The instrument
The SY-1, an analog monophonic synthesizer with one VCO, presets and the preset sounds and basic synthesis functions, is Yamaha's first analog synthesizer. As was common in the early years of analog synthesizers, it was an accessory to organs and was equipped with organ-like functions. Its successor a year later was the somewhat smaller SY-2, and parts of the synthesizer were also built into the Electone CSY 1 and CSY 2 organs.
Details
The SY-1 has a keyboard with 37 keys for 3 octaves. The analog sound generation is monophonic with a VCO for the sawtooth, square and sine waveforms. The synthesizer offers 28 preset, non-combinable but modifiable sounds in two series: Flute, Trombone, Trumpet, Saxophone, Oboe, Violin, Piano, Harpsichord, Bass, Tuba, Bassguitar, Funny, Trumute, Double; Clarinet Bassoon, French Horn, Bass Clarinet, English Horn, Pizzicato Violin, Guitar, Hawaiian Guitar, Pizzicato Bass, Sousaphone, Wah Guitar, Pulsar, Growlpet, Reed. A low-pass filter with resonance and 12 dB attenuation per octave, a fixed filter, a high-pass filter and an adjustable VCA envelope are used to shape the sound. An attack/pitch bend effect, pulse width modulation, vibrato, portamento and keyboard transposition are also built in. The VCF and VCA can be modulated with an LFO.