Comparison Korg Pa1000 vs Korg Pa300

— Unweighted. Keys with a very low pressing force, literally "failing" under the fingers. This option is well suited for inexpensive synthesizers with passive mechanics (see above), but is rarely used in active models — a small resistance force makes it difficult to choose the optimal pressing force.

— Semi- weighted. Medium-strength keys, not up to the hardness of a full-fledged piano, but showing noticeably more resistance than unweighted ones. This variant is most popular among instruments with active mechanics (see above) — the force on the keys provides adequate feedback and at the same time playing such an instrument does not cause any special difficulties even for those who previously dealt only with unweighted keyboards.

— Weighted. Keys with high actuation force, comparable to that of a classical piano. Used only in professional hammer action instruments (see above) — high rigidity is a must for such mechanics (more precisely, for the response that it must provide).

The number of built-in sounds provided in the synthesizer.

The number of timbres is often described as the number of instruments that a given model can imitate. However, this is not entirely true — rather, this parameter can be called "the number of instruments and sound effects." For example, the same instrument — an electric guitar — with different "gadgets" (distortion, overdrive) will sound differently, and in the synthesizer each such gadget will be considered a separate timbre. The “drums” timbre usually combines different types of drums and other percussion instruments — in other words, it allows you to portray both the “bass drum” and the cymbals without switching settings, just by pressing the desired keys. And some timbres may not have analogues among real instruments at all.

The more built-in timbres, the more extensive the possibilities of the synthesizer, the more diverse the sounds that can be extracted from it. At the same time, in high-end models like workstations (see "Type"), this number can reach 1000 or even more.

The number of memory slots for user tones provided in the synthesizer.

For Voices in general, see “Preset Voices” above. User timbres are sound settings that were not originally provided in the synthesizer's memory and are created by the user according to their preferences. This feature is indispensable in cases where the built-in set of timbres does not contain the necessary options. However, the capabilities of the User Voices may vary from model to model. So, one instrument only allows you to edit and supplement existing timbres (for example, add a “wah-wah” effect to a bass guitar and save such a bunch as a user setting), another makes it possible to set the sound parameters almost manually, and the third even allows you to load timbres through USB (see below).

The more user timbres in the synthesizer, the more personal “instruments” you can register in its memory.

The number of auto accompaniment styles (see above) originally provided in the synthesizer, in other words, the number of accompaniment options available to the user.

The more extensive this set, the higher the probability of finding among these melodies suitable options for a particular case. At the same time, the abundance of styles in itself is not yet a 100% guarantee that among them there will be a suitable one, especially since different synthesizer models can differ markedly in a specific set of melodies. So the list does not hurt to clarify before buying. Also note that the situation can be corrected by user styles (see below) — many synthesizers with auto accompaniment support them.

Synthesizer support for sampling.

Samples are short sound fragments used in the creation of musical compositions. Such a fragment can contain almost any sound — from a note on a musical instrument or a fragment of a drum part to a siren signal, a bird's chirp, the sound of a mechanism, etc. Specifically, the sampling function implies the ability to use the synthesizer to record samples for further use. Recording can be done either through the built-in microphone or through the audio input (from an external microphone or other audio device). At the same time, many synthesizers with this function are able not only to keep the sound not only "as is", but also to pass the incoming signal through the processing circuits, adding various effects to it — echo, "wah-wah", metallic sound coloring, etc. And ready-made samples can usually be "bound" to individual synthesizer keys and played back in real time. Other functions are possible, depending on the level of the instrument.

The presence of a mixer in the design of the synthesizer.

A mixer in this case is a device designed to control individual audio channels that make up the sound of a synthesizer as a whole. The list of these channels includes, in particular, the main voice, the layered voice (see “Dubbing voices”), several auto accompaniment channels (main, bass, drums, etc.). With a mixer, the musician can manually control these channels — turn some of them on and off, switch the timbre, tempo, key, etc. This greatly expands the possibilities for using the synthesizer.

The presence of an arpeggiator in the design of the synthesizer.

The term "arpeggio" originally means the technique of playing a chord, in which the notes are not sounded all at once, but one after another. Accordingly, arpeggiator, roughly speaking, is a device for the automated playing of chords using the arpeggio technique. Compared to manual playback by notes, this function is convenient because the arpeggiator can provide various additional settings: set the direction of playback (up or down), speed, interval between notes and their duration, special effects, background accompaniment, etc. At the same time, all effects work automatically, the user only needs to press the keys that make up the chord (and in some synthesizers in some modes, only one key can generally be responsible for a whole chord). The specific capabilities of arpeggiators can be different, often such a device allows you to create entire compositions just by pressing a sequence of chords.

The presence of a modulation controller in the design of the synthesizer.

This function allows you to give the sound the effect of vibration, "trembling" — when the note does not sound at a constant volume, but unevenly, with alternating peaks and dips in volume. This effect makes the sound more alive, gives it a resemblance to the performance on a real instrument, and is also often used as an artistic device.

— mini-Jack (3.5 mm). Line-level analogue audio input using a 3.5mm mini-jack. The line input itself is used to connect an external analogue audio signal to the synthesizer — for example, from a computer sound card. The use of such a connection can be different: playing accompaniment through the built-in speakers of the instrument, switching the signal to an external amplifier with “mixing” the sound of the synthesizer itself into it, etc. Specifically, the 3.5 mm mini-Jack connector is small in size, it is popular mainly in portable equipment and inexpensive stationary devices — “serious” audio equipment is usually equipped with more reliable connectors, like Jack (see below). As a result, an input with this type of connector is typical mainly for entry-level synthesizers.

— Jack (6.35 mm). Line-level analogue audio input using a 6.35 mm jack. By purpose, such an input is completely similar to the input with a 3.5 mm mini-Jack jack described above, however, the Jack connector is larger, provides a more reliable and high-quality connection and is considered more suitable for stationary audio equipment, especially high-end ones. Therefore, in synthesizers of an average and advanced level, usually, this type of line input is used. At the same time, we note that a 3.5 mm plug can be connected to a 6.35 mm jack using a simple adapter.

— Digital. Input for connecting to a digital audio signal synthesizer. It is similar in purpose to the linear interfaces descri...bed above, but differs both in signal format and in connector type — most often it is a coaxial S / P-DIF interface using an RCA connector, although other options are possible. Digital outputs are quite popular both in professional audio equipment and in home appliances like PCs and even TVs, so such an input may be useful.

— MIDI. MIDI is originally a digital signal format used in electronic musical instruments. Each key pressed on the synthesizer gives just such a signal: it contains data on the duration, force and speed of pressing, as well as the note number, and based on the control signal (MIDI event), the “hardware” of the synthesizer generates the desired sound. Accordingly, the MIDI input allows the synthesizer to receive MIDI events from external electronic musical devices — other synthesizers, MIDI controllers, etc. This connection can be useful, for example, if the external instrument does not have the desired timbre; in addition, many synthesizers are capable of recording received MIDI signals. In some cases, the possibility of switching such a signal via MIDI thru may also be useful (see "Outputs").

— USB (type A). A classic USB connector that allows you to connect various external devices to the synthesizer — primarily flash drives and other drives, other peripherals are rarely supported. The features available when working with a flash drive depend on the general functionality of the synthesizer and may be different in different models. So, some instruments are capable of playing music from such a carrier, which plays the role of accompaniment for the main part — this can be more convenient than using auto accompaniment. Others are able to record music on a flash drive. It may also include updates to the Voice Set and/or Auto Accompaniment Styles (see above), firmware updates, etc.

— Card Reader. A slot for reading memory cards, most often SD: this is a universal format widely used in many types of modern electronics. Like a USB flash drive (see above), the card reader can be used for different purposes — most often for playing musical accompaniment or recording music, but there are other options (loading additional timbres, updating firmware, etc.).