Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    Hello,
    
    My name is Patrick Boulmier and I work in Geneva EHQIS as a software
    specialist.
    I'm a dj and I use the Casio RZ-1 during my parties for mixing or
    re-mixing songs live.
    
    This drum is very nice, the programmation is easy, the sampling
    capability is a very powerfull thing for this machine, I usually
    use it for sampling simple word like "woua" or whatever.
    
    I believe the sounds of the TR-505 are better.
    
    I think the the Casio RZ-1 is a live machine, you can play with
    it live, and the TR-505 is a studio machine, you cannot change the
    volume of the TR-505 easyly, on the Casio each channel has a
    potentiometer. Another thing, When you play a pattern on the Casio,
    you cannot change to another when the prvious is playing, you have
    to stop the previous pattern to change for another one ! ! !
    
    If you want more information about the Casio, just send a memo to
    SHIRE::BOULMIER and I will give you information from the user's
    guide ! ! !
    
    See you next
    
    Best regards
    
    Crazy Pat dj
    
    

    
    I just bought the RZ-1 last week; marked way down from $600 to $500
    ...where did you see it for $400?
    
    I heard the RZ-1 compared against the Korg DSS-1 which is now going
    for $699.  The only feature lacking in the RZ-1 was supposed to
    be velocity-sensitive keys and the number of samples available.
    
    The RZ-1 seems like a really nice machine; it has a great song and
    pattern editor built on board;  20 song memories and 100 pattern
    memories.
    
    Instruments built-in are: 3 TOM-TOMs�, RIM shot, OPEN and CLOSED
    High Hats, a clap, a cowbell, a symbol crash, a base drum and snare
    drum, and a "ride" noise on a symbol.
    
    Additionally, it has the ability to sample up to .8 seconds of line
    or mike audio into up to 4 instruments which may be manipulated
    exactly like the built-ins.
    
    There are seperate line outputs for each of the built-ins and a
    line out put for SAMPLE channels 1/3 and 2/4.  EAch line output,
    the SAMPLE input, and the stereo outputs all have mixing controls.
    
    The display is an excellent sky-blue black-lit LCD alpha numeric
    display which is very easily read in absolute darkness or full
    daylight.
    
    Tempo range is digitally selected between 40 and 250 beats per sec.
    
    Auto-correct is built into the pattern editor with granularity to
    1/96 notes.
    
    
    Bad stuff I have seen so far is that I can't seem to find a way
    to make it upload/download sample or rythm data.  It seems the
    only way to talk to it is like a keyboard (NOTE ON/OFF, etc..)
    --over the MIDI that is.
    
    
    If anyone out there has any experience with this or more info on
    the TR505 comparison, I would love to hear it!  I am not that in
    tune with the drum-machine scene!
    
    -Tom
    

    re: .2
    
    I bought mine for $425 from Music Workshop in Nashua (which has
    since closed, but their other store in Salem is still open and I
    saw an RZ-1 there this week, but didn't notice the price.)
    
    However, Tom Benson (author of this note) bought his for something
    considerably less.  Something like $230 if I recall correctly.
    He got that price from Sam Ash in NYC.
    
    BTW, please believe me when I say that my intention in mentioning this 
    is NOT to make you feel bad, but just to give you some relevant 
    information in case you have any desire or option to take it back.

    BTW, I'm going to add an RZ-1 column to the drum machine comparison
    in note 708.1.  I've already collected the info, I just need to
    type it in.

    	db

    
    Major hardcore groan.  I live and bought the device in Southern
    California, which could account for the diff between $425 and
    $500, but that NYC price ...oui
    
    Thanks for breaking it to me easily.  I don't know if I can take
    it back, the receipt says "all sales are final".
    
    Note: the TR505 is going for about $300 out here (after barganing)
          how does the Casio rate against the Roland?  ...off to
          note 708 I go...

    (Percussion device novice here)  This thing sounds like a steal
    at $219 (Note 766.3)
    
    Does the RZ-1 allow you to play the samples at arbitrary (from MIDI)
    pitches?  Could I use it like a MIDI SZ-1?  If not, is there any
    reason other than marketing?   I'm not familiar with the way
    that such machines use MIDI, perhaps the pitch data is used for
    something else...
                       
    	Questioningly,
    
    	Eirikur H.
    

    No, the RZ-1 does not not allow you to play samples at arbitrary
    pitches.  I doubt you'll find a "drum machine" that will do this.
    If you did, it probably wouldn't be too useable from MIDI since
    drum machines assign different drum sounds to different notes:
    
    		o Snare = Middle C
    		o Bass =  Middle D
    		o etc.
    
    You need a sampler to do that kind of thing (pitch transposition).
    All the RZ-1 does is record a sample, and play it back when you
    hit the right key.
    
    There is a delay unit that does a limited form a sampling that would
    allow you to do that.  Mark Schmieder was selling one about a month
    ago.  I'm not sure of the model number, but I'm pretty sure the
    brand was Korg.
    
    Mark loaned it to me for awhile and I did exactly these kinds of
    things and got some pretty fun, slightly impressive results sampling:
    
    	o Cowbell
    	o Car horn
    	o Trash can lid
    	o Panther (my cat)
    	o Voice
    	o A harmonic played on the guitar (ala Z.Z. Top)
    
    It's not a true sampler.  All it does is figure out how to alter
    the playback speed to get the right pitch, so the contour of the
    sound changes as you move up or down the keys, but even so you can
    do lots of fun and useful things with it.  Plus, it's an excellent
    delay unit.
     
	db

    
    Well,  I got the place that sold me the RZ-1 for $500 to take it
    back and put my $500 bucks towards a Korg DDD-1 (one of the nicest
    drum machines on the market.)  The Korg DDD-1 retailed for $1250
    (with its sampling board option) about six months ago, I got it
    for $742.00.  I understand the DDD-1 is being phased out for a new
    model.  (I guess the TR707 is going away too!)
    
    Technically the machine is great!  I will post the tech specs
    elsewhere, if I can't find them here.  How come there isn't a Korg
    column in 708?  Thanks for the help people!  I greatly appreciate
    it!                                           

    re: 633.7

    "How come there isn't a Korg column in 708?"

    708 started out as being a survey of Yamaha machines.
    
    I added the RZ-1 column in the hope that we could expand it to be
    a survey of all the popular drum machines.  My hope was that other
    people would add columns for their machines.
    
    	db

    RE: .-1
    
    Will do right away...
           
           //
          //
     TOM //
      \\//
       \/ 

    Just heard from Tom (author of this note) that Sam Ash is selling
    some kind of upgrade to the RZ-1.  The upgrade gives you access
    to 16 more sounds (hooray) and increases the sampling time to
    5 seconds (yahoo).
    
    The upgrade costs $299 (installed), BUT.... it is not clear that
    Casio is offering this upgrade.  It may be some OEM-type place,
    in which case the question is, what does this do to the guarantee
    and who do I send it to when it breaks.
    
    I am hoping to find out more details soon.  When (and I suppose
    "if") I do, I will post a note.
    
    	db

    Just picked up the RZ-1 yesterday ($250 from E.U. Wurlitzer in
    Worcester). As a correction to a previous reply, you can control
    the pitch of the samples. There are two tone controls on the back
    of the unit, one for samples 1&2, the other for samples 3&4.

    Does the RZ-1 allow you to save the samples to cassette or via MIDI?
    
    Rob

    I know that you can save sample data to cassette, I'm not sure about
    MIDI.
    
    	db

>    As a correction to a previous reply, you can control
>    the pitch of the samples. There are two tone controls on the back
>    of the unit, one for samples 1&2, the other for samples 3&4.
    
    One of us is confused.  It might well be me but I am quite certain
    that the TONE controls on the back of my RZ-1 does not change the 
    PITCH of the samples, only the tone.

    	db