Login

Signup

• Home
• Learn
  • Articles
  • Dictionary
• Blog
• About Us
  • What is Audio Mecca
  • Why We’re Here to Help You
  • How We’ll Help You
• Contact

Keyboard synthesizers and midi keyboards have become widely used by electronic musicians, live performers, compositional producers, and beginning hobbyists. Pro-audio synthesizing modules can deliver realistic instrument tracks, and impressive sonic textures.  For live performance, they are conveniant because sounds and samples can be customized and instantly available.  For the digital recording studio, midi keyboard controllers are a great way to save on buying a hardware sound module or keyboard synthesizer. Keyboard controllers take advantage of the sounds and samples produced by synth-engines in your music software.

This section is dedicated to the Midi keyboard. The Midi Keyboard controller is the most affordable route within a computer-based recording environment. (Given you have a PC or laptop) A keyboard controller contains no sounds. A keyboard can have up to 88 hardware keys (and may have buttons and faders) used to play Virtual Instruments. The controller tells music software or synth modules what notes to play, when and how to play them, and the velocity for each note by the way you touch the keys.

With a library of compatible virtual instruments patches, any instrument you want to play will be triggered from the keyboard controller. Compositional and arrangement options are limited only by the neglect to explore these possibilities. You now have a virtual symphony, jazz ensemble, rock band, and more at your fingertips. You can play/record tracks using all the instruments and very easily correct timing errors, alter pitch, change instruments, and more.

• Midi Keyboard controllers provide hands on control of virtual instruments and synthesizers which are produced from an external source. This external source can be music software programs and/or dedicated hardware sound modules.
• Controllers communicate with music software applications through midi.
• Midi is a standard computer language used for storing performance data into memory. It is used for triggering the playback of synthesizers and digital audio. See our Audio and Midi section to learn more.
• Midi controllers can only transmit - midi data.

Midi Keyboard Synthesizers

Midi keyboards send notes and/or midi information to a digital recorder, monitors, speakers, or to another compatible device. Musical information is stored into memory, and directs the way a synthesizer or sampler will play back musical notes. Midi keyboards emit sounds through a synthesizer or patch bank, from a sound-generating module within the keyboard. Midi keyboards can transmit midi data and sounds simultaneously.

The Keyboard Workstation is a midi keyboard that includes its own sequencer, arpeggiators, sound module and patches. This allows you to play, record, edit, and mix-down to a stereo master recording of your song or album from within the keyboard. It is more expensive than a simple midi keyboard controller but offers significantly more options to do it all on the board or use it creatively inside your digital audio workstation. The keyboard workstation generally implies an all-inclusive-package for digital music recording and post production.

What to make sure a midi keyboard has before being sold on those shiny extras:

• Polyphony: Allows you to play more than one note at a time.
• Velocity: Allows you to play the keys softer or louder for more expression.
• After-touch: Can sustain and slowly release a note, imitating the realism of a live instrument.

Decide what is more important, weighted or synthesizer action keys?

• Weighted keys feel more like playing on an acoustic piano.
• Synthesizer action keys allow you to play the keys faster in repetition, which is helpful for drum programming and similar, but feel like playing plastic keys. There is also semi- weighted which is a compromise to both.
• Keyboards come in 88, 76, 61, 49, 37, 25,

Note: If opting for weighted, I would recommend at least 61 keys.

Connection options

• Midi keyboards can be connected directly to your PC via USB.
• A MIDI Interface uses Midi Cables, and allows as many ports as you want to buy. This will give you the desired amount of channels for recording.
• You can also connect to your digital audio workstation via Fire-Wire.
• Given fire-wire connection ports to your computer and interface, you can connect with the appropriate fire-wire cable.

In Conclusion

Just as the keys of your keyboard controller send informational data, the rotary knobs, faders, scrolling wheels, and other extras you find on your keyboard  are capable of the same kind of thing. These can be programmed for controlling track volume, panning, automation, and other parts of your music recording software using the midi protocol. This is an affordable option that gives you hands on access to different parameters that would otherwise require control by a computers mouse. There are many features that manufacturers use to promote their product in this competitive industry; and can be great deals. With a blinding array of flashing lights and product promotion strategies, do not overlook their most essential function... How it feels and plays.