Beginner keyboard suggestions? - Casio CT-X5000?

NeilF · 17 May 2020 at 13:40

So my daughter enjoys playing around on keyboards, but at the moment she's having to use my old midi-controller plugged into a laptop, firing off a piano/keyboard application - Not idea!

So I'll like to get her a fairly good keyboard that will have plenty of bells and whistle to let her experiment, as well as learning to generally play.

The best option I've seem to come up with so far is the Casio CT-X5000 for about £330 (with stand and dead phones)...

Anyone have any alternative suggestions worth a look?

Raymond Lin · 17 May 2020 at 14:36

Keyboard or digital piano?

you can get digital piano which have some synth sounds with midi and usb which can connect into a laptop.

Digital piano would be my preference to get used to the weighted keys. A keyboard feels weird to me.

robfosters · 17 May 2020 at 15:14

If it’s a keyboard you want with plenty of extras, the Korg EK50 is astounding value at £275.

Minusorange · 17 May 2020 at 15:26

If it's a digital piano, Roland FP-30 can't be beat, has best weighted keys of all the keybeds under £1k

If it's just a keyboard then - https://www.pianodreamers.com/best-cheap-portable-keyboards/

NeilF · 17 May 2020 at 16:01

Minusorange said:
If it's a digital piano, Roland FP-30 can't be beat, has best weighted keys of all the keybeds under £1k

If it's just a keyboard then - https://www.pianodreamers.com/best-cheap-portable-keyboards/

I think just a keyboard at this point with plenty of solid bells and whistles...

And the Roland FP-30 would be a bit too much I suspect too price bracket wise...

Raymond Lin · 17 May 2020 at 16:05

How about the Roland FP10?

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/roland-fp-...xP3DfeNUVHuJCJIzo_xoCLowQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

robfosters · 17 May 2020 at 16:12

NeilF said:
I think just a keyboard at this point with plenty of solid bells and whistles...

And the Roland FP-30 would be a bit too much I suspect too price bracket wise...

Make sure you have a look at that Korg I suggested.

Minusorange · 17 May 2020 at 16:27

NeilF said:
I think just a keyboard at this point with plenty of solid bells and whistles...

And the Roland FP-30 would be a bit too much I suspect too price bracket wise...

https://www.musicroom.com/product/y...MItZm-pZq76QIVCbrtCh3iFwCkEAkYAyABEgJXx_D_BwE

Is a solid choice would be cheaper than the Casio (with the 10% topcashback) and the keys are weighted, not as good as the Roland but good enough

If it's just for messing around then no point spending over £300 when one of those sub £150 keyboards will do just fine

And if you're wanting the kid to learn piano, weighted keys and a teacher are a must otherwise they're going to learn some bad habits that are hard to unlearn

NeilF · 17 May 2020 at 18:48

robfosters said:
If it’s a keyboard you want with plenty of extras, the Korg EK50 is astounding value at £275.

Looks like I'll be watching this then

NeilF · 17 May 2020 at 19:13

robfosters said:
If it’s a keyboard you want with plenty of extras, the Korg EK50 is astounding value at £275.

Looks very good except for the lack of effects to apply to sounds? I think the Casio CT-X3000/5000 even allow effects over the audio in (ie: a Mic)?

Reverb: 32 types, Off
Chorus: 16 types, Tones
Delay: 20 types, Tones
DSP: 100 types (Can be applied to user tones using DSP editing.), DSP tones

EDIT: This video of the Indian version seems to imply there are two effects that can be assigned to a keyboard sound, and they can each be from a bank of numerous ones? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpaX9hdluPg

If you can attach a mic to the Korg and apply effects like the CT-X5000? Bingo. But no mention of it in the Korg manual

Here's the feature on the X5000 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrROq6lf12g&t=10m22s

robfosters · 17 May 2020 at 19:21

NeilF said:
Looks very good except for the lack of effects to apply to sounds? I think the Casio CT-X3000/5000 even allow effects over the audio in (ie: a Mic)?

Reverb: 32 types, Off
Chorus: 16 types, Tones
Delay: 20 types, Tones
DSP: 100 types (Can be applied to user tones using DSP editing.), DSP tones

EDIT: This video of the Indiian version seems to imply there are two effects that can be assigned to a keyboard sound, and they can each be from a bank of numerous ones? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpaX9hdluPg

It does have effects. 2 for the sounds and two for the styles.

NeilF · 17 May 2020 at 20:23

robfosters said:
It does have effects. 2 for the sounds and two for the styles.

And those are two effects from a bank of dozens? Eg: so could assign a chorus and reverb?

And can Audio In (a microphone) be assigned an effect? Eg: Reverb?

robfosters · 17 May 2020 at 20:29

NeilF said:
And those are two effects from a bank of dozens? Eg: so could assign a chorus and reverb?

And can Audio In (a microphone) be assigned an effect? Eg: Reverb?

I wouldn’t know about the audio in, but chorus, reverb and delay are nearly always separated in different banks, so I am sure you can use them together.

best thing to do is to download the users manual off the Korg website.

NeilF · 17 May 2020 at 20:34

robfosters said:
I wouldn’t know about the audio in, but chorus, reverb and delay are nearly always separated in different banks, so I am sure you can use them together.

best thing to do is to download the users manual off the Korg website.

No effects are mentioned specifically at all in the manual or website. Only the fact there are two assignable.

There is no effect mentioned for Audio In either.

I'll ping Korg support an email.

NeilF · 18 May 2020 at 13:55

robfosters said:
If it’s a keyboard you want with plenty of extras, the Korg EK50 is astounding value at £275.

So seems to be one of the simpler units, but that's clearly what it's designed to be. ie: Turn it on and play.... For a first keyboard ease of use could well be very important!

NeilF · 18 May 2020 at 18:01

Korg EK50 instrument and effects all listed here - https://www.korg.com/us/support/download/manual/0/793/4090/