The CS-40m is a duophonic (2-voice) analog synthesizer that was introduced in 1979. Although Yamaha had already conquered polyphony with their legendary 8-voice CS-80, the CS-40m offered a more affordable approach to something other than a mono-synth. It has a semi-compact 44 note (3 1/2 octave) keyboard, 36 knobs, 12 sliders and over a dozen buttons for easy hands-on performance and editing. There are also 20 patches of memory which can be off-loaded to cassette tape.

The CS-40m certainly isn't as phatt as the CS-80. In fact, the CS-40m is more like a 2-voice version of the CS-20m. Like most CS-series synths the CS-40m has two analog oscillators per voice. Triangle, sawtooth, and square (pulse) waveforms are available on each oscillator, plus there is a noise generator. There is also a simple AR (attack/release) envelope generator for each VCO.

The CS-40m has a multi-mode VCF (filter) switchable between lowpass, bandpass, and highpass filtering. Basic filter cutoff and resonance controls are here, but the filter's resonance can't be driven to self-oscillate. It does, however, have its own ADSR envelope generator for nice sweeping filter effects. There is a basic LFO (Low Frequency Modulator) for modulating the VCO, VCF or VCA. All these classic controls and features and sounds... you would expect wood panels... and there are! The CS-40m has been used by Electronic Dream Plant, Sneaker Pimps, Ultravox, Duran Duran, and Vangelis.

Andrew Beddoes

December 28, 2008 @ 6:47 am

A large, heavy, synth, but an unmistakable good looker. No touch response, but fun to program and play.

Mad Al

September 7, 2008 @ 5:20 pm

You can see P. Godenys playing it in Front 242 's video for "Take One" from 1984.

Analogue Crazy

August 21, 2008 @ 7:10 am

Very powerful synth. Great modulation routings, tons of control and a massive sound to match.

micke

August 18, 2008 @ 2:29 pm

To the list of CS-40M users we can add Swedish post-punk/synth band Cosmic Overdose.

micke

August 18, 2008 @ 1:31 pm

The CS-40M has also been used by Front 242, The Residents, Images In Vogue.and BBC Radiophonic workshop.

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