Casio SA-81 Review – Casiotone Portable Keyboard

Casiotone Mini Keyboard SA-81

Casio SA-81 is a new portable electronic keyboard released in 2022 by Casio in the portable keyboard category.

It is a newer model of Casio SA-77, so look wise, it is similar to SA-76, 77 or 78, but has some additional features like transpose, metronome, tuning, octave shift and others.

It is a part of Casio’s SA series, which is known for its compact size and simple features.

Casio has a wide range of keyboards and electronic instruments in their product lineup, and they frequently introduce new models with updated features.

Just like Casio SA-50 was launched in the mini keyboard category to replace Casio SA-47, this model of Casio SA-81 was also released to replace Casio SA-77.

Earlier SA-77 was the best selling model in the 44 Keys electronic keyboard category with very high ratings and good review on online E-commerce websites like Amazon, Flipkart etc.

But now this model has replaced the SA-77 with some updated features.

Why Casio SA-81 is called Portable and Mini Keyboard?

Portable Keyboard – The SA-81 is lightweight and portable, which makes it easy to take with you wherever you go.

Mini Keyboard – Although it is slightly bigger than SA-50, but still smaller when compared to the standard keyboards with 61 and 76 keys. So, Because of its small size and lightweight, it is easy to carry, easy to transport and does not require a lot of space to set up.

Casiotone Mini Keyboard SA 81 with Piano Tones

The Casio SA-81 is a 44-key digital portable keyboard that is designed for beginners with a variety of features that make it easy to learn and play.

It has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy to find the features you need.

The SA-81 also has octave shift function and a built-in metronome. It can be powered by batteries or an AC adapter.

It features 100 built-in tones, 50 rhythms, and 10 built-in songs.

The SA-81 also has a built-in speaker, so you can play without having to connect it to an external amplifier, or headphones. And the sound quality is good for a keyboard in this price range.

So, Casio SA-81 is a great option for beginners or anyone looking for a portable keyboard.

View Price of SA-81

What are the Key Features of Casio SA-81?

Here are some of the key features of the Casio SA-81:

44 Mini Keys – 44 mini keys make it easy to play for beginners and even for small hands.

Tone Selection Buttons – The SA-81 has dedicated tone buttons for popular tones, that let you select piano, trumpet or drum tones with a single touch. With these dedicated tone buttons you can easily switch between the tones of piano, trumpet or drum.

100 High-quality Built-in Tones – 100 high-quality built-in tones covering a range of instruments, including piano, wind, percussion and many others, sampled from acoustic instruments. This gives you a lot of flexibility to create different sounds.

50 Rhythms – 50 rhythm patterns in a variety of genres, including pop, ballad, dance, and more, which you can use to play along with your favorite songs.

10 Built-in Songs – 10 built-in songs to play along with, that can help first-time keyboard players to get things started. This is a great way to learn how to play the keyboard and to improve your skills.

Layer – Play two tones layered together.

Sustain – Allows the sound to play on (sustain) after the key has been released.

Reverb – Adds a reverberation effect to the sound for a broader range of musical expression. Choose from four types: ROOM, HALL 1, HALL 2 and STADIUM.

Octave Shift – Raise or lower the pitch of notes in octaves to cover a wide range of registers

Scale Tuning (Temperament) – In addition to the standard Equal Temperament tuning, choose from 16 other types of scale tuning, including Pure Major and Pure Minor tunings ideal for vocal harmony practice.

Tuning – Adjust the tuning in 0.1Hz increments to match other instruments or vocals

Transpose – This transpose feature is an updated feature in SA-81, when compared to SA-77. Transpose function is really helpful when you want to raise or lower notes in semitone steps, means to change the notations of song by half note.

Metronome – The fature of metronome is useful for practicing playing at a constant tempo.

Tempo Adjustment – You can change the tempo of the rhythm and metronome to suit the music.

32-note polyphony – With 32-note polyphony, keys will sound even when other keys are played at the same time.

LCD display – Full-dot, three-level LCD display for an at-a-glance view of operation/function settings. LCD display shows you the current tone, rhythm, and song number. This makes it easy to keep track of what you’re doing.

View Price of SA-81

What are the Pros and Cons of the Casiotone SA-81?

Pros of the Casio SA 81 are –

User-friendly and Easy to Understand – The mini keyboard is very user-friendly and easy to understand, even for those with minimal music background or experience. Its simple interface make it easy to learn and use.

Value for the Price – Casio SA 81 is a great value for the price.
Price is very affordable, when compared to other standard keyboards. So, it is definitely recommend to anyone who is looking for a good keyboard at a reasonable price.

Portbale and Lightweight – The SA 81 is lightweight and compact, so you can easily take it with you wherever you go.

The Casio SA-81 is a good choice for beginners who are looking for an easy-to-use and portable keyboard. It has a variety of features that can help them learn to play the keyboard, and it is lightweight and easy to carry.

The only cons are small keys and not as many features when compared to standard Casio Keyboards that has 61 Keys like MIDI output, USB input etc.

Although it is portable and easy to carry, but if you are looking for mini keyboard, which is small and fit into your baggage, so that you can carry it wherever you are travelling, then Casio SA-50 is a better option to choose from keyboards available in the portable keyboard category.