![]() That said, Casio seems to have really done its homework in this area of late, and some of the pre-programmed styles on its more recent launches are very sophisticated and usable. ![]() These are always going to be divisive, and somebody else’s idea of a cool drum rhythm and accompaniment won’t always be to your taste. Styles are usually categorised by genre, with all of the keyboards on this list offering a broad selection from across the globe. The term ‘style’ refers to a set of backing instruments that play along with you as you hold down a chord with your left hand. For more information on the differences between the two types of instrument, see our digital piano vs keyboard article here. Bear in mind that quantity isn’t always a measure of quality, though – it’s far better to have fewer usable voices than hundreds you’ll never bother with, especially if you’re more in the market for a digital piano than a portable keyboard. What to look out for when buying a Casio keyboardĪrranger keyboards often ship with hundreds of different instrument presets, representing practically every instrument that exists and probably quite a few that don’t. ![]() Sophistication levels will naturally rise in tandem with price, but most of the keyboards on this list feature a good mix of traditional and current styles. Casio is no exception, and the Japanese firm currently offers some of the most articulate backing-band styles on the market. To be fair, keyboard manufacturers have been working hard to ensure that the styles included in their latest models are elevated above the cheese level normally associated with this kind of thing. As a result, auto-accompaniment features tend to be a bit ‘Marmite’ – you either love them or hate them. With the latter, you need only play a chord with your left hand (this can usually be done with a single finger if you don’t feel like playing the complete chord), and your virtual band will play along while you pick out the melody with your right hand.īecause the accompaniment styles are pre-programmed at the factory, they’re pretty much dependent on the in-house composers’ music tastes. Find out more about how we test.īy definition, an arranger keyboard is one that features built-in rhythms, along with ‘virtual band’ accompaniments. Why you can trust MusicRadar Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. The 44 mini keys aren’t velocity-sensitive, but that’s not really a deal-breaker at this level – as a fun way for kids to get into picking out simple melodies over fun backing tracks, there aren’t many better options out there. Aside from that, the spec is the same, this mini marvel squeezing in 100 instrument tones, 50 rhythms and 10 basic integrated songs, an LCD display, five drum pads for tapping out your own rhythms, twin speakers and, perhaps most importantly, a headphone jack!Ĭhanging between piano, organ and harmonium sounds is achieved by pressing the big orange button on the front panel. The three model designations in the SA range relate to the case colour – the SA-76 has an orange casing, the SA-77 is grey and the SA-78’s undercarriage is bright pink. It’s affordable enough to help determine whether or not you have a budding Mozart in the house, without breaking the bank. The tiny but mighty SA-76 is a colourful and fun way to start your kids off on the path to exploring the world of music. The PX-S1100 has two headphone outputs for duets or lessons, and is available in three colours – black, white or red. It only comes with 18 instrument voices but, as you’d expect from a professional-grade digital piano, string resonance, damper resonance, key action noise and damper noise are all present and correct in the rich, detailed grand piano tone. Though it’s still a relatively portable unit, the PX-S1100 is a serious instrument, with an active touch-panel display, Casio’s great-feeling Smart Scaled Hammer Action weighted keyboard and a whopping 192-note polyphony to ensure you won’t have any sustained notes dropping out. An upgraded version of the Privia PX-S1000 – which Casio claims to be the world’s slimmest digital piano – the PX-S1100 builds upon an already impressive list of features by adding Bluetooth audio and MIDI connectivity, an enhanced AIR (Acoustic intelligent Resonator) grand piano tone for even more musical expression, a tweaked speaker system, plus a USB audio record and playback function.
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