What is an Electronic Keyboard?

Do you know about an electronic keyboard instrument? If not, would you like to know about it? Let us begin. 

Digital Keyboard

An electronic or digital keyboard is an electronic musical digital derivative of keyboard instruments which has eight rows and eight columns of wires crossed. 16 wires can provide (8x8) 64 crossings, which the keyboard controller scans to determine which key was pressed.

Electronic keyboards are capable of recreating a wide range of instrument sounds like piano, Hammond organ, pipe, organ, violin, etc and synthesizer tones with less complex sound synthesis. In some countries, it is called, "organ". In many other countries, it is simply referred to as “synthesizers”.

Electronic keyboards are usually designed for home users, beginners and other non-professional users. They have unweighted keys. The least expensive models do not have velocity-sensitive keys, but mid- to high-priced models do have. Home keyboards are lower cost than professional synthesizers. Casio and Yamaha are among the leading manufacturers of home keyboards.

Classifications

The classifications are synthesizers, digital pianos, stage pianos, MIDI controller, Keytar and digital audio workstations.

Digital Piano: Electronic keyboards designed to sound and feel like an ordinary acoustic piano. They typically contain an amplifier and loudspeakers built into the instrument.

Stage Piano: A high-quality digital piano type with weighted keys, designed for professional touring use on stage or in a studio. The Hammond organ and electric piano sounds on a stage piano are more realistic.

Synthesizers: More specifically a synthesizer with a built-in low-wattage power amplifier and small loudspeakers. These are used in various sound synthesis technologies to produce a wide variety of electronic sounds.

MIDI Controller: It is used to trigger sounds from a software synthesizer by means of MIDI cable and connections. MIDI controllers often provide other sliders, knobs and buttons, which enable the player to control elements such as volume.

Keytar: A small synthesizer that resembles a guitar which can be played in a similar position as an electric guitar worn on a strap over the shoulders, enabling the performer to move around on a stage. The name is a portmanteau of keyboard and guitar.

Digital Workstation: Workstations have a range of high-quality sampled instrument sounds, as well as extensive editing/recording capability, computer connectivity, high-powered speakers, and often include external memory storage for storing customized data, MIDI sequences, and even additional instrument samples.

Major Components

The major components of a modern electronic keyboard are user interface system, musical keyboard, sound generator, amplifier, speaker, MIDI terminals, power supply, external storage device, flash memory, etc.

User Interface System: These are embedded in a computer chip. It usually enables the user to select different instrument sounds like a piano, drum kit, etc.

Musical Keyboard: The black and white piano-style keys connecting the switches that trigger the electronic circuits to generate sound. Also in many of the keyboards, you will find a keyboard matrix circuit.

Sound Generator: Accept MIDI commands and produce electronic sound.

Amplifier & Speaker: An internal audio power amplifier will be connected to the sound generator to reproduce synthesized sounds.

MIDI Terminals: Conventional MIDI in/out terminals are only available in professional-grade keyboards, stage pianos and high-end synthesizers, while low-cost home keyboards, digital pianos.

Playing Technique

The faster the player depresses the key, the louder the note. Players must learn to coordinate two hands and use them independently. Most music is written for two hands; typically the right-hand plays the melody in the treble range, while the left plays an accompaniment of bass notes and chords in the bass range.

Examples of music written for the left hand alone include several of Leopold Godowsky’s 53 studies on Chopin’s Etudes, Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. In music that uses counterpoint technique, both hands play different melodies at the same time.

Keys Description

The twelve notes of the Western musical scale are laid out with the lowest note on the left. The longer keys are the seven "natural" notes of the C major scale C, D, E, F, G, A, B. Because these keys were traditionally covered in ivory they are often called the white notes or white keys.

The keys for the remaining five notes which are not part of the C major scale are C♯/D♭, D♯/E♭, F♯/G♭, G♯/A♭, A♯/B♭ sharp and flat. Because these keys receive less wear, they are often made of black coloured wood and called the black notes or black keys. The pattern repeats at the interval of an octave.

Famous Keyboardist

Nick Rhodes, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Jordan Rudess are some of the famous keyboardists in the world. Sadhu Kokila is one of the fastest keyboardists. Goldsmth, the best keyboard player in India.

Learn Music Online - Stay Home - Stay Safe

If you are a music lover, then start to learn music from your home. Meet our experts who teach piano, electronic keyboard, guitar online with our creative step-by-step structured curriculum. Get our new course "Voice Culture" for free when you sign up for an Online Music Classroom membership!

You are provided with an opportunity of buying musical instruments on Amazon. Check out the different keyboards to buy.

Listen to music and stay home safe.

Click here to Enrol Today to Online Music Classroom

If you have any suggestion on topics, tell us in the comments below: