KVR Audio

Hernan · Post by **Hernan** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 4:58 pm

Hello,

Some time ago we bought the kids a music book. One of those books that come with a little cheap keyboard glued in and a "simplified" chart for a bunch of kids' songs. Things like "Three blind mice" or "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".

Well, my older son (he's 7) seems to enjoy playing the songs on the book. However, the little keyboard is just too cheap, almost impossible to play.

Can anybody recommend a good keyboard for the kid? The specs would be:

1) No demo songs included. Demo songs = deal breaker.

2) Mono or poly, any number of octaves

3) Reasonable action -- nothing ultra-sophisticated, just playable. Mini-keys or normal keys are both OK.

4) Cheap, so the kids can play with it without having to treat it like some Stradivarius.

5) Battery operated would be a plus.

Does anybody know of there a keyboard that fits this profile?

Thanks in advance!

The L

kara · Post by **kara** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:02 pm

http://www.casio.com/index.cfm?fuseacti ... ct=SA%2D75

Costs 50 dollars and he will be able to do more if he realy wants to learn to play.
Oh sorry, you said no demos songs, this one has some demo songs. So no deal

Hernan · Post by **Hernan** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:35 pm

Hmmm... maybe I could circuit-bend it to disable the demo songs :-\

L

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:39 pm

where you at?
and why no demo tunes if i may ask?
check your local toys are us tho they do have some decent kids kbs

No name · Post by **No name** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:59 pm

Try radioshack. They have a mini 2 (3?) octave keyboard with sounds on it for like 25 dollars. It is battery operated, but it does have demo songs on it. Not a big problem though considering you have to press those buttons on it to play the demo song.

Hernan · Post by **Hernan** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:00 pm

Why no demo tunes: I trust you don't have children?

I want the kid to learn to play, not to DJ

Kids get distracted with the demos, built-in rhythms, etc.

The kbds I found at the toy store were not too good... I mean, I'm not looking for a Bosendorfer, but something minimally playable.

I would exchange all the demo songs, built-in mic, dozens of patches, for just one reasonable sound and a playable keyboard.

L

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:06 pm

perhaps a cheap midi keyboard and a half decent sound font

and yes i do have the one child,i understand what you mean but it just seems hard to find a kb with sounds and no demo songs

good luck tho

garret · Post by **garret** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:13 pm

This sounds like a job for ebay.

Look for an early Casio tone... I have a Casiotone 403 from the 80s, built like a tank, fake wood grain plastic, no demo tunes, top cheeze sounds. Best of all, it has the uber-cool CasioChord mode, where you can play automatic bass lines by just hitting the root notes, and 16 classy drum rhythms built-in (samba, rhumba, rock, waltz, etc.). It's scary fun, actually...

Only drawback is that it doesn't run on battery power... there's not even a wall wart, the transformer is built in.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... eName=WDVW
-Garret

Hernan · Post by **Hernan** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:09 pm

Thanks, I'll see what I can find on eBay.

L

maximilians1 · Post by **maximilians1** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:41 pm

I was at a hardware store looking at an epoxy display...strong stuff maybe you could fashion a panel over top of the demo buttons and paint their name on it or something.

headquest · Post by **headquest** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:46 pm

The ROland portable electronic keyboards allow you to disable the demo songs (the Yamaha and Casio ones don't let you do that). You ight like to look at their website.

Having said that, I would highly recommend the Yamaha PSR range as decent keyboards for kids, with good-to-better sound quality for their respective prices and a fairly nice keybaord action. I think they represent better value for money than the others (Casio are not such good sound quality and ROland are a little overpriced... at least here in the UK).

(By the way I am a keyboard teacher)

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:56 pm

i picked up a yamaha portasound pss 450 for 7.00. it sounds good, has reverb, stereo chorus, stereo rca out, phones and some more neat features. no demo songs. battery and dc

ross g · Post by **ross g** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 5:11 pm

i have two kids, and you don't have to explain the demos to me

but if you go to thrift stores/pawn shops you'll find tons of old/pe-mid casios and such-also, i have a tip for the whole demo problem: heaphones!!! escpecially if they consider the cans "mine", ya know what i mean? i'm thinking of getting my kids some kind of 'board also...

rg

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 6:30 pm

i should mention the yamaha has 4 octaves of mini keys and is 7 note poly. i admit, i play it more than my daughter

a keyboard for the kid?