Circuit Bending

Casio PT-80

The PT-80 looks quite similar to the PT-30 and even holds about the same bank of melody sounds. So, the melody soundchip is identical, but the auto accompaniment is distinctly different.

Many different chords can be selected from a special keypad, which can then be played to the rhythm in the usual "Way of the Casio Chords". The bass and chords sound rather squarewave-like. The drum sounds are fantastic, dynamic und analogly extraodinary. Due to my modifications, extreme "down-pitching" is now possible, effecting bass, melody sounds and chords, als well as the drum sounds.

The modifications:

• Mute switch for almost all singular drum sounds
• Long decay and low attack switch for "wet" open hihats
• Long sustain switch for the snare
• Mute switch for snare noise and snare tom
• Snare pitch controller
• External sync input for BD, SN and HH
• Switch for pitch ON/OFF and 1-octave-down pitch
• Sync out for either BD, SN or HH, electively

Sound example

Here's a youtube video demonstrating the PT-80 which is triggering a Coron DS-7 drum oscillator via sync out.