#Casio Keyboard

[jfk-blown-away-blog]

Took a sample off the radio

[nayainfurs]

they don’t call him casioblancas for nothin’ (2021)

[wanepillow]

This machine contains the beat from ‘losing my edge’ by LCD sound system. Lovely bit of kit

[singeratlarge]

SUNDAY MATINEE MUSIC VIDEO “The Sleeping Giant (of Love)”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEjDtzaJrCI —A twist on Jonathan Swift’s oft-tributed and parodied GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, a political allegory that some say was the first science fiction novel. While sailing on a ship, Lemuel Gulliver is storm-tossed and knocked unconscious, only to awaken as a prisoner on an island populated by eccentric little people. I turned it around so the island is populated by marooned humans who, after a dark and stormy night, find this Giant on the beach. They can’t wake him from his peaceful slumber. Yet they’re compelled to rouse him because they think he is friendly, has answers, a way out... They learn that the Giant is a metaphor for something they’ve forgotten about: Love and connection to God.

Musically I was inspired by David Bowie, early Genesis, and Split Enz/Neil Finn (+ imagining Dennis Wilson on drums). My fiance Uma Robin Mackey says it’s one of her favorites! 

#sleeping #giant #love #jonathanswift #gulliverstravels #gulliver #novel #storm #island #prisoner #beach #slideguitar #god #davidbowie #splitenz #neilfinn #genesis #denniswilson #johnnyjblair #singeratlarge #allegory #artrock #progrock #progressiverock #casiokeyboard

[trnsocial]

Thrift Store Horde: Season 3, Episode 10

Another two man show as Adam catches up with Kevin as they share their latest finds from thrifting and garage sales including vinyl records, tons of VHS tapes, audio cassettes, 80’s toys, trading cards and so much more. Continue reading Thrift Store Horde: Season 3, Episode 10

[merriammusicinc]

Casio SA-76 | Mini Keyboard Review & Demo | 44-Keys 100 Sounds 10 Integrated Songs

There's no question that Amazon happens to be the primary place many people shop for goods, and that now includes keyboards. Huge amounts of keyboards are sold through Amazon every year.

We decided to go onto Amazon ourselves to see which digital pianos happen to be most popular and determine whether they're actually good buys, and whether or not they're worth all of the 5-Star reviews.

In today's article, we're going to look at one of Amazon's best sellers with the Casio SA-76 44-key portable keyboard.

Let's start with some background.

Casio SA-76 | General Background Battery Powered Option

The first thing that you should know is that this instrument does not come with a power adapter. It supports a power adaptor, but that's an optional extra that you'll have to add on if you want one. As long as you've got the right pin polarity and the right adapter size, pretty much any universal AC adapter will do the trick, so you don't necessarily need to add the Casio branded one.

You can also operate the Casio SA-76 with 6 AA batteries as the power supply, and that's probably the way most family's buying this for young kids will use it.

Super Affordable

The next thing worth noting about the Casio SA76 keyboard is how inexpensive it is. To be able to get something with any kind of piano function for under $100 is a big deal, and up here in Canada, it runs for around $70 CAD and $60 USD in the United States.

Accurate Tuning

It's easy to take for granted when you're playing on a $200, $300, or $400 musical electronic instrument that it happens to be in tune, but so many baby and toddler musical toys aren't even close to being in tune.

Some people might ask if that even matters, but if you're trying to give a young child a musical toy to start laying some musical foundation, it should absolutely play in tune.

Casio SA-76 - Key Specs Casio SA-76 - Key Specs 44 Note Keyboard with Mini Keys

The keyboard has 44 total notes, meaning it's half the number of keys you'd find on a normal piano or keyboard. The keys are also thinner and shorter, hence the name mini keys, as smaller size keys make it easier for small fingers to play. The keys are not touch-sensitive, but that's not going to matter for a young child beginner.

LCD Display

There's a helpful LCD display screen for navigating the different music options, and the interface, in general, is going to be very easy even for a young kid to use.

100 Sounds + 8 Note Polyphony

You have the option of 100 different tones to choose from, with 8 notes of polyphony. 8-note polyphony is not much but fine for the intended use of this beginner keyboard.

Built-In Songs & Rhythms

There are 10 built-in songs and 50 drum patterns, as well as a couple of different playing modes, and even a metronome.

Speakers

There are 2 small speakers and amps on each side, with a total of 2.4 watts of amplifier power.

Casio SA-76 - 3 Piano Modes Casio SA-76 - 3 Piano Modes Tone Mode

As mentioned, there are 100 sounds to choose from on this keyboard. Some of the sounds are quite convincing, while others definitely are not, but it's expected that an instrument this inexpensive would not have the most consistent sound quality.

Out of the 100 sounds, there's a mix of pianos, electric pianos, organ sounds, synthesizers, reeds, harmonica, brass, strings, guitar, bass, mallet instruments, and various others. All of this is available to you in Tone Mode.

Pattern Mode

The second mode on the keyboard is called Pattern Mode. Which is where you start getting into the rhythms. There are 50 drum patterns to choose from and have fun with and 5 drum pads.

Song Bank Mode

Then, there's a third mode called Song Bank Mode. There are 10 built-in songs that you can play back, and this is what is going to get toddlers up and dancing around the house. The songs are fun, high-energy, and perfect for getting a little one excited about music.

Who Is This Instrument For? Casio SA-76 - Young Beginners Best to Avoid If...

Who is this instrument for? Well, we can start by saying who it's not for. The Casio SA76 doesn't have any MIDI connectivity so anyone looking for a super inexpensive and compact MIDI controller or portable & arranger keyboard for production, this won't cut it.

While it is made for toddlers, it's also not the most durable, so the average 18-month-old wouldn't have a problem quickly breaking the keys, and that unfortunately won't be covered under warranty. You'll want to make sure your child is at an age where there a little more gentle with toys.

Young Beginners

So, we're left at this being aimed at young learners to see if there's some musical interest there, at the most basic of levels. This would be a really great gift for a young child, instead of a bit of a cop-out of a gift card, and having them interact with it even for a few minutes a day would probably be a good gauge of whether or not there's some early musical interest.

It's hard to pinpoint an exact appropriate age, but we'd probably it's going to be great for kids around 2 and a half years of age, up to about the age of 7. It's not quite technical enough to keep an older child interested since there's no Bluetooth or other connectors to get it working with a phone.

Perfect Musical Exposure Toy

For the price, this is a really good way to expose a child to some basic musical ideas that can serve as a great building block for furthering musical education.

The biggest downside is that there's no MIDI output which would have actually opened this up to a lot more power. There's no sustain pedal, but this isn't a big deal given the fact that the action isn't touch-sensitive.

Other than that, for what you're getting for the money, this is probably one of the best musical exposure toys on the market. And sure, you could jump for one of the Casiotone 61-key portable keyboard workstations or something from Yamaha that's a bit more substantial, but that's not really necessary.

Closing Remarks

Thanks for reading! We hope you've enjoyed this look at a popular seller on Amazon the Casio SA-76 Mini Keyboard. If you're a parent out there and you are looking for exactly what we're just described, hopefully, you found this helpful.

We'd recommend checking out the accompanying video for a more in-depth review and checking out the rest of our YouTube channel for more musical instrument reviews. Don't forget to visit our website for more article reviews.

The post Casio SA-76 | Mini Keyboard Review & Demo | 44-Keys 100 Sounds 10 Integrated Songs first appeared on Merriam Pianos

2359 Bristol Cir #200, Oakville, ON L6H 6P8

merriammusic.com

(905) 829–2020

[wikipediapictures]

Casio CZ synthesizers

[odd-drive]

2004 CASIO DBC-32 PINK CALCULATOR MULTILINGUAL DATA BANK VINTAGE DIGITAL WATCH

[chipsoda]

when that homestar runner music hits

[jfk-blown-away-blog]

Check this sick ass sample I got

[glauberpitfall]

[wanepillow]

Casiotone 403 Advert

[singeratlarge]

SUNDAY MATINEE MUSIC VIDEO “The Sleeping Giant (of Love)”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEjDtzaJrCI —A twist on Jonathan Swift’s oft-tributed and parodied GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, a political allegory that some say was the first science fiction novel. While sailing on a ship, Lemuel Gulliver is storm-tossed and knocked unconscious, only to awaken as a prisoner on an island populated by eccentric little people. I turned it around so the island is populated by marooned humans who, after a dark and stormy night, find this Giant on the beach. They can’t wake him from his peaceful slumber. Yet they’re compelled to rouse him because they think he is friendly, has answers, a way out... They learn that the Giant is a metaphor for something they’ve forgotten about: Love and connection to God.

Musically I was inspired by David Bowie, Genesis, and Split Enz/Neil Finn (+ imagining Dennis Wilson on drums). My fiance Uma Robin Mackey says it’s one of her favorites! 

#sleeping #giant #love #jonathanswift #gulliverstravels #gulliver #novel #storm #island #prisoner #beach #slideguitar #god #davidbowie #splitenz #neilfinn #genesis #denniswilson #johnnyjblair #singeratlarge #allegory #artrock #progrock #progressiverock #casiokeyboard

[vintage-tigre]

[merriammusicinc]

Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 | 61-Note Beginner Keyboards | Casio Keyboard Comparison

Small but mighty! Today we’re looking at the Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 - a pair of 61-note compact digital keyboards with tons of sounds, fun features and excellent portability courtesy of a convenient carrying handle. We often focus on

Casio’s 88-key musical instruments, such as the Privia series pianos, so this is a fun change of pace for us.

Both of these Casiotone keyboards can be had for under $250 CAD, but there is a $50 price difference between them, which is fairly significant considering the price point. We’re going to cover exactly what these differences are and of course, dive into some of the fun features.

Casio has a number of these types of smaller keyboards including the Casio LK-S250, CT-S100, CT-S400, CT-S1 and Casio CT-X700, but today we’ll just be focusing on the Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 61-note keyboards.

Whether you’re looking for an introduction instrument for a youngster, or simply looking for a fun instrument to mess around with, this comparison is for you.

Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 - Background Casiotone CTS300

Given the price point and number of keys, many folks are automatically going to assume that the CTS200 and 300 are a pair of portable keyboards built strictly for beginners. And of course, both of these are definitely great beginner instruments, no question.

But at the same time, they’re both equipped with a number of features aimed at more advanced users, which makes them both shockingly fun and usable for a wide range of musicians in terms of experience level.

For example, they’re both MIDI-capable, and you can actually specify the MIDI channel you want to use. You can even turn local control on and off, which is something you’d expect to see on an intermediate or professional portable arranger keyboard.

They’re both also extremely portable thanks to a trusty built-in carrying handle and the fact that both can run on battery power.

Now let’s move to what’s the same about these two pianos.

CTS200 vs CTS300 - What’s the Same?

In terms of the number of sounds and overall concept of functionality, the Casio Casiotone CT-S200 and CT-S300 are virtually identical.

Playing Modes CTS200

There are 4 playing modes available on each piano, the first of which is accessed by pressing the brightly colored Home button. The default mode is just the standard way a digital piano normally operates, so you can access all of the onboard tones which consist of a whopping 400 presets in total including acoustic piano sounds, electric pianos, strings, synths and just about everything you can think of.

Polyphony sits at 48 notes which is definitely on the low side, but not surprising given how affordable both of these pianos are. There are 10 Reverb levels so you are given a little bit of control over the sounds which is nice.

The second playing Mode allows you to play along with rhythm auto-accompaniment. It’s not a complex auto-accompaniment system, but you are nonetheless able to play with a full band behind you. There are 77 different rhythmic styles to choose from with 2 variations per rhythm available.

Mode 3 is called Song Mode, and here you’re able to access the 60 built-in songs each piano possesses. You can turn either the right or left hand off which is a great educational feature.

Finally, the cherry on top is the Dance Music Mode. This is super fun and an easy way to get lost in being creative for hours on end, with different options for drum beats, basslines and synthesizers.

Features

Both pianos are easy to operate thanks to a logical layout and handy LCD display. Standard features like Transpose, Tuning and Metronome are included on both.

As mentioned above, both can run entirely on battery power, though an AC adapter power supply can be purchased as well, though in some markets a power adapter is included at no charge. The battery life is actually quite strong so you won’t be burning through batteries anyway.

Both pianos include a music stand at no additional cost. A keyboard stand and sustain pedal can be added for a cost as well.

Connectivity CTS300 Connectivity

Connectivity is another area where these two pianos are identical. Both pianos have a stereo mini headphone jack that can also serve as an output jack.

They both also have a stereo mini audio input, pedal jack, and a USB port (micro B port) which is how you can connect either one to your favorite device to access apps like the Chordana Play App or to operate a DAW.

CTS200 vs CTS300 - What’s Different? Piano Action

While both the S200 and S300 have 61 full-size keys, there is a big difference between the key actions, and this is the single largest difference between these two pianos. The difference is that the S300’s action offers touch sensitivity, while the S200’s does not.

Both actions are unweighted, but having a touch-sensitive action unlocks some velocity-related touch response effects on various sounds, and really opens the S300 to be used as a MIDI controller.

Given the relatively small price difference between the two, this makes the S300 almost a no-brainer if you have any type of piano background, or if you think the beginner starting out with one of these pianos is likely to start piano lessons at some point.

Speaker System

When it comes to the built-in speakers, the sound quality on either one of these isn't great, as would be expected for the size and price of both of these 61-key digital keyboards available.

That said, this is an area where there is a modest, but still noticeable difference between the two. The S200 has 4 watts of amplifier power, while the S300 has 5 watts. A modest difference as we said, but a difference nonetheless.

Pitch Bend Wheel

Finally, the S300 incorporates a pitch bend wheel, while the S200 does not.

Closing Thoughts

Either one of these 61-key portable keyboards is going to be a great option for someone seeking an introductory instrument for a total beginner to the piano. They’re both actually built to be quite durable as well, signalling that Casio definitely has kids in mind as a target audience for these pianos.

Alternatives to check out are the Yamaha PSR products, and the Roland GO pianos. Thanks for reading!

The post Casiotone CTS200 vs CTS300 | 61-Note Beginner Keyboards | Casio Keyboard Comparison first appeared on Merriam Pianos

2359 Bristol Cir #200, Oakville, ON L6H 6P8

merriammusic.com

(905) 829–2020