It's already a computer! And actually, Yamaha made some computers in the MSX standard. Lots of Japanese manufacturers made MSXes, and Yamaha's were more musical than most. I think there was some sort of crossover stuff, either a musical keyboard for the MSX, or a computer keyboard for the synth. Something along those lines.
Good idea, but I'm afraid to say that a magnetic strip is the same as a cassette and therefore has to be stored as audio. We don't know how to decode the play-cards yet, because it's not like all cassettes that store data are encoded in the same format. Credit cards are stored in one way, and play-cards are probably stored as another way.
The Yamaha MR-1 uses the same cards. My father brought one home when I was 8 years old in 1985. I still have the MR-1 and a bunch of cards. I actually learned how to play on that "organ" and once I learned all the cards, I started making up my own songs. Eventually I became a professional musician and I travel the world playing music (mostly Hammond organ). Pretty crazy that it all started with those goofy songs on magnetic cards.
My childhood babysitter was also a Sunday school teacher, she owned one of these keyboards and I would end up playing it whenever I visited. Wish I'd been able to take formal music lessons. Thanks for bringing back a precious childhood memory.
There was an old timer who would set up the keyboard gigs at the big Sears and entertain everyone during the holidays. That keyboard was made to play Christmas tunes... Being a tech geek, that card system fascinated me to no end. I ended up finally getting a Casio PT50 but always dreamed enough lawn job money could get me that Yamaha...
The 8-Bit Keys Remix is now available to listen to on my youtube channel! :). You can also download the song from my Soundcloud which has a link in the description. Thank you very much David for using my remix in your video! Really appreciate it!
"So the only thing left to do now is to disassemble it." There was no way around it. It was inevitable. You had to. We understand, Dave. We understand.
The Square reader has a microcontroller inside it which sends digital information about an attempt to read a credit card, so what you captured is not the raw data off the card.
Are you using one of the old (unencrypted) Square readers? If you're using one of the newer ones with a chip inside, it's going to try to interpret the card data and encrypt it, which is going to completely mangle anything that isn't a credit card. I looked at your audio and it looks way too consistent in speed to be a raw recording of a manual swipe. The data itself looks pretty random but each of the first 3 blocks has the same header, and in general I don't think there's anywhere near enough data in here for a full song. I think we're seeing an encrypted message from the Square reader here, not the actual stripe data. Each of the first 3 blocks has ~1500 bits of data, of which only about ~1000 are not static padding, and ~200 at the beginning of each block are the same. The fourth block is at half the bit rate and contains exactly the same data as the third block. That makes no sense at all.
I do have Yamaha PC-100 which is similar to this one, and it's amazing indeed. There is also one more feature -- if you play the melody along with lights, the *tempo will actually adjust* to the tempo you play this melody, in real time!
I had forgot all about it, but I instantly knew what you were going to do with the note sheet. My cousin had a keyboard like this when I was just a small kid. Instant flashback. What a great video!
A keyboard I've been watching you to get your hands on is a Yamaha PSS-680. While it didn't sound particularly good, like a 2-3 operator FM synth. But it had a lot of great accompaniment options which was rather great for ideas. Also it was like a 61 key keyboard. Mini keys, yeah, but still great. BTW, mini keys are often what you see on "toy" keyboards, but a lot of pro synths and controllers now have just 2-3 octaves of mini keys. I guess studio desk space is at a premium.
I just thought of something. If this thing is expecting sound from that read head, you should be able to solder a jack directly to that to allow for external input, or to read the output of the cards maybe? Imagine if you could write a program on some old computer of the era that would be able to encode to that format. that would be crazy.
Indeed.. With a little work, it wouldn't be that hard to read all of these cards to a modern PC for archival, and then be able to send them back to a modified keyboard. It should also be possible to decode the data and play the music on just about any computer.
Great video, interesting synthesizer too. I just got a DW-8000 myself and fixed a broken key and a messed up key contacts myself. It was really fun to pull apart, clean up, and repair. Completely inspired by your videos. Tons of fun. I really like the DW-8000 too.
Bo Stout The DW-8000 is fantastic. One of my favorites (if not my favorite) of what I own. The keyboard doesn't feel great, but the sound is great, with its analog VCFs and VCAs, and the interface is actually pretty easy to use
Hey David, those square card readers output encrypted information. I recognize that sound because I did the same thing myself. You will need to disable the encryption or use a different reader like the older readers which are just a tape head connected straight to the headphone out. The one you are using is like mine. I'm trying to mod it so it plays the raw audio from the head.
Hah, I suppose it is strange for most people to have equipment like this. Maybe you won't believe me, but I use it for my custom building access control system I'm designing :)
Damn it, I had just talked myself out of buying one of these. But there is enough instruments in it that sound good with the style of music I make that i'm going to have buy one.
Really great content. Your channel and Markus Fuller's channel encouraged me to record the part exchange and internal cleaning of my Keyboard, which I will soon post on UA-cam because there is no decent video about it in Brazilian Portuguese.
"Radio style buttons," or just "radio buttons," is actually a common term for those, named for the fact that they were especially common on car radios. The circular buttons in computer software are called this as well, since depressing/activating one means popping up/deactivating another, in contrast to check boxes where two or more can be active at once.
Nice. I already knew about this one, but still haven't seen one in person. It's a lovely looking keyboard, sort of like a miniature PS-6100 or PSR-6300 (this one was released later, though) in terms of aesthetics. If you have a MK-100 and a PS-55 and/or a PC-1000 you basically have the entire sound "library" that this family has to offer. The PC models also feature that Play-card system, IIRC (as does some other smaller models).
Thanks again my man! I haven't checked out your entire catalog here but I'm hoping now that you have some videos about Commodore computer music! And your playing was very nice, but the end of your video is probably kind of indicative of exactly how inspirational this keyboard is in general. Some of those rhythms sounded like some righteous cheese, as did a couple of those tones, anyway. Thanks again!
I had the PC-100 as a kid in 1982. Think it was the first Yamaha Keyboard that was using the play-card system. What isn't shown is the "Free tempo" feature which let you "follow" the song when playing and the tempo would adjust to you playing.
Hey, I have an idea on how to make your own play cards. I have a theory that you can use a laser printer with a magnetic ink toner cartridge (the type used so you can print your own check at home for the MICR numbers) and print a stripe onto cardstock. You should then be able to read/write the magnetic stripe you just created with a simple credit card writer that you can buy off of eBay. Even if you don't want to decode the file format on your own, you could essentially back up and duplicate all of your play cards so the data doesn't get lost forever. Also, I believe the first 3 sections of 'audio' are sync tracks and the last section of audio is the data payload itself.
Just glue a magnetic stripe from a compact cassette tape. It's smaller but should work if aligned right. The read head looks like a standard compact cassette read head to me.
You should attach your own wires to the card reader that came with the cards and save all of them so that you have a backup in case the cards get ruined or someone else wants access (assuming you post your work). It would make a great mini episode. I assume it would be similar to digitizing cassette tapes using line in on modem hardware.
No worries on the lack of mulit-track recording. Creative block happens to the best of us, and whatever you do on a similar keyboard will surely sound virtually the same anyway.
an 8255, a common I/O chip of the era, 3x 8 bit ports A, B and C, with C divided in half (LO/HI nibbles [4 bits]) and used as handshaking lines for the ports A and B, or as another (I believe) bit-addressable port.
The strip has to include the rhythm and cords, but it also has info about stopping points for the rhythm when they are necessary. This means that if you had a measure in the accompanyment part of a song where all the backing instruments hit a stacato beat and then have a rest, that info is there so the drums and stuff won't run through those points.
Play card also had the advantage of seeing the music, and possibly learning something. Casio had the advantage that maybe the rom cartridges might be more durable.
Cashier: "That'll be $16.83"
Me: *swipes Yamaha play card*
Casheir: "...what?"
Me: "This purchase is definitely worth at least ONE Dancing Queen."
BRAIN POWER
200 IQ
Peter Hart you forgot a few 9‘s
Peter Hart 999999999999999…
*2000 years later*
…99999999999999999999 IQ
**infinite 9‘s* IQ
ROM, 4K RAM, an Intel 8085, a SID, and dedicated I/O? This keyboard is basically an 80's PC!
Indeed it is.. Just missing a video chip. That's what I love about these old things.
mrjakeisnumber1 I'd love to see somebody take one of these Yamahas and turn them into a computer!
It's already a computer! And actually, Yamaha made some computers in the MSX standard. Lots of Japanese manufacturers made MSXes, and Yamaha's were more musical than most. I think there was some sort of crossover stuff, either a musical keyboard for the MSX, or a computer keyboard for the synth. Something along those lines.
Ah, Yamaha CX5M. Possible others?
So true ... add a couple of thing ad you got a VIC20
2:23 - castle stage from an Amiga platform game.
"Stones" from the Ultima series.
Of course Salad Fingers would like keyboards.
Yes, a random comment on a random channel
+David Firth Hey David we need new "The news hasn't happened yet" in these crazy crazy times!!
you are the last person I was expecting to see here
Get a USB credit card reader, open notepad, and scan the card.
Good idea, but I'm afraid to say that a magnetic strip is the same as a cassette and therefore has to be stored as audio. We don't know how to decode the play-cards yet, because it's not like all cassettes that store data are encoded in the same format. Credit cards are stored in one way, and play-cards are probably stored as another way.
Now, all you have to do is to figure out how to encode a strip like that, and we can make some custom music for it. Are you game, David? :D
Sounds like a lot of research time needed!
Hehe yeah, let's do it after Planet X3 then. :D
Tbh if I had the knowledge and time to do something like that, I would probably just try to encode Africa by Toto 😂
Looks pretty similar to the Califone card master system
Maybe a job for ben heck :o he seems to dig reverse engineering stuff like that
Give us the uncompressed audio file from the Playcard strip, so we can reverse-engineer it! :D
Send me a PM and I'll email you the WAV file.
Good luck!
Should be easy. Get gnu radio and all the basic audio to data codecs are built.
Oh my god, the community around here is awesome!
Warp Overkill, mag stripe decoding is well-known
The Yamaha MR-1 uses the same cards. My father brought one home when I was 8 years old in 1985. I still have the MR-1 and a bunch of cards. I actually learned how to play on that "organ" and once I learned all the cards, I started making up my own songs. Eventually I became a professional musician and I travel the world playing music (mostly Hammond organ). Pretty crazy that it all started with those goofy songs on magnetic cards.
My childhood babysitter was also a Sunday school teacher, she owned one of these keyboards and I would end up playing it whenever I visited. Wish I'd been able to take formal music lessons. Thanks for bringing back a precious childhood memory.
There was an old timer who would set up the keyboard gigs at the big Sears and entertain everyone during the holidays. That keyboard was made to play Christmas tunes... Being a tech geek, that card system fascinated me to no end. I ended up finally getting a Casio PT50 but always dreamed enough lawn job money could get me that Yamaha...
"now let's try the stereo symphonic"
Watching this on a a monophonic phone ...
The 8-Bit Keys Remix is now available to listen to on my youtube channel! :). You can also download the song from my Soundcloud which has a link in the description.
Thank you very much David for using my remix in your video! Really appreciate it!
You're welcome. It was a good remix.
Really good remix :).
are you norwegian
dtolaas yes I am :)
Do you have a link to your SoundCloud? It seems to no longer be in the description :(
Why do I always get so mesmerized whenever I listen to "Stones" ?
I really like that sound chip, it's got character.
The reason that sheet music only has one line is because it's a lead sheet. They're common in jazz and the chord progression is notated above.
I loved the pink panther theme!!!
Is that what was playing on the Casio PT-80 keyboard?
This song is my childhood... My heart gets warmer when I hear it.
NAME NAMENAME Say what?
my childhood
I loved it so much
"So the only thing left to do now is to disassemble it." There was no way around it. It was inevitable. You had to. We understand, Dave. We understand.
Cracked a grin at the Pink Panther part.
The Square reader has a microcontroller inside it which sends digital information about an attempt to read a credit card, so what you captured is not the raw data off the card.
never saw this kind of Yamaha small portable electronic keyboards back in the day ... looks quite neat even by today standards! love it!
Are you using one of the old (unencrypted) Square readers? If you're using one of the newer ones with a chip inside, it's going to try to interpret the card data and encrypt it, which is going to completely mangle anything that isn't a credit card. I looked at your audio and it looks way too consistent in speed to be a raw recording of a manual swipe. The data itself looks pretty random but each of the first 3 blocks has the same header, and in general I don't think there's anywhere near enough data in here for a full song. I think we're seeing an encrypted message from the Square reader here, not the actual stripe data.
Each of the first 3 blocks has ~1500 bits of data, of which only about ~1000 are not static padding, and ~200 at the beginning of each block are the same. The fourth block is at half the bit rate and contains exactly the same data as the third block. That makes no sense at all.
That is an "encrypted" square reader, as the data looks identical to what mine spits out if I swipe an actual credit card.
wtf is that l o n g paragraph or something
@@TibiGamer3DS Learn to read.
@@masterkamen371 i already know how to read but its too long
I do have Yamaha PC-100 which is similar to this one, and it's amazing indeed. There is also one more feature -- if you play the melody along with lights, the *tempo will actually adjust* to the tempo you play this melody, in real time!
I had forgot all about it, but I instantly knew what you were going to do with the note sheet. My cousin had a keyboard like this when I was just a small kid. Instant flashback. What a great video!
A keyboard I've been watching you to get your hands on is a Yamaha PSS-680. While it didn't sound particularly good, like a 2-3 operator FM synth. But it had a lot of great accompaniment options which was rather great for ideas. Also it was like a 61 key keyboard. Mini keys, yeah, but still great. BTW, mini keys are often what you see on "toy" keyboards, but a lot of pro synths and controllers now have just 2-3 octaves of mini keys. I guess studio desk space is at a premium.
I really look forward to your videos on 8-bit keys and 8-bit guy! Hope to see one soon, i do recognize the amount of work you put into them.
I love the sound of old keyboards. They sound like something straight out of a video game
So glad to see a new video on the 8-Bit Keys Channel. Thank you so much for the upload. Really enjoy your content on both of your channels.
I just thought of something. If this thing is expecting sound from that read head, you should be able to solder a jack directly to that to allow for external input, or to read the output of the cards maybe?
Imagine if you could write a program on some old computer of the era that would be able to encode to that format. that would be crazy.
Indeed.. With a little work, it wouldn't be that hard to read all of these cards to a modern PC for archival, and then be able to send them back to a modified keyboard. It should also be possible to decode the data and play the music on just about any computer.
Great video, interesting synthesizer too. I just got a DW-8000 myself and fixed a broken key and a messed up key contacts myself. It was really fun to pull apart, clean up, and repair. Completely inspired by your videos. Tons of fun. I really like the DW-8000 too.
Bo Stout The DW-8000 is fantastic. One of my favorites (if not my favorite) of what I own. The keyboard doesn't feel great, but the sound is great, with its analog VCFs and VCAs, and the interface is actually pretty easy to use
Hey David, those square card readers output encrypted information. I recognize that sound because I did the same thing myself. You will need to disable the encryption or use a different reader like the older readers which are just a tape head connected straight to the headphone out. The one you are using is like mine. I'm trying to mod it so it plays the raw audio from the head.
did you try cannibalizing a cassete reader to steal it's head?
@@blendpinexus1416 No but I took one from a cassette adapter.
You do a mean Pink Panther!
I have tools for reading and writing raw magnetic stripes and would be happy to assist in further research on the play-card system if you'd like.
Hey, now you can use that gear for something other than credit card fraud!
Hah, I suppose it is strange for most people to have equipment like this. Maybe you won't believe me, but I use it for my custom building access control system I'm designing :)
Transport Layer you should make a video on it when it’s done!
Thank you for uploading this :-) The sneak peak you gave last time really got me interested, and I am so happy you pushed through with this.
Damn it, I had just talked myself out of buying one of these. But there is enough instruments in it that sound good with the style of music I make that i'm going to have buy one.
The internal structure looks like a computer.
And Amazing Play-card System :)
I will thinking about getting one of these old keyboards, the sounds are gloriously retro.
Wow this keyboard is amazing, i wish modern keyboards had things like that.
Nice video! I remember the Play-cards from a previous video, but this is the time that I finally got to see them in action!
Yay! You used my song! I also like how you sneakily extended it a bit 😁
hahah.. Yes.. It wasn't quite long enough for that one part.
I owned a PSS-450 as a kid. I used to love that keyboard.
I didn’t know Mitsubishi made computer chips. You learn something new everyday
Love your rendition of Stones from Ultima and other songs from the great series. Lifelong Ultima fan here too!
Really great content. Your channel and Markus Fuller's channel encouraged me to record the part exchange and internal cleaning of my Keyboard, which I will soon post on UA-cam because there is no decent video about it in Brazilian Portuguese.
Seeing these videos after a long day at work, just makes life worth it. Haha!
I've been so hungry to see you take apart another keyboard. Thank you so much! I love these videos so much
wow when you started to play UO I was brought back to a time . . . Thanks man
I remember using one of these.
What I found funny was that the notes played, the melody, were the same as the vocals.
"Radio style buttons," or just "radio buttons," is actually a common term for those, named for the fact that they were especially common on car radios. The circular buttons in computer software are called this as well, since depressing/activating one means popping up/deactivating another, in contrast to check boxes where two or more can be active at once.
Nice. I already knew about this one, but still haven't seen one in person. It's a lovely looking keyboard, sort of like a miniature PS-6100 or PSR-6300 (this one was released later, though) in terms of aesthetics. If you have a MK-100 and a PS-55 and/or a PC-1000 you basically have the entire sound "library" that this family has to offer. The PC models also feature that Play-card system, IIRC (as does some other smaller models).
Love it when you upload on either channel, It's the highlight of my day!
James Sayian other channel? Do tell.
My main channel is known as "The 8-Bit Guy."
I always love it when you play Stones from the Ultima series...my favorite song from that game series :)
The music box it’s so relaxing... love it
Thanks again my man! I haven't checked out your entire catalog here but I'm hoping now that you have some videos about Commodore computer music! And your playing was very nice, but the end of your video is probably kind of indicative of exactly how inspirational this keyboard is in general. Some of those rhythms sounded like some righteous cheese, as did a couple of those tones, anyway. Thanks again!
Wow, that music box sound is surprisingly good.
I got a wicked PeterDavison-DoctorWho vibe when you played the instruments of the piano.
This channel is an unlimited supply for Ultima remixes on obscure keyboards
Some great new remixes of intro music in there. Good stuff Ole-Henrik
The IG10771 was also used in the PS-25 and 55 since my Aunt’s PS-25 (which I inherited after she passed away) has many of the same voices.
I had the PC-100 as a kid in 1982. Think it was the first Yamaha Keyboard that was using the play-card system. What isn't shown is the "Free tempo" feature which let you "follow" the song when playing and the tempo would adjust to you playing.
You’re back! I love the 8-bit guy as much as the next guy, but 8-bit keys is where the REAL party is.
Something a. BIt extra in how nice this keyboard sounds. I really like it!
dude you sure took me on an ultima flashback adventure there for a minute
love when you disassemble those retro electronic devices
and see what inside,,,, 😊😊😊💗💗💗💗
Hi i am a 10 yr old kid and I love your videos on both of your channels especially your restoration vids!!!!!
Man I miss this channel. I hope it comes back soon.
Amazed by some of the stuff I learn on your ch.
Wow! That new intro music is terrific!
You should seriously do more videos of playing music, David! Thank you so much!!
I love both of your channels and you should totally do more restorations
Hey, I have an idea on how to make your own play cards. I have a theory that you can use a laser printer with a magnetic ink toner cartridge (the type used so you can print your own check at home for the MICR numbers) and print a stripe onto cardstock. You should then be able to read/write the magnetic stripe you just created with a simple credit card writer that you can buy off of eBay. Even if you don't want to decode the file format on your own, you could essentially back up and duplicate all of your play cards so the data doesn't get lost forever.
Also, I believe the first 3 sections of 'audio' are sync tracks and the last section of audio is the data payload itself.
Just glue a magnetic stripe from a compact cassette tape.
It's smaller but should work if aligned right.
The read head looks like a standard compact cassette read head to me.
The data recorded was likely just the reader trying to tell the app "read error" or "invalid".
You should attach your own wires to the card reader that came with the cards and save all of them so that you have a backup in case the cards get ruined or someone else wants access (assuming you post your work). It would make a great mini episode. I assume it would be similar to digitizing cassette tapes using line in on modem hardware.
What a nice piece of nastalgia there. So moddable as well.
You play these toys well.
A Truly Magnificent Keyboard 🎹
This channel makes me want to buy one of these keyboards to whistle along to.
2:07 Is it just me, the keyboard or his skills about playing keyboard?
The organ instrument sounds really good.
No worries on the lack of mulit-track recording. Creative block happens to the best of us, and whatever you do on a similar keyboard will surely sound virtually the same anyway.
What?! You already have a video on the MK-100? How have I missed it? My childhood favourite. I will run there and be right back.
I'm not a keyboard expert at all, but that PCS-500 has a great sound. Good video, hope to see more soon.
i wish you could do a compilation of the songs you know, i love listening to the tunes in your videos
Just bought one of these thanks to this amazing review!
Could you please put the musics your playing on your Keyboards in the Future in the Description? Would actually be nice :D
The oboe is oh-boy!
Oh-boyitdefdontsoundlikeanoboe
fitemecunt I feel like none of the instruments sound like the real ones...
an 8255, a common I/O chip of the era, 3x 8 bit ports A, B and C, with C divided in half (LO/HI nibbles [4 bits]) and used as handshaking lines for the ports A and B, or as another (I believe) bit-addressable port.
I think this is my favorite intro so far
I really enjoyed this video, cheers 8Bit guy.
So I've been watching your videos for a few years now and I have one question:
What is your favourite computer game and why is it Ultima VII?
I love that you can play the Ultima music.
The strip has to include the rhythm and cords, but it also has info about stopping points for the rhythm when they are necessary. This means that if you had a measure in the accompanyment part of a song where all the backing instruments hit a stacato beat and then have a rest, that info is there so the drums and stuff won't run through those points.
2:06 STONES!!! Lovely choice of song!
Awww .. love the musical part a lot. Great video
Play card also had the advantage of seeing the music, and possibly learning something. Casio had the advantage that maybe the rom cartridges might be more durable.
Pink Panther Theme was really nice with the sax.
I love this channel. It needs more subs. Let's get David another UA-cam Play button!
I'm sorry you couldn't come up with a song this time, that's my favorite part!
Dang the wega surround sound on my trinitron really brings out the sound
Your pink panther was SWEET
PT-180 is my first keyboard. Nostalgic. :)
Dude, when you start the pink panther theme, i started snapping my fingers along and bobbing my head. :D
Thank you for blessing us with this new golden apple of a video 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
minecraft is bad
Blue Dragon why tho
Blue Dragon And that relates to...
That moment when the old commercial for the PCS-500 starts playing "La Bamba" my inner mexican roots started dancing...