Content

• To step
• Tips

Developed in 1964 by Robert Moog, the modular synthesizer was the first of a generation of musical keyboards. In 1970 it was succeeded by the first performance model. Thanks to advancements in electronics since then, digital keyboards are now available in a number of different sizes and configurations, with various functions to meet the needs of both aspiring and professional musicians. Here are the steps to buy a keyboard that meets your needs.

To step

1. Choose how you want to use your keyboard. If you are just starting to learn to play, or if you have no serious musical dreams, you can probably buy a relatively cheap keyboard (with a retail price of less than € 100) without any problems. On the other hand, if you're a serious musician or plan to perform in public, you'll want to buy a more expensive keyboard with a wider range of professional features.
2. Know which keyboard types are available. In addition to Moog, digital keyboards are also made by a number of other manufacturers, such as Alesis, Casio, Korg, Roland and Yamaha. While keyboards have different features to offer, they fall under 1 of a number of categories, as detailed below:
   • Digital pianos: A digital piano has the same 88-key keyboard as an acoustic piano, but instead of metal strings and felt mallets, it contains digital recordings of the sounds made by those strings. The keys refer to electronic contacts that play the corresponding sounds when pressed. An amplifier replaces the soundboard that resonates the strings of an acoustic piano, making a digital piano more compact than an acoustic one. Console models have built-in speakers, while digital pianos for the stage are designed to connect to external speakers.
3. Synthesizers: synthesizers can electronically reproduce the sounds of many different instruments, as well as create electronic sounds that musical instruments cannot recreate. More advanced synthesizers allow you to program your own sounds and can be connected to a computer through a MIDI port (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) or USB port (Universal Serial Bus). (MIDI interfaces also allow you to connect 2 keyboards together, allowing sounds to flow over each other).
   • Workstations: Also referred to as arranger keyboards, workstations are more advanced synthesizers that have the capability of music sequencing and recording in addition to computer interfacing and sound synthesis. These keyboards are suitable for digital music studios.
4. Keep your current musical knowledge in mind. Some home keyboards are sold with built-in instructional systems, as well as instructional books or software. These built-in systems can include lessons on how to position the fingers while playing, as well as a number of pre-recorded melodies that can be played while highlighting the keys associated with the notes of the song.
   • If you find it difficult to play for someone else, find a keyboard with a headphone jack so that only you hear the music when you play.
5. Look at the number of keys on the keyboard. Digital keyboards can have as little as 25 or as much as 88 keys. Digital pianos have the full 88 keys of a standard piano keyboard, and most workstations have at least 61 keys or more. Cheaper synthesizers can sometimes have as few as 25 keys, but most home keyboards have 49, 61 or 76 keys.
   • The more keys the instrument has, the greater its musical range. A keyboard with 35 keys has a range of only 2 octaves, while one with 49 keys has a range of 4 octaves. For example, a keyboard with 61 keys has a range of 5 octaves, a keyboard with 76 keys has a range of 6 octaves and a keyboard with 88 keys has a range of 7 octaves. (Each octave contains 7 white and 5 black keys, or 12 chromatic tones). The larger the instrument, the more space for other functions.
   • However, the larger the instrument, the less portable it is. You may have to sacrifice the 7 octave range of an 88-note keyboard for a smaller instrument if you enjoy playing with friends.
6. Choose a keyboard with easy-to-play keys. In addition to the number of keys, it must be considered how easy it is to play the keys without getting very painful fingers afterwards. Two features to consider when buying a keyboard are touch sensitivity and weighted keys.
   • Touch sensitivity means that the intensity of the sound depends on how hard the keys are pressed. When you lightly touch the keys of a touch-sensitive keyboard, the sound is soft; when you hit those keys with force, the sound is too loud. Touch sensitivity is usually not available with lower quality keyboards.
   • Weighted keys have to be pressed to go down, but come back up easier and faster than non-weighted keys. The weightings make the keyboard heavier, making it more expensive and less portable, but it makes it easier on your fingers if you plan on playing for long periods in a row.
7. Evaluate the sound options. There are 2 main sound options: polyphony and multi-timbrality. Polyphony is a measure of how many notes the keyboard can play simultaneously, while multi-timbrality is a measure of how many different types of sounds the instrument can play at the same time.
   • Lower quality keyboards can play as few as 16 tones at a time, while higher quality synthesizers and workstations can play as many as 128 at once.
   • Multi-timbrality comes in when you plan to produce music with the keyboard. It is certainly an advantage for overlapping multiple sounds for a recording.
8. Note the ease of use. Presets should be easy to use, and sounds should be grouped logically so that they are easy to find and remember. The LCD screen (liquid crystal display) must also be easy to read. Good documentation is helpful, but you shouldn't have to read it every time you want to use the key functions of the keyboard.

Tips

• If you are short on money, you can consider buying a used keyboard as the first keyboard. If you do this, make sure there is no major damage to the cover as this could mean that the electronics inside are also damaged. Look for a package that is as complete as possible (keyboard, stand, manual, instructions).