Casio CTK-2550 Review (2021): A Fantastic (and Cheap!) 61-Key Children’s Keyboard

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The Casio CTK-2550 is an all-in-one starter pack for a beginner to learn to play the digital piano and begin to explore the world of music.

 With built-in lessons and learning features, simple features and functions that will have you playing complete songs in no time, and integration with the Chordana Play app for even more musical exploration, it’s a fast and fun way to learn music and start creating your own compositions.

Overview of Casio CTK-2550 PPK

Traditional piano lessons can frustrate beginners, as they can find early lessons and practices repetitive and boring, and want to quickly move beyond “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” With the Casio CTK-2550 PPK 61-Key Premium Keyboard Pack’s built-in rhythms, voices, and Dance Music Mode, even a novice can quickly advance to playing the songs and music that are most interesting to them. The included Chordana Play app makes learning music into a game, stimulating interest and lasting engagement with the instrument.

 The Casio CTK-2550 PPK 61-Key Premium Keyboard Pack is a complete set, with a keyboard, stand, power adapter, and headphones, so that you can start playing music from the moment you open the box, and be DJ’ing your own dance party in minutes. It’s a fun and simple approach to learning to play music.

Video Overview of Casio CTK-2550 PPK

Casio CTK-2550 FAQs

When did the Casio CTK-2550 come out?

The Casio CTK-2550 came out in 2017.

What are the dimensions of the Casio CTK-2550?

The dimensions of the Casio CTK-2550 are 37.2″ x 12.1″ x 3.6″.

What is the weight of the Casio CTK-2550?

The Casio CTK-2550 weighs 7.28 pounds (3.3 kg).

How much does the Casio CTK-2550 cost?

The Casio CTK-2550 cost approximately $110 but it can vary depending on where you buy it.

How many keys does the Casio CTK-2550 have?

The Casio CTK-2550 has 61 keys.

How many sounds does the Casio CTK-2550 have?

The Casio CTK-2550 has 18 sounds presets.

Where can I see a demo/test of the Casio CTK-2550?

You can see a demo/test of the Casio CTK-2550 here.

Where can I see an unboxing of the Casio CTK-2550? 

You can see an unboxing of the Casio CTK-2550 here.  

Where to buy the Casio CTK-2550?

The Casio CTK-2550 is available in large shops including Amazon.

Casio CTK-2550 vs CTK-3500

Casio CTK-2550 costs less than CTK-3500 and both have similarities and differences.

The similarities between two models are:

• Both models have 61 keys.
• Both have 400 sounds preset and 60 songs preset.
• They have same reverberation and same numbers of maximum polyphony (48 notes).
• Both has same practice features.
• Both models have connections of auxiliary audio input and headphone output.
• They have same amplifiers and speakers.
• They have same power adopter and battery size.
• They have same dimensions of 946 x 307 x 92 mm and very insignificant difference in weight.

The differences are:

• Casio CTK-2550 has Weighted Action but CTK-3500 has Semi-Weighted Action.
• CTK-3500 has 2 levels of touch sensitivity which isn’t applicable for Casio CTK-2550.
• Casio CTK-2550 has 150 style presets which isn’t applicable for Casio CTK-3500.
• Casio CTK-2550 has 100 rhythm presets but Casio CTK-3500 has 150 rhythm presets.
• CTK-3500 has General MIDI which isn’t applicable for Casio CTK-2550.
• Casio CTK-3500 has Type-B USB port but CTK-2550 doesn’t have USB port.

Casio CTK-2550 PPK’s Specs

Specification	Description
Keys	61-key keyboard
Weight	Weighs just over 7 lbs.
Display	LCD display
Instrument Voices	400 built-in instrument voices with stereo piano tones
Rhythms	100 built-in auto-accompaniment rhythms
Reverb	10 types of reverb
Presets	100 One Touch Presets
Songs	60 songs in keyboard library
Effects	Dance Music Mode with 50 built-in rhythms and effects
Polyphony	48 levels of max polyphony
Fingering Guide	Built-in Lesson Lite system, with Scoring System and Voice Fingering Guide
Ports	Ports for a pedal, headphone or external speakers, and audio in
Power	Can be powered by the included power adaptor, or by batteries
Accessories Included	Bundle includes keyboard stand Bundle includes power supply Bundle includes headphones

Who the Casio CTK-2550 PPK is Most Suitable For?

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The Casio CTK-2550 PPK 61-Key Premium Keyboard Pack is the perfect starter keyboard for children of all ages. It has the full range of instrument voices and rhythms of a more advanced keyboard, so they can learn and experiment with a wide range of styles and expressions. Built-in Dance Music Mode has them creating their own unique dance music quickly and easily.

The MIDI function allows them to import their own favorite songs into the keyboard and learn to play along, even offline. And the Chordana Play app has a fun and simple interface that combines a game-like piano roll and the music score, and tracks your progress, in a way that will be intuitive and appealing to young beginners. Importantly, the Casio CTK-2550 PPK 61-Key Premium Keyboard Pack is also affordable, so that if a child loses interest or neglects their practice, you haven’t invested too much in the keyboard.

While older learners can still get a lot of education and enjoyment out of the Casio CTK-2550, they may find the instrument voices and sound reproduction a little thin, and wish for the richer, fuller sound that would come with a more expensive keyboard.

However, children are unlikely to be bothered by the sound quality, and will have just as much fun with the dance rhythms and synth sounds as they would with a higher-end instrument.

What’s Included With the Casio CTK-2550 PPK?

The Casio CTK-2550 PPK 61-Key Premium Keyboard Pack comes with a power adaptor, so you can plug and play right out of the box. It also comes with:

Samson HP30 Closed-Cup HeadphonesThese lightweight headphones have a closed back, padded cups, and a padded, adjustable headband for lasting comfort. They have a good frequency response range and powerful drivers for good sound reproduction in a wide range of music styles.

World Tour X-Style Keyboard Stand

This rugged X-style keyboard stand is made of steel and can support keyboards of up to 130 pounds. It adjusts to 5 different height selections from 25.25-38.75”, so it can be used seated or standing, and securely locks in place. It also folds flat for easy storage and transportation, and has non-marking rubber end caps to provide extra stability and prevent slipping.

Casio CTK-2550 PPK 61’s Features

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For such an affordable keyboard, the Casio CTK-2550 PPK 61-Key Premium Keyboard Pack has a lot of great features.

FEATURE	DESCRIPTION
Design	The 61-key keyboard is compact and lightweight, and the ability to use battery power allows you to take it anywhere.
Sound	With 400 instrument voices and 100 built-in rhythms, it’s easy to customize the sound of the Casio CTK-2550 to play nearly anything you like, including 46 ethnic rhythms. 48 levels of polyphony allow for more complex, overlapping sound and sophisticated compositions, and 60 onboard songs give lots of room for learning and exploration.
Stand fold included	The included stand folds for easy storage or transport, for a portable instrument that is easy to play indoors or out, and keep up with practice anywhere.
LCD display	The built-in LCD screen is easy to read, and the buttons and screen guide you quickly through settings and adjustments, and even built-in lesson modules.
Scoring System	The Scoring System tracks progress as you learn, and the Voice Fingering Guide helps you out with voice guidance when you need it to hit the right keys.
Lesson Lite System	Casio’s Lesson Lite system uses the LCD screen to guide beginners through piano lessons and practice, using built-in songs hand by hand and phrase by phrase, learning at their own pace. Perfect hand positioning while learning to read music with Lesson Lite.
Dance Music Mode	Dance Music Mode converts the lower third of the keyboard into a dance music generator. With 50 styles built in, and the ability to layer rhythms, instruments, and effects, beginners can create complex compositions that include drums, bass, synth, and effects to play along with.
Features	With 10 levels of reverb, and convenient functions like Virtual Hall, Dance Music Effect, and 100 One Touch Presets, it’s easy to customize the sound of the CTK-2550.
Chordana Play App	The free Chordana Play app comes with the Casio CTK-2550, and is a fantastic companion to the keyboard. Chordana Play has 50 built-in songs, and guides beginners through playing along with a piano roll display and/or a music notation display, to combine practice playing along with learning to read music.With the Chordata Play app, you can also convert any song in your library into a MIDI file, and play along in the app, or store it in the CTK-2550 keyboard and play it online or offline. You can also assign tracks or melodies to each hand, alter the tempo, or transpose a tune, and use the repeat function to learn at your own pace.Even better, the Chordana Play app has an on-screen virtual keyboard display, so you can practice playing anywhere, on your tablet or smartphone. The app will track your progress and keep score, making learning to play the keyboard into a fun interactive game. With Chordata Play, you can transfer your favorite songs to the keyboard and play them anywhere, or use the virtual keyboard to turn your tablet into a keyboard and play it anywhere, for the ultimate versatility in learning and practicing the piano.

Pros & Cons of the CTK-2550

PROS

61-key keyboard remains compact and light weight, but still plenty of range for many songs and styles Weighs just over 7 lbs. for easy portability or storage when not in use Can be powered by the included power adaptor, or by 6 AA batteries for playing outdoors or performances LCD display is easy to read and helpful Amazon bundle includes a rugged, but collapsible keyboard stand to set up and play anywhere Amazon bundle includes a power supply, so you don’t have to buy it as an accessory Amazon bundle includes headphones, so you can play or practice without disturbing anyone 400 built-in instrument voices for a wide range of styles and songs, with stereo piano sampling 100 built-in auto-accompaniment rhythms add depth and complexity while you play 100 One Touch Presets let you access and store your own rhythms and voices, and restore your settings quickly Dance Music Mode with 50 built-in rhythms and effects makes it easy to make your own dance music and share it with others 48 levels of max polyphony for overlapping and complex songs Compatible with Chordana Play app to make learning the piano even more fun and simple Store and play your own MIDI songs through the keyboard with the app, so you can play the piano along with all your favorite songs and make learning even more fun Built-in Lesson Lite system with scoring and voice guidance helps you learn and practice the piano and build skills Pedal and audio inputs give more versatility to what you learn and how you share your music

cons
Keyboard is not weighted Keyboard is not touch sensitive Instrument sounds are a little thin and lacking in nuance and expression

Casio CTK-2550 Manual

If you’d like to check out the nitty-gritty of the Casio CTK-2550, here’s a link to the model’s manual:

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD CASIO CTK-2550 MANUAL

An Alternative Product to Consider

Many people opt for the Casio CTK-3500 instead of the CTK-2550, choosing to pay a little bit more for touch-sensitive keys. However, if you are looking for a starter keyboard that makes learning music simple, fun, and engaging, particularly for young learners, it’s not a bad idea to consider the Casio LK line. The Casio LK-265 has many of the exact same features as the CTK-2550, including:

• 61 keys
• AC or DC power
• 400 instrument voices
• 48 note max polyphony
• Dance Music Mode
• Chordana Play app compatibility

However, the Casio LK-265 has a few advantages over the CTK-2550. Unlike the CTK, the LK has:

• 150 built-in rhythms
• Touch-sensitive keys
• Light-up keys

Touch sensitivity is a great feature to have in a beginner keyboard, because the keys play more loudly or softly depending on how they are pressed. It opens up new possibilities in expression and individuality while you play. And light-up keys make learning even easier, particularly for young children. As you progress, the lights can be turned off, making this a good keyboard for recitals or performances.

The Casio LK-265 also comes bundled with an identical power supply, headphones, and keyboard stand as the CTK-2550, and doesn’t cost much more. The LK-265’s light-up keys make it a good choice for younger beginners, who won’t have to rely on the LCD screen as much, while offering the same app-based learning opportunities and progression as the CTK-2550.

Casio CTK-2550 with App Integration/Dance Music Mode

Sam Ash Music’s CTK-2550 Review

Conclusion

The Casio CTK-2550 is a fantastic way to learn to play the piano, and, with the app integration, and included keyboard stand and headphones, is particularly suitable to children and young people.

It’s designed to help anyone learn to play the piano quickly and easily, using the Chordana Play app or the onboard lesson system, and guide you through the 60 onboard songs.

Casio CTK-2550 (click image for more info)

 But the ability to play along with your own music library, create your own dance music with the press of a button, and explore 400 instrument voices and 100 rhythms makes it an instrument that can grow with you over time, giving you more and more opportunities to learn, grow, and explore the rich world of digital keyboards. It’s a great way to spark a lifelong love of music and open up new avenues for self-expression and creativity in a young person.