CASIO CTK 3500 REVIEW
The Casio CTK-3500 portable keyboard is an excellent choice for those seeking a portable, touch-sensitive keyboard with 61 keys. Casio is a renowned brand known worldwide for producing high-quality equipment that caters to the needs of both beginners and advanced players.
In this article, we will review some key features of the Casio CTK-3500 to address any questions you may have. We will highlight the main advantages of selecting this keyboard as a beginner, emphasizing its portability, allowing you to take it with you wherever you go. Whether you’re just starting your musical journey or composing songs on a tour bus, the Casio CTK-3500 is a fantastic option that will meet your needs.
The Casio CTK-3500 keyboard is packed with impressive features. It offers 400 high-quality tones and 150 built-in rhythms, including a dedicated dance music mode. With its 61 full-sized and touch-sensitive keys, you can enjoy a realistic playing experience and express yourself with ease. The keyboard’s touch sensitivity allows for dynamic control, giving your performances depth and emotion. The dance music mode is perfect for creating electronic dance tracks. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced pianist, the Casio CTK-3500 provides a wide range of tones, responsive keys, and specialized modes to enhance your musical creativity and enjoyment.
Casio is known worldwide for its commitment to delivering high-quality products, and the Casio Ctk-3500 is a prime example. Whether you’re new to Casio or already a fan, this keyboard offers a fantastic opportunity to experience their exceptional craftsmanship in the music industry. With its affordability and impressive features, the Casio Ctk-3500 is an ideal choice for both beginners and seasoned enthusiasts seeking a portable keyboard.
This keyboard provides remarkable versatility, offering a wide range of rhythms and sounds that ignite your creativity without straining your budget or weighing you down. It’s designed to meet the needs of musicians on the go, whether you’re just starting out or creating music while on tour. Experience the excellence of the Casio Ctk-3500 and elevate your musical journey.
Casio Ctk-3500REVIEW
The Casio Ctk-3500, crafted by Casio, is primarily targeted towards beginners. It boasts a 61-key piano-style touch-sensitive keyboard with 400 onboard tones, 150 rhythms, and digital effects. A notable addition is the dance mode feature, which enables users to create dance music.
One standout aspect of this keyboard is its integration with the Chordata Play app. This allows you to connect your tablet and utilize it for learning and playing purposes. You can enhance your piano skills by accessing MIDI files and learning to play your favorite songs, catering to both novice and experienced players.
The Casio Ctk-3500 features the renowned step-up lesson system that Casio is known for, along with audio inputs for connecting an MP3 player. This integration enhances the realism and expressiveness of the keyboard, setting it apart from its competitors and previous models in its price range.
Unleash your creativity with this instrument and harness its advanced technology to deliver new value to your listeners.
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT CASIO CTK 3500
- Durability: Built to last, ensuring long-term usage.
- Portability: Lightweight and easy to carry, making it convenient for on-the-go musicians.
- High-end touch feel: The keys are highly responsive and offer a smooth playing experience.
- Chordana Play connectivity: Allows for seamless integration with the Chordana Play app, expanding learning and creative possibilities.
- Pitch Control Wheel: Enables precise control over the pitch and adds versatility to your playing.
- USB-B port: Allows for easy connection to computers and other devices for MIDI communication and data transfer.
- Touch Response: Provides dynamic and expressive playing by responding to the intensity of your touch.
- Great Piano Sounds: Offers high-quality piano tones that accurately replicate the sound of an acoustic piano.
- AA Battery Compatibility: Can be powered by AA batteries, providing flexibility for playing in various environments.
- Speakers: Though already sufficiently loud, they could be improved, but still offer the best sound quality in this price range.
If you’re a beginner pianist in search of a high-quality and excellent keyboard, the Casio Ctk-3500 is the perfect choice for you. Having recently tested this keyboard, we can confidently say that it exceeds expectations in every aspect. Its outstanding quality and performance leave no room for disappointment.
COST EFFECTIVE
The Casio Ctk-3500 offers excellent value for its price. As a beginner pianist, you want an affordable option without compromising on quality, sound, and durability. Fortunately, this keyboard meets all those criteria and more.
Priced at around $125, the CTK 3500 provides exceptional value for money. It is built to last, ensuring that it will serve you well for many years. Additionally, it includes a headphone listening feature, allowing you to practice anytime without disturbing others. The keyboard even comes with a set of headphones that deliver satisfying sound quality.
Overall, the Casio Ctk-3500 is a cost-effective choice that provides impressive performance and features for beginner pianists.
The Casio Ctk-3500 offers a built-in beat function that can be used as a metronome while practicing with sheet music. The sound quality of this feature is impressive and will exceed your expectations.
As a beginner, you will appreciate the portable and compact design of this keyboard, allowing for easy maneuverability. Whether you’re on the go or practicing at home, the keyboard’s portability ensures convenience. Regular practice is crucial for improving piano skills, and the CTK 3500 makes it easy to pack up and take it with you, making it ideal for traveling musicians or bands.
The keyboard itself is built to be durable, with a strong and sturdy construction that doesn’t feel cheap. You can confidently transport it in the trunk or handle it without worrying about damage.
Another notable feature is the screen located in the middle of the keyboard, which is particularly useful for beginners. It displays the keys and notes to be played while you’re playing, making it easier to follow along. This visual aid helps beginners quickly learn how notes correspond to sheet music, facilitating faster and more efficient learning.
Overall, the Casio Ctk-3500 offers durability, portability, and helpful features like the built-in beat function and the key display screen, making it an excellent choice for beginner pianists.
THE STAND
The stand that comes with the Casio CTK 3500 is of high quality and provides sturdy support. We are impressed with the stand’s durability and find it suitable for various applications. It fulfills its purpose effectively, and we have no significant improvements to suggest for the stand. Considering the price point, it is challenging to find a better stand included with a new piano.
To obtain the stand, you will need to purchase the bundle, which also includes a pair of headphones. These headphones offer good sound quality and reliable connectivity. We have encountered no issues with the accessories in the bundle, and we believe it is a great deal for those seeking a comprehensive package at an affordable price.
KEY ACTION
The key action on the Casio CTK 3500 is exceptional, providing a great playing experience. It offers two levels of touch sensitivity, allowing you to adjust the response of the keys according to your preference. Additionally, there is an “off” option, providing a total of three levels of touch sensitivity to choose from. This flexibility allows you to customize the keyboard’s response to suit your playing style and dynamics.
WHAT CAN BE BETTER
- The Yamaha P125 has low volume speakers, which is common among competitors in this price range.
- The keyboard display does not have a backlight, which may make it difficult to read in low-light conditions
- It’s worth noting that the 61-key keyboard may be outgrown quickly by beginner piano players who require a larger range of keys
- Additionally, the stand and headphones are not included and must be purchased separately.
- considering the overall package and price, the Yamaha P125 offers great value that may be hard to find elsewhere.
One noticeable aspect of the Casio CTK 3500 is its relatively lower volume output. While using headphones can help overcome this limitation, when playing the piano without headphones, the sound may be a bit quiet and lacks the ability to be turned up to high volumes. It’s important to understand that at this price range, keyboards generally offer similar performance in terms of volume, and it’s unlikely to find a significantly louder keyboard within this price range.
SPEAKERS – LOUDER AND BETTER
Our main concern regarding the Casio CTK 3500, a beginner piano, is its relatively lower and less robust speaker performance compared to a competing brand that starts with the letter “Y.” However, we find that the Casio offers superior functionality for beginners, outweighing the speaker quality difference.
It’s important to note that the package does not include an aux cable. You may need to separately purchase one from third-party retailers if required. Additionally, the included power cable may not be of the highest quality, but it should suffice for regular use. Consider upgrading to a higher-quality power cable in the future, although the provided cable should be sufficient for the time being.
MUST BUY ACCESSORIES FOR CASIO CTK 3500
If you’re considering purchasing the Casio CTK 3500 as a beginner, you may be wondering about the essential accessories to complement your keyboard. Here are a few recommendations that go well with the CTK 3500: a dust cover to protect your keyboard from dust and debris, a travel cover for added portability and protection, a USB A to B cable for connecting your keyboard to other devices, and note stickers to assist with learning and memorizing musical notes.
BOTTOM LINE CASIO CTK3500
The Casio CTK 3500 is a suitable choice for beginners who want to learn on a 61-key piano with the assistance of a screen, touch functionality, and a durable portable keyboard feel. It produces good sound and can support your growth as a piano enthusiast. However, it’s worth noting that you may outgrow it quickly if you’re aiming to learn piano extensively, as it has a limited number of keys.
This keyboard is particularly well-suited for individuals who want to practice piano without disturbing others in their living environment. With its standard dimensions, it covers the range that most people would need, allowing you to reach the F in the third octave above middle C. It will serve you well for years to come, and its lightweight design makes it highly portable and easy to move around your house.
While it may not function as a full MIDI controller when connected via USB, it is compatible with GarageBand. You can record MIDI information and notes played using the Casio CTK 3500, and then play them back in GarageBand, utilizing different instruments and taking advantage of the wide range of options available in the software. Additionally, you can play live MIDI instruments in GarageBand using this piano, adding to its versatility and functionality.
MAIN FEATURES CASIO CTK3500
The Casio CTK 3500 offers a range of features to enhance your musical experience:
Built-In Songs: With the built-in songs, you can make music or practice anywhere you go. These songs serve as a valuable resource for learning and inspiration.
Rhythms: The keyboard provides 400 tones and 150 rhythms, offering a wide variety of musical exploration. Whether you prefer to play through the built-in speakers or connect headphones for a more personal jamming session, the CTK 3500 allows you to immerse yourself in your music.
Dance Music Mode: For those interested in remixing electronic dance music, the CTK 3500 has a dedicated Dance Music Mode. This feature allows you to easily create EDM tracks by selecting different styles and utilizing the lower keys for drum beats, bass lines, or synth parts. Additionally, you can apply effects like filter, flanger, gate, roll, and low-fi to add the finishing touches to your creative compositions.
With these features, the Casio CTK 3500 offers versatility and opportunities for musical exploration, making it an excellent choice for aspiring musicians and those interested in electronic dance music.
- MIDI USB connectivity
- AC adapter for power supply
- The Chordana connectivity feature enables you to use the free Chordana Play app on your iOS or Android device, providing guidance and assistance in playing your favorite songs. You can download MIDI files, connect your device’s headphone output to the P125’s audio input, and access a vast library of music for learning and playing. Some file limitations may apply in this regard.
- The P125 offers upgraded functionality
- including a dance music mode
- improved sound quality
- Its keyboard style
- touch responsiveness enhance the playing experience
- he digital effects add depth and variety to your sound
- The P125 is equipped with an audio input jack, allowing you to connect external audio devices.