This is the holy grail for vintage synth manuals. Search for Casio VL-1 Owners Manual or Casio VL-Tone Songbook . Many users have uploaded full-color scans of the original 1979 booklet in high-resolution PDF format.

– A 52-page guide for beginners to intermediate players, focusing on setups and song parts. Vol 3: Great Songs of Great Cities Vol 4: The Best of The Beatles Vol 5: Fun Sounds With ADSR

Before diving into the PDF, it is worth understanding why this specific document matters. The VL-1 was revolutionary for its price point ($79.95 in 1980). It featured a 29-key membrane keyboard, an 8-note polyphony (for chords), and a 56-step sequencer.

If you owned a Casio VL-Tone (VL-1) in the early 80s, you probably remember the plastic calculator keys and that distinct, buzzy synthesis. But if you were lucky, you also remember the original .

I noticed a few people asking about how to program the VL-1 without guessing. I managed to track down a high-quality scan of the original .

What is your favorite VL-Tone preset song? Did you ever write your own using the blank page in the songbook? Let me know in the comments below.