The CZ-1 competes with the CZ-5000 for the best all around Phase Distortion digital synth. The CZ-1 has the most advanced keyboard of all the CZ series synths. It has a full 61-note 5-octave keyboard with velocity and aftertouch sensitivity. Very professional features from a Casio synth! Otherwise it is essentially a CZ-3000 (which is essentially two CZ-1000s or CZ-101s). With the CZ-1 you get 8-stage envelopes, 2 oscillators per voice and a whole lot more with relatively easy programming. Whereas the CZ-5000 may not have had as good a keyboard, it had the benefit of an on-board 8-track real-time sequencer which the CZ-1 lacked.

If you're looking for low-cost Yamaha DX-like sounds, the Casio CZ line of Phase Distortion synths are a good buy. For performance, the CZ-1 may be the best of the CZ-series. Its dynamic keyboard and enhanced memory abilities make it ideal for live situations. Memory, MIDI and multitimbrality have all been upgraded in the CZ-1 making it one of the nicest budget synths ever to grow out of a consumer market.

Toto

April 12, 2013 @ 10:44 am

The polyphony stated on this page is incorrect. The CZ-1, 3000 and 5000 have 16 oscillators, which can be used at one per voice ( polyphony = 16) or 2 per voice (polyphony = 8).

Pablopaul

February 20, 2013 @ 1:25 pm

This is such a great synth, i cant believe its still so cheap. When all this vintage/analogue buzz is over this synth is getting the respect it deserves (and prices are going to raise for sure). It is capable of the most lush and evolving pads and its digital strings can be very dark, ideal for new wave or post punk, also if youre into dance stuff those FMish basses+onboard chorus are BIG. Ive been planning to sell mine for a couple of months but every time i turn it on i regret it, in Chile its hard to find this kind of old synths. Regards!

Angelo

January 4, 2013 @ 4:31 pm

Hey VINCE,
How can I contact you to possibly buy the cz-1 from you?Are you in the US?

Vangelismusic@yahoo.com

scififunk

December 3, 2012 @ 4:28 am

I'm doing a CZ-1 (Inc. CZ series) programming demo and tutorial. In the mini series I play a demo where the patch is being edited in real time as a blues is being played.

The architecture is explained starting with the waveforms and looking at the other programming functions, before looking at performance functions.

http://youtu.be/RiHT7w9GiVs

Fred Y.

October 19, 2012 @ 10:54 pm

Here's a funny review of the CZ-1. I think it's supposed to be a joke but you can actually learn some things about the synth by watching it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjSxQR4BNmA

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