The Yamaha EX5 and EX7 Music Synthesizers, and the EX5R Tone Generator, offer more music performance and production power than ever before available in a single keyboard or tone generator unit.

Extended information

All three models feature a unique Extended Synthesis system which incorporates a number of the most advanced tone generator technologies currently available ... plus a full-featured sampling system.

There’s also a top-quality internal effect system so no extra sound-processing equipment is required. 16-track song and 8-track pattern sequencers provide sophisticated on-board sequence programming and editing capability, while a unique 4-track arpeggiator function adds extended performance and accompaniment capability.

The EX-series keyboards and tone generator also offer one of the most versatile and intuitive real-time control systems available, and they’re expandable to suit a wide range of professional systems and requirements.

The EX5, EX5R, and EX7 give the serious musician everything he or she needs to perform, compose, arrange, or handle full-blown music production in one extraordinarily versatile instrument.

All tone generation systems have their strengths and weaknesses. One system may excel at creating certain types of voices, but none covers the full sonic vocabulary required by modern music production. The Extended Synthesis system employed in the EX synthesizers puts the full spectrum of electronic sound at your fingertips by combining multiple state-of-the-art Yamaha tone generation technologies in one incredibly versatile instrument.

There’s the outstanding sample-based sound and programmability of AWM synthesis. For incredibly realistic and expressive wind and string instrument simulations there’s VL synthesis. When you want a beefy analog synthesizer voice, AN synthesis can give it to you. And all-new FDSP technology offers the most responsive effects and simulated resonant systems available.

All of these tone generator systems are brought together in a four-element voice structure which allows up to four different “waves” —the basic building blocks of the EX voices —to be combined as required. This is simply the most powerful array of tone generation technologies ever provided in a single keyboard or tone generator unit.

\Virtual Acoustic Synthesis
(Available on the EX5/5R)
The same tone generator technology used in the ground-breaking VL1, and the currently popular VL70-m tone generator. Yamaha Virtual Acoustic (VL) Synthesis tone generation system applies sophisticated computer-based “physical modeling” technology to musical sound synthesis, accurately simulating the very complex vibrations, resonances, reflections and other acoustic phenomena that occur in a real wind or string instrument.

AWM, or "Advanced Wave Memory", is Yamaha’s original system for effectively using sampled waveforms in synthesizers and tone generators. The strength of AWM synthesis lies not only in its outstanding sound quality, but also in its extraordinary ability to shape and control the sound of the samples with a comprehensive system of envelope generators, filters, key scaling parameters, modulation, and more.

Yamaha AN Synthesis (Analog Physical Modeling) offers all the benefits of traditional analog synthesis with the stability, reproducibility, and precise control of digital technology. It is capable of accurately reproducing the sound of classic analog synthesizers without patch cables, setting charts, or the frustrating instability that was the bane of the analog age.

Technical specifications

Keyboard
Type Regular 76 keys — Regular 61 keys
Touch Response Velocity sensitive / Aftertouch — Velocity sensitive / Aftertouch

Tone Generator
Synthesis type AWM, VL, AN, FDSP, Sampling(44.1KHz) AWM, AN, FDSP, Sampling(44.1KHz)
Polyphony 128 64
Voice 512 (Preset 256 / Internal 256)
*Up to 4 elements for each Normal voice / up to 128 elements for Drum voice
Voice Type AWM / VL+AWM / FDSP / AN+AWM / AN+FDSP / Drum AWM / FDSP / AN+AWM / Drum
*Sampled Wave available in AWM and Drum mode
User Wave 1MB DRAM *Optionally expanded up to 72MB (64MB SIMM + 8MB Flash Memory)
FDSP Type EP Pickup / EG pickup / Water / PWM / Flange / Phaser / Self FM / Tornado / Ring Mod /Seismic(10 types)
Performance Voice Internal 128
Multitimbres 16 parts
Others Micro Tuning setting available, Voice Category Search function

Effects
Reverb 12
Chorus 17
Insertion 79

Song Sequencer
Track 16 + Pattern/Play Effect/Tempo
Capacity Approx. 30000 notes
Song Number 1
Recording Mode Multi / Step / Overdub / Replace / Punch In
Format SMF Format 0 for SAVE and LOAD / SMF Format 1 and ESEQ for LOAD only
Note Resolution 1/480 per beat
MIDI Sync Internal / MIDI Clock / MTC

Pattern Sequencer
Track 8
Pattern User 50
Recording Mode Multi / Step / Overdub / Replace
Note Resolution 1/480 per beat

Key Map 1 User kit of up to 128 samples / patterns
*Complete 8 track patterns, single pattern tracks, or sampled waves can be assigned to each key.

Arpeggiator
Arpeggiator Type Preset 50 / User 50
Recording Mode Step / Overdub / Replace
Track 4
Note Resolution 1/480 per beat

SMF Direct Play 1 User kit of up to 128 samples / patterns
*Complete 8 track patterns, single pattern tracks, or sampled waves can be assigned to each key.

Display
LCD 64 x 240 (Backlit) with Contrast knob