Music Keyboard Terms to Know Before You Shop

If you happen to be about to buy your very first electronic keyboard, or maybe buying one as a gift, there are several terms along with capabilities you need to know about. That will help you make a much better selection. In this informative article you can expect to learn just what these terms and features are about, and also pick-up a couple of thoughts on choosing the best keyboard.

Today one can uncover inexpensive music keyboards which nonetheless possess tons of functions and capabilities. I was really impressed by both the price and capabilities of the Casio CTK 3000 and just might buy that model for myself.

Before making a purchase, regardless if for yourself or as a gift intended for somebody else, you need to understand some of the jargon. Otherwise you may end up paying for functions you will not need but lacking the functions you want. This is particularly important for gift giving. You need consider the recipient together with exactly how they will use it. So let's talk about the important capabilities, the language used to refer to them, plus how they relate to making the ideal keyboard choice.

What are Polyphony, Tones, and Keys?

Lets go over these three words alongside one another, as they are sometimes confused.
The term "keys" is used in reference to the number of physical black and white keys. There's twelve notes in an octave, consequently you'll have 12 keys for each octave.Don't confuse this with the key signature (like C-major) for a musical arrangement.

You'll generally find that the keyboard has fewer keys as compared to that of a traditional acoustic piano. It's commonly thought that sixty one keys is around the minimum needed for two-handed playing.
“Tones” means the number of diverse “instruments” the keyboard can imitate. In addition to synthesizer-sounding tones, keyboards have become very effective in imitating acoustic instruments such as piano, saxophone, violin, and others. With today's digital electronics even a low-cost model will have a hundred tones or even more, most of which are really quite high quality.

“Polyphony” refers to the capability to play more than one note at the same time. If there is no polyphony you are able to perform only very simple melodies. But even low-cost electronic keyboards can now handle a dozen, even several dozens, of notes simultaneously. This way you'll be able to play chords, complicated arrangements, plus even have automatic accompaniments.

The Actual Keys

The dimensions as well as the actual feel of the keys themselves is also important as soon as you get past the earliest stages of learning. The nearer to a “real” piano the better, because this can help you have more expressiveness in your performing and help you to progress to an acoustic piano. Considering the number of tones as well as so many special features, the feel and sensitivity of the keys is the most widespread negative aspect to inexpensive electric keyboards. You'll only come across keys "weighted" to get a authentic feel and greater sensitivity on high-end keyboards and electric pianos.

Nevertheless, there remain a couple of things to look at on less costly models. “Touch-sensitive” keys provide varying degrees of expressiveness, even if that's only “two-levels" of volume. And obviously you will want a quality feel and no wobble or flimsiness.

Auto-Accompaniment

Although it might appear innovative, these sorts of features have been available for decades. Who has not strolled past a music retail store at the mall and listened to a salesman playing a few notes with a quite impressive rhythm put in by the electronic organ?

This is definitely the most widespread "rhythm" accompaniment. You'll normally get a number of piano type rhythm patterns along with a lot of ethnic beats. A common short-list could go something such as waltz, march, salsa, reggae, and calypso. In truth, you will usually get a few dozen, if not a hundred or more beat patterns available.

Even various comparatively low-cost keyboards feature harmony accompaniments. In one particular variety, “bass,” whichever chord you play with your left hand is also broken out in to a sort of melody. In yet another, “harmony,” supplemental notes get added in harmony to whatever you might be playing with your right hand.

An “arpeggio” is yet another widespread automated embellishment. Here a note you play is likewise spread in to a chord (harmony), but played as an ascending or descending scale. This is common throughout traditional music, enough so that there's a standard notation and it's often included in musical examinations.
By picking and choosing among these kinds of features a keyboard can become almost an additional player, really beefing up ones own performance.

Closing

That's plenty for the time being. Most of the capabilities we have not discussed concern advanced players, who should choose the keyboard themselves. A handful of others are found in pretty much any keyboard. I'll go over those in addition to a few more thoughts on matching a key-board to a person in an upcoming article.  Personally, I kept debating between the CTK 3000 and CTK 4000.  When it finally dawned on me that the Casio 4000 had much longer sampling plus an arpeggiator for only about $25 more (street price), the 4000 was an easy choice.  Not too much later Casio came out with ther 4200, but even now I don't regret my choice.