The Casio brand has been around since 1946 and are known fro everything from calculators to watches to music instruments. We have had several Casio keyboards over the years, we had one for over 15 years and still played as good as the day it was new. Last year around this time we received the Casio CTK-2400 keyboard for review and it was a huge upgrade over the previous one. Our kids have been using it to learn to play piano on it over the past year and have had hours of enjoyment with it. This holiday season Casio has introduced the CGP-700 which a Compact Grand Piano and this instrument is absolutely amazing.
The Casio CGP-700 also comes with its own stand, mounting the keyboard to the stand was pretty simple, but you will need one helper. The first thing I noticed about this Compact Grand Piano is its size, this keyboard is the real deal. The keyboard has 4 speakers built into itself, plus two additional speakers in the stand offering a total of 40 watts of power.
The sound that comes out of this instrument is so clear, the design of the speakers makes it so the sound just fills the room. Casio’s Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II keyboard accurately recreates the touch and response of a concert grand piano with 127 times the resolution of traditional keyboards. Suitable for the most demanding pianist, this keyboard also enables beginning players to develop proper playing technique. Just like a grand piano, the keys have a heavier feel in the lower register, and a lighter feel up top. Even the surface of the keys feels natural, with the reproduced textures of both ebony and ivory.
Casio has packed many, many excellent features into the CGP-700 and at the heart of it all is its beautiful 5.3″ Color Touch Interface ™. This high-resolution display is bright and clear, and makes full use of a huge color palette to keep you informed and in control. Navigating through tones and rhythms using touch and swipe gestures is a breeze. There’s also a handy Grand Piano button, which lets you enjoy the CGP-700’s brilliant grand piano sound instantly, and nearby Transpose buttons allow you to quickly shift to a different key.
The CGP-700 is more than just a piano with 550 different instrument tones. There is an endless variety of guitars, strings, basses, drums, synths, and more. There is also a powerful effects system with reverbs, delays, and other essential add-ons such as rotary speakers for organs and phasers for electric pianos. Quickly select one of the 200 ensemble Rhythms, which can accompany your playing with a full backing band which reacts to the chords that you play. You can also save combinations of your favorite tones, layers, splits, rhythms, accompaniment, and tempo for instant recall when performing.
Casio has truly thought of everything when they set out to design this piano. Have a piano instructor coming to the house for lessons or do you want to learn alongside your child or spouse? Duet Mode splits the keyboard into two equal ranges, two people to play side by side on one instrument. An additional Classroom Mode splits the keyboard and configures the CGP-700 audio outputs to work with third party piano lab systems. The front panel also has two headphone jacks, perfect for a teacher and student.
The CGP-700 is a beautiful addition to any home, with its sleek design and matching wooden stand. When performing on the go, it can easily be removed from the stand. At only 26 lbs., the CGP-700 is one of the lightest-weight digital pianos available, and with its 1/4″ outputs, you can easily connect to a mixer, amplifier, or PA system. Another great feature is that this keyboard also features both MIDI and USB audio recorders so you can transfer your recordings easily to a computer to share your music.
The Casio CGP-700 would make the perfect gift for the inspiring musician on your list or the most discerning professional. As always Casio products are available at retailers nationwide, find one near you here and also Amazon has a great deal on the CGP-700 and it ships free if you are a Prime Member.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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