Keyboard Amp Vs. Guitar Amp
Guitar amps differ from keyboard amps due to the fact that guitar amps often utilize overdrive and built-in effects whereas keyboards have effects built into them and there is no need for the effects on the amp. Keyboard amps are often similar in function to public address systems used to amplify vocals.
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Significance
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A guitar amplifier is used to amplify the sound of an electric guitar. In many cases, there are high-gain and overdrive settings in a guitar amp to distort the sound of the guitar for rock and heavy metal music. Keyboard amps are used to reproduce the electronic sounds of a keyboard including drum samples, piano sounds and prerecorded samples, so distortion or built-in effects on the amp are often unnecessary.
Features
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Most guitar amps have multiple channels but utilize one single input, a guitar. Often, there is a high-gain channel for different levels of distortion and a channel that is able to reproduce the clean sound of a guitar. You often switch the channels with a foot switch during or between songs. Keyboard amps often have two or more channels for multiple keyboards used by the same musician at once. One keyboard may be used solely for its piano sounds and another for its sampling ability. Each channel contains a volume and possibly some simple equalization.
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Benefits
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The benefits of a guitar amp are that the speakers are often specifically geared toward the reproduction of guitar frequencies. Guitar frequencies contain a substantial amount of mid-range. Keyboard amps are able to reproduce many frequencies, usually from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and include tweeters for high-end sounds, whereas guitar amps do not have tweeters at all.
Warnings
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It is often unwise to use a guitar amp for anything other than a guitar. Since it is specifically engineered for guitar reproduction, no other instruments are voiced correctly for a guitar amp. There are extreme cases where bass players have used guitar amps with some success. Keyboard amps are also to be used with keyboards since they lack a gain knob and it is often required to adjust the gain on a guitar or bass due to the different models of pickups available on the market today.
Considerations
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When purchasing a guitar amp, you must consider the features you need and the application. If you play large stages and tour, you may want to consider a guitar head coupled with one or two 4-by-12-inch cabinets. If you play at home and are a beginner, a small combo amp with a single 12-inch speaker may suffice. Most keyboard amps contain one single15-inch speaker and a tweeter, although some models include a 6-inch mid-range driver as well. Wattage varies slightly, but is about 200 watts on average, so there is less to consider, but larger and some smaller versions are available.
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