Casio VL-1

Casio VL-Tone VL-1

The VL-1 was the first instrument of Casio's VL-Tone product line, and is sometimes referred to as the VL-Tone. It combined a calculator, synthesizer, and sequencer[1] Released in 1980[2] and selling for around $150,[1] the VL-1 is notable for its kitsch value among electronic musicians, due to its cheap construction and its unrealistic, uniquely low-fidelity sounds.

The VL-1 was followed by the VL-10, basically the same machine in a smaller unit, and the VL-5, a polyphonic version, capable of playing four notes simultaneously.[1]

Sound

Its sounds were mostly composed of filtered squarewaves with varied pulse-widths. Its piano, violin, flute and guitar timbres were nearly unrecognizable abstractions of real instruments. It also featured a "fantasy" voice, and a programmable synthesizer which provided for choice of both oscillator waveform and ADSR envelope. The synthesizer was programmed by entering a number into the calculator section's memory, then switching back to keyboard mode. It had a range of two and a half octaves.

Features

The LCD

The VL-1 featured a small LCD display capable of displaying 8 characters. This was primarily used for the calculator function, but also displayed notes played. As well as this, the VL-1 also had changeable tone and balance, basic tempo settings and a real-time monophonic music sequencer, which could play back up to 99 notes. There were also 10 pre-loaded rhythms which utilized just three basic drum sounds.

Voices

Notable uses and appearances

Vienna Technical Museum / VL-1 Inv. Nr 81934


See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Brend, Mark (2005). Strange sounds: offbeat instruments and sonic experiments in pop. Hal Leonard. pp. 101–102. ISBN 978-0-87930-855-1.
  2. Holmes, Thom. Electronic and Experimental Music (Routledge 2002, ISBN 0-415-93644-6), p.218
  3. Paphides, Pete (2009-08-01). "The world according to Frankmusik: The world as listed by the new star of British pop". The Times. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
  4. Adams, Cameron (2009-11-07). "Nostalgia never hurts". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  5. Renaud, Alain (1995-11-11). "A 27 ans, Dominique A est en passe de devenir un label". Libération (in French). Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  6. Mortaigne, Veronique (1995-05-18). "Dominique A, le dépouillement élégant". Le Monde (in French).
  7. http://www.discogs.com/Stephen-Molyneux-The-Stars-Are-The-Light-Show/release/4033150

External links

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