Casio LK 265 Review (2021): “Light-Up” Keys Make Learning Fun & Easy


Casio LK-265 61-Key Lighted Portable Touch Sensitive Keyboard with Power Supply

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“Light-up” keyboards are a fantastic way to learn to play the piano. They transform learning to play an instrument into a fun, visual game, removing the intimidating factor of learning to read music. With a light up keyboard, beginners can feel more comfortable and more successful early in their learning, which helps to maintain motivation and make practice fun.

The Casio LK 265 is all about making learning fun, with a great library of built-in voices and rhythms, and a Dance Music Mode that has beginners making fun party music right out of the box. Compatibility with Casio‘s popular Chordana Play app gives you even more options for musical exploration, along with the ability to transform your smart device into a touchscreen keyboard, so you can practice piano anywhere.

Casio LK 265 Quick Overview

Casio LK-265 61-Key Lighted Portable Touch Sensitive Keyboard with Power Supply

The Casio LK 265 is a piano designed to get beginners playing songs quickly, in a way that is simple and approachable, removing the intimidation factor from learning to play piano. With this keyboard, you don’t need to learn to read music, and the light-up keyboard guides your fingers until you are able to play by memory.

The ability to learn your own favorite songs, as well as built-in rhythms and accompaniment, makes learning more fun and gets young people playing piano early. It’s a great starter piano for children and beginners.

Casio LK 265 Video Overview

Here’s a short video overview of the Casio LK 265.

Casio LK-265 FAQs

When did the Casio LK-265 come out?

The Casio LK-265 came out in 2017.

What are the dimensions of the Casio LK-265?

The dimensions of the Casio LK-265 are 946 x 307 x 92 mm.

What is the weight of the Casio LK-265?

The weight of the Casio LK-265 is 3.6kg (without batteries).

How much does the Casio LK-265 cost?

The Casio LK-265 costs approximately $320 on Amazon, but the price can vary depending on where you buy it.

How many keys does the Casio LK-265 have?

The Casio LK-265 has 61 keys.

How many sounds does the Casio LK-265 have?

The Casio LK-265 has 400 sounds presets.

Where can I see a demo/test of the Casio LK-265?

You can see a demo/test of the Casio LK-265 here.  

Where can I see an unboxing of the Casio LK-265?

You can see an unboxing of the Casio LK-265 here.  

Where to buy the Casio LK-265?

The Casio LK-265 is available in large shops including Amazon.

Casio ​LK 265 Specs

  • 61 full size touch sensitive keys
  • 2 levels of touch sensitivity, or turn touch sensitivity off entirely
  • Weighs just 7.9 pounds without batteries
  • Can be powered with the included AC adaptor, or powered by 6 AA batteries
  • LCD display
  • Amazon bundle includes the power supply
  • 400 built-in instrument voices
  • Stereo piano voices
  • 100 built-in auto-accompaniment rhythms and effects
  • 46 world rhythms
  • Dance Music Mode with 50 built-in rhythms and effects
  • 48 levels of max polyphony
  • 10 levels of reverb
  • Virtual Hall setting
  • 60 built-in songs, with capacity for 30 more user-added songs
  • Transpose and tuning controls
  • Metronome
  • 100 One Touch Presets
  • Compatible with Chordana Play app
  • Store and play MIDI songs through the keyboard with the app
  • Built-in lesson functions and fingering guide
  • Ports for pedals, audio in, headphones, and more
  • Auto power off when idle

Who the Casio LK 265 is Most Suitable For?

casio lk 265

The Casio LK 265 is a fantastic starter piano for children. Children sometimes lack the patience to learn to read music, or get easily frustrated when their practice is difficult or they can’t play songs they like right away.

The light-up keys, easy lessons, fun rhythms and dance music, and ability to play along with favorite songs from their own music library make it easy for children to get interested in playing the keyboard and make fast progress. And, because it is a fairly affordable instrument, parents don’t have to invest too much in an instrument they might lose interest in.

For beginners and children who show a real love and aptitude for the piano, they should consider upgrading from the Casio LK 265 fairly quickly. While it does teach songs quickly, and is fun to use, the unrealistic keys and lack of instruction on technique may give a new player bad fingering habits that are difficult to overcome later if they want to progress with the piano.

For most adults, the  Casio LK 265 is a bit less appealing; the sound quality isn’t great, and they soon experience some of the limitations of the instrument. However, there are many adults who are dipping their toes back into piano after several years away, and who want to quickly learn songs and build their repertoire, and the Casio LK 265 can do just that.

It’s not a great instrument for performances or for the full spectrum of piano sound and playing experience, but if the goal is to learn songs quickly, the instrument can pay off fast.

What’s Included with the Casio LK 265

The basic bundle includes the keyboard and the power supply.

There are a few optional accessories that can help you get the most out of the Casio LK 265.

Headphones.

Headphones are arguably the most important accessory for a beginner’s piano. Friends, neighbors, and family members may not want to listen to hours of practice and play with a new piano, and learners may want the privacy of headphones so that they aren’t sharing their mis-steps with an audience.

BEHRINGER, Slvr/Blk (HPM1000)
Samson SR850 Semi-Open-Back Studio Reference Headphones

For a beginner, consider the Behringer HPM1000, which deliver surprising sound quality and isolation for the price. For those with slightly higher expectations in headphones, you may want to consider the Samson SR850 instead, with an open-back design that creates richer, more spatial sound without completely excluding the outside world, and is designed for lasting comfort over long sessions.

Premium package.

Casio LK265 Premium Package

Amazon sells an affordable premium package upgrade for the basic keyboard.

This package doesn’t just include the keyboard and power supply, but also comes with a pair of headphones and a keyboard stand, so you don’t have to put your new piano on a table or desk. The premium package makes it simpler and more affordable than buying these items separately, and transform the Casio LK 265 keyboard into a full music setup.

Casio LK 265 Features

Casio LK-265 61-Key Lighted Portable Touch Sensitive Keyboard with Power Supply

FEATUREDESCRIPTION
Design

The keyboard has 61 full-size keys, but is compact and portable. The ability to use battery power allows you to take it anywhere, and play inside or out with 6 AA batteries.

 

The LCD screen is bright and easy to read, and the buttons and screen guide you quickly through settings and adjustments. One-touch features let you quickly restore your favorite settings.

 

Full-size, touch sensitive keys allow the sound to respond to your touch and playing style, for greater expression, or turn off touch sensitivity altogether.

Sound

It comes with 400 instrument voices and 100 built-in rhythms, along with 46 world rhythms, so it’s easy to experiment and customize your sound.

 

It also has 10 levels of reverb, and a Virtual Hall button for a classic piano sound. It comes with 60 practice songs for your piano lessons, and the ability to expand your library to hold your own favorite songs.

 

The LK 265 also has all the features and functions you expect in a digital piano, including transpose and tuning, a built-in metronome, and 8 levels of polyphony.

Dance Music Mode

Dance Music Mode turns the Casio LK 265 into a dance music machine. With 50 different styles of dance music that include drums, bass, synth, and effects, beginners can create their own favorite dance music in just minutes.  

Onboard Lesson System

The onboard lessons include the lesson lite module, with onboard scoring and a voice fingering guide. You can customize lessons for the left hand, right hand, or both hands at once.  

Chordana Play App

The Chordana Play app for Android or iOS is free to download with the Casio LK 265, and is a great companion with the keyboard. Chordana Play comes with its own song library and lesson system, and guides beginners through playing along with a piano roll display and/or a music notation display. Cordana Play combines the practice of playing along with teaching beginners how to read music.

 

Using this app, you can also convert any song in your library into a MIDI file, and play along on the keyboard, or store it in memory and play it online or offline. You can also use the app to assign tracks or melodies to each hand, change the tempo, or transpose and tune, or use the repeat function to learn at your own pace.

 

The Chordana Play app also has an on-screen virtual keyboard display, so you can use a tablet or smart phone touchscreen to practice playing even if you don’t have the keyboard with you.

 

The app tracks your progress and keeps score, so it makes learning to play the keyboard into a fun and interactive game. It’s a great way to get kids engaged in the keyboard, and to simplify learning for beginners at any level or age.  

Pros & Cons of the Casio LK 265

PROS

  • Light up keyboard simplifies learning and lessons
  • Compact and portable
  • Built in songs, rhythms, and dance music mode give beginners a lot of fun ways to start playing immediately
  • Wide range of voices
  • Onboard lesson feature simplifies learning to play
  • Free Chordana Play app adds more versatility, lessons, and online and offline capabilities to the keyboard alone
  • Full-size touch sensitive keys help new players with fingering
  • Keyboard lighting can be turned off for more advanced players

cons

  • No way to export audio

Casio LK 265 Tutorial Videos

Casio Singapore has published a great series of video tutorials on YouTube for this keyboard. The short videos cover everything from using the Chordana app to lesson functions and song expansions. The first lesson, “4.1 Tutorial and Chordana app overview” can be seen here. From there it’s just a couple clicks to the three other videos in the series.

Casio LK 265 Owner’s Manual

You will need the owner’s manual, because several advanced settings and preferences are difficult to access otherwise. The English manual for this keyboard can be viewed or downloaded here:

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD CASIO LK 265 MANUAL

Casio LK 265 vs. Casio ​CTK-3500

If you are shopping around for Casio keyboards, you may have noticed the very similar Casio CTK-3500 model, with a bundle on Amazon available for nearly the same price as the LK 265. If you are trying to choose between the two models, they bear a closer comparison.

Both the Casio LK 265 and the Casio CTK-3500 share the following features:

Casio LK-265 61-Key Lighted Portable Touch Sensitive Keyboard with Power Supply
Casio CTK-3500 61-Key Touch Sensitive Portable Keyboard with Power Supply

  • Both keyboard models are nearly identical in size and weight
  • Both can operate on AC power or with 6 AA batteries
  • Both have 61 full size touch sensitive keys
  • Both have 400 piano voices
  • Both have stereo piano tones
  • Both have Virtual Hall function
  • Both have 48 levels of polyphony
  • Both have 10 levels of reverb
  • Both have 100 rhythms and 46 world rhythms
  • Both have Dance Music Mode with 50 dance rhythms
  • Both have 60 built-in songs with 30 expansion songs
  • Both have the lesson lite piano learning system
  • Both are compatible with Chordana Play
  • Both have transpose, tuning, and metronome
  • Both have pedal ports
  • Both have identical speakers and amplifiers

The CTK-3500 has some additional features that many musicians will really appreciate, like:

  • A pitch bend wheel
  • General MIDI
  • USB to host

Amazon bundle with keyboard stand and headphones for very similar price

On the other hand, the LK 265 has:

  • A light up keyboard
  • A microphone port

In other words, if the key feature you need is a light-up keyboard, then the Casio LK 265 is your best choice, and it’s a great keyboard among all the light-up varieties available.

However, if light-up keys aren’t crucial for you, then the CTK-3500, with its MIDI and USB capabilities, is a much more versatile machine. And your favorite DJ will appreciate combining Dance Music Mode and rhythms with the pitch bend wheel for a party atmosphere.

Since both keyboards are in the same price range, you have your choice of two excellent options, depending on the feature you most need.

Casio LK-265 Keyboard | Light Up Your Keys and RAVE

Summary

The Casio LK 265 is a light-up keyboard that is perfect for young beginners, or for anyone who wants to learn to play songs on the piano quickly. The accompanying app makes it even easier to expand the keyboard’s capabilities, add new songs, or practice piano using your smart device anywhere you go.

Built in rhythms and Dance Music Mode make this keyboard fun for the whole family to play with, and enjoy creating their own unique music. For people who want a simple, portable, light-up keyboard, the Casio LK 265 is a great choice.

Casio LK-265 61-Key Lighted Portable Touch Sensitive Keyboard with Power Supply

Casio LK 265 (click image for more info)

Maurice

I am intrigued by how music affects the brain. I created this site to share my fascination with music in general and piano keyboards in particular.

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