Casios SA-1 through SA-9

Small, squealing glitchy things.

Model No. GSA8-04

Functionally identical to GSA8-03 below, just has some aesthetic differences.

  • Hard on/off switch

  • 1/8” switching audio output jack

  • Squealing feedback/distortion knob with on/off

  • Glitch trigger button with depth knob

  • Power indicator LED, lightly flashes to audio output

  • Five additional tone select buttons allowing access to an additional 75 voices

  • A switch for dropping the clock speed of the SA-8 allowing it to run in a much slower, pitched down mode

  • LED backlights that respond to audio

  • Anatomical heart

Commissioned by Christina Gleixner of the band Yeni Nostalji.

March, 2021.

Model No. GSA8-03

Commissioned by Dakota of the band Sticker & Naming Things. This keyboard is prominently featured on The Album is Called Split by the latter.

  • Hard on/off switch

  • 1/8” switching audio output jack

  • Squealing feedback/distortion knob with on/off

  • Glitch trigger button with depth knob

  • Power indicator LED, lightly flashes to audio output

  • Five additional tone select buttons allowing access to an additional 75 voices

  • A switch for dropping the clock speed of the SA-8 allowing it to run in a much slower, pitched down mode

  • October, 2020.

Model no. GSA9-03

  • Hard on/off

  • 1/8” audio output jack

  • Internal speaker on/off

  • Squealing feedback/distortion knob with on/off

  • Squealing feedback/distortion optic theremin with on/off

  • Glitch button, variation knob

  • Two blue LEDs, pulses from off to on in reaction to audio

    August 2020

Casio SA-9.

Modifications:

Heavy Squealing Distortion Knob • Speaker On/Off • Variable Glitch Trigger • Optic Theremin for Squealing Distortion • Hard On/Off (Reset/Battery cut) • 1/8” Audio output

• HD15 connector for interfacing with MB37

February. 2020.

Casio SA-5 - A great little keyboard. Comes with a stock DC jack and switching 1/8" output. It's a surprisingly useful, charming keyboard in the SA-X series that has the ability to add various alterations to the voices.

Modifications:

Heavy Squealing Distortion Knob • Phono Video Output (For CRT TVs) • Crunchy/Buzzy Distortion Trigger Glitch button (heavy) • Glitch button (light) • Touch Contacts for Glitch Triggering • Optic Theremin for Squealing Distortion • Sound reactant LEDs

2013.

Casio SA-5.

Modifications:

Heavy Squealing Distortion Knob • Phono Video Output (For CRT TVs) • Crunchy/Buzzy Distortion Trigger Glitch button (heavy) • Glitch button (light) • Touch Contacts for Glitch Triggering • Optic Theremin for Squealing Distortion • Sound reactant LEDs

2010.

Casio SA-1. 100 stock voices and a switching 1/8" audio output. Pretty nifty, but nothing compared to the demo songon this model which is a wonderfully cheezy arrangement of "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" by Wham!

Modifications:

Heavy Squealing Distortion Knob • Phono Video Output (For CRT TVs) • Crunchy/Buzzy Distortion Trigger • Glitch trigger button • Touch Contacts for Glitch Triggering • Optic Theremin for Squealing Distortion • Sound reactant LEDs

2010.

Casio SA-8. One of my more interesting commissions. It was made on request by a member of the Princeton Marching Band which often incorporates unusual instruments. This was mofidifed to match their marching band uniforms and fit a small harness.

Modifications:

1/8" Audio Output • Phono Video Output (For CRT TVs) • Internal speaker on/off • Glitch Trigger with Variable Depth knob • Heavy Glitch Trigger • Touch Contacts for Glitch Triggering • Hidden voice select switch • Optic Theremin for Squealing Distortion • Power indicator LED

2009.

Casio SA-9. Contains the entire bank of sounds. Love it.

Modifications:

1/8" Audio Output • Internal speaker on/off • Glitch trigger button • Glitch Trigger with Variable Depth knob • Touch Contacts for Variable Glitch Triggering • Crunchy Distortion Sitich • Power indicator LEDs

2009.

Casio SA-7. All 100 stock voices, and a beautiful stock blue/white color theme. Was really happy with how pretty this one looked with the additional white knobs and blue keys.

Modifications:

1/8" Audio output • Phono video output (for CRT TVs) • Internal speaker on/off • Glitch trigger with variable depth knob • Glitch trigger button • Touch contacts to trigger glitching • heavy squealing distortion knob • Optic theremin for heavy squealing distortion with on/off

2009.

Back before Radioshack went down the drain they were doing some interesting repackaging work. A large number of the Casio keyboards were also sold by Radioshack under the guise of the "concertmate" series. This keyboard is a Casio SA-5, sold by Radioshack as the "Realistic Concertmate-380."

Modifications:

Glitch trigger button • Glitch trigger button with variable depth knob • Touch contacts for glitch triggering • Heavy squealing distortion knob • Crunchy buzzy distortion switch • Button for slowing the sounds of the keyboard • Body contact for bringing keyboard back to normal speed • Sound reactant LEDs • Volume knob  

2009.

One of the very first things I ever circuit bent right after learning to solder and buying a cheap iron at 17. Like the Concertmate-380 above, this keyboard (Realistic Concertmate-370) is the Radioshack brand clone of a Casio keyboard. In this case, the Casio SA-8.

Modifications:

4x Glitch Buttons (one with variable depth knob) • Light crunchy distortion switch • Heavy squealing distortion knob • Hidden voice select switch • 1/8" audio output • Internal speaker on/off • Blue sound reactant/power indicator LED

2008.