- #Lowrey digital piano 100 generator
- #Lowrey digital piano 100 portable
- #Lowrey digital piano 100 series
#Lowrey digital piano 100 generator
As well, there are analog drum sound generator circuits (made with simple op-amps, gates, and discrete transistors), which are triggered by the same microcontroller system that controls the synth chip. External analog circuitry filters and shapes these basic signals into the various preset voices, as well as the music-chord/Genie, arpeggio, and bass signals. Synthesis is digitally-controlled "semi-analog": generation of the basic pitched tones is done by a custom "programmable tone synthesizer" chip (which uses both analog and digital circuitry, as will be explained) under the guidance of a microcontroller.
There are 10 presets selectable by pop-out buttons. More accurately, the V-100 is a polyphonic preset-based synthesizer with rhythm and auto-accompaniment features. Its 49-key "manual" does not even cover the same range as the average spinet (i.e. All other presets are percussive or otherwise not organesque. Not even a vibrato control! There are just two "organ" presets, neither of which are exciting. Yet, the V-100 has no stop tabs or drawbars, nor any couplers or pitch register controls. All real organs except the most modest reed types have the ability to combine multiple tone colors in multiple pitch registers. However, these Micro-Genie keyboards can hardly be considered organs at all, mainly because they use preset voices not intended for combination (though it is sort-of possible by releasing preset buttons simultaneously). Lowrey was bought out by the Japanese company Kawai in 1988, at which point they shifted focus from cheap home-entertainment instruments to big-ticket ones, with rich seniors as their target demographic.Īs well, note that Lowrey called the V-100 a "portable organ"-naturally, given their history.
#Lowrey digital piano 100 series
I imagine Lowrey picked this series to rebrand because JVC never marketed them in North America. In addition to the V-100, Lowrey marketed at least eight other models modified from JVC KB-series instruments see here for a list. Functionally speaking, there might be a difference in the way the accompaniment recognizes chord fingerings, but I've only read this.
the black side panels on top are white on the KB-500. the "Mach 3" sequencer section was originally called "Compucorder"-and as well, some plastics are different colors, e.g. Cosmetic differences include changes to the text wording-e.g. JVC), and is a rebranded version of their KB-500 model with only slight modifications. Rather, it was made by the Victor Company of Japan (i.e. Yes, the V-100 is not really a Lowrey product. Lowrey saw the writing on the wall and decided to cash in on Japanese success while they could by re-branding some such products as their own. These new instruments from the likes of Yamaha and Casio were loaded with imitative presets, auto-chords, auto-bass, drum machines, and other easy-play functions that were common in home organs as of the '70s, yet they were much lower in cost and bulk. Such firms were not only directly undercutting Lowrey when it came to home organs, but were also diverting away the home-entertainment buyers with new things like "portable keyboards" and "home synthesizers". Lowrey, an American company that saw great success in the electronic organ field starting in the mid '50s, was by the late '70s suffering from stiff Japanese competition.
#Lowrey digital piano 100 portable
The Lowrey V-100 was introduced in 1982 as part of the "Micro Genie" line of inexpensive portable home-entertainment keyboards. I sold my V-100 in early 2020 for $50.00 CAD, and haven't regretted the decision. It was massively revised and re-published here in 2019, and additional large revisions were done in 2021 following my acquisition and writeup of two Lowrey vacuum-tube organs (the "Holiday" LS and "Festival" FL), which I consider much better instruments both in build quality and musical capability. This article was originally published on my old website "JCS" in simpler form back in 2015. Crasno Electronics - Lowrey Micro Genie V-100 Lowrey Micro Genie V-100 Portable Keyboard / Polyphonic Preset Synth
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