If you are pursuing a career as a composer/musician, using the MIDI keyboard via your computer is probably not new to you. These days, in order to be competitive you just got to have the best equipment to showcase your craft. MIDI keyboards are often available in music stores, in online music shops, in advertisements or in concerts. But what exactly are they? For the benefit of those who are not too familiar with it yet, it's a piano-style keyboard device that is utilized for sending (MIDI) signals over a USB or MIDI cable to other units operating on the very same MIDI protocol interface - like your desktop pcfor example that works a digital audio workstation (DAW) software.
In saying that though, you cannot assume all the MIDI keyboard available out there is actually the piano-style user interfaces. A variety of types have pads or buttons that sense the velocity of your fingers to minimize or maximize play volume such as the Continuum Fingerboard, a fretless style. Let's first talk about the piano style keyboards. When choosing yourself one you typically add to the equation financial budget and comfort. As expected if you have the budget then you can buy the best one that is comfortable for you to use. However, not everyone has unlimited budget that is why there are cheaper but quality MIDI keyboards, too. For the rest of those who have decided on the size or the quantity of keys available. There are a number to choose from ranging - 88, 76, 61, 49, 37 or 25. Usually the one you get would be determined by another factor - space. An 88 may be good but if you can't suit it within your studio (i.e. in front of your computer) then there's no need for something that big.
Once you've chose the number of keys takes into account the key action - this means the manner the keys respond to your playing. You will find typically 3 types - synth action, semi-weighted action and full weighted action. Synth action has light spring loaded keys that take little pressure to activate and have a tendency to go back to their positions rapidly. This is definitely suitable for people that play lots of fast pieces and those who aren't really pianists by nature.
Semi-weighted action MIDI keyboard has keys that offer some amount of resistance and springs back slower when compared with the synth action ones. Finally there's the total weighted action keys which emulates the mechanical action of traditional pianos. It can take more pressure to play and they are usually made use of by people who play the piano and prefer the feel of "real" piano keys.
No doubt you can forget the knobs, buttons and sliders that help send out MIDI data and present the individual more hands-on control over everything linked to your controller like the DAW software. In this way you'll get real-time command in the sound making process unlike utilizing your computer's mouse control. The number of knobs and buttons would depend on usage although the bare fundamentals will need to have the pitch and mod wheels and you can now get by with a small number of sliders. So long as you are capable of correctly allocate synth programming it's easy to capitalize on usage of your MIDI keyboard.
In saying that though, you cannot assume all the MIDI keyboard available out there is actually the piano-style user interfaces. A variety of types have pads or buttons that sense the velocity of your fingers to minimize or maximize play volume such as the Continuum Fingerboard, a fretless style. Let's first talk about the piano style keyboards. When choosing yourself one you typically add to the equation financial budget and comfort. As expected if you have the budget then you can buy the best one that is comfortable for you to use. However, not everyone has unlimited budget that is why there are cheaper but quality MIDI keyboards, too. For the rest of those who have decided on the size or the quantity of keys available. There are a number to choose from ranging - 88, 76, 61, 49, 37 or 25. Usually the one you get would be determined by another factor - space. An 88 may be good but if you can't suit it within your studio (i.e. in front of your computer) then there's no need for something that big.
Once you've chose the number of keys takes into account the key action - this means the manner the keys respond to your playing. You will find typically 3 types - synth action, semi-weighted action and full weighted action. Synth action has light spring loaded keys that take little pressure to activate and have a tendency to go back to their positions rapidly. This is definitely suitable for people that play lots of fast pieces and those who aren't really pianists by nature.
Semi-weighted action MIDI keyboard has keys that offer some amount of resistance and springs back slower when compared with the synth action ones. Finally there's the total weighted action keys which emulates the mechanical action of traditional pianos. It can take more pressure to play and they are usually made use of by people who play the piano and prefer the feel of "real" piano keys.
No doubt you can forget the knobs, buttons and sliders that help send out MIDI data and present the individual more hands-on control over everything linked to your controller like the DAW software. In this way you'll get real-time command in the sound making process unlike utilizing your computer's mouse control. The number of knobs and buttons would depend on usage although the bare fundamentals will need to have the pitch and mod wheels and you can now get by with a small number of sliders. So long as you are capable of correctly allocate synth programming it's easy to capitalize on usage of your MIDI keyboard.
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Check out useful tips in buying MIDI keyboard. Know what other users say in the Midi Keyboard Reviews section.. This article, Learn more about MIDI Keyboards is available for free reprint.
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