Technology
Thu Jan 22,2015 0:00 am
Casio Releases iPad App That Recreates Its Popular CZ Series of Classic Synthesizers
Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
TOKYO, January 22, 2015 — Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced today the release of the CZ App for iPad, a virtual synthesizer app based on Casio’s best-selling CZ series of synthesizers, including the CZ-101 model released in 1984. Designed especially for the iPad, the app is now available at the Apple App Store.
*1 Please check the price at the App Store.
Along with its electronic musical instruments, Casio has been developing musical apps with the goal of providing the joy of playing music to more and more people. To date, Casio has released several apps that have become widely popular: Chordana Viewer and Chordana Tap, which automatically detect the chord progressions of songs; as well as Musical Practice Tool, a useful app for practicing a musical instrument or singing.
Now Casio has released the CZ App for iPad, an iPad app that recreates its best-selling CZ series of classic synthesizers and includes several all-new functions. CZ App for iPad allows up to four separate parts to be played using the original Phase Distortion*2 sound source by Casio, and features 36 types of waveforms for producing a wide range of sounds.
*2 Phase Distortion (PD) works by distorting a sine wave when it is read so that various different waveforms are produced.
Reproduces the sounds of the CZ series
Users can play with a wide range of sounds based on eight basic waveforms and 28 combinations of those basic waveforms—for a total of 36 types of waveforms. The CZ App for iPad also features two digitally controlled oscillators (DCO), two digitally controlled waveform (DCW) envelopes, and two digitally controlled amplitude (DCA) envelopes. In each of these six blocks of parameters, users can make subtle changes to the sounds by setting temporal variations to pitch, timbre, and volume. Furthermore, users can visually check the modifications to pitch, timbre, and volume using the iPad screen while the sounds are being generated.
Users can play along with their favorite songs
Simultaneous playback of audio files stored in the iPad is possible, so users can have fun playing along with their favorite songs using the sounds produced by the CZ App for iPad.
Multi-Play mode allows two players to perform with a single iPad
Up to four virtual keyboards can be displayed on the iPad’s screen, each assigned to one of the four parts generated by the Phase Distortion sound source. Even a face-to-face keyboard layout is available, allowing two users to perform together with just one iPad.
Connectivity with external MIDI-compatible musical instruments and other apps
Music produced on the CZ App for iPad can be played using all kinds of MIDI-compatible musical instruments,*3 such as Casio’s electronic keyboards, digital pianos, and synthesizers. CZ App for iPad is also compatible with Inter-App Audio and Audiobus, so it can connect to other apps compatible with Inter-App Audio and send audio data to Audiobus-compatible apps.
*3 Commercially available MIDI interface or adapter is necessary. Please see the Main Specifications for details.
The CZ App for iPad will be showcased at the 2015 NAMM Show in Anaheim (CA, USA), which is scheduled to be held from January 22 to 25, 2015.
*1 Please check the price at the App Store.
Along with its electronic musical instruments, Casio has been developing musical apps with the goal of providing the joy of playing music to more and more people. To date, Casio has released several apps that have become widely popular: Chordana Viewer and Chordana Tap, which automatically detect the chord progressions of songs; as well as Musical Practice Tool, a useful app for practicing a musical instrument or singing.
Now Casio has released the CZ App for iPad, an iPad app that recreates its best-selling CZ series of classic synthesizers and includes several all-new functions. CZ App for iPad allows up to four separate parts to be played using the original Phase Distortion*2 sound source by Casio, and features 36 types of waveforms for producing a wide range of sounds.
*2 Phase Distortion (PD) works by distorting a sine wave when it is read so that various different waveforms are produced.
Reproduces the sounds of the CZ series
Users can play with a wide range of sounds based on eight basic waveforms and 28 combinations of those basic waveforms—for a total of 36 types of waveforms. The CZ App for iPad also features two digitally controlled oscillators (DCO), two digitally controlled waveform (DCW) envelopes, and two digitally controlled amplitude (DCA) envelopes. In each of these six blocks of parameters, users can make subtle changes to the sounds by setting temporal variations to pitch, timbre, and volume. Furthermore, users can visually check the modifications to pitch, timbre, and volume using the iPad screen while the sounds are being generated.
Users can play along with their favorite songs
Simultaneous playback of audio files stored in the iPad is possible, so users can have fun playing along with their favorite songs using the sounds produced by the CZ App for iPad.
Multi-Play mode allows two players to perform with a single iPad
Up to four virtual keyboards can be displayed on the iPad’s screen, each assigned to one of the four parts generated by the Phase Distortion sound source. Even a face-to-face keyboard layout is available, allowing two users to perform together with just one iPad.
Connectivity with external MIDI-compatible musical instruments and other apps
Music produced on the CZ App for iPad can be played using all kinds of MIDI-compatible musical instruments,*3 such as Casio’s electronic keyboards, digital pianos, and synthesizers. CZ App for iPad is also compatible with Inter-App Audio and Audiobus, so it can connect to other apps compatible with Inter-App Audio and send audio data to Audiobus-compatible apps.
*3 Commercially available MIDI interface or adapter is necessary. Please see the Main Specifications for details.
The CZ App for iPad will be showcased at the 2015 NAMM Show in Anaheim (CA, USA), which is scheduled to be held from January 22 to 25, 2015.
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