Yamaha PSR-36: Like a DX-7 but more FUN
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- A retrospective look at the little-known Yamaha PSR-36, a keyboard (with speakers!) that gives you al the highlights of the better-known FM synths in a much quicker and simpler way.
OMFG this brings me back! I was part of a Goth/Industrial/Electropunk DIY music collective back in the very early 90s, as super poor kids in rural Massachusetts and we had one of these in our arsenal of discarded toys, which we put to very great use by running it through a crapload of cheap guitar effects pedals.
The tones we could get out of this setup were always super lofi but absolutely incredible.I learned so much about figuring out how to express your creativity with what was at the time trash gear, and learning to work with what we had.
Those were indeed 'the days'. I don't mean to be all "back in my day, son..." but you really did have to flex your creativity back then, and inevitably your own personality would be prominent in your sounds.
Great! I got the PSR-16 yesterday and love the sound of it, especially when going through my pedalboard through the Strymon DIG and Nightsky.
Oh yeah, that would be amazing! You should do a video about that :-)
@@gearfacts i did! Albeit a very short one 😄🎶🎉
One of my favorite home keyboards - great video like always!
Thanks for watching it! :)
They work very well with MIDI. i used to hook mine up to a laptop and play midi files of popular songs through it.
I'm not sure the sound chip(s) aren't the same, or at least very-similar, to the ones used in popular sound-cards of the day.
hi ! I just bought one recently and wanted to know how could I play it through Ableton and what kind of jack I need to connect it with my computer or audio sound card ? thanks
@@lewynmirror i connected mine via a kaoss pad [using rca], kaoss pad to AI, AI to pc, pc to daw.. easy
@@Dickgoodbody THANKS ! so basically I need an RCA if i already have my soundcard and pc ready ? Don't know what is AI tho
@@lewynmirror AI = Audio Interface [Focusrite, etc]... RCA's can also go direct into AI [RCA's / left/right to 1/4 inch jack plugs left/right [Jack to AI].. but if you connect to kaoss pad/s [rca to rca] then you can make loops with the PSR-36 and use the onboard kaoss pad percussion to set the tempo/bpm's which you can't do on the PSR-36 hence the chain is as follows: rca out from psr-36 to rca [in] kaoss pad, rca [out] from kaoss pad to jack [in] AI
My favourite PSR keyboard and with the synth feature it can make some very interesting sounds. I was lucky to puck one up for just £10 a few years ago. It really is quite a unique instrument. Thanks for your as usual excellent and enthusiastic review.
Very nice bargain there - 10 quid!
My PSS-470 last year was £4. It was just the keyboard though. Not quite as much to change as PSR-36 of course but it is one of the actually interesting ones you would group together with it. No midi either though.
@@bangerbangerbro The PSR-36 does have MIDI support. And modifications are available for the PSS-470 that make it MIDI capable.
@@OpenGL4ever Oh OK.
This video was uploaded 12 hrs ago but it’s like 12 years old. Great synth btw.
Yep it's a mashup of old videos I made. The story needed to be re-told!
I still have it and i think it's one of the best FM keyboards. If it only had touch response or receive it through midi... sadly not :(
A proud owner of this timeless 80's FM classic, which is capable of absolutly amazing sounds & textures as well as basic midi support, picked one up in mint condition with the original silver soft case in 2019 on the island here! The combinations of settings are virtually limitless in my opinion. 😊
Well, maybe not limitless, but at least 300,096 🙃
Hey KoSMiX!
The PSR-36 has long been my favourite "home keyboard". The only thing that would make it better would be a transpose switch.
PSR-41 is identical to the 36 with the addition of a melody sequencer and transposer!
Thank God it hast MIDI: From time to time I dig my two PSR-36 out & detune them slightly. That poly-rhythmnic wall of sound is hard to describe then. The synth sliders are true magic even more If 2 synth sounds get layered. The only disadvanrage is lack of velocity.
I had one and sold it due to a move . I hope I can get another one !
I finally I got one, very cheap. I love the "digital synthesizer" fader functions. So 80s synth but Also ambient. Can't wait to combine it with my zoom ms70cdr ❤
Nice! Enjoy it, I love mine. The value of these things have exploded for some reason. It has some FAT bass tones too, the wah brass setting with the digital synthesizer modifying it slaps so hard
Love all that retro gear!
I totally agree@@johnbean2596
Yes it's a kind of magic that never left@@gearfacts
I recently picked up a PSR-41 for super cheap at a yard sale. They didn't know what they had!
Hmm I didn't even know there was a PSR-41. I'll have to look out for one :)
They are the same only difference is the PSR-41 has both a "Melody recorder" and the "Chord recorder" found in the PSR-36.
I love it. A lot of fun with this keyboard. I am thinking to sell it...but ... I' ll loose my fun...cause my other keyboards...are not so funny....except Yamaha DJXII...and maybe the Roland (MC 909 no keyboard)...but ..both are not same as Yamaha psr 36....there is no comparison . Yamaha psr 36 its a straight forward 2op fm synth keyboard. Press on/play.
Hello, it certainly is a mean machine very good for its time and would sound fantastic put through an EFX processor.
Hi! How would you compare the sound of the PSR-36 with the Yamaha PSS-460/470/570? I have a 470 and it sounds almost analog like, possibly due to the chorus effect. I also have a PSS-580, but I prefer the digital warmth of the 470. Would like to pick up a PSR-36. I'm considering getting a PSR-36, but I'm concerned that it might have too much overlap with my 470/580. By the way, if you haven't already, take a look at the MEGAfm by Twisted Electrons. It has easily become my desert island synth.
Similar , yes. Those FM sound generators have a distinct sound.
Nice score!
Hi gearfacts when are you going to make a video about the Kong i5s keyboard
Imagine if they had stuck the FM section found in this into the PSR-E473
That would be giving us too much, haha :( But yeah it would be great
Hi, friend. Consultation I have this fm synth and I am very satisfied, I am a bassist and I wanted it to complement my musical production. I'm looking at the microkorg mk1 but I'm not sure it's a much higher quality leap than the yamaha in terms of sounds, not in terms of performance, can you advise me? millions of thanks
Hi :) They are completely different kinds of synthesizers but I think most people would agree that the microkorg will give you much better sounds. No beats, though.
@@gearfacts Thank you very much for the answer, greetings from Argentina
wow. this is way better than my PSR-170. is this a later moddle? never heard of this synth til now.
It's from around the same time, but it's a completely different class/type of keyboard. I don't know why Yamaha put it in the PSR range, it's really not part of that family.
Yamaha psr 36 is 1988 r. and based on FM synthesis, psr 170 is much later model, released in 2001, and based on standard samples.
can you elaborate on how it's like a DX-7?
It’s Yamaha-flavored FM synthesis, just diluted. It was cheaper and more accessible to the amateur market.
Full cheesy sound, fm4op, I love it
2 op i thought?
not 4op. Very possibly dual 2op because of that detune.
Who is Best? Casio ct 670 or Yamaha psr 36?
Very hard decision! I think I'd choose the Casio. Maybe.
Thank you so much
@@benjaminmaldonado3476 Actually I just went back and had a look at my Casio CT670 video. I just love that keyboard, and even though the PSR-36 is a bit more 'advanced" I would still choose the Casio just for its crazy, fun approach :)
Would be great to hear how normal piano sounds..
It wouldn't, I can assure you.
Is there a headphone jack with this model?
Yep
Hi gearfacts did you see the Casio ctk 810 keyboard
Yep. I have a CTK800 that I could do
@@gearfacts you haven't done the ctk 810 yet
Hi gearfacts I think the Yamaha pss 460 sounds better
Very similar sound engine, yep. And the PSS680, another classic :)
it has stereo symphonic, but the psr 36 has detune, which is quite similar and you can adjust it
And the PSS 570 has all of them beat
@@Am71919 not sure, it has mini keys
@@keyhoarder isn't 570 basically same as 470, but a different colour or something? I know the 480 and 580 have no sliders but deeper parameter control?
@50€ on eBay Germany 😉👍😎
Bargain :)
so buy it before it gets more expensive
@@gearfacts Really? That is a lot for a low end keyboard this old?
@@bangerbangerbro It's more than an average keyboard though, it has a lot of rare FM synth capabilities.
@@gearfacts Yes, but it isn't that far and away superior to a 470 or similar, other than midi I guess which makes a big difference.
🤯 LOL
Yup, it is what it is. Hey I liked that Joan Jett cover btw, it was really good
@@gearfacts Thanks! We saw Joan Jett here in Septemberfest concert - she was awesome. The audio on the video was a test with the rhythm guitar with a metallic grind scooped effect.
@@dawnr8511 Wow Joan is still playing gigs? That is so Joan!
Стремный аппарат!
Very rough :)
Hi gearfacts can you please take a look at your email take a look at the Casio ctk 810