Yamaha QX1

The Yamaha QX1 is an 8-track MIDI sequencer from 1985, the first made by Yamaha, with an in-built floppy disk.

For a long time, Tony was averse to using sequencers as he felt they only worked for jamming along to one riff, which didn't interest him. But he finally got into using the QX1 sequencer on the Invisible Touch album and its subsequent tour between 1986 and 1987, more for the mechanical keyboard parts. He'd program it via step time, by inputting the notes via keyboard and generate the tempo with the QX.

The QX was used on sequenced bass lines for "Land Of Confusion" (which Tony dumped from the live rendition as it was "too tight for human beings to stick to"), and part of "The Last Domino" (although much simpler). Also, in the bridge section of "Invisible Touch" there are eight random sequenced keyboard parts mixed down in a way that it builds up before abruptly returning to the main chorus.

In 2001 the QX1 was sold from The Farm with a host of vintage Genesis gear.