Digital Pianos

First let’s look at digital pianos.  A good brand to look at, because of it’s extensive catalog of music keyboards, is Yamaha.  Yamaha is a leading manufacturer of keyboard instruments, making some of the most respected and revered concert grand pianos in the world.  When it comes to digital pianos, Yamaha is also a top-notch brand.  Within the digital piano category Yamaha has six series.  The Modus series offers pianos with a modern, stylish design geared towards those who want a “decorative” instrument for home decor, as well as excellent sound.  For a digital piano that’s as close as possible to sounding and feeling like a real acoustic piano, the Clavinova series is the best Yamaha offers.  The sound of the Clavinova digital pianos is taken from Yamaha’s best acoustic concert grand piano, the CF III S.  The Clavinova CLP and CVP models have the same grand piano sound, subtle characteristics such as string resonance, weight gradation of the keys (often referred to as “graded hammer action” or similar terminology), three foot pedals, and amplification system (Tri-Amp system).  The main difference between the two is the CLP models feature a more traditional upright piano design with a simpler digital control interface whereas the CVP models offer accompaniment styles, several hundred voices such as strings, organs, guitars, etc (whereas the CLP models average about 10 voices), and a wider control panel with a bigger array of controls and an LCD screen.  Yamaha’s Arius models are a simpler version (in form and function) of the Clavinova CLP models.  The Yamaha music keyboards mentioned so far all have 88 keys and are suited for those who want authentic piano touch with weighted keys (or weight gradation as mentioned above, referring to the keyboard action where the keys at the lower register are heavier than keys in the upper register as they are on acoustic pianos) and high quality authentic piano sound in a keyboard instrument they can practice on and enjoy at home.  The digital piano has several advantages over its acoustic counterpart such as not requiring tuning or maintenance, the ability to practice at a lower volume or on headphones, and some of the digital enhancements such as playing different instrument sounds.  Some of the differences among the various models will be the number of audio samples used per key (the more samples, the higher the sound quality), the number of instrument voices, number of recording tracks and recording time (in MIDI format), the strength of the sound system, usb and internet connectivity, keyboard action, and cabinet design.

Yamaha also offers the contemporary digital piano series and professional stage pianos, both of which are designed to be highly portable instruments and feature just the keyboard with digital controls in a compact case.  Aside from having most of the functionality of home digital pianos, the stage pianos will typically also come with a pitch bend wheel, more comprehensive connectivity options to control external equipment (such as an external synthesizer) and interface with computers, and a user interface designed to be as intuitive as possible for live performance. Cabinets, stands, and pedals are optional.  Some models will not have weight gradation of the keys and often require an external loudspeaker.

Roland is another leading manufacturer of high-quality digital pianos.  Their Grand digital pianos are premium quality instruments designed to look and sound like an acoustic mini grand, with even the lid actually affecting the sound.  The polished ebony cabinetry houses the keyboard (with key weight gradation), the electronics, and a high-quality loudspeaker system.  Some of the models also feature “moving keys” that play by themselves to programmed songs (some of the Yamaha Modus models can do this too).  Roland also makes an Upright line that is similar to the Clavinova CLP series produced by Yamaha, as well as a Stage line of digital stage pianos.  Other manufacturers such as M-Audio, Casio, and Kurzweil have their own digital piano offerings similar to Yamaha and Roland.

Arrangers and Workstations

Nowadays the functionality of arrangers and workstations are being combined into one instrument.  Typically the workstation (and many digital pianos) will include the functionality of an arranger.  The hallmark characteristic of a traditional arranger keyboard is a collection of rhythm tracks in various styles (such as jazz, pop, or techno) over which one can play the lead part(s) using a variety of instrument sounds.  This is useful for composers who want to hear what their songs sound like with the sound of a full backing band, for changing the style of a song, or for those who want to perform as a one-man-band all in real time.  Workstations will have additional music creation tools and are geared towards those who want to craft sequences of music note-by-note, line-by-line, with a large palate of high quality instrument sounds to choose from, and even create custom sounds.  The “hardcore” workstations also have built-in audio recording controls and capabilities, and combine audio and midi recording into a complete professional sequencer.  Many workstations also include a virtual Hammond organ instrument voice with virtual drawbars, and a synthesizer to generate new sounds from scratch.  For both arrangers and workstations you’ll find 61, 76, and 88 key music keyboard sizes.  Most, if not all arrangers (and some workstations) do not have weighed keys, but many will at least have touch-sensitive keys that transmit expression.  Many of these instruments will have a pitch bend wheel for added expressiveness and most will have built-in speakers.  Among workstation and arranger keyboard models you will find variations in number of instrument voices, speaker quality, polyphony (how many notes can sound at the same time), accompaniment styles, number of recording channels, key touch sensitivity, split keyboard option (to play two different instrument voices at the same time), digital effects (such as reverb and chorus), connectivity (with computer, auxiliary equipment and modules, internet, etc), and user interface.

Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between an arranger and a workstation.  It’s probably more accurate to say that there are three variations in this category of music keyboards:  workstations, arrangers, and hybrids.  Yamaha offers a line of musical keyboards they call arranger workstations which are essentially hybrids, while their entry-level and synth-focused portable keyboards are their arrangers.  Casio offers portable keyboards (CTK and WK series), some of which they call workstations, but in reality all of their portable keyboards are arrangers, except for their WK 3800 model which I would classify as a hybrid.  Yamaha’s Tyros 3 and Roland’s Fantom 8 are examples of “true” workstations.  In essence, on the “arranger side of the scale” you have an instrument that has little more than a collection of accompaniment styles, songs, instrument sounds, maybe a basic 2-6 track sequencer or recorder, and some effects, whereas on the “workstation side of the scale” you have an instrument that has everything.  More information can be found in this post on arranger and workstation music keyboards.

Synthesizer Music Keyboards

There are various types of synthesizers (synth for short) in various forms (for example those controlled by a touch pad) but the ones relevant to this site are those on which the pitch information is controlled by a keyboard.  The synthesizer often appears as a stand-alone music keyboard instrument, although its functionality is sometimes built-in to workstations.  The synthesizer has functionality to create new, unique sounds from scratch, using a variety of tone generators, pre-created tones, or a combination of.  The synthesizer will have various built-in synthesizer technologies (Roland, for example, offers Elastic Audio Synthesis, AP-synthesis, and Vocal Designer), analog and vocal modelers, filters, and other effects that mold the sound to your imagination (and heart’s) content.

Many vintage analog synthesizers are still highly coveted and used by musicians, but todays keyboard synthesizers offer more sound creation options with a combination of analog and digital signal processing (DSP) techniques.  Roland has an extensive line of dedicated keyboard synths.   Some of these specialize in vocal and vocal ensemble synth sounds (the VP series), while others like the Juno-G integrate features like an audio/MIDI multitrack recorder that you would find on workstations.  The AX series are known as “shoulder” synths which you can play like a guitar. Korg also has an extensive line of dedicated synths, making some of the smallest synth keyboards today such as the MicroKorg and MicroX.  Nord is another well-known manufacturer of digital keyboard instruments that makes dedicated synths such as the Lead 2x and the Wave.  Premium workstations such as the Korg Oasys and Roland Fantom G8 have powerful built-in synthesizer functionality as well.  Each synthesizer, old and new, can be treated as a unique instrument, offering it’s own unique character and functionality.

Organ Keyboards

The pipe organ is a very inspiring instrument and attempts to recreate it’s sound in a compact, portable keyboard instrument have led to some interesting music keyboards.  The Hammond organ is perhaps the most famous of these instruments that has been widely used in popular music.  The original Hammond organs used electronic and mechanical means to generate sound and are fairly big and cumbersome to transport.  Some of today’s digital keyboards made by Nord (C1 and C2), Korg (BX3 and CX3), and Roland (VK-8) are able to replicate its sound digitally in a more portable instrument.  Roland actually has an extensive line of organ consoles featuring two manuals, a pedal board, drawbars, sound system, and control panel with LCD screen all housed in a wooden cabinet.  This is their Atelier series that have several organ sounds including the Hammond and pipe organs as well as accompaniment styles, hundreds of instrument sounds, and other arranger and workstation functions.

In the 1960s an attempt to create an even more portable organ keyboard like the Hammond resulted in what is known as a combo organ.  Some manufacturers like Nord and Korg call their organ keyboards combo organs but they really are not combo organs and instead are emulators of these instruments.  Authentic vintage combo organs like the Vox Continental and Farfisa (two of the most famous of these instruments) were made in the 1960s and 1970s and were characterized by a ”thin” or “cheesy” electronic organ sound (and also looked like they sounded).  They generated sound electronically, much like a synthesizer.  The combo organs would usually made with one manual (but sometimes two), also included drawbars, and typically came with their own set of fold-out legs. These were very portable and thus ideally suited for taking on tours and became important instruments in popular music of that era.

The MIDI Controller

The MIDI controller is another specialized music keyboard who’s functionality is sometimes integrated into workstations.  It is used to control sequencing and audio recording software such as Cakewalk, Cubase, or Logic and makes it easier to enter music into a sequencer, mix and record audio, and allows musicians to play software instrument samples via the computer through loudspeakers.  In some ways the MIDI controller is the “least musical” of the keyboards because it does not create it’s own sounds, but it is still a useful tool that makes music-making on the computer a lot easier and more intuitive than using a mouse.

Some of the leading manufacturers of MIDI controllers are M-Audio (Axiom, Oxygen, and Keystation series), Roland (PCR series), and Studiologic (SL and VMK series).  You can also find MIDI pedal boards (Nord and Studiologic both make one) that you can connect with a music keyboard and a computer to simulate the experience of playing an organ.  In this category you can find keyboards in various sizes, from 25 keys all the way up to 88 keys, some with weighted keys.

By understanding what types of music keyboards are out there, it will be a lot easier to choose the right keyboard instrument to meet your needs.  All music keyboard manufacturers make digital pianos while the other keyboard categories are manufacturer-specific.  Casio, Yamaha, and Roland make arranger/workstations while Kurtzweil, Nord, and Roland make synthesizers, and M Audio makes midi controllers.  Understanding the different options and functions will help to know what you can do with the keyboard, but as I’ve said before, it’s valuable to be able to play different music keyboards to determine which one feels right, and ultimately let your ears be the judge of how it sounds.

Perhaps one area where brand can make a difference is when considering beginner’s music keyboards. Yamaha and Casio are two brands that come to mind and are pretty much the main companies that make beginner keyboards. There are even forum discussions regarding keyboard instruments by these two brands. Personally, I’ve owned and have had good experiences with both. Many will say that Yamaha is the better of the two brands, an argument supported by the fact that you’ll see more Yamaha keyboards being used by professional musicians on stage than Casio keyboards. After all, Yamaha is a world-class manufacturer of instruments, including some of the most respected and revered concert grand pianos! It makes sense that Yamaha is one of the better brands for music keyboards in any price range.

But Casio has a long history of electronics and electronic keyboard making, and does have some quality instruments in its catalog. The Casio Privia and Cabinet models are quality digital pianos that have weighted action keys and high-quality piano sounds. Now, if price is an indicator of quality, then Yamaha music keyboards would be several times higher in quality than Casio’s since Yamaha’s price for comparable keyboard instruments is two to three times Casio’s. Also, Yamaha makes a wider variety of keyboards, with some of their more professional music keyboards (workstations, particularly) offering much more functionality than Casio’s. There is something to be said, however, for Casio offering a good product at an affordable price. You may not see a Casio on a stage as often as a Yamaha, but for the average consumer, Casio music keyboards are a good buy for home use. The digital pianos and arranger keyboards made by both companies are fairly comparable to each other in terms of functionality and sounds, although many would argue that Yamaha makes a better sounding keyboard than Casio. This is a case where brand makes a difference in terms of the target market: Casio targets the home consumer whereas Yamaha targets the pro musician.

For a specific category of keyboard instrument like a workstation it makes sense to look at a brand that specializes in the type of keyboard. A popular example of this is the Roland Fantom X8 versus the Yamaha Motif XS8, the flagship workstation models by these prominent manufacturers. Both of these keyboards offer similar functionality and are geared towards the pro musician. Both of these keyboards, and their respective brands, are highly regarded and get good reviews in equal measure. When comparing the two you’ll notice that there are a few differences, one has functions that the other doesn’t, one has sounds that the other doesn’t. Ultimately every keyboard, no matter how similar to its “rival,” is a unique instrument. When comparing any two keyboards such as these two workstations the one that best suits your needs is less about the brand and more about things like which one matches your method of music production, skill level, how the keyboard feels, which one has the sounds you like, and which one sounds better to you.

Some brands do specialize in very specific types of keyboards and technology. M-audio, for example, is known for making midi controllers. Kurzweil is known for their innovative chip technology and also offering unique sounds not found on other music keyboards. Roland has a fairly exclusive line of digital organ consoles. Both Roland and Korg make expressive and unique synthesizers. When looking for some of the more sophisticated functionality and specialized sound creation, Nord is a brand to look for, a company that creates some of the most respected synthesizers in the world that do a great job of matching, as close as possible, analog sounds and real instruments such as Hammond organs and mellotrons.

The digital piano is the keyboard instrument made by more manufacturers than any other. Casio, Yamaha, Roland, M-audio, Kawai, Korg, and Kurzweil all have a fairly extensive catalog of digital pianos. Yamaha and Roland make the most sophisticated models featuring mini-grand piano cabinetry, state-of-the-art sound systems, and some of the most realistic keyboard action technology. Many models now come with arranger and workstation functions, but the digital piano is geared towards a specific market of piano players who are more interested in key action and sound, and choosing a digital piano really comes down to which one feels and sounds best.

Looking at brands when selecting music keyboards is ultimately the least important consideration. Keyboards are kind of like cars. Even though a certain car manufacturer is known for quality and prestige, their top-of-the-line model may not have a seat that feels right to you, or keeps you in a correct posture and would make driving the car uncomfortable. Likewise, every keyboard model by every manufacturer, no matter the price range, will appeal to some and not to others for various reasons including the keyboard action, the number of sounds, the quality of sound, the layout of the controls, etc. Some brands specialize in certain categories, such as Yamaha being a leader in digital pianos, where Roland is a leader in synthesizers. But ultimately, the best thing to do when deciding on a keyboard is to go try them out at the music store, and go by what sounds best and has the features and functionality that you want- the brand may be one of the last things to consider when purchasing a music keyboard instrument.

Both arranger and workstation music keyboards have the same basic set of sounds to choose from (piano, organ, brass, etc) and the standard MIDI musical instruments and drum samples. The workstation keyboard will usually have a larger palette of high-quality sounds than an arranger keyboard, and an added advantage: the ability to create your own sounds. Workstation keyboards are sometimes called “synth” keyboards because they allow you to synthesize your own samples, either working with existing samples by modifying them to create new ones or creating samples from scratch using tone generators and audio filters (there are standalone synthesizer keyboards but workstations often incorporate some of their functionality). Workstation music keyboard instruments tend to have a larger collection of high-quality, specialized sounds than arranger keyboards do. This does not mean arranger music keyboards have inferior sound. The top end arranger keyboards have exceptional realistic sounding piano, bass, string, and drum sounds for the purpose of its main strong point: live performance.

Arranger keyboards excel in live performance and making music “on the fly.” Arranger keyboards have onboard rhythm styles (such as jazz, disco, or pop) that allow you to create a more “live band” effect by having a virtual backing band complete with bass, percussion, and other supporting instruments (depending on the style) playing while you play the harmonic and melodic content. Simply play the chord progression and the melodies and the keyboard takes care of filling in the rest. You can split the keyboard into two sections, with the lower one or two octaves controlling the chord progression and the rest of the keyboard available for the lead part. All arranger music keyboards will offer the ability to introduce fills, intros, endings, and the ability to create variations within a style. All of this allows a “one man band” to create a live sounding ensemble performance.

Workstation keyboards can also be used for live performance, but require an element of preparation before being ready for the stage. Workstation music keyboards are equipped with what is known as a sequencer which allows one to essentially create the music from scratch. You can create all the different parts, line by line, and assign an instrument to each part, selecting from the wide variety of high quality instrument sound samples that accompany sequencers to create the exact sound you want. Sequencers have tools such as loops to expedite the completion of a sequence of music. One can then play this sequence at a live gig and perform leads over it.

When it comes to composing your own music, both arranger and workstation musical keyboards are adequate for the job. Each has it’s own way of assisting the composer. The arranger keyboard has onboard rhythm styles over which composers can create the harmonic and melodic content. This can be useful if composing in a particular style of music. The workstation has loops and the ability to cut and paste so that a composer can create a few measures of music and then repeat those measures or paste them in other parts of the song. The workstation does excel over the arranger with respect to composing because of the greater flexibility and the greater amount of options. The sequencer in workstation keyboards allows a composer to create music piece by piece, part by part, line by line, and make it easy to go from concept to the finished composition.

When choosing between arranger or workstation music keyboards, it will be important to determine what you’ll be using the keyboard for. If you’ll be using it for live performance, an arranger keyboard is going to be more intuitive and a better choice. If composing music, both would actually work well, although the workstation keyboard will give you more options for creating a finished composition. Perhaps, if your musical activities require it, you will need both types of music keyboards.

What is it you’re looking for in a music keyboard?  Are you looking for something just to be able to plunk out ideas for compositions?  Is MIDI important to have so that you can connect your keyboard to the computer?  Are you looking for a professional-level instrument with realistic instrument sounds for performance?  You can have a keyboard with only 25 keys if you want the most portable option or a full size 88 key music keyboard.  Many electronic music keyboards will have built-in speakers but some won’t so you’ll need to buy separate speakers for these.

Don’t forget the pedal!  If you’re looking for a music keyboard instrument that you’ll be performing with, you’ll probably want to get a sustain pedal, which is not always included with the keyboard.  If you’re looking to use your keyboard to enter music into a sequencing program, the pedal can serve several useful functions that will make the entry of music into your computer easier.  Accessories like a pedal are another important thing to look at when selecting a keyboard.

Some music keyboards are designed for specific music production purposes.  You will see keyboards that also work as a control for a digital audio workstation (DAW).  These more professional music keyboards will have additional functionality to control levels, panning, and channel selection in audio recording and mixing programs on computers. This kind of keyboard, often called a workstation (or sometimes “synth”) keyboard, also allows you to manipulate your own sounds and interface with sequencing software to compose music and create a sequence of music that you can solo over during a performance.  Another type of music keyboard is known as an “arranger.”  These will usually have a standard set of instrument sounds and a collection of rhythm styles (such as rock, country, jazz) included in their sound library.  These keyboards specialize in giving the player the ability to play a backing rhythm section, control the chord progression, and play a lead all at the same time, essentially performing as an “instant” one-man band.  Many arrangers (as well as some workstations and digital pianos) also have pre-installed piano lessons that essentially help you learn some songs and develop keyboard skills.  Some even have keys that light up to guide the student in which keys to press.  Although these won’t replace a “real” teacher, they can be used to learn a few simple songs built-in to the keyboard program.

Here are a few more questions to ask to pinpoint what music keyboard is best for you:

• Is this a keyboard just for practice or will you be performing for an audience?

• Will you be traveling with it (to a gig or a friend’s house)?

• Will you need it to interface with computer sequencing software to compose music?

• Will you use it to control mixer functions in recording software?

• Do you want synthesizer functionality to be able to create sounds from scratch or manipulate existing sounds?

• What kind of keyboard action are you used to?  Do you prefer piano or organ touch?

• What style(s) of music do you play?

There are a variety of features that you’ll want to consider as well.  When looking at built-in speakers, consider the quality of sound and the volume.  The headphone jack should also reproduce a high-quality sound so that you can enjoy the music on headphones.  The number of keys will play a role in how heavy and portable the keyboard is and what repertoire you can play.  If you’re used to playing classical piano pieces (and/or just really like the lower bass tones in general) you’ll definitely want a full 88 key keyboard.  Polyphony (how many notes can play at the same time) will be an important factor especially when playing the built-in rhythm styles or any MIDI sequences you may have created.  The layout of the controls will affect your creativity and how intuitive and enjoyable your music making experience is.  Expression controls such as modulation wheels can expand your creativity and allow you to add extra character to your performances.  Listen to the quality and authenticity of the built-in sound samples, drum kits, and rhythm styles.  If you want to record your performances pay attention to how many tracks you can record and for how long.  Digital effects such as reverb and synthesizer tone generators give you greater control over the character and manipulation of sounds.  Connectivity options such as MIDI, USB, microphone (for karaoke applications), and foot pedals are also important considerations in terms of expanded functionality and the ability to connect seamlessly with computers and other MIDI keyboards and devices.  The keyboard action (i.e. graded-hammer action, semi-weighted keys, etc.) will make a big difference in how the keyboard feels.

You will find that certain types of keyboards will fall into certain price ranges. Digital music keyboards with the built-in speaker and built-in library of sounds, for example, will typically be in the lower price range, whereas the music keyboards with DAW functionality will be “the next step up.”  The keyboard instruments designed as digital pianos (that produce the most realistic piano sound) will usually be in the upper price range.

When you know what you need the music keyboard for, it will be easier to search for the one that best fits your needs.  Decide what features you want that will meet your needs, then go try out the musical keyboards at your local music store to make a final decision.