cps-201 CPS-201 (1986) - “Super Accompaniment”

[rsaintjohn]

I just acquired a CPS-201 (Casio’s first digital piano) and one feature has me confused: the Super Accompaniment button. I don’t seem to be able to trigger it to do anything or even understand what it’s supposed to do. When lit, I’ve tried different Chord Modes and variations, I’ve tried different Rhythms, I’ve varied my play style and velocity, but nothing I do seems to sound any different than when SA is unlit. I’m not even sure whether I’m supposed to hear something in the rhythm, the chord, or the melody. I don’t have the manual, and other Casio keyboards that supposedly have their version of SA are not enlightening me. 
 

@pianokeyjoe, this is one of your favorites, yes? Can you explain? Anyone else? Thanks!

[pianokeyjoe]

Hi @rsaintjohn! Yes, I can help. The super accompaniment is used in conjunction with the casio chord ON, memory ON, and super accomp ON. When you play certain chord progressions on the casio chord side, be it full on or fingered on, you will hear a slight variation to your BEAT patterns as they will AUTO-FILL every few bars, and will do so, depending on the beat you got going, the melody tone you have selected, AND what keys you press at the time. It is kind of a randomizer for the beats and chords section like a live player would suddenly do a improvisational fill or break down at random as he or she feels the groove. That is what SUPER ACCOMPANIMENT is. Take NOTE(lol, pun intended), to play harpsichord tone, with 16beat rhythm, casio chord ON, memory ON, and then select variation ON, then OFF, then with SUPER ON, then OFF, all while playing and jamming LIVE. That is how this board is meant to be played. You will notice little variations on some beats, and major fill variations on others, and again, this depends on the TONE you select too!! Example:

Beat:16 beat

Tone: Harpsichord

Chord:ON

Memory:ON

This will give you a hard hitting jam worthy start to your CPS201 fun. Now press the variation button.. Noticed the difference in the chord progression?? It is now a kind of arpeggio mixed with a progression!

Ok, Back to normal mode(take variation OFF)

While still playing the above settings, now select a DIFFERENT Melody tone, say.. Jazz Organ.. Noticed the whole progression kinda change up there? Mind you, I speak of the chord accomp right now.

Ok, so now knowing this, you know what you are dealing with.

Now you press the super accompaniment ON, and play some riffs and so on. You will notice a auto fill in kick in depending on the notes and progressions you play!

Boom! That is Super Accompaniment!

 

I hope this helped. Believe me, this Keyboard is nice! I wish the rare CPS210 version with the MIDI was around though.. Swear I did play it and saw it in Puerto Rico navy Exchange back in 1987 and can not find it to save me life now lol! That one was the first time I played these keyboards CPS2__ series. The midi was there, because I pressed the button to see if that would change the tones or beats or chord progressions somehow while playing.. It did not lol! Also, try the autoharmonize feature while playing! That too will add variation to your playing and is more of a duet or trio to your melody play side.

[rsaintjohn]

You are a treasure, man, thanks so much. I was expecting a big delivery of something new today, but it was postponed until tomorrow. Now I have a whole wonderful rainy day to dig into this CPS, and I REALLY appreciate the level of detail you provided. Looks like I won’t have to fork out $5-$15 for a manual 😁

 

I did indeed spend time last night checking out the auto-harmonize, nice feature (I think I have it on my HT-6000?) though it seemed to hit the polyphony hard. I’m not sure how many voices the 201 has. 

 

There are a number of surprises here, like how accompaniment uses the selected tone. And I’m not sure if it’s just first impressions, but these rhythms and patterns sound more polished than what I recall on my other Casios from the time period. I’m going to do some side-by-side today to get a better understanding of the tech inside.

 

Side-note: the way you describe Super Accompaniment fascinates me for another reason. It sounds virtually the same as Roland’s I-Arp feature in their JUPITER-X/Xm synthesizers. When I first got one (I’m a big fan), I described the Xm as “a 21st Century Casiotone”. Looks like I may have been closer to the truth than I expected! Roland made a big deal of their work with Meiji University in developing I-Arp. It’s funny to think that Casio beat them to the punch by 30+ years. 

[pianokeyjoe]

Its my pleasure! Indeed! The CPS uses 16 notes poly, which was the standard for pro and semi pro keyboards of the time period. The voices which you will notice, do have a "layering" which means the polyphony is halved by 2 so 8 note poly is normal for most of the nicer voices. And you know the deal with auto accomp being ON, it takes polyphony there so yeah, autoharmonize will make the keyboard MONOPHONIC but with a kind of chord per key function akin to the Korg Poly 800 but with a better pattern based evolving notes feature. Yes, the auto-bass-chords on the CPS use the selected main tone, AND based on the selected main tone, you get a variation of the pattern of the bass and chords! The CT6500(uses the CZ3000 synth engine as a presets only with hidden editible sounds via midi only), and the CT6000 use the SAME rhythm pattern synth engine and similar auto-bass-chord features as the CPS201/210. The CPS is actually simpler. The CT6000/6500 allows you to select a different bass and chord tone to the melody, but the selection of said tones, DOES affect the actual PATTERN as it plays. The super accompaniment feature is present in those boards too.. Auto fill. Casio rhythm sections by default in the 80s were 2 bars long before repeating(8 counts at 4/4), and some very simple beats were the dreaded 1 bar(4 counts before repeating at 4/4). But with the variations and super accomp, you get 4 bars(16 counts before repeating at 4/4) and a random fill! Yep, tech is funny.

[Chas]

As has been mentioned, the CT6000 from 1984 had the "Super Accompaniment" feature, that supposedly varies the auto accompaniment depending on the real time playing of the performer. I never quite got my head round it, or rather I didn't notice it doing anything significant when I tried it with my CT6000. I didn't investigate much further as I'm more or a Studio/ DAW/ sequencer based keyboard player, so the Super Accompaniment feature is not much use to me in respects of how I record with keyboards.

 

Likely a very similar feature to your CPS @rsaintjohn, and if your CPS came out around the same time as the CT6000 it could well use the same Super Accompaniment circuit. I'll have a look in my archives for a CT6000 manual, that might help you to use that feature in your CPS.

[Chas]

@rsaintjohn - Here you go, page 22 - 24 of the CT6000 Operation Manual explains how the Super Accompaniment section works and how to use it.

casio-ct-6000_manual.pdf

[rsaintjohn]

Perfect, thanks Chas! I went to put this on my iPad only to find it was already there, d’oh! Would have saved me a bit of a headache last night and Joe some typing this morning, but I’m still glad I brought it up. If nothing else, a chance to talk about the 201.

[pianokeyjoe]

lol, well guys, yeah I do not mind talking about that CPS or the CT! Yes, I never needed a manual lol! Guess I was born keyboard ready? 😛 But yep as I stated, a type of auto fill, or random variation to the beat and accompaniment as you play, depending on how you play. Hey Chas! I played my CT6000 a while back and it does have some nice features that for some reason, I do not know, I never noticed them! Tells ya, it is nice to have a forum like this!

[Chas]

Yes indeed, the CT6000 has quite a unique character and feature set that sets it aside from most other Casio/ Casiotone models from the same era. I suspect that maybe Casio's incredibly rare modular Symphonytron 8000 organ might be related as it came out around the same time. Information and video examples of this model are rare so it's hard to compare exactly how similar they may or may not be.

 

As for the CT6000, offering velocity and aftertouch in a 1984 home keyboard was very impressive. And the ability to layer patches and use lush ensemble effects and/ or unison gave it a wonderfully thick and rich sound. Not good for punchy bass though, and its envelopes are on the sluggish side hence making it it more suitable for pads than fast attack lead/ bass sounds. Drums/ accompaniment sound VERY analogue too. A highly distinct Casio keyboard, and I will be digging mine out at some point to delve deeper into it and most likely do a video review of it too.

[CYBERYOGI =CO=Windler]

Symphonytron 8000 uses regular D931C soundchips (consonant-vowel, controlled by external CPUs). Casio CT-6000 and CPS-201 are AFAIK the only instruments using the Music LSI "NEC D932G" (64 pin zigzag DIL) that supports velocity. I wrote in this thread about it.

 

The technical details of D932G are mostly unresearched. The next Music LSI chip number D933AC was already phase distortion used in the CZ-series.

 

Edited January 12, 2022 by CYBERYOGI =CO=Windler

[tnf.alpha]

Hey, not sure if this thread is still active. I was recently given a Casio CPS-201, but they did not have a power cord to go with it. I've done some searching around the internet on how I could get one, but I haven't had much luck. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

[pianokeyjoe]

5 hours ago, tnf.alpha said:

Hey, not sure if this thread is still active. I was recently given a Casio CPS-201, but they did not have a power cord to go with it. I've done some searching around the internet on how I could get one, but I haven't had much luck. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

It is a standard 3 prong computer tower cord. Go to any computer shop and buy one. Heck you may get one for free if you ask around. I think those power cords are so plentiful that there may be a land fill just for those cords lol! It is called a IEC power cord.