Casio CTK720 Music Keyboard Review

I purchased this Casio portable keyboard to replace a Yamaha instrument that had apparently gotten fried inside from having used the wrong AC power adapter.Not to mention that my very old Casio MT240 has either mysteriously disappeared from my house, or, more likely, hasbeen stashed away so well that I can't find it.After searching for the missing keyboard for several weeks without any luck, I decided that I needed to buy another keyboard, since it bothered me that I had no portable instrument to take to picnics, nursing homes, Christmas gatherings, and otherwise perform on the go.

The Casio CTK720 is a very basic keyboard, primarily designed for a beginner.However, there are plenty of features to satisfy the intermediate player and the keyboard hobbyist, such as myself.It has 61 full-size keys; 32-note polyphony; auto-accompaniment, in which the player may play a chord with one finger, or use the "fingered" mode, where one must hold down all the keys in a chord in order to get any sound from the left-hand side of the keyboard.

There are many styles and voices from which to choose when playing this instrument.Plus, there is a three-step teaching system to aid the beginner keyboardist.To add to the fun, there is a microphone jack so one can sing along whileplaying or listening to the built-in songs on this keyboard.In total, there are 100 songs in this instrument, divided into two banks: a piano bank, with traditional piano songs; and a song bank, with fully orchestrated songs.There is a jack to accommodate an AC power adapter.It would probably be wise to purchase the Casio AD5R Adapter and only use 6 AA batteries when playing this instrument outdoors or in a place where there may not be an available electrical outlet.I've been able to use my original Casio AD5 Adapter, which had been used with my MT240 and other small Casio instruments that I had bought, sold, traded, or just plain given away, through the years.

The Casio CTK720 has an earphone jack for private playing, and a jack to accommodate a sustain pedal, if a person should choose to use one. In my opinion, a sustain pedal definitely improves the sound when playing a portable keyboard. The playing isn't so choppy.

One of the things that appealed to me about this keyboard is that there are dedicated sliding switches to adjust the volume levels for the master, microphone, and auto-accompaniment volumes.This is reminiscent of the older Casio instruments.There is also a USB port to connect the CTK720 to a PC to download styles and other files from the Casio Web site.I haven't really done anything with that.

This keyboard does not have touch sensitivity.The piano and other voices are adequate enough, but they certainly don't compete with the more expensive instruments that I own.However, it beats my cheesy late-eighties Casio hands down, pardon the pun. If you want to improve the sound, hook the CTK720 to a small keyboard amp. I have a Crate KX15.The amplifier's 3-band equalizer and the 15 watts of power, compared to the 4 watts in this Casio, will make a big difference.

If you seriously want to study music, this is not the keyboard to buy.I bought it for pure fun, portability and ease of use; and also because it was a clearance item from another online store.I was able to get free shipping because I also purchased a gig bag in order to transport this instrument.The keyboard was only $79.00 and the gig bag was $29.99.A great price for a piano in a bag, wouldn't you say?

In summary, I wouldn't pay more than $100.00 for this keyboard.There are a lot of rhythms that I wouldn't even use.Though there are many voices, the organs and synths are pretty weak.The overall sound quality is certainly listenable, but nothing to write home about.It is simply a good basic keyboard for the budgetk-conscious person.A fun pianoone can put in a bag.

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Product Description:
Anyone can learn to play the Casio CTK720 musical keyboard.It's compact but has a full-size 61-key keyboard with Sing-Along function, Musical Information system display, and on-screen icons.The keyboard's 3-Step Lesson System makes it easy to get started. With the touch of a button, the Piano Bank takes you directly to piano tones and piano lessons. It automatically grades your performances, so you can trace your progress as you improve. With its Auto Accompaniment function, you simply play a chord and the corresponding rhythm, bass and chord parts play automatically. With 242 Tones and 100 Rhythm Patterns, you can choose from among orchestral sounds, synthesized sounds and more.A big LCD screen graphically shows your fingerings, keyboard keys to be pressed, and notes, making keyboard play more informative and enjoyable than ever before. 3-Step Lesson System -Repeat play on a single tune, left and right hand lessons, scoring, voice fingering guide Song Bank and Piano Bank -50 Songs each Tempo - Variable (216 steps, ?= 40 to 255); Transpose - 25 steps (-12 semitones to + 12 semitones); Tuning - Variable (A4 = approximately 440Hz +-50 cents) Stereo phone standard jack Microphone In - Standard jack (with microphone volume slider) 6 AA-size Batteries (optional) Battery Life - About 4 hours continuous operation on Alkaline Batteries; About 2 hours Continuous Operation on Manganese BatteriesAC Adaptor AD-5 included Auto Power Off turns power off about 6 minutes after Last Key Operation. Enabled under Battery Power Only, can be disabled manually Unit Dimensions 37 11/16 x 14 1/16 x 5 1/4 inches Weight About 8.8 lbs without Batteries

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Yamaha DGX-530 Keyboard, 88 Full-Sized Lightly Weighted Piano Style Keys Review

Tried this instrument out in the store and could not figure out what the difference was between this one and the 520 I previously reviewed on amazon.Sound qualities, voices, layout, display, and software all seemed identical to me to the 520.Finally, after a direct inquiry to Yamaha, I was told that the only difference between this model and the 520 was that the 530 contained 10 more rhythm sequences.

So, if you're one of those who would use this instrument heavily for recording and composition, and just could never find the right rhythmic background, you can try this one and see if one of their ten extra sequences works for you.

If you're like me, however, who use the keyboard mostly for performance purposes and only occasional composition and recording, it really isn't worth upgrading.If you're diligent enough and have the software (pretty much any layered music recording sequence will do; I happen to use Cakewalk 4), you can make and save your own rhythms anyway on either keyboard.

For a more detailed review of other features this keyboard has, check my review out on the DGX-520...aside from the extra rhythms, it's exactly the same.

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Product Description:
Yamaha's DGX530 Portable Grand Piano features 88 piano-style keys with Graded Soft Touch, a matching stand, a sustain pedal, USB storage, backlit LCD displays, notation and lyrics, and plenty more.


An 88-key keyboard with piano-centric features. Click to enlarge.
Matching stand included.
Brilliant, easy-to-navigate LCD.
Built-in stereo two-way speakers with bass ports.
Piano-Centric Features
The Yamaha Portable Grand, DGX530 has an easy to use panel, a wealth of piano-centric features including 88 piano-style keys, Graded Soft Touch (GST) action with different levels of resistance, and high-resolution stereo piano samples. Included are an attractive matching stand and sustain pedal.
USB Connectivity
The DGX530 has 2 USB ports on the back, each with a different use. "USB TO HOST" is plug-and-play connection for recording and playing back MIDI files, as well as transferring data to and from your computer.
"USB TO DEVICE" is for connecting peripheral USB storage devices such as hard drives or portable thumb drives. You can save user songs and settings, or transfer song data downloaded from the Internet to the instrument, where it can be used with the performance assistant and Yamaha Education Suite features.
Lyric, Chord and Notation Display
Have you ever played a song and wondered what it would look like as sheet music? The DGX530 can display the score to a song whether it comes from the Internet, the internal selections those you record yourself. Pages scroll automatically when a song is played back--no more page turning! For singers, the screen also displays chords and lyrics to XF compatible songs.
Easy to Use
The DGX530 is a breeze to use. Dive right in with convenient tools and features:

Expandable Music Database: Complete keyboard setups by song title. The keyboard selects an appropriate voice for the right hand melody, the correct musical style and the correct tempo. Simply call up a song title and start playing.
One Touch Setting (OTS): Provides you with a recommended voice with effects for each Style. For example, on a jazz style OTS might be piano, for a Latin style it might be acoustic guitar, or for a rock style it might be a guitar with overdrive.
Registration Memory: Set the keyboard up just the way you like and take a digital snapshot for instant recall. Load and save up to 16 Registrations to User memory. The Registration buttons are conveniently located just above the keyboard.
Performance Assistant Technology: Performance assistant technology is a feature from Yamaha that guarantees that you can't play a wrong melody note or chord. Here's how it works. Select a song, press the Performance Assistant button Chord Mode and play the keyboard--any notes you like. Every note you play will fit the music!

Yamaha Education Suite: Helps you learn to play
The DGX530 has 30 built-in songs (plus 70 more on the included CD-ROM) for you to learn to play using the Yamaha Education Suite. The songs are separated into left and right hand parts, providing 7 levels of lessons plus a convenient chord dictionary.

Three keyboard lessons for each hand:



Waiting Mode--Stops the playback of a song until you find the correct note and then continues.
Your Tempo Mode--Learn to play the correct notes with the correct timing. Song playback tempo will vary to match the speed you are playing at. The song will slow down when you play wrong notes, so you can learn at your own pace.
Minus One Mode--Here's where you can perfect your technique. The song will play at the normal tempo, minus the part you have chosen to play. Play along while listening to the song.


Lesson Grading--Monitors your progress as you practice each lesson and gives you a grade.
Repeat and Learn--The song location will move back four measures from the point at which you pressed the button, and playback will begin after a one measure count-in. This section will repeat allowing you to practice until perfect!
Chord Dictionary--Shows you how to play chords and tells you which chords you are playing by displaying the notes and chord names on the LCD screen.

6-Track Sequencer
With the DGX530, you have the equivalent of a built-in multi-track recorder. Record one or multiple instrument parts at a time and assign each part to a different track. Six tracks are provided to accommodate sophisticated melodies, chord accompaniment and rhythm parts.
Quality Sound
The DGX530 sounds as good as it plays. A two-way speaker system with separate woofers and tweeters delivers clear and lifelike instrument voices. Bass Boost ports add deeper low-end impact, and true stereo sound adds spatial depth and realism.
Realistic Sounding Voices
The DGX530 comes equipped with 127 panel voices, 12 drum/SFX kits, plus 361 XGlite voices. Dual and Split modes allow you to combine sounds.
Full Keyboard Mode
The DGX530 delivers on its piano theme with a special mode of fingering called Full Keyboard Mode. This allows the player to play the keyboard like a piano; for example a chord with the right hand and bass notes with the left. When using the accompaniment feature, the virtual band will follow these chords. Traditional portable keyboards normally require you to chord on the left side of the keyboard, in the bass section, which is foreign to most piano players. The DGX530 is also capable of this mode, for those who prefer it.
Digital Music Notebook
Digital Music Notebook is a multimedia Internet service that enables you to preview, purchase, download and print learn-to-play music books and chart-topping sheet music. From scales to chords to your favorite riffs, Digital Music Notebook is jam-packed with all the secrets you need to master your instrument. Add accompaniments, record and mix yourself, sing karaoke with friends, learn new techniques while having a blast--Digital Music Notebook delivers everything you need to bring music alive! And it's included with the DGX530.
What's in the Box
DGX530 Keyboard, Music Rest, Owner's Manual, Accessory CD-ROM, Keyboard Stand, Footswitch FC5, Power Adapter

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Yamaha Survival Kit D Review

Bought this for a Yamaha YPG-225 portable piano.The one good feature of the kit is the Yamaha PD5 power supply which is remarkably heavy for its small size and has a 6' foot cord from the transformer to wall socket and another thinner 6' foot cord from the transformer to the piano for a total of 12 feet - something you will appreciate.

The foot switch for sustain is a cheaply made plastic switch; you can buy a much better Yamaha foot peddle for about $30.The Koss headphones sound okay but are now somewhat broken after one day because of the cheap plastic headband.

The video will show you how to hook up your power supply, how to use the headphones and foot switch - totally useless with no instructional value.It will not show you how to navigate or operate you keyboard.

The software is a collection of very old shareware of dubious value with "lite" versions that require purchase for the "full feature" version.None where Yamaha products.

This entire package is a real disappointment save for the power supply.The kit is obviously very old judging by its outdated software package.My recommendation is to buy the power supply and a better foot peddle seperately.

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Product Description:
Yamaha factory packaged Survival Kit 1D supplies PA5d AC adapter, footswitch, stereo headphones, CDROM software plus an additional year warranty coverage for Yamaha electronic keyboard piano models DGX305, PSRK1, PSR450, DGX202, DGX300.Also labeled and known as Yamaha Value Pack 4.The value added by the original Yamaha AC adapter is immeasurable compared to being restricted to the use of 6 D cell batteries when using your electronic keyboard. * The Yamaha stereo headphones allow use of your keyboard piano without disturbing others, as well as lessening your own distractions from outside disturbances. * Survival Kit CDROM disc contains information on connecting your Yamaha electronic keyboard to a computer. It also has owner's manual and a variety of educational software that teach you to play and get the most out of your keyboard piano purchase.

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Kurzweil SP-76 Stage Piano Review

[Since posting this review, I see that Kurzweil has come out with the SP2 and SP3.Both pianos now allow for splits and layering, the SP2 with 64 (double those of the SP76) and the SP3 with 512 voices.The only problem is that it's now difficult for an average consumer to distinguish between the SP and PC series.In fact, the SP2 and SP3 look rather gaudy to me compared to the cleaner lines of the PC1, 2, or 3.All the same, the SP2 is still comparatively light and easy to program and hence can be recommended as a player's (as opposed to programmer's) axe.Sill one complaint: you have to wonder if these designers have ever heard a jazz trio--Nat Cole, Monty Alexander, Oscar Peterson, the 3 Sounds--for whom the walking bass plus ride cymbal sound are the very essence of "swing"(what's that?).A performance instrument should have those areas covered before the toys and whistles, the effects, the drum machines, the Take 6 examples, the reverb, the RMI electric piano, and every other clever device that, basically, has nothing to do with jazz, with swing, with music is thrown into the electronic circuitry.]

I've gone through twenty different keyboards and ten brands and am currently on my third SP-76 (one was stolen).It's a trifle inflated right now (it's gone down as low as $500, but that's when the American dollar still had some value).It's the most practical solution for the modern keyboard player (and pianist), the least expensive electric piano that still carries some respectability (don't bring a Casio or low-end Yamaha on a gig).Best of all, I can play a downtown job, walk a block to the hotel with keyboard gig bag over one shoulder (lightweight stand inside) and a small but powerful cube amp in one hand in a single trip (by comparison, I see other guys rolling coffins with Roland RD700s and making 2-3 trips), then repeating the whole process at the end of the night.The SP76 is a life-saver.

I'm more of a "pianist" than a "keyboard" player, but you soon force yourself to get used to unweighted keys in exchange for the lightness, and you rarely miss the 12 subtracted notes. The SP76 piano sounds as good as any but falls considerably short of the long-gone Kurzweil K-1000.

Don't be confused by the descriptions of any pianos in the SP series.You can't split and layer sounds without an external module, the keyboard requires time and patience to MIDI, and the 32 onboard sounds are not always adequate (why no vibes?).Still if I lost another keyboard, I'd have to replace it instantly with this one or stop accepting any more one-nighters.

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Product Description:
The new SP Series Stage Pianos are the performance keyboards you've been waiting for. Well-constructed and affordable, these stage pianos have everything you need. The SP Series comes in lightweight 76- and 88-key semi-weighted action models (SP76 and SP88), plus an 88-note fully weighted action model (SP88X). The Stage Pianos have the award-winning Kurzweil sounds and transmit on 2 user-selectable, independent MIDI channels. Put your music on stage with this new model of performance piano from Kurzweil, the leader in sound technology.

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Yamaha CP50 - 88-Key Stage Piano, Black Review

great action, similar to the motif xs. If this keyboard has only one sound, I would wish for the YAMAHA S6 piano, but it did not include the s6. Disappointed. The CP5 with wooden keys has even much better action and might have the s6 sound.

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Product Description:
Yamaha's CP50 electronic piano takes the core sounds and technology of the CP1, while it's flexibility and portability make it perfect for the working pro on the go. The CP50 adds a wide range of sounds to the CP1. Clavs, organs, strings and more make the Yamaha CP50 perfect for church, school, and live situations where everything needs to be performed on one keyboard. The Yamaha stage piano features not only Virtual Circuit Modeling effects, but also many effects taken from Yamaha's Motif XS line of Synthesizers. The CP50 piano has a graded hammer action and a lightweight, portable keyboard design.

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Yamaha CP300 Stage Piano Review

Good piano sound, plays like a real piano, has good choir sound, the string sounds could be better, especially when blending with the piano. And then there are all the MIDI sounds that I didn't realize came with it, and I still haven't gotten to the bottom of all the features.

I like the way the often-used functions are laid out as buttons, that is a good design and a good implementation.

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Product Description:
Like all fine instruments, the CP 300 simply begs to be played. Sit down with one, and the instrument becomes an extension of your hands and your musical imagination. The authentic piano voices and rich expressiveness come alive at your touch, and the sound is big enough to blast through a full band onstage - yet nuanced enough to work magic in an intimate club.Yamaha's extensive experience in crafting fine acoustic pianos helps us in creating the ultimate digital pianos. Our advanced Graded Hammer Effect (GHE) action gives all keys an authentic resistance that increases from the top register to the lower - just as on an actual acoustic piano. Which means that you can naturally pound out thunderous low notes with your left hand and let the fingers on your right dance and fly with the high notes.In crafting the authentic sound of the CP series, we used meticulously recorded stereo samples of top-quality instruments, taken at various playing strengths, and included subtle elements such as String Resonance, Stereo Sustain, and even Key-Off Samples that capture the felt dampers muting the piano strings - providing the most authentic sounding and finely nuanced acoustic piano voices possible.The CP stage pianos are also master keyboard controllers that give you full command of your gear. Play and control external tone generators. Assign different voices to different keyboard sections and create multi-textured layers of sound. Four instrument Zones on the CP300 with panel sliders, let you easily tweak the level of each instrument as you play. You can also freely reassign the sliders and wheels to control other sonic characteristics of your gear, such as sound attack, decay, brightness and filter cutoff.The CP300 features professional quality balanced XLR output connectors. These give you the cleanest, clearest noise-free signal - both for serious recording in the studio, and playing onstage where long unbalanced cables may compromise your sound.

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Traditional Spinet - Mahogany/Black, by Schoenhut Review

I bought this piano for my grandson's second birthday, as he loves! Nana's big piano, but we live in different states.It was his favorite gift and he has learned to "play" gently already.It is a beautiful piano and the sound, while not piano quality, is okay.

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Product Description:
Traditional Spinet - Mahogany/Black, by Schoenhut
22x18x12
Played at Carnegie Hall by internationally acclaimed concert pianist Margaret Leng Tan, Schoenhut's Traditional Spinet is a musical instrument of highest quality. Publicized in the New York

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