Casio VL-1
Encyclopedia
Casio
is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio is best known for its electronic products, such as calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches...
's VL-Tone product line, and is sometimes referred to as the VL-Tone. It combined a calculator
Calculator
An electronic calculator is a small, portable, usually inexpensive electronic device used to perform the basic operations of arithmetic. Modern calculators are more portable than most computers, though most PDAs are comparable in size to handheld calculators.The first solid-state electronic...
, synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, and sequencer
Sequencer
Sequencer may refer to:Arts and Entertainment* Sequencer , 1976* Sequencer , 1996Technology* DNA sequencer, a machine used to automatically produce a sequence readout from a biological DNA sample...
. Released in 1980 and selling for around $150, the VL-1 is notable for its kitsch
Kitsch
Kitsch is a form of art that is considered an inferior, tasteless copy of an extant style of art or a worthless imitation of art of recognized value. The concept is associated with the deliberate use of elements that may be thought of as cultural icons while making cheap mass-produced objects that...
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.
Sound
Its sounds were mostly composed of filtered squarewaves with varied pulse-widths. Its pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
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 octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s.
Features
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
settings and a real-time monophonic music sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
, which could play back up to 99 notes. There were also 10 pre-loaded rhythms which utilized just three basic drum sounds.
Notable uses and appearances
- The VL-1 acquired enduring notability when the German band TrioTrio (band)Trio was a German band. It formed in the small German town of Großenkneten in 1980. The band is most noted for the song "Da da da, ich lieb dich nicht du liebst mich nicht aha aha aha" which was a hit in 30 countries worldwide. Trio was a product of the Neue Deutsche Welle...
used it in one of their songs, the "faux-Kraftwerk tune" "Da Da DaDa Da Da"Da Da Da I Don't Love You You Don't Love Me Aha Aha Aha" was an international hit record for German band Trio formed in 1980 by Stephan Remmler, Gert 'Kralle' Krawinkel and Peter Behrens. "Da Da Da" released in 1982 was a hit in Germany and about 30 countries worldwide and sold 3 million copies...
". They used the Rock-1 rhythm preset and the Piano voice. - A similar rhythm preset, Rock-2, features in the first half of The Man Whose Head Expanded by The Fall, only to be cut short by Mark E. SmithMark E. SmithMark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
's command to "turn that bloody blimey space invader off". - Soviet rock band KinoKino (band)Kino was a Soviet rock band headed by Viktor Tsoi. It was one of the most famous Soviet rock groups of the 1980s.-History:The band was formed in the summer of 1981 in Leningrad, USSR Kino was a Soviet rock band headed by Viktor Tsoi. It was one of the most famous Soviet rock groups of the...
(Кинo) used it prominently in their 1984 album Nachalnik Kamchatki (Начальник Камчатки), for instance on songs like "Последний герой" (The Last Hero) or "Камчатка" (Kamchatka). - Industrial artist Monte CazazzaMonte CazazzaMonte Cazazza is an American artist and composer best known for his seminal role in helping shape the early landscape of industrial music through recordings with the London-based Industrial Records in the mid-1970s.-Career:...
uses the VL-1's drum patterns on both sides of the Stairway to Hell / Sex Is No Emergency single (1982). - The music video for Thomas DolbyThomas DolbyThomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
's hit "She Blinded Me With ScienceShe Blinded Me with Science"She Blinded Me With Science" is a New Wave song by British musician Thomas Dolby, released in 1982. It was first released as a single in the UK in October 1982 and was subsequently included on the EP Blinded by Science and the second edition of Dolby's debut album The Golden Age of Wireless. It is...
" shows a group of schoolchildren holding VL-1s during a dream sequence. - The Human LeagueThe Human LeagueThe Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
used the VL-1 for "Get Carter," a song on their album DareDare (album)Dare is the third studio album from British synthpop band The Human League.The album was recorded between March and September 1981 and first released in the UK on 20 October 1981, then subsequently in the U.S...
. - Le Casio, the final track on the album Vehicles and AnimalsVehicles and AnimalsVehicles & Animals was the first full-length album by British rock band Athlete, first released in spring 2003. It was a nominee for the 2003 Mercury Music Prize.This album has been released with the Copy Control protection system in some regions....
by AthleteAthlete (band)Athlete are a British rock band formed in Deptford, London, comprising Joel Pott , Carey Willetts , Stephen Roberts and Tim Wanstall...
prominently features the VL-1's 'Fantasy' voice. - The VL-1 is used by death industrial act Brighter Death NowBrighter Death NowBrighter Death Now is the artist name under which Roger Karmanik , the founder of the Swedish record label Cold Meat Industry, releases death industrial, power electronics and dark ambient music....
. - The Rock-1 and Rock-2 rhythms are heard on the track Stop/Start by The AssemblyThe AssemblyThe Assembly were a synthpop project formed in 1983 in Basildon, England by:* Vince Clarke * Eric Radcliffe...
. - A VL-1 is used in A Lap Dance Is So Much Better When The Stripper Is Crying by Bloodhound GangBloodhound GangBloodhound Gang is a Collegeville, Pennsylvania-based American comedy band, although it began as a rap group and gradually changed its genre throughout the years...
- In 1995, "parsimonous" French singer/songwriter Dominique ADominique ADominique Ané , better known as "Dominique A," is a French songwriter and singer.-Early life:Born on the 6 October 1968 in Provins, France, Dominique Ané is the only child of a teacher and a homemaker. He was passionate about literature and music from a young age...
used a minimum of instruments, including the VL-1 (called the "VL Tone" in the French press). - The progressive electronica band Yip-YipYip-YipYip-Yip is an experimental, electronic music duo from Winter Park, Florida formed in March 2001, known for their unique style combining aspects of electronica, ska, and jazz and for their eccentric costumes.- Style :...
often uses the VL-1's distinctive beats. - Fergie's "Clumsy" also uses one of VL-1's beats.
- On older SakataSakata- People :* Jeanne Sakata, American actress and playwright* Lenn Haruki Sakata , former American professional baseball player* Toshiyuki "Harold" Sakata , American Olympic medalist and professional wrestler...
(Australian rice cracker company) advertisements, the Rock-1 rhythm is used as a backing beat. - In one Homestar RunnerHomestar RunnerHomestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. It mixes surreal humor with references to retro pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music.The cartoons are nominally centered on the title character, Homestar Runner...
cartoon, Strong Bad creates a "crazy cartoon" called "Sweet Cuppin' Cakes", in which he appears as a character, but with a VL-1 as a head. - The Rock-2 rhythm is used in the track "Who was That" by Deee-LiteDeee-LiteDeee-Lite was an American house and club/dance group, formed in New York City, United States. The group's best-known single was "Groove Is in the Heart", from their 1990 debut album, World Clique. However, Deee-Lite achieved longer lasting success on the U.S...
. - 2-D2D (Gorillaz)The fictional character Stuart Pot , better known by his stage name 2-D, also simply spelled as 2D, is a member of the British virtual band Gorillaz...
, from the band GorillazGorillazGorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
, says that his first keyboard was a Custom VL-1. - Canadian musician and sound designer David KristianDavid KristianDavid Kristian is a Canadian musician and film score composer and sound designer.David Kristian has been involved in audio for media since the early 1980s, when he first started work as an animation and experimental filmmaker at a New-Brunswick, Canada TV station...
's "The Mariana Trench" album was made entirely using a VL-1 through various guitar effect pedals and loopers. - In Ecuador, the demo song of the VL-1 is played in a news program that broadcast in Radio Cristal Guayaquil called "desayúnese con las noticias"; the song is played daily on 7 30 AM.
- British bubblegum-pop duo Mogul used the VL-Tone extensively throughout their early recordings, including a female vocal-led version of 'Roll With It'.
- A VL-1 rhythm appears towards the end of the Trans-XTrans-XTrans-X is a Canadian 1980s synth band formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are known for their hit song "Living on Video" which charted world wide.-History:...
song Living on VideoLiving on Video"Living on Video" is a song by Trans-X written and published in 1981, but not released until 1983 by Polydor, re-released in 1985. It became a massive hit worldwide, as well as peaking at #61 on the Billboard Hot 100. Trans-X also recorded a French-language version under the title Vivre sur Vidéo...