John Melas is a Yamaha engineer who contributed to the company's flagship FM synthesizers during the era when Yamaha dominated the professional keyboard market with digital technology.

Melas worked on the DX7 and DX9, instruments that brought John Chowning's FM synthesis to millions of musicians worldwide. The DX7's 16-voice polyphony, velocity sensitivity, and distinctive preset sounds — from glassy electric pianos to metallic basses — made it the best-selling synthesizer of its generation.

The DX9 offered a more affordable entry into FM synthesis with reduced polyphony and features, extending Yamaha's digital reach to budget-conscious studios and touring musicians. Melas's engineering contributed to the implementation and refinement of FM algorithms that defined the sonic character of 1980s recorded music.

Notable products: Yamaha DX7, DX9.