The sequencer sounds very similar to the one in my RM1x.

- yes i started out making music on it in the year 2004 or there abouts

- it is a yamaha qy20

- it has a pattern mode which can make patterns of up to eight bars in length with four channels, one of which must be DRUMS
it has a song mode which you can stitch together as many patterns as you'd like (there are room for 100 user patterns), and you can also sequence the chords here, which automatically transposes the current pattern / gets it in key, if you would like, and you can add four more channels of linear music over that (not patterns, just keep adding notes, nice for playing in a SOLO or something).

- it's not "good" STUDIO GEAR that anyone sensible would use, but it is quite fun

I want one of those sooo bad just for the sequencer and slight editing capabilities over the Fb-01

plus it looks less like a vcr and more like a spaceship panel

But yea the FB01 suggestion was a good one, also there are a truck load of other yamaha modules which might be interesting, DX200, TX7, TX81z and the weird ass TQ5 (is that right?) thing

Have you had a go at sequencing with this yamaha sequencer yet?
What model is it?
How many steps can it sequence?
Is it any good?

I want but do not know

hey Ant1,
the ym synth does have midi (virtual over usb),  to use say with your laptop and external hardware is easy, all you need is a virtual midi cable(midi yoke, maple etc...) usb conectivity, and a midi in connection to your laptop. (now there are a couple of drivers required to be on your laptop first, before any music making can be done, but they are easy to install and the manual for the ym synth gives you full instructions).
  now if you dont have a midi in, there are plenty of usb midi interfaces under a hundred bucks to keep you costs down(check ebay)....if you decide to not use hardware to run the ym synth, there are also cheap alternatives aswell, me i use renoise due to the amount of midi control available, but the ym will also work with energy xt, and just about any other midi available software....a little side note...if your lacking in midi controlers to control the ym and your laptop has a synapes mouse pad check out livelab.dk's touchpad2midi i love it...but there are many virtual keyboards and such that are free and can keep your costs low...
  also Wil will also mod the ym to your needs(within reason) audio connectivity, mini/micro usb instead of an 6 pin usb cable stuff like that. hell buy two put them in a case and have a ym-chip moster...check out STU-elements or any of his other work for that matter and you'll have a good idea of what can be accomplished with the ym-chip in general....cheers dk

I'm running the MSSIAH on C64, a Low-Gain LSDJMC^2 plugged into a DMG01 and a MIDIBox Sammich SID.   Based on my experience with those : I think for what you're doing the best option is probably a MIDIBoxSID of some kind

http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/sammichsid

yeah I am considering getting one of those Shuruthi thingies. they look awesome and have a cool distinct sound.

yamaha fb-01

The shruthi is really awesome in a hybrid fm/chip/thing with filters that doesnt sound like any specific console at all, but feels part of the family, way.

thanks for the replies!
i would rather have something standalone than something that plugs into a console (consoles are big and old and i do not like them) or a c64 (c64s are big and old and i do not like them), or even my laptop...

i did read in a different thread that the YM had not got any MIDI support yet. but i guess it does. i will look into that, thanks

awaiting FaMi and little scale's midi interfaces for atari 2600, sega master system, and sega mega drive

midivox? meeblip? chipsounds?

All the SID based synths are cool too (Midibox SID if you're in DYI... or the Hypersynth Hypersid in between as they are both full Midi synths....) )