Keyboard purchase is the first step towards creating a musical instrument. Keyboards come in all kinds of models, as well as price ranges. The first thing you need to consider before deciding upon a keyboard is the amount of money you have to spend for it. Although you can find high-end keyboards at affordable prices, but even the cheapest models have several features that you won't benefit from without further research.
It's a good idea to make a list of what features are important to you. This will help you in deciding which type and brand to purchase. There are three main types of keyboards: analog electronic pianos, digital pianos, and virtual pianos. Analog electronic pianos use sampled sounds produced by speakers or headphones. Digital pianos use digital sensors to detect key strokes; they also have MIDI capabilities.
When considering the type of keyboard to purchase, consider your needs. If you like composing or producing electronic music, you will probably need a full-fledged sequencer or synthesizer. Virtual synthesizers are excellent if you don't want to spend the money for an actual electronic keyboard. A great feature of many digital pianos and keyboards is a weighted action on the keys. The weighted action simulates the feeling of an acoustic guitar pick or piano keys.
Another factor to consider when choosing a keyboard is the number of voices or tracks that support it. Some keyboards offer only one voice for playback; others allow two or more, which is called polyphony. Polyphony allows you to play a single tone at the same time, which is different from mono tones, which play just one note at a time. Keyboards that support polyphony have various combinations of voices and polyphony.
Next, you must decide between sampled and non-sampled keyboard workstations. Sampled keyboards use sounds produced by digital pianos or other keyboards. These sounds are not as genuine as actual musical instruments, but some people prefer this type. Many professional keyboard workstations actually sample actual live musical instruments for their keyboards.
You can also opt for digital synthesizers, which are actually computer programs that run on an operating system. Digital synthesizers can emulate various types of sounds, from keyboards to pads to perforated samples. Most popular synthesizers have a library of sounds that it can run on. However, if you need many sounds for your keyboard workstation, you may have to spend extra for digital synthesizers.
An additional consideration for you to think about is whether to purchase desktop or notebook-based keyboards. Notebooks have portability and they are generally cheaper than their desktop counterparts. However, laptop-based synthesizers are faster and they can be used with almost any operating system. Laptop keyboard manufacturers offer onboard sound adapters so that you do not have to plug the keyboard into a different device just to hear its sounds.
When it comes to choosing the right synthesizer for keyboard workstations, you should consider how you want it to fit in your work space. There are virtual synthesizers that allow you to see how a keyboard will look when it is in the actual position. This will allow you to make a good decision regarding how portable it is and how aesthetically pleasing it is. If you already have a large workspace, you can choose larger keyboards, but if you are limited in space, you should opt for the smaller ones. The final decision you should make is whether you prefer real physical synthesizers over digital ones or if you would like to buy laptop-based keyboards.
Keyboards and controllers are available in many different types. The most common types are: PC-based keyboards, Mac-based keyboards, digital audio workstation keyboards, and virtual synthesizers. As you can notice, the choices here are quite diverse, and it will be up to you to identify which type will best suit your needs. You may also want to get wireless keyboards and controllers because of their convenience. They can be carried around wherever you go, and they require no installation process.
Keyboards and MIDI keyboards have several different uses, and depending on what you are looking for, you may need to consider different options. For instance, if you use a computer to transfer data from one program to another, you may require a keyboard function that allows you to transfer data between two programs. The data cannot be typed in the first program; you have to key in the information in the program where you wish to transfer it. A keyboard function that allows the user to control another program also has its uses, so you should look for one that comes with a number of knobs or wheels so that you can move the knob or wheel to the location of where you want to control the other program.
If you are into composing musical pieces and need a large palette of sounds, a digital synthesizer or a multi-touch software keyboard function is perfect for your needs. These types of products come with a large number of sounds that are created based on different parameters, and they can easily be assigned to specific keys so that you don't have to type in each and every note manually. When it comes to polyphonic sequencing, these types of instruments are very popular because they allow the musicians to incorporate more than sixteen notes at once into their songs. In other words, pianos and keyboards that have this function are great for making heavy use of polyphony in music.
