Industry Trailblazer Casio Continues To Up The Ante With Innovative Music Technology

Company's Portfolio of Digital Pianos and Keyboards Represents 40 Years of Quality and Innovation

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Jan 17, 2020, 11:11 ET

DOVER, N.J., Jan. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1980, Casio America, Inc. introduced the Casiotone 201 electric keyboard. This keyboard enabled musicians of any age, budget or skill level to play the sounds of various instruments, and marked the Company's debut in the electronic musical instrument space. Today, 40 years later, Casio continues to be a trailblazer in the industry and is celebrating four decades of innovative music technology geared for musicians young and old.

"At Casio, our goal has always been to develop instruments based on the fundamental desire to enjoy the making music," said Stephen Schmidt, Vice President of Casio's Electronic Musical Instrument division. "As we look ahead to the next 40 years, we will continue to strive for excellence in designing and creating the next generation of instruments for musicians."

Casio's Early Years
The introduction of the affordable Casiotone 201 drew acclaim from music lovers around the world. Casio subsequently released the VL-1, a hugely-popular miniature keyboard with memory capacity and a built-in calculator, the CZ-101, a powerful digital synthesizer, and the SK-1, a very popular sampling keyboard with 32 mini keys, a four-note polyphony and a built-in microphone. By 1988, Casio had expanded its electronic musical instrument offerings beyond keyboards with the DG-series digital guitars and the DH-100 electronic wind instrument.

PRIVIA's Introduction
By the time the PRIVIA digital piano sub-brand was launched in 2003, the industry was open for a change. PRIVIA was a new concept in the affordable digital piano category, which offered more advanced features and high-quality sound at an affordable price-point. Since its inception, the line has continued to expand. The newest PRIVIA digital pianos, the PX-S1000 and PX-S3000, boast the world's slimmest digital piano depth while retaining a sophisticated keyboard touch and authentic timbre. With such a slim profile and weighing under 25 pounds each, musicians can easily enjoy playing in a variety of environments without taking up a lot of space. PX-S instruments can also use AA batteries instead of the included power supply, making their portability unrivaled among other digital pianos.

Other Key Introductions
In 2013, Casio released the PRIVIA PX-5S. It was the Company's first stage piano within the PRIVIA line, offering a comprehensive feature-set for professional musicians including a powerful Hex Layer synthesis engine with tone editing, comprehensive MIDI controller functionality, extensive DSP effects, and much more. Two years later, Casio debuted its CELVIANO Grand Hybrid digital piano series. Designed to combine the advantages of digital technology with the traditional sound and feel of acoustic pianos, the Grand Hybrid digital pianos deliver a piano experience to satisfy even the most demanding player. Their full-length Austrian Spruce piano keys use the same materials and processes as in C. Bechstein grand pianos, with a new unique mechanism developed by Casio that delivers authentic vertical grand piano hammer movement.

The Revamped Casiotone Series
Nearly 40 years after the original, Casio introduced the next generation of its popular Casiotone series of portable keyboards. Revamped to hit a high note with music lovers of all ages, the new Casiotone series consists of three models offering a refreshed design including a slim chassis and 61 keys. Weighing in at just six pounds, the new models are ideal for playing at home or on the go, and are jam-packed with 400 tones, 77 rhythms, 50 patterns for Dance Music Mode, USB-MIDI, optional 6xAA battery power, included AC adaptor and more.

To learn more about Casio's full portfolio of electronic musical instruments, please visit www.CasioMusicGear.com.

About Casio America, Inc.
Casio America, Inc., Dover, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world's leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions. Established in 1957, Casio America, Inc. markets calculators, keyboards, digital cameras, mobile presentation devices, disc title and label printers, watches, cash registers and other consumer electronic products. Casio has strived to fulfill its corporate creed of "creativity and contribution" through the introduction of innovative and imaginative products. For more information, visit www.casiousa.com.

SOURCE Casio America, Inc.