The VZ-1 is a full-sized, 5-octave, velocity & pressure sensitive keyboard utilizing the IPD tone generation (a type of Phase Distortion synthesis) and offers 16 note polyphony. It's a digital synth capable of some great strings and "polite 80's sounds". You could use up to four sounds for splits, layers, velocity, cross-fades, etc. It has a large, blue, back-lit LCD display for editing patches. Editing is in-depth and quite a different approach than other synths before it. Its sounds are akin to the Casio CZ-series and sort of Yamaha DX-like. It's not particularly cool, but it looked impressive in its day with the blue back-lit graphical display.

(click to enlarge)

The Casio VZ-10M is a rack mount version of the VZ-1.

32 VISITOR COMMENTS

Sandro

May 8, 2012 @ 9:40 pm

Comprei um VZ 1 da Casio e achei muito legal, porém não consigo ajustar o pedal de sustain, ele fica invertido ou seja, quando o pedal está desacionado ele dá o sustain e tenho que opisar nele para desativar o sustain. O que eu faço? Onde eu mudo a configuração para inverter o sustain?

Richard

March 9, 2012 @ 3:30 am

Sturdy, with three wheels and an unusual square LCD which somehow looks smaller than it is, hiding a pretty unfathomable source of generally random-sounding noises, combined with some unspiring bread-and-butter almost-FM sounds. Basically, it's a useless hunk of junk unless you a) somehow understand this "interactive phase distortion" lark and/or b) buy it loaded with some genius' hard work and/or c) need a actual keyboard quality that somehow seems to have vanished around 2000. Someone will surely do something astounding with it, but most will scratch their head and sell it on ASAP.

visitor

February 11, 2012 @ 6:15 pm

CZ has its own sound and can seem limited compared to this.
like the CZ, can be edited with an Atari and the editor librarian,
which can also randomize.(exists for pc?)
can do digital bass, and fine bells, 'thin' sounds and frequency blips.
needs the ra500 ram card. vz8m will take up less space.

Thomas Faurby

January 8, 2012 @ 10:02 am

A demo of this synth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjT1YMHpLK4

Albert Mészáros

December 20, 2011 @ 6:43 am

Two weeks ago I bought a VZ-1 and synthesizer, add an expansion card, RA-500 220 euro. In my opinion, very bad. It is a dull, heavy, heavy synthesizers. It is difficult handling, poor controls, which are cracks, rocks illegal. I am very disappointed after the CZ series. I think the CZ-1000 machines to a much nicer, I was able to produce better sound than monstrummal.CZ this series is much better than that of the VZ-1. The Casio was a shame it has closed a successful CZ series synth. This is really sad. I would not recommend to anyone, but if you get it very cheaply.

<7654321>

 

Post Comment!

Your Name: (required)

Email Address: (required)

Image verification: (required)

Message:

 

Posting Rules:
Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

I have read and understand the posting rules.