Casio SK-1 Synthesizer Information, Specifications and Resources

Author: Andy Merrett / Data Driven

Overview

The Casio SK-1 is a synthesizer with sampling capabilities released in 1985. It is aimed at musicians wanting to create and modify their own sounds.

The SK-1 has 32 synth/organ style mini keys without touch sensitivity or aftertouch. It has four notes of polyphony. It has eight on board sounds including pianos and real world sounds, accompaniments and rhythms, and no pedals.

The SK-1 uses Casio's PCM, a classic wave-based synthesis offering basic sampled sound playback.

It has the ability to record and play back user performances. It has no built-in learning system. It has a built-in amplifier and speakers. It can run from both AC and battery power.

It's a part of the SK family of instruments.

Description

Although the SK-1 could be considered a ‘joke’ or simply a toy, it has gained a rather cult following and has been used by professional musicians and those interested in circuit bending.

It features 32 mini keys, four note polyphony, 8-bit PCM sampling of up to 1.4 seconds, built in microphone and line level/mic inputs, internal speaker and line out. This means it can be used successfully as part of an audio chain (no MIDI). As well as the sampling ability there are a few built-in instrument voices.

All voices can be shaped by 13 present envelopes, portamento and vibrato, and there’s a basic sequence recorder, rhythms and chord accompaniment. Given it retailed for under $100 when it was launched, it’s actually a pretty decent lo-fi (by today’s standards) instrument, and worth of experimentation.

And talking of experimentation, plenty of people have circuit bent the SK-1 as it can run off batteries, has simple internals, and is a decent instrument to work with.

Musicians who have used the SK-1 include Fatboy Slim, Beck, Autechre, Portishead, Bloodhound Gang, Nine Inch Nails, Incubus and Blur.

Ironically, this cult status means the prices for obtaining a working SK-1 can now be considerably higher than their original price.

FAQ

What year was the Casio SK-1 launched?

This instrument was launched in 1985

What other models did Casio release in 1985?

• CT320
• CT6000
• CZ-2000S
• CZ-2600S
• CZ-5000
• MT-52
• PT-1

What models did other manufacturers release in 1985?

• Korg DW-8000
• Roland ALPHA-JUNO 1
• Roland ALPHA-JUNO 2
• Roland JX-8P
• Technics KN1000
• Yamaha DX100
• Yamaha DX21
• Yamaha DX27
• Yamaha DX5
• Yamaha PCR-800
• Yamaha PF70
• Yamaha PF80
• Yamaha PSR-50
• Yamaha PSR-60
• Yamaha PSR-62
• Yamaha PSR-70
• Yamaha PSR-90
• Yamaha PSS-110
• Yamaha PSS-150
• Yamaha PSS-401
• Yamaha PSS-450
• Yamaha VSS-100
• Yamaha YPR-1
• Yamaha YPR-6
• Yamaha YPR-8

What other synths were released at a similar time?

• Casio CZ-1
• Casio CZ-1000
• Casio CZ-101
• Casio CZ-230S
• Casio CZ-3000
• Casio SK-2
• Casio SK-200
• Casio SK-2100
• Casio SK-5
• Casio SK-8
• Casio SK-8A
• Korg 707
• Korg DS-8
• Korg DSS-1
• Korg DW-6000
• Korg DW-8000
• Korg Poly-61M
• Korg Poly-800
• Roland ALPHA-JUNO 1
• Roland ALPHA-JUNO 2
• Roland D-50
• Roland Juno-106
• Roland JX-10
• Roland JX-3P
• Roland JX-8P
• Roland S-50
• Yamaha CS-01 II
• Yamaha DX1
• Yamaha DX100
• Yamaha DX11
• Yamaha DX21
• Yamaha DX27
• Yamaha DX27S
• Yamaha DX5
• Yamaha DX7
• Yamaha DX7IIC
• Yamaha DX7IID
• Yamaha DX7IIFD
• Yamaha DX9
• Yamaha V2

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More Info

• Article Page: https://pianoandsynth.com/casio-sk-sampling-keyboards-explored-and-compared/