FFS Casio! BRING BACK YOUR CLASSICS!
CCT takes a detailed look back at many of Casio’s classic, vintage and iconic keyboard models that were very influential and popular, and finds that they also inspired other manufacturers to develop and produce more recent and similar products using Casio’s original concepts. The other three big Japanese musical keyboard manufacturers currently all re-issue some of their classic models in various forms, so it has to be asked – why won’t Casio bring back their classic models too? And why didn’t they evolve some of their innovative models that had great core features?
Lots of history, anecdotes, adverts, commercials, video footage and demonstrations are featured in this video as we investigate, analyze and critique many of these much loved, sought after and respected Casio models.
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CHAPTERS:
0:00 – Intro
1:53 – VL-1/ VL Tone
4:11 – MG-880 (MG/ ML Calculator Series)
6:30 – SK-1 (SK Series Samplers)
12:39 – CZ-101 (CZ Phase Distortion Series)
17:43 – RapMan
22:42 – MT/ CT (Vintage Vowel Consonant Series)
26:31 – SA Series & GZ-5 MIDI Keyboards
30:44 – Crazy Casios (VA-10, DG-20, AZ-1, XW-P1/ G1)
39:28 – Conclusion
Links mentioned in this Video:
Casio VL-1 – The Little Synth That Could:
Top 10 Famous Casio Keyboards:
Crazy Casio Calculators:
MusicMagTV – Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics Chip Tune Cover):
Keen on Keys – RapMan Review:
Keen on Keys – DJ-1 Rapman Studio Review:
Adam Neely – I played a show using only the 1991 Casio Rapman:
Audio Pilz/ Bad Gear – Casio Rapman – Too cute?:
Simon the Magpie – The Ultimate Rapman – DJ-1 Rap Studio:
Anthony Marinelli – MJ’s Thriller Frog Bass FOUND!:
Rick Beato – The Stewart Copeland Interview:
Mike Martin/ Casio Music Gear – Blade Runner opening theme on an XW-P1:
Casio XW-P1 Drawbar Organ with Ventilator (feat. Ed Alstrom):
Nick Batzdorf interviews Casio’s Taiki Fukuhara:
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#casio #casiotone #casiovintage #casiomusic #casiochaostheory #casiocore #vintagesynth
#FFS #Casio #BRING #CLASSICS
Originally posted by UC54-lMRuU3wzyTTyMacB_FQ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIt1gGLftrY
A similar idea to the Casio DG-20 was done by the YouRockGuitar, which many people glossed over despite it being a very capable midi controller simply because the company relied too much on advertising it as a game controller for Guitar Hero, which it could also do.
401 Casio made the frog sound on the thriller album
I chatted with the Casio reps at Frankfurt Musikmesse a few years back (including Mike Martin), and I implored them to revisit the CZ synths. I pushed that given the massive increase in computing power, they could easily create a great 4-part multitimbral CZ synth with at LEAST 32 voices (minimum), and it would sell like crazy, given the growing love of "all things 80s" for synths.
They said, "uh…we did revisit the CZ…with the iPad app."
I, with an obviously disappointed facial expression, replied, "Is that it? A 4-voice iPad app? That's 'revisiting' the CZ?? That's all we're going to get?"
CZ rep: "Yeah, probably." ????
I have also been saying this for years, but my guess is that they have moved so far away from these types of instruments, (into sample based, acoustic emulating electric pianos, mostly), that going back would be expensive. They also would have to compete with all of the VST plug in versions already out there, that have kind of already beat them to the punch. However, the pro grade electric piano market is so firmly dominated by Yamaha, and others, with Casio being taken far less "seriously", they might as well move back into a field where they could actually exert some market dominance, and claim a kind of "proprietary legacy", as the originators of user friendly, low learning curve (I can't think of many things like the sk1 for example, that is both musically useful, but simple enough for a 10 yr old to turn on and use right away) desktop, home production instruments. Even the Rz-1, with it's multiple outs, simple sampling structure, sliders, and filter knob, is still totally unique, in it's ease of use and function. Also, most of these have ALREADY been "modded" in various cool ways, so, a lot of the "heavy lifting" of expensive R and D, has already been done (the fully modded sk-5, for example, is a BEAST, that is waaay more powerful and useful than the stock version) so they would just need to reverse engineer and manufacture them.
Those nylon-stringed Casio guitars are SOOOOO BAD. I mean I love some pretty awful stuff like the Omnichord. Even the Rap Man is charming. But I had one of those guitars with the nylon strings and buttons under the rubber fretboard and it's for-real unusable … but I appreciate them being different/weird. ???? But I think mine was the DG-10. Hopefully the DG-20 was a little better.
Not keen on Casio I rather have moog or Korg
The other missed opportunity here is that Casio have never developed vst versions of any of their instruments either.
Damm Jesus!!! if you see….., casio is out of bussiness in this moments, and the heaven sends signals like you, lucky people to get your free help!!! Cmon Casio, how many signals you need…..????
The hex synth engine is also in the stage piano-ish Privia PX-5S pretty deep. So sad
CT-1000P was fantastic – almost an additive synth
At the same time, Casio is still selling their vintage LCD watches!
In a couple of videos time I plan to cover a couple of CASIO's weirdest keyboards, perhaps you'd like to be involved in that vid 🙂
Haha, I'm less than two minutes in, but just wanted to say don't worry – this isn't an "Old man yells at clouds" thing. I'm in my (late) 20s, and I completely agree. I'm sure many people do. Things like the CZ, HT/HZ, FZ, and VZ series, hell, even the SK series, are pretty cool, and modern versions would be nice. Especially if they could bring them out at a relatively affordable price (which, ofc, Casio is kinda known for).
I agree with you regarding Casio failing to update models that just miss practical perfection. Studiologic does it. They made some great updates to their Compact series recently.
I have had the CTS-500 for almost a year, but I have never used the sampling capability, because I have an iPad that I can play from the Casio via Bluetooth midi, and there is really no limit on sampling with various iPad apps.the built-in sounds and sound editing features of the CT-S500 are excellent and cover most of the bases by themselves.
I managed to grab a DG-20 guitar recently. I'm not a good guitar player, but that seems to be inconsequential, due to the fret-tracking. I bought it as I thought that using guitar chord progressions on my synths (as opposed to piano chords) would open up some new ideas. I'd love a VA-10, as that thing looks very weird. I love "odd one out" instruments that provide features not found elsewhere. The Boss mini-rack series from the the 80's had a few oddball units in that vein.
The driving force behind Casio music products Toshio Kashio is dead since long time ago.
I have the casiotone CT 6000 five keys don't work the keys stuck down and would like to get it fixed but it's too heavy to take it to a shop
If they had combined the XW-P1 and XW-G1 with 4by4 drum pads and a bttwr operating system it would have become a classic
Casio, as a manufacturer of synthesizers and workstations, is dead, its last releases were more than 10 years ago with the xw and MZ series…the ctx line is far below and still more than 5 years ago since its launch… Casio is more focused on manufacturing pianos and watches. You can't say this in the forums because they call you a troll, but it's the truth.
I would be interested in a Behringer CZ-1 mini! …….. Pretty Please ……..