I remember seeing Vince Clarke using a stack of CZ-101s on a documentary in the 80’s and decided that a CZ would make an ideal first synth on my limited budget. Much of my use case was to use it as a sound source for creating samples for use on Sound Tracker on my Amiga 500. The 8-Bit, low rate sampling on the Amiga had a great side effect of introducing some gritty aliasing on the samples, especially those using the resonant waveforms. Sounds which were fairly thin straight from the CZ absolutely roared once they had been crushed down to 16khz.
Nice work, Paulo! i love when you feature the old Casio gear. The CZ-3000 was my first synthesizer in 1987. I unfortunately sold it in 1989. Fast forward to 2017 and I finally got my hands on a CZ-1 and a CZ-101, both in great condition. It’s amazing how they still hold up today with their unique PD sound source. Keep up the great videos!
There's a lot to be said for a simple set up that works,I remember fantasizing about this particular set up in the 80s thinking of the possibilities for music making,nice job Paolo,stay safe
That is how I did it back in the day. (1989)! Yamaha QX-21 two track sequencer, Yamaha PSS-480, Yamaha TQ-5, Korg Symphony orchestra module. Plus a Casio MT-240. Also used a Radio Shack Reverb, and my Electric Guitar. Recorded to a Cassette Deck with Mike inputs. Still have the tapes.. StayHome was recorded using that setup. :) Step recording ...
You make it look so effortless. I always seem to have timing problems when recording in Cakewalk or Renoise. Great demo always fun to see the old skool way
Fun fact - the sz1 was built into the cz5000. I used to hook it (the cz5000) to an electro-harmonix sequencer, which in turn sequenced a paia modular and triggered a boss dr220e.
Nice demo of your vintage gear. You got lots of fun toys! Oh great video’s you do all around. Keep them coming. Much appreciated. Now I need to get my vintage gear out and experiment a little. Cheers!
Nah, I think all sequencers are like that. I play a MotifXF8 sequenced by a YM-QX7 multitrack MIDI groovebox. That is a known problem on the YM-QX7 and QX10
The rz-1 was my first drum machine. Got for about $25 and didnt know what i had and turned around and traded it in on an alesis. Liked the alesis but should've kept the casio. Shoulda coulda woulda. 😞
Definitely made my day Paolo 😘😘😘. First time I see the sz-1 sequencer .the cz line and the rz1 were used even in mid 90 when I get in the studio.let not forget the little sk1. nice tune btw
SZ-1 Unghhhhhh. I just died a little. That was one obtuse beastie. My first ever Sequencer that came with my (used) CZ-1000. I upgraded to a Korg SQD-1 which was sooooo much easier to use. I kept the CZ-1000 for ages (had a 3000 too for a bit). I totally loved the 4-part Multi-timbral mode you show here.
Grate video you got me digging out my Casio SZ-1 and my Casio CZ-23OS All this video help was not around in the late 1980s only books and magazines to go on I hope you keep doing more videos like this using the classic Casio SZ-1
@@SynthManiaDotCom I am waiting for a USB to MIDI Interface Cable to be delivered to check everything out again I Used to run my SZ-1 on an Amiga 1200 Now going to try getting the setup running trough my laptop I will get back to you if I get the glitch at the end of the pattern.
Just fix it in the mix and overdub a swish effect right at loop end-start point. Ohh the days of crude sequencing or sequence in pauses or other sequence ?
The RZ-1 was my first electronic instrument, - bought it off my brother in 86 or 87. Bought a CZ-3000 but ended up selling it, - still got the RZ-1, it's a heavy techno machine, very Blake Baxter and steve poindexter...
Grande Paolo. Mi hai fatto ricordare che nel 1986 un mio amico aveva il superbo CZ5000 ed io il modesto GEM DSK100. abbiamo passato giorni a cercare di collegarli via MIDI ma non ci siamo mai riusciti....
I did similar stuff with a Yamaha YS100 FM synthesizer, a Kawai Q-80ex Sequencer and a Kawai R-50 drum machine back in the early 90s. My mixer was a Yamaha MV100 (a nice little 9,5'' compact mixer).
Cz-101, SZ-1 plus a Yamaha RX21 was my first set up. I later bought a Roland MKS-100 sampler. Such a limited set up compared to today. Wish I’d had today’s tech back then 😢
Does your SZ-1 have the little gap at the end of the sequence repeat - like mine does? I'm trying to find out if that is normal, or if my unit has a problem
@@SynthManiaDotCom Hi Paolo, never noticed before, but I haven't used for ages, so it could be there but I can't remember. Let me try it and check whether the gap happens on my unit too.
Perfect trilogy! Can u maybe let us know how the sz 1 deeply works? Lucky me i got one which i try to make something in combination with my cz 1000 but unfortunately i don't have too much luck. Thanks
Ah my ancient casio sz 1 sequencer. (yeah its the first and only video about this sequencer over the net) It does not playing exactly the sequence right ? i mean there is a small "gap" at the first measure. How do you quantize ? at first i thought that it was so ancient that didnt have a quantize function - cant find anything in the manual - its an "interesting" 4 channel sequencer though for historical reasons. Pretty easy to use and this lets you concentrate in music making more.
It has two modes of entering notes: one is real-time, where "what you play is what you get", and the other used here is "manual", where you can choose the quantization note value before entering the notes on the keyboard. Not sure why the gap - does yours do that?
Yeah i know about that 2 modes Paolo and thanks for the reply, i thought that there should have been an internal quantize function but yeah all is in front of you with the values. Yeah i used to trigger this using an Alesis Micron and to be honest i thought it was a Micron''s - Sz1 sync problem, but this happens in the original casio setup as well. Anyways i like it maybe - i have read somewhere cause its a rare piece - its more suitable triggering a drum machine for rythmic loops and not synths although it was designed for the setup you already showcase in the video, RZ - SZ - CZ.
Very cool. I had the drum machine long ago and many CZ models. Some of them multiple times, I wish I had a 1000 or 101, but the prices are more than they are worth. The last used one I bought was $50 bucks and now they exceed $300. Nah I will pass, that is what they went for new at the electronic shops back in the day.
The Casio sequencer makes things easy I see you speed up and slow down voluntarily to show the quantization capacities of this device. are there other devices that offer these quantization possibilities ?
It doesn't have automatic quantize..he's recording in step mode(Manual Mode)...the SZ-1 like the CZ5000 have 2 sequencer recording modes..either Step Mode(Manual Mode)..or Realtime. In step mode the sequencer automatically jumps to the next note after pressing the first...unless you put in pauses(Rest)..which you have to do manually. In "Realtime mode"..the sequencer records everything exactlu as you play it..with mistakes and all hehe
@@stcezaire06 Yes..it will not make any difference because you are in step mode....step mode will ALWAYS be in sync except if you make a programing error...it's just like a grid pattern..where you just put in notes in the empty squares..forget quantize..it has nothing to do with quantizing..quantizing is something completely different. Example...imagine you wanna make a track..well..put it in Manual Mode..and then you program...not..note...rest...note..rest..note..rest..etc etc..after pressing a note..the sequencer will automatically jump to the next empty location/notet...there you decide if you wanna play a second note or input a rest/pause(to make a more complex sequence...so i repeat..casios sequencer doesn't have quantize..coz it doesn't need it..neither the SZ-1 or the CZ5000. Other sequencers may have quantize..but Casio don't have it. On a sequencer with quantize you can record notes in real time...and THEN you may utilise the quantize function if you played anything off beat. Quantize is a secondary calculation done by this specific function..and casio DON*T have quantize.
Hello, I recently bought one without any cables. It's getting frustrating to me to find a 7,5V power AC since the Casio ones I cannot find them, any suggestions?, btw the MT cable in the back I cannot find anywhere, do you have it what is it for?
You can find it on eBay - that's where I found mine. The MT port is for cassette tape save/load. The freely available manual pdf has information on the connectors.
If anyone knows how to fix the power failure on the SZ1 by putting the power in back to front can you let me know? I just busted mine after the selling the duplicate I had, and have tried altering diodes close to the Psu, but no avail. I'm wondering if its a simple tranny fix like the dg guitars?
i think the same thing must have happened to me - do you think supplying it with the wrong polarity power supply can mess things up? my CZ-101 is for sure protected against reverse polarity because I have done that a bunch of times and its still good. but in my SZ-1 I have found a blown diode and the transistor next to it has also blown. Good reason to power it via batteries only! ive got the parts on order ill see if it fixes it or not
@@nyrbsamoht thanks for that, I was trying to get an sz back from Ebay to replace the broke one but they're rare and expensive. I imagine whosoever got mine will fix it.
Legal velhinho muito bom Sou apaixonado por teclado vintage adoro Tenho 45 anos mas só gosto dos sons anos 80 90 Eurodisco Eurodance Dance 90 muito bons vaaaaleuuu
It doesn't have automatic quantize..he's recording in step mode(Manual Mode)...the SZ-1 like the CZ5000 have 2 sequencer recording modes..either Step Mode(Manual Mode)..or Realtime. In step mode the sequencer automatically jumps to the next note after pressing the first...unless you put in pauses(Rest)..which you have to do manually. In "Realtime mode"..the sequencer records everything exactlu as you play it..with mistakes and all hehe
I remember seeing Vince Clarke using a stack of CZ-101s on a documentary in the 80’s and decided that a CZ would make an ideal first synth on my limited budget.
Much of my use case was to use it as a sound source for creating samples for use on Sound Tracker on my Amiga 500.
The 8-Bit, low rate sampling on the Amiga had a great side effect of introducing some gritty aliasing on the samples, especially those using the resonant waveforms. Sounds which were fairly thin straight from the CZ absolutely roared once they had been crushed down to 16khz.
Oh yes there was so many casio samples on the early ST-XX discs,, didn't realise it back in the day.
Nice work, Paulo! i love when you feature the old Casio gear. The CZ-3000 was my first synthesizer in 1987. I unfortunately sold it in 1989. Fast forward to 2017 and I finally got my hands on a CZ-1 and a CZ-101, both in great condition. It’s amazing how they still hold up today with their unique PD sound source. Keep up the great videos!
What a great setup! CZ-1000 was my first synth. Nice tight drums from the RZ-1.
I can relate! the CZ-3000 was My first synthesizer too.
There's a lot to be said for a simple set up that works,I remember fantasizing about this particular set up in the 80s thinking of the possibilities for music making,nice job Paolo,stay safe
That is how I did it back in the day. (1989)!
Yamaha QX-21 two track sequencer, Yamaha PSS-480, Yamaha TQ-5, Korg Symphony orchestra module. Plus a Casio MT-240. Also used a Radio Shack Reverb, and my Electric Guitar. Recorded to a Cassette Deck with Mike inputs. Still have the tapes.. StayHome was recorded using that setup. :) Step recording ...
ua-cam.com/video/iPeatm9drq8/v-deo.html (We Are Friends)
You make it look so effortless. I always seem to have timing problems when recording in Cakewalk or Renoise. Great demo always fun to see the old skool way
He recorded in step mode(Manual Mode)..no need for timing...only when you record realtime it's aquired.
I just love the vintage vibe here! Synth On!
Fun fact - the sz1 was built into the cz5000. I used to hook it (the cz5000) to an electro-harmonix sequencer, which in turn sequenced a paia modular and triggered a boss dr220e.
The CZ5000 has 8 tracks...and more memory..otherwise it's basically the same sequencer.
Nice demo of your vintage gear. You got lots of fun toys! Oh great video’s you do all around. Keep them coming. Much appreciated. Now I need to get my vintage gear out and experiment a little. Cheers!
I love my CZ-1. Great little rig. I’ve never seen the sequencer before. It looks cool but I find that glitch at the end distracting.
Must be something wrong with the programing..the sequencer doesn't have that glitch normally..i've had one...now i use the CZ5000 sequencer instead.
Nah, I think all sequencers are like that. I play a MotifXF8 sequenced by a YM-QX7 multitrack MIDI groovebox. That is a known problem on the YM-QX7 and QX10
The rz-1 was my first drum machine. Got for about $25 and didnt know what i had and turned around and traded it in on an alesis. Liked the alesis but should've kept the casio. Shoulda coulda woulda. 😞
Nice vintage setup, I like it. The track fit it so well. Nice work.
Oh this takes me back. I had the RZ-1 and the CZ-101, which was the mini key version of the CZ1000. Great 80s FM sound.
awsome video - a confluence of casio greatness. the SZ-1 is so limited - but that makes it even cooler - not to mention it looks the part
The limitations of this set up seem incredibly fun.
Definitely made my day Paolo 😘😘😘. First time I see the sz-1 sequencer .the cz line and the rz1 were used even in mid 90 when I get in the studio.let not forget the little sk1. nice tune btw
SZ-1 Unghhhhhh. I just died a little. That was one obtuse beastie. My first ever Sequencer that came with my (used) CZ-1000.
I upgraded to a Korg SQD-1 which was sooooo much easier to use.
I kept the CZ-1000 for ages (had a 3000 too for a bit). I totally loved the 4-part Multi-timbral mode you show here.
Hey nice to run into you on UA-cam instead of reasontalk
Grate video you got me digging out my Casio SZ-1 and my Casio CZ-23OS All this video help was not around in the late 1980s only books and magazines to go on I hope you keep doing more videos like this using the classic Casio SZ-1
Great to hear! Does your SZ-1 do the little glitch at the end of pattern before it repeats? I'm trying to find out if they are all like that
@@SynthManiaDotCom I am waiting for a USB to MIDI Interface Cable to be delivered to check everything out again I Used to run my SZ-1 on an Amiga 1200 Now going to try getting the setup running trough my laptop I will get back to you if I get the glitch at the end of the pattern.
Thanks
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Excelente!! En 1987 tuve la oportunidad de hacer un curso justo con RZ-1; CZ-5000 y CZ-3000. Muy buen setup. Congratulations!!
That little "pause" before restarting the loop is quite noticeable. Is there a workaround?
it's like my brain skip a line of code when i hear it.
Just fix it in the mix and overdub a swish effect right at loop end-start point. Ohh the days of crude sequencing or sequence in pauses or other sequence ?
The rolling snares reminded me of Hardcore Uproar! Ha na na Hardcore Uproar!!
omg i love the CZ1000 in chile it was used for one of the greatest albums ever made over here, and it's sounds are just so legendary
What's the album? I'd love to check it out.
Blah Blah me too
Maybe is pateando piedras of los prisioneros or maybe the noise rock band Electrodomésticos - viva chile
@@blahblah606 if you like New Wave check out the argentina band Virus - locura
@@Outdoorshuntingshooting and theres this song that is like noise/New Wave check it out "Aparato raro - calibraciones"
Mille grazie Paolo!!
The RZ-1 sounds like the exact same PCM drum samples that were in the HT synthesizer series. Cool video!
The RZ-1 was my first electronic instrument, - bought it off my brother in 86 or 87.
Bought a CZ-3000 but ended up selling it, - still got the RZ-1, it's a heavy techno machine, very Blake Baxter and steve poindexter...
Grande Paolo. Mi hai fatto ricordare che nel 1986 un mio amico aveva il superbo CZ5000 ed io il modesto GEM DSK100. abbiamo passato giorni a cercare di collegarli via MIDI ma non ci siamo mai riusciti....
Io avevo la GEM DSK-8 Stereo nell'86 :) Ce l'ho ancora...
Anche io... ogni tanto la accendo, suono, e partono i ricordi... 🙂. Una domanda, l'hai mai collegata come master midi?
@@reverendomax68 Si', la connettevo al Casio CZ-1000
I did similar stuff with a Yamaha YS100 FM synthesizer, a Kawai Q-80ex Sequencer and a Kawai R-50 drum machine back in the early 90s. My mixer was a Yamaha MV100 (a nice little 9,5'' compact mixer).
I still have my kawai q-80 and still use it. Love it still. I know a daw would be much better but i cant seem to let go of my old stuff.
That’s awesome... used casio’s for a good while as a kid recording with my best friend. Never had a setup like this though...lol.
I had all three back in the day plus a Juno 1 and a DX100 🥰👌
Bravo il nostro Paolone!
Cz-101, SZ-1 plus a Yamaha RX21 was my first set up. I later bought a Roland MKS-100 sampler. Such a limited set up compared to today. Wish I’d had today’s tech back then 😢
That sounds lovely Paolo, I luv my RZ-1 too!!💯
I've got the SZ-1 and the CZ-1. Beautiful creatures.
Does your SZ-1 have the little gap at the end of the sequence repeat - like mine does? I'm trying to find out if that is normal, or if my unit has a problem
@@SynthManiaDotCom Hi Paolo, never noticed before, but I haven't used for ages, so it could be there but I can't remember.
Let me try it and check whether the gap happens on my unit too.
@@msxwiki Did you check on yours?
@@SynthManiaDotCom Not yet Paolo. I've had a terrible week. I'll try this weekend.
Circling back to see if you had a chance to check it?
Perfect trilogy! Can u maybe let us know how the sz 1 deeply works? Lucky me i got one which i try to make something in combination with my cz 1000 but unfortunately i don't have too much luck. Thanks
This out a smile on my face
It sounds great!
Ah my ancient casio sz 1 sequencer. (yeah its the first and only video about this sequencer over the net) It does not playing exactly the sequence right ? i mean there is a small "gap" at the first measure. How do you quantize ? at first i thought that it was so ancient that didnt have a quantize function - cant find anything in the manual - its an "interesting" 4 channel sequencer though for historical reasons. Pretty easy to use and this lets you concentrate in music making more.
It has two modes of entering notes: one is real-time, where "what you play is what you get", and the other used here is "manual", where you can choose the quantization note value before entering the notes on the keyboard. Not sure why the gap - does yours do that?
Yeah i know about that 2 modes Paolo and thanks for the reply, i thought that there should have been an internal quantize function but yeah all is in front of you with the values. Yeah i used to trigger this using an Alesis Micron and to be honest i thought it was a Micron''s - Sz1 sync problem, but this happens in the original casio setup as well. Anyways i like it maybe - i have read somewhere cause its a rare piece - its more suitable triggering a drum machine for rythmic loops and not synths although it was designed for the setup you already showcase in the video, RZ - SZ - CZ.
It seems as though there's an extra... 32nd or 64th note at the end of the eight bars.
Very cool.
I had the drum machine long ago and many CZ models. Some of them multiple times, I wish I had a 1000 or 101, but the prices are more than they are worth. The last used one I bought was $50 bucks and now they exceed $300. Nah I will pass, that is what they went for new at the electronic shops back in the day.
The Casio sequencer makes things easy
I see you speed up and slow down voluntarily to show the quantization capacities of this device.
are there other devices that offer these quantization possibilities ?
It's step programming, step by step, unless you mean the drums he does without step by step.
It doesn't have automatic quantize..he's recording in step mode(Manual Mode)...the SZ-1 like the CZ5000 have 2 sequencer recording modes..either Step Mode(Manual Mode)..or Realtime. In step mode the sequencer automatically jumps to the next note after pressing the first...unless you put in pauses(Rest)..which you have to do manually. In "Realtime mode"..the sequencer records everything exactlu as you play it..with mistakes and all hehe
@@Casious_Productions Thanks so I understand that recording in step mode(manual) it's possible to quantize perfectly even if I speed up or slow ?
@@stcezaire06 Yes..it will not make any difference because you are in step mode....step mode will ALWAYS be in sync except if you make a programing error...it's just like a grid pattern..where you just put in notes in the empty squares..forget quantize..it has nothing to do with quantizing..quantizing is something completely different. Example...imagine you wanna make a track..well..put it in Manual Mode..and then you program...not..note...rest...note..rest..note..rest..etc etc..after pressing a note..the sequencer will automatically jump to the next empty location/notet...there you decide if you wanna play a second note or input a rest/pause(to make a more complex sequence...so i repeat..casios sequencer doesn't have quantize..coz it doesn't need it..neither the SZ-1 or the CZ5000. Other sequencers may have quantize..but Casio don't have it. On a sequencer with quantize you can record notes in real time...and THEN you may utilise the quantize function if you played anything off beat. Quantize is a secondary calculation done by this specific function..and casio DON*T have quantize.
Annoyingly I collected everything in the video, but never got chance to tie them together as one set up.
interesting how you build it, but the sound... guess I had too much of Casiotone sound back in the 80s
Nice Work.
Great stuff
The external sequencer was the thing back in the days
Reminds me of Fade To Grey
And like Erasure as Vince Clark started out using CZ101 on the first few hits.
Hello, I recently bought one without any cables. It's getting frustrating to me to find a 7,5V power AC since the Casio ones I cannot find them, any suggestions?, btw the MT cable in the back I cannot find anywhere, do you have it what is it for?
You can find it on eBay - that's where I found mine. The MT port is for cassette tape save/load. The freely available manual pdf has information on the connectors.
I still regret selling my CZ-3000.
I just got a Casio MG-510 in today. Could have connected that to the CZ-1000 and played it, haha.
Casio CZ 1000 4x mono trk + SZ 1 + Korg drum con midi ti sync, era il mio setup per Italy disco.
Poi aggiunto Yamaha FB01 e RX21, molto pratico
Now I wanna hear some choppy strat or even uke play along with it. Nice.
I want it all!©
If anyone knows how to fix the power failure on the SZ1 by putting the power in back to front can you let me know? I just busted mine after the selling the duplicate I had, and have tried altering diodes close to the Psu, but no avail.
I'm wondering if its a simple tranny fix like the dg guitars?
i think the same thing must have happened to me - do you think supplying it with the wrong polarity power supply can mess things up? my CZ-101 is for sure protected against reverse polarity because I have done that a bunch of times and its still good.
but in my SZ-1 I have found a blown diode and the transistor next to it has also blown. Good reason to power it via batteries only!
ive got the parts on order ill see if it fixes it or not
@@nyrbsamoht thanks for that, I was trying to get an sz back from Ebay to replace the broke one but they're rare and expensive.
I imagine whosoever got mine will fix it.
Legal velhinho muito bom
Sou apaixonado por teclado vintage adoro
Tenho 45 anos mas só gosto dos sons anos 80 90 Eurodisco Eurodance Dance 90 muito bons vaaaaleuuu
SWEET!!!!!!!
And the Italo Disco starts powerful.
Automatic quantize, the magic
It doesn't have automatic quantize..he's recording in step mode(Manual Mode)...the SZ-1 like the CZ5000 have 2 sequencer recording modes..either Step Mode(Manual Mode)..or Realtime. In step mode the sequencer automatically jumps to the next note after pressing the first...unless you put in pauses(Rest)..which you have to do manually. In "Realtime mode"..the sequencer records everything exactlu as you play it..with mistakes and all hehe
Nice!, Definitely an 80's nu-nave type song! Never seen a professional Casio synth, keyboard! Most, were toyish,and had limited voices.
My OCD is killing me the FZ1 didnt make an appearance haha
I still have my CZ-1.
Why is there that little hitch each time the sequence loops?
nice !!! but why it doesnt loop exactly ?
It normally does..must be something wrong with the programing.
Muito bom tive um Keyboard Casio CZ 5000 sou de Salvador Bahia .
Nice 🎶forever young... 🎶I want to be....🎶
v cool
Beautiful Sound Casio👍
this primitive sequencer is more powerful than the Beatstep Pro ..
I owned a cz101, didn’t appreciate its finer points.
Muito top
The original sounds are, of course, bad. It sounds like a children's musical toy. And the technology is good for the house.
I have an RZ -1. When I get some money I’m gonna get it modded.
First. Can you do a rave demo with this?
casiotalo
It’s not in time
Ostatnia tonacja zła!
ta muito ruim o som do casio,
Casio should have went bankrupt years back😒