Yamaha 61-key Entry-level Portable Keyboard Review
Casio CTK-4000 Personal Keyboard, 61-Key, with MP3 Connection, 10 Second Sampling, and Digital Effects Review
 A truly feature-packed portable. Click to enlarge. |
Standard-Size Keys with Touch Response
The CTK-4000 features 61 standard-size keys and two sensitivity levels for a more piano-like experience, along with 48-note polyphony (24-note for certain tones).
570 Built-In Tones
Find just the right sound with 570 built-in tones, from strings to woodwinds and plenty more. You can layer two different tones (such as piano and strings) or split the keyboard down the middle for an ensemble approach.
Reverb and Chorus Effects
Select from ten different reverb and five different chorus effects to add depth and shimmer to your performance.
USB Port
For many musicians, the computer has become a music-making center. Connect the CTK-4000 to a computer using a USB cable and exchange MIDI data between the two devices. Send play data from the keyboard to music software running on your computer, or send MIDI data from your computer to the keyboard for playback.
Built-In Sampling
You can use the CTK-4000 to sample a sound from a portable audio player or other device, and then play the sound with keyboard keys. Sample up to ten seconds, and store up to five sampled sounds to keyboard memory.
You can also loop sampled sounds so they continue to play, or replace individual sounds on drum patches.
 Internal speakers and battery-powering option for full portability. Click to enlarge. |
 Intuitive editing and controls. |
152 Built-In Songs and Ten User Songs
The CTK-4000 comes with a bank of songs for your learning and enjoyment, from classics like "Greensleeves" or "Auld Lang Syne" to holiday tunes like "Jingle Bells."
You can also record your own performances, using up to six tracks of different instruments.
Step Up Lessons
To master a song, it is best to break it up into shorter parts (phrases), master the phrases, and then put everything together. The CTK-4000 features a "Step Up Lesson" feature that helps you to do just that. The built-in songs are pre-divided into phrases to help you master keyboard play. Step Up Lesson takes you through practice of the right hand part, left hand part, and both hand parts for each phrase of a song. Master all of the phrases and you master the song.
Music Challenge Keyboard Game
Music Challenge is a game that measures your reaction speed as you press keys in response to on-screen keyboard indicators and fingering guide indications.
Auto Accompaniment
With Auto Accompaniment, simply select an accompaniment pattern. Each time you play a chord with your left hand the appropriate accompaniment will play automatically. It's like having a personal backup group along with you wherever you go.
You can also edit and save up to 10 of your own auto accompaniment patterns.
Auto Harmonize
Auto Harmonize automatically adds harmony to notes you play with your right hand, which adds rich depth to the melody of your performances. You can select from among 12 types of Auto Harmonize to suit the type of music you are playing.
Arpeggiator
The Arpeggiator makes it possible to play an arpeggio pattern automatically. There are 90 different arpeggio patterns from which to choose in order to match the music you are playing.
Transpose Function
An easy operation instantly changes the key of the keyboard.
Audio Input
Play along with MP3 or CD players or other devices by plugging them into the stereo mini input jack.
Battery or AC Power
Power the CTK-4000 with six D-sized batteries or purchase the AD-5 AC adapter separately to power from your electrical outlets. Built-in speakers make the keyboard entirely portable.
An Auto Power Off feature turns off the device six minutes after the last key is touched, helping you save batteries.
What's in the Box
CTK-4000 Keyboard, Music Stand, Song Book, Safety Precautions, Appendix, Warranty
The Casio CTK4000 is a Touch Sensitive General MIDI Keyboard that allows you to freely express all of your performances. And it's loaded with features like a USB port to connect to your computer, plus 48-note polyphony so you are always in control. Want to sound like you are playing in a large concert hall? Consider it done with the on-board Digital Effects which will add another dimension to your playing. In addition, the CTK4000 keyboard features a 61-key full-size keyboard with MP3 connectivity, an LCD display, pitch-bend wheel, and a 3 Step Lesson learning system. The CTK4000 allows you to select up to 570 tones that now include a world music library. There are also 180 versatile rhythms to help add plenty of life to all your keyboard performances. The CTK4000 comes with a total of 152 built-in tunes. You can play back built-in tunes for your own listening pleasure, or you can use them for practice or even sing-alongs. You will also be able to record up to 5 songs of your very own with the six track built-in recorder. The CTK4000 also features a new 10 second sampling feature, which will allow you to sample almost anything that you can think of!
Yamaha Piaggero NP11 61-Key Lightweight Compact Portable Keyboard Review
Huntington KB61-100 61-Key Portable Electronic Keyboard, Silver Review
Casio CTK-4200 61-Key Touch Sensitive Personal Keyboard Review
Yamaha YPT-330 61-Key Touch Sensitive Personal Keyboard Review
eMedia Piano for Dummies 61-Key Keyboard Starter Pack Review
Yamaha YPT420 PAK 61-Key Portable Keyboard Review
Yamaha PSR-E223 61-key Portable keyboard with 375 Voices Review
Casio CTK-2100 61-Key Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand & Power Supply Review
This Premium Package also comes with professional closed-cup headphones, single x-braced stand, and World Tour brand power supply.
Key Features
Specifications
|  The 61-key Casio CTK-2100 portable keyboard makes it easy to learn to play the piano (see larger version of keyboard plus a detail of the keyboard controls. |
Yamaha YPT320 61-Key Portable Keyboard Review
Yamaha PSR-E423 61-key Touch Sensative Portable Keyboard with 482 Voices Review
The PSR-E423 offers several innovative features. The basic features for learning to play -- like the Yamaha Portable Grand and Yamaha Education Suite -- and features for when it's time to perform, like synthesizer Control Knobs for real-time control of filter, effects, sound envelope and Style tempo. The Arpeggiator provides an expanded 150 different patterns and 40 arpeggio Voices. These easy-to-use professional features, along with its new black body, set this keyboard apart from others in its class.
Most of the features of the PSR-E423 have been enhanced over its predecessor. Two control knobs provide real-time control for filtering the main melody tone, and changing the tempo of the arpeggio just like an analog synthesizer. The Pitch Bend wheel brings Voices like the Sax and Trumpet to life.
Improved Arpeggio FunctionTap into instant inspiration with the Arpeggio function which has been improved for smoother playability. New hold mode and allocated key-range will free your hands for playing with both hands. It provides an expanded150 patterns that automatically generate even more useful phrases that change depending on the notes and chords you play.
A Variety of New Dynamic VoicesDynamic Voices usually found on high-end workstations, are now on the new PSR-E423. There are two different waveforms that change depending on how hard you play the keyboard, this allows more expression on Voices such as overdriven or nylon guitar. High quality Voices, from acoustic instruments to electric sounds, have been expanded to 700 varieties. All of these high-quality Voices sound even better through the bass-enhanced 2-way speakers.
Wider World Content and 174 Varieties of Styles with Auto-backing ModeArabic, Indian and Chinese content has been added to Styles, Rhythm and Voices. With our high-quality Styles and Voices, you'll sound like you have a professional backing band behind you.
Extended Flash Memory, Connectivity to PC via USB4 times more flash memory has been added to the PSR-E423 so you can play along with your favorites transferred from a PC.
The Yamaha PSR-E423 is a touch-responsive 61-key keyboard and has many of the Yamaha features that have set their keyboards apart from the competition. There are over 640 voices and 15 drum/SFX kits onboard. With 9 types of Reverb, 4 types of Chorus, and 5 types of Master EQ its easy to find the right effect to add some sparkle and sheen to your sounds. Auto-Accompaniment offers 174 preset styles encompassing a wide-range of genres, while focusing on some amazing new World styles such as Arabic, Indian, and Chinese. Yamahas popular Yamaha Education Suite provides you with the tools needed to learn how to play keyboards and its built right into the PSR-E423.Special FeaturesAmong the unique features of the PSR-E423 is its focus on synthesizer sounds and synth controllers such as Arpeggio and dedicated real-time control of your synth-based performances and sounds. The arpeggiator boasts some tantalizing features that make music making fun and inspirational. Features like Hold Mode, Allocated Key-range, along with 150 automatically generated patterns provide a wealth of creative, musical options to take your music to new pulsating heights. The SoundsMuch like the expressive sounds and control youd expect to find on a much higher priced professional synthesizer, Yamaha has outfitted the PSR-E423 with high quality Dynamic Voices. Each key is home to 2 different waveforms that change according to how hard you play the keyboard. This allows you to be creative and expressive throughout your performances. There are 700 varieties of dynamic voices encompassing a wide range of categories. RecordingA handy built-in 6-track recorder is onboard and ready to capture your creative inspiration quickly and easily. With a data capacity of approximately 10,000 notes and 5,500 chords, youll be able to piece together your original compositions in no time flat. You can save up to 5 songs to the internal memory, and there are 30 preset songs built-in for your listening pleasure.
Yamaha PSR-170 61-Key Portable Electronic Keyboard Review
While we were playing random chords to see what they looked like on the bass clef, we noticed that the keys are not sensitive to touch. We could bang on the keys like Jerry Lee Lewis or caress them like Yanni and the volume never changed. Though this may throw an experienced keyboardist for a loop, it might also be useful to the novice, who won't have to worry about volume control.
The PSR170AD is equipped with the Yamaha Education Suite feature. This feature walks you through seven lessons at your own pace. The lessons are a blur at first, but the fact that the keyboard will repeat them as many times as you want allows you to run them over and over again until you become comfortable. The lessons can be done using the 100 voices and styles that come on the PSR170AD. This was particularly enjoyable, as we would have been bored while practicing without a little variety. It comes with 100 prerecorded songs--some we never heard before, some we can't forget. You can play along with any of them anytime.
Yamaha lets you have fun away from the lessons and learning with the DJ Mode. The DJ Mode has groovy voice and music samples you can use to play along with a prerecorded funky dance riff or to create your own. If you're like us, it may take you a while to get back to the serious side of the keyboard. As a MIDI compatible keyboard, the PSR170AD can connect to a sequencer or computer via MIDI cables (sold separately), both of which can record musical performances from the keyboard and then play them back using the instrument voices on the PSR170AD. This is great for adding it to an ensemble and using the keyboard to lay down tracks while recording.
Overall, this keyboard impressed us most by how well designed it was for the music student. It comes with just enough functions for learning the basics and not so many that you get bogged down in menus. The keyboard isn't all about learning, though. We plugged it in right out of the box and had a toe-tapping good time. --Brian Vandiver
Pros:
Cons:
Guardian Cases CK-400-61 61-Key Portable Keyboard Review
