Hi all!

OK, no one is here in the Casio area. Don't be shy, your safe in here! Anyone else besides me own a wk-1800? What about an MZ2000? I would have loved to have gotton that one. Maybe you own one of the lessor models? I would like to hear what you think of your machines etc. I think the name Casio brings grins to some of the more talented musicians around here but we know they ALL have one or two of them keyboards sittin' in their studios! haha. Hope you Casio folks will share. Thanks!

-Linda

I have a WK-1800 and like the session function. I program a chord sequence and practice improvising on my guitar. I really feel that this instrument for some reason is best suited for jazz/modern jazz music- it's better than the Yamaha psr540. It doesn't do rock & pop very well at all-the psr really has it beat for those styles. Two other features are better on the PSR.
1. The multi pads
2. The left voice layering-most important!
I like to play pads with the left voice and can't seem to to get the same functionality with the Casio that I get with the Yamaha.

Hi Linda,
Have you got your 3rd MZ-2000 yet?
I've been looking this board close. That was a great site but there were know country rhythm links to download. I play probably 80% country style. My wife and I sing Country gospel at resthomes and church.
I no you may not care for country! But if I'm
to really to get interested in this keyboard I have to find out what it can do with country rhythms. I Use mostly auto rhythms.
Thats why I've stayed with my old PSR-510 so long! Because of the Country rhythms and ones I can make work. Most all of my playing is live,either out or at home. Are most of the tones & rhythms that were on the WK-1800 on the MZ-2000 also?
Anything you could tell me about the board would me great.
All the best,
Nobby

Nobby,

My third MZ2000 just came to the door about an hour ago. It appears to be a keeper. Has all its fingers and toes that I can see.

To answer your questions about the country styles. Here is a list of what the MZ has for country styles. Keep in mind that you can alter these styles any way you like and you can also import up to 10 more styles into the keyboard from Roland styles disks and Technics styles disk which give you unlimited assortment and are available to download on the net. You may want to look at the MZ2000 because it also has drawbar organ sounds that I know you would enjoy playing if your into the gospel music.

Bluegrass
Country
C&W
Country SHFL
Country Waltz
Fast Gospel
Slow Gospel
Dixi

I sold the WK-1800 to my daughter. I will have her give me a list of the country styles on it. The WK-1800 can also convert Roland styles and Technics styles and save them into 10 areas like the mz but the process is a bit different. You have to load the program from a disk. On the MZ2000 its built into the onboard program. The WK-1800 is very strong into piano sounds and piano styles. It also has 76 keys which I miss already. It also has nice organ sounds. The MZ has 61.

Its tough deciding on the MZ or the WK-1800 because there is no place to actually see one or try one for real. Hope I can help with any info you need. I am not that familar with it yet, but hope to be in time.
Hope this helps!

-Linda

[This message has been edited by LindaFus (edited 11-20-2000).]

Nobby,

The Wk-1800 and the MZ2000 styles are totally different. I was a bit surprised at this.

-Linda

Hi Ricok987,

I love the free session function on the WK-1800 also. I just sold that keyboard and got an MZ2000 and unfortunatly it doesn't have 76 keys and no session. I agree it doesn't do rock&pop as well. Its a very nice keyboard though. I am wondering now if I should have just kept it!

-Linda

OK-I think I figured this out-for now. I sold my WK-1800, and am going for an upgrade to either the Casio MZ-2000, Yamaha PSR740, Roland EM2000, or the Korg PA-80. I can get away with a 61 key keyboard because I have a Fatar SL-880 88 key weighted action controller. This will be useful in playing piano parts, and the synth action of the arranger will be good for everything else. I will be able to hook both keyboards together, and I have a two tier stand. My only dilima now is what to choose. I look foward to hearing updates on your long term impressions of the Casio MZ-2000.

Hi Linda!

I have a couple of question about the MZ2000. If you can answer any of them I would be thankful.
Is it possible to assign different organ flutes to left and right 1 and right 2?
Is it possible to save organ flute sound in memory for instant recall?
If yes on first question. Do you know if it would be possible to connect a midi pedal board and play one flute settings with that i.e. right2, playing left and right1 on keyboard and that way getting a kind of cheap organ setup.
I was checking the PSR740 out at it seems as if it can do neither of this. (The salesman would check that with Yamaha)
What do you think of the sound of the 2000, especially the organ flutes, other organ sound and piano sound?

I have found a place that keep the MZ 2000 so I will go and check it out myself soon, hopefully this weekend, but it would be really nice if you can give me some comment.

Tonkan

Hi Tonkan!

You know, I am not a good person to get a professional opinion on this board even though I do own one. The reason I say this, is because I have not tried enough OTHER brand keyboards to compare them to the MZ2000. To me the board sounds great and has more options than I probably will use and is easy to learn. However, to some who have used other brands of arranger keyboards, this board may not compare. I can compare the sound to my older Roland modules and I like the sounds on the MZ2000 much better.

You can assign 2 tones to the upper part of the keyboard and 2 tones to the lower part of the keyboard. I can not say it will control two seperate sounds with midi. I believe you could do that but I am not sure. Please check this out at your dealer though, and see for yourself, as I have not gotton that far in my experience with the board. I have only had it for a few days now.

There are tone memory banks for instant recall and registration setups for instant recall.

Now organ sounds I can tell you are really something to hear. There is a drawbar organ feature that I have yet to learn and it is quite impressive! It is controlled by sliders and since you are trying to simulate an organ this may be something you want to learn more about. Piano sounds are very good on the MZ2000 also. I use those sounds the most.

I hope you have the chance to play one this weekend. That would be the only way you will know if its right for you.

The manual is very large and full of information but as with most keyboard manuals, it is difficult to understand in some areas. I don't think I have been much help here but hope this helps a little.

-Linda

Hi Again!

Thanks for trying to help Linda.

Heh, been a while, have been very buzy but today I finally tried the MZ2000 out. I liked it. In difference to the PSR 740, which I think it outperforms, it has the features I would like to have. I Haven't decided for sure to get one yet. The only remaining competitor would be a used KN5000 but that will be more expensive.

Take care!

Hey there, I dont have the 1800 but the wk1600. Its my first keyboard. I have played piano for 12 years im 21 now. Is this a decent keyboard? I dont know alot about them.

~~~~~~~
PMFJI, But I think the 1600 is the same as the 1800, minus the disk drive. And it's around $100 cheaper.

I have the 1800, and have used it on a few small parties/receptions type jobs. It sounds good, and worked well.

- tommyde ~

Hello Linda,

I enjoy reading your info on the MZ2000.

Does the MZ have an always ON tempo LED, and is there a TapTempo button?

- tommyde ~