
    if in fact this note is still 'active' I also added a new note(#624).
    As I am a new employee I was no sure id people were still reading
    a note that is this old or not.
    
    Anyway, I have owned the Cx5M for almost 2 years and have done quite
    a lot of (tedious) work with it. I have also upgraded the sound
    unti to the new SFG-05 model plus gotten a disk drive and the new
    software versions for the new synth unit.
    
    If I can be of any help please let me know.