Comments on: From the Forums: Beauty of the Simple, Portable Casio VL-1 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/ The latest gear, software, and techniques for electronic music production and performance Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:05:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: j-chot http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-172126 j-chot Mon, 07 May 2007 21:00:34 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-172126 I have one of these! it has really nice oscilators. glad I got mine for about 5$ though. I have one of these! it has really nice oscilators. glad I got mine for about 5$ though.

]]> By: KeithHandy.com - So you want to make an album? (part 3) http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169310 KeithHandy.com - So you want to make an album? (part 3) Wed, 02 May 2007 21:32:42 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169310 [...] Before that, I had a Casio VL-Tone, which was a cross between a calculator and a toy synthesizer with a rudimentary 100-note sequencer. You could “program” its sound by storing a number to the calculator’s memory - each digit represented either the waveform, a stage of the ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, release) envelope, or the vibrato. I took it apart and naïvely connected its speaker wires to the “phono” input of my parents’ stereo, reveling in the gloriously overloaded and distorted tone, and most certainly subjecting the stereo to irreparable damage. [...] [...] Before that, I had a Casio VL-Tone, which was a cross between a calculator and a toy synthesizer with a rudimentary 100-note sequencer. You could “program” its sound by storing a number to the calculator’s memory - each digit represented either the waveform, a stage of the ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, release) envelope, or the vibrato. I took it apart and naïvely connected its speaker wires to the “phono” input of my parents’ stereo, reveling in the gloriously overloaded and distorted tone, and most certainly subjecting the stereo to irreparable damage. [...]

]]> By: _object.session http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169282 _object.session Wed, 02 May 2007 20:15:31 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169282 the fact that the music doesn't match the notes is the best part. it's so strange looking. i couldn't stop laughing when i was watching it. the fact that the music doesn’t match the notes is the best part. it’s so strange looking. i couldn’t stop laughing when i was watching it.

]]> By: Keith Handy http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169236 Keith Handy Wed, 02 May 2007 17:24:37 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169236 Nah, he's just running the sequencer and miming to it. His rhythm is right, just not the pitches. Nah, he’s just running the sequencer and miming to it. His rhythm is right, just not the pitches.

]]> By: Peter Kirn http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169206 Peter Kirn Wed, 02 May 2007 16:20:23 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169206 Hmmm ... Flash sound sync issue? Guy selling a broken SK-1? Wrinkle in the space-time-synth continuum? Hmmm … Flash sound sync issue? Guy selling a broken SK-1? Wrinkle in the space-time-synth continuum?

]]> By: Keith Handy http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169203 Keith Handy Wed, 02 May 2007 16:14:55 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169203 Too bad the guy in that video isn't actually playing the same notes that are coming out of it. Too bad the guy in that video isn’t actually playing the same notes that are coming out of it.

]]> By: foosnark http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169179 foosnark Wed, 02 May 2007 15:00:57 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-169179 The greatest thing about this little guy is how you can modulate the sound coming from the speaker with your hand, like a harmonica. I had one as a kid and miss it terribly. The greatest thing about this little guy is how you can modulate the sound coming from the speaker with your hand, like a harmonica.

I had one as a kid and miss it terribly.

]]> By: Poodleface http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-168973 Poodleface Wed, 02 May 2007 04:21:39 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-168973 Man... I love this synth. I love it so much I recorded an entire album with it. :-) http://www.poodleface.com/greatdirectors/ The VL-1 has no polyphony, by the way. Hence my overuse of sloppy, ridiculous arpeggios... Man… I love this synth. I love it so much I recorded an entire album with it. :-)

http://www.poodleface.com/greatdirectors/

The VL-1 has no polyphony, by the way. Hence my overuse of sloppy, ridiculous arpeggios…

]]> By: _object.session http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-168950 _object.session Wed, 02 May 2007 03:25:30 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-168950 thanks, anon. i started reading about the QY series and they sound like they're designed for what i want to do. they have a few more features than i was thinking about, but still features i could use. seem to have a broad range of prices in the used market, too. just gotta keep my eyes peeled . . thanks, anon. i started reading about the QY series and they sound like they’re designed for what i want to do. they have a few more features than i was thinking about, but still features i could use. seem to have a broad range of prices in the used market, too. just gotta keep my eyes peeled . .

]]> By: anon http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-168870 anon Tue, 01 May 2007 21:24:48 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/01/from-the-forums-beauty-of-the-simple-portable-casio-vl-1/#comment-168870 _object.session: You might consider the Yamaha QY series, they're small sequencers with GM/XG synths built in. I recently googled the VL1, to find out what this thing was that the benders were talking about... I only had to see the picture to get flashbacks to when we used to visit my cousin in the 80's and I would sit on the floor of their loungeroom playing the thing for hours, and beating my sister away with it when she decided she wanted a go :) I'm with Peter, I'd love to see a new generation of toy synths, if only for the kiddies. _object.session: You might consider the Yamaha QY series, they’re small sequencers with GM/XG synths built in.

I recently googled the VL1, to find out what this thing was that the benders were talking about… I only had to see the picture to get flashbacks to when we used to visit my cousin in the 80’s and I would sit on the floor of their loungeroom playing the thing for hours, and beating my sister away with it when she decided she wanted a go :)

I’m with Peter, I’d love to see a new generation of toy synths, if only for the kiddies.

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