Rigidity
The hardness of the keys on a keyboard is the amount of resistance they provide when pressed.
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Unweighted. Very low rigidity: the keys literally "fail" under the fingers. Found mostly in entry-level keyboards; this is due to the fact that unweighted mechanics are inexpensive, but the low pressure resistance makes it difficult to select the optimal pressure and control the dynamics of the sound.
— Semi-
weighted. Keyboards with medium resistance — not as high as on weighted keys, but noticeably higher than on unweighted ones. This option is considered optimal for active keyboards (see "Mechanics"): at a low cost, it gives quite good responsiveness and, with a minimum skill, allows you to accurately control the pressing force.
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Weighted. Keyboards with high resistance, which is comparable to the resistance of classical piano keys. Note that high effort in this case is an advantage: it allows you to bring the response of the keyboard as close as possible to the response of a classical piano and makes it easier to control the pressure and dynamics of the sound. Actually, by definition, all hammer-action models are made weighted (see "Mechanics"), but among active keyboards this option is rare — due to complexity and high cost.
Transposition
The presence of the transposition function in the keyboard — switching the sound to a different key. When transposing, the pitch of all keys is simultaneously raised or lowered by a certain number of semitones. This function is useful in all cases when a melody learned in one key needs to be played in a different key — for example, if the original melody is too high or too low for the vocalist, if the external accompaniment differs in key, if you need to switch between keys during the song, and etc. In such situations, by transposing the sound, you can play a melody in a new key using the same familiar keys without relearning it.
Pads
The number of
pads provided in the design of the keyboard.
Pads are auxiliary controls in the form of characteristic pads, usually square. The pads respond to touch, each of them can be tied to a specific sound or even a sequence of sounds. One of the most popular ways to use pads is to play drums or other rhythmic instruments.
Programming function
The ability to programme additional keyboard controls — buttons, pads, faders (see above), etc. — assigning them one or another function at your discretion. This feature allows you to optimally adjust the instrument to your needs and preferences. Note that the programming method can be different: most often you need to change the settings through a computer, but in some models this can also be done using built-in tools.
