Casio CT-101

This synth very easy to use because it is so basic. The front panel features just seven controls - eight if you include the rotary volume knob - a rocker switch to select the mode (either Set or Play), four push buttons to select a program, and two rocker switches to add Sustain and Vibrato effects. Finally, on the rear panel is a tuning knob and four jack plugs - headphones, auxiliary out and, believe it or not, two pedal inputs: one for sustain and the other for volume control. Not bad for such an oldey. The functionality is so basic that a five year-old should be able to operate the synth without a manual - to select a patch you simply put the synth into 'Set' mode and press one of the top 25 keys of the keyboard and then go back into 'Play' mode to play the sound over the full keyboard range, and that literally is it.

The CT-101 was made circa 1980 so it sounds nothing like the presets would have you believe. In the main it does generally sound static and poor, but with careful use of effects boxes and a little patience, some plausible sounds can be achieved. May I also comment though that the organ sounds are very good and sound particularly effective with a reverb added.

Polyphony is one of the main big deals of this synth. Back in 1980, polyphonic synthesizers were very new, and chiefly very expensive. Most synths around at the time of the CT-101 were probably two, three or four note poly at most, but this is eight note polyphonic which is usually more than enough. The only problem is that unlike modern synths, there is not any sort of 'highest' or 'newest' note priority so if you exceed the polyphony then until all notes have been released and ceased sounding, you cannot play more notes. This is particularly problematic if sustain is being used without a foot controller.

The CT-101 does actually feature quite a nice keyboard, of 49 full-size keys (which aren't velocity or aftertouch sensitive I'm afraid). They are lightweight but at the same time are quite well made and feel quite nice to play.
The main feature for me is that the synth is also very well made and quite heavy for its relatively small size. Built into a metal chassis with thick, chunky wooden end cheeks, even if the sound isn't that good, there's no doubt that it looks the part!

The CT-101 is not expandable and does not have any type of built-in sequencer. The synth simply has 25 preset patches, and that's your lot.

Hmmm... well the best sounds for realism are certainly the two organ patches. In the lowest octave it begins to sound a little electronic but the top three octaves are generally very good. There are two oscillators that have been tuned an octave apart so eight note chords sound pretty big. The harpsichords are also not too bad and I quite like the flute up in the higher register.

My personal favourite sounds are the piano (which sounds nothing like one) because it is quite a 'thick' sound and can sound quite mellow. It also makes for a good bass sound right down in the bottom octave. I also like a sound called 'Cosmic Tone' which again uses the two oscillators cleverly to add some limited animation to the sound.

I guess the organs and harpsichords mean you could perhaps dare to use this for some classical music although the four octave range may be too limited - there is no way to transpose the sound without outboard effects units. Like most old stuff, this keyboard is good for lo-fi and electronic music.

Unfortunately, the lack of effects, and velocity does mean that the sounds do all tend to be static. However, it is interesting to note that the Vibrato switch can be turned on and off during performance and used as a primitive type of modulation controller.

Dependability? This is probably one of the best built keyboards there ever was! I can imagine that this one would pretty much stand up to anything. It's been around aince 1980 and is still in pretty good condition, but there is no way I would gig with this alone without other synths, it's just too limited.

I cannot express a view here as I have never dealt with Casio about any of their products.

In a crazy sort of way I would be a little disheartened if it were lost or stolen although I would get over it eventually (i.e., a few days). I've owned the CT-101 since the year 2000 and got attached to it somehow - probably because of the way I have worked with the sound in tandem with other synths and effects processors to gain interesting electronic sounds.

I have been playing keyboard instruments since 1988, and have too much other equipment to mention!

What I love about the CT-101 is its looks. It was built the old fashioned way and looks professional (and was originally built as Casio's first ever professional keyboard) even if, in the end, it doesn't really sound it. They should never have stopped building synths this way and I am glad to see the reappearance of wooden end panels on new things.
What I hate about the 101 is most of the sounds. They are just too static and require a lot of work with the use of external effects processors, but at the same time this is what I have found fun and interesting to work with over the last few years. It does help me to make other types of music with a particularly lo-fi or retro sound although I use it fairly rarely. It just looks cool to have it sitting on the top of the rig, even if it isn't switched on!
In the right context it is capable of sounding half decent.