What Are the Parts of a Keyboard?

Nearly every novice has hit a few keys on a piano or electronic keyboard dreaming of the day that he could play a concerto by heart. Precious few of us will ever learn to play, let alone grace the stage of Carnegie Hall. While the musically challenged may not know how to make the music, one can always keep up at a meeting of instrument geeks by simply knowing a few things about the instruments. The following information is helpful for those who wish to know the parts of a piano, organ or electronic keyboard.

Identification

The most prominent feature on a keyboard are the keys themselves. Typically thick, large, white, and numerous are the "white keys," "white notes" or the "natural notes." These keys number 52 on a typical keyboard and range 3 octaves. There are 7 notes on a piano which are each comprised of 7 white keys and 5 black keys. That makes a total of 88 keys on a piano. The center white key on the piano is known as "middle C." The notes are given the denotations A, B,C,D,E,F, and G, but they are not grouped in that order. Instead, they are grouped as C,D,E,F,G,A, and B. The next group follows the same order. Traditionally, piano keys were made from ivory, but more environmentally friendly manufacturers now prefer spruce. Of course, on an electronic keyboard, the keys tend to be made from vinyl or plastic.

Identification

The second most prominent feature on a keyboard are typically smaller black keys that are known as "sharps and flats." Each grouping of notes contains 5 black keys for a total of 36 black keys. The black keys are arranged in between the white key. Since the black keys are in between the white key notes, each black key is both a sharp and a flat. For example, a D flat and a C sharp are the same black key, but--within a piece of music--they will be referred to as one or the other; not both. The black keys were once made of expensive ebony, but they are now made either of spruce or of a synthetic material such as nylon or plastic.

Expert Insight

An "electronic" keyboard has come into the world of music. In addition to the aforementioned white keys and black keys, there are other components meant to make an electronic keyboard as close to an "all in one" instrument as possible. Once known as an "orchestra in a box," electronic keyboards have various options available. One can usually add percussion and rhythm to their compositions along with the piano music.

Features

The percussion section of an electronic keyboard is typically a set of buttons or pads that sit in back of the keys on an electronic keyboard. In either case, they act like drums in the music making process. Rather than using drumsticks, you use your fingers to hit the beats that you might otherwise seek with a drum set. For the true aficionado, the pad version is preferred to the button version.

Features

The rhythm section typically sets the tone for the music you are playing. It's a set of prerecorded beats and runs that give the music the flavor you seek. Some of the most common flavors are Rumba, Samba, hip hop, African, and Latin Dance. Each rhythm typically has it's own button which sits in the same general area as the percussion section. The rhythm establishes the beat and plays in the background of the piece as you manually manipulate keys and percussion.

Features

Other features often included in today's modern keyboards run the gamut from computer docking ports that make it possible to record sound in a digital format, or other types of on-board recording and playback devices. Many of them have lighted keys to assist in finding the components in a dark room (not to mention making the keyboard look cool). Another popular feature is the synthesizing feature offered on nearly all models to some degree or another. This feature allows the player to switch from the sounds of a piano to that of an organ, a number of types of horns, and even guitar. The quality of the mimicry is generally related to the price paid for your electronic keyboard. These amazing instruments, once scoffed at by "old school" musicians, are finding their place with even the most dignified musicians of our day and one can be yours for as little as 20 to 30 dollars, or you could spend tend of thousands. Whatever your skill level, there is a keyboard available for you.

Resources

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