Casio electronic musical keyboards were first manufactured in June 1979 and continue to be made by Casio today. Older units in the Casio line, despite being limited, were and still are popular with independent artists like Jack Stauber and Outkast for their unique sounds, particularly their pulse-code modulation keyboards. The original Casiotone line was abbreviated to CT in the mid-1980s but has continued to feature full-sized keys. MT and PT lines typically feature mini keys and the VL line features push-button keys. Most Casio keyboards feature automated accompaniment sections which may include drums, bass, chords and harmonies. Many Casio keyboards can be run on both mains electricity and battery power. Some Casio keyboards were integrated into other electronic audio equipment, including AM/FM radios and cassette decks. Casio keyboards from the 1980s and 1990s are occasionally used by ambitious sound designers who use circuit bending, a process in which a person rewires the circuitry in innovative ways in an attempt to increase functionality, to extend the keyboard's sound palettes. The following list includes some of the instruments' basic specifications and is not exhaustive.
Casiotone keyboards (1980–present)
SeriesModelYearKeysKey sizePreset TonesPolyphony (notes)BatteriesMIDINotesReferencesCasiotone101198149full258 -Voices only (no rhythm section). Sustain and vibrato effects only. Four tones of choice can be stored for press-button access.Casiotone201198049full298 -Vibrato, sustain effects and tape echo to/from input/output.Casiotone202198149full498 -Vibrato and sustain effects.Casiotone301198049full148 -Vibrato effects.Casiotone401198149full148 -Vibrato, sustain and hold effects.Casiotone403198249full258 -Sustain and vibrato. Mandolin and Music Box sounds repeat at a fixed interval. Four tones of choice can be stored for press-button access. 'Frog' presetCasiotone405198349full208 -Vibrato, sustain and reverb. Modulation effects.Casiotone501198349full8AA (x3)* -Sustain and vibrato.
*Batteries only protect memory. Casiotone601198161full208 -Sustain and vibrato. 2 additional sound effects triggers.Casiotone610198161full208 -Stereo chorus and sustain effects.Casiotone701198161full208 -Sustain and vibrato (with options, including vibrato delay). 2 additional sound effects (one is a laser). Had barcode reader accessory to program the on-board sequencer.Casiotone1000p198261full108 -Vibrato, delayed vibrato, heavy vibrato, sustain. Interesting arpeggiator. 10 presets, 10 user programmable patches.Casiotone7000198361full208AA (x3)* -Vibrato and sustain effects. Sequencer with 1855 note memory. *Batteries only protect memory.CT102198449full68D (x6)Sustain effect only.CT310198449full128D (x6)Vibrato, sustain and reverb effects.CT320198549full12CT350198649full128D (x6) -Sustain effect only.CT360198749full128D (x6) -"Songbank" keyboard. No effects or pedal inputs. Also released as Radio Shack Concertmate 660.CT370198849full21010D (x6)CT380198849full21010D (x6)in/outAlso released as the PMP-300 as part of Casio's "Professional" line.CT390198949full21010D (x6)CT395198949full11012AA (x6)CT40049full10016AA (x6)Has 5 sound effect pads.CT410V198449full208D (x6)Has analog filter with cutoff, envelope and resonance controls. Input for BFC-1 Breath Filter Controller which allows control the filters with breath.CT420199049full21010D (x6)CT430198649full208D (x6)CT45049full128D (x6)CT460198849full46510D (x6)MIDIHas PCM "Sound Effect" section. Has MIDI in/out only (no thru). Similar to MT-540.CT470198949full22012D (x6)MIDIHas "Tone Editor" with detune, delay, attack/decay and release and "Multi-Accompaniment System"CT510198749full128D (x6)CT599200761fullCT605198561full208D (x6)CT607198761full2010D (x6)CT615199061full210D (x6)CT620198561full208D (x6)CT625198961full21010D (x6)CT630198761full308D (x6)in/out/thruPreset-only home version of Casio's Spectrum Dynamic (SD) synthesizers.CT636199061full46510D (x6)"Auto harmonise" effect.CT638199061full465CT640198861full46510D (x6)in/out/thruTonebank allows layering of two sounds with reduced polyphony. Can "register" 4 patches for quick access, similar to the earlier Casiotone 101.CT647199261full12016D (x6)Two reverb effects and stereo panning. Forty-song "jukebox".CT648199261fullCT650198961full46510D (x6)in/out/thruTonebank allows layering of two sounds with reduced polyphony. Can "register" 4 patches for quick access, similar to the earlier Casiotone 101.CT655198961full11012D (x6)in/outHas "Tone Editor" with detune, delay, attack/decay and release. Has sustain pedal input. Not velocity sensitive. Also released as the PMP-600 as part of Casio's "Professional" line.CT657198961full11012D (x6) -Has "Tone Editor" with delay, attack/decay and release.CT660198861full46510D (x6)in/out/thruHas PCM "Sound Effect" section. Can "register" 4 patches for quick access, similar to the earlier Casiotone 101. Also released as the PMP-500 as part of Casio's "Professional" line. CT670198961full22012D (x6)in/out/thruHas "Tone Editor" with detune, delay, attack/decay and release and "Multi-Accompaniment System". Has pitch-bend wheel, MIDI in/out/thru, and tuning fine adjustment. Keyboard is not velocity sensitive. Paula Abdul Demo SongCT680199061full22012D (x6)in/out/thruHas Digital Reverb and "Tone Editor" with detune, delay, attack/decay and release. Also released as the PMP-700 as part of Casio's "Professional" line.CT700199261full10012D (x6)in/outHas sustain jack.CT770199261full10012D (x6)in/outHas Digital Reverb with editable parameters.CT800321005 SFX pads and plays songs from Casio ROM Packs.CT805198649full128D (x6) -Sustain effect.CT810198549Plays songs from Casio ROM Packs.CT84049full1008AA (x6)CT870199561full100in/outHas portamento, pitch bender, three reverb effects, velocity sensitive keyboard.CT888200273fullMIDICT6000198561full208in/out8 tone effects, pitch bender wheel with full octave range, velocity sensitive keyboard.CT6500198661full488MIDI3 tone effects, modulation wheel and other features.CTK50199549full1008AA (x6)CTK8049CTK100199449full1008AA (x6)CTK12049full1008AA (x6)CTK13049full1008AA (x6)CTK150199349full10016AA (x6)CTK200199249full10016AA (x6)CTK220L199649full10012AA (x6)CTK230200349full10012AA (x6)CTK24049full10012AA (x6)CTK30049full10016AA (x6)CTK330199649full10012AA (x6)CTK401199749full10012AA (x6)CTK411200649full10012AA (x6)MIDICTK431200749full10012AA (x6)MIDICTK450198861full6416AA (x6)CTK451200161full10012AA (x6)MIDICTK471200161full10012AA (x6)MIDICTK480200261full10012D (x6)100 tones, 50 rhythms, 20 songsCTK4812002-200461full10012AA (x6)100 tones, 100 rhythms, 100 songsCTK48561full10012AA (x6)CTK491200261full10012AA (x6)MIDICTK495200661full10012AA (x6)CTK496200461full10012AA (x6)MIDICTK500199261full12016D (x6)CTK501199861full10012D (x6)MIDICTK511199861full10012D (x6)MIDICTK515199861full100CTK518199761full100D (x6)MIDICTK519199861full100CTK520L199661full10012AA (x6)CTK530199561full6424D (x6)MIDISimilar 550, 650, 750 models. CTK531199961full10016D (x6)MIDICTK533199961full10016D (x6)MIDICTK540199561full6424D (x6)MIDICTK541199961full10016D (x6)MIDIaka OPTIMUS MD-1150CTK550199961full10016D (x6)noVelocity Sensitive, Sustain Pedal Input, Stereo 1.1W x 1.1W Speakers, 40 songs, pred to CTK-650 and CTK-750CTK551200061full10016D (x6)MIDI100 tone, 100 rhythm, 100 song bank, song bank controller, Pitch Bend, 551/558 manual, larger backlit LCD, chord bookCTK558200061full10016D (x6)MIDI100 tone, 100 rhythm, 100 song bank, song bank controller, Pitch Bend, 551/558 manual, larger backlit LCD, chord bookCTK560L199861full10012AA (x6)CTK5712001-200461full12824D (x6)MIDISame as CTK-573 but BlackCTK5732001-200461full12824D (x6)MIDISame as CTK-571 but SilverCTK591200361full25524D (x6)MIDICTK593200361full25524D (x6)MIDICTK601199761full16824D (x6)MIDI200 tone (128 gm, 32 synth, 32 user), 100 rhythm, pad type pitch bend, ctk-601/611/631/concertmate 990, A2 soundCTK611199761full16824D (x6)MIDISame as 601 but has backlit LCD, A2 soundCTK620L199761full13724D (x6)MIDICTK63061full10024D (x6)MIDIHas reverb and velocity sensitive keys.CTK631199961full20024D (x6)in/outReverb (3 types), 100 rhythms, 16 part multitimbral, 5200 notes sequencer., A2 sound, pitch bend wheelCTK6501994-199561full12832D (x6)MIDIHas 10 digital effects. Very good rhythms, magical presets in additional to normal presets, GM support, lofi powerhouseCTK6512001-200261full20024D (x6)MIDIsimilar to CTK-601/611/631, pitch bend wheel, 32 registrations, 6 drum padsCTK6712000-200161full34832D (x6)MIDIlittle brother to ctk-691, scaled down ctk-900, zpi processor, better rhythms, 2000 note memory, casio music site downloads via MIDICTK68061full12832D (x6)MIDICTK691200361full79032D (x6)MIDIlittle brother to ctk-900, zpi processor, strong rhythms, groundbreaking in 2003, casio music site downloads via MIDICTK700200361full10012AA (x6)MIDICTK71061full24232AA (x6)CTK7202006-200761full24232AA (x6)very commonCTK7311997-199961full23232D (x6)MIDICTK7501993-199461full12832D (x6)MIDIBig brother to ctk-650, 6 control pads, pitch bend wheel, GM, 1 more sequencer track, excellent rhythms, came out just 2 months after the CTK-1000 and uses A2 (A-Square) Synthesis, which is just a PCM playback, but with the polyphony doubled to 32.CTK8002004-200561full50032D (x6)CTK810200761full51532AA (x6)CTK811EX199861full20032D (x6)MIDICTK850IN61full60048AA (x6)MIDICTK860IN61full60048CTK900200561full82432D (x6)MIDIZPI processor, no pitch or mod wheels, synth functions, drawbar organ sounds, many user sounds can be saved, 10000 note memory, 4MB flash memory (same as wk-3200/wk-3700), casio music site downloads via MIDICTK1000199361full10016MIDI"IXA Sound Source". It's "Integrated Cross-Sound Architecture" Large Bulky Keyboard with touch sensitivity. Large 2MB ROM. No MIDI dump or sysEX. Elaborate sequencer but no way to store. This was released a few months before the CTK-750. Casio was being sued by Yamaha over FM synthesis patents. There is some mystery around the keyboard and its synth capabilities.CTK110061full10012AA (x6)CTK115061full10012AA (x6)CTK120061full10012AA (x6)CTK1300ES20136112AA (x6)CTK150061full12032AA (x6)CTK155061full12032AA (x6)CTK20002004-200861full40048AA (x6)MIDICTK208061full40048AA (x6)MIDICTK2090201461full40048AA (x6)MIDIsampling, 2w speakersCTK210061full40048AA (x6)MIDICTK220061full40048AA (x6)MIDICTK230061full40048AA (x6)MIDICTK240061full40048AA (x6)MIDICTK2500201661full40048AA (x6)MIDI100 rhythms, 50 dance mode presets, 60 songs, 30 user songs, 2.0w speakers, same as CTK-2550CTK3000200461full40048AA (x6)MIDICTK3200201261full40048AA (x6)MIDICTK3400SK61full20048AA (x6)MIDICTK3500201761full40048AA (x6)MIDICTK4000200861full57048D (x6)MIDICTK42002011-201361full, weighted60048AA (x6)MIDIHas sampling and rhythm editing functions, among others.