Ultimate Casio SA bending guide.

phantompowers · November 15, 2009, 01:07:39 PM

If anyone can spot any mistakes on this please let me know and I will edit it.
Can I have some karma please!

Circuitbenders · November 15, 2009, 06:55:53 PM

The power crash works better if you use some resistors to make a pot that goes from about 50-250ohms or something, rather than just sticking in a 1k. Theres been some discussion on this on the long SA1 & PT20 thread.

jamiewoody · November 17, 2009, 05:45:54 AM

THANKS for posting that illustration. it is a lot easier to see than the one on casperelectronics.
does "casper" post here?

Matt the Modulator · November 18, 2009, 05:38:49 PM

karma coming your WAY thanks for putting this up ive just picked up a sa-2 for 50p and i know ive been ripped off !!

Bogus Noise · November 26, 2009, 03:22:00 PM

DJ Synchro's Screaming Distortion mod is pretty nasty... well worth including! I like to use body contacts on a couple of the glitch points too, it offers a slightly different feel to the push buttons.

Quote from: djsynchro on April 21, 2006, 12:54:11 AM

Here's my screaming bend, I have a 4700 Log potmeter with a 5600 resistor in parallel, because I had no other potmeters when I did the bend. somewhere around 2 or 3K will probably work best. The bend works well with the Voltage Drop, it's possible to get a screaming distorted sound that still tracks the keyboard.

By the way, tried the Deep Crash F@#%N awesome!

Leonheart · January 24, 2010, 07:12:15 PM

i wonder whether i need logarithmic or linear potis for that mods!
could anyone help me with my sa-20?
which of those mods could work on the sa20?
thanks alot =)

jamiewoody · January 25, 2010, 08:21:55 PM

i think this keyboard, which i have, will be my next bending project. i just have to get the cash together for another component order first!

there are a few things i want to build. i want to try a variety of lfo synths (wsg, atari punk, lumavox, etc). so, when i make another order, i am going to get enough to do everything i want to do, and at least 5 of each of the lfo synths!

i know this is another thread already started, but more specifically, where is a place i can order crystals? b&g did not have any when i ordered from them.

Remork · February 05, 2010, 10:13:49 PM

not to be rude to DJ Synchro - much respect there - but the casper 'feedback' mod is exactly the same bend; it uses different points on the board, but they connect to the same components, at least on the SA-2.

does sound sweet, nonetheless

SebbeK · February 08, 2010, 02:55:17 AM

Any ideas on how to add a cutoff filter to the sa-x keyboards?

Nixot · June 05, 2010, 09:04:44 AM

I found a mistake - when I tried soldering the hidden sound select switch to the two pins, instead of any of the keyboard keys changing the sound, some of the keys just played thirds instead. Are the pins wrong or am I doing something wrong?

samspike · June 29, 2010, 06:14:10 PM

Working on SA-8

(So far done LED, a jack was added by a previous owner, differently from the pic, so i'm removing that and adding a new one, I'm also planning to retain internal speaker with option to turn that off).

So far:

I've noticed that the 5th connections - one works for the lower end of the keyboard only, one for the upper part only... so if you want the option of 5ths throughout the keyboard it might be an idea to wire the switches such that the 3rd from left pin can connect to both 1st and 4th from left pins at the same time (I'm planning on using 2 on/off switches so that each 5th connection can be turned on/off separately) - hopefully both 5th connections can be made at once without adverse effects (??)

samspike · June 29, 2010, 10:24:55 PM

Update: Connecting both 5ths - gives 5ths on top and bottom, but nothing (no root or fifth) in middle of keyboard.

samspike · July 02, 2010, 09:12:29 AM

I'm getting some wierdness with the drum switches.

No drum sounds, but I can get the most bizarre whitenoise. Connect snare, hihat, then snare again, and I get a sequence of white noise. Very strange.

samspike · July 02, 2010, 09:44:08 AM

Nearly finished with my SA-8.

Have done everything here, and more (like a reset switch), except the pitch shifter,

The power crash: I'm using 1K pot, with 3X1K resistors in parallel - this gives a range of 0 to 250 ohm if my maths is correct - even so, is super sensitive

Things left to do:

1. I'm getting some wierdness with the drum switches:

No drum sounds, but I can get the most bizarre whitenoise. Connect snare, hihat, then snare again, and I even get a sequence of white noise. Very strange.

On the SA-8 there are actually 4 drum switches on the front panel already - Cymbal, Bass, Snare, Hihat - so I guess the bend versions would be redundant anyway?

Oh-well drum switches abandoned

2. Hidden sound thing

Will this even have an effect on SA-8? The front panel already gives 25 sounds (two digits each 1 to 5).

3. Case mounting

(P.S. Modify message gives an error when I submit the modified message)

samspike · July 02, 2010, 02:23:32 PM

Added Demo songs and cowbells from
http://www.casperelectronics.com/finished-pieces/casio-sa-keyboards/
-- see Comment 9 from PHOBoS

About to try the hidden sounds from the same comment, since the hidden sounds above don't seem to apply to SA-8

Does anybody have a full list of the SA-1 sounds, or, alternatively an image of the front of an SA-1 which is large enough to see the sound names on?