Casio Casiotone, 61-Key Portable Keyboard (CT-S200BK)

Product Information

There are 24 reverbs, and settings for chorus, delay, and DSP and EQ pre-sets. The connections are for sustain pedal, headphones, AUDIO IN, USB to HOST, and you can connect the Bluetooth dongle as well. With 61 full-sized keys and 32 notes of polyphony, this is a great instrument for learning on. There are 122 built-in tones to explore, as well as 61 play-along rhythms and 60 songs. In a nod to the 201, this keyboard uses the same tone selection system as its classic predecessor (press tone select and then press the keys to find a sound you like.) Essentially, digital pianos aim to give an authentic simulation of a traditional piano but in a convenient, keyboard-like format. They are likely to have any number of voices but most of these will be quality piano tones, plus perhaps a few organs. They differ from arranger keyboards in that they are unlikely to have auto-accompaniment features. As well as the USB connection, which has been present on all modern Casiotone keyboards, the CT-S400 is compatible with Casio’s WU-BT10 Bluetooth Dongle. This handy gadget turns your instrument into a Bluetooth device, allowing you to wirelessly transfer MIDI and audio data for a variety of functions.

Keyboards such as the CT-202 ( c. 1981) use vowel-Consonant synthesis. The later model of this family, the MT-65, is one of the more well known and sought after models, as it also contains auto-accompaniment drum beats and bass lines. Buy any of the best Casio keyboards or digital pianos and you’ll be granted free access to the Casio Music Academy. Designed by music teachers, this online portal combines video tutorials with an app that connects to your keyboard via a USB cable or the optional WU-BT10 Bluetooth dongle. While you play, it’ll analyse your performance and show you how to improve, step by step. How we choose the best Casio keyboards The 201 was supposed to be an instrument for everybody. Affordable and easy to use, Casio’s intention was to create a keyboardthat anyone would be able to learn with. Compared to other polyphonic synths at the time, the Casiotone was uniquely lightweight and inexpensive. Sure, it didn’t sound as iconic as a Prophet-5 – but that isn’t remotely what it was trying to do.The CT-S1000V comes with a Bluetooth dongle, as well as all of the connections featured on the S500. We’ve included a few digital pianos in this guide, so it’s worth making the distinction even though there’s often a lot of overlap between them and arranger keyboards. However – as the line has continued over the last few years, Casio have begun to push the envelope more and more. Without losing sight of their roots, Casiotone keyboards have become increasingly feature-rich. Their most recent models wouldn’t be out of place in a professional studio!

It includes all of the features and functions that the S500 did – including the sampler – but the big difference is the inclusion of Casio Vocal Synthesis. Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides. The functionality of the CT-S400 is enormous, making this an excellent instrument for somebody looking for a serious keyboard. It’s a bit bigger and heavier, and the handle is gone – so this keyboard has lost some of the mobility of the earlier Casiotones. Dance Music Mode has also been taken off.

Music Player

Other supplied accessories include a power supply (the CT-S1000V can also run on six AA batteries) and a music stand. Performance & Verdict Touch-responsive keys are important for playing piano pieces, whilst a pitch bend wheel is great for synth-style lead parts. If performing is a priority for you, then the CT-S300 is a good choice. It adds 200 more tones (800 in total), 43 more rhythms (243 in total), and allows 50 user rhythms. There are 24 reverbs, 12 choruses, 15 delays, 10 EQ pre-sets and 100 DSP pre-sets! On top of this, the polyphony is upped to 64 notes. With the modern Casiotone range now up to seven models, we’ve decided to run you through their development, and help you figure out which one might be right for you. The CT-S1 refines the essence of the S100, S200, and S300 – whilst utilising some of Casio’s most recent technological breakthroughs.

Roland's take on the portable keyboard concept features 61 keys, more than 500 sounds, onboard Bluetooth and a Loop Mix feature. Some early 1980s models in the PT series of keyboards, such as the PT-30, PT-50, PT-80 and PT-82, were not marketed under the Casiotone name. The name was revived again later for models such as the PT-87 (which is basically the same as the PT-82) which was again sold as Casiotone. The Casiotone line was relaunched in 2019 with the same design philosophy as Casio’s original 1980’s keyboard. Simple yet stylish instruments at an affordable price – making music accessible to everybody. When connected to your Casio piano or keyboard, Casio Music Space can act as a digital music score, a teacher, a live-performance simulator and an all-round app with which to enjoy learning and playing music. Based around the functionality of Chordana Play but with an expanded array of features, it’s aimed at complete beginners, people taking up an instrument again, or intermediate to advanced players who want to experience a new way of playing. The fact that all Casiotone keyboards have USB connections means they can all be used as MIDI controllers. The CT-S300 and CT-S1 stand out as good choices for those seeking a keyboard to use mainly as a controller for their DAWdue to their touch-sensitive keys. The easily-carried CT-S300 would be good for somebody seeking a portable, laptop-based setup; whilst the refined styling of the CT-S1 would look excellent in a home studioenvironment.Following directly on, the CT-S200 is like a beefed-up CT-S100. It offers all of the functionality of the CT-S100, with lots of useful extras. Despite its toy-like looks, it’s more than just a plaything. One hundred tones with shortcuts to piano, trumpet and drums, 50 built-in rhythms and 32 note polyphony make it an intriguing learning tool for young minds, plus they’ll get access to free lessons at Casio’s Music Academy. Our nominated carrier is Parcel Force. Deliveries are made Monday – Friday between 9.00am – 6.00pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Similarly, the widespread success of the first Casiotone keyboards is responsible for propelling Casio further into the musical instrument business, where they went on to cement themselves as one of the major players for electronic keyboards and digital pianos. The success of the first Casiotone keyboard prompted Casio to continue the line, adding even more features to their products. Many of their additions have since become hallmarks of the modern keyboard – such as automated rhythm and bass parts.

This model adds touch-responsive keys, with two different levels of sensitivity plus the ability to turn touch off. There’s also a pitch-bend wheel – letting you add flair and expression to your performances. The original Casiotone keyboards came in three distinct families, separated by the method of synthesis. [ citation needed] After the release of the Casio SK-1 in 1985, gradually PCM sample-based tone generators became dominant in Casio's keyboards line. After the 1990s, most Casio keyboards utilized PCM tone generator or its variants. Tempted by a Casiotone? Or want to explore the rest of our keyboards? Follow the links below to explore our full range. There is no longer a suite of songs though, the S500 having its bank cut down to only one demo song.It utilised “vowel-consonant” synthesis – a form of subtractive synthesis using filter patterns based on human speech tones. To select one of the 29 pre-set voices, you simply pressed the tone select button and then any of the white keys on the keyboard. This uncomplicated layout made the Casiotone extremely simple to navigate. Adding performance-focussed functionality, the CT-S300 is perfect for those seeking more expressive capabilities. It retains all of the features of the CT-S200, but with improved playability.