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Description

The Yamaha TG500 is a versatile sound module that has become a staple for musicians seeking high-quality and diverse soundscapes. An evolution of Yamaha's renowned synthesis technology, the TG500 packs a punch with its Advanced Wave Memory 2 (AWM2) engine, providing rich and dynamic sounds. This synth module is perfect for both studio and live performances, offering a palette of voices that range from lush pads to punchy basses. The TG500 features 64-note polyphony, ensuring that complex compositions are rendered with clarity and depth.

With a library of 384 preset voices and 128 user voices, the TG500 provides a vast array of sounds at your fingertips. The module also includes a built-in effects processor, allowing users to add reverb, chorus, and more to their sounds directly from the unit. Its multi-timbral capabilities enable up to 16 parts to be played simultaneously, making it an excellent choice for multi-layered arrangements. Musicians will appreciate the intuitive interface, which simplifies sound shaping and editing.

Compatible with both MIDI and audio setups, the Yamaha TG500 seamlessly integrates into any rig, whether you're crafting new tracks or performing live. The combination of robust features and Yamaha's trusted reliability makes the TG500 a valuable addition to any musician's toolkit.

Key Features:

  • Advanced Wave Memory 2 (AWM2) synthesis engine
  • 64-note polyphony
  • 384 preset voices and 128 user voices
  • Built-in effects processor
  • Multi-timbral capabilities (16 parts)
  • MIDI and audio integration
  • Intuitive interface for easy sound editing
SynthMania

SynthMania

Yamaha TG500 demo

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TG500 demo by SynthMania

Yamaha TG500 demo

SynthMania

SynthMania

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TG500 / SY85 1992 is an incredible virtual analogue synth - no talking by Jimi Uno's Pound Store Synth Emporium

Yamaha TG500 / SY85 1992 is an incredible virtual analogue synth - no talking

Jimi Uno's Pound Store Synth Emporium

Jimi Uno's Pound Store Synth Emporium

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TG-500 Tone Generator Demo by CHARLIEtheCAT

Yamaha TG-500 Tone Generator Demo

CHARLIEtheCAT

CHARLIEtheCAT

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TG500/SY85: operating through the keyhole by Floyd Steinberg

Yamaha TG500/SY85: operating through the keyhole

Floyd Steinberg

Floyd Steinberg

Video thumbnail for Yamaha SY85 & TG500 Synthesizer Sound Demo Video by M. Schmied (Mike Vintagemusic)

Yamaha SY85 & TG500 Synthesizer Sound Demo Video

M. Schmied (Mike Vintagemusic)

M. Schmied (Mike Vintagemusic)

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TG500 - All performance presets bank 1  1 -63 no talking no post just synth by Jimi Uno's Pound Store Synth Emporium

Yamaha TG500 - All performance presets bank 1 1 -63 no talking no post just synth

Jimi Uno's Pound Store Synth Emporium

Jimi Uno's Pound Store Synth Emporium

Video thumbnail for YAMAHA TG500 TONE GENERATOR DEMO by Samurai Instruments

YAMAHA TG500 TONE GENERATOR DEMO

Samurai Instruments

Samurai Instruments

Reviews

PROS

  • Can produce beautiful pads and soundscapes

  • 64-note polyphony enhances musical complexity

  • Features classic Yamaha FM samples

  • Offers a vast array of high-quality effects

  • Includes 4 separate outputs for versatile connectivity

CONS

  • Complex programming interface

  • Lacks a high-quality acoustic piano sound

  • Interface relies on cumbersome button-based operation without a data knob

  • Not user-friendly for those averse to menu diving

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Yamaha TG500.

Features and functionality

  • The TG500 allows for sample-playback RAM installation, enabling users to load custom samples—a rare feature for synths from its era.

    Source
  • The TG500 boasts improved effects compared to earlier models, enhancing sound versatility and depth.

    Source

User experience

  • Owners appreciate the TG500's versatility, despite its acoustic patches sometimes lacking realism.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • Installing RAM for sample storage is a recommended upgrade to enhance the TG500's capabilities.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The TG500 offers significantly greater polyphony than the TG55, making it more suitable for complex arrangements.

    Source
  • The TG500 is considered the most powerful among Yamaha's early '90s sample playback engines, surpassing models like the SY77 and SY85 in terms of capabilities.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Yamaha TG500 (SOS Nov 92)

muzines.co.uk

The Yamaha TG500 impresses with its groundbreaking 64-note polyphony and rich sound palette, making it a standout in the synth module market. It offers an extensive selection of waveforms and effects, ensuring versatile sound creation. Its logical editing hierarchy and elegant design, despite the compact 1U rack size, add to its appeal. However, the absence of onboard sample RAM and a sequencer might deter some users. Despite these minor drawbacks, the TG500's affordability and sonic prowess make it a highly recommended choice for musicians seeking a robust and versatile synth module.

positive
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4.0 out of 5

Based on 3 Reviews and 11 Ratings

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4 star
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1 star
ontologyjunglist

Best pad machine I've ever heard, horrible interface though.

This machine can produce some of the most beautiful pads you will ever hear come out of your speakers, headphones, or any other audio source for that matter, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to program it, and I have no idea if I ever will. The interface is mainly button-based, there is no data knob, instead you have two buttons labeled "yes" and "no" along with various buttons meant to open up editing menus and cycle through preset banks. But either way, even if you don't enjoy menu diving and you just want a good rompler that can produce some of the most amazing New-Age landscapes on the planet, the Yamaha TG500 is for you.

luke7fps

A box-of-sound that offers great Strings, Pads, Leads and EPs a bit lousy on Organs and Acoustic instruments...

Pros:

64-Note Polyphony Classical Yamaha FM Samples A huge number of good-quality Effects 4 Separated Outputs Cons: Difficoult to program (as every expander is) Lack of a good Acoustic Piano

bobjack

Good

Very rare specific synth. It steel sounding great! Cosmo!

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Neil Tennant uses Yamaha TG500

Neil Tennant

Singer

Pet Shop Boys

...
Verified via Petshopboys-online

Neil Tennant utilized a Yamaha TG500 to input guitar parts into Logic, which were then used to create a score for a live guitarist to replicate. This process is detailed in an interview on Petshopboys-online by Chris Dahl.

See how George Michael uses Yamaha TG500

George Michael

Singer

WHAM!

...
Verified via Soundonsound

List of equipment in George Michael's studio, from the July 1996 issue of Sound on Sound:

RECORDING

AKG LSM50 cube monitors Aphex Expressor compressor Denon tape deck * Dynaudio Acoustics M1 monitors Lexicon PCM80 effects Lexicon LXP15 effects Mackie 32*8 32:8:2 8‑buss console Otari RADAR 24‑track hard disk recorders (x2) Tascam DA20 DAT * Yamaha NS10 monitors

SOUNDS

Akai S3000i samplers (x2) Akai S3200 sampler * Emu Procussion percussion module Emu Vintage Keys Plus module Emu Ultra Proteus synth module Korg Prophecy keyboard synth Korg Trinity Plus keyboard synth Kurzweil K2000 sampler/synth Roland JV1080 synth module Roland Juno 106 analogue keyboard synth Roland Vintage Synth MVS1 sound module Studio Electronics SE1 synth module * Yamaha SY77 keyboard synth Yamaha TG500 synth module

MISCELLANEOUS

DAC hard drive * Opcode Studio 4 MIDI interface (x2) Powermaster drive *

See how Pete Cannon uses Yamaha TG500

Pete Cannon

Music Producer

...
Verified via YouTube

It's beneath the Korg 03 R/W at 15:56.

See how Rob Playford (AKA Timecode) uses Yamaha TG500

Rob Playford (AKA Timecode)

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via Archive

According to this article on the making of Goldie's Timeless album from the June 1998 issue of Sound on Sound magazine, Playford's studio gear includes a TG500 synth.

Album Usage

The Yamaha TG500 has been featured on the following albums:

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Yamaha TG500, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

E-mu Vintage Keys
E-mu Vintage Keys Sound Modules
2
Akai S3200
Akai S3200 Audio Samplers
2
OctaMED
OctaMED Music Software
1
Commodore Amiga 1200
Commodore Amiga 1200 Computers & Peripherals
1
Korg 03R/W
Korg 03R/W Synthesizers
1
Korg MS2000BR
Korg MS2000BR Synthesizers
1
Korg O3R
Korg O3R Synthesizers
1
Atari 520 ST
Atari 520 ST Computers & Peripherals
1
Korg T2
Korg T2 Synthesizers
1

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