Today we're going to be looking at one of the most popular musical instruments on Amazon in Canada and the United States - the Alesis Recital. This is an 88-note, non-weighted but touch-sensitive digital piano.
Given the massive popularity this instrument has achieved, we figured it was definitely worth taking a look at here to see if all of the attention was deserved, or simply the result of effective marketing.
We'll cover everything from the sound, action and features, and leave you with our overall verdict on this 88-key digital piano.
Are Semi-Weighted Keys Okay For Piano Lessons?
Before we start digging into the specifics of the Alesis Recital, let's have a quick discussion with regards to whether or not an action that is not fully weighted is appropriate for someone learning piano.
88-Key Semi-Weighted Action
The Alesis Recital features an 88-note action, and the dimensions of the keys themselves are pretty close to those found on a real piano. While touch sensitive, the action is unweighted, and weighted keys are a pretty often recommended feature for anyone looking for an instrument when they or their child starts lessons.
An argument is going to be made that there's certainly a basic level of technique that you can start to build and work on with this instrument, but most piano teachers will agree that weighted keys are required to start developing the proper sense of control and dynamics needed for taking piano lessons and learning the instrument.
It's definitely important to keep this in mind if you're starting lessons and looking for a piano. With that out of the way, let's jump into the sound engine.
Alesis Recital - Sound Engine
Strong Value
One of the big things Alesis focuses on in their marketing literature is the argument that the Alesis Recital is a one-of-a-kind instrument for the price not only because of the 88-note action but because of the quality of the tone engine and speaker system.
Some reviews online will state that the Alesis Recital can go head-to-head with the Yamaha P-45 in terms of tone, especially since the Recital has 128-note polyphony and 20-watt speakers. But let's hold our horses a second here - the P-45 absolutely smokes the Recital from a sound perspective to the point that it's not even close.
That said, the Recital costs about half as much as the P-45 so that really needs to be kept in mind. When Alesis claims that the Recital is one of a kind for the price, they have a legitimate point.
It's just going to come down to whether the Recital is delivering enough, or if the jump to a higher price point and a superior playing experience from a Yamaha or Casio would actually make more sense
128 Note Polyphony & 20 Watt Speakers
The 128-note maximum polyphony count is a nice bonus, and the speakers are pretty decent, though if you crank them anywhere above 75% or so there is definitely some distortion happening.
Grand Piano Sound
Now, specifically to the character of the grand piano sound here. Right away it's clear that it's actually a pretty complex sample that Alesis is using. They don't disclose what types of sampling they've done or how many sample layers were used, but the point is, the sound is pretty decent.
There's a reverb engine with a few modifications possible so you can adjust the character of the tone to some extent. There's also Chorus which you can use on the non-acoustic piano tones, of which there are 5 in total including electric piano, organ and synth, as well as a Modulation effect.
For the price, definitely some pretty decently realistic sound happening here.
Digital Piano Action
Touch Sensitive
As mentioned above, the Alesis Recital features an 88-note, non-weighted, spring-loaded action. There are a couple of levels of touch sensitivity, perhaps 3 or 4, so there's some amount of dynamic control possible here. There's adjustable touch response across a couple of levels as well.
The key dip however is a lot shallower than you'll get on a real piano, so the transition from this instrument to an acoustic piano will be hampered somewhat by that.
Who is this Action Suited For?
So who is this action really appropriate for? If you're a parent looking for a keyboard to spark some interest and get your child into lessons and gauge overall interest, the Alesis Recital and this action would probably work really well.
Sure, if things go well, you might need an upgrade sooner than you might have expected, but fortunately, the initial financial investment isn't totally staggering.
The Recital could also work really well for folks who need an 88-note action for gigging and aren't concerned at all with whether or not the action is weighted.
Additional Features
Metronome & Transpose
The Alesis Recital has a fine selection of additional features. For starters, there is a built-in metronome with adjustable BPM. This is pretty key for students as they work on developing their internal sense of time and rhythm. A built-in metronome saves you an additional purchase.
Transpose is also covered as well. The benefit of this feature is that it allows you to shift the pitch of the keyboard without changing where your fingers happen to be playing.
Layer, Split Mode & Twin Piano
You can also get into layering of 2 sounds, and Split Mode is present as well, as is Twin Piano. Alesis refers to this as a powerful educational feature which is an exaggeration, but it is definitely a useful feature to have.
Professional keyboard players certainly make extensive use of Layering and Splitting the keyboard, but for beginners and students, features like this are included more as fun ways to engage a learner.
Skoove Premium Subscription
Certain packages of the Alesis Recital also include a free subscription for 3-months of Skoove Premium which is an online piano lesson platform with new music theory tips.
Connectivity - Power & RCA Audio
Connector Ports
In terms of connectivity, the Recital has a DC and includes a power supply in the box, which is actually nice because at this price point, often a power adapter is not included. You also have the option to power the Recital with 6 D Cell Batteries.
Oddly, there are stereo RCA outputs in case you want to connect the Recital to an amplifier or stereo. It's not as common anymore to have RCA outs on a keyboard as it's now usually 1/4-inch outs, but having an RCA out is better than nothing.
Pedals
There's also a pedal input for a sustain pedal, but keep in mind that a sustain pedal is not included. The Recital does not support half-pedalling, so you can add on a pretty basic one to get some sustain happening.
Headphones
Of course, a stereo headphone output is present for private practice, and there's a USB-MIDI port for connecting to devices for apps or software synth plugins.
Closing Thoughts
Considering the comparably low price point, is the Alesis Recital delivering a solid instrument for the price? We would definitely say the answer is yes.
Is it a long-term solution for piano lessons? Most definitely not, but for getting introduced to music, the Alesis Recital will do the trick.
Finally, an affordable digital grand piano from Kawai. If there was one glaring hole in Kawai’s otherwise strong digital piano lineup, it was without question a digital baby grand piano that didn’t totally break the bank like previous models like the CP1.
And the fact is, there’s a real demand for products like this - just look at the success of Roland’s GP line. Kawai has finally answered the bell and plugged this hole with the brand new Kawai DG30.
That means it’s time for a review. We’re going to jump right into our dissection of this new instrument to see if it matches expectations and how it measures up to other options in the market. Be sure to check out the accompanying video as well for an even more in-depth analysis and some playing examples.
Kawai DG30 Digital Grand Piano - General Overview
Why is this a Big Deal?
We first heard about the new DG30 back during NAMM 2020. We, and many other dealers, have been begging Kawai for something like this for years, so naturally, we were very excited to see to learn that the DG30 was on the way.
We knew there was going to be a serious market for this piano, and given Kawai’s track record, we were sure they would be able to produce an excellent instrument for this category.
First Impressions of the Specs Sheet
When we finally got our hands on the specifications sheet we were in all honesty a little bit underwhelmed. The specs sheet just didn’t have the wow fact of a Kawai NOVUS 10 or NOVUS 5 for example.
Now that we’ve finally had a chance to play one and disregard some of our previous expectations, the overwhelming consensus is that this is a very satisfying piano to play that also happenns to look great.
Attractive Cabinet
And this shouldn’t be a surprise as the DG30 is essentially a Kawai CN39 in the piano cabinet of a small grand piano - the same sound engine, speakers, keyboard action, etc. The CN39 is a wonderful instrument in its own right, so despite our lack of initial enthusiasm for fancy new specs, we’re perfectly fine with Kawai’s choice here.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the piano sound.
Kawai DG30 - Piano Sound
4 Speaker System With 2x 20 Watt Amps from Onkyo
To start, the DG30 has a pair of 20-watt amplifiers for a total of 40 watts of power, coming at the player through a 4 speaker system. There are two main speakers aimed at the floor, and two tweeters for some of the higher frequencies.
Onkyo Audio Technologies was a big contributor here as the speaker/amp configuration was designed in concert with them, and they have supplied the signal processing technology.
Progressive Harmonic Imaging Sound Engine
It features the Progressive Harmonic Imaging (PHI) sound chip with 88-key stereo sampling, which as mentioned, is the same version found in the CN39, as well as the CA49. The focus of this sample set is the beautifully recorded Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano.
The 88-key stereo sampling is significant as it means each and every note of the SKEX was recorded individually as opposed to only recording one in every four or five notes and stretching the sample. Individual note sampling produces a far more accurate tone.
Other Sounds
There are 355 built-in sounds, and the vast majority of these are high-quality. The acoustic pianos and vintage electric pianos are definitely the highlights.
That said, Kawai always has nice church organs and as a result, their digital pianos have been quite popular with the worship community for many years. The Kawai DG30 would make for a fine digital piano for a Church looking for a versatile digital piano that happens to look like an acoustic baby grand.
OLED Display User Interface
Navigating the controls is the same as on the CN39 as well, with an easy-to-use control panel with an OLED display located on the cheek block.
256 Note Polyphony
The polyphony is a strong 256 notes which might sound like overkill, but it will be important to some as you can have 16 MIDI tracks going in at once on this thing.
A large polyphony count like this also ensures that even if you’re layering and adding effects, the polyphony is never going to get strained.
Virtual Technician
The Kawai DG30 is also equipped with Kawai’s Virtual Technician feature, which gives the player access to 19 editable sound-related parameters.
If that’s too intimidating, there are several Smart Presets that give you specific combinations of the parameters pre-determined by Kawai. Check out the video for some examples of this, as well as some playing examples of the different grand piano sounds.
Cabinet Resonance
Some final observations related to sound; despite the sound specs lining up exactly with the CN39, we are noticing an effect the cabinet seems to be having on the sound, namely, there’s some real cabinet resonance coming through. This isn’t in the marketing literature, but we’re definitely picking up on it.
On to the piano action.
Kawai DG30 - Piano Action
Responsive Hammer III Key Action
The Kawai DG30 is equipped with Kawai’s Responsive Hammer III action. Though they’ve kept the name the same, this is the latest, upgraded version of the RHIII.
This action is known for being one of the best plastic key actions available and features grade-weighted hammers, ivory touch white key surfaces, let-off simulation, triple sensor key detection, and counterweights.
The dynamic output is very accurate, as is the weighting. The texture on the key surfaces offers a nice balance between grip and glide, and the white keys are rounded for ease of piano playing experience.
The Best Plastic Key Action Available?
There’s not much more one could really ask for with this action - it’s responsive, offers the player a ton of control, and the repetition speed is good. In fact, many people consider the RHIII to be the best plastic action currently on the market.
Roland’s PHA4 often gets considered as well, but it doesn’t have the counterweights or the repetition speed that the RHIII does.
You need to jump to a wood-based action for a real upgrade from here, but to keep the price down on the DG30, Kawai elected for this action as opposed to the wood-based Grand Feel Compact.
Kawai DG30 - Connectivity
Connector Ports
Let’s start with the physical connector ports. The Kawai DG30 has both 1/4” stereo line inputs and line outputs. This is really important because if you’re looking for the aesthetics of a baby grand piano for a venue, such as a restaurant or other performance space, but would like something maintenance-free, the DG30 is going to be a great choice.
1/4” stereo line outputs ensure you can connect the DG30 to an amp or external speaker system for more power than what the 40-watt amps can muster.
After that, we’ve got dual headphone jacks, as well as USB Type A and B connectors.
Bluetooth MIDI & Bluetooth Audio
The Kawai DG30 also has Bluetooth MIDI and Bluetooth Audio. Bluetooth MIDI means you can connect to Smart devices to access apps like Kawai’s Sound Museum apps and playback recordings, while Bluetooth Audio means you can stream music directly through the DG30’s sound system.
This makes the DG30 a wonderful piano for entertaining - who won’t be impressed hearing high-quality audio coming from your grand piano at your next party?
Kawai DG30 - Features
Internal Recorder
The Kawai DG30 is a strong internal song recorder that can record both WAV and MP3 files, and you can save up to 16-Track standard MIDI recordings to a flash drive.
This might not be the most relevant feature to the average DG30 buyer, but it’s a nice perk that carries over from the CN39.
Metronome & Other Functions
In terms of other features, the DG30 has pretty much everything else you’d expect, such as a metronome, transpose, built-in rhythms, and a built-in lesson function. There’s a variety of built-in lesson books too such as Alfred Lesson Songs, Czerny, Chopin, and more.
Kawai DG30 - High-End Cabinet
Genuine Polyester
Now to the cabinet. Kawai went all the way here by using genuine polyester for the Ebony Polish finish, as they do with their acoustic grand pianos. This is worth noting because not every piano company uses real polyester for their ebony polish finishes, and instead, often takes a much less durable approach.
Polyester does make the instrument heavier, but two people would still be able to move it, so keep that in mind if you’re a restaurant owner looking to spice up your establishment.
Full Appointments
Rounding out the cabinet is an attractive key cover, music rest, and a 2-position top board for an even more aesthetic effect.
Grand Feel Pedal System
Lastly, we have to mention that the DG30 is using Kawai’s Grand Feel Pedal System with half-pedal support, which is something pianists just love. Kawai has applied three different spring pressures to the three pedals - Damper, Sostenuto, and Soft- mimicking the exact feel of a grand piano pedal system.
Closing Thoughts
Thank you for sticking with us at Merriam Music Blogs and Articles through this review of the DG30. We’re thrilled that Kawai has added this to their lineup. The Kawai DG30 is going to compete really nicely against Roland's GP-607, and in fact, we have a comparison video between the two that you can check out here.
The Kawai DG30 is a competitively priced, musical, and perhaps most importantly, beautiful digital grand piano from Kawai ready for a variety of settings. And with Kawai’s great reputation and warranty coverage, you can feel confident going with the DG30 rather than some no-name branded digital piano from a big box store.
The popularity of digital pianos has ushered in an increase in innovations in the world of keyboard stands. While serving a simple purpose, these accessories can vary in design and be better suited to different situations.
Digital pianos in the slab and stage formats are built to be portable - something lightweight enough that musicians can carry them for short distances, transport them in cars or public transit, or store it in small spaces like a closet, dorm room, or a touring van.
Manufacturers achieve the smaller footprint mostly by compressing the electronics and speakers (much like a laptop vs a desktop computer) and ridding it of its pedals and furniture. What this means is if one of these becomes your instrument of choice, you'll very likely also need to purchase a sturdy keyboard stand to go with it.
In this article, we'll cover the most popular keyboard stands available on the market today, approximate price ranges you'll run into, and which stand is appropriate for different situations, all the way from basic home use, to those gearing up for a world tour.
It's important to know that there is no single best keyboard stand, but a variety of great choices depending on various considerations.
Types of Keyboard Stands
“X” Style Keyboard Stand
This simple X-Style stand gets its name from its design. There are two sets of 2 steel pipes each connected with a steel strut. There is a scissor-type folding action with a basic axel that connects the two sections; this design allows for height adjustments and for the stand to be collapsed completely flat, making it the lightest, easiest, lowest cost stand on the market meaning you can find these for sale in most musical instrument stores.
It also has the lowest weight capacity, is prone to some wobble, and isn’t known for its durability. Some digital piano manufacturers, such as Yamaha and Casio, offer a low-cost X stand option as well.
When to use them?
The X-Style keyboard stand is the best stand when portability or cost is the only consideration, and your piano weighs less than 40 lbs (ideally less than 30 lbs).
“Double X” Style Stand
The Double X-Style stand is an improvement on the first design, where the horizontal pipes that act as the feet and platform are braced with two sets of scissoring struts, instead of one set as with the first design. These also offer adjustable height via locking straps or some other type of locking mechanism.
When to use them?
Where portability and cost are top priorities, and the weight of your keyboard is somewhere between 40 - 70 lbs.
Z Stand
The Z-stand is one of the best blends of portability and stability on the market. Several companies make the type with a few differences in how they collapse. But once fully deployed, they’re all virtually the same and are ideal for heavier keyboards.
There are two steel ‘Z’s which sit parallel to each other, connected by two telescoping shafts, and the vertical part of the ‘Z’ also telescopes, giving the stand both adjustable width and height, with lots of leg room. These are generally speaking high-quality options.
There are also certain heavy-duty Second Tier Keyboard Stand versions that allow you to place two keyboards on them at once, allowing keyboardists to rapidly switch between two keyboards or even play both at once. The single-tier stand is of course more popular, but these exist for those who need them.
When to use them?
If you have the budget for a $100 - 150 stand, you're looking for a height-adjustable piano keyboard stand, and it will be receiving frequent use and/or moves, this is an ideal option (with the collapsing arms). They’re rugged, stable, and can handle the largest and most heavy keyboards out there with great sturdiness. Hercules and Roland both make great options.
When not to use them?
For super small keyboards in the 61 or 76 note range that are 20 lbs or smaller, this would be overkill.
Folding Table Style Keyboard Stand
We don’t actually know if the industry has a ‘name’ for this, but these types of stands look like those ubiquitous folding tables that you see at every wedding or event hall. The top of the table is rectangular, and two sets of legs swing down from hinges along the two short sides of the table. This tabletop option is also a sturdy stand.
When to Use Them?
The Table Style stand is essentially going to serve the same types of keyboardists, keyboards, and digital pianos as the Z stand, but in scenarios when portability isn’t as important.
For example, if your keyboard is going to spend most of its time occupying space on a Church stage or rehearsal room, the Table Style stand might be an enticing option.
“T” Stand
The final stand type is referred to as a T stand since that’s precisely what it looks like when folded up. There are four articulating arms, all with a 90-degree elbow, which form the legs of the stand. They’re attached at either end of a central spine and are highly flexible.
When to Use Them: Like the Table Style Stand, the T stand is another alternative to the Z stand that will come down to personal preference.
ClosingThoughts
We hope that this article has provided some insight into what might be the best choice for you, whether that’s a single X stand, double X stand, Z stand, Table Style stand, or T Stand.
Ultimately, the focus should be on finding a stand that's stable and will last a few years, and not fall apart on a gig if you’re a performing musician.
Thanks for reading! Visit Merriam Music for more Articles and Blogs and Don't forget to subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more Digital Piano Reviews and Covers.
Hello and welcome to another digital piano comparison video and article here at Merriam Pianos. Today we’ll be comparing two of the most popular digital piano models available for under $1,000 CAD on the planet.
On the one hand, we have the Yamaha P-125, which is a favorite here at Merriam Pianos as well as around the world. On the other hand, we have the Casio CDP-S350 which is a relatively new model from them meant to serve the entry-level 88-note weighted action digital piano market.
These portable keyboards are very close in price and appearance, so naturally, many people shopping in this general category, both beginners and experienced musicians, will end up comparing them during the decision-making process. Let’s jump in.
Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350 - Background
The Sub $1,000 Digital Piano Market
When we’re talking about weighted 88-note keyboards available for under $1,000 CAD that is worth serious musical consideration, there’s a fairly small set of instruments to choose from. When we say serious musical consideration, we specifically mean things like quality of tone, speakers, and action - basically, the features that should be top of mind if you’re considering a practice instrument for someone taking piano lessons.
This price range used to be a barren wasteland when it came to credible musical options, to the point that it was almost a cruel joke. If you were trying to get something that felt and sounded like a real piano even five years ago, you were in for a tall order, to the point that there wasn’t even much market demand.
Casio PX-160 - Game Changer
In many ways, Casio has led the way in driving more robust development in this price point by all manufacturers, especially with the release of the PX-160 which really redefined the landscape.
What we're comparing today are two very prominent models in this price range that are absolutely worth musical consideration. The Yamaha P125 runs about $100 more than the Casio CDP-S350 compact digital piano, but nonetheless, these two pianos are sure to be endlessly compared.
That said, they are very different machines, and they deliver very different feature sets. Throughout the remainder of this review, we’ll be exploring those differences, and hopefully painting a picture for anyone looking at both of these pianos as to which one will better suit their needs.
Piano Sound: Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350
Casio’s Dynamic Stereo Sound Engine
The Casio CDP-S350 is poised to replace the Casio Privia PX-160, but if you went by appearances alone, you wouldn’t know it. The only thing that's really similar between these two instruments is the price point - everything else looks totally different, including a fully redesigned user interface that consists of a super easy-to-use backlit LCD display that makes for great accessibility.
And the other big change - the CDP-S350 is loaded up with 700 instrument sounds. This is a real rarity for the category - typically, digital pianos available in this price range with 88-note weighted actions and quality sound engines tend to have very few sounds.
The sound engine, Casio’s Dynamic Stereo Sound Engine - is delivering a high level of authenticity pretty consistently across the 700 sounds. The acoustic piano sound is quite robust, especially due to the S350’s 16 watts of speaker power.
Yamaha Pure CF Sound Engine
Over on the P125 and we have Yamaha’s Pure CF Sound Engine. For people who are seeking a portable digital piano whose primary role is to be a piano, we think the P-125 has the edge here in terms of acoustic piano sound.
The tone, driven by the high-quality CFIIIS concert grand piano, has more subtlety, especially with things like damper resonance, string resonance, and various reverbs, and we suspect there are more sample layers going into the sample itself - likely a four-layered sample. There is 24 sound presets in total, and while they’re all quite useable (especially the electric pianos), this is of course much less of a selection than what the S350 is offering.
Speakers
Two of the onboard speakers on the P125, tweeters, are upward facing, which is a nice touch since it makes it a lot easier to actually hear what’s going on. There are two additional speakers, so we’re definitely hearing a more full-spectrum sound in terms of the onboard speaker system than what the S350 is delivering.
64 vs 192 Polyphony
Another important difference is polyphony. On the P125, there is 192 note polyphony compared to just 64 notes of maximum polyphony on the S350. If there's one spec on the S350 that is a little puzzling, this would be it, especially since they offer a recording track that allows you to add multiple tracks - you’ll be running out of polyphony fairly quickly.
Having a stronger polyphony count is really important if you plan on getting into any arranging or layering, and even for more complex classical playing.
Quality vs Quantity of Sounds
Somebody looking primarily for an acoustic piano replacement is likely going to lean toward the P-125. Beyond a more complex piano tone, the P125 also offers things like Sound Boost, Stereophonic Optimizer, and Intelligent Acoustic Control which further help in refining the sound.
Somebody looking for a wider set of sounds and features, perhaps even for gigging, will probably find a better value on the S350.
Piano Action: Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350
Casio’s Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard vs Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Standard
The Casio CDP-S350 is using a new key action from Casio, which they’re calling their Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II. The P125 is using the Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action, which is a staple throughout Yamaha’s lineup. Both of these actions feature 88 weighted keys so the crucial box is checked with the correct number of keys here.
Neither action features escapement, but there is a big difference between the two actions that are immediately apparent and that’s with regard to the texture on the key tops.
Key Tops
The GHS action has a glossy keytop as opposed to a textured keytop on the white keys and in some instances, it ends up providing too much grip which in turn can cause the skin on your fingers to peel back. Fortunately, there is a slight matte texture that eliminates this problem on the black keys.
The S350’s action has an exaggerated texture that provides a very nice level of glide, which is a definite advantage here. More expensive Yamaha pianos have actions with textures, so it’s a shame that Yamaha isn’t incorporating a texture into their GHS action.
Responsiveness
In terms of responsiveness, we’d also have to give the nod to the S350 here - the P125’s GHS action just feels a little bit too spongy. This is a super personal thing, and the GHS action has many loyal fans, but this just happens to be our observation.
The S350’s Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II feels like a slightly heavier version of Kawai's RHC action found in the ES110, and in some ways, actually feels even more solid. The touch sensitivity also happens to feel better than the GHS here as well. It would work well as a synth or MIDI controller.
Ultimately, the GHS is a fine action, it’s just been out for quite a few years now and happens to feel a little bit dated when it comparing to a new action such as Casio’s Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II.
Features: Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350
Auto Accompaniment
Both pianos feature built-in auto-accompaniment, which is really great for the price point. Auto-accompaniment allows you to use your left hand to generate harmony, and it will add drums and other musical instruments as a sort of backing band, allowing you to play overtop with your right hand.
Both piano keyboards pull this off really well, though there are significantly more accompaniment rhythms and patterns on the S350, so if this feature is important to you, take note of that. The Casio CDP-S350 also gives you the option of running it with AA batteries and given its extremely slim frame and lightweight, it’s a very portable instrument in every sense of the word.
Other Functions
Other features like Split Mode, Duet, and Layer are covered on both pianos, as well as standards like a metronome and transpose. The S350 has a pitch bend wheel which adds to its potential appeal as an arranger-style instrument.
Both pianos also have a built-in MIDI recorder for recording and playback.
Connectivity: Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDP-S350
When it comes to connectivity, both pianos have class-compliant USB ports (USB MIDI), and this is how you’ll connect to your iOS device (iPad and iPhones), Android device, or computer since neither instrument has a Bluetooth connection, unfortunately. That said, you should definitely check out the free apps such as the Casio Chordana Play for Piano app and the Yamaha Smart Pianist App.
Both pianos have headphone stereo outputs as would be expected, but an area where the P125 excels is that Yamaha has included an AUX out port if you’d like to connect to an amplifier, you can do so without having to use the headphone jack and an adapter as you do on the S350. The S350 also has an audio input.
Pedals
Both pianos include basic footswitch sustain pedals, though we would recommend upgrading to nicer offerings from each company. Each also has the option to add a triple pedal unit, as well as a matching keyboard stand. Each piano includes a music rest and power adapter (power supply) in the box.
Closing Thoughts
This pretty much sums up our comparison of the Yamaha P125 vs Casio CDPS350. These instruments are close in price, with the P125 being slightly more expensive and offering a more piano-centric experience. The sound engine and speaker system on the P125 are geared toward people who are looking for an instrument to be primarily used as an acoustic piano substitute.
On the Casio side, the obvious immediate strength is the sheer number and variety of onboard tones since there’s simply nothing else in this price range with solid tone and touch that overs this range of sounds.
The interface is easy to navigate, which makes getting around the rhythm functionality, playing internal demo songs, or selecting from that huge amount of tone. From an action perspective, we do prefer the CDP-S350’s hammer action keys over the P125’s as well.
Ultimately, we’ve got an interesting mix of pros and cons on both sides. The P125 is going to be an enticing choice for many people simply by virtue of being a Yamaha product, and rightly so - it’s a very good instrument made by a very good company. But we would strongly recommend anyone intrigued by what they read about the S350 here, give it a shot - for many people, it will actually be a better fit.
In today's article we are talking about Upright Pianos - literally everything you need to know about Upright Piano. If you're in the market for an upright piano, this is the article for you.
We're not going to tell you what piano to buy or how much money to spend, but we are going to cover all of the critical areas of difference between these lovely instruments, including the price ranges, the sizes, and what makes one different from another, and finally, how to go about selecting one.
Please check out the accompanying video for an even more in-depth explanation and some playing examples as well!
Opening Thoughts
Since, 2020, we have experienced an almost two-fold increase in the number of medium-range and premium-range upright pianos that are sold in Canada.
One has to ask the question - why? What are the trends that are driving these spikes in sales? Dovetailing with this question is another that often gets asked; "Why would I buy an upright piano that costs as much as a baby grand piano?" Most people have a traditional paradigm in their mind that says if you can afford the baby grand, that's always the preferred option, both from an aesthetic standpoint as well as a musical one.
That said, there are a number of realities that are pushing people towards these higher-end uprights, chief of which is the bevy of musical reasons why an upright piano might be a better alternative. Let's start there before moving into our upright piano overview.
Upright Pianos - General Overview
Space
The first reason someone would go with an upright is obviously space. More and more people out there are living in smaller urban situations, often times in stacked townhouses. Stacked townhouses of course come with a lot of stairwells. Grand pianos not only take up a lot of floor space, but they're also really challenging to deliver inside 0stacked townhouses and condos.
Design Innovations
A second reason is that there has been more innovation on the upright side of things than the grand side of things over the last several years. A big one is an advancement in hybrid and silent upright pianos available. Hybrid and silent grand pianos exist too, but there's been more advancement done on the upright side of things, and hybrid grands also happen to be very expensive.
Now, let's look at upright pianos as a whole.
Upright Piano Sizing
Acoustic Upright pianos come in a number of different sizes. They typically start around 42" in height (generally known as a console piano), and go up inch by inch until about 54". The common sizes you'll typically encounter are 44", 46", and 48", which happens to be the size of the extremely popular Yamaha U1 and Kawai K-300 professional upright pianos.
The Yamaha U3 at 52" also happens to be a very popular vertical piano, and there are a few high-end German uprights that get up to 54".
You can't always draw absolute conclusions on things like scale design, string length, or soundboard size simply based on the cabinet size, but the size is a general barometer for how loud and powerful an upright piano is.
Price Ranges
Used Upright Pianos
What can you expect to pay for an upright piano on the private market or from a retailer? Starting at the very bottom, you can find used pianos for as little as free. These are typically smaller North American-made wood finish uprights from companies like Baldwin and Heintzman, typically built anywhere from 50 to 100 years ago.
Free Uprights
A free upright piano of this vintage is not going to be particularly musically successful. In many cases, if you really strip away all of the bias associated with acoustic versus digital, a digital piano for around $1,000 or so is actually going to give you a better instrument to play on than a free acoustic used upright, especially if the upright is a spinet piano.
$1,000-$4,000
Moving up from there and you'll start to find used Korean, Indonesian and Japanese pianos, anywhere from about $1,000 to $4,000 generally speaking. These are the instruments such as Yamaha U1s, Yamaha B series, Kawai K3s, Samick's, Young Chang's, etc., built from the early 1970s and on.
There's a thriving market for this kind of piano, especially Kawai and Yamaha uprights, and there are certainly some great deals to be had, even if you're not getting the piece of mind that comes with a new piano warranty.
$5,000-$20,000
This category is less common, but you will of course find lightly used uprights out there, as well as used high-end handmade upright pianos that will typically fall somewhere between $5,000-$20,000.
Of course, anyone spending upwards of $20,000 on a used upright piano is looking for a very specific type of instrument that is probably going to retail for in excess of $40,000 new.
New Upright Pianos
$4,000-$10,000
New upright pianos start at around the $4,000 USD range, and these are going to be for 44" (sometimes called studio pianos) factory-made upright pianos, typically built in Indonesia or China. If you're going with an instrument from a reputable company, Kawai and Yamaha, you can expect a mechanically sound instrument with a fairly consistent tone and stable tuning. There's not a lot of tonal refinement available at this price range, but for people who are just starting out, you can really start developing proper techniques and have an enjoyable musical experience.
$10,000-$15,000
The next jump brings us to about $10,000, and this is where you start to see 46", 48", and maybe even 50" pianos from those same companies. As the height increases, in some cases, so will the quality of the materials and the design, and a lot of these instruments are built both for the home, and for institutional settings.
Once we cross the $10,000 threshold, we start to get into the hybrid pianos, and hybrid in this case means pianos where there is some component of European manufacturing, combined with Chinese manufacturing. There are a number of brands that mix and match both labor and parts between a European factory and a Chinese factory.
In this category, we're basically trading off the advantage of Japanese assembly, for slightly more expensive components and design, offset by the lower costs of Chinese assembly.
$15,000-$20,000
The sweet spot for people looking for a really great balance of high-quality tone, high-quality materials, and manufacturing quality that is equal to that of a Japanese plant is when you get above $15,000. These are going to be European-built pianos, likely either from the Czech Republic, Poland, or possibly even Germany. These are instruments that can match or exceed the musical performance of a similarly priced baby grand.
$20,000 & Up
Once you hit about the $20,000 mark it becomes a real connoisseur's marketplace. You're largely into European and American-built pianos at this point, and it becomes a highly subjective, highly personal matter of taste with fantastic sound quality, excellent responsiveness of touch, and timeless design.
That $20,000 ranges all the way up to about $60,000 or $70,000 for the most expensive upright pianos in the world, such as the C. Bechstein Concert 8 or the Hamburg Steinway & Sons K-132.
So, that's a rundown of the price ranges you can expect to see out there for upright pianos. Let's move on and discuss the key differences between a factory-made instrument, versus a handmade one.
Factory vs Handmade Craftsmanship
The term handmade is actually a bit of a misnomer, because there's actually some hand workmanship that goes into most factory pianos, and machines involved in making traditionally defined handmade pianos.
A much better way to look at these two categories is to think of limited production vs mass production, with limited production instruments also taking way longer to build.
Most of the upright pianos that carry the label handmade have had some machining that's been used along with computer automation, but there's been an enormous amount of time by one or several members of the assembly crew that has gone into assembling and regulating the action, the assembly of the shaping of the soundboard, and into the engineering of the carpentry to allow for the maximum resonance of all acoustic materials.
Manufacturing Time
The difference in the manufacturing time can be extraordinarily large. For a $4,000 or $5,000 factory-made upright piano, we could be looking at a total manufacturing time of just a few dozen hours, somewhere in the range of 30 to 50 hours. On the other hand, with the C. Bechstein Concert 8 for example, the manufacturing process takes over 300 hours!
As we would say, this huge amount of extra time leads to massive refinement in the soundboard, regulating the action at fanatical levels, and studiously voicing all of the hammers for maximum bloom on every note. And in the case of an instrument at this quality level, the entire cabinet is actually resonating as another acoustic component.
That pretty much sums up the difference between factory-made and handmade. Let's move on to differences with regard to country of origin.
Country of Origin
Another common question or line of research people get into is understanding the difference between American, Asian, and European-made upright pianos. Does the country of origin affect the musical performance or build the quality of a given instrument?
American Made Pianos
Let's talk about the quintessential American sound first. There are only three manufacturers remaining in the United States right now making upright pianos, which are Charles Walter, Mason & Hamlin, and Steinway.
Are there any consistent factors across these three piano makers? American uprights, much like American grands, tend to have a very mid-range heavy tone. There's often high use of maples and other hardwoods, which tend to accentuate mid-range frequencies. American pianos tend to have large dynamic ranges, and they're also known for their exterior furniture as well.
On the negative side, American pianos aren't known for particularly great actions or control. They are also not known for a great deal of tonal consistency from the lower range to the upper range. But, if you're looking for that specific American tonal profile, you won't find it elsewhere.
Asian Made Pianos
If you're looking for a more precise experience, Asian and European pianos will offer a little more in this regard. When it comes to Asian pianos, it's very difficult to lump them into a single category, because while you have some very basic low-quality pianos from China, there are also so much nicer, more advanced pianos coming out of certain Chinese facilities.
You also have Japan with a very mature piano market that's literally 100 years old. There are also still Korean pianos, but that market has greatly declined and production has instead moved to Indonesia.
Is there any sort of tonal consistency to any one of these 4 Asian countries? With Japanese-made pianos, yes. Japanese Kawai and Yamaha pianos sound pretty consistent, if Kawai is considered darker and warmer, while Yamaha's are usually thought of as brighter with more attack.
Indonesian pianos are generally pretty consistent too. Beyond that, it's a complete mash of tonal styles, designs, and materials being used, to the point that isn't fair to say that there's an 'Asian' sound.
European Made Pianos
On the European side of things, you're generally getting higher grade materials, such as a more expensive or higher grade hammer felt and a higher grade of spruce used for the soundboard. The action regulation typically done at European factories tends to be very high also.
These refinements are generally going to deliver a more precise tone, especially with regard to the consistency across all ranges. There's typically going to be a higher degree of control in terms of the touch, and the quality of the build means the instrument is going to last longer.
We've covered some of the basics. Now, how do you go about choosing one of these pianos for yourself and for your home?
How to Choose an Upright Piano
Upright vs Hybrid Digital
What are the questions you should be asking while you decide on a piano? The first thing you'll have to decide is if you're going to go with a traditional acoustic upright or a digital/acoustic hybrid. An acoustic/digital hybrid is something that combines both digital components as well as acoustic components.
This combination allows an otherwise fully acoustic piano to be played completely silently. The Kawai K300 Aures for example has a digital piano control panel built right into the side, and you can mute the piano and plug-in set headphones so you can play without disturbing others. This added flexibility is a huge deal for some people, but it does add about $5,000 to the price.
Bass Clarity
Once you've decided whether you're going acoustic or with some type of acoustic-digital hybrid, the next questions really come down to playing style, tonal style, and spending some time in front of these prospective instruments.
There are areas on upright pianos that tend to be weak spots, and this is where a really great design immediately solves a lot of issues. One of the things that people focus on with upright pianos is bass clarity, and this is very difficult to achieve in a shorter instrument due to the shorter string length.
When you're first shopping for an upright piano, one of the things you'll want to look for is to make sure you're getting something that's got a nice clear bass tone. It doesn't mean that you have to get a 52-inch piano or even a 48-inch piano as there are shorter uprights out there with great bass registers.
Break
Another weak spot you'll find on some upright pianos is the break, which is the transitional area of the piano where it switches from steel strings to copper-wound strings. This transition can sound very abrasive and metallic if the design isn't well executed, so pay attention to that.
Action
The third weak spot can be the action. There are actions out there made entirely of wood, and others that combine wood with synthetic parts. While there's been debate about incorporating synthetic parts in the past, the vast majority of the professional community, both on the technical side and musical side have both accepted and recognized that a really great synthetic action can be just as musical, and in some cases have significant maintenance benefits over inexpensive wood action.
So, don't focus on the material so much as the playing experience, which is the true test of whether or not you're playing a good action. Make sure to play the action at a very soft dynamic range, as well as medium and loud dynamic ranges to see how it responds. The hardest thing for an upright piano to do is to deliver accuracy when playing softly, particularly if you're playing fast at a low dynamic range.
Ultimately, you want to make sure that the action on the instrument you're considering can deliver what you need. This can be especially important for students and beginners who do their lessons or perform on a grand piano but practice on an upright at home.
Clarity of Tone
Our last suggestion for where to really judge an upright piano is going to be in the clarity of the tone, particularly in the top-end range of the instrument.
Upright treble strings are so short, proportionally speaking, that you need even more refinement at smaller tolerances in order to achieve really great clarity on the top of an upright piano. What we mean by clarity, in this case, is an absence of buzzing or uncontrolled harmonics.
Higher-quality uprights have great clarity and no distortion, while lower-quality ones start to distort when the volume gets pushed. Let's move on to our final section.
Differences Between Upright Pianos
In this final section here we'll discuss why one upright piano may differ from another upright piano. For instance, why does one 48" piano cost $8,000 while another 48" piano costs $30,000? Well, there are about eight or nine components in an upright piano that will directly contribute to both the cost and thus the quality of the musical experience.
Cabinet Construction
The first thing we'll focus on is the back post and overall cabinet construction. On our example instrument in the accompanying video, you'll see five large back posts. There is a variety of approaches that manufacturers take with back posts in general. The function of back posts, as well as the overall construction and design of that cabinet, is to provide strength and rigidity. When you get into a higher-level instrument, it actually also takes on tonal importance.
On something premium like a C. Bechstein, Bösendorfer, or Steingraeber, the cabinetry on the back is so precise and designed in a way that not only is it giving the instrument strength, but it's actually contributing to the transmission of energy and tone throughout both the soundboard as well as the cabinet.
On lower-grade instruments, back posts strictly serve a structural purpose, and they're not actually contributing a lot to the resonance of the instrument. So a key difference here is the level and design of the carpentry on a given piano.
Agraffes
Agraffes are another feature you'll generally only find on higher-end uprights. These contribute to further string alignment and ensure precise termination after the string has been struck. Their presence can help eliminate things like false beats and uncontrolled harmonics. Less expensive pianos will use a pressure bar for the same purpose, though a pressure bar is not considered as good as a set of agraffes.
The Bridge
A third difference is how the bridging has been approached. Like on a grand piano, there's quite a variety of bridge designs you'll see on various pianos, and an equally wide range of costs to execute said designs.
There's everything from a solid bridge with a single piece of wood, to hardwood bridges with a cap, to vertically laminated bridges, which is by far the most expensive type of bridge. The better the bridge, the better the energy from the strings is transmitted to the soundboard.
To pull this off effectively can get very expensive very quickly, so generally speaking, the less expensive the piano, the less expensive the bridge design.
Soundboard Material
The next difference is the soundboard, and this one is a big deal. Soundboards come in different sizes and with different materials selected. Virtually all soundboards use some type of spruce, but whether or not the spruce is solid or laminated makes a huge difference.
Laminated soundboards are actually significantly stronger and more stable, but the big knock against them is that with all of the layers of wood and glue, the soundboard's ability to resonate and sustain the vibration is dramatically reduced. You've got all sorts of factors that are actually going to suck up more energy.
As such, pretty much all mid-range and high-end soundboards are made with solid spruce, as the acoustic properties are just that much better.
Soundboard Design
The next difference in soundboard design is whether or not to taper or leave it untouched. All soundboards have some type of curve, but a tapered soundboard has been thinned out towards the edges, which allows more of the soundboard to activate and resonate. This means that a smaller tapered soundboard will resonate as much or more than a larger, non-tapered counterpart. This is a time-consuming process, so again, tapering starts to appear as you move up in quality, so less expensive pianos generally don't have tapered soundboards.
The last distinction with soundboards is the choice of spruce. The two main types are some form of White spruce (typically Alaskan or Austrian), versus Sitka spruce. Sitka is a very common, less expensive spruce that tends to have a warmer tone, but with less clarity and sustain. White spruce tends to be more expensive and has a tighter grain, meaning the wood is older and grows more slowly.
Action Refinement
Last but not least is the action, but it's quite simple - the more expensive the upright, the more refined the action is from a design standpoint and the more time that has gone into regulating the action at the factory level.
Closing Thoughts
Thanks so much for sticking with us through this long read. We hope you've found it helpful, but in any case, definitely check out the accompanying video at the top of the article so you can see and hear some of the things we discussed for yourself. If you're new to our channel, we would sincerely appreciate it if you would subscribe to our Youtube Channel.
And if you're in the Greater Toronto Area, don't hesitate to pop into one of our showrooms to try some used and new pianos out for yourself with a selection covering much of what's available out there in the piano world.
Visit Merriam Music for more piano reviews and articles.
Kawai's Concert Artist series (CA series) pianos have been a mainstay of the high-end digital piano market for several years now. The current lineup is 4 models strong, and today we'll be looking at the second most advanced from the top as review the CA79.
The Kawai CA79 incorporates many of the same features as the flagship CA99, leading many to regard it as a high-value alternative to the top model in the class. We're going to start right away by checking out the piano sound and moving on from there.
Be sure to check out the companion video for a more in-depth review and some playing examples.
Kawai CA79 Piano Sound
The first thing that stands out about the Kawai CA79 is the sound engine, which happens to be the exact same sound engine featured in not only the Kawai CA99 but also in Kawai's most advanced digital pianos - the NOVUS NV10S and NV5S.
Shigeru Kawai SKEX Rendering Engine
The centerpiece of this sound engine is Kawai SK-EX Rendering Pianist Mode, which features an 88-note multi-channel sampling of their premium Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano with additional Resonance Modelling added on.
With this mode engaged, you're given access to what is without question one of the most advanced piano sound engines available in a digital piano and delivers a truly stunning piano playing experience.
For all other tones, Kawai's Harmonic Imaging XL sound engine (HI-XL), which also features stereo sampling and some acoustic rendering of parameters, is also included (66 presets available in this engine.)
Limitless Polyphony
If the sound engine is your top priority, the Kawai CA79 gives you literally the exact same sound engine as the NOVUS NV10S for about 1/4 of the price, and the limitless polyphony on piano tones that this entails.
At this point, you might notice the CA79 has the same action as the CA99, and since the sound engines are the same, wonder why anyone would spring for the 99. The speaker system is where a very large difference emerges.
Speaker System
The Kawai CA79 uses a conventional speaker system, while the CA99 adds a real solid spruce soundboard which functions as a giant, additional speaker. When playing acoustically, the difference is actually quite significant in terms of the presence and warmth.
We also found that the CA99 plays perfectly out of the box, whereas the CA79 took a little bit of tweaking inside of the Virtual Technician Function to get it optimized.
All of that being said, the CA79 is still no slouch in the speaker department with no less than 3 distinct sets of speakers for 6 total speakers, designed in collaboration with Onkyo.
First, there's a pair of woofers on the bottom producing most of the low frequencies. From there we have 2 mains responsible for the mid-range frequencies, and finally 2 tweeters with diffusers for the highs.
There's a total of 100 watts of amplifier power here pushing out there, which while less than the 135 watts on the CA99, is still very substantial.
After checking out everything sound-related here on the CA79, it's pretty hard to deny the killer value Kawai is delivering here for the price.
Kawai CA79 Piano Action
Grand Feel III Wooden Key Action
The Kawai CA79 uses the Grand Feel III action (GFIII), the same action used in the CA99. This is a new update to the Grand Feel II, which is what Kawai was using in the previous generation CA78 and CA98.
The Grand Feel II was an excellent action, but what the Grand Feel III brings is a whole new way in which the end of the key stick is attached to the capstan, with a more refined system of connection. This new system is intended to be more durable over a longer period of time than what was used in the GFII.
The GFII did end up receiving quite a few warranty claims after prolonged use in demanding settings such as post-secondary music institutions.
Extended Length Wooden Keys
So, what does the GFIII bring to the table? For one, it's an extended-length action with 100% wooden keys approaching the key stick of a real grand piano. It's also got a triple sensor for highly accurate MIDI output, counterweights, grade-weighted hammers, and let-off simulation.
Textured Key Surfaces
The key surfaces are also covered with an ivory touch texture on the white keys and an ebony texture on the black keys. This provides a perfect amount of grip, especially when your hands start to get sweaty when playing.
Deep Dynamic Control
Compared to most other digital piano actions out there, the GFIII, courtesy of the extended key length, is providing a deeper level of control and comes much closer to the experience of playing a real acoustic piano action. For the price range, we think it's the best digital piano on the market currently, though the Roland Grand Hybrid action is up there too.
The only real step after this action is to move beyond the Kawai CA series into the NOVUS series hybrids which feature a genuine acoustic piano action, but with that of course comes a substantial price hike.
Kawai CA79 Piano Features
LCD Touchscreen
A huge upgrade from the CA78 is the new and improved LCD touchscreen. The 78 had a screen as well, but there were some navigation issues. Fortunately, those have been addressed, and getting around the new touchscreen is a breeze.
For a detailed exploration of the menu and all of the things you can edit, check out the video review linked above as Stu does a nice walkthrough of the various menus (more fun to watch than read the owner's manual).
Pre-loaded Music & Lesson Books
The Kawai CA79 has all kinds of preloaded classical music built in, along with a selection of lesson books. There's also an internal 2-track recorder which can be great practice as it allows you to record yourself and playback the recordings. You can also record MP3, WAV, and SMF files to USB.
Cabinet & Pedals
The Kawai CA79 also features an upgraded gorgeous cabinet design with elegant music rest and comes available in Premium Rosewood, Satin White, Satin Black, and Ebony Polish. The cabinet looks much more like a real upright piano than ever before.
Kawai's great Grand Feel Pedal System also makes a return with damper, sostenuto, and soft pedals all weighted to replicate the feel of a grand piano pedal system.
Kawai CA79 Connectivity
For connectivity, there's an impressive lineup here. Going down the list, we have dual headphone jacks (Kawai's Spatial Headphone Sound optimizer is included), 5-pin MIDI In and Out, a 1/4" line output. 1/8" line in, as well as USB to Host and USB to Device.
Lastly, there's also Bluetooth MIDI for accessing apps for iOS and Android, and Bluetooth Audio which makes your CA79 able to stream music from your devices.
Closing Thoughts
Thanks for joining us for a look at the Kawai CA79. This is a high-end digital piano that's going to work really well for advanced players who need affordable and space-saving practice instruments, and even for beginners who simply want something nice, both musically and aesthetically.
The action and sound engine are as good as it gets for the class, and for some people, the extra cost of the CA99 is not justified by the inclusion of the soundboard.
Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel for more reviews and visit our website for more in-depth product reviews & articles.
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.
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
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
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?
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.
