Casio CZ-1 Cosmo Synthesizer Keyboard

Casio, a brand with the image of cheap products, wanted to catch up with the big companies with professional synthesizers, including Yamaha, which had revolutionised sound with FM synthesizers. The engineers developed the so-called PD synthesis, the phase distortion sound generation. This was built into the CZ series, among others. The CZ-1 Cosmo synthesiser was the flagship and best equipped, but strangely enough it was the last synthesiser in the series to be produced. This is probably why it was not a big seller and was quickly replaced by the FZ-1.

The CZ synthesisers do not have a real filter. Similar to FM synthesis, the DCW module can be used to create filter-like sound sequences, but these have little in common with the sound behaviour of analogue filters. Portamento and guild are available as "effects". An LFO (Tri, Saw and Square) allows the modulation of volume and filter. The modulation wheel and aftertouch are used to control the LFO. The signals from the two DCOs come together in a "mixer". A ring modulator and a noise generator come into play for further sound modulation.