Electric Keyboards

From Amateur to Expert in Three Chords or Less...

Whether you are a beginner looking to learn a bit about playing the piano or a seasoned player or composer, there is an ample selection of electric keyboards  available to suit your needs. Prices in general for the occasional player can start as low as $100 on sale, but are usually listed for around $300 new. However, for those looking for a state-of-the-art system, chances are that you will be spending what you are paying for. Pro players can expect to pay upwards of $500 for a new instrument.

What to Expect

These days, shopping for an electric keyboard may be a daunting task as features keep improving and expanding to become integrated with all your other technological devices. On the other hand, there are some basic features that should be considered when buying one's first keyboard.

• Key number- Key number, or in other words, the size, is important depending on what you plan to use the piano for. Is this for at home use? Or are you planning to play it elsewhere, say in a lesson or for practice with others, or even performance? Most keyboards range from the portable and versatile 61-key model (5 octaves) up to a heavier grand 88-key digital piano most often used by professionals. For children, there is a smaller,even more compact 4 octave (49-key) version.

• Key sensitivity- Even for the least experienced player, you will want to get the most out of the piano's sound. Make sure to look for touch-sensitive, or "weighted" keyboards which will react more like a real piano that have the ability to be turned on or off. This way, when playing with sounds that aren't touch-sensitive, you will still have a realistic sound.

• Headphone jack- Virtually all models come equiped with this, so as to not disturb anyone while practicing.

• Effects- All keyboards come with some, such as chorus, reverb, delay, echoing, and more. The idea is that the more you pay, the more fun effects you get to play with.

• Left-hand switch- If you want to be able to play more complex and diverse pieces, it pays to have a left-hand override feature to layer and play splits. In other words, this way you can play a guitar sound on the left, and let's say an organ sound with the right hand.

• Speakers- All keyboards come with them built it. How much extra loudness you want depends on you. You can always invest in a set of additional speakers. 

• Demo songs- For educational purposes, demo songs offer a great way to start learning simple songs, basic chords, and develop a basic ability to read music.

• Recording- Keyboards that offer a recording feature are great to see how you progress from one lesson to the next, or even to work on making your own music.

• Voices, instruments/sounds, timbrals- The more you have, the more versatility there is for making more complex and creative music.

• Editing- DJ's and wannabes can look out for filters, modulation, and envelopes for adjusting EQ levels, timbre, volume, and motion effects. Editing can also be useful for creating new or customized sounds.

• LCD display- Many models offer this feature. Some have the ability to show bitmap displays of sheet music that automatically scroll as you play.

• MIDI compatibility & USB connectivity- These days, hardly anyone is caught without a computer. If you are interested in saving and recording your playing to a computer, find a keyboard with a USB port and Smart media slots which allow you to transfer music and MIDI files. Also, some keyboards feature song arrangers which let you download and follow along with the music via a computer.

Major Brands

Yamaha  and Casio  are the most popular, but there are also Technics,  Korg,  M-Audio,  and Roland,  which tend to be pricier.

Additional Featurese to Consider

• For the kids:

• an add-on microphone  for kareoke
• a keyboard that features light-up keys and guideboard for easier learning

• For the player who likes an extra kick:

• an amp or the ability to connect to a home stereo system or audio monitor
• rotary speakers

• Do you have a place to put the keyboard or will you need one that comes with a stand? 

• If you are accustomed to playing on a standard piano, you may want to think about getting a pedal. 

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