Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

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Críoch
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Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Críoch »

Continuing a subconscious quest to collect artefacts, both ancient & modern from the Yamaha & Korg companies.. *shudder*

I've got one eye on an EM1 and the other is on a RM1X.

Anyone here have / ever own or has a knowledge of the RM1X?

Been reading the RM1X manual over the last while & there are some parts in it that are a little shallow in info.

I've wanted to get a Korg EM1 for the longest time but have recently been wondering whether the RM1X would be the better buy. I know it's a shit hot seq for driving other gear.. but also, it's got a lot of samples & digisynth stuff. The Em1 uses samples of tones for its 2 synth parts too afaik. Something like the es1 mk1 I think uses digital oscillators, I believe. So much of a muchness in that way.

Q's I have Regarding the RM1X relate to setting up sequences on each of its tracks / instruments. I think it 'might' allow polyrhythms? Each track / instrument having its own bar / step length?

Is there a lfo available on each track / instrument?

____________

Any feelings of affection, pure hatred, derision or otherwise regarding either box would be greatly appreciated.


Cheers :)
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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Barfunkel »

Quick RM1x review, from an owner who bought it new back then and had it for many years:

As a MIDI sequencer it's really nice. Those MIDI FX knobs are really fun too, you can do all kinds of creative stuff with them.

As a sound module it's absolutely horrible. the worst I've ever heard. Literally thousands of samples compressed into a tiny memory, they all sound like 32kbps MP3's, which probably isn't that far from the truth.

Don't overpay though! You sometimes see asking prices of 400€. It's worth 200€ tops, preferably less. It's only worth is the MIDI sequencer IMO and if you start paying real money for it, you could get an even better modern sequencer.
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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Críoch »

Haha.. really? The samples are that bad?! Oh dear.

The price around these parts would probably be between 150-200, so I know what you mean.. that anything above that would be utterly stretching it. They have a certain value.

I should look fir a RM1X sample pack & audition it. Cheers man!

Btw.. can you remember if there is a independent lfo available to each instrument?

& if you can do independent pattern lengths / polyrhythms on each track or instrument?
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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Críoch »

Mother fucker.. this would have been great but links are dead.

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2011/ ... t-samples/
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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by mr.chielos »

the rm1x sounds really outdated and has crappy samples but a good sequencer (but for some reason you cant switch between write and play in rec so for live its just so so...), em1 is realy basic but does sound better. it has a very electriby rompler sound.

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Críoch »

Cheers man. I found an em1 sample pack last night.. but the samples were very badly recorded. Recorded low.. then boosted the volume, resulting in acres of soundcard noise. Horrible.

The sounds were a bit Meh.. regardless of the recording process haha.. but i guess thats 1/2 the charm to me anyway. I just really like the YT vids of the EM1. I think it sounds pretty fucking bad ass.
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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Revaron »

I had an EM1 for many years, and it was great at the time, but sold it a few years ago and wouldn't ever want another one. It's EXTREMELY limited by todays standards and the sounds aren't great and there aren't that many of them, which leaves the sequencer which is classic electribe style so useful - but - even though I've never had an RM1x I know that it is going to be MILES better for sequencing. So I'd say RM1x all day long. If you're desperate for a EM1 just for the hell of it (they are fun in their own way) I personally would not pay more than £100ish.

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by mr.chielos »

I you want an electribe, check out the emx-1 it's a lot better than the em-1!
Way back I had the es-1 sampler and it sounded cool. lofi in a good way

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by ross-alexander »

I'm a big fan of the EMX1. Ok they are noisy as fuck and they have their limits but they are really great fun to have around, and have some cool features. If I could I would definately bum it. Jib the rmx1 and go for an rs7000 if you fancy dipping into that world, much more powerful I have a couple of mates that use these for some quality techno ;) Deep sequencer

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by innovine »

I have a korg emx1 and a rm1x.

The korg (and I assume the em1 too, to a large degree) is really super hands on fun jamming. Nothing out there beats it in this regard.

The rm1x is far more capable as a sequencer. There's a bit of menu diving but you can edit basically everything. It has some neat groove functions where you can nudge things off the grid a bit. You can have tracks of different lengths, but not different speeds. There are a few very fun midi fx which can create echos and pitch changes in midi.

The thing with the rm1x though is that, like a typical yamaha product, its interface is complex, especially management of phrase data (a bit like clips in ableton). ifeyou are going to move these around and append or split them to remix your song you might as well have paper or excell open beside you to track whats happening. I found this immensely frustrating when trying to maintain strict control and editing over my sequences. Probably the worst data management I've ever seen.

The xox mode is also seriously broken. It will mute all other tracks when you go into xox mode. If you have all your drums on one track then you might survive, but if you use one track per instrument like a sane person (essential if you wanna use mutes) then you're totally fucked.

While it does have its good points, and many people rave about it, I think in the end its typical yamaha, a few good ideas, but many bad ones, designed my engineers rather than musicians, difficult to use, and ultimately a failure as an instrument. Many cheap versions have os 1.12 which has a bug that it spits out a huge string of midi to external gear every time you stop (which is every time you want to perform an editing job). that can explain the lower prices. The 1.13 upgrade fixes this and can be found for a few tens of euros, some dude online still burns the roms.
The onboard sounds are just shite, forget about it.

The rs7000 fixes the main issues above (stopping the sequencer all the time, broken xox mode) but from what I can tell uses the same convoluted phrase handling.


My rm1x is up for sale if you want it. But I'm hanging onto my emx.

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Críoch »

I've downloaded samples from the EM1 & EMX. Really like the sound of the EMX. Havent had any luck with the RM1X.

Think I'm leaning more towards the Korg. The Yam seems better featured, but comes at the price of being a bit meh in some places.

Thanks guys for all the replies. I'm gonna keep an eye out for one of the blue boxes.

Any diff - apart from the SD card for patterns / patches - between the 2 models?
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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by innovine »

Not that I know of

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by WOLF! »

I you decide to go for the ESX I just found this upgrade:
youtu.be/153GhrTaFec

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Revaron »

WOLF! wrote:I you decide to go for the ESX I just found this upgrade:
youtu.be/153GhrTaFec
HOLY SHIT. That is awesome, nice one! My ESX is about to get pimped!

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by ross-alexander »

youtu.be/eHIKpceex0k
youtu.be/TWCaOwpie7o

Some bits and bobs from the EMX I've sketched up lately for you to check john :)

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Críoch »

Cheers Ross! Saw them on FB last night.. I'd mentally bookmarked them Mate. Really appreciate that - was wondering if it was connected! :D

Feel special haha - Will deffo watch later. I only watched a few mins of the techno one. Really nice palette of sounds.

_______

Also liking the samples I found of it on the Elektronauts forum:

https://www.elektronauts.com/t/free-kor ... mples/5489
Here's a set of 137 Korg EMX samples I made. Pushed through some nice tube gear they are bold and punchy. Use with AR, OT, MD. 16Bit 44.1K Mono.

Enjoy

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jlxttv5q9uum3 ... amples.zip
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Críoch »

BTW.. If you can ignore the gloves.. this is cool for the RM1X

youtu.be/Pkn7sV0bjto
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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by ross-alexander »

Hi John I always have a blast on this box and a few people were asking why I'd not chucked any vids up for a bit so I did ;) Hopefully It helps you ;)

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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by Críoch »

You've obviously spent a fair bit of time on it as it absolutely shows. You have it singing Ross. Really cool.

Have you spent much time multitracking it out - Has liveset stuff ended up in tracks?
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Re: Yamaha RM1X / Korg EM1 - Experiences?

Post by ross-alexander »

I've had it for a long time and use it on and off. I've used it live with other bits, and recorded tracks using the parts by looping stuff in one at a time but by far my favourite way to use it is basically as it is. Granted you aren't going to get mega effects or stereo spread but i've learned to love it's sound and it kicks quite well on bigger speakers. I've come back to it more of late to see if I can get a set out of it on it's own and to maybe knock some jams together and master them up direct from it. I just love the thing and it reminds me why I got into making music in the first place...fun :)


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