Casio VL-1 - Part 1: The Mysterious Demo Melody

[@sub-jec-tiv]

I love how this video starts as a review of a keyboard and becomes a hard-journalism documentary about the origin of the demo song. 👏👏👏

[@bmozumder]

It's completely amazing

[@Joryo1]

I had a VL-1 in the early 80s as a kid. The demo tune will forever be engrained in my brain. The tune really takes me back. Great video.

[@truthfulrobot9295]

This guys voice is as soothing as a 80s casio piano bass line.

[@BunnyNg]

Hi~The Demo song original is "Ich bin ein Musikante" but in Japan,they have a little change and named"山の音楽家"(Musician on the hill). Casio use this tone as demo song on many electric keyboard!!!

[@pmd9801]

That's true dude.

[@joselu90]

This is a totally diferent lyric for this melody in spain.

[@OBrasilo]

@@joselu90 What is the Spanish title?

[@Santor-]

This is an old folksong sung in many languages.

[@lefrise5]

This kind of geekiness is what makes me happy to be alive today.

[@agrofindastation]

I liked your comment but it was too NIICCCCE to be the 70th comment. Yes, my brain is 12 years old still.

[@ahmedabdelaziz4748]

😂 I feel you bro

[@stevecraig-ug3ec]

Try coke. Lol

[@cheyne15]

Nearly 35 years ago I bought one of these for my kids in the hope they'd pick up some musical knowledge. But instead they just kept playing that damn demo tune. Just today my soon to be 40 year old son reminded me of it by leaving a voicemail of him whistling the tune - exactly! Back then I was so exasperating I managed to prise out the rubber 'Auto Play' buttons they couldn't play it. The little tinkers found they could use a pencil tip to press it!! Arrrrgh!!

[@JL-sm6cg]

Welcome to my hell. A classmate of mine in elementary school used to do the EXACT SAME THING. She dragged that thing to school and was ALWAYS playing that song! I swear a few classmates and I wanted to destroy that thing, but she, of course, threatened to make us pay for a new one if we did. That song is, too, permanently burned into my head!

[@annother3350]

Well you should have bough them a keyboard with actual playable keys!! These key buttons were too small for babies!

[@jamesderiven1843]

To this day I can send my mother into paroxysms of rage by repeating this song. Mum used to to take the batteries out of the keyboard to stop me playing it.

[@LordEmilous]

My dad showed me that keyboard when I was a very small child and I LOVED that song. For some reason it sounded so happy and sad at the same time, it felt amazing. I also constantly played it. I just remembered it out of nowhere today so I tried searching for it on youtube and here I am.

[@donsutube1974]

Fantastic investigative work on identifying the origin of this song. Our family had one of these Casio players years ago. Even today the tune will come out of nowhere from my head to my lips and I will start whistling it for some unknown reason and I never get a note wrong after all these years. Additionally, your video was very nice, you sound like you should be doing voice overs, so calm and pleasing. Great job!

[@James.Suarez]

I find myself doing the same thing. So glad to be hearing this again

[@Charley-Mike]

Very interesting research. My VL-1 is long gone, but I haven't forgot this melody for 30 years.

[@jenniferm6042]

It isn't though... mine is 40+ years old and still going strong! Once upon a time, things were made to last!

[@haljalykakik2384]

I had one as a kid, but it disappeared one year at college (I think an ex-roommate stole it). I found one on ebay recently and bought it. It's still a fun little keyboard

[@Khaled.962]

This melody was floating in my head since 1987, and now thanks to you, I solved this mystery :)

[@CRodenbarger]

This is such a wonderful investigation! My first instrument was the VL-Tone and that was the first song I learned how to play. I live now in Berlin and I’m very tickled to already have one German folk song under my belt.

[@jenniferm6042]

My parents bought this keyboard when I was a very small child growing up in Canada in the 80s. Now 40 years later, my children are enjoying it growing up in the Swiss mountains. My 7yo loves the demo! Your deep research into the origin is greatly appreciated!

[@TheOrphicCreative]

The re-arrangement of the demo at the end of this video is genius

[@notsofunnynowisit]

Your videos always make my day - bravo on this one! I always wondered where that ubiquitous tune came from! Can't wait for the next!

[@LebanonBologna40]

This song has been stuck in my brain for decades LOL what an informative and thorough video - I’m glad you solved the mystery!

[@pianokeyjoe]

Well my friend, I am revisiting this video because I am in the Casio forums and having an active discussion with some very friendly folks on there about THIS tune and even your video was referenced. One user in particular has done some extensive research all the way from Slovenia about this one demo song. It is funny how these Casios have impacted our lives..

[@OBrasilo]

That user from Slovenia would be me (yeah, I know my nickname here sounds like Brazil but that's because it's my old one from the mid-2000's). I made two big comments here as I was doing the research before I went to the forum with it, and I'm thinking of also making my own series of videos with the results of my research, but I first need to gather all the information I can to plug in as many gaps as I can.

[@pianokeyjoe]

@@OBrasilo LOL! OBattler! Hi!

[@Zothiqueness]

I was just looking for the song to show my daughter, what a wonderful gem of a video I've found! Thank you for sharing this.

[@Hamachingo]

I was flabbergasted when in Tokyo, the floor cleaning machine on the subway played the same melody as my childhood Casio keyboard. Not a variant of any of the German originals, but the melody of the Casio version.

[@Remcovanes]

But the 'Casio version' is also from German origin. In the video it is explained that the version the translater used for the Japanese version is based on an old forgotten version that was in a German childrens song book from 1841.

[@qix6424]

Folk music slowly evolves in to children songs over time. A lot of American folk comes from older german and celtics songs. Thanks for the time you took, awesome video.

[@ominkan3129]

I did not imagine the VL Tone held such history. That was very interesting. The VL Tone was a fantastic first instrument.

[@mikesmithz]

Wow...major nostalgia! Thank you for giving me the biggest smile I've had in ages.

[@psplay]

Fantastic, really enjoyed this. My first keyboard was the vl10 and the demo tune brings back lots of good memories. Nice to know more about the history of it, thanks for making this.

[@polymn]

Interesting vid! I am a Japanese but never thought the origin of 山の音楽家 (also had thought it German traditional piece as written in composer column). The ‘modified’ melody has been familiar to us Japanese for a long time. In fact kids would learn it by elementary school’s music book, or Mina No Uta, of course with THE melody! I had wondered why commenters on VL-1’s Demo tune videos did not appreciate it as a German song…but it was quite ‘original’ for them. I love Casio’s invention and believe the tune can be still rocker for owners (as a childhood reminiscence?) . Thanks for uploading and it was huge & great study!

[@OBrasilo]

Would you happen to know if there's any recording of the Japanese version that doesn't omit the middle part? Because I'm trying to find out how the middle part disappeared in the Japanese version.

[@polymn]

I think no recording of full version exists in Japan. According to NHK’s official announcement, Hattori arranged song and Kurosawa just made translations (we Japanese are so familiar with the translated lyrics). Wikipedia also says Kurosawa firstly made the translation of 山の音楽家 in Japan. People would not have known the song before 1964. There is no mention if the lyricist later put words on melody or the composer later put melodies on the lyrics, but anyway they perhaps shortened melodies for children to recognize it easier. Resultantly in Japan people believe 山の音楽家 is this melody. Maybe some know it is from a German folk song, but no one would suspect and search more deeply. Below is the original (& rare) play of 山の音楽家 by ダークダックス(Dark Ducks), and you know it is the quite same melody with VL keys. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJCaoXelad1mmZY

[@gazpatxito]

@@polymn The KZbin link is broken!!! AARGH!!!!

[@nilhob]

Wow this tune brought back childhood memories of my VL-1. I remember every note of this song.

[@PraiseTracks]

I had a VL1 in high school and was able to program it to emulate the class dismissal tone. Needless to say, those were very interesting times. I wish I still had it today. Thanks for uncovering this mystery.

[@mootbooxle]

“I’ll get you Eh! Steve! if it’s the last thing I doooooo!”

[@imlxh7126]

I came here to make a Sweet Cuppin Cakes reference but you beat me to it. Getting flashbacks to being in 7th grade, obsessed with Homestar Runner and old synthesizers...wow, I'm almost certain I came across your channel back then too. You're my kind of dude.

[@jaidenronin2236]

a tip : watch series at Kaldrostream. Been using them for watching lots of of movies these days.

[@keaganyosef3848]

@Jaiden Ronin Definitely, I've been watching on flixzone} for years myself :)

[@grahamkameron3248]

@Jaiden Ronin Definitely, I've been using Flixzone} for since november myself =)

[@TooCoolForYoutube35]

Thank you! I'm a Gen Alpha Homestar Runner fan who loves the show! ❤

[@BoshiYoshi]

Wow! I had the PT-10 as a kid and I was SO obsessed with this song! I used to play it constantly on that little keyboard and even learned the notes for it eventually. Sadly I lost that keyboard over a decade ago when a lot of my items in storage went missing, but that tune has always stuck with me. I guess I never gave much thought as to whether it was a "real" song or just something the people who created the keyboard came up with. Absolutely fascinating. Hearing that tune again put the biggest smile on my face.

[@jcarlosallo]

Wow this is so emotional for me.

[@spyromatt]

Whatever the demo name, it's genius to pick this as its demo.

[@InvertedPopesMusic]

I have a Casio VLTone original and strange to relate I re-found it only last week in a cupboard and just had to use it. I also wondered where that demo song came from and now I know. Excellent work.

[@FeryAndrianus]

Wow....I'm so amazed that you've done the research so far... Love your voice by the way 😁

[@RufusVidS]

I loved my PT-1! (Actually I've had at least 4 over the years, for rehearsing choral music, it was perfect) This video is terrific!

[@rjfuller1]

My wife and I were mesmerized by this! Thank you very much.

[@Peenutzz]

I have one of these, used to be my grandpa's. I know this melody all too well. Brings back memories.

[@gerarubiomtz]

Brought me great memories back. Thank you.

[@samuelcheng2u26]

I just bought this little Casio VL1 second hand few days ago. No chance to buy it during childhood . Love it 😁❤ searching for 30 years at last i got it. Thanks for the video too🤗

[@zarrir]

This story is fantastic. Thank you!

[@Tikitanedad]

Nice work. I just found my VL-Tone and was searching about it when I found your video. Thanks for taking the time to research and make the video.

[@LingTinaTV]

Thank you so much for making this video! You answered a question I had since I was 2 years old. Thank you.

[@Darksacrednite]

This song is the soundtrack of my early years. My dad still have our VL-1 at home and it still works!

[@ahootin]

It’s easily been over 15 years since I’ve commented on a KZbin video but I had to sign in. You solved a mystery I randomly have been thinking about for YEARS! This little demo song! I couldn’t find it anywhere and didn’t really know how to search for it. Thank you for this. I can rest easy. 😆🩷

[@i_never_asked_for_an_alias]

I don't know why this information makes me happy.

[@REKHAIYERNFE]

Love this video so much...We had this Casio in my band way back in my youth! This brings me such happy memories! Thank you so much for your wonderful video & detailed commentary 💟☺💟

[@volttherobot]

LOVE this little machine SO much. Thanks for creating this video.

[@techtinkerin]

You did Casio proud with these 3 videos, excellent!!! 😎❤️👍🎶

[@EdgeHM]

"Okay, geez! I didn't know you were ahead of us! No need to play the whole demo, man!"

[@danbeaudet6718]

I bought one when it came out in 1981, from an add in the magazine OMNI. I still have it! I once plugged it in a massive system, with pedals and effects: it sounded massive!!

[@MrIcelander]

Now, that's some proper 'deep-dive googling' right there - utterly brilliant!

[@cosmosynthesizer]

Hell! What a great investigation. Stunning! And yes, I knew the melody and I knew the 3rd version - we used to sing it in the kindergarten in the early 70ies. Wow. Thanx a lot!! 🤘🏻

[@OBrasilo]

Interesting, what would the English title be? Would be interesting to see if there's any recordings of it on KZbin.

[@_S.H_]

This melody is rooted deep in my childhood!

[@TheFlaptrapper]

Amazing... Great work hunting this down! Wish I still had mine!... and aslo my unknown casio model with "March of the Toy Soldiers"

[@tortollhag873]

Very interesting video. In Sweden we have another version of this song called "Vi äro musikanter", (We are musicians". This is sung at christmas or midsummer dances over here. Never knew this had a connection to the casio keybord.

[@AngelVillodre]

All my life wondering where did the song came from. Thanks a lot for your dedication and this video.

[@johanndarkk5826]

Its based in Nannerlbook’s music book 55 in F major, de W. A. Mozart

[@arothmanmusic]

I found my old Concertmate 200 in the attic and bestowed it upon my children. I wholly underestimated how often I would be hearing this song.

[@thomaslarson459]

I always knew at as "Soldier, Solder Won't You Marry Me." My father used to play it on the dulcimer, and I had a caseo p-87 as a child.

[@totallyfrozen]

Your voice is very comfortable to listen to. 👍🏻

[@ER-bg9bo]

Very interessting, I'm looking for purchasing the ctx 5000 this month for christmas, nice to know such history behind the scene... 👍Greetings from south east germany 😎

[@മനുഷ്യൻ-ഹ4ഷ]

great research, superb

[@llittlegreyhound]

Your channel is rather excellent sir.

[@MajorSeventh]

Holy moly, your research was way above and beyond the call of duty!

[@Guitarraeficaztutorialesytabs]

You are AWESOME, I can now die in peace. but not yet.

[@f.d.3289]

Wow... what a great video! The Weltenschule/Warranty Void/Tablehooters guy called Cyberyogi already found out it was based on "Yama no ongakuka" in 2016 (see www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/11993-vl-1german-folk-song-mystery-fake-unterlanders-heimweh/ ), but I still can't believe you dug up the actual melody... so it actually IS a German folk song after all; I thought Casio had for some reason completely messed it up... Also great to be able to listen to all these different versions. Thanks a ton, KoK!

[@scottlidstone1902]

My Da still uses his concertmate 200 as an occasional vocal practice aid to this day. He bought his new when I was about 10.

[@generalerror2938]

This is SO wonderful! The Tablehooters guy had already traced it to the Japanese song a few years ago, but I was sure this is where it would end, forever. In fact I was sure Casio had just made the "German folk song" up for whatever reason. So glad you were able to find the German roots!

[@scottwells8064]

After many minutes of Google searches, I found out the lyrics translate to "Only liars and cheats eat grumblecakes, and those folks go to prison."

[@Gotmilk0112]

Can confirm, just asked The Cheat.

[@bebopganymede]

Very interesting, keyboard demo detective.

[@chrislongisland]

I still have my PT-82 and just played Unterladers Heimweh on World Songs today!!

[@John_Alcier]

Oh well that is the tune I always hear when I was a kid

[@nrdesign1991]

Wow, that ending sounds great!

[@andiwidiyantogm]

Ini mainanku kelas 6 SD tahun 1984… senang sekali bisa nostagia dengan bentuk dan suara nya lagi… terima kasih sudah berbagi dalam video ini..

[@351clevelandmodifiedmotor4]

I have a casitone CT 310 ,it was made in 1983, a very basic key board with full size keys and a good sound and a sustain input in the back

[@Spacecat2]

When I lived in Japan in the mid 00s, my neighbor had a land line telephone with that song as the ringtone.

[@jcmurval5040]

I had a flashback to my childhood! , great!

[@RaptureMusicOfficial]

We had the VL-Tone in the 8i0s as well, when it came out! Great little musical calculator :) I didn't know that there were imitations like the Realisitic Concertmate :)

[@luigikoopa8771]

it's a rebadge for radio shack. it's not a clone. the insides are exactly the same as a casio brand vl-1.

[@RaptureMusicOfficial]

@@luigikoopa8771 Ah I see!

[@joselu90]

I'm looking for an arrangment of this song for the piano with easy left hand.

[@tedmerr]

It's also in a musical sound chip that came with a toy baby stroller my sister used to have

[@sumateratv9755]

thanks for solving one of mysteries in my life..

[@GNeuman]

I loved my VL Tone....was a very clever piece of electronics for the time.

[@Trad-jk5bq]

I live in sweden and we have a holliday caled midsummer when w e dance and sing and stuff. Ons of the Most popular songs is one of the versions of the musician song. It göres "Vi äro musikanter o vi från Skaraborg..."

[@gunner4126]

This takes me back

[@FallNorth]

It also had a calculator so you could type in "5318008", which was an important thing back then.

[@OBrasilo]

For that matter, in the movie Trading Places, in one scene (I believe when Winthorpe and Valentine arrive at the World Trade Center), there is a melody whose opening bars are identical to this, but it diverges. I wonder what melody that was and how it relates to this.

[@oskarenoksson9626]

Amazing! Thanks!

[@ElektronicCricket]

Haha, like the final tune at the end.... A little arrangement 👍🏻😄 ... With a few samples and make a song with that ... I think ... I'm going to have a lot of fun !

[@semporna75]

MY FIRST KEYBOARD CHILDHOOD.... SO MEMORABLE

[@samuelcheng2u26]

Watch in 1st day of 2020 . I love this demo song. And me n my bro put in Chinese hokkien worship lyric into it. Thanks for sharing.❤❤❤

[@mijaba]

The first part of that melody was also used in "The twelve days AFTER Christmas". Many choral renditions can be found on youtube. I sang this back in the 1980's when I was in chorus and that is where I remember hearing it.

[@possumridgeentertainment4614]

I've known the melody of that song my entire life, never knew the title or saw or heard its lyrics, but I always thought it was French.

[@courtmetrage]

Great research work

[@Smith_Tech_70]

Fantastic. I still have one.

[@U014B]

Why'd they make a boxing-gloved wrestleman's profuse swear-cussing the demo tune? That honestly seems kinda inapropro.

[@JonathanAuburn]

"Okay, jeez! I didn't know you were ahead of us! No need to play the whole demo, man!"

[@radiba007]

I used to have PT1 and write my own lyrics on this tune!! Oh boy, it was 30 years ago!! :D

[@cetics]

very very good. thanks

[@felineboy]

When I was a kid, I used to take music classes at a Yamaha school. One of the songs we learned to play was precisely the one on the VL-1. We never used that keyboard, though; it was printed in Yamaha music books. I vaguely remember the lyrics, but they indeed had to do with animals playing musical instruments.

[@mauadachi]

What a gem!

[@PEAKCENTURY]

Funny, because my old Casio keyboard plays the ‘down in the lowlands’ that you played :)

[@noelhalvordson6465]

There is also a Swedish version of "Ich bin ein Musikante" called "Vi äro musikanter"

[@stephanie1733]

Thank you for this.

[@OBrasilo]

Well, a year later, I have now found out that "I am the music man" is also related to this, via Dikke Leo's version which is the evolutionary step right between the two (has the exact lyrical structure seen in "I am the music man", and the last part of the melody as well, but other parts of the melody are closer to this instead).

[@selectland1]

Great video.

[@MrSahincene]

That demo mellody when i was 5 years old.Early 90's damn so emotional.