Casio PT-30

Every review I see of the Casio PT30 (including the ones on this site) seem to miss the point of this brilliant little instrument. It was mainly marketed at the time as an aid to songwriting. This is because you can input (or "record") a melody into the memory, press the "chord" button, and it will play back your melody FULLY HARMONIZED. Yes, it will it will come up with chords that fit your tune! The chords are also shown on the display, so you can note them down for use with "real" instruments. It will even change individual chords if you don't like the ones it chooses - you press the "change chord" button at the point you want the change to occur and it will select another chord (or you can even make your own chord substitutions by inputting using the chord keys to the left of the keyboard).

As such this keyboard was great for budding songwriters who could come up with a tune but were unable to figure out a suitable chord accompaniment for it.

Yes, the keyboard tones, rhythms etc are a bit cheap & nasty sounding (though they can be made to sound good through a decent amp) but that wasn't really the point of the instrument.

small line of musical toys vl tone and style pt38 which is its equivalent in the casio I used a lot to make small one lead by putting 2 effects pedals zoom zoom 505 506bass for modulations and it is surprising j love it

UTILIZATION

it is not for fun but its edition of 30 ratings in mind that you can play in 2 directions up / down function with one key notes playing small rhythmic pop fun
to hear demo to see my you tube channel raisethephenix

OVERALL OPINION

yes and I toy lol!

Hello,

So here we go: the Casio PT-30 is a small keypad (no synthesizer) sequencer with real time and step full of small functions very educational and very practical.

Its keyboard is 2 1/2 octaves, not velocity, aftertouch or midi or CV-gate. The keys are touch and mini spring plastoc well. Just ten sounds very 8bits, hyper approximate and not editable but nice, with or without sound sustain after. The melody part is monaural.

The small keyboard is left for the accompaniments, which are either its (unique) Organ agree, somewhat enjoyable, a Arpegiator when you choose one of these rhythmic arpeggio, or a mix arpeggios / chords when using other rhythms.
The strong point of this little keyboard is in THE CHOICE OF TYPE OF AGREEMENT: MAJOR, MINOR, 7th, sus4, maj7, etc ... min7 this is very powerful, well built and frankly fun to use, even live for a suite of agreement mixing types Min / Maj etc ...

A small drum machine sounds with typed accompanies all goods, with a score of different rhythms. Goods time ...

An auto-accompaniment exists, but it is post-recording sequencer, this is not live.

Three faders allow you to adjust the overall sound, accompaniment and rhythms.

HP restores the small fort, but medium-high. Headphones, the bass is more present.

The audio output can be connected to the choice (on the same socket) or a headphone, a classic line output.

A battery compartment can turn mobile with 5 LR6 for autonomy given to 12h.

The power and interest of this nice little machine is its sequencer, and three yellow keys (one at the bottom left, two on the top right). THESE KEYS ARE IMPORTANT AND HYPER DO ALL THE APPEAL OF THIS SMALL KEY! : Indeed, to save a sequence, it's easy, you go into record mode, you choose one of the many banks and plays even without rhythm, step by step. If you make a mistake on not pressing DEL and plays the note etc ...

At the time of re-entry sequence play, there are plenty of possibilities:

1) ONE CHORD KEY: If you have entered a series of agreements to sing above example, each time you press the little yellow button at the bottom left, move to the next chord. We can therefore enter into step a few seconds a chord hyper complicated kind G # sus4 etc ... and replay any rate just by pressing each chord change on this little button: AWESOME!

2) can also play a melody re-entry step into the rhythm that you want, note by note, by pressing either of the two yellow buttons on the right. Thus, we realigned smack bang in the rhythm sequence, just two fingers, even with the accompaniment chords. We can do this over a rhythm if desired (ie melody + rhythm + accompaniment) and store the result in the sequencer.

3) all this little sequence is obviously not editable not convenient

4) we can let him play it all alone once completed, to sing above example, or play the guitar

I insist on this part sequencer because it is really a function hyper damn well we would like to find on a lot of machines these days, including synths. Reminds me of my MC-202, I love it.



UTILIZATION


What is this keyboard?

First of all, I find it very educational, great for kids or beginners in harmony, wanting tater different types of chords and play along.

Take It fearlessly with batteries so autonomously, I see small delusions to do with travel, evening with friends ...
Within a few seconds from a series of agreements on pumped Guitar Pro tabs or site gratos (Me, I use my smartphone with the application ultimateguitar.com): we search the desired song, we find the grid agreements, we step in between the PT-30, and the replays rhythm by using the ONE KEY CHORD, or recording the timing in real time, and delirium with the melody above the keyboard, vocals or the guitar ...
It is very fast to enter a chord, accompaniment and melody, this type of small machine is a joy.

This keyboard is quick and easy to handle, but the manual is essential (PDF link in the forum). Functions are ultra-limited but felt on such a small keyboard, it is seen, and it reminds us of the good times of the 80's and all these wonderful little machines ...

OVERALL OPINION

I've had this weekend, my children have been taxed and squat laughing well.

Of course, when it returns to the big machines, you can see the difference in power, sound quality etc ... but this little laptop thing is funny.

If you find one on the net for a few dollars, or a flea market, go for it!

Attention before throwing my heart on this one, I have studied the full range of these little old CASIO keyboard, and not all are created equal, there are big differences from one model to another, in particular The most important part sequencer. Ex: PT-20, well below ...

On the other hand, the PT-30 also exists, but difficult to find, in a version with a combo-K7 radio and speakers, which can be fun: Casio KX-101 Keyboard Synth Boombox

Mini casio synth, serial key acute [which I have not counted the octaves so I had nothing to do] and an octave of bass buttons [type VL-TONE]

Not so, connect power supply and Jack



UTILIZATION

I have not had with the manual.

The configuration that I'm bleeding, it's plug & play. So yes, simple.

OVERALL OPINION

This synth is a midi keyboard is an anecdote in the history of mini synth. What does that strength is serious these buttons that stick out like a kind of distorted organ sound HYPER POWERFUL. For Electro, if you're not afraid to play instruments live, this little beast will meet the mix, as a powerful leader ... In short, I've had a few hours, and I am surprised at the quality of the monster. It is a tool that I use Live and really deserves his place in the racks of machines Electro-technicians!