Casio

this is a 1983 casio-mt, with pretty good sound, 12 rhythms and 12 tones, sustain and chorus effects, a fill-in, sure, as well as dedicated chord and rhythm volume sliders It also has detachable external speakers (with regulated angle allowing to play a bit with acoustics) that make the thing look pretty unusual but pretty in my eyes - the speakers are of high quality and they're quite powerful in fact. Appearances have it look a bit more serious than you regular MT. 4 octaves, mid keys, a standard chord section with no appregiator . There's also a light-system with LEDS along with the legendary RAM card with learning 'games' , and a limited sequencer/recording mode. All nice curiosities of an era long gone adding to fact that these keyboards look a lot out of date. Despite the limited functions, the keyboard is pretty good sounding in all sections, chord and bass, nice quality analogue drums and especially nice tones (the chorus shines too!). Back in its day it used to be an expensive one, still today it's usually priced above other casio MTs. Its also heavier, even if you exclude the speakers. It definately has its own character! UTILIZATION easy and hands on control, like with all these oldies. the ram card functions are a bit more tricky, but you can find the manual online, so... OVERALL OPINION Compared to the other 3 Casio MTs I got and tested out, MT-45 and MT-52, this would be considered to have the most "quality" tones, and even realistic in some occasions ... so maybe this might be the the best choice for someone who would like to buy one of the best sounding Casio MTs. Or lets say this one is less on the cheesy side. mt-800 is also a highly bendable Casio and the already quality tones and be tampered further with filter like results, making them even smoother. For a serious modifier/circuit bender, this keyboard is really worth exploring, given the quality of the tones and the apparently analogue filtering of the tones. Additionaly, the drum sounds are also very nice sounding and appealing and can also be modified in some ways. This is the keyboard that by a strike of luck got me into circuit bending, along with researching and enjoying an old passion of mine: old keyboards cudos go to warranty-void AKA tablehooters , where lots of info on the subject exists...

The Casio XW-G1 is a 61 key synth, it is well made and has a futuristic look and finish to it. It has a 13 track sequencer on it and a backlit display. The XW-G1 has 6 oscillators on it, you can use it for gigging or for studio production. Each individual oscillator has a filter, key tracking, and LFO. Since I am a electronic music producer and dance music producer I was looking for a synth that had a good sampler built into it. You can load your samples up or save them to your Flash ROM. The sequencer on the XW-G1 almost made me want to stop sequencing on my computer that is just how easy it is to sequence on the XW-G1. I love how you can change your performance up and mix quickly. It is so easy to change your filters and add effects on the XW-G1. UTILIZATION The general set up of the XW-G1 could not be any easier, it will however take some time for you to get use to the layout. Even if you have used Casio synths in the past, this one is a bit different than any other model they have ever come out with. That is a good thing though, because the XW-G1 is pretty much the best synth that Casio has come out with in a long time. SOUNDS The manual will work out any problems you are having, the only thing you might need the manual for is the effects and sequencing. OVERALL OPINION All of the sounds are very realistic, I was really surprised on how good the synths where and even the bass was decent. For the price, this could be one of the best investments you could make in a synth if you are on a 400 to 600 dollar budget. I do not know many other synths that will give you this sound quality and a sequencer for that price range.

The Casio CZ-1 is a 61 key digital synth that can be purchased used for a very affordable price. That is what made me purchase is, I found one online for less than 200 dollars and purchased it immediately. They keys do not feel great though, I have had better keys on a cheap MIDI controller and the touch sensitivity is almost absent. But you will get a lot of options with this keyboard. This is a 16 voice polyphony keyboard that you cannot sequence on but you can just use it as a sound module and record your sounds out to your DAW. UTILIZATION There are a total of 64 presets on the CZ-1, most of them are not very great alone. I usually take the presets and run them through an external rig or sound effects module to get them to sound the way that I want them to sound because the only effects that you can use on this board is chorus. SOUNDS The CZ-1 does have MIDI capabilities so you can use it as a controller as well as a sound module. Judging by the sounds that are on this keyboard and the limited effects; there is no way that I would purchase this brand new at the normal price because I do not feel that it is worth much more than the 150 to 200 dollar range. OVERALL OPINION You can create up to 64 user patches on the CZ-1 and add that to the total number of presets available which is 64 you will kind of feel like you have limitations to have far you can actually push this keyboard. It seems as there just aren’t enough options to get into depth with it. But with that being said if you grad this up at a great price it could be worth it because it will give you some different sounds to use that are not on most standard synths.

The Casio XW-P1 is a synthesizer that is more designed for live use, but can be used in a studio or at home for playing and practicing with. The Casio XW-P1 has a 6 oscillator monophonic solo synth on it that creates some amazing tones effortlessly. Every single oscillator has its own independent filter, independent key tracking, two LFO’s and portamento. UTILIZATION The Casio XW-P1 has 9 individual sliders that will give you full control over the Drawbar Organ to provide some distortion or vibrato to your sound. The arpeggiator on the Casio XW-P1 is also very good for it to be this price. The arpeggiator can be programmed to how you want it to sound. You will have full control over all of the sounds in real time by tweaking some knobs and using the pitch bend or mod wheels. OVERALL OPINION The Casio XW-P1 does have a step sequencer on it that I am not too happy with though. I don’t like the step sequencer, maybe because I am use to using the step sequencers with my DAW or software music production programs. I am always cautious before getting a piece of great that has a step sequencer on it because I know that I will probably never use it. The step sequencer on the Casio XW-P1 would be great to use to build their mix in real time and change things up fast. The Casio XW-P1 overall is a well built keyboard and it is very affordable, I would only suggest someone who is more into live use to get this keyboard. It is easy to transport from place to place because it is light and can fit into a keyboard case. The acoustic piano sounds on the Casio XW-P1 will also surprise you because for the price of it you would not expect to get those well developed and engineered sounds.

mini sized keys, 2,5 octaves a toy keyboard actually... they dont make them like this any more! 8 tones typical of the PT series, sounds awesome with a use of some external delay or reverb, 12 rhythms that sounds rediculously chip and lo-fi, they are analogue and sure are something very C64 in style and sound. but they're not the bleeps existing in other simpler casio PTs, so it's almost a proper keyboard minus the polyphony in tones. In all rhythms also you got a proper auto-accompaniament and a fill-in. this is pretty small and neat looking device too! its also got the legendary RAM card along with lights learning game with leds a nice curiosity here is there are chord buttons so the chords are played pressing puttons, leaving the keyboard solely for the tones. this is a retro cult object nowadays - it used to be an awesome kid keyboard. you can make out of it what you want... UTILIZATION simple as all those casios, but the mini keys are a PITA the chord keys , all 12 of them in all min , maj and 7th is pretty cool should probably played experimentally these small keyboards are ideal to modify to keytars, to play standing, as they're extremely light. Still, mid-size ones would be preferable for this purpose.. OVERALL OPINION very pretty , classic PT tones, cheesy rhythms, nice chord keys its better to get this PT or a similar rather than the simpler ones. its prettier and much more interesting. its got a proper chord section, so you can actually play tunes, unlike with most monophonic Casio PT's still the mini keys limit the usability would be great for a kid !

The Casio CDP-100 is a full-sized, hammer-action, weighted 88-key digital piano. It also features 32-note polyphony, 5 different sounds (including strings and electric piano), midi input and output, demo songs, headphone jack, sustain jack, and much more. UTILIZATION This CDP-100 digital piano is one of the cheapest full-sized, hammer-action digital pianos you can buy, and at first, I was hesitant to buy a Casio keyboard, which is well known for making lower end, non-professional digital piano products. But at the price point of around $350, it was hard to pass this up, and it really doesn't disappoint. The keys feel pretty real, compared to my baby grand piano, and the action is very natural. I've always disliked semi-weighted keys on some small midi controllers that try to emulate the feel of a real piano, but they would feel extremely fake to me. That is not the case here with the Casio. Even if you were to use the CDP-100 strictly as a midi controller, it is still cheaper than almost all other 88-key, hammer-action midi controllers as well. SOUNDS The piano sounds on the CDP-100 are pretty good and realistic, and they are passable for most basic piano applications. I would not recommend the other sounds as much, such as the electric piano or strings, so do not buy this product if you intended to use those sounds. The piano sounds are stereo sampled, but they are not velocity-sampled as deep as they could be. For example, if you play the piano with low velocity, the notes do not sound real, they sound like regular piano playing, but the volume simply turned down. That would be my biggest gripe and disappointment with the sounds. OVERALL OPINION Overall, this keyboard is a deal that is hard to beat, so don't pass it up!

The Privia PX-330 is quite a gem among the sea of relatively inexpensive pianos. It competes directly with the Korg SP250, which it completely outshines in essentially EVERY regard, save for the Korg's marginal superiority with its electric piano sounds. I won't bother saying what else; think about everything you might want from a piano. It also puts it right above the Yamaha P95, which people may say sounds good, but is crippled by Yamaha's mysteriously convoluted decisions to limit the polyphony on their models. If you look at pictures of these three, though, you can simply tell without any explanation that the PX-330 BLASTS the other two when it comes to features. It also has a pitch wheel. Make that note. Seriously. Understand that the PX-330 is a digital piano, not a synthesizer, not a workstation, not an arranger. All this does is make very nice sounds. They are editable slightly. Reverb can be adjusted, for example, but don't expect anything in the way of knobs or sliders or faders of any kind. It's a piano first and foremost, and everything else that comes with it is a negligible, but certainly appreciated addition. There are two pedals available: the sustain, and the sostenuto. I find this inclusion a very nice touch, as having a sostenuto can add a lot of life to the performance. It's one of those things that is easily missed, but obvious once it's gone. The piano has stereo outs and STEREO INS. I don't know when that would ever come in handy, but it's nice to know it's there. It also have MIDI in and out, as well as a USB connector for direct connection into your computer. I've mainly used the MIDI ports and have had no problems with it. UTILIZATION This piano's memory is entirely volatile, so there's no setting up at home before going on the gig. However, the ability of this piano to function in such a way that would require more than 30 seconds of setup is limited anyway; after all, it is at its best when it's not switching sounds and buried deep in the mix of a band. However, everything is quite intuitive. The one gripe about this is that the buttons are absolutely impossible to see in the dark. Get yourself a light to use if you intend on darkstaging this piano. Unfortunately, to access a few of the commands (they're not terribly important). The menu system is extremely convoluted. But then again, the fact that these are included at all already puts it above its direct competitors. It may not be the most intuitive thing, but I have peace of mind knowing that I am covered if I for some reason need these features. SOUNDS Remember that this is first and foremost a piano, and every other sound in the bank is appreciated, because it can work wonders for inspiration. The others sounds are quite acceptable, but there are a few that stand out. First, you should know that the mainstays, the GrPianoModern, RockPiano, GrPianoClassic, Elec.Piano 1, and StringsPiano are all a joy to load up and use depending on your application. As for the non-keyboard sounds, the strings work VERY well. They are a bit synthy, but this is a stage piano; you're not likely going to be recording the on-board sounds often. I'll say right now that when testing the PX-330 against the Korg and Yamaha, I found that despite Korg's marginal advantage in E.piano sounds, and Yamaha's slight edge in the piano sound, the PX-330 covers all the bases. It seemed that even if the Casio was never really a master of any domain of actual sound, every advantage that the Korg and Yamaha had could not make up for their respective fatal flaws (in my opinion). Korg's dorky piano sounds and Yamaha's arbitrary lack of polyphony (64 vs. Casio's standard 128) made them impossible to stomach. The Casio was solid all around. Nothing may have been terribly excellent compared to a few features on the other two, but nothing ever seemed to be lacking either. The touch of the piano was also my favorite out of the three. The public has a general consensus that the Yamaha felt the best. However, I maintain that even if Yamaha came closest to replicating a piano (in my opinion testing it), it is emulating a Yamaha. I grew up playing a Steinway baby grand, and while the Casio isn't perfect, it possesses the perfect amount of sponginess that the Yamaha completely eschews. Each key struck by a Yamaha felt better, but the overall playing experience on the Casio was far superior. OVERALL OPINION The PX-330 is a completely solid performer. Despite its convoluted controls for the most in-depth functions, it comes out on top of its competition because it HAS them. The only terrible gripe about it that I have is its unusability in the dark. The PX-330 absolutely blows its competition out of the water in every way. Sure it may have features you don't think you need, and it may appear that Casio is loading it with gimmicks, but even if you take all of the bells and whistles away, you have a product that already trumps its competition based on baseline performance alone. Casio's stigma is NOT well-deserved when it comes to this piano, but if you're that insecure, paint it candy red and put a sticker on it that says Nord. That'll fool them...

This is a two and a half octave analog synth that was made by Casio. While it was originally very cheap and didn't really hold up to a professional level, it's child-like, toy-sounding qualities lend an endearing and interesting charm to music. In fact groups such as Talking Heads have used it and it's sounds have been featured on several hit records and singles despite their absurd quality. It has five voices as well as a sequencer, and inexplicably, a calculator. There are vibrato and tremolo effects but there are no other effects. There is a drum machine with ten basic patterns to choose from. UTILIZATION There isn't really a whole lot that can be done with this five-voice, two and a half octave synth. If you are looking for a simple, kind of dumb-sounding melody or a lo-fi drum machine, this is a good choice. Otherwise this isn't really a great keyboard at all. It certainly isn't going to give you many options, and there is no way to learn how to play on this thing. OVERALL OPINION The sounds are the farthest thing from realistic you can imagine. They have names like guitar, piano, flute, and violin, but unlike a mellotron which actually comes close to approximating those sounds (at least in the case of flutes and violins), these sounds don't even remotely approach their "sources". That being said, sometimes, especially nowadays in lo-fi indie rock and "twee" genres, sounds like this are actually desirable. So there is a certain kind of value in this machine assuming you are looking for a very specific aesthetic.

Did I say 8Khz, 1 second of sampling time? No turn-off memory. Basic sequencer, and only a handfull of presets. You know what? This is what makes the SK-1 special... You have to work around limitations, find ways to create something out of nothing. In contrast, it is surprising to find a MIC IN, LINE IN as well as LINE OUT on the back of the SK-1... This means that you can run some AUX tracks from your mixer, re-sample anything you want 8-Bit style, without being limited to the built-in microphone. Price paid Gift - although they often go for ~$20 on ebay, and cheaper at thrift stores UTILIZATION The SK-1 is easy to use, BUT there are some features which puzzle me... The "Synth" feature is a bit obscure. You know, for a 20 year old "toy" the SK-1 seems to be pretty solid. I have a second one I found at a thrift store for $3 (!!!) which needs repair. OVERALL OPINION Sound is a 10!? You probably think I am crazy! ......... Yes and No. The SK-1 is a 20 year old toy sampler. 8 Bit, 4Khz quality, and 1 second of memory. The BAD quality is what gives the SK-1 its charm and character... You pick it up, record thru its built-in microphone or via the LINE IN or the MIC IN, and it is instant fun The sound is very particular. The built-in presets are actually quite interesting. I have used its piano and flute presets on a number of tracks. They do sound vintage/lofi, but add a very nice "color" to a track. One last thing I really like is the fact that the SK-1 "rattles" if you crank the volume to the max and press a bunch of keys (especially the Flute preset) MMHhhhh!!! 8 Bit heaven... I will *never* sell my Casio SK-10, and will buy all the ones I can find at thrift stores... MMhh a stack of SK-10 screaming 8 Bit samples... Originally posted on FutureProducers.com Posted by: mano 1 ( 6-, 2005)

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.

this used to be a friend first keyboard, and what a keyboard! its from 1992 more or less... no sensitivity but 5 octaves, nice variety of sounds/tone, which can be modified with a mini pseudo synth-section , also a pitch bend wheel, pretty nice orchestrations, rhythms and chord sections/ fill-ins and all... decent drums samples given its age... Sounds wicked when bent too! UTILIZATION easy and complete set of characteristics, easy to use nice mini-synth section manipulating the tones OVERALL OPINION It has stood the test of time nowadays its mostly interesting to me through the bends I have installed to it, and as it is a digital keyboard it can get very strange and noisy .... by itself, it is a pretty decent keyboard for its time and can still sound decent in today's ears if your standards are not up too high...

5 octave , mid keys 20 tones , 20 rhythms there are some pretty usable tones here and the MIDI is one of this keyboards highlights. the tones can also be combined in dual mode (210 combinations) there is also a sound effects section, which is simply samples (can by played in loop mode for background atmosphere) with names like rainy day, evening, ocean and so. the chord section is interesting, and the sound is much less classy than the good sounding pcm tones , the auto-chords are rather over programmed, but the're a variation which allows more creativity in playing the auto-chord you can also play drum sound manual with the keyboard. UTILIZATION a pretty simple to use keyboard. midi implementation is pretty decent OVERALL OPINION this is not a bad thingy if you think its got MIDI , some pretty nice sounds, nice portability and 5 octaves mid keys low-resolution samples for drums and hi-hat sections make this device sound at odds when played in auto-chord, especially when you hear some of its awesome and sweet sounding PCM tones. The tones are quality samples, but the chords are very funkily and 80's influenced in their programming.. All in all there are Casios with lots more rhythms and styles in this kind of sound, but no midi, so go figure... the atmospheric effects also add to the potential.