Casio celebrates winning KeyBuy Award for 4th Year in a row with WK-7500
(ShackMan | Posted 2011-06-01)
Casio America, Inc. is proud to announce that the WK-7500 workstation/keyboard has received Keyboard magazine’s prestigious KeyBuy Award. One of the music industry’s most respected publications, Keyboard grants the KeyBuy Award for products that “represent a genuine technological breakthrough, are the best in their class and offer more bang for the buck.” Casio got it last year with the Privia PX-3 Stage Piano, and then, just as now, Casio did what Casio has always been good at. They offer incredibly cheap products, with out-of-this-world functionality and a seemingly limitless amount of features, not just for the products' own price ranges, but in the grand realm of keyboards available.
Last year, The PX-3 rubbed up against stage pianos from Kurzweil, Nord, and Roland for a mere fraction of the cost, sometimes well over $1,000 less than it's competitors. The WK-7500 is doing just the same with the competition, and I'd go as far as to say that it's worthy to stand in the ring with the likes of Korg's Kronos. Could it best the Kronos in a fair fight? No. But when you step back and realize that the WK-7500 can even stand up to the Kronos, go several rounds with it, and come out to the market for $500, compared to the Kronos' $3,000-and-up price tag, it's a superhuman feat. Casio deserves this award in every way.
Boxing metaphor aside, Keyboard magazine staff were a little more straight-forward in their praise. The WK-7500 was reviewed in the June issue of the magazine and received praise for its “wicked price/performance, drawbar organ, light weight portability,” and was dubbed “The $500 Wonder Workstation.” Keyboard magazine says the WK-7500 is “a knockout to have around for jamming, songwriting, and getting ideas down.”
“Every manufacturer covets this award and we are extremely honored to receive it four years in a row,” said Mike Martin, General Manager of Marketing for the Electronic Musical Instruments Division of Casio America, Inc. “As the newest addition to the Casio keyboard line, the WK-7500 is the only portable keyboard – ever – that lets you actually produce and record a song anywhere; even on the beach. It’s the first portable workstation/keyboard under $1,000.00 to record audio, its amazing how convenient Casio has made composing and recording.” Mike isn't lying either. It's the first under $1k, and it's available for $500. Did I mention it's got some amazing functionality for the price point?
Casio’s WK-7500 delivers an unprecedented level of power and music making capabilities, in a sleek lightweight package. The workstation/keyboard has the ability to record audio files that can be saved and shared via an SDHC storage card. With Casio, musicians can now incorporate external instruments into their compositions through the audio line inputs. Simply plug in a microphone, guitar, bass or other instrument and play along with MIDI instrument tracks stored on the keyboard.
In addition, the WK-7500 provides an organ simulation in which the sound is contoured by physical drawbars, offering sound ranges that previously were only available in higher priced organs. All the organ sound controls, drum patterns and built-in sounds (That's eighthundred of them) can be recorded on the built-in 16-track sequencer and saved along with a lead vocal or guitar part.
“For the first time ever, you get a professional level of sounds and sequencing in a portable keyboard,” says Martin. Keyboard magazine praised the WK-7500 and offered little bit of thanks from the common man in the process, calling it “the heart of a home studio for songwriters and composers of modest means. Right now, that’s a lot of us!”
Me too. Thanks Casio.
James Rushin is a bassist, keyboardist, writer, and composer living and working in the Greater Pittsburgh area. He has performed with Selmer artist Tim Price, Curtis Johnson, guitarists Ken Karsh and Joe Negri. His compositions have been featured in and around Pittsburgh, at West Virginia University, and Valley Forge Christian College.
Got questions? Comments? James can be reached as ShackMan in the Music Gear Review forums, or you may e-mail him at James.Rushin@MusicGearReview.com.
