Gear Hunter

YAMAHA S80

Description

INCLUDES FREE GATOR CASE

From Yamaha:

A full-sized keyboard that gives you the response and feel you need to capture all the emotion and dynamics of your playing. It offers superb weighted action, an incredible-sounding selection of familiar voices, 64 notes of polyphony and 16 multi-timbral parts. When your music calls for a different tonal perspective, the S80's Modular Synthesis Plug-in System opens the door to new and exciting synthesizer possibilities.

For musicians who are used to playing on a real piano, the touch of the keyboard on the S80 is a dream come true. Engineers at Yamaha took great care in designing the keyboard to deliver the same feel and expression as an acoustic piano. As a result, the S80 responds to the finest dynamics of your playing, from the lightest pianissimos to firmly struck fortissimos.

The S80's onboard sounds are some of the best available on the market today. The essential voices you use most – organs, brass, strings, guitars and basses as well as a complete collection of pianos (including stereo-sampled pianos!) – are packed into the S80's wave memory. The S80 features a dynamic digital effects processor and an incredible 64 notes of polyphony and a full array of high quality drum sounds.

Looking for a particular organ sound to fit the mix? The intuitive Quick Access feature gives you instant access to specific categories of voices, such as pianos, guitars, and strings. With Quick Access, you can quickly find the type of sound you want without having to scroll through the keyboard's on board voices one at a time.

Resonant filters add dynamics and realism to a keyboard's sound and are a critical feature for any synthesizer. The S80 takes the filter concept to whole new level by giving you 12 types of "multi-mode" resonant filters. Multi-mode filters allow you to assign a combination of filters to a voice; a low pass and high pass filter, for example. Not only does this provide you with more expressive, authentic-sounding voices, but it also adds more depth and punch to synthetic timbres as well.

The S80 gives you complete control over your MIDI setup. Four assignable data sliders and five assignable data knobs are provided for real-time control over any MIDI parameter. Pitch and modulation wheels are also provided, as well as 4 programmable keyboard zones and channel aftertouch. Entire MIDI setups can be stored in any of the keyboard's 128 memory locations for instant recall in the studio or on stage.

For added musical inspiration, the S80 is equipped with a MIDI Arpeggiator – a feature not found in most 88-key synths. Along with standard arpeggiator sequences, such as Up, Down, and Up and Down, a wide variety of melodic phrase sequences and drum sequences are also included. Arpeggiator ON/OFF can be conveniently controlled via footswitch or MIDI control change.

Use the A/D input jack to input external audio sources, such as a microphone, guitar, or drum machine, into the S80. An A/D processor converts the analog signal to a digital signal, allowing you to take advantage of the S80's built-in digital effects, such as reverb and compression. And by installing the optional PLG100-VH Modular Synthesis Plug-in Board, you can have the S80 back up your singing performance with impressive three-part vocal harmony.

The built-in TO HOST interface lets you connect the S80 to a personal computer, so you can take advantage of the wide variety of music software available on the market, including Yamaha's own XGworks music sequencing package and various voice editors for the PLG Series Modular Synthesis. The PC interface supports both Mac and PC platforms. Two expansion slots are provided on the S80, allowing you to customize the keyboard with the exact synthesis power you need.

The S80 features a built-in song sequencer that is capable of playing back Standard MIDI Files. By storing MIDI files onto a SmartMedia™ card, you can build up a library of up to one hundred songs, any of which can be instantly called up at the touch of a button. What's more, songs can include keyboard setups and performances, and can even be programmed for chained playback – extremely useful for playing live.

The Yamaha Modular Synthesis Plug-in System is a whole new approach to keyboard expansion. Unlike conventional expansion boards, the PLG Series Modular Synthesis Plug-in Boards add a complete synthesizer or sound processing engine to the S80. You also get more polyphony, extra multi-timbral capability, and new digital effects – you get a totally new synthesizer or effect processor at a fraction of the cost!

The S80 lets you conveniently store your voices and performance setups on ultra thin and compact SmartMedia™ cards. As well as giving you a much larger data storage capacity than a floppy disk, SmartMedia™ can also be used as an external memory bank for instant access to a wider selection of sounds.

Comprehensive MIDI capability. Superb voice quality. Unparalleled expandability. All these features make the S80 the instrument of choice for professional recording studios. Music producers will appreciate the ability to fully control external MIDI gear from one easy-to-use keyboard. And studio musicians are sure to fall in love with the S80's expressive voices and authentic piano action.

The S80 offers complete musical inspiration for aspiring singer/songwriters. Its wide selection of expressive voices and straight-forward user interface make it easy to get lost in musical thought, instead of getting lost in the manual. Plus its full keyboard and superb weighted action will make those used to playing on an acoustic piano feel right at home. And with the addition of the optional Vocal Harmony Plug-in Board, adding professional-sounding backup to your singing is a snap.

Whether you play in small clubs or large concert halls, the S80 is your ideal on-stage music partner. It's loaded with sounds for live playing – including a huge selection of pianos, organs, brass, strings and more. With the SmartMedia™ cards you'll have an entire extra bank of voices and performances at your fingertips. Master Keyboard mode gives you direct control of each voice part during your performance. The Quick Access buttons make it easy to find your favorite sounds on stage.

The S80 offers powerful support for a project studio. Not only does it provide you with a solid foundation of top-quality multi-timbral voices; it also gives you absolute control over your outboard MIDI equipment and allows simple computer connectivity through its built-in PC serial port interface. Plus, with its Modular Synthesis Plug-in System, the S80 is able to expand as your studio needs grow.