Casio VL-1 - Part 3: The Synthesizer
Музыка
In this video, I am just talking about the synthesizer section (ADSR) of the Casio VL-1. I will explain the 8 parameters and show how to program a sound.
Support this channel and buy a song or album on Bandcamp: keenonkeys.bandcamp.com
0:00 Intro
0:44 ADSR short explained
2:12 The 8 parameters
4:16 Strange envelope behavior
6:24 Sound programming
8:55 Tremolo
12:13 Vibrato
14:18 Pitch Modulation
16:50 Final performance
18:36 Conclusion
If you want to know more about the VL-1, you should watch the other parts of my small series:
Part 1: The Mysterious Demo Melody
• Casio VL-1 - Part 1: T...
Part 2: Review
• Casio VL-1 - Part 2: R...
Part 4: The Emulations
• Casio VL-1 - Part 4: T...
Listen to some tracks on Soundcloud: / user-229361059
Пікірлер: 110
Great explanation! I keep hearing references to C64 games' music in here every once in a while...
I had a VL-1 back in the early 80’s. Spent countless hours playing around with the adsr values. Didn’t realize at the time what a gem I had. Should have kept it.
Wow, I did not expect a song that good coming out of that thing at the end. You really know how to utilize primitive hardware and work with limitations!
@quiteanswering612
2 жыл бұрын
L
@garyseymour6319
Жыл бұрын
PRIMATIVE for 1984 (ish) ?
@garyseymour6319
Жыл бұрын
There are so many songs that use this keyboard like Da Da Da, Lady Gaga, etc...
This is incredible. I don't think anyone knew all this was in there.
@sarge9733
4 жыл бұрын
I used to play with mine as a kid... in about 1982. I kept a little book of my ADSR setting numbers, and gave them silly names like 'echo trumpet' or 'electro xylophone' etc... just by putting in random numbers and logging them. I found my old Casio VL-1 recently, and put batteries in it tonight for the first time in 36 years or so. Hence looking up this video now. I'm no musician, even now, but love things like this. And love that I've always looked after what my parents bought me. 🙂
@malkytrance
4 жыл бұрын
I did, there was a book with presets to type in and a full explanation of the parameters.
@longdongsilver4719
Жыл бұрын
RTFM!
@stevesworldofwanders
9 ай бұрын
I did. It's in the manual. I used it to synthesize harpsichord sounds when I was a kid.
Your awesome final composition is definitely worth of a C64 game!
THANK YOU for making information like this available! I apparently have only scratched the surface with my Casio VL-1. This is PRICELESS! And that PERFORMANCE!!!!! STUNNING!!!!!
@OrngeLeader
5 ай бұрын
It warms my heart to see one of my favorite youtubers post on another's video.
Father of the op-1
As a circuit bender & general vintage keyboard enthusiast, this channel is suuuch a valuable resource. So much good info here for people trying to learn more about how these machines work. not to mention the excellent presentation & production value. just great content overall. keep up the good work my dude 🙂
I am sitting next to my VL1 and I did not know it could produce a song like you did at the end there. Bravo
I had one for years and didn't know this. I guess I should have read the manual!! Thanks KOK! I just realised, this was my first analog synth!!
You have opened my ears and mind to what I once thought was only a gadget of a forgotten era. I now see it as something my own music has been lacking. Thank you. I am now on the hunt to purchase one.
Another insightful and wholly useful, brilliant and well-produced video! I'm looking all over for one of these now - man, thank you! . & not that you're taking requests - but one day maybe the PSS-480?
@KeenOnKeys
5 жыл бұрын
Sure! Funny that you mention the PSS-480. It was the first keyboard I ever played on. I borrowed it from a friend back then. But I bought one recently and of course I will do a review about it, but I don't know exactly when.
@notsofunnynowisit
5 жыл бұрын
@@KeenOnKeys That's EXCELLENT! Dude - Pins & Freaking Needles for that! . My first keyboard was - get this - an MS-20 that I got at a yard sale in 1988 for - $15. The mod button by the wheel was broken from the mount inside and I never repaired it. I actually thought it was kind of crappy at the time because no matter how I fenagled the patch bays little seemed to happen (I just didn't get it). I even took it apart so I could gain enlightenment (& maybe fix that button) to no avail. Everything else worked on it however and eventually I used it to record bass lines played by hand and a pretty cool cover of Stomu Yamash'ta's 2cd half of "Touched" from Sea & Sky (kind of obscure but man I was obsessed). It was perfect for that. I sold it for $60, so I at least made a profit there! . Eventually I ended up with a PSS-470 which was way too much fun and wrote some comical, light stuff for demos with that. Looking last year to replace it I found a 480 for $20 at a thrift store and that and a PSR-510 are what I use now - mainly for pads. I might mention I'm actually a guitar player, so your videos are exceptionally enlightening to me!
Your videos are fantastic, top notch production value
My mind has been fully expanded! You're a legend dude! 😎❤️👍
That was my first synth programming learning with ADSR on this little thing, I think was one of the main reasons I wanted one again.
@steveleeatfullmeasure
Жыл бұрын
Yeah, I had read about ADSR but this little gadget was the first time I got to play.
Still so helpful! Thank you so much for this you know I've just rediscovered my VL-Tone dusting in a closet so this is gold!
Very nice, I knew that synth "editor" was in there but never really understood how to get anything out of it. Thank you for your clear and concise directions!
What a brilliant channel! So glad to stumble upon it!
Simply incredible what you do with these simple instruments. And a great watch.
Good to see such an informative channel. Your videos are detailed, interesting and comprehensive plus you can play!
Your the best man this video is so cool and deserves more recognition!!
Your song performances on these little keyboards are always so impressive! You make them sound GROOVY!
I'm loving you music and videos. Just bought a Casio VL-1 recently and discovered your channel & soundcloud. Great work! Cheers.
Bravo!!! Youve dug so deep into the modulation capabilities of this amazing little instrument, thanks for your brilliant videos
Nice! After years of having this keyboard, you now showed me some new tricks.
I remember fiddling with these parameters on my mates casio. Love the waveforms! Thanks again yet another fantastic video. I have an old yamaha PSS 680 which had some impressive features including FM synth and midi with almost empty circuit boards. Like you I opened it up to look inside. :)
Awesome. I would have needed this tutorial when I was 9 years old!
Great, great and great! Amazing video, the final song it's awesome! I've this little keyboard but I can't sounds like you. Your play skills extracts the best of this "toy". Thank you very much!!!
Aaaaand I just bought one. Thank you for making this video!
Amazing video!!! Keep up the great work!!
What a great, informative job you done here!! It must took several hours to bulid all these recordings and images. Thank you!
This was a real eye opener it is actually a very charming machine provided one decided to give it the time required to fully understand it
this is a great video! i've had mine for decades... never new about holding the tempo key trick to change rate of vibrato!
I remember it owned by one of our entertainers in my child company's village holidays in 1988😲 inside a cool little plastic case, maybe brown or black
Awesome work. Thank you very much for your time.
Thanks for this. Love my VL-1
i knew already one of those early tiny Casio calculator / keyboard models did some 'strange' things ... but had no idea it was an actual synthesizer too! yes, limited, but still amazing! and very educational too imo ... kudos Casio for their innovative approach to electronic music ... 🙂
very well explained. Thank you
Your song was once again a masterpiece all out
my favorite episode!! 😊👍🙏
amazing tune at the end!! (Bleep attack on the bandcamp album) . wow wow wow.. thats catchy as well
We loved to create own instruments in the 80s on the VL-1. And we were proud to own a synthesizer that was used by bands like Trio (Da Da Da) :)
Absolutely brilliant
really amazing knowledge...thx a lot
I got one at Radio Shack 20(?) years ago, it's in a drawer somewhere, have to try this out! Very well done video!
Awesome video mate
that song at the end is awesome!
I have the concertmate version as well as a rare Casio keyboard which also includes an am/FM stereo radio. This was my very first keyboard when I was a kid.
I once had one, I did not know so much about it, now i have the Roland fa-08, got to think of it again
15:20 is Just a perfect soundtrack for a sci-fi space movie, for a tension scene 👌
Awesome info. Tnx. 🙏
I'm hoping. one day someone will sell be a Yamaha VL1 for the price of a Casio VL1. :-)
Using math, we can calculate how many different/unique sounds you can create with the ADSR! Since the values are on base 10, we use 10 as our main number. Now with 8 different values for each parameter, we power 10 to 8. So, the equation 10^8 shows us that over 100 million unique sounds can be created! Although that number sort of drops to 99,999,995 since all presets likely use the exact 8-digit string. Now most numbers won't sound all that different, but still... ~100 million unique sounds! Math is excellent when it works!
nicely done
Fantastic
très complet merci.
You are a true genius
Omg. I remember this haha. Fantastic.
I know what mate I'll be taking to the next concert!
Usefull video :)
the way you said "Attack. Decay. Sustain. Release." at 3:07 sounded kinda musical. Maybe a little samba...
Where can i listen to your compositions? They are incredible
@KeenOnKeys
Жыл бұрын
On Bandcamp. Link in the description.
Unbelievable
15:45 classic 8-bit soundtrack sound :)
Hi everyone, what about middle eastern arabic music scale or setting, what would be the adsr suitable codes!! any help would be appreciated.
Holy Guacamole! I’m buying one, I’ll leave the Buchla for another day
ممكن احصل على وحده منها ذكرتني ايام طفولتي
Where is the kick drum in your tune near the end from? Was it made using the adsr?
@KeenOnKeys
Жыл бұрын
Yes. I made a very short sound and boosted the low frequencies with an EQ.
whats the song at 12:53 ??? i know ive heard it b4 but idk wht
@KeenOnKeys
3 жыл бұрын
I have no idea, but please let me know if you find out.
👍👍❤
Just bought one Casio VL-Tone, in very good shape but no box, for only 16€ :)
Didnt know *Morgan Freeman* was the narrator lol
holy fuckinf shid 40000
Mine went out of tune since the last time I used it 2 months ago... Is there any function to adjust the pitch-tuning?
@KeenOnKeys
3 жыл бұрын
There's a tuning control on the bottom side
@lovecraftmusic8717
3 жыл бұрын
@@KeenOnKeys thank you very much!
How did you do the looping? What is needed for that?
@KeenOnKeys
4 жыл бұрын
I used my recording software.
My VL Tone never sounded so good. Not the fault of the VL Tone.
Teenage Engineering eat your heart out
oh my god.,,,I remember using casio as a kid.
Check out the video of the guy who runs this through a Specular Tempus!
14:45 wait, did you just turn Blue Monday into You Spin Me Round?
i loves this videoooooo. i really need how to do a bass drum. anyone can do it? like 16:55
Wonder what sound 8008135 makes.
Shit I paid 2 quid for this synth back in the 90s
Watches video: Am I still a producer?
The way you edit a single parameter is unnecessary complicated. For example, if you want to increase Release by 2, all you have to do is switch to calculator, type in 200 and M+ (or M- for decreasing). That's it, you don't need to recall, erase and replace the memory, only make sure the parameter is not at a maximum (or minimum when decreasing) value. Obviously you can also increase or decrease multiple parameters at once, 23 M+ ads 2 vibrato and 3 tremolo.
@KeenOnKeys
2 ай бұрын
Yes, you are absolutely right. But I thought this way it would be easier to understand what was happening. Maybe I'll make another video about the VL-1 in which I'll show it.
The whole thing is a synthesizer. It synthesizes sounds, musical instruments, etc. Synthesizer does not mean editable parameters.
@Magnus_Loov
Жыл бұрын
No. A Synthesizer is something that you can create your own sounds with. To synthesize sounds is to create new sounds. And when you do that here you change the parameters. Othewise even real old organs or just about any electronic music toy would be called a Synthesizer. What you are talking about is generating basic electronic sounds, not synthesizing. And, to be frank, calling the VL-1 a Synthesizer is to stretch it since you can't change the tone over time like with a filter and ADSR. It's only the volume here. And some simple vibrato or tremolo.
No need to ask why you call it “cat”
trying random 6 digit numbers and writing down the good ones: degenerate weebs🤝ppl using this synth