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Yamaha

A Yamaha DX1 in Dire Straits

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Any regular readers to the posts on this site will know that I’m a fan of preservation.   So much history of artists and their music is often attached to their instruments.  From the guitar that Bruce Springsteen still has over 30 years later the more famous Red guitar belonging to Queens Brian May.  

We talk often about an artist’s music, their presence on (or off) the world stage.  But not so much the instruments that it could be argued has in some way shaped them. 

My current instrument of choice is a Yamaha digital piano.  I love it.  But I still remember fondly the keyboards of my youth.  Without them I wouldn’t be the player or composer or even the sound designer I am now.

Recently I found on Reverb.com a DX1 for sale with a rather special provenance.

I’ve included the description in full.  The reason being that eventually it will sell, and then further along the Reverb servers will clear this listing and the knowledgeable history provided by the seller surrounding this particular DX1 will be lost.

An instrument or piece of studio gear has to have two requisites to be included here at samplenerd.com.

  1. It has to have a special provenance that is at risk of being lost.
  2. The photography of a particularly revered piece of gear has to be excellent.

The Dire Straits Yamaha DX1 FM synthesiser.

Produced in limited numbers, with only 140 units manufactured between 1982 and 1983, the Yamaha DX1 synthesiser stands as an exceptionally rare piece of musical equipment. As time has passed, fully functional examples have become increasingly scarce, elevating this particular DX-1 to the status of a unique artefact in musical history.

Originally acquired from the London Synthesiser Centre in 1984, this DX-1 holds a special place in the history of Dire Straits. The band’s keyboard player Guy Fletcher extensively utilised this synthesiser during the recording of the iconic album ‘Brothers In Arms.’ The distinctive sounds crafted using this synth have become synonymous with the album’s signature sound.

The actual patches and sounds utilised during the Montserrat sessions in late 1984 and early 1985 are still preserved within the synth’s built-in memory and on the two RAM cartridges housed within the device. (These sounds can be listed separately upon request).

Beyond Dire Straits, the DX-1 was deployed by Guy on records for various artists, including Tina Turner (Break every Rule), Randy Newman (Land Of Dreams), Aztec Camera (Knife), Willie DeVille (Miracle), and the Princess Bride movie soundtrack. The collaboration between Guy and Mark Knopfler at A&M Studios in Los Angeles resulted in the synth featuring in the soundtrack of The Princess Bride. Many other distinctive patches found their way into multiple collaborative works by Mark and Guy.

The enduring appeal of this synthesiser lies in the unparalleled clarity and sonic depth, qualities that remain unmatched by contemporary software replication. Hand-built in Japan, the DX-1 is an example of craftsmanship and cosmetic design rarely seen in today’s instruments.

Beyond the recording studio, the DX-1 played a pivotal role in the Brothers In Arms World tour, serving as Guy’s primary keyboard on stage. Its presence is documented in numerous Dire Straits shows from that era, including iconic performances at Live Aid (pictured), Knebworth, and the Nelson Mandela concerts. This DX-1 stands as a testament to both its historical significance and its enduring impact on the sonic landscape of the music it contributed to.

The synth was also used recently on the Teenage Cancer Trust ‘Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes’ track produced by Guy Fletcher (release March 15th 2024) and is featured on the original Sir Peter Blake cover artwork.

Fully functional, the synth underwent a full service by renowned keyboard technician Tiny Evans in 2023. It is presented with the original flight case and folding heavy-duty keyboard stand which was custom built for the synth for the Brothers In Arms world tour.

The original Yamaha manual is included.

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