Casio WK-245 Review: Is This The Best 76-Key Casio Keyboard in 2023?

Last updated: Feb 27, 2023

The Casio WK-245 Review At A Glance#

Casio WK-245 VIEW AT AMAZON

Ease of Use

Beginner friendly

Price

Good ​value for money

Rating

Highly recommended!

We like:

*76 piano style, touch sensitive keys

*600 tones

*USB Midi connectivity

*Upgraded 48 note polyphony

*Onboard sampling

*Step Up lesson system

*Simulation reverb

*5-song recorder

We don't like:

*Non weighted keys

*On the heavy side at 15.87 lbs without batteries

Quick Navigation The Casio WK-245 Review At A Glance ​A Short Introduction An Overview of Casio WK-245 Features Advantages of Casio WK-245 Disadvantages of Casio WK-245 A Few Casio WK-245 User Reviews Frequently Asked Questions Should you buy the Casio WK-245?

A Short Introduction#

Today, the spotlight will be on the Casio WK-245 76-Key Workstation and Portable Arranger Keyboard.

Playing, or even seeing a 76-keyed keyboard can be a little intimidating, especially if you come from a lesser-numbered keyboard (think 49 and 61 keys).

However, if you're ready to go out of your comfort zone and play on a relatively bigger keyboard (move a step up, so to speak), then you should definitely check out the Casio WK-245.

To start with, the Casio WK-245 is a handy and portable keyboard that features seventy-six piano-style, touch response keys, a Step Up Lesson system (which is great for beginners and intermediate players), it has onboard stereo speakers, and so much more!

An Overview of Casio WK-245 Features#

Advantages of Casio WK-245#

Check out this short video highlighting some of the main features of the Casio WK-245 before we discuss its advantages:

1) A wide array of features for a reasonable price

We always want to get what we are paying for, if not more. That's what we always hope for, especially if the price of an item can put a dent in our wallets. With the Casio WK-245, you get a wide selection of features that you can't help but be happy with your purchase.

This keyboard meets the price needs of an average musician, which is certainly a plus in our books. With its mid-class price point, you get over 600 tones built into the WK-245.

It has a wide range of styles that lets you build your own personal backing band, making it ideal for solo performances like if you just want to play for fun.

Additionally, a fully-featured auto accompaniment section includes 180 rhythm patterns, and this bad boy also incorporates an on-board 5 song / 6 track recorder so you can capture those jams that turn into instant inspiration.

If you are feeling adventurous and perhaps a bit into indie music, the Casio WK-245 has a built-in sampling feature which allows you to start creating your own unique tunes.

This is made possible by a stereo mini audio input that connects external device like iPads, MP3 players, or smartphones.

Together with a microphone input, it allows for the said sampling and triggers the sound samples feature. It also has USB MIDI for easy connecting to a Mac or Windows computer, without requiring drivers.

2) Looks professional but it's really beginner-friendly

This keyboard weighs about 15 pounds, with a depth of around 13.75", height of around 4.06" and a width of around 45.75". Pretty portable, huh?

That's perfect if you want to bring your keyboard to shows, or if there's any need for you to pack this up and play somewhere.

Physically, this keyboard is very player-friendly. The backlit display is easy to see, regardless of lighting conditions so that's good news for players who'd like to be outside when playing and the sun's glaring, or if you are in any situation with poor lighting conditions (too bright or too dark).

Additionally, the display has notation and fingering displays.
The Casio WK-245 has a classic black design, normal for most keyboard pianos. It can look a little plasticky, but at the same time it looks nothing short of elegant and sleek. You won't get overwhelmed with buttons and clicks, just the right amount for an intermediate player.

The best thing about it is that the keys do respond very well to how hard or soft you hit it (pressure-based).

All of the controls are very "intelligent" and it has all the features one would expect from a decent arranger.

If you turn it on, it 'wakes' up fast. So, if you are hyped to play, you won't get stuck with powering it on. You can access the features quickly and is user-friendly, so you don't have to mess around in circles just trying to find the menus.

You can quickly dial up a sound or set up a beat or whatever you want to do with it in just mere seconds.

There are definitely better keyboards out there but at this price point, you get more than what you pay for.

This is quite normal with some keyboards but it should be noted that when using the on-board speakers there will be a noticeable drop in quality of the audio, but hey, decent on-board speakers on a keyboard is quite hard to find.

What we can suggest is that it would be a good idea to either hook it up to an external speaker or your preferred, studio-quality headphones and you will instantly get a more pleasing sound.

One thing is for sure, once you hear the true tone quality of this keyboard through a good set of speakers or headphones, you will really appreciate the price point and feel like you really got your money's worth!

Disadvantages of Casio WK-245#

A Few Casio WK-245 User Reviews#

We've gathered a few reviews from genuine Casio WK-245 users to help you decide if it's a good investment.

Review 1: "More than expected" Keyboard performs with excellence -- I don't. Think I need to go back to college to learn how read the instructions. Instruction book of little help. Would suggest taking lessons to get full benefit. I watched numerous YouTube instruction videos and they have helped. I totally enjoy experimenting with it. Since I'm an old man (67), with just a little piano-playing background, I have no aspirations of becoming famous. If Jerry Lee were still around, he would not be jealous. However, it certainly provides hours of relaxation and entertainment. Love the Rock-a-boogie drumbeat accompaniment. I occasionally play in C&W jam sessions with friends and use a small amplifier, but not necessary playing at home. Currently have it setting on a card table, but plan to buy a regular stand and bench for it soon. Summary: No regrets. Review 2: "Tremendous Bargain" We bought this keyboard for an 11-year-old who is fascinated with pianos and electronics. The selection of backgrounds and sounds is amazing, it has a record and save feature, and provides him with as much variety and entertainment as he could want. It has ten times the capabilities of my electronic keyboard, which cost over twice as much. Even my piano teacher is now urging me to upgrade to this model, and I plan to do that sometime this year. The whole family is pleased with the keyboard. Review 3: "What a blast!" Love this, so much fun, not disappointed in the least. I would recommend this for an adult, or older teenagers. Smaller kids might be too rough. The touch sensitivity is nice, but you can adjust it or even turn it off. Digital window is pretty good, and you can practice scales etc.. with it. It has quite a few different piano sounds which is a big draw for me, not to mention the tons of other instruments (tones). Some of the sounds are very impressive. You can mix beats, sounds, record, reverb option, has ability to download MID's to the computer, and put them back onto the keyboards. There are so many bells and whistles it's so much fun. I would have expected to pay quite a bit more for this but Amazon had a great price on this. Loved it so much bought my elderly mother one and she loves it! I ordered the M-Gear Sustain pedal for this and it works great.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Here are a few Q&A's that might answer some questions that you have:

1. Is a music rack included in the box?

Correct. The box purchase includes a sheet music stand, kind of similar to what you would see on a printer to support the paper being fed into it. Although, it is worth noting that this will depend as to where you will purchase the keyboard, some purchases does not come with a stand.

2. What is the part number for the power pack of this keyboard?

The AC power adapter for the Casio WK-245 is AD-E95100; B&H# CAADE95100B. But please proceed with caution; always consult a sales rep when you purchase this keyboard since part numbers MIGHT be different for different countries.

3. Is there a way to turn off the key sensitivity?

Yes, Touch Sensitivity can be turned off, since it has three settings. Here is a link to help you out, the information you are looking for should be on the en-12 page:
http://support.casio.com/storage/en/manual/pdf/EN/008/Web_WK240_CTK4400-ES1A_EN.pdf

Should you buy the Casio WK-245?#

I am all for being cheap, you know? Although, cheap but efficient is a little hard to find. But there are just some gems that I will not hesitate to buy, especially given the quality. If I were a player who'd like a decent 76-keyboard with a friendly price, I'd go with the Casio WK-245. Truly, this is one of the best Casio keyboards for beginners as well as more advanced piano learners!

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