SK-1
mini sampling keyboard
image source: eBay #2571276110
Here is the classic Casio SK-1, one of the first truly affordable samplers!!! Yes, it's true that 1 1/4 second sampling time doesn't allow much, and that the quality of the sampling is - to put it bluntly - horrific, but at the time, it didn't get better than this! :-) (Unless you had the funds for a Fairlight, Synclavier, Emulator etc.)
This is such a FUN machine. Highly portable, a few cool sounds, the ability to synthesize sounds starting from a neutral waveform, envelopes, vibrato, portamento, rhythms, and... sampling!!... What more did you want in 1986???
The unit can sample from line-in, external microphone, or built-in microphone. A lot of times is just fun to keep the SK-1 on your lap, and sample funny noises from your mouth!
There were bigger "brothers", but the SK-1 is
one classic unit
to look for.
Here's the SK-1's on-board delightful demo song:
Casio SK-1 demo song
And here are the eight on-board presets:
| Factory sound with audio demo | My comments |
| piano | An incredibly good tone for this type of machine! Warm and melancholic, and just from one sample! |
| brass ensemble | Typical "plasticky" '80s synth brass from Casio. |
| trumpet | Again, pretty realistic considering the specs of this mini-synth/sampler. |
| flute | Ethereal and synthetic, but useful. |
| human voice | Awesome female vox ooh with looped sample to emulate echo/delay |
| synth. drums | Typical Simmons sound of the era. |
| pipe organ | Pretty realistic church organ. |
| jazz organ | Casio's Hammond organ. |
And here we have nine sounds achievable with the "synthesizing" feature:
| Harmonic component synthesizing with audio demo | My comments |
| clarinet | Beautiful! With the on-board portamento, can even sound like a Theremin! |
| electric piano | Clear electric piano |
| harpsichord | Okay |
| oboe | Nice! From the low register to the high. |
| organ | Hi-drawbars pulled out |
| toy piano | Beauty - best arpeggiated!!! |
| vibraphone 1 | Nice |
| vibraphone 2 | Cool and loungey |
| violin | Okay |
These are the on-board rhythms:
| Rhythm with audio demo | My comments |
| 4 beat | Happy marching rhythm |
| bossa nova | Vaguely reminds of a bossanova.. |
| disco | Cool! Typical Casio goodness |
| march | La Banda. |
| pops | Nice pop rhyhthm. |
| rhumba | Deliciously retro vintage lounge. |
| rock | Very '60s |
| samba | Awesome rhythm! |
| slow rock | Slow number from the '60s |
| swing | Lounge master |
| waltz | Too busy! |
And here below you can hear what is possible to create in a few seconds, thanks to the SK-1 handy built-in microphone - very inspirational - if you don't mind lo-fi!
| Sampled sounds with audio demo (sampled by yours truly via the on-board microphone) | Original sample | My comments |
| Apocalypse Now | Apocalypse Now original sample | The famous helicopter scenes |
| Art of Noise | Art of Noise original sample | Typical early sampled vocals |
| Mr. Oizo loop | Mr. Oizo loop original sample | Disjointed, "Kraftwerkian"!! |
| Munchkin choir | Munchkin choir original sample | Munchkin or South Park style |
| Old record end | Old record end original sample | Old 45RPM |
| Train | Train original sample | Just blowing on the mic |
| Zombies | Zombies original sample | Nice sci-fi FX |
- Super portable;
- A few cool sounds;
- Vintage retro feel;
- On-board sampling!
| Features at a glance | |
| Year of release: | 198_ |
| Polyphony: | |
| Presets: | |
| Rhythms: | |
| Keyboard: | |
| Responds to velocity: | no |
| Sound generation method: | pcm |
| MIDI: | no |
| Sound expansion capabilities: | no |
| Effects: | |
| Controls: | |
| Outputs: | |
| Display: | |
| SITE | Type of resource | DESCRIPTION |
| www.casio.com | Home page. | |