The Casio CZ-1000 is a vintage (80s) Phase Distortion Synthesis synthesizer, that’s basically a CZ-101 with full-size keys.

It offers 8-voice polyphony and a 49-key full-size keyboard. A two oscillator per voice option lets you get thicker sounds, but reduces the polyphony to 4 voices.

The CZ’s aren’t true classic synths, but they are reliable and offer a great vintage synth value.

If you’ve used the Casio CZ-1000 synthesizer, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Resources:

• Casio CZ-1000 editor librarian at SoundQuest
  

via AnalogAudio1:

The Casio CZ-1000 is a digital synthesizer with the “phase distortion” synthesis. It came out 1985 and it was one of the first low cost synthesizers with MIDI multimode.

The CZ-1000 looks like something between Yamaha DX7 and Korg Poly-800. Like the Korg Poly-800, it can run with batteries. The CZ-101 is virtually the same, it just has small keys.

Casio had the idea to develop a digital synth with modern digital sounds, which is easy to program like an analog synth. Indeed, it uses similar terminology (DCO, DCW, DCA) – if you understand subtractive synthesis, the CZ will be also easy for you to understand.
Instead of real filters, you have the DCW – this is the unit, which distorts the phase of the DCO. Resonance is not available, but you can produce similar sounds with special DCO waveforms. There are 8 waveforms, two of them can be used at once.

It has portamento, monophonic / polyphonic modes and cartridge storage. Like the original DX7, the display is not backlit.

The Casio can produce digital and analog-style sounds. Great house organs can be produced. Some “filter sweep” sounds are interesting (the bass in the movie). But other analog-style sounds are a bit static and boring to my ears, I would recommend the Casio for digital sounds – not for the analog sounds. Analog sounds are better on the competitor Korg Poly-800.

The timing of the sound engine is not the best – a three notes chord causes a significant delay between notes (you can hear it in the movie). But okay, it was a small budget synth.

In the video I played the CZ-1000 with a Lexicon MPX 500 reverb.

Vince Clarke used to have one in the eighties.

This video, via synthjunk, is a celebration of all that is good – with an emphasis on the pure analog electronica power, using classic synths, sequencers and drum machines.

via synthjunk:

Influenced by electronic music of the 70’s 80’s & 90’s.

Recorded using Ableton live with minimal overdubbing.

Robot featured is home made.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Relax has received the 2009 remix treatment.

Even without the remix treatment, though, Trevor Horn’s production sounds remarkably modern, even after 25 years.

via SteveAATW, musicthing

Gary Numan performing Cars live with Nine Inch Nails at the O2 Arena London, 15th July 2009.

via petey1978

This is the music video for Herbie Hancock’s monster electronic dance classic, Rockit. It was released as a single from his 1983 album Future Shock.

The song was written by Hancock, bass guitarist Bill Laswell and synthesizer/drum machine programmer Michael Beinhorn.

via limahl81:

Constructed and composed during the recording process at various studios, including Martin Bisi’s in Brooklyn NY, “Rockit” was perhaps the first popular single to feature scratching and other turntablist techniques, performed by GrandMixer D.ST – an influential DJ in the early years of turntablism – using turntables as a musical instrument. Later turntablists, such as DJ Qbert and Mix Master Mike, cited Rockit as revelatory in the documentary film Scratch, inspiring their interest in the instrument.

The record GrandMixer D.ST. used for scratching in Rockit was Change The Beat by B-Side, released in 1982 on Celluloid Records.

This music video, by Jonathan Beamish, is for the earliest recorded version of Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart, produced as a John Peel Session for the BBC in 1979.

via jonathanbeamish:

The original band footage is a mixture of a performance video shot by the band for the single release (minus the damaged shots) and live concert excerpts from Plank, Brussels and the Apollo, Manchester. We needed to do some tricky retiming and editing to sync it up with the footage which is from completely different versions of the song.Odd to discover that much of the original performance video done for the single release wasn’t edited properly with much of the shots of the band playing not cut accurately to the audio

This documentary, from 1980, takes a look at synth music pioneer Isao Tomita and his studio.

In the late 60s and early 70s, many people got their first taste of synth music from the electronic orchestrations of classical music by Tomita and Walter/Wendy Carlos.

If you can translate the commentary, leave a comment below!

via 5488773

Image: Neil Vance

Vince Clarke with his Yamaha DX7 in 1984.

via the Synthtopia Flickr Group

The new Collectors Editions are released on CD and as digital downloads. They feature special bonus tracks, personal sleeve notes, live recordings, original demos, and rare video footage from the period. Dolby oversaw the Abbey Road remastering sessions himself, and sorted through studio outtakes and cassette tapes to put together definitive versions of these LPs.

Both The Golden Age Of Wireless and The Flat Earth achieved Gold status in the USA and yielded Top 20 singles around the world. GAOW was released in several formats due to the success of the breakthrough songs She Blinded Me With Science and One Of Our Submarines, which were not on the original LP but were added by Capitol Records following Dolby’s sudden emergence in 1982 as a star of the nascent MTV. The re-released GAOW combines all variations of the album, and is accompanied by a DVD of the full-length 1983 live concert performance Live Wireless, originally available only on laser disc.

In a recent edition of Wired magazine, JJ Abrams said: “Dolby’s ‘The Golden Age of Wireless’ remains one of the greatest albums ever recorded. And his follow-up records were a brilliant mix of heart, soul, and electronics. He’s a genius.”

Dolby’s sophomore album The Flat Earth originally featured only seven songs. The Collector’s Edition  is enhanced by five additional tracks, including the previously unreleased Marseille and a pair of Dolby songs written for films. Owners of the Collectors Editions will have access to a special area of the ThomasDolby.com web site to download free additional rare songs, lyrics and other goodies.

The full track listing follows:

The Golden Age of Wireless (Collector’s Edition)

• Flying North
• Commercial Breakup
• Europa And The Pirate Twins
• Windpower
• Wreck of the Fairchild
• Airwaves
• Radio Silence
• Cloudburst At Shingle Street
• Bonus Tracks:
• One of Our Submarines
• She Blinded Me With Science
• Urges
• Leipzig
• Urban Tribal
• Therapy Growth
• Sale of the Century
• Pedestrian Walkway
• New Toy
• Jungle Line
• Samson and Delilah

The Flat Earth (Collector’s Edition)

• Dissidents
• The Flat Earth
• Screen Kiss
• White City
• Mulu The Rain Forest
• I Scare Myself
• Hyperactive!
• Bonus Tracks:
• Puppet Theatre
• Field Work
• Don’t Turn Away
• The Devil Is An Englishman
• Marseille

These videos demo Emu Emulator II sampler library sounds.

Recognize the sounds of hundreds of 80’s songs?

Click here to view the embedded video.

via JMPSynth

Simian Mobile Disco’s video for the retronica Audacity of Huge.

Credits:

Directed by Kate Moross & Jo Apps
Art Director / Kate Moross
Editor / Jo Apps
Produced by Kate Moross & Jo Apps for ISO Films
First Assistant Director / Hans Lo
Director of Photography / David Procter
Camera Assist + Gaffer / Ryan Hopkinson
Tom Turley / Red Tech
Art Department / Jack Featherstone
Animation / Rob Jones
Stylist / Donna Rooney
Make Up / Gina Blondelle
Grade / Urban Ström

This is a promo video for John Tracker’s Amiga 1200 album, Cyber Techno. All 18 tracks on the album were created on the Octomed tracker app on an Amiga 1200.

via bazartist:

Jon Tracker’s track made on the Amiga 1200 titled Cyber Techno and promotional video to assist. This track and the Amiga Album will be available on iTunes soon.

Ever wonder what your favorite 80’s jams would sound like if they were written around the turn of the century, at the height of the ragtime piano era?

Wonder no more.

Scott Bradlee “squanders his expensive music education making ridiculous YouTube videos”, but where else are you going to hear Never Gonna Give You Up as an ode to President Taft’s epic moustache?

The songs featured are:

• Come on Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
• Don’t You Want Me Baby – Human League
• THE FINAL COUNTDOWN – Europe
• Axel F – Harold Faltermeyer
• Material Girl – Madonna
• Every Breath You Take – The Police
• Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
• Living on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
• Never Gonna Give You Up – You’ve Been Rickrolled! ( or Ragtimerolled?)
• Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler

via ScottBradleeLovesYa

This vintage video, with Jay Levy, is the introduction to a series of videos that show you how to play your Casio keyboard!

Best quote: “That bass player really knows how to lay down a groove down! That’s really a big hot smokin’ band we’re listening to!”

via teenageengineering, via Axehole

Skinny ties, drum machines, 1-finger synth string melodies and bad haircuts – looks like the 80’s are cool again.

This is the first video from Los Angeles alternative electro band Celebutante, from the upcoming Nightlife full-length release.

What 80’s band does Celebutante remind you of the most?

via celebutante

This is a sort of cheesetastic – an 80s Synth Medley (3 guys, 6 keyboards).

via EnvelopeGenerator:

Three guys, six keyboards, fifteen hits of the 1980s. All played live!

Keyboards:ARP Axxe, KORG MicroKORG, KORG Triton Extreme 61, M-Audio Axiom 61, Roland Juno 6, Yamaha SHS-10 Keytar

via PeterC on Twitter

Synthesizer Medley 1985

Description:

This video “Synthesizer Medley” was done by Thomas Dolby, Herbie Hancock, Howard Jones, and Stevie Wonder in Los Angeles(1985).

Each will feature a bonus disc that contains a host of material that the group released around the time of each album’s release that never made it on to the full-length proper. 

The release is notable because, while it may not satisfy completists, it brings together many releases that never made it to albums, including the full Blue Monday. 

The albums will be released Sept 28. Details below.

Tracklists

Movement 
01. Dreams Never End
02. Truth
03. Senses 
04. Chosen Time 
05. I.C.B 
06. The Him 
07. Doubts Even Here 
08. Denial 

Movement Bonus Disc 
01. Ceremony 
02. Temptation 
03. In a Lonely Place 
04. Everything’s Gone Green
05. Procession 
06. Mesh 
07. Hurt 
08. Cries and Whispers 
09. Ceremony (Alt. Version) 
10. Temptation

Power, Corruption & Lies
01. Age of Consent 
02. We All Stand 
03. The Village 
04. 5 8 6 
05. Your Silent Face 
06. Ultraviolence 
07. Ecstasy 
08. Leave Me Alone 

Power, Corruption & Lies Bonus Disc 
01. Blue Monday 
02. The Beach
03. Confusion 
04. Thieves Like Us
05. Lonesome Tonight 
06. Murder 
07. Thieves Like Us (Instrumental) 
08. Confusion (Alt Version) 

Low-Life 
01. Love Vigilantes 
02. The Perfect Kiss 
03. This Time of Night 
04. Sunrise 
05. Elegia 
06. Sooner Than You Think 
07. Sub-culture 
08. Face Up 

Low-Life Bonus Disc 
01. The Perfect Kiss 
02. Subculture 
03. Shellshock (John Robie Remix) 
04. State of the Nation 
05. Elegia 
06. Let’s Go 
07. Salvation Theme 
08. Dub Vulture 

Brotherhood 
01. Paradise 
02. Weirdo 
03. As It Is When It Was 
04. Broken Promise 
05. Way of Life 
06. Bizarre Love Triangle 
07. All Day Long 
08. Angel Dust 
09. Every Little Counts 
10. State of the Nation 

Brotherhood Bonus Disc 
01. Bizarre Love Triangle 
02. 1963 
03. True Faith (Shep Pettibone Remix) 
04. Touched By the Hand of God 
05. Blue Monday ‘88 
06. Evil Dust 
07. True Faith – True Dub 
08. Beach Buggy 

Technique 
01. Fine Time 
02. All The Way 
03. Love Less 
04. Round & Round 
05. Guilty Partner 
06. Run 
07. Mr. Disco 
08. Vanishing Point 
09. Dream Attack 

Technique Bonus Disc 
01. Don’t Do It 
02. Fine Line 
03. Round and Round 
04. Best & Marsh 
05. Run (II) 
06. MTO 
07. Fine Time (Silk Mix) 
08. Vanishing Point (Instrumental) 
09. World in Motion (Cabinieri Mix)

via RA

Description:

The editors of Keyboard magazine have culled that era’s most insightful and landmark articles and combined them with a wealth of insight looking back now some 20 years later to paint a vivid and accurate picture of just how groundbreaking the keyboard’s role was in crafting the sound of an era. The book features 20 in-depth interviews with noted players and producers like Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes, Depeche Mode’s Vince Clarke, Peter Gabriel, and The Human League, as well as such visionary pioneers as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Frank Zappa.

Keyboard magazine editors Ernie Rideout, Stephen Fortner, and Michael Gallant uncover the true stories behind the gear, the production techniques, and the real stories of some of the 1980’s most definitive keyboard-driven recordings.

MSRP $19.95.

Sexy-Synthesizer LOG iN MIX

Description:

Some 8-bit chiptune madness -Sexy-Synthesizer LOG iN MIX.