Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

Hi,

I made a new CASIO GZ-50M page.
It includes;

* A new CASIO GZ-50M editor for Emagic SoundDiver that combines 4 channels 
to make a new sound
* .mp3 sound examples
* information

Please visit my site and tell me what you think.

Best,
Sealed

Deep Synthesis Page
http://homepage.mac.com/synth_seal/html/index.html

>I made a new CASIO GZ-50M page.
>It includes;
>
>* A new CASIO GZ-50M editor for Emagic SoundDiver that combines 4 channels
>to make a new sound
>* .mp3 sound examples
>* information
>
>Please visit my site and tell me what you think.

Nice, but I was more interested in the SQ-1 page- I hadn't heard much 
information about it, so it was interesting to hear that it's based on the 
VFX architecture (which was based on the EPS and EPS 16+: they can do 
transwaves too but often it's difficult to get a smooth sound.  transwaves 
require that the zero-crossing points of the waveform line up exactly, 
otherwise the sound has a lot of clicks and glitches).

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Very nice!!!  Well done--nice design, good content.

I never heard of the GZ-50M.  Can you find any statistics? How many 
were manufactured? How many were sold? Where they were sold? List 
Price? Street Price?  Years of production/sale? etc.  (I am just 
curious.)

--Steve

PS: I found my notes on the CZ-5000 sequencer internal structure 
[memory] but haven't scanned them yet.  Part of the delay is that 
they need an explanation written and I haven't had the time to do 
that yet.

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, sealed <sealed@m...> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I made a new CASIO GZ-50M page.

[snip]

Thank you very much for your comments, Scott.

I'm interested in EPS series, too. But I didn't know much about its Transwave 
function until recently - until I read your page and when I saw the Waveboy 
disks. Your mp3s are quite impressive as it well conveys EPS's flexibility. 

I remember Ensoniq advertised their MR and FIZMO had 2nd generation Transwave -
 I suspected that it might be multi-sampled with less looping noise, 
but I don't really know the actual details.

I'm impressed with EPS's loop point modulation, as I don't know other 
synths that can do this. Some models like E-MU Morpheus can reloop the 
samples, but I think this tends to yield rather static noises. If the 
loop point is modulatable like EPS, it would be more creative.

Sealed


> Nice, but I was more interested in the SQ-1 page- I hadn't heard much 
> information about it, so it was interesting to hear that it's based 
on the 
> VFX architecture (which was based on the EPS and EPS 16+: they can 
do 

> transwaves too but often it's difficult to get a smooth sound.  transwaves 
> require that the zero-crossing points of the waveform line up exactly, 
> otherwise the sound has a lot of clicks and glitches).

Hi, Steve.

Thank you very much for your response.
Here's the spec:
GZ-50M is a strictly GM-Level-1-only sound module - max 32 poly, 16 MIDI 
channel, 128 tones, 8 drum set (all 8 sound similar), 1 effect, and no 
editability.
It has only MIDI IN (no MIDI out), but it has two standard output jacks.
The size is 1/4U rack, 450g.
A webpage says that it's related to Casiotones at that time - CTK-750 
etc.

I don't exactly know how well GZs were sold. Here in Japan, it may not 
be rare. I got mine for $5 in an internet auction. Most GZs are sold 
under $30 now.
The original list price in 1995 was about $250.

Your information about CZ-5000 would be a good resource. I'm impressed 
with the depths these instruments have. It might take much time, proceed 
at your own pace.

Sealed

> Very nice!!!  Well done--nice design, good content.
> 
> I never heard of the GZ-50M.  Can you find any statistics? How many 
> were manufactured? How many were sold? Where they were sold? List 
> Price? Street Price?  Years of production/sale? etc.  (I am just 
> curious.)
> 
> --Steve
> 
> PS: I found my notes on the CZ-5000 sequencer internal structure 
> [memory] but haven't scanned them yet.  Part of the delay is that 
> they need an explanation written and I haven't had the time to do 
> that yet.
> 
> --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, sealed <sealed@m...> wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > I made a new CASIO GZ-50M page.

>I remember Ensoniq advertised their MR and FIZMO had 2nd generation 
>Transwave -
>  I suspected that it might be multi-sampled with less looping noise,
>but I don't really know the actual details.

As far as I know, two other related models are the TS-10 and TS-12.  They're 
sort of an upgrade of the VFX, but based on the ASR-10 architecture.  They 
can't sample but they can load samples off of disks.

>I'm impressed with EPS's loop point modulation, as I don't know other
>synths that can do this. Some models like E-MU Morpheus can reloop the
>samples, but I think this tends to yield rather static noises. If the
>loop point is modulatable like EPS, it would be more creative.

it's a very rare and unique capability.  I heard once that the only things 
that can do it are the PPG Wave (with Waveterm), Ensoniq synths, and 
Reaktor.  Not even the Kurzweil samplers can do it.

Anyway I'm glad you covered the SQ-1 series as I've always been interested 
in hearing about their capabilities but never heard a detailed description.

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Hey Steve-

regarding...
> PS: I found my notes on the CZ-5000 sequencer internal structure 
> [memory] but haven't scanned them yet.  Part of the delay is that 
> they need an explanation written and I haven't had the time to do 
> that yet.
> 
> --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, sealed <sealed@m...> wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > I made a new CASIO GZ-50M page.
> 
> [snip]

I'm interested in finding out more about the sequencer memory also.

Thanks for the details on the GZ-50M.  I was curious.  My last Casio 
was the VZ-8m, which predates the GZ-50M by a few years.  Then I 
started getting in Roland gear (CM-64, CA-30, and CF-10).

BTW, I have a "Casio Professional Music Products" brochure in good 
condition.  I tried to scan it, but I was never able to get decent 
results with the cover--it is about 85% black.  When I get my scanner 
hooked up, I may try to scan the interior pages in black and white.

CONTENTS:
front cover shows: VZ-1, VZ-8M, VZ-10M, FZ-20M, FZ-10M, PG-380
page 1: FZ-20M NEW + FL-D1/FL-D2 (HDD OS/Utlities Disks)
page 2: FZ-10M, FZ-1 + accessories: MB-10 (RAM board), MK-10 
(external cable for hookup to  computer or another FZ), FL 1-14 
(sound disks), FE-1 (blank disks)
page 3-4: VZ-8M NEW, VZ-10M NEW, VZ-1 + accessories: RA-500 (RAM 
card) and RC-110 -> RC-150 (5 ROM cards)
page 5: PMP-300 NEW, PMP-400 NEW [210 sound Tone Bank series]
page 6: PMP-500 [465 sound Tone Bank], CSM-1 NEW
page 7: HT-3000, HT-6000, RA-100 card
page 8: HZ-600, DH-200 NEW
page 9: CPS-700 NEW, CSM-10P NEW
page 10: PG-380, MG-510
back cover: CS-6 -> CS-9 (stands), AD-5 (AC adapter), SP-1, 2, 10 
(sustail pedals), VP-2, VP-10 (volume pedals), RA-500 (card), HC-5aG, 
HC-150 (hard cases), SC-22 -> 24 (softcases), LIST OF OPTONS [table 
of which of the 18 units takes which accessories)

BTW, I knew that the VZ-8m has 128 ROM patches and 128 ROM op-mems, 
but I didn't realize the VZ-1 and VZ-10m only had 64 of each.  (All 
have 64 user patches and 64 user op-mems).

I also knew the VZ-8m has a sysex command so you can select which 128 
presets are called via midi program change commands:
1. ROM Preset 1 + ROM Preset 2
2. User Memory + ROM Preset 1
3. User Memory + ROM Preset 2

I never knew that the FZ-20M had an OS to work with compatible SCSI 
drives (including the Apple HD-20SC, HD-40SC, and HD-80SC). Evidently 
SCSI tranfered data at .25MB/sec.

--Steve

More excellant additions to your site...I love it. Thanks again for 
the excellant site.

Thanks for your information about "CASIO Professional."
I'm very interested in the brochure as FZ-20M was not released in Japan. 
Please tell me when you scan it.
Roland CM-64 is a good synth that integrates multiple synthesers.

Sealed

> Thanks for the details on the GZ-50M.  I was curious.  My last Casio 
> was the VZ-8m, which predates the GZ-50M by a few years.  Then I 
> started getting in Roland gear (CM-64, CA-30, and CF-10).
> 
> BTW, I have a "Casio Professional Music Products" brochure in good 
> condition.  I tried to scan it, but I was never able to get decent 
> results with the cover--it is about 85% black.  When I get my scanner 
> hooked up, I may try to scan the interior pages in black and white.
> 
> CONTENTS:
> front cover shows: VZ-1, VZ-8M, VZ-10M, FZ-20M, FZ-10M, PG-380
> page 1: FZ-20M NEW + FL-D1/FL-D2 (HDD OS/Utlities Disks)
> page 2: FZ-10M, FZ-1 + accessories: MB-10 (RAM board), MK-10 
> (external cable for hookup to  computer or another FZ), FL 1-14 
> (sound disks), FE-1 (blank disks)
> page 3-4: VZ-8M NEW, VZ-10M NEW, VZ-1 + accessories: RA-500 (RAM 
> card) and RC-110 -> RC-150 (5 ROM cards)
> page 5: PMP-300 NEW, PMP-400 NEW [210 sound Tone Bank series]
> page 6: PMP-500 [465 sound Tone Bank], CSM-1 NEW
> page 7: HT-3000, HT-6000, RA-100 card
> page 8: HZ-600, DH-200 NEW
> page 9: CPS-700 NEW, CSM-10P NEW
> page 10: PG-380, MG-510
> back cover: CS-6 -> CS-9 (stands), AD-5 (AC adapter), SP-1, 2, 10 
> (sustail pedals), VP-2, VP-10 (volume pedals), RA-500 (card), HC-5aG, 
> HC-150 (hard cases), SC-22 -> 24 (softcases), LIST OF OPTONS [table 
> of which of the 18 units takes which accessories)
> 
> BTW, I knew that the VZ-8m has 128 ROM patches and 128 ROM op-mems, 
> but I didn't realize the VZ-1 and VZ-10m only had 64 of each.  (All 
> have 64 user patches and 64 user op-mems).
> 
> I also knew the VZ-8m has a sysex command so you can select which 128 
> presets are called via midi program change commands:
> 1. ROM Preset 1 + ROM Preset 2
> 2. User Memory + ROM Preset 1
> 3. User Memory + ROM Preset 2
> 
> I never knew that the FZ-20M had an OS to work with compatible SCSI 
> drives (including the Apple HD-20SC, HD-40SC, and HD-80SC). Evidently 
> SCSI tranfered data at .25MB/sec.
> 
> --Steve

Thanks very much for your responses!
I'm very glad to share interests about CASIO synths.
Sealed

From: Jonathan Furman <jonwest@...>
To: CZsynth@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CZsynth] Re: A new CASIO GZ-50M page
Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2004 00:24:51 +0000

> More excellant additions to your site...I love it. Thanks again for 
> the excellant site.

TS-10/12 are very capable machine. It's a new insight to me that TS is 
based on ASR and VFX belongs to EPS generation.
Nativeinstruments may have been thinking about Ensoniq when they added 
loop point modulation in Reaktor. It would be the only synth that can 
emulate Transwave.

Sealed

> >I remember Ensoniq advertised their MR and FIZMO had 2nd generation 
> >Transwave -
> >  I suspected that it might be multi-sampled with less looping noise,
> >but I don't really know the actual details.
> 
> As far as I know, two other related models are the TS-10 and TS-12.  
They're 
> sort of an upgrade of the VFX, but based on the ASR-10 architecture. 
 They 
> can't sample but they can load samples off of disks.
> 
> >I'm impressed with EPS's loop point modulation, as I don't know other
> >synths that can do this. Some models like E-MU Morpheus can reloop 
the
> >samples, but I think this tends to yield rather static noises. If 
the
> >loop point is modulatable like EPS, it would be more creative.
> 
> it's a very rare and unique capability.  I heard once that the only 
things 

> that can do it are the PPG Wave (with Waveterm), Ensoniq synths, and 
> Reaktor.  Not even the Kurzweil samplers can do it.
> 
> Anyway I'm glad you covered the SQ-1 series as I've always been interested 
> in hearing about their capabilities but never heard a detailed description.