Here is the device to add midi: http://store.highlyliquid.com/products/umr2
Anyone here actually use this?
Yes, all the time live and on songs, through some effects pedals (usually chorus, filter & delay.
The ending on this song (2:27 and onwards) for example is a casio VL-1 through a filter and delay: https://soundcloud.com/vegas-diamond/ho … chiptunes.
Same here (5:00 and onwards): https://soundcloud.com/vegas-diamond/ghost-new
EDIT: I can also confirm that the battery life on this thing is stellar! I've had it for 1.5 years now and only have had to recharge the batteries twice. The sound, the portability and the fact that it's monophonic make it a great tool for composing or adding harmonies live. I would not use it for intensive soloing but it works fine for doubling chords.
]]>Anyone here actually use this?
https://soundcloud.com/awokenfromstasis … rvant-skgb
Here's The Ghost Servant, SKGB and myself using a circuit bent version of it through some toy effects processor while it was picking up multiple radio stations simultaneously.
]]>Here is the device to add midi: http://store.highlyliquid.com/products/umr2
Anyone here actually use this?
Highly liquid kits are very nice tech. I remember when he first started selling stuff he had some really streamline circuit bent gear. I had one of his bent SK-1'S with a detachable banana plug patch bay. I easily ordered another cable connector and bent a TR-707 to use the same patch bay and sold them as a set. Miss them both!
]]>Anyone here actually use this?
]]>When I first started looking into the vl-1, I came across a neat little MIDI mod that fits nicely inside the case. I reckon the vl would make a pretty cool MIDI controller. Not so sure about the usability, though 
This just shows that there is definitely potential. And I'm sure if somebody around here decided to pick one of these up, that potential would be exploited to its full!!
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Very easy to use the basic functions (playing it, using the calculator) however sequencing takes a little getting used to.
Well, seeing as it's a keyboard from 1980, the price varies. Mine was a present, but I have been informed that it was rather cheap from a second hand store, and a quick search has found them going for less than a tenner. Certainly worth the price for what it is.
As a "Vintage" or "Retro" item it could be thought of as desirable, but not to difficult to get your hands on, I tend to think that if I have one, it isn't that rare. 90% of the time it is true, and this is no exception. You can probably pick them up rather cheaply for not that much at charity shops/carboot sales/thrift shops/yard sales/whatever.
It's a second hand keyboard that's roughly 33, apart from some understandable wear and tear (the odd scratch) it's in pretty good nick. No buttons or anything have come off, and it can probably survive a bit of beating, due to its bulk. Not suggesting you throw it around like it's invincible, but it has that kind of feel that my old nokia does, like you can drop it a few times without it breaking.
It looks very 80's, that could be a turn on for some, but a turn off for others. It's very bulky, but a neat kind of bulky. As for alternative colour options, that's mostly going to be due to the amount that the previous owner smoked, It comes in the colours "White" "Yellow-white" and "Browny-white." It isn't massively comfortable to use, as it doesn't have standard white keys, it has buttons where the keys are. They can be a little uncomfortable to play for a while at a time due to their pointy-nes.
Despite it feeling a little bulky, it should be easy enough to take to gigs, it is quite long due to the large speaker. It's roughly the same depth as DMG, maybe a little thicker, maybe a little thinner.
It can run on the standard amount of 4xAA, or a 9volt AC adapter. As mentioned before, it's a reasonably decent size to bring with you to gigs/to the studio/on the bus.
If you're using batteries, you may have to keep buying them, this is where my limited time in ownership does not pay off. I would suggest buying rechargeable batteries anyway, especially if you're an LSDJ/DMG user anyway.
no, but you can sequence notes.
no, it just works
no
Probably quite easy, typing "casio vl-1" into google brings up "casio vl-1 circuit bent" as one of the potential searches. I haven't researched bending it very heavily as it doesn't appeal to me, however there may be enough of a following for there to be places to by parts to mod it. As for making your own mods, if you know what you're doing then you probably can.
Pretty damn good so far, due to only have one channel of sound playing at the same time, it's going to help me vastly in writing ZX Spectrum music due to the limitations. It so far has helped me realize that I get bogged down trying to do both channels at the same time, and taking my time with a device like this can be very beneficial. Only having one channel may not appeal to some people, which is understandable. Oh yeah, the calculator is pretty decent as well.
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