Yamaha DX7
The Yamaha DX7 is a digital synthesizer used by Prince from the Purple Rain era through to the Batman.
Prince acquired one during the Purple Rain sessions and it was used on Around The World In A Day, Parade and Sign O The Times. It was one of the first affordable implementations of FM synthesis and was capable of producing a range of acoustic, percussive and metallic sounds that were not possible with older analog synthesizers. It became one of the biggest selling synthesizers in history. It was notoriously difficult to program, and Prince largely used the DX7’s presets (see a list of examples below).
The DX7 was acquired for Prince to use on the song “Love and Sex” (from Purple Rain Deluxe Edition). Prince’s first commercially available song featuring the DX7 was “When Doves Cry”, where the patch “Koto” was used for the main keyboard part. The DX7 was used extensively on the Around The World In A Day sessions, appearing on most of the songs. Prince would continue using the DX7 on Parade, Sign O The Times and Lovesexy albums. “I Love U In Me”, the b-side to “The Arms of Orion”, is one of the last known appearances of the DX7.
Prince sold his Yamaha DX7, along with his E-mu Emax II sampler in 1995. The DX7 and E-max II were put up for auction in 2020. The DX7 has the following written in tape above the patch selection buttons - Strange, Let’s Work, House LP, Pony Smpls?, Bass Riff, The Shit LP, Huh LP, Dope Drum, Segway LP, Tambo LP, Yea Yea, Scream 1, Bell Kiss LP, Another LP, Another LP, Put Huh?, Open Girl, Crowd, Girl Laugh 1/2/3/4. It's possible that these are samples that were triggered using the DX7.
Lisa Coleman, Dr Fink and Boni Boyer all used DX7s live.
| Song | Part | Patch Name | Patch Number/Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| When Doves Cry | Intro - 0:18 | Koto | 23/1A, 22/3B |
| God (Vocal Version) | Intro - 0:00 | Piano 2 | 01/3B |
| God (Vocal Version) | Verse 1 - 0:52 | Tub Bells | 26/1A, 22/4A |
| Love and Sex | Verse - 4:13 | E.Organ 1 | 11/3A, 17/1A |
| Our Destiny/ Roadhouse Garden | Intro - 0:02 | E.Piano 1 | 11/1A, 8/3A |
| Our Destiny/ Roadhouse Garden | Interlude - 2:52 | Harp 1 | 19/3A |
| Our Destiny/ Roadhouse Garden | Outro - 5:48 | Train | 30/3A, 31/1A |
| The Dance Electric | Intro - 0:00 | E.Bass 1 | 15/1A, 30/3B |
| Around The World In A Day | Intro - 0:00 | Recorders | 23/4A |
| Around The World In A Day | Intro - 0:22 | Tub Bells | 26/1A, 22/4A |
| Around The World In A Day | Bridge - 1:59 | E.Organ 1 | 11/3A, 17/1A |
| Paisley Park | Intro - 0:15 | Caliope | 20/1B, 18/3B |
| Condition Of The Heart | Intro - 0:07 | Flute 1 | 24/1A, 01/3A |
| Condition Of The Heart | Intro - 1:32 | Gotcha | 30/4B |
| Condition Of The Heart | Intro - 2:23 | Accordion | 21/1B, 19/3B |
| Raspberry Beret | Chorus 1 - 0:55 | Harpsichord 1 | 19/1A, 2/3A |
| Tambourine | Intro - 0:05 | E.Bass 1 | 15/1A, 30/3B |
| America | Intro 0:38 | Flute 1 | 24/1A, 01/3A |
| Temptation | Intro - 0:30 | Flute 1 | 24/1A, 01/3A |
| Temptation | Outro - 6:05 | Koto | 23/1A, 22/3B |
| Temptation | Outro - 7:05 | Tub Bells | 26/1A, 22/4A |
| She’s Always In My Hair | Intro - 0:02 | Gotcha | 30/4B |
| Hello | Intro - 0:01 | Harpsichord 1 | 19/1A, 2/3A |
| Hello | Break - 2:04 | Timpani | 28/1A, 20/3A |
| Manic Monday | Intro - 0:00 | Harpsichord 1 | 19/1A, 2/3A |
| Nothing Compares 2 U | Intro - 0:00 | Vibe | 32/4A |
| 100 MPH | Intro - 0:00 | Tub Bells | 26/1A, 22/4A |
| 100 MPH | Intro - 0:16 | E.Bass 1 | 15/1A, 30/3B |
| Christopher Tracy's Parade | Intro - 0:05 | Br Trumpet | 06/3A |
| Christopher Tracy's Parade | Verse - 0:21 | Caliope | 20/1B, 18/3B |
| I Wonder U | Outro - 1:26 | Tub Erupt | 27/3A |
| Girls & Boys | Intro - 0:01 | Koto | 23/1A, 22/3B |
| Life Can Be So Nice | Intro - 0:02 | Recorders | 23/4A |
| Life Can Be So Nice | Intro - 0:02 | Harpsichord 1 | 19/1A, 2/3A |
| Mountains | Intro - 0:09 | Harpsichord 1 | 19/1A, 2/3A |
| Kiss | Verse 2 - 1:11 | Marimba | 22/1A, 07/4A |
| The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker | Intro - 0:01 | E.Piano 1 | 11/1A, 08/3A |
| Strange Relationship | Verse 3 - 2:01 | Marimba | 22/1A, 07/4A |
| Bob George | Solo - 2:54 | St Helens | 31/4B, 31/2B |
| Last Heart | Intro - 0:00 | Vibe | 32/4A |
| When 2 R In Love | Verse - 1:10 | Train | 30/3A, 31/1A |
References
- Tudahl, Duane. (2017) Prince and the Purple Rain Studio Sessions - 1983 and 1984.
- Brown, Jake. (2010) Prince 'in the Studio' 1975 - 1995.
- A Prince who will be King. (1984) Musician.
