rlr (06/02/82)
The latest issue of Music & Sound Output contains a pictorial article on the proliferation of those new miniature musical "toys" that are flooding the music marketplace. We are not talking about Emenee toy pianos & Magnus chord organs. These are major advances in modern technology, "toys" containing things like sequencers & full synthesizer programmability, things that <5 years ago were considered expensive add-ons to regular synthesizers, that can now fit in your pocket (well, almost). Now they haven't reduced the Fairlight digital synth to wallet size yet. (I mean both the physical dimensions of the wallet and the size of its contents.) But there are a number of these devices (I'll no longer call them toys) available today at reasonable prices, including: NAME BRAND MODELS COST ---- ----- ------ ---- Casiotone Casio M10,VL5,VL-Tone,MT-xx,consoles ~$40--$n00.00 Portasound Yamaha ??? $n00.00 (?) Producer Yamaha mini synthesizer, mixer, amp ???? Minisynth E-H new model w/echo and pitchbend $100-$200 Dr. Rhythm Boss DR-55 (division of Roland) ~$100 R'thm Composer Roland TR-808 ~$700 Drumatix Roland TR-606 (miniature of TR-808) ~$300 Bassline Roland TR-303 (bass sequencer w/TR606) same price as Drumatix Synsonic Drums Mattel 4 drum pads + sequencer $150 (LIST!) Most people have probably seen the Casiotones, which range from basic 8-note polyphonic organs to little devices with sequencers and rhythm boxes, from tiny finger keyboards to full size consoles. Yamaha's Portasounds are supposed to be their competition, but their Producer series (with a real (?) synth) looks more interesting. The Minisynth is pretty outdated (with a flat touch- plate keyboard and minimal control), especially considering what's out there. All the rhythm boxes mentioned are programmable, in the sense that the user selects what beats he/she wants each drum to play on during the course of a measure (pattern), and the patterns are recallable for playback. For the most part, one does not press a button that says "SLOW ROCK 1" and play along. I think the memories on all of these (maybe not the Mattel) are non-volatile; the patterns are saved when the power's off. The Rhythm Composer obviously is the most sophisticated, w/individual outputs for bass drum, snare, tomtoms (tune- able), cymbals, handclaps, etc. Drumatix is a smaller version of this w/fewer capabilities, and the Bassline is its companion, a bass line sequencer. All of these allow patterns to be sequenced together to play entire songs or tracks, something not available on the Dr. Rhythm. The Mattel Synsonics Drums unit is interesting in that it is the only drum synthesizer/sequencer of its kind with actual drum pads that are struck to produce sound (i.e. percussion!). The pads are for snare, 2 tomtoms, and a cymbal/hi-hat. There is limited sequencing and patterning. Considering its price, especially as opposed to the price of real and/or electronic drums currently available, it looks interesting. (The bass drum sound seems only to serve as a metronome.) One thing about just about all of these: as you get both more sophisticated and smaller, buttons/knobs must do "double duty" to implement the additional functions; e.g., 16 buttons representing the 16 beats in a measure may also represent the 16 available pattern memories in another programming mode. This can be (IS) confusing, but should not put you off about a machine. Apparently once you get used to the contorted configuration, it's second nature. Plus there are miniature electric guitars with tiny/built-in (self-contained) amps to numerous to mention. I am wondering how many people out there have used or looked at any of these devices. I currently own the MiniSynth (not used often), the Dr. Rhythm, and the Casiotone M-10. I am interested in the Drumatix, the Casiotone VL series (with builtin sequencers), and possibly the new Yamaha Producer series and the Mattel Synsonics Drums. Anyone out there with experiences/opinions regarding these "toys"? Please respond to me and NOT the net. I will summarize if appropriate. (I'm also interested in info on those mini guitars I've described---Chiquita, etc.) Rich Rosen pyuxjj!rlr P.S. I'm also willing to pass on further info that I have to those ineterested.
rlr (06/02/82)
The latest issue of Music & Sound Output contains a pictorial article on the proliferation of those new miniature musical "toys" that are flooding the music marketplace. We are not talking about Emenee toy pianos & Magnus chord organs. These are major advances in modern technology, "toys" containing things like sequencers & full synthesizer programmability, things that <5 years ago were considered expensive add-ons to regular synthesizers, that can now fit in your pocket (well, almost). Now they haven't reduced the Fairlight digital synth to wallet size yet. (I mean both the physical dimensions of the wallet and the size of its contents.) But there are a number of these devices (I'll no longer call them toys) available today at reasonable prices, including: NAME BRAND MODELS COST ---- ----- ------ ---- Casiotone Casio M10,VL5,VL-Tone,MT-xx,consoles ~$40--$n00.00 Portasound Yamaha ??? $n00.00 (?) Producer Yamaha mini synthesizer, mixer, amp ???? Minisynth E-H new model w/echo and pitchbend $100-$200 Dr. Rhythm Boss DR-55 (division of Roland) ~$100 R'thm Composer Roland TR-808 ~$700 Drumatix Roland TR-606 (miniature of TR-808) ~$300 Bassline Roland TR-303 (bass sequencer w/TR606) same price as Drumatix Synsonic Drums Mattel 4 drum pads + sequencer $150 (LIST!) Most people have probably seen the Casiotones, which range from basic 8-note polyphonic organs to little devices with sequencers and rhythm boxes, from tiny finger keyboards to full size consoles. Yamaha's Portasounds are supposed to be their competition, but their Producer series (with a real (?) synth) looks more interesting. The Minisynth is pretty outdated (with a flat touch- plate keyboard and minimal control), especially considering what's out there. All the rhythm boxes mentioned are programmable, in the sense that the user selects what beats he/she wants each drum to play on during the course of a measure (pattern), and the patterns are recallable for playback. For the most part, one does not press a button that says "SLOW ROCK 1" and play along. I think the memories on all of these (maybe not the Mattel) are non-volatile; the patterns are saved when the power's off. The Rhythm Composer obviously is the most sophisticated, w/individual outputs for bass drum, snare, tomtoms (tune- able), cymbals, handclaps, etc. Drumatix is a smaller version of this w/fewer capabilities, and the Bassline is its companion, a bass line sequencer. All of these allow patterns to be sequenced together to play entire songs or tracks, something not available on the Dr. Rhythm. The Mattel Synsonics Drums unit is interesting in that it is the only drum synthesizer/sequencer of its kind with actual drum pads that are struck to produce sound (i.e. percussion!). The pads are for snare, 2 tomtoms, and a cymbal/hi-hat. There is limited sequencing and patterning. Considering its price, especially as opposed to the price of real and/or electronic drums currently available, it looks interesting. (The bass drum sound seems only to serve as a metronome.) One thing about just about all of these: as you get both more sophisticated and smaller, buttons/knobs must do "double duty" to implement the additional functions; e.g., 16 buttons representing the 16 beats in a measure may also represent the 16 available pattern memories in another programming mode. This can be (IS) confusing, but should not put you off about a machine. Apparently once you get used to the contorted configuration, it's second nature. Plus there are miniature electric guitars with tiny/built-in (self-contained) amps to numerous to mention. I am wondering how many people out there have used or looked at any of these devices. I currently own the MiniSynth (not used often), the Dr. Rhythm, and the Casiotone M-10. I am interested in the Drumatix, the Casiotone VL series (with builtin sequencers), and possibly the new Yamaha Producer series and the Mattel Synsonics Drums. Anyone out there with experiences/opinions regarding these "toys"? Please respond to me and NOT the net. I will summarize if appropriate. (I'm also interested in info on those mini guitars I've described---Chiquita, etc.) Rich Rosen pyuxjj!rlr P.S. I'm also willing to pass on further info that I have to those interested.