User Reviews : Casio RZ1

1. Casio RZ1 - 1 year ago - Cosmo (Germany)
Purchase year : 2007        Price paid : 155 €
The Casio RZ was one of the first Drum Machines with a built-in Sampler (and Casios last Drum Machine ever). The RZ was sold for 1.100 Euros in 1986. The 80ies pop drum sounds were made with the LinnDrum 1 or 9000, Simmons or the (later dated) Roland R-8 so Casio stopped the production within 2 years.
The regular RZ-1 has 12 PCM-drum sounds plus a total of 0.8 sec sample time on four pads which you can split in 4 x 0,2 sec/ 2 x 0.4 sec or 1 x 0,8 samples.
Sampling resolution is 12 bit with a sample rate at 20 khz. You can direct sample from a line or mic in (via switch on back) but sample dump (SDS) via MIDI is not supported. The internal memory holds up to 99 pattern and 20 songs, which can be combined, chained and looped.
With the MT tape interface you can "dump" and archive the internal patterns and samples on tape or MD-Disc, MP3-Stick or simply your soundcard on the PC.
The RZ-1 was often used in the pre-Techno/ House Aera and the Snare and clap are still used a lot. One of the best known Tracks made with the RZ-1 is Steve Pointdexters "Work that Motherfucker* from 1992. Read more at http://www.cosmods.de