Casio Sk-1
Sampling Keyboard (1985)

 

Cult portable (46 x 15 cm) low-fidelity 8-bits sampler from the mid-eighties with rhythm patterns, sequencers and rudimentary envelope system.

The sk1 is the most popular model from the series and still widely used for the particular sampling sound.

MINI KEYBOARD 32 minikeys with no velocity.
Main panel features 1 slider volume, 2 selectors, 28 buttons, 1W speaker (8 cm) and a cheap internal microphone.

Rear panel terminal connectors:
- main signal out 1,5mm
- microphone input (jack)
- line signal input 1,5mm
- master tune trimmer (range: +/- 30 cents).


Power supply is a 7,5 V external PSU -)+ polarity or battery powered (5 X 1,5V AAA size). Autopower off after 7 minutes.

 

 

VOICE main core based on MSM6283 manages 4 voices polyphony and 3 kinds of syntheses:
- sampling process
- additive synthesis.
- PCM play

 

SAMPLING internal engine records at 8 bits resolution, 9,35 kHz frequency for about 1,4 second sampling time; once recorded the samples is transposed to the whole keyboard. Only automatic record mode with signal threshold and not much else except a LOOP function.

ADDITIVE push the special SYNTHESIZING button.
To create a sound, just press one of the key corresponding a to sinewave harmonic (16', 8', 5 1/3', 4', 2 2/3', 2', 1 3/5', 1 1/3' and 1'). Like a organ drawbars it is also possible to set the harmonics intensity levels in a 1-14 scale range.
additive sinewaves

corresponding audio file is in the demo section below

 

WAVETABLE internal 256 Kb ROM (PD23C246EAC-011) contains 8 presets:piano, trumpet, human voice, pipe organ, jazz organ, brass, flute and synth drums.
DRUM the drum section kit cannot be played by keyboard, instead it features 11 preset pattern rhythms with FILL-IN function: disco, rock, march, samba, bossanova, rhumba, 4 beats, swing, slow rock and waltz.

 

PERFORMANCE:
- single finger chord mode
- portamento mode
- 2 solo modes
- chord mode (presets: M, m, m7, M7, M7+, m7+, dim, M5+, M6, m6 and m7/5).

ENVELOPE 13 type-presets EG ready to go for all syntheses.
Each preset features different settings of Attack, Sustain and Release combination.

 

LFO simple pitch modulation with fixed frequency rate, which is pretty slow.

SEQUENCER an internal 3 tracks engine records in up to 400 events.
- 2 recording modes: real time or step by step.
- 2 sequencer modes: 1 melodic line + 2 mono (MULTI MEMORY MODE) or 4 melodic lines.

MEMORY:
- 8 preset sounds
- 11 drum patterns
- 1 sample slot
- 1 additive slot
- 400 steps sequencer
TECH: memory is volatile.

 

MODIFICATION there are 2 common SK1 modifications :
- third-part Midi interface
- Circuit bending bent points are activated by levers or by matrix- If you like stretched glitches sounds this could be a nice job for your machine! check out vid Sk1 CIRCUIT BENT below:

 

 

RELATED FAMILY:

	Concertmate 500 The sk1 has been also rebranded by Radio Shack Realistic and Tandy VIDEO
	Casio Sk1 rare (ugly) pink version - also a quite rare version is the PT280
	Casio Sk2 extremely cut-down version VIDEO
	Casio Sk10 another cutdown, but cute portable Sk1 VIDEO
	Casio Sk5 better sample handling but PCM drums also slightly variant Sk8 (oriental version Sk8A) and weird Sk60 . No too mention the holy grail double keyboard DM100. VIDEO
	Casio Sk100, sk200, sk2100 bigger series with normal keys and more features. No more "toys" but still low-fi VIDEO

 

VST PLUGIN / SAMPLED VERSION there are some free and commercial samples set:

	name	price	demo
	Seaweed factory	FREE Sk1 sample pack	n/a
	Waveformless	FREE Drum sample pack	n/a

 

AUDIO DEMO

factory demo original crash 44 kHz then SK1 sampled additive sinewaves sampling a spectrum ZX speech sampling chill pad

arranger pattern piano PCM with all 13 EGs LFO vibrato ON /OFF Roland Sh101 bass,played with portamento first 8 beats loop original than Sk1 samples

VIDEO CLIP SELECTION Demo 1 Demo2 Demo3

 

CASIO SK1 MANUAL

SCHEMATICS / SERVICE MANUAL

original brochure

geek!

Another cool lowfi sampler? with even more functions! READ ALL ABOUT THE YAMAHA VSS-30

Casio Sk-1 FOR SALE CHECK OUT EBAY OFFERS