Vibing with the Roland D-50 and Yamaha DX7. These '80s synths still sound incredible! 

Here's some Roland D-50 and Yamaha DX7 goodness for you all! Don't forget to hit LIKE and please SUBSCRIBE to the channel for upcoming synth videos! For those of you asking about the preset names - here they are: 0:01 - D-50 = Soundtrack | DX7 = Syn-Lead 4 1:16 - D-50 = Living Calliope | DX7 = [Analog] 2:08 - D-50 = Flutish Brass | DX7 = Syn-Lead 2 3:24 - D-50 = Bass Marimba | DX7 = JP-8 Sweep 4:40 - D-50 = Fantasia | DX7 = Strings.←

Both synths were the best keyboards in the eighties, and still today they sound great. But the musician who is playing them is the reason why I could watch this video lots of times.

In my neck of the woods when these two Keyboards ruled the roost, I can't think of one person who had both. You were either firmly in Roland's camp or Yamaha's. Thank you for putting them both together! It's a shame most of us had to wait until 2024 to hear the magic! ❤😊

The musician playing these vintage boards is amazing. I could listen to him play all day. I wish Yamaha and Roland would bring these boards back. The sounds on these boards are immaculate.

Fantastic Mike! Goes to show its not the instrument - Its what the player does with the instrument! But these are still great keyboards regardless. 40 years has not diminished either of these great instruments!

As always, any instrument is as good as the musician playing it. In this case, very, very good!

Low resolution DACs, aliasing and noise but tons of caracter. 80's raw and deep sound. Awesome.

It's been very satisfying the last few years to see public opinion within the synth sphere shift away from this notion that only fully-analog instruments have any worth in the musical realm, and that in fact there are numerous digital synthesizers that have immense charm and musicality. Thank you for such a pleasing display of musicianship here with these instruments.

The 80s recipe: soft sound on one, sharper or more digital sound on the other. You really make that DX7 shine!

The first time I saw and heard a Roland D50, it was a modular unit. I used to work out of the Hitsville studio ( Motown ) in Hollywood using the then Synclavier system. One day I walked into the studio and there were all these new synth modules in the room. I heard the D50 and wanted to use it on everything ( as all keyboard players and composers did at the time ). Eventually I purchased the D50 keyboard a bit after it was loosing its popularity. A great synth, even by todays standards. The Yamaha DX7 was a game changer coming from the analog based synth's to this digital FM synthesis realm. Difficult to program and needed a bit of reverb/ delay processing to propel its sound. It had a somewhat organic quality ( the horns /percussion and 80's electric pianos ). Musicians were purchasing 2 to 4 of them at a time because of the MIDI capabilities and the fact you could stack the sounds. Probably the most popular synth in the history of synthesizers. I've owned the DX7 and the various versions ( like the DX7II floppy, the TR series and so forth...). A great boon for its technology and the impact it had with popular music. This was very enjoyable to watch. Mike plays very similar to me in this video and I really appreciate his musicianship in showing just how great these keyboards sounded.

That “Soundtrack” Patch on the D-50 really is one of the coolest patches on any synth ever made. It’s such an emotive sound!

It somehow is concerning the amount of "rivalry" between Roland and Yamaha lovers but never get to realise how good they both are regardless of their synth engines or their construction. At the end of the day is music what should be important. Thanks for such an amazing video!

Beautiful, thanks for upload, previous owner of Yamaha dx7 and rolond kit

You rolled back the years with those sounds. Superbly played! 😁

I hope Steve Winwood hears this, if he hasn’t already. The beginning is the kind of thing he was doing on his solo hits during the 80s.

My favorite and first synths owned, well played! Bought D-50 in 1987 as brand new and DX7 II-D as used in 1989. I'm still actively using them.

true, these Synths sound amazing, but you Sir, your way of playing them is just beautiful, i see and hear many many years of experience and the passion for music, thank you so much

Wow! Great playing !!

The D-50!!! I miss my old friend!

Wow!...I remember as a kid in the 80s, these 2 synths were my dream keyboards....eventually owned them when i became an adult...They still 2 legends in my book!!

Ah man this makes me miss my DX7, D50 & M1 😩😩. That pad sound on the DX7 at around 4:50 mark lovely 🥰

Ricky Peterson's first album "Night Watch" is full of these sounds. His playing is very similar in style too.

Amazing playing skillz

Nothing feels quite like the keys on DX-7 keyboard. I guess that's why all of the great keyboard shredders use it as a controller. I have both of these 80's legends in my studio. Your ability to climb up and down the keys amazes me! Good showcase.

Sometimes, the simpliest it is, the better it is. Synthesizer are so much inspiring than VST (no matter how powerfull VST are). Good job, as usual.

That "soundtrack" preset at the beginning reminds me of Gary Malkin's soundtrack for "Unsolved Mysteries".

Synths are probably my favourite instrument, just because how good they sound.

Even today the D-50 has so much potential once you start exploring beyond the presets (which may have been overused but I still totally love them). Its low resolution digital artefacts give the D-50 tons of character. To me it’s the perfect pad machine if you run it through e.g. a Strymon Big Sky. I even began enjoying programming it via iPad and a PG-1000 programmer emulation (iPG-800).

Wonderful👏👏👏👏

Mr Pensini, you’ve done it again! No matter what keyboard you play, you bring out the best in it! Would love to see you in concert!

Beautiful, I've long been a fan of the DX series, had the 100 for a long time, now have the 21. Just last week I picked up the Roland D-110 (complete with manual and tip sheets) and I can't get over how great it is, just perfect for my Acid House music...

They soooo do.... have D50, 500 rack, JD-800 x2 / 990 rack (fully loaded!), SY-99 x3 / '77 x1, MODX, etc. so well in to my 80'/early 90's vintage digital Mike - classics!!!! 😎👊🎹💥

I remember in the early 90s, you couldn’t give away an analog keyboard. Roland Juno 6/60/106 could be had for less than $500. Analog keyboards had a very short span in Pop music. When the DX 7 came in all the manufacturers abandoned analog.

Both synth pioneered synthesis methods that are still being used 35-40 years later. I think the D-50 was one of the first sample based synths that really sounded good, pioneering a trend that is still with us.

i have both of these synths and i will never let go of them, love your playing by the way

Wowsers!

I never had a D50 but I did have a DX7. Now it lives in my Korg Kronos. Great sounds and playing! I always loved the feel of my DX7.

you make those synths sound so fresh

Man, I wish my runs were as clean as yours! Those buttery smooth keys on the DX7 made it even better.

I had them both. Wish I still had them.

Nice to hear something other than the presets on the DX7. Shows how it works well with other types of synths.

DX7 GOAT RU-vid CHANNEL Says the DX7 is the greatest vintage synthesizer in history!!!!! I believe it now!!

Dos pedazos de chapas. BRUTAL.🎹 Greetings from Madrid.

Звук очень вкусный! И прекрасная техника игры! Навеяло ностальгических воспоминаний! Благодарю!

Lovely

As a musician I normally click away fast from these kind of videos, heard it all... but this piece caught me. Beautiful improvisation, you got it down, brother ;-)

Gorgeous runs, great sounds, and expertise in the lost art of the pitch bend control 👌

Amazing ❤

Loving those woodwinds from the d50🔥🔥

The first D-50 patch is used on Lovesexy from Prince 😊 Sounds really great Mike! 👍

tremendous machines, impeccable and unique sounds in the world of music, how nice to have those keyboards together.

Awesome. Nostalgic and powerful!!

Great Sounds!

Brilliant! The Ultimate touring setup mid to late 80's

beautiful

Wow, simply amazing sounding! Love this. Thank you

My two favs

Классика, эти клавиши. Помню, как они ценились и стоили в конце 80-х, начале 90-х. Еще и Корг-М1, в эту компанию. Очень жалею, что три года назад, не смог купить Роланд Д-50, очень дешево продавались. Стоял выбор - гитара иль клавиши. Два инструмента не потянул. Отличная демонтрация.

Yes!!!😊

Holy moly that’s beautiful. I have the DX7 (1983) and picked up a D-05.

the roland pitch bend wheel design is the ultimate pitch wheel design

Well, you know how to make anything sound good.

Great demo!! Super warm sound!!

Wow, two of my all time favorite keyboards ranges ⭐🙏

2 of the best to have in the stable!

I have played long time on DX7IIFD and also Roland D50 before I got my first Korg. And I Still always very charme by the quality of their sounds

My dad got me a 83' dx-7 for Christmas. Gotta get a few things touched up but he won it on an auction that went to a charity so there that lol

Had the D-50 back in the day. I loved the unique sounds that came with it. I parted with it in the end because it didn't have enough 'traditional' sounds like pianos and strings. Would make for a great second keyboard though

Loving the jazz vibes halfway through, might have to get me a polo neck jumper.

Многие наших времён 2023-х не поймут что это 80-е прошлого века,супер звук.

Fabulous

These vibes are AMAZING 🔥thank you for uploading this and blessing our ears ❤️

Love it! Great work!

Time travel at its best. Sounds great man.

Amazing! Especially the dx7 patches, wish I could get them

This is just, really pretty. Thanks so much

Just bought a DX7

Two digital greats together.

Amazing!

that incredible opening remind me the start of "they like it slow" from H town.... awesome set up you have there

Finally, a musician. Thank you so much, great video!

Beautiful demo !!

This was lovely good stuff Mike!

Pure

Amazing playing and sounds Mike!

🤠✌🏻CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!!!🤠✌🏻

There’s a Star Trek next generation episode ‘We’ll always have Paris’ from 1987 …that the first D50 patch is used throughout the episode. The one with professor Mannheims time displacement experiment !

The 80s were musically magical. I am glad to have lived them and to enjoy the music and technology which made it possible. What a huge difference with what it is called now music... And is a pity, as the synthesizer technology now is far more powerful and available even on a mobile phone or tablet (I am thinking on iOS software synths). But perhaps that has made it to lose its magic...

In the hands of an artist.

I remember seen that set up at so many parties and pizza places. Later dethroned by the Korg M1 and Proteus 1.

thank you sir this is a one phenomenal video right here

love the 3rd composition.

Very surprised by the lack of external FX. My initial reaction was - damn, those sound awesome when you run them through a chain of Strymon boxes!

Thank you brother or sister a lot of people just talk about the machine but they don’t actually play it again thank you.

Des synthés légendaires 🔥

Digging your sounds man. Keep it up!

Great video. Nostalgia all over the place! :-)

Great playing

GREAT ! D50 is awesome and DX7 mk1 is the GOAT.! BEAUTIFUL PLAY!

Awesome! You’re a great synth player 🙂