Bad Gear - Yamaha RY-30

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Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Yamaha RY30 Rhythm Programmer. If this 1991 digital drum machine declared "the 80s are over" - why are we still using Roland TR-808 and TR-909 sounds?

Thanks to Matthias Jakisic for yet another gem from his collection, his new album is out:

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:05 Overview Yamaha RY-30
05:02 Hate
05:29 Jam 1
06:22 Jam 2
07:19 Finale
07:50 Verdict
09:13 Patreon Vocoder Shoutout

[FIXTREME]

The RY30... the little drum machine that *to this day* keeps the music industries of Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador in business. Over 50% of groups here in Bolivia use the RY30 on a daily basis. Especially in cumbia Sureña, this thing is the king 🎎 Even if you have a machine that sounds like this (DD75, PSR sample set, DTX sample set, etc.), you're gonna be producing hit music over here.

EDIT: These same groups use the RY30 live, but only by playing preset patterns and improvisation with an adjacent Roland SPD series drum ( *another series of gear you should review.* )

Example: watch?v=oKTYOO50T2M

[chriswareham]

My main drum machine! Love it so much that I even wrote an editor for it to manipulate the voice settings. Full of cheesy but great 80s sounds, but capable of analogue sounding ones and weird digital blips.

[djlocodoc]

Those live Audiopilz with pedals just = AMAZING! Well done sir, great episode!

[kristianTV]

I still clearly remember the lovely summer day around '92 when me and a mate from 6th form bunked off lessons for the afternoon to go into London, drink beer and play around in Denmark St with drum machines - I ended up taking an RY30 home that day. Great memory, and I would never consider it to be Bad Gear (tm)!

[drphiI]

this series is how i know it's friday 🌞

[quinnzender]

Fun fact: Autechre released a single called 'We R Are Why' in '96 consisting of two tracks written entirely on the RY30. Great songs too! Always wanted an RY30 after that.

[Quants]

You know Autechre made an entire EP using nothing but this drum machine. And it's a banger.

[henninghoefer]

Can we all appreciate the awesome music videos AudioPilz puts together for the "Finale" tracks every time?

(Oh, and since you were talking Yamaha groove boxes: You should try to get your hands on a Tenori On for an episode …)

[txcn]

The first jam was drifting towards it already, then you just go full Front Line Assembly on jam 2. I love it.

[koraycan]

After watching all of the past videos I finally get to comment on a new one before this channel gets picked up by Netflix or something.
Like Top Gear that introduced Subaru Impreza WRX's to a generation that would never own one, this channel taught me about so many drum machines and grooveboxes.

[ringtangting]

This has been my main drum machine for the last 9 months or so. I really like working with it. It feels nice to the touch, the 'analog' kits sound good to me, as well as the real drum hits. Editing goes really deep, I've made some thunderous techno rumble by editing a cowbell.

[DJPhantomRage]

If you ever come up with another channel on how you go about the music production that would be amazing. You are extremely talented especially since you can pull off amazing tracks with such random 'bad' gear. :)

[thomasmatthews]

The RY-30 was a game changing champion for me back in 1991. I could mimic break beats without actually sampling by tweaking and combinatng tones.. In Hip Hop and R&B..for me..it put me ahead of my competitors who didn't have drop boom from the bottom. The trick to better beats is mixing the kits...i just bought a new one last year.

[shankr]

Love my RM50 and was waiting for its (sibling's) Bad Gear treatment :) Didn't disappoint! Especially the cat riding the dolphin. Instant classic!

[gramsey]

Again a masterful video, well done. The RY30 cuts through the mix like no other drum machine I own. No need for eq or compression or transient designer plugins.

[sub-jec-tiv]

Once again your demo tracks are stunning. ✨👌

[michaelhannan]

This is yet another great drum machine that comes to life with a modern sample card. The Sector 101 Wave Blade card lets you download any of the Yamaha cards or fill it with your own sound.

[geminielectro]

I'm impressed by how you push the limits of the machine. Great job!

[nbor]

Your jams make me want to open a used car lot that specializes in 80's and early 90's cars, then flood the airwaves with incredible advertising. Yes, I have dreams, and I have ideas.

[dustmighte]

friday 5pm is just perfect as a release schedule - enough work, it's the weekend!