1988 (Dec.)
Initially sold for ¥50,000
The Yamaha WT11 is a high-performance, sophisticated MIDI tone generator system that delivers outstanding sound and versatility when used with the Yamaha WX11 or WX7 Wind MIDI Controller.
Even though you don't blow into it, the WT11 is a wind instrument forming an integral part of the new Yamaha Wind MIDI system. Specifically designed to be used with the Yamaha WX series of Wind MIDI Controllers, the WT11 makes a perfect partner for these instruments. A single cable connects the WT11 to the WX Wind MIDI Controller, supplying power to the controller, and transmitting data from the controller to the WT11. No batteries to change and only one cable needed! The tuning. breath pressure and lip pressure utilities built into the WT11 make setting up the WX controller a matter of few seconds' work.
The sounds of the WT11 are produced by a 4op FM synthesizer. They are combined in performance combinations, specifying the effect and vibrato control settings, as well as the voices chosen. 96 performance combinations have already been made for you but you can add you own (up to 32 of them), and store them on ordinary cassette tape or send them to another MIDI bulk storage device for storage on disk.
The WT11 was the only synthesizer dedicated to the WX line, and even if it was a repackage of existing 4op FM technologies, it solved many of the shortcomings of the original WX7, giving players a dedicated interface for their controllers. The wavy design hints at the explorations that Yamaha was making in product design during those years (see the TQ5 or the YS200). Worth noting that while it looks to have two knobs, one for each side, the left one is actually just a cap to cleverly disguise the input jack for the WX controller.
Features
- High-quality Yamaha digital FM-synthesis tone generator system offers dynamic, vibrant, life-like sound quality.
- 96 superb preset performance combinations (a "performance combination" includes voices, effects and LFO settings) designed for use with the Yamaha WX11 or WX7 Wind MIDI Controller. The preset performance combinations respond ideally to the WX11 or WX7 control system, giving the player the type of intimate response he would expect from an acoustic wind instrument.
- A range of 10 high-quality digital effects — including reverberation, delay, echo and distortion — can be edited and used in your own performance combinations. LFO control characteristics and performance combination titles can also be edited.
- New voices created using external equipment such as the Yamaha TX81Z FM Tone Generator or DX11 Digital Programmable Algorithm Synthesizer can be loaded into the WT11 and used in WT11 performance combinations.
- 32 internal RAM memory locations for storage of original performance combinations.
- Built-in cassette interface for convenient storage and retrieval of performance and other data.
