Yamaha S90


The Yamaha Music Synthesizer S90 is a synthesizer and a MIDI controller in one unit, released in 2002 to supersede the S80. As such, it is part of the S series together with the S03 and S08. It was superseded by the S90ES in 2005, itself superseded by the S90XS in 2009.

Overall features

Keyboard

The S90 provides 88 fully weighted keys, the number equivalent to a standard piano, emulating the pianistic mechanism. The keyboard naturally provides initial touch, but also aftertouch response and has a 64-note polyphony with 16 multitimbral parts providing a maximum of 4 performance parts.

Presets

There are 384 normal presets and 48 drum kits. The S90 also includes standard GM presets. User presets are 128 normal and 16 drum kits. Presets may be expanded through up to three plug-in boards allowing a bank of 64 presets for each plug-in slot.

Expandability and memory slot

The S90 can be expanded through plug-in boards at three plug-in slots, thus providing additional presets, polyphony, effects and synthesizer functionality. Also, a memory slot is included for SmartMedia cards up to 128 MB.

Physical appearance

Visual description

The S90 is a large black synthesizer with brown side panels and might give the impression of a digital synthesizer with its green display. 71 push buttons are distributed across the front panel, save for the power switch on the back. Pitch bend and modulation wheels are placed above the keyboard aligned to the left.

Measurements

Metric

Dimensions : 1,357 × 386 × 163

Weight : 23.0
Imperial, English, United States customary, etc.

Weight : 51

Dimensions : 53 3 /8" × 15 1 /8" × 6 3 /8"

Panels and connectors

Front Panel

The front panel features a standard setup of a pitch bend wheel, a modulation wheel and a master volume slider. In addition there are four assignable control sliders and one 'rotary encoder'. The display is a 240 × 64 dot graphic backlit LCD.
Back Panel

Output: L/mono, R

Assignable output: L, R

Master Equalizer

Phones

2 × Foot controller

2 × Foot switch: Assignable, Sustain

Breath

MIDI IN

MIDI OUT

MIDI THRU

USB

ACINLET

Sound generation and effects

The synthesizer uses AWM2, a "Modular Synthesis Plug-in System" and 21 types of filter. Table 1 shows an overview of the S90 factory effects.
Table 1. List of Onboard effects
Effect NameFactorNo. of Types
Reverb?12
Chorus?25
Insertion1 x25
Insertion2 x104
Variation¹2 x25
Equalizer

¹ available for Performance/Song mode