I have authored an article about the Yamaha TX7 and why it's a great alternative to the DX7 if you want the vintage FM sound. I looked at what is does, how to edit voices and why it's a suitable alternative.
Hope you like it!
https://thedigitallifestyle.com/w/20...ne-over-a-dx7/

Great article. The TX7 is one of my absolute favorites for many of the reasons you wrote. It isn't just built like a tank, but as one GS'er put it, it's built so that you could literally drive a Sherman tank over it and it would hurt the tank. With the right editor in hand, it's a compact bang-for-buck monster.

I love my TX7.

Thanks. Your right is very well made, a long way from modern gear!

I always liked the form factor of the TX7 and the other "desktop" modules Yamaha made in that area (Lower-end QX sequencers and RX drum machines). You could theoretically stack them up and save a lot of space. I also thought it strange that Yamaha never put any 4-op synths in that form factor, the FB-01 would have been a great candidate.

They seem to forget about the form factor. The TX range ended up in the rack form and the FB-01 designed for home users.

Just for the record, I have a TX7 with an extra knob.
It has 4 turns, allowing 4 banks of 32 programs each.
Got it last year on Reverb from a Canadian seller iirc.

I have minimal vintage (pre-2000s) gear in my studio:

TX7
EX5r
TG-77

Funny how they all turned out to be Yamaha.

@ ibtl
Any chance you could share your DX7 editor for the Novation Remotes?
My 25SL is now on the same shelf as the TX7.

sho'thing. you never said you had those. kept going on about your MODX.
worth noting that i did these for VolcaFM, and the portamento etc global parameters aren't there, but i'm sure you'll manage to add those.

i have a couple of versions; i'll put up the last sets i did (i was copying out to several parts on various midiCH at that point) - note that it's idiosyncratic with some parameters repeated: that's for ease of use, you'll get used to it and realise why.

oh: a bit freaked out because i can't find the bulk files :-/ hang on a mo', been doing big backup... i posted zips on that thread...

phew found it, have to name my folders better
see attached. this is the 1-channel version ( i ran out of steam setting it up for 2 parts, and for different channels). i think it's the last version i did(?) have to check that thread.

Thanks, bud, will be good to put it to use.
My studio isn't fully re-assembled yet, so that zip will help.
Easier on an SL than laptop or iPad atm.

hopefully it will make sense when you get it loaded and in use. it repeats some parameters in order to have an 'operator mix' page set, for things like frequency. and you get OP Mutes on every page, to help identify which operator is doing what.

I used to have a TX7 but sold it and bought a TX802. Loved that one better, mainly because it was Mulit-timbral and was rack mountable. There were other reasons that I can't remember, but that was 30 years ago.

I've had both as well. Opposite though, had a TX802 years ago and sold it and got a TX7 more recently. TX7 has more artifacts/distortion in the sound due to the lower bit rate than the TX802. I like that myself, since I already get crystal clear FM in the the box. Wouldn't mind having a TX802 either though if one fell into my lap.

+1

Had mine for 35yrs and hopefully it's good for the next 35!

Was the TX7 display ever backlit? Mine certainly isn't anymore, but I have vague memories that it once might have been.

I don't know if it was originally or not, but you can get replacement displays that are backlit on ebay. Its not a very difficult swap.

No backlit display on mine, nor in the OP's video.

Mine never has, but it does have a 15km long power cord

I don't think it ever had that as factory option.

the tx7 has a vibe from the dac, it’s compact and has more polyphony than many new synths. i had a tx7 and dx7 to make a poor man’s dx1 and kept the tx7 for a few years.

now a days i have maschine mk3 and can use arturia dx7 v, synclavier v, ni fm8, etc and use the preset browser and nks assigned controls.

I'd kill to own a DX7 but anyone know of any R&B and/or Hip Hop producers who used it back in the day and if so what songs? I only know that producer Lance Alexander (any Slutz besides @ madjef ever heard of him?) used a DX7

steady on, old girl. there's plenty of DX7s around.

(get a TX802 .. )

I was playing with the TX7 Acc Guitar patch and it just screamed Miami Vice. The sound works brilliantly with velocity.

Being a big fan of Jan Hammer I created a track with the TX7, Minilogue for the Moog type sound and a TR-505
It's called Detective's Choice. Lete me know what you think!

https://open.spotify.com/track/0LP9C...138a0ae8864889

you're trying to get me to open a spotify account

Ah yes, I also have it on Amazon and Apple Music.
This is the SoundCloud link
https://soundcloud.com/iansdixon/det...social_sharing

really nice.

You guys inspired me to pull my TX7 out of the trash. No not literally, but almost. Cleaned it up and plugged it in. It still works and is holding the last banks I had loaded, which was a collection of my most then used patches. Thanks. Cool. Like someone else said, I got rid of my DX7 and kept the TX7.

This is just a conspiracy to drive up Reverb prices of the TX7 and then sell mine

Can anyone help me with my TX7? The preset patches don't sound like they used to all of a sudden. They sound kind of distorted, or several of the presets will have the exact same slightly distorted sound.

I have tried loaded multiple Sysex banks. I downloaded a bank which someone uploaded as a demo to Youtube. But when I load it on my TX7 it does not sound the same as the Youtube video.

The sound is the same whether listening through the headphone socket or through my mixer.

I've read the manual but can't glean anything relevant to this problem. It sounds like it's... blown? For want of a better word.

I don't know if a low battery voltage would cause the issues you're experiencing, but my DX-7I w/E! was behaving somewhat erratically this morning, and when I checked the battery it was at 2.3V. Likely unrelated, afaik, but quien sabes?

Thanks pigger. I did the following (found in another thread):

"From the article Ghost In The Machine, Part 1, Electronic Musician magazine, May 1989: "TX7: Press and hold Data Yes and Mode switches while powering up, then press Yes to run through a few simple tests. "

The battery test said its running at 3.3v., which is over the recommended range. I guess it needs replacing?