Casio – The Cosmo Synthesizer Series & FZ Sampler – incl. Hohner OEM
Casio CZ/VZ digital synthesizer series – called the Cosmo Synthesizer and successors – the VZ Series with iPD Synthesis.
Casio FZ sampler series
– casio vl tone.. uuhm, a keyboard.. ;)
| Casio | Casio Synth overview / überblick.. |
| Casio CZ101 „the cosmo synthesizer“ 1985 the waveforms. that the PD synthesis (phase distortion) supports are printed on all the CZ synths.. PD is much like FM |
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| very simple 16 sound memories.plus 16 on cartridge (see that quite big thing on the back)
the full size CZ1000 was the same but with „normal size“ keys. |
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| this is how it looked like.. |  |
| digital oscialltorsDCO (dcw = digital controlled waveform for „filtering“ -sound..) dco1 and dco2 – channels could be ringmodulated to create interesting new sounds. the DCW is some sort of simple filter (no resonance). but you could use the waves shown on the image.. the complex envelope is 8-stage level/rate quite complex those times!! |
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| 4 octaves mini-keys was one of the first with midi mono mode. th cz1000/101 has 8 voice polyphony as long as you only use one „channel“.. so in fact you will use both in most sounds, thats why the mono mode is 4part still underestimated because of it’s name (casio).also later models came out with velocity (CZ1 is the top model of the CZ series.. the more advanced are the VZ family. and more synthesis features.) the best and most sophisticated model is (racked casio VZ1, ) VZ10M, which was the most powerful model.. has iPD (fm like) but 8 OSCs and ringmod. so there are lots of possible sounds and potential in the CZ series! CZ5000 and CZ3000 difference to CZ101/1000: |
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| the CZ top model was the CZ-1 , the only one of this series with velocity sensitive and aftertouch keyboard. so this is also the most cool model. (1986), all VZ1 and CZ1 pics by SUMMA! |
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VZ synthesizer series
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| more info here | |
| CZ casio pro group mailing list. |
theCZ/casio mailing list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CZsynth |
| Sampler FZ1 – HS1 (hohner) the FZ1 (same as Hohners only sampler HS1 in germany) was the first reasonable 16bit-stereo sampler. some additive synthesis on board, quite nice.. and cheap those days.. the cheapst samplers – more toys were the SK keyboards (sk1, sk7) some files for the fz1 Jeff McClintock 1996 This cable connects a PC printer port to a Casio FZ-1 Synthesiser High Speed Port. Both ends DB-25 pin Male plugs this symbol [ 330 ] means a 330 ohm resistor, this prevents damage NOTES – Please be very careful to wire this correctly, clearly label the cable ends – Try to keep cable as short as practical for reliability. Mine is 3 meters. – Older computers may not have a bi-directional printer port, these – FZDUMP uses your PC’s interrupt 7 to receive data. If another peripheral – If you are having checksum errors receiving data you can try reducing the – FZDUMP for DOS does not run under Windows. FZDUMP is freeware, and may not be sold for profit. But I encourage every user to donate a FZDUMP updates can be found at www.iconz.co.nz/~jeffm/fzdump.htm Thanks to Carsten Wolters, David Minodier for help developing FZDUMP. |
the fz10m – rack version of the fz1 sampler click image to enlarge..some samples: the fz DUMP: EL Folie für die Beleuchtung: |
| Trio „dadada“..? der (!) Casio VL1AR envelope, programmable waveform.. sort of.. ;) |  |
| drum machine | RZ1 – very simple machine – but it had the ability to sample very very short samples (4). some still like it for it’S very loFi sound ;) somewhat lofi.. but seems interesting for old school hiphop sounds ;) |
| the little one (bottom) is a Casio SK1, it’s sample rate and resolution is really low, but it is perfect for clicks and cuts when you bend it..some guys bend it and sell it for a §$§$%§ price on „the monopolist auction …“
how does it sound? check „der warst“ audio.. der memorymoog wird in der analogsektion (moog) erklärt .. der SK1 hat einen gewissen kultstatus als bending objekt, kam in den frühen 2000ern schonmal auf knapp $400 beim Auktionsmonopolisten von irgendeinem Star-Bender.. |
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| The Sequencer for the Cosmo Synthesizer Series was the SZ1it was built in in the big CZ model the Fz1 behind it is the Sampler, there was a Rack also, also under the Hohner name in Germany as HS1.. |
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| RZ1 Drum Machine the Casio Rz-1 , it has 4 sample pads with somehing like 0.8 secs of sampling time (for all 4) – does not sound HiFi, .. ;) |
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