Reverb offers the Casio CZ1000 Synth Collection ($29.99 value) sound library in WAV format as a free download.
Casio CZ1000 Synth Collection typically sells for $29.99, but Reverb is currently offering it as a free download from their website. You just need to sign up for a Reverb user account (registration is free) and hit the download button to grab your copy of the library.
The sound collection covers fifteen Casio CZ1000 factory sounds. Each preset was multi-sampled by recording two notes per octave. The result is a lightweight sound library that captures the essence of CZ1000’s sound character, although it lacks the attention to detail found in the larger multi-gigabyte sample collections.
On the other hand, a smaller sample library like this one is easier to work with, especially if your plan is to load the sounds in a freeware sampler like Grace and apply further processing.
As for the sampled instrument, the Casio CZ1000 was the full-sized variant of the legendary CZ-101 synthesizer. It features the same phase distortion synthesis engine that made the CZ-101 such a popular instrument back in the day.
Hear the Casio CZ1000 synthesizer in action in the SynthMania demo video embedded below:
The download size is 533 MB, and the samples are neatly packed into a ZIP archive. The individual samples are organized into folders for each patch, so it’s quite easy to find all the files and create custom mappings in your favorite sampler or digital audio workstation.
On a related note, Reverb is also offering the Oberheim Matrix 1000 Synth Collection as a free download. It features 17 multi-sampled patches from the Oberheim Matrix synth.
I’ve always been a fan of affordable retro synths like the Casio CZ-101. Another excellent old-school synth in this price range is the Korg Poly-800. It’s a digital synth with an analog filter and a charmingly noisy chorus effect. If you’re into lo-fi music and synthwave, be sure to check out both the CZ-101 and the Poly-800.
Any affordable vintage synths you would recommend? Interested in reading your tips in the comments section below.
More info: Casio CZ1000 Synth Collection (533 MB download size, ZIP archive, contains 150 samples in WAV format)
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4 Comments
Numanoid
onAlways nice with a freebie. But did somebody actually try to sell 15 multisample patches for $30 ? That is $2 per patch! Much better then to spend money on VirtualCZ VSTi over at PluginBoutique, which is usually going for less than that amount these days, and covers the full monty of the CZ, interface, patches, patch import, the lot.
sam
onI used to love my CZ1000. In the days when gear was limited and we didn’t have VSTs coming out of our ears. I knew the thing inside out. Was great. Bought mine from a car boot sale (yard sale) for £30 in 1990.
Animus
onIf you like old Casio keyboards, also check this out: https://brianfunk.com/blog/2020/4/6/free-ableton-live-pack-194-casio-sa-20
Tomislav Zlatic
onNice one, thanks for the tip!