When faced with the decision as to what keyboard to buy, musicians are blessed with a huge choice. Whilst it's undoubtedly great to have lots of choice, this can also be a headache working out which one is best for you. Hopefully this article will take away some of the pain of having so many options.
But first a little history about digital keyboards! The earliest music keyboard can be traced back to the early 14th century in what was known as the Clavichord. When a key was played a pick plucked the string associated to that key. These principles were developed and led onto the harpsichord. The keys on these instruments were not touch sensitive until an Italian called Bartomoleo Cristofori had the brainwave to replace the picks with hammers. This was groundbreaking in that the hammers allowed musicians to play each key with any desired velocity e.g. loudly, softly etc. The instrument is known as the piano. The system designed back then hasn't changed much since.
Around 50 years ago Yamaha Instruments integrated electronics as a way to generate simulated sounds. Electric pianos whilst limited in their repertoire of sounds (10-20) and not sounding as rich or full as traditional pianos, electric pianos were more portable - perfect for performers going on tour - can you imagine taking a grand piano on tour!
Building on this breakthrough Yamaha introduced the first digital keyboard in 1983. The digital keyboard uses computer technology to simulate sounds ranging from organs, strings, trumpets, harpsichord as well as a whole host of weird and wonderful sounds. Once again they don't sound as full and rich as pianos. But with the revolution of the more modern sound of the 80's that wasn't so guitar based, digital keyboards helped progress music (subjective I know). Digital keyboards are all about versatility in allowing the user to play two sounds at the same time i.e. bass and piano, play along to various drum patterns, make and store your own sounds, record your own compositions and arrangements on a computer. And to the delight of parents thinking of buying a keyboard for their novice son or daughter, it can be played using headphones.
Okay that's the history lesson over with and onto how to choose the right digital keyboard for you. As with most things one buys, you are dictated by your budget, but this shouldn't be the only deciding factor in what you buy.
Other areas you definitely need to consider are:
1. The number of keys the model has. Most digital keyboards come with either 61 or 76 keys. If you're playing classical or jazz you should ideally buy a piano as they come with 88 keys. If budget doesn't allow this, then obviously you'll need to get 76 key digital keyboard.
2. Does the keyboard come with weighted keys? Models with weighted keys will cost more, but will allow for more expressive playing as the tone changes according to how hard you hit the keys. Non-weighted keys are cheaper, but will not feel so great to touch.
3. Each keyboard manufacturer will have a different variety of sounds and will have an onboard computer that accesses these sounds in different ways. By going to a shop where you can demo the different models you'll have an idea as to how user friendly they are.
4. Every manufacturer of keyboards will also have a range or knobs, dials, sliders and buttons to activate different functions. Once again its best to check out the different models and get a feel for each model.
5. The size and weight of each model whilst not dramatically different may have a bearing on your decision, especially if you need to travel with your keyboard.
6. Other considerations might include whether you plan to use a pedal and whether the keyboard has the ability to plug on in.
As I said it's always best to visit a shop where you can have a look and play on the various models and ask for advice. Having been a user of Yamaha for many years, I trust their range of models. They cater from the beginner all the way to advanced performers. And seeing as they are the creators of digital keyboards, they are in my mind the best choice. One of the best dealers I came across in my search for a Yamaha digital keyboard was Umbrella Music. They gave unbiased advice, were friendly and were competitive in price. You can find them at http://www.umbrellamusic.co.uk/
