Disks released for the Yamaha SY85 Synthesiser

Both Yamaha and other manufacturers released disks and cartridges for the Yamaha SY85.

It should be noted that the disks created for the Yamaha SY77 / SY99 were not compatible with the Yamaha SY85.  The same was true the other way around

Yamaha SY85 Factory Set

If you have an SY85 then this is the must have disk to own.  This disk contains all the samples and voice configuration data to reset your SY85 back to its factory condition.  Unlike the other big board synthesisers in the Yamaha SY-range which contained the factory reset on a Read Only Memory (ROM) chip the only way to reset the synthesiser back to its factory state is load from disk or load from SYSEX.  Believe me when I say reloading from disk is so much simpler than the other option.

If you can't find this disk elsewhere you can acquire it here.

Yamaha SY85 Demonstration Disk

There were actually 2 demonstration disks that were released by Yamaha for this synthesiser.  The first disk was the Demonstration Disk and the second was called the Demo disk.

The Demonstration disk was the disk that I can remember being in the Yamaha retail outlets when this synthesiser was launched.  The disk came with tones and to run the following sequences:

• Madworld - A fusion song that fitted in with the early 90's music scene

• SkoolTek - A more techno dance orientated sequence.  Again, a product of the 90's

The second track demonstrated how voice samples could be loaded into the Yamaha SY85 to use in the construction of the track.

If you can't find this disk elsewhere you can acquire it here.

If you want to hear the tracks, click here. (Madworld Only)

Yamaha SY85 Demo Disk

It is unclear where the Demo disk originated.  The disk I acquired was on a purported to be Yamaha original disk.  Again, this was used in the retail outlets to demonstrate the capability of the synthesiser.

The disks came with all the tones to run the following sequences:

• The Race - This is the Yello track released in 1988.  The sequence is so close to the original that it got a hit for copyright when I posted it on my YouTube channel

• Give in to me - This is a recreation of the Micheal Jackson song with the same name released on the Dangerous album in 1991.

• Tuxedo Junction - This is a recreation of the Glen Miller song that was a hit for the band leader in 1940.  You might know the more modern version performed by Manhattan Transfer in 1975.

• The Model - The is a recreation of Kraftwerk track released in 1978.  Again this track was close enough for the YouTube polices to jump into action.

If you can't find Demo Disk elsewhere you can acquire it here.

If you want to hear the tracks, click here. 

Yamaha SY85 GM-Friendly Voice Disk

The GM Friendly disk conformed to the General MIDI (GM) standard released in the 1990's that many devices / instruments released in this time period conformed to.  The core concept was that music created on one instrument could be transferred to another instrument and broadly sound the same.  e.g. Patch 01 would be a Grand Piano.  Drums would always be transmitted on MIDI channel 10, with the individual elements of the drum kit of specific notes.

This disk will re-order the tones and the drum kits on the Yamaha SY85 to conform to the General MIDI standard.  The synthesiser cannot fully conform to the GM standard in areas like 24 note playback (the SY85 is only capable of 16 notes).

If you can't find the GM Friend Voice disk elsewhere you can acquire it here.