D-85: Strings Odyssey

Testing the analog synth string sounds from Yamaha D-85 Electone organ. Not a bad sound at all, reminds me of that "2001 A Space Odyssey" bit where the lonely space craft is out in the lonely space between earth & jupiter.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• yamaha
• Electone
• D-85
• Analogue
• Synthesizer
• Analog
• Soundtrack
• Strings

[HappyGamerMan]

is that improv or is that areal song your playing if soo please tell me the name!!!

[FlametopFred]

@HappyGamerMan - - - it's variations, or a quote or paraphrase of the 2001:A Space Odyssey deep-spade theme used Gayane's Adagio from Aram Khachaturian's Gayaneh. I've always been struck by that piece of music - - the lonely melody and beautiful sadness. Anyway, I use that as a kind of warm-up piece when I find string sounds. On the D-85 it took on another quality still.

[FlametopFred]

@HappyGamerMan -- to answer your question, it is an improv on Gayane's Adagio from Aram Khachaturian's Gayaneh. Always a great place to start.

[drumbum12191]

i sold mine on craigslist for $100 just got picked up this morning... from $10,000 new to $100

crazy

[FlametopFred]

Yamaha would probably have shipped in large quantities ... via shipping container. They used to have a major warehouse here in Vancouver (where I live) and I would assume that was for receiving organs for Canada.

Maybe they thought they could a) save costs and b) keep the organ buying public happy. Components ... so maybe the wood console was made in USA, and the electronics came over, to be assembed? Interesting that it says that!! $5300 in 1983 was a lot of money back then .

[Oldlionel]

Well that is interesting considering that the cost to ship an Asian built organ to the USA is probably included in the organ's price. My 415 retailed for $5300 in 1983, and the list price was $8000.

The placard on the organ says "Yamaha Music Mfg, Thomaston, GA.

"Components of USA and Japan."

Very interesting indeed.

[FlametopFred]

Pretty sure. It was during the early 1980's when there was a drive to have Made-In-USA products. Yamaha may have done this as a marketing tool, the way Nissan and Toyota did later with cars. All other Yamahas are built in Japan, or were. There is some history on this ... I forget where! Try The Organ Forum

[Oldlionel]

Fred, you are sure that the 415 was built by Thomas, and in the US? That means that other Yamahas were built outside the US? Any idea why Yamaha chose to do this?

[FlametopFred]

The 415 was the made-in-America version built by Thomas Organ Co. for Yamaha. Same electronics as the D-85.

[FlametopFred]

They were, back in 1981 or so. Now they are on your local Craigslist for very little money. Perhaps $100 or less, depending. Sometimes even free.