The Score Magazine June 2018 issue! | Page 45

All you need to know about Casio CTK-7300IN Casio is well known for their digital keyed instruments such as hybrid pianos, e-pianos, and keyboards. Manufacturing electronic keyboards since the 90s, Casio has a built a legacy that speaks for itself. It is a name that has inspired a wide range of products that cater to everybody. Their products are loved by professionals and beginners alike. In this edition, we'll be taking a looking at a piano-style keyboard, the Casio CTK-7300IN. This keyboard has 61 keys with touch response that changes the output in accordance with the amount of pressure applied to the key s. The keyboard looks as good as it feels. The standard pitch bend wheel and a modulation button allow you to perform in an expressive and versatile manner. The various digital effects, such as reverb, chorus, and DSP provide a great level of flexibility and playing dynamics. The DSP parameters can be adjusted to obtain custom DSP settings that can be saved and recalled when required. The 64 polyphony options and the 820 tones and 275 rhythms make this a versatile product to perform with. Included in these are the 33 Indian tones and 26 Indian rhythms that are very useful in performing various kinds of Indian music. The CTK- 7300IN has an amazing arpeggiator function that allows you to select from 150 different arpeggio types, including playing arpeggios from a fingered chord and guitar phrases. This means that you can play genres like rock, jazz, and the blues, but also shift easily to Indian Classical using the wide variety of tones available. For session musicians, this is a great tool because it allows you to adapt to the genre and the sound that any jamming or recording session could demand. These features provide plenty of room for beginners and students to experiment and learn while building their skills on the keys. Students can use the right tones, effects patches, and backing rhythms while practicing their desired genre. Features such as the 17-track sequencer are a great addition to the keyboard and a very useful tool. The 17-track Song Sequencer acts as a multi-track recorder and allows you to layer and do real-time recordings of your keyboard play. When the recordings are completed, they can be converted to SMF (Standard MIDI File) format and stored to an SD memory card. While playing back an arrangement that you created with the Song Sequencer, you can play along on another instrument or perform vocals with a microphone and record the audio onto an SD card. This option makes this keyboard stick out to producers and composers as it allows them to make the most of the CTK- 7300IN as a composition tool. The Pattern sequencer permits real-time recording, step recording, quantization and easy editing. Apart from composing and performing, the sequencing feature opens up new possibilities for learning, practicing and keeping things interesting. This feature also appeals to musicians who perform as a one-man-act as they can layer multiple layers within the keyboard, sing and also perform with an additional instrument. This keyboard comes armed with 50 specially selected built-in drawbar organ tones and nine sliders that can be used to change harmonic overtone level settings and add percussion and click sounds for real-time sound creation as you play. Along with the standard stereo jack outputs, an instrument input and a mic input, the CTK-7300IN comes with a USB port that provides a MIDI send/receive connectivity. In today's DAW-centered approach to music, this option allows you to access all the great tones and VSTs that you might be using through the keyboard, making it a great tool that can be used in the studio as well as on the stage. The MIDI feature is very sought after, nowadays, as a lot of touring musicians prefer to perform with VSTs on their DAW because of the flexibility, quality and ease of use. Overall, the Casio CTK-7300IN is a great choice if you’re looking for a keyboard that allows flexible and expressive playing while focusing on some game-changing features such as sequencing and recording. It works beautifully for on-stage performances, in the studio and as an instrument to teach/learn on. The Score Magazine highonscore.com 43