Yamaha QY series
The Yamaha QY series is a line of MIDI sequencers with integrated tone generators, or MIDI workstations, made by Yamaha. Most of them are highly portable devices, dubbed "walkstations" in some Yamaha marketing.[1][2]
The QY series' sequencing generally has a heavy emphasis on "styles" and "patterns" similar to those used for auto-accompaniment on arranger keyboards.
Notable models
Portable sequencers
- The Yamaha QY10 was the first in the series, released in 1991. It is a portable battery-powered sequencer roughly the same size as a VHS tape, featuring a non-backlit 1×16 character LCD screen, MIDI in and out ports, and 3.5mm stereo line out. It has 8 parts, 32-voice polyphony, 31 melodic instrument sounds and 26 drum/percussion sounds.[1]
- The Yamaha QY20, released in 1992,[3][4] improved upon the QY10 by introducing a large 128×64 graphic display with an interface similar to the Yamaha TG series, 16-part multitimbrality, 100 preset melodic instrument sounds, and 100 preset drum sounds (across 8 drumkits).[5] It is also partially General MIDI-compatible.
- The Yamaha QY8, released in 1994, is a smaller, cheaper, simplified model with a custom (not graphic or character) LCD and no micro-keyboard. Like the QY20 it features partial GM compatibility.[6]
- The Yamaha QY22 was the first to be fully General MIDI-compatible, released in 1995, but is otherwise only a minor upgrade over the QY20.[4]
- The Yamaha QY70 is the first to feature Yamaha XG support, released in 1997. It has 24-part multitimbrality (8 parts reserved for the pattern track), 519 preset melodic instrument sounds, 20 drumkits, and can be connected to a computer via a TO HOST port.[7]
- The Yamaha QY100, released in 2000,[8] adds more presets, an audio input for guitar amp simulation and microphone effects,[9] a foot switch input, and a SmartMedia card slot.<ref>Differences Between a QY70 and QY100 (Yamaha FAQ article)<?ref>
Desktop sequencers
- Yamaha QY300 (TODO)
- Yamaha QY700 (TODO)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Yamaha QY10, Simon Trask, Music Technology, April 1991.
- ↑ Yamaha QY70, Martin Russ, Sound on Sound, September 1997.
- ↑ QY20 - Display Collection - INNOVATION ROAD - Yamaha Corporation
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Yamaha QY22, Derek Johnson, Sound on Sound, November 1995.
- ↑ Yamaha QY20 Owner's Manual, page 185.
- ↑ Yamaha QY8, Martin Russ, Sound on Sound, September 1994.
- ↑ Yamaha QY70, Martin Russ, Sound on Sound, September 1996.
- ↑ QY100 - Display Collection - INNOVATION ROAD - Yamaha Corporation
- ↑ SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL, Nicholas Rowland, Sound on Sound, October 2001.