Many musicians, whether beginners or professionals, sooner or later think about taking advantage of technological innovations and replacing a bulky acoustic instrument with something more compact. A synthesizer will suit some, but performers who, by the nature of their work or study, need to play an acoustic piano or grand piano (for example, in an educational institution), such an instrument with soft keys will not work.
Features
Digital pianos were originally created as a complete analogue of their acoustic progenitor, so the mechanics in them are appropriate, and the price, compared to synthesizers, is many times higher. Before the advent of Casio's budget line, not everyone could afford to purchase a digital piano. Casio CDP 120 belongs just to this line, combining functionality, sound quality and reasonable price.
The keyboard of the instrument is 88 full-sized keys. There is a subdivision for key hardness; There are three types of keyboards: semi-weighted, weighted and unweighted. Synthesizers more oftenall have unweighted keys with an incredibly soft stroke. They are easy to play, but only vaguely reminiscent of playing a real acoustic piano. Semi-weighted is an intermediate option seen in some synthesizer models. Weighted keyboards are as close to the original as possible, with hammer action.
About settings
The Casio CDP 120 digital piano has three key sensitivity settings. You can also turn it off altogether.
Five different timbres will help you diversify your performance. A polyphony of 48 voices is not the greatest indicator, but it is enough for a beginner pianist to practice. In fact, most of the functions that require more voices are simply missing in the Casio CDP 120: there is no auto accompaniment and recording, as well as combination of timbres. A sustain pedal is connected to the piano. Due to insufficient polyphony, a three-pedal system cannot be used: it will not work as effectively as with 128-voice polyphony.
About sound
Acoustic system Casio CDP 120 - two oval built-in speakers with a total power of 16 watts. This is a good indicator for such budget equipment: the instrument is ideal for playing at home, but it also copes with a more spacious room. Its volume is enough for ensemble playing, but for a concert hall, additional sounding is required.
The high-quality sound of timbres is providedAHL technology patented by Casio. The sound is voluminous: the highs and mids show themselves perfectly, but the basses are rather muffled. The Casio CDP 120 has a headphone input, which is a big plus for those who like to play at night or live not alone. The headphone jack is a standard "jack", so you should purchase an adapter if it was not included. You can do this at any store of musical instruments or radio electronics.
Compact
Despite the full size keyboard, the instrument is quite compact. This was also achieved through the use of oval columns. It has a length of 1.3 meters, so it can fit in almost any car, which makes it indispensable for performers who often have to move around. The Casio CDP 120 piano weighs just over 11 kilograms, which is not much for such an instrument, especially when you consider the weight of an acoustic piano. Casio makes a branded stand for this piano, but it can be replaced with a stand from any other digital keyboard instrument, for example, X-shaped stand for the synthesizer. Nevertheless, most likely you will have to modify the mechanics of the bindings yourself so that the instrument does not slip when playing.
Overall impression
Owners praise the sound and compactness of the Casio CDP 120. The price for this instrument starts from 20 thousand rubles, but it came out a long time ago, so now there are models with wider functionality. For example, the next in line is the CDP 130, which has 10voices, in addition to reverb, there is also chorus, as well as some other effects.
The Casio CDP 120 digital piano has a USB connector, so it can be connected to a computer and used as a midi keyboard. The possibilities of the digital piano are increased many times over: there are plug-in banks with hundreds of different instruments, and a lot of effects.
Switching between timbres is carried out with one keystroke on the panel, and there are no delays. The Electric Piano tone creates a warm, jazzy sound suitable for most modern styles of music, so the instrument will find its use in ensemble groups. Cons include the glossy surface of the keys, which quickly becomes covered with fingerprints, so it is necessary to periodically wipe her. In addition, the hands slide on such a smooth surface when playing. In addition, the keys have a weak lateral rigidity, which is especially evident when performing complex pieces with sharp jumps and fast passages. However, the instrument does an excellent job with the entire program of the music school.
