Review: Yamaha RS7000 Music Production Workstation
(Yamaha | Posted 2001-12-13)
One device that really grabbed our attention at the Summer NAMM show in July was the RS7000 Music Production Studio by Yamaha. We had the pleasure of sitting in on a demonstration of this unit while visiting the Yamaha booth and were amazed at the functionality of this product. We quickly became hopeful that we’d be able to get our hands on one of these for review, and thanks to our friends at Yamaha… we got our wish.
So you might be asking, “What exactly does the RS7000 Music Production Studio do anyway?” Well, taking a more technical approach, you might say it provides “the seamless integration of synthesis, sampling, and sequencing for modern music production.” But, let me put it to you this way… I see the RS7000 as a sort of mini laboratory for the musically inclined, Dr. Frankenstein types out there (especially for those into dance, hip-hop, techno, and similar genres of music.) The lab’s full of all kinds of “pieces parts” including sounds, samples, phrases, effects, etc. Plus, all the tools you need to build that perfect monster (or song, as the case may be) are contained right within the unit.
At first glance, you may feel as if you’re sitting at the controls of the Space Shuttle. There are many knobs and buttons, as well as an LCD Display on the top panel that may appear somewhat intimidating. After spending a little time reviewing the Owners Manual and getting familiar with the controls, though, I think you’ll realize like I did that the interface is actually quite user friendly considering the expansive functionality of the unit.
The RS700 features a 62 voice AWM2 tone generator and has over 1,000 onboard ROM based synth voices and 63 drum kits. Users can sample sounds from external sources into the unit, or can also re-sample the already provided, sequenced sounds of the RS7000 to create new loops and phrases. Anxious to hear what the RS7000 had to offer, one of the first things I did after un-boxing the RS7000 was to give a listen to the preset sample phrases that were stored in the unit’s memory. I used the LCD display to scroll through each sound category, such as Bass Drum, Clap, Synth, Bass, Guitar (and many more) and quickly found that I was opening the door to a wide range of sound samples within each category.
After realizing it would take much time to go through all of them, and being eager to get more involved in using the unit, I decided to just jump right in and began piecing together my first creation by using the Pattern Mode. Pattern Mode uses Yamaha’s Integrated Sampling Sequencer that features 16 sections, each with the ability to hold 16 individual tracks, to create a song. Since I wasn’t familiar with the voices and phrases contained within, and due the to vast selection available, this started as mostly a trial and error proposition. I started with a bass drum phrase first then added a bass line that I liked. From there I just kept experimenting by adding and subtracting different sounds and phrases. When I found one that fit, I kept it in, and if it wasn’t what I had in mind, I subtracted it right back out of the mix. I was also able to add effects such as Delay, Chorus, and Reverb to each individual track for that little extra something when I wanted it. I was also able to adjust the pitch of each track as well as the overall tempo of the song. It’s also worth noting that the RS7000 features 6 types of filters that can all be controlled by a multi-stage envelope, as well as a Master effect section that includes a multi-band compressor, slicer, isolator, and other master effects often used by DJ’s. This provides a great way to put the finishing touches on your creations.
So, after about an hour of tinkering, I decided I was satisfied with first attempt at creating a song and decided I’d save it for prosperity… not to mention the fact that I was curious about finding out how much of a project saving something from the RS7000 would be. I was very happy to find that saving your creation isn’t a project at all, and after following the simple steps that were outlined in the owner’s manual, my first techno/dance masterpiece was safely secured (on a Smart Media Card.).
What followed were several hours of playing, jamming and overall groove creation. It’s amazing what one can do with a product like this if you’re even slightly musically inclined and the least bit creative. In the hands of a gifted musician, however, there’s no limit to the magic you can create with the RS7000.
Bottom Line:
Although I can certainly see how the RS7000 could be used to some extent for all types of music, it certainly seems obvious that it’s strength is creating music in the styles of techno, dance, house, hip-hop and the like. For a price around $1400 this unit is certainly not a toy and will be most welcome in the hands of those who are looking for serious functionality and flexibility in a music production workstation tool.
