FM7-Receptor

[BobbyL]

Hello gentlemen. Anybody using FM7 on receptor?
How many instances can you run? I'd like to run 8 instances so I can load the tx816 programs that use all 8 modules like the cool 80's rhodes stuff.
Thanks guys.
Bobby L.

[looneytunes]

Hi Bobby,

I have FM7, and have run 2-3 instances fine. I have never tried 8 instances - it might be possible. FM7 seems relatively low latency and low cpu. I wouldn't be surprised however if you could 'optimize' your tx816 voices down to 3-4 FM7 instances, if you really needed to.

Regards,
Kevin L

[Hybernation]

Hello gentlemen. Anybody using FM7 on receptor?
How many instances can you run? I'd like to run 8 instances so I can load the tx816 programs that use all 8 modules like the cool 80's rhodes stuff.
Thanks guys.
Bobby L.

some time back a propective receptor buyer asked me to run some "stress tests" with FM7, comparing receptor with Sonar on a P4 3.2HT system. You may find the results useful:

http://www.hybernationmusic.com/FM7%20Stress%20Test.txt

[BobbyL]

Thanks for the info guys.

[BobbyL]

So I just read the benchmarks at hybernation. Looks like 9 instances max with 3 note chords. It doesn't seem like it'll stand up to a full piano track with sustain pedal stuff and whatnot. I guess I'll have to get a fast pc or maybe buy a tx816 somewhere but I don't know if I'm in the mood for the headache of dealing with vintage stuff.

[Hybernation]

So I just read the benchmarks at hybernation. Looks like 9 instances max with 3 note chords. It doesn't seem like it'll stand up to a full piano track with sustain pedal stuff and whatnot. I guess I'll have to get a fast pc or maybe buy a tx816 somewhere but I don't know if I'm in the mood for the headache of dealing with vintage stuff.

Well, let me just say this (and then I'll shut up ):

You are right...you won't be able to run 8 instances and play any kind of realistic piano part, I don't think.

BUT....I have a TX802 in the closet gathering dust. Now I know it's got a LOT less voices than an 816, but they are both 8-part multitimbral. I have/had some HUGE bass and lead sounds on that thing, using 4-6 patches layered. Indeed it was fat.....but....

I think the FM7 is tops. The onboard effects do an awful lot to make single patches sound bigger, and of course the DA circuitry (not to mention the CPU) in your average DAW (or Receptor) is WAY beyond what Yamaha could manufacture back in their day. Plus of course you can raise the polyphony on SINGLE patches to 64 and use the unison voice thing for extreme fatness. Many of the factory FM7 patches sound to me like 2-4 DX7 patches layered. Let's face it, the DX7 sounded incredibly "thin", hence the success of the TX816!

Here are two quick little snippets I did just now...using four FM7's on Receptor:
1) a little "pianoish" part (original)
2) intro to a Gino Vannelli song (the song used a TX816 I'm sure)

For the sound, I set the polyphony of all four FM7's to 32. No doubling (unison mode). No outboard effects or mastering. Sounds are two diff "rhodes" (panned a bit), plus the classic "plucked" thing, and a pianosynthy thing. Both MIDI files ran the Receptor at about 75%. I recorded the SPDIF output into Sonar and then exported the indiv track to 192kb MP3.

Apologize for the sloppy playing, I only spent about 15 minutes putting this little illustration together.

[BobbyL]

That's quite nice, Hybernation.
The exact piano vibe I'm looking for is on the Starship song "Sara". To me, that's the ultimate produced rhodes sound. Each TX module is set for a different part of the sound. Hammer, tine, a couple of stereo detune.