Why different amounts of keys?
The amount of keys merely allows a wider range of notes available at one time. You can learn to play on a 61-note just as well as an 88-note. A smaller size keyboard may be your answer if you have space limitations or need to transport it frequently. Size will also be reflected in the price.
Other Stuff You’re Going to Need
There are certain accessories you will need for your Keyboard. A keyboard stand, gig bag and headphones are just few of the items that will help you to fully enjoy your instrument.
What to Look for in a Portable Keyboard
After you’ve decided on size and price range, there are a number of features you should think about when buying a Portable Keyboard. Here are some of the features considered to be important by the Product Specialists at Musicians Friend
Important Features
* Sounds – Sometimes referred to as “tones”, “voices” or “patches”, the number of sounds in an instrument can vary widely. Obviously, you will spend more for more sounds, but the quality of the sounds can also affect price. While you may find a $149.00 keyboard with 50 sounds you can also spend $399.00 for a unit with only a dozen sounds. Certainly the quality of those dozen sounds will be superior. Your purchasing decision should depend on which features are most important to you.
* Polyphony – This is the number of notes that can be played at one time. A polyphonic synthesizer can play more than one note at a time, while a monophonic synth can only play one note at a time. Most modern synthesizers are polyphonic.
* Action – The way it feels when you push down on a key. Most Portable keyboards have very light “spring” or “organ touch” action, as opposed to the heavier “weighted action” of a digital piano.
* Touch Sensitivity – Sometimes referred to as “Velocity Sensitivity”, this is a feature that allows the degree of loudness in which a note is reproduced, to be relative to the intensity in which the keyboard is struck. In other words, the harder you hit the key, the louder the sound.
* Sustain Pedal - AnElectronic sustain pedal recreates the effect of the mechanical sustain foot pedal found on the traditional piano. When you step on the sustain footswitch, it allows notes to continue to sound after your fingers have left the keyboard.
* Sequencer - A built-in Sequencer records “events” that occur as you play the keyboard. It’s like having a built-in multi-track recorder. The sequencer remembers what keys you pressed and how long and how hard you pressed them. This is a great tool for recording song ideas or playing back lessons to monitor your progress.
* USB Connectivity – Short for “Universal Serial Bus’, USB is that slim little rectangular input on your PC. It is an interface standard for hooking peripherals (in this case, your keyboard) to your computer. This allows your keyboard to interact with educational software, programs for recording, sequencing etc.
Portable Keyboards and Digital pianos are excellent instruments to introduce the uninitiated to the exciting world of music.
