Today in the world of keyboards you can find a lot of interesting things. And Casio synthesizers are no exception. Here you can find a lot of models included in the basic product line - from entry-level tools to professional workstations designed for live performances.
Casio Synthesizers: General Features
If you look, by and large, among Casio's keyboard products, you rarely find professional tools comparable to the capabilities of workstations such as Yamaha Motif, Korg Trinity and Triton, Roland Fantom or Kurzweil synthesizers.
Almost all series and basic lines suggest a kind of training instrumental synthesizer Casio. Reviews say just that. In fact, with rare exceptions, almost all instruments are more reminiscent of Yamaha's products in terms of instruments in which auto accompaniment is assumed. However, a child, a beginner musician, and a professional will always be able to find in a wide assortment something interesting, based on their needs.
CTK Series
One of Casio's widest keyboards is the CTK Series, which includes both entry-level synthesizers and more advanced models.
So, for example, one of the simplest “toys” can be called the Casio CTK-240 synthesizer or some subsequent modifications. There is a minimal set of functions with a hundred tones and several types of accompaniment variations. Such an instrument will allow a novice musician or child, say, to learn some simple tune or listen to how the arrangement should sound.
The downside that Casio synthesizers of this line have in this case is the incomplete keyboard, which is also not fully weighted.
The models are a bit more powerful (for example, 2200, 2400, 3200) have the same functional set, but you can split the keyboard in them, try the sampling function (record a few short pieces and combine them), and record from the microphone.
In the 4000 series and its further modifications, it became possible to control some parameters related to editing the style (disable a certain part, replace the sounding instrument with another, replace the effects used, save the settings in the registration memory, etc.).
In the 6000 series and above, editing is done using the built-in 16-channel mixer. There is also a sequencer in which you can create your own composition.
In the 7200 modification, you can find even more features and settings. To register user settings, 8 memory slots are allocated here. In the model itself there are more sounds and effects, actually recorded parts can be converted to WAV format and saved to a memory card (SD or SDHC), use the synthesizer itself as a DSP effect processor, for example, to process vocals and much more.
We should also say that almost all the more powerful models have a fully-weighted piano-type keyboard. In this case, you can find modifications with 61 or 88 keys.
WK Series
The Casio WK or LK synthesizers are essentially no different from the CTK series. This is understandable, because both lines were developed with the aim of getting the musician access to the built-in training system, as well as to use the same auto accompaniment.
Again, you can meet here the most simple models such as WK-220, and quite powerful tools with wide capabilities such as WK-7600. What you should pay attention to is a wide variety of effect and arpeggiator settings.
As in all other models, here you can also use, for example, a USB interface for connecting to external hosts or computer virtual studios such as Cubase, FL Studio, Ableton Live, Presonus Studio One, etc.
Workstations and Digital Pianos
Casio synthesizers look no less interesting in terms of professional instruments. One of the most popular in the world is the so-called digital piano Casio PX3-BK.
This tool is designed clearly for professionals. It has a fully-weighted piano-type keyboard (88 keys) and many sound settings (the same equalizer). Separately, it is worth saying that in addition to splitting the keyboard, you can use special features to superimpose layers of sounds on each divided register (2 on each). There are also some synthesizer functions such as adjusting the level of attack or decay of the signal, applying a filter, vibrato, etc.
There is another interesting type of tool. These are two modifications of the Casio XW-P1 and Casio XW-G1. As their testing shows, the difference between them is insignificant, but they are intended solely for live performances, due to the presence of a huge number of “twists” that allow you to change the timbre of the sound or some of its parameters beyond recognition.
It seems that such an instrument is useful, rather, to a modern DJ. And if you use it together with a sampler ("iron" or virtual type Kontakt or Machine from Native Instruments), you can squeeze out a lot more than the factory settings and features suggest.
Prices
Now, probably, it is worth considering which Casio synthesizers to choose for yourself. Prices and their spread have a fairly wide range. So, for example, the simplest models cost around $ 100, but for more sophisticated ones you will have to give $ 500 or more.
However, first you need to decide for what purpose the instrument is bought, and only then make the final choice.