Which keyboard should I buy?

There are lots of keyboards out there, but in order to be useful as an instrument, your keyboard has to have certain qualities...

 

#1 requirement:

A Touch sensitive keyboard

Make sure the keyboard is "touch sensitive". This simply means that when you play softly, the sound comes out softly, when you play loud, the sound comes out loud. This way you can play dynamically. "Dynamic" means change. Part of the beauty of music is the contrast, or change between loud and soft sounds.

Seems obvious, but many of the cheaper keyboards do not have touch sensitivity. I've seen students with non-touch sensitive keyboards develop a really gross "typewriter" technique where all the notes are played with the same dynamic level. Lifeless, boring, a real hard habit to break. Don't buy a keyboard that is not touch sensitive.

#2 requirement:

A Midi compatible Keyboard

Midi stands for "Musical Instrument Data Interface". Midi is a way for keyboards to communicate with other keyboards, drum machines, computers, sound modules, etc.

For instance, you can connect a midi-compatible keyboard with another midi-compatible keyboard and configure them so that the second keyboard automatically follows along and plays the same notes that are being played on the first keyboard! Really nice for layering sounds (piano + strings, etc). This would be physically impossible unless you were an octopus.

The possibilities are endless. You can play drum machines from your keyboard, play a different sound module from your keyboard, send midi information to your computer to be scored on paper, etc etc etc.

Here's the weirdest use of midi I ever saw: A restaurant owner in Seattle wanted to have his water fountains dance when the music played. They connected the valves of the fountains via midi cables to the keyboard (different notes - different water fountains.) Very cool - don't try this at home.

#3 requirement - and maybe the most important in the long run...

A keyboard with Weighted keys

This can be more than a nice option - it can save your hands! Carpel tunnel syndrome is rampant today. When you play a non-weighted keyboard, the key travels with very little resistance until it hits bottom, upon which there is a sudden stop. This is damaging to your hands.

Weighted keys are very similar to a real piano. When you play a weighted key, the weight of the key has to be moved - this takes up a good portion of your hand's energy. When the key hits bottom, most of the energy has been expended into the inertia of the key, not into a sudden stop.

You'll pay more for a weighted keyboard (also they're heavier than non-weighted keyboards) but your hands are worth it!

Thinking of purchasing a keyboard?
Don't buy something that you will quickly outgrow!

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