BACKGROUND
Once upon a time, in the 80's, hardware sequencers was the only choice of sequencers. Today a sequencer is almost always software and can make things far beyond any hardware sequencer. But that doesn't mean that hardware sequencers are useless. For instance to live performance it's to prefer - they are stable and you can trust them. So a powerful software sequencer and a portable hardware sequencer is a good combination.
DESCRIPTION
Yamaha QX1 is the king of hardware sequencers. Its old and slow, but powerful. When it appeared at 1984, with a list price at $2795.00 it was a mega monster that knocked out everything ever seen, and even almost every hardware sequencer since then.
It's the only sequencer in the QX-line with a accurate clock resolution of 384 ppq (pulses per quarter note). The closest has 96 ppq. Even today 384 ppq is good accurate.
QX1 has a built in floppy drive. In 1984 the format of floppy drives was 5 1/4", and the QX1 uses 5 1/4" double-sided, double density floppy disks. It can be hard to find such diskettes today, but not impossible (Ebay). The QX1 has no memory for saving data, everything has to be saved on a diskette. That makes the QX1 a little bit slow, but the advantage is "huge" storage. One single diskette holds 80 000 events (512kb). The diskette format is unfortunately non-DOS, so it's not possible to use them in a PC. And the files are not saved in General MIDI format. Be sure to don't eject the diskette without the Disk Change Commando. Also be sure to have the Floppy Drive Protection in the Floppy Drive when transport the QX1. The floppy drive is often broken on many now old QX1, but can be repaired. Se below.
QX1 was built for use especially with the cutting edge of the DX product line, the mighty TX816 (but of course it can be used with any MIDI equipment). It has 8 (!) independent MIDI outputs, perfect for the 8 MIDI inputs at the TX816 rack. It even has a special TX-mode for transmitting data between TX816 and QX1.
The QX1 has 8 tracks that can record any of the 16 MIDI-channels. But only 4 at each track. The tracks can be routed to any of the outputs, but only a few to the same output at the same time.
Yamaha QX1
All the operations are made from one of the four modes:
- Utility
- Edit
- Play
- Record
There are sub menus, called job on each of the four modes:
Job Command Table (from Yamaha QX1 Owner's Manual)
Every time a mode is changed the QX1 saves/compare the data on the diskette. That makes it sometimes slow.
QX1 organize the songs in this way:
-
8 tracks. Can be used as songs
-
32 banks. Can be used as patterns
On the rear:
Rear Panel. From Yamaha QX1 Owner's Manual
- Click out (1/2" tele jack)
- Foot SW (1/2" tele jack)
- Tape sync in & out (1/2" tele jack)
- MIDI In
- MIDI Thru
- MIDI Out 1-8
- Power Switch
- Slots for inserting the music rack of the QX1
INSIDE QX1
QX1 is large and heavy. Built as a tank on a steel frame. By unscrew 5 screws at the bottom of the QX1 it will be opened up. Inside is the diskette drive and a number of printed circuit card. It contains a lot of electronics compared to today's small integrated circuits. The keys are attached to a steel frame and are soldered direct on its printed circuit card.
QX1 will be opened up by unscrew 5 screws at the bottom
QX1 contains a lot of electronics compared to today's small integrated circuits
THE QX FAMILY
Sequencer |
Year |
Events |
Tracks |
MIDI out |
Miscellaneous |
QX1 |
1984 |
80 000 |
8 |
8 |
- Disk drive (5 1/4") |
1987 |
48 000 |
16 |
2 |
- Disk drive (3 1/2") |
|
QX5 |
1987 |
20 000 |
8 |
1 |
- 96 ppq resolution |
QX5FD |
1988 |
20 000 |
8 |
1 |
- Disk drive (3 1/2") |
QX7 |
1985 |
8 100 |
2 |
1 |
- 96 ppq resolution |
QX21 |
1986 |
8 100 |
2 |
1 |
- 96 ppq resolution |
BROCHURES
QX1 MANUAL
From Yamaha Manual Library (http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/english/index.html)
FLOPPY DRIVE REPAIR
The disk drive inside QX1 is a 5 1/2 inch Canon 790C. If the disk drive don't release the disk, it's easy to repair it:
- Unplug the AC cable from the wall
- Remove the cover (screw)
- Remove the screen outside the drive
- Beside the release button is a spring. To the right is a brass (looks like a ramp). There is also a small piece of metal there. Push it up just enough so it will clear "the ramp"
QX1 Floppy Drive Repair - the brass ramp and the spring
QX1 TEST PROGRAM & ROM VERSIONS
There is a test program that can be run from the QX1, to diagnose the condition of the sequencer. To get a test, boot up the machine while holding 1, 3, 5, 7
QX1 Test Program
Following programs can be executed:
Test 1 - LCD and LED check
Test 2 - Character key board check
Test 3 - Function key board check
Test 4 - Tempo Knob check
Test 5 - i/f check (must be run before next check)
Test 6 - RAM check
Test 7 - ROM Check:
QX1 contains 4 ROM chips. The first ROM chip version shows up at the first screen and the other 3 ROMs at Test 7. There are many different ROM revisions for the QX1, at least 7 known. The latest ROMs are
IN009140 (reports at the first screen)
IN009270 (reports at test 7)
IN009360 (reports at test 7)
IN010560 (reports at test 7)
Yamaha still has two of the four ROMs in stock. The will cost you about $140 and $100 respectively, making a whole set of ROMs a mere 4 times the apparent going of a QX1 least - if they had a whole set.
QX1 POWERSETUP
In the 80's the Yamaha DX-line was dominating. The cutting edge of this was the TX816 FM-rack, KX88 Master Keyboard, RX11 Drum Machine and the QX1 Sequencer.
A powerful studio setup was like that one below, from the QX1 Manual. This page illustrates how to connect and use the parts together:
A power setup from the 80's with Yamaha TX816, QX1, DX7 & RX11. From Yamaha QX1 Owner's Manual
QX1 IN FILMSCORES
Many movie tracks from the 80s were made with QX1. The sound track to the film "Runaway" staring Tom Selleck (from "Miami Vice"), from 1984, was done solely with a QX1 sequencer and a TX816 FM Rack. Composer was Jerry Goldsmith. Here is a sound clip from the movie ("Ground floor").
 Runway - the movie |
 Runaway - the soundtrack |
LINKS