SA Musical Instruments

Johannesburg Kensington
Capetown Westlake
Durban Pinetown

Musical Instruments Importers . Musical Instruments Retail Sales since 1996

Comparison LK45 LK55 LK70 LK90TV LK93D Lk100 Lk215s LK300 TV CTK800

Click links to see full page specifications	To see comparisons of Performance models CTK900 61 keys and WK3300 WK3800 76 keys and WK8000 88 keys click here								Standard keyboard
	Casio 61 keys lighting and standard keyboards Comparisons
	LK45 Older model Not currentlyStocked	LK55 Older model Not currently stocked	LK70 Older model Not currently stocked	LK90 TV Older model Not currently stocked	LK93 D Older model Not currently Stocked	LK100 Older model Not currently Stocked	LK215 newStocked	LK300 TValso known as LK300T new Stocked	CTK 810 Older model Not currently Stocked
Please note: some keyboard features like recording , certain rhythm accompaniments and so on can only be used successfully with an already achieved standard of playing - we suggest ring us at 0861116051 0824803045 for more info from our sales as well purchasers from us can get guidance after purchasing at our online forum ( GOLD MEMBERS who have purchased only )
Lighting function
Recording									1 song (with Song Bank tunes) and 2 tracks x 1 song (with rhythm), approximately 12,000 notes
Download your own extra user songs			5	5	10		10	10	5
USB midi in out and user song download - no soundblaster card no midi connection needed -has USB
Tones	100	264	100	264	264	100	264	514	515
Smart media slot ( for 200 songs smart media card)
LATEST SD MEMORY CARD slot					v
Rhythms	50	120	50	120	120	50	120( incl 20 piano style )	120 ( incl 20 piano style )	120
Midi in out ( midi connection kit midi in/out to USB +-R499 from supplier)			Has USB to PC doesnt need kit	Has USB to PC doesnt need kit	Has USB to PC doesnt need kit		Has USB to PC doesnt need midi connection kit	Has USB to PC doesnt need midi connection kit	Has USB to PC doesnt need midi connection kit
Songs	100	100	60	100	100	100	100 songs incl 65 Song Bank tunes, 35 Piano Bank tunes	100 songs incl100 65 Song Bank tunes, 35 Piano Bank tunes	100
Looping ( repeating any song section for practice )
layer (combining any 2 sounds at once)/split (choose any 2 sounds high vs low notes)
Polyphony ( sounds that can play at once )	12	24	24	32	32	12	32	32	32
lesson assessment
Microphone and mixer
Touch response
Midi channel	5	16	5	16	16	16	16	16	16
Max Volume output						2W +2Watt	2W +2Watt	2W +2Watt	2.5W +2.5Watt
Bundled with CD rom casio convertor software- converts any midi songs downloaded free from interent or purchased to 3 Step lessons

.Q/ Will the LK55 or LK93D keyboard also last her a long time? What I am trying to ask is that it is not one that after she's learned how to play, we must sell and buy a bigger (more advanced one)? Sorry for all the questions but I want to make sure that we make the right decision before blindly buying a musical instrument. (It will be her Christmas present).

A/ As far as longetivity and interest its more to do with the style of the playing she would want to achieve than the keyboard. I.e. Classical piano style is obviously more limited on a keyboard (but not on a digital piano like the PX100 which has hammer action and competes outstandingly with hammer action pianos) as it doesn't have the same range of dynamics and not the same no of notes as a piano. This keyboard has touch sensitivity meaning some notes can be played louder some softer..so the left hand can be softer as in piano style but not to the extent of a piano. Also a piano needs a few months adaptation to the heavier touch at a later point but it is not an issue. I've seen many make the transition fine.

Basically if its bought as a keyboard , i.e. ( to add downloadable midi songs to user memory in some models) to utilize layering two sounds together , playing with rhythms. recording one hand then another and playing separately, learning some of the prerecorded songs, a keyboard is far superior (my opinion) introducing a child to music than a piano as a musical instrument because of the variety . On the keyboard the control of speeds, the inbuilt songs. playing along with them in step lesson form and many things. Only a teacher with experience teaching keyboard as opposed to one teaching mainly piano and contemporary music is going to understand how to utilize the keyboard though .Its a lot about the teaching material a teacher uses to teach musical instruments.

Q./ I need to know which keyboard model would you recommend for my daughter who is turning 8. She loves music and I am looking at buying a kayboard for her birthday which is on April.

Any child learning piano to keyboards at her age learns with :
1) muscular memory ( finger placements )
2) visual memory of which keys ( white and black notes)
3) copying the sound of the music ( aural)
and finally - visual understanding of reading music notes - which is the hardest the part- translating the notes on the 5 line music staves to 1, 2 3 above

So reading music and memory are the two main things . Traditionally kids are taught music in SA and around the world only with reading - no memory training ..
However the truth is because reading fluently at a basic level takes a good 2 years to get going they develop the habit of "secretly " remembering the white and black keyboard keys and the sound ...

Really this wouldn't need to be secret if they were taught both ways ( memory - the teacher showing slowly note by note where to put the fingers on the keyboard ) and reading
the Suzuki method recognizes this and teaches both simultaneously...but focusing more on memory in the beginning as this is what comes naturally to a child , but throughout the world the Suzuki methods although highly successful - does not "fit in " with the royal schools and trinity college exams which as their foundation assume reading skills as extremely important but most probably if there were more than 45 minutes a week for a lesson memory training too would be approched systematically too

The reality is that these days in 45 minutes a week a piano or keyboard teacher doesn't have the time to teach both anyway sadly .

The LK100 Lk215 and LK300 keyboard will tell your child which notes ( with a voice and an animated finger LED screen ) to play as well as by lighting white and black notes up red and then once a note is played ( at her own pace ) the next will light up red waiting to be played ( in both left or right hand - and so on - please see this online short movie (in new window ) and this questions answer

If she could read and had had lessons for 2 years and was reading well the CTK 700 or CTK 800 would be fine as a practise instrument for a while so although youll spend more on the LK 200 or LK 300 keyboards she will get real and substantial help.

The LK100 is also a lighting keyboard but doesnt have looping/ repeating facility of the song on the keyboard from any point to any point - without which its hard for the student to remember a whole song all at once.The Lk215 and LK300 keyboards have this looping / repeat from any point function as well as the ability to load any Midi files songs of which there are 1000s on the web, into its user memory with a USB cable from, your PC will still perform keyboard lighting step lessons on any midi file loaded into user memory ( 10 songs at a time ) provided you have the guidance as to how how to set the midi channles and a specialised program ( we provide to purchasers free ) to do this

In short the students Ive had using lighting keyboards develop their fingering much faster - have a lot more fun and are far more motivated - I have taught a long time and this applies to almost every child thanks - Mike Irwin UTLM

We advise you consider that support is needed for the LK310 Lk215 and LK300 and LK800 functions - the internet is the best way of support as ultimately you want to know how to do this in your home where the keyboard is connected to your PC by a USB cable - please see our CHAT LIVE support above right on this page and on our forum available to purchasers from us free)( we also make screen shot graphic tutorials and make these available free to purchasers on our purchaser forum - purchasers from other dealers can access these screenshot tutorials for a small fee, amongst other tutorials, like setting midi channels to make any midi file, learning how to use midi files to create and print sheet music , etc.

Q// What are the differances between the Casio keyboard songbank models The CTK 700, LK 55, LK70,LK90 LK93D and the CTK800? Who are they most suitable for?

Of all the keyboards the one most suitable for a complete beginner with no reading skills as yet is the lighting models LK55 LK70 LK90TV and the CTK 800 keyboards.( see differences summarised above here ) Designed as educational musical instrument they have all of the features of most keyboards too except the more upmarket professional Casio models. Thye were inspired originally by al proponents who recognise the power and extent to which a child can memorise and repeat rather than intellctually assimilate the complex process of reading music . One of the great proponents of using memory until the child has enough technical skills ot deal with learning to read music is Dr Suzuki (See about the Suzuki method here).

The idea behind the lighting models" 3 step lesson system" is that on the LK 100 Lk215 and LK300 the white & black keys light up red and the entire song pauses and on the CTK 800 the songs pause on the keyboard though without lighting up. ( with the whole orchestral or band backing also pausing ) until the key is pressed and then moves on to the next key..(See flash movie of how keylighting step lessons work )which in turns lights up on the Lk keyboard models keys red or pauses the note showing it only on the digital 5 line stave of the CtK 800. A digital screen highlights a picture of the finger too use for each note played too. These keyboards have 100 songs of varying difficulty but even a 7 year old can handle many of them.

The big advantage of these systems is that they develop one's memory quickly and use the correct fingers - childrens memory is already to be frank superior to adults - when they want it to be :). (I've seen most learn a new song by memory each week) . Provided its supplemented with music lessons obviously learning to read is never hindered either. A musician is always memorising and rewarding at the same time as its imposssible to read every little note anyway. Certain "read" notes serve as guideposts whilst many are memorised according to fingers and position on the keyboard, so its a falacy to think that reading and memorising are seperate skills. They go hand in hand. Recording on the keyboard is also included in these keyboard models. Recording helps enhance one's desire to practice by enabling one to play the right hand with the recorded left hand part and vice versa

The CTK 710 has 100 songs but with no lighting facilities, step learning system or recording and with smaller speakers than the LK lighting models or CTK800. It's still a great beginner keyboard especially for beginners serious about reading music .the notes for the songs are instead portrayed on a smaller LED music staves screen.

The CTK 800 uses the same 3 step lesson system as the LK lighting models but has no lighting system but like the CTK 710 a LED music staves screen. It supplements lessons in reading the songs with a detailed assesment system of everything you play into it. The LK lighting keyboard models all have this too however Basically it's a teachers dream in assisting pupils practice correctly at home it also has a built in microphone allowing pupils who like to sing to sing along as well as recording facilities ( recording the keyboard , not the voice) this keyboard is especially suitable for a beginner or more advanced pupil serious about reading music.

To summarise the song bank keyboards each in different ways provide variety and 100 songs as well as 100- 120 rhythms and 100-500 sounds depending on the model. As a teacher for 20 years I can testify that pupils need variety and interest apart form their lesson material provided in lessons, but a teacher cant provide it in the digital form that these models do. A beginner not having lessons on a musical instrument is also going to benefit without doubt, as long as the fingering suggestions on the keyboards are taken seriously. ( Its ok to relax and allow a child to make up their own fingering too for some pieces as they intuitively go quicker that way but a balance between that and choosing a few songs at level 1 in the book provided would be a good idea.

Q./ Learning with right hand in the beginning only

QUESTION:

There are those who say that the development of the right hand should be established before beginning work with the left hand. When should the left hand on the casio keyboards songs be introduced in piano study? After all of the songs with seperate right hand from our music library and on the casio keyboards have been played ?

RESPONSE:

Our music library has specifically made one handed right hand versions availble to make the transition into the casio keyboards two handed songs programmed on the keyboards easier

The notion that the right hand should be developed first and separately at the piano is the prevailing thinking among many Piano teachers. It is generally recognized that beginning study using the "two-hands-at-once" approach to piano study is more likely to cause confusion, tension, poor technical development, and other unintended results. Some of the best of traditional teachers concur and advocate practice of hands separately, well into the most advanced study.

Here are good reasons for developing the right hand, before beginning work with the left hand: ...........read more on our purchasers support forum

Q./ Piano vs digital Piano

As a musical instrument a very top range grand piano has the special resonance only a piano can have, but n also be carried anywhere. It still has weighted hammer action and this music instrument offers three levels of touch sensitivity. The Privia range px 100 PX 300 and PX 400R of digital pianos all come with a piano pedal and sappling of piano sounds and choices you can make is outstanding . For detailed review the PX 300 privia digital piano click here

comparing a digital piano with middle of the range pianos one realizes why performers on stage are choosing digital pianos over a standard piano when a grand is not available.

With a fold up portable stand they can be transported easily too

comparing acoustic pianos with Privias

See Keyboard Magazine review of PX 300

See Privia Models comparison table and manuals

Q./ How do Yamaha sounds compare to Casio keyboards(asked often)

Depends on which sounds -- and its personal preference and too small for me ever to worry about anyway Ive taught on both them for 15 years .. some of the sounds on Casio I prefer some Yamaha I prefer .

One cant compare a yamaha PSR entry level keyboard to a Casio advanced CTK900 or WK model - obviously Casio is better just as Yamaha advanced PSR 450 is better than entry level casio ..all what one pays for
-- if one was buying a keyboard for sound especially would start at CTK 900 - and with Yamaha at start at the PSR 450 ---

Im not going to run down Yamaha its a good brand but so is Casio.

Entry level keyboards should be judged on their educational value:

1) what songs do the keybords have ?

2) what type of assesment training does the keyboard have ?

3) What type of memory training and finger indication?

4) Do they enable user songs to be added or downloaded easily?

5) Are the controls user friendly, even for a small child ?

Not so much for their sound as the differences there are minimal in beginner models