Keys
The total number of keys on the keyboard.
The more keys provided in the design, the wider the instrument's own range, the more notes it can play without resorting to octave shift or transposition. On the other hand, this characteristic directly affects the dimensions and cost, and an extensive range is not required so often. Therefore,
88 -key instruments corresponding to a full-size classical piano keyboard are quite rare. But compact models with only
25 keys(2 octaves), on the contrary, are popular: for the purposes for which MIDI keyboards are used, this is often quite enough. Other common options are the
49 -key (4 octave) and
61 -key (5 octave) models; somewhat less common are
32 and
37 keys.
Key size
In this case, the size means the size of the keys in width — the length practically does not affect the game process.
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Full size. Standard-width keys, as on a traditional piano keyboard. Switching to such a keyboard from another instrument with standard keys does not cause any problems; Also note that this particular option is recommended for complex games. On the other hand, a full-size keyboard can take up quite a lot of space.
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Small size. Reduced width keys. It is worth paying attention to this option, first of all, if there is not much space for installing the keyboard and compactness is crucial: small keys allow you to reduce the size of the device. In addition, such keys can be useful for people with small hands. But for complex parties, they are worse than full-sized ones.
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.
Arpeggiator
The presence of an
arpeggiator in the keyboard.
The name of this function comes from "arpeggio" — a technique for playing chords, in which notes are not played all at once, but in turn. Accordingly, the arpeggiator is a function that allows you to play a taken chord in the arpeggio technique: the musician presses all the keys at once, and the keyboard plays them in turn. This effect can also be achieved manually, but in some cases the arpeggiator turns out to be more convenient: it plays notes at a clearly defined speed and interval, can accompany them with various effects, and provides other additional features. These features vary depending on the model, but some instruments allow you to create entire songs with the arpeggiator by simply pressing a sequence of chords.
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.
Faders
The number of
faders provided in the design of the keyboard.
A fader is a slider control. The simplest kind of such controls is the volume setting; if there is one fader in the design, most likely it is responsible for the volume. If there are more controls, other functions can be tied to them, respectively — in particular, changing the settings in the recording programme on the computer to which the keyboard is connected.
