Decent Samples has released a new free Casio VL-1 library for the free Decent Sampler.
The Casio VL-1 is a peculiar device, acting as a monophonic synthesizer, sequencer, and calculator all in one.
Made in 1979, it is known as “the first mass-produced digital synthesizer ever,” with its warm and fuzzy sound that became iconic in electronic music.
David Hilowitz of Decent Samples, a name you might recognize, has sampled one of these units, which he says he hadn’t touched in decades.
With his developing skills, he has created a sample library from it so you can enjoy the classic tones of the VL-1 from the comfort of your DAW.
Even though the VL-1 has a built-in calculator, rest assured you don’t need to do any math to use this library.
In fact, it is very user-friendly, which is typically expected from Decent Sampler libraries.
Regarding controls, you get a simple ADSR module and an effects module, including controls for Cutoff, Q, Chorus, and Reverb.
The cutoff is a low-pass filter control, and Q adjusts its resonance. The other two controls are straightforward and can add some depth to the otherwise dry sound of the presets.
There are 12 patches in total in the library. The first five are the sampled presets of the original VL-1, including Fantasy, Flute, Guitar, Piano, and Violin.
You might love the piano patch for its smooth attack and crisp sound. The flute and violin patches are also very nice for playing chords.
The other seven patches are the raw waveforms that the VL-1 offers: Piano, Fantasy, Violin, Flute, Guitar 1, Guitar 2, and English Horn.
These have infinite sustain, so you can further tweak them to your liking in the ADSR section.
It’s worth noting that David Hilowitz has also created a more experimental version of this instrument called “VL-1 & Friends,” available for his Patreon subscribers.
The Casio VL-1 library runs in Decent Sampler, available for Windows (32 & 64-bit), Mac (Intel & M1), Linux (Intel 64-bit), and even iOS devices, in VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, and Standalone formats.
Download: Casio VL-1 (FREE – Requires Decent Sampler)