Casio Sk-5 Mini Sampling Keyboard (1985) - The Art of Making Noise

The legendary retro tech Casio Sk-5; mini sampling keyboard that was sold as a consumer-grade product in the 1980s and can be considered a vintage classic. When new, this keyboard was reasonably priced at around $100, was easy to use and introduced a lot of people to the then new audio sampling craze that was so pervasive during that time period. The keyboard was not considered a professional piece of kit like a Fairlight CMI or Roland S-50, but more of a low-fidelity, 4-note polyphony type that includes basic sound presets, a rudimentary sequence recorder, preset rhythms and chord accompaniment. The slogan used in print ads for the keyboard was; "The Art of Making Noise". It looks like a toy and occupied that unique consumer space where even though it was low-priced and accessible to many, it could also be used for music composition and recording purposes. It has an appealing, well thought out and classic design approach with the keyboard and function buttons well laid out and designed to be durable, robust and ready for long-term regular use. This keyboard is 35 years old and functions perfectly. Let take a look at what it could do.