Image: deepsonic from Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0 — via Wikimedia Commons
Casio FZ-1
| Category | Electronic (digital sampling synthesizer) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Classification | synthesizer |
| Wikipedia | en.wikipedia.org |
| Wikidata | Q5048923 |
Overview
The Casio FZ-1 is a 16-bit sampling synthesizer released by Casio in 1987. It pairs a 61-key keyboard with eight-voice polyphony, full keyboard splits, and a sampling memory of 1 MB expandable to 2 MB. Alongside its sampler functions it offers additive synthesis through hand-drawn or copied waveforms, an envelope and filter section per voice, and a built-in disk drive for storing samples and patches. At launch it was positioned as a much cheaper alternative to higher-priced 16-bit samplers such as the Akai S900 and Ensoniq Mirage.
Origin & History
Casio was already established as a maker of consumer keyboards and the influential CZ-series phase-distortion synthesizers when it entered the professional sampling market with the FZ-1. A rack-mount sibling, the FZ-10M, followed shortly after. The line was short-lived; Casio largely withdrew from the high-end synthesizer market by the early 1990s and refocused on portable consumer keyboards and pianos. The FZ-1 nevertheless found a strong second life among lo-fi and electronic producers who valued its early-digital sound.
How It’s Played
The instrument is played from its full-size keyboard or via MIDI. Samples are recorded through line or microphone input, edited on the small built-in display, and assigned to keyboard zones with their own envelope and filter settings. The additive editor lets the user draw a single-cycle waveform that can then be processed and modulated like a sampled tone.
Cultural Significance
The FZ-1 is associated with several producers of late-1980s and early-1990s house, hip-hop, and ambient music who sought 16-bit sampling on a tight budget. Its grainy converters and quirky waveform editor have given it lasting cult status among sample-based musicians.
Related Instruments
- Ensoniq ASR-10 – contemporary keyboard sampler
- Yamaha DX1 – flagship FM synth of the same era
- Korg DSS-1 – another late-1980s sampling keyboard
- Roland XP-50 – later sample-based workstation
- Oberheim Prommer – earlier monophonic sampler
Frequently Asked Questions
How much sampling memory does the FZ-1 have?
1 MB internally, expandable to 2 MB.
Does it offer synthesis as well as sampling?
Yes — additive waveforms can be drawn or imported and processed alongside samples.
Was there a rack version?
Yes, the Casio FZ-10M.