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sagiXsagi

Retro keyboard project "Retro πουτάνα" on Casio HT-3000

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"Retro πουτανα" is a long term jamming project around retro keyboards I gathered circa 2013-2014. Centered in D minor, it flirts with what I get as a certain brand of computer game music nostalgia + a bit of punk romanticism.

I started it οn Casio MT-45, a ~1982 "kid keyboard" with mid-sized keys with an amazing appregiator egine that sounds, well 8 bit but also warm. That model is also super-bendable, like many of the MT series.

 

Casio HT-3000 is definately one of the finest keyboards made. It's a full programmable arranger - synthesizer with a unique sound in the synth unparalleled. Definately one of the favourites in my collection and one of the most awesome sounding, unique arranger + synth keyboards ever made.

 

In this video I am jamming some of "Retro Πουτανα" parts, in pre-programmed arrangements on the amazing 1987 Casio HT-3000. The fill-in is also programmable for each rhythm programmed, but I have left them blank, if you notice.

One of the worst things about the HT-3000, as generally stated is the almost total lack of a means to store the programming of both sounds and arrangements...

 

This means we have a super programmable arranger keyboard with a super unique sounding semi analoge synth which cries 80s and we dont have a means to store our hard work of programming . You have to do this all on the fly and keep the keyboard with the power on at all time. A couple hours with the power cord unplugged and the keyboard loses what you have made.. There is a RAM card which is super rare and if you find it, it costs as much as the keyboard, but if you really want to do serious work on this machine and you love it enough, eventually you will have to get this damn RAM card. Some one should reverse engineer this card and produce it. He could make a buck.. This machine's musical value in terms of usefulness would instantly be increased... Damn it was made to be programmed. On the other hand, not having the possibility to save, thus creating and recording whatever session made within a period of time and then its all erased.. is almost magical! It has its analogue kind of appeal I guess in any case

 

I dont love this keyboard less because of this. The cycles of using is maybe become somewhat more creative because of this.. And while the synth programming is not practical at all, everyone is saying this in their reports about the keyboard, and yeah, its really slow and not very practical , the synth, but the arranger programming is super easy and cool... some more time is needed , and along with the manual, to programm the synth properly for a session..

 

Overall the Casio HT-3000 has an important place in my heart,  and despite the defects, this 1987 Casio wonder with its MIDI capability is a machine that will still continue to amaze keyboard enthousiasts, as they will discover it, over the years... 

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Eat your heart out..

 

 

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Those sounds immediately reminded me of my Amiga 2000 and playing Double Dragon when I was a kid.

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I knew of that amazing chipophone guy..  the appregiators and general design is really something

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