Reviews (3)

How to learn two-handed pieces on this keyboard
I agree with the review above regarding the problem with the transition to two-handed play using this keyboard. I spent a lot of time practicing two-handed songs one hand at a time and I couldn't figure out how to begin playing both hands at the same time. I've since figured it out and can now play both Beethoven's Pathetique (#76 on keyboard) and Chopin's Chanson (#82 on keyboard). It took around two months of practice in my spare time to learn each of the two songs (4 months total) and I have never had any piano lessons. Here's how:

Spend a few days or a week -- depending on how much experience you have with music in general -- playing the entire piece one hand at a time. You may have to just listen to the piece sometimes to get a feel for it.

Once you are thoroughly familiar with the song, memorize how to play the just the first measure in your right hand (using "Step 2", right hand). Be sure to pay attention to the fingering guide on screen -- it'll make things a lot easier in the long run if you are playing the correct fingerings and doing the correct sustains, not just blindly following the key lighting. Then switch it "Step 2", left hand, and play the right hand from memory while watching the keyboard to play the left hand as well. The keyboard will also be playing the right hand, but will not advance unless the left-hand keys have been hit correctly. If you hit left-handed keys without playing the corresponding right-hand part, you'll hear it being played anyway -- and know that you didn't do it right. You can then go back and try again. It usually just takes a few minutes until you get it right through trial and error -- but definitely longer if it is a really difficult measure. If you take a look at the sheet music to see when the left and hand keys are playing relative to each other, it often makes it easier to learn the measure.

Once you have really learned the measure, learn the next one and a so on. To make learning easier, I continue to practice in "Step 2", left hand mode even after I have learned to play the entire song, and then wean myself off the the left-hand lighted guide only after I have the song down cold. At a certain point you know the left-hand part just by feel and you only need to learn where to jump to in parts where the left hand moves a long way on the keyboard.

This method really works and I recommend this keyboard to anyone who would like to quickly learn complex two-handed classical pieces without knowing how to read music. Everyone is shocked that I am suddenly able to play difficult classical pieces that would normally require 5-10 years of piano lessons.

Great product, but some issues
In general this is a fun, high-quality product. It is certainly easier to learn a piece of music by having the keys that you need to play lit up for you instead of trying to read sheet music. Great value for the dollar and the sound quality of the digital instruments and speakers is comparable to other keyboards in this price range. Really great product for beginners and intermediates who want to learn to play the piano but have trouble reading sheet music or are in need of lots of repitition of left or right hand parts in order to master a piece.

However, there are a few criticisms:

The keys light up at the end of the keys, which is where your fingertips would normally be, so it is more difficult (but still fairly easy) to tell which keys are lit because your fingertip covers the light. Maybe if the light was 1-2 inches from the edge of the key it would be better.

The keyboard has a function where it lights the first note of a piece, and then after you play that note, it lights up the next note, and then you play that, and it lights the next, and so on. This is great for learning the notes, since the keyboard guides you and you control the pace of the piece, since the next note is not shown until you played the previous note. However, the keyboard only lights up one hand at a time with this teaching function. It does not light up both hand parts simultaneously. So the only way to practice with both hands simultaneously is to have the keyboard play the piece in real time, in which case it is very difficult to follow the notes, even when you slow down the tempo. Plus, it seems that you can only use this function with the pieces that are already pre-supplied on the keyboard. It doesn't seem to work for midi pieces downloaded from the internet.

Also, the ability to import midi pieces from a computer to the lk-73 keyboard via a MIDI cable seems to me to be overrated. I haven't been able to figure out how to make the lk-73 record a midi piece from the computer connected to it. Even if I could, apparently the keyboard will only record two pieces total. It also has a total memory of only 5,200 notes, which is not much, maybe about as much as two Chopin preludes (I haven't calculated exactly). The keyboard also will not retain recorded pieces in memory if the power has been cut off. It also does not seem possible to use the teaching function described above with pieces downloaded from the internet. I haven't figured out how to do this and the instruction manual doesn't say anything about it.

However, you can hook up your computer to the keyboard so that you can play a midi piece from the computer to the keyboard in real time, so that the notes in both hands light up on the keyboard. It seems easier to learn a piece this way instead of learning it from reading sheet music. However, even when the tempo is slowed down greatly this is still not nearly as easy as if the keyboard just lit the first key, then had you play it, then lit the next only after you played the previous one, and not
only showed the left and right parts by themselves, but also showed both parts together in this teaching mode.

Casio lk73 - Great for all ages
I am a mother of 4 ranging in age from 4 years to 14. I have piano experience (as I took piano and organ lessons from age 7 until college). I wanted something that would peak my girls interest rather than me teaching them and it being a battle. I think I have done it. All 4 love it!!! My 8 year old as learned half of the right hand of "Fur Elise". I got her the "Usborne Piano Course Book" one and two. I have helped her and she has also done several lessons on her own. She is half way through the book in 3 weeks. We are already playing a duet from the book together. My 14 year old isn't has also learned the entire right hand of "Fur Elise" by herself (it is quite long) and is now working on the left hand. The lighting of the keys allow the kids to memorize the songs on their own. The 14 year old is quite challenged by it (as I hoped she would be). The 4 year old is on it as much as I allow her to be. This has been a great product for us!!! I have been nothing but pleased. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Casio's CTK651 features 61 full-size keys with a touch-sensitivekeyboard that spans five octaves, letting you create or play music withfull-size piano sound. Its useful onscreen keyboard with music staff and finger iconsdisplays notes and chords played, while a built-in metronome with six drum padskeeps the beat.

The CTK651 enables connectivity with MIDI instruments and musically equippedcomputers for recording, editing, and scripting. A mixer function allows forcontrol over each MIDI channel and musical accompaniment. Its 24-note polyphonickeyboard offers more than 200 tones with 128 general MIDI, 32 presets, 32 usersynth tones, and eight drum set tones. Other proprietary sounds and play modesfeature room, stage, and concert hall presets and 100 discrete rhythmpatterns.

You can record your own compositions (5,200 notes) directly onto the keyboardusing a two-song/six-track memory in real time or editable stereo time. A usefulsynthesizer function lets you create and store your own sounds. Its backlit LCDdisplays music selections, along with tone, rhythm, mixer, tempo, and keyboardfunction. Built-in two-way speakers deliver a 5-watt output and include bassreflex sound.

The Casio CTK651 offers a 0.25-inch stereo line-out/headphone jack. It uses anAD-5 AC adapter or becomes portable with just six D batteries, neither included. ... Read more

Features

• Selectable touch-sensitive keyboard with 61 full-size keys
• 2-song/6-track memory (5,200 notes)
• Create and store your own sounds with synthesizer function
• 200 tones, 8 drum sets, and proprietary reverb with 3 presets
• Mixer function, built-in metronome, and MIDI compatibility

Reviews (2)

Made my piano teacher jealous!
Great Keyboard, Can't say enough good things about it. Within seconds I was playing it like a pro. It sounds like the instraments on it. This really isn't a keyboard its a synthisizer.

a keybard for a symphony
My son owns this keyboard and it has been a dream for him. When he is sent to bed he plays the keyboard and has taught himself several songs. The keybard has allowed him to teach himself from the easy learning instructions he is 10 and has learned to play like a true pianist. We are enrolling him in a school for music and we receive a partial scholarship to learn.

I have 5 children and they have had different keyboards but they have elected this TOP RATED. They are all finding it extremely pleasing and of good use for all of them even if its for the one son they have all found it to be the best.

The keyboard has easy instructions,easy to learn, and best of all THE BEAUTIFUL PRICE. Which since I have been shopping at amazon.com I will honestly say the prices have been the best and the products are the best. I am appreciative for amazon.com. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Casio CTK-731 full-size five-octave keyboard with backlit LCD includes 32-note polyphony, 232 tones, and 110 rhythm patterns. You can create your own songs with accompaniment or use Casio's chord/fingered chord auto-accompaniment. The CTK-731 also includes a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, allowing you to load and save data for song and pattern sequencer, registration memory, and synth parameters.

The onscreen keyboard displays notes and chords played, and a metronome icon indicates beat. A mixer-function allows control over each MIDI channel and accompaniment part, while one-touch preset configures keyboard for each individual rhythm with proper tone and tempo.

The CTK-731 includes MIDI in/out jacks that make it simple to connect to a computer or other peripherals. It also features transpose and tuning control and an assignable pedal jack for sustain, soft, sostenuto, or rhythm start/stop. It operates on D batteries or the included AC adapter. ... Read more

Features

• 5-octave, full-size keyboard
• 3.5-inch floppy disk drive for song playback and storage
• 232 synth tones
• 110 rhythm patterns
• MIDI compatibility

Reviews (1)

Excellent mid-range keyboard
This CTK keyboard by Casio is easily the best in its price range. It features, among other things, modifiable sounds (letting you tweak with parameters such as attack, release, pitch, etc), 61 full size keys, and a 6-track onbaord digital recorder. It also is MIDI compatible, so it's easy to operate alongside your PC.

Let's discuss the sounds: there are over 200 tones, among the best being the piano, strings, and several of the synthesizer waveforms. It also has 32 slots for user-programmed tones, which you can use to store your edited sounds.

I don't particulary care for most of the drum patterns, but there are still a few good ones, which come complete with fill, intro and outs. This keyboard also has a diskdrive for easy storage of your performances.

There are drum pads also, which can be cumbersome at first, but are still fun to learn and use.

Overall, it's a good keyboard for those who want more than the basics, but would rather not blow $1000 on a Roland or Korg. Like I said, best value for the money- and with a very nice piano section. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Capable of holding up to 250 pounds, Casio's X-BENCH keyboard bench the bench also folds flat, making it easy to carry. The 26-inch bench offers a padded black seat cushion (with 2.5 inches of cushioning) and is specially designed to work with all Casio CTK-, LK-, and WK-model musical keyboards. ... Read more

Features

• Supports up to 250 pounds
• Folds flat for portability
• Padded black seat cushion
• Durable construction
• Works with most Casio musical keyboards

Amazon.com Product Description

Casio WK1600 is the perfect keyboard for the music professional. It offers 76 full-size, touch-sensitive keys. Touch-sensitive keys provide better finger control. The harder you strike the key, the louder the sound will be. The WK1600 also has 130 rhythm patterns, 232 instrument tones, and 120 accompaniment songs. All the auto accompaniment songs follow the fingered chord, Casio chord, and full-range chord systems, so you can generate background music at any skill-level. The synthesizer function allows you to create and store your own sounds.

The backlit LCD display ensures bright, optimal readability. You will easily see your tone, rhythm, song, volume, melody, and tempo selections via the easy-to-read LCD display. The display's onscreen music staff and finger icons show the notes and chords that you play. This Casio keyboard is compatible with the general MIDI scheme. ... Read more

Features

• 76 full-size, touch-sensitive keys
• 232 sounds and effects
• Split and layer function
• 32-note polyphony
• MIDI compatibility

Reviews (3)

Great sound, not too many accessories
This keyboard is a fantastic keyboard if you're going to quality sound. I use it for composing music and have it hooked up to my computer. The speaker system is fantastic, but it doesn't come with a stand, doesn't have reverberation settings, and doesn't have a diskette drive (although it does have the location for one). The keys are a bit tight, but most of the instrument sounds are realistic. It also does not include a stand or sustain pedal. If you're looking for something for composition purposes, this is a great deal. If you're looking for something to have around to learn to play the keyboard, look for something a bit cheaper and possibly even smaller. This doesn't transport easily.

A great keyboard for any skill level.
I've had this keyboard for almost a year. And i love it. It has just about any instrument you could need, and a synthesiser to make your own sounds. Its good for professionals, intermediate, or beginners. I havent used it as a midi instrument yet, but you can connect it to your computer w/ a midi interface. The keyboard is also very easy to use, but has many features. One feature I found very useful is the transpose buttons, which let you change the key of the keyboard without having to figure out the notes. Overall this is a great keyboard, and at a reasonable price. Of course since it has 76 keys, it is a bit heavier, and bigger than the 61 keys. So, if you plan to move this thing around a lot, I suggest getting a case for it.

This keyboard is a great choice.
The sound quality is great and the touch sensitive keys work well. 76 keys is just enough keys to not run out. There are lots of great features on this machine too. The lcd screen shows what keys you are playing and the notes on a staff--it really helps for those learning to play. Definitely a great buy. Try the WK1630 if you want a silver one. ... Read more

Features

• 128 PCM Tones (General MIDI compatible) plus 9 drum/percussion kits
• 100 Rhythm Patterns
• 50 Built-in songs
• 3-Step Teaching System
• Backlit LCD Window displays selections and status

Features

• 61 Key Full-Size Keyboard
• 12 note polyphonic with a 100 song music library
• 100 preset instrument sounds and 100 auto-rhythms auto-accompaniment
• Effects include Transpose and Tuning plus 5 channel multi-timbral sing-a-long function
• Includes mic input and separate volume, MIDI in/out jack, headphone jack and sustain pedal jack

Reviews (3)

My son loved it!
I gave this to my 5 year-old son for Christmas and he loves it. It inspired an interest, no obsession, with music. He now takes piano lessons and practices, without being asked, for a least an hour a day. This keyboard has taught him all his chords and he figured out the accompaniments on his own. He would be lost without it. And so would I. Thsi is a great tool for kids and adults to learn on and much more.

Good to Go
Feature:
There weren't any features that I really needed that didn't come with this keyboard, except for a power adapter. I like the Casio-chord feature a lot. It's a good way to mess around with chord progressions if you're not quite sure where to go with a song.

Quality:
Much better than I expected. I wanted a low-cost keyboard to write music with. Now I record music with it, and it gives me the lo-fi sound I crave.

Value:
Out of every musical instrument I've ever purchased, this one has been the best value. I play it every day, and, unlike my guitar, there's no sort of upkeep necessary. Just plug and play, my friends.

Desirability:
I mean, it's a Casio. That's kind of retro-chic, right? Ok, it's plastic and gray. What do you expect?

Sound:
I use this keyboard for home recording purposes. I find that most of the tones sound pretty good with a little reverb added, but some of the higher pitches "buzz" a little too much, so I have to apply filters or use other techniques to make it sound a little less "plastic." Otherwise, I'm mostly content with the tones provided, especially Jazz Guitar and Wood Bass. When mixed just right, these tones can sound very organic.

Overall:
It's been two years now. I'm not ready to upgrade any time soon. Between this keyboard and my editing software, I'm good to go.

The 61 key full size keyboard BY: CASIO
This keyboard will be a lot of fun for kids and adults. there are some great features as the 100 songs songbank, 100 instrumental soundbank, an outlet for a microphone, etc. A cheap price for a keyboard this awesome. About 80.00. Most keyboards are in the hundreds and they aren't as much of a value as this. They aren't equipped with nearly as much features as this. ... Read more