How to Buy a Music Keyboard

Music keyboards can accurately create the sounds of many traditional instruments as well as sounds that have never been heard before. Even fairly inexpensive keyboards boast realistic instrument modeling, sound effects, rhythm accompaniment and easy-to-use tools for enhanced playing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Review your budget limitations before you go shopping. Synthesizer keyboards range from $100 to $3,000. Buy an instrument with as many features as you can afford, to allow room for your growth as a keyboardist.

2. 
    
   A digital keyboard designed for fixed use

   Determine if you will need to transport your keyboard. Music keyboards are available as portable models that are simply set on stands and as more fixed instruments with attached stands or frames for fixed placement in a home or studio. Some portable 88-key models can be rather heavy. Padded cases are available for safely carrying portable keyboards to gigs.

3. 
    
   A keyboard with built-in amp and speakers

   Decide whether you will need a keyboard with a built-in amplifier and speakers for playing at home or if you will need an external amplifier for live performances. Most higher-end keyboards require an external keyboard amplifier, though they do all have jacks for headphones.

4. Keyboards designed for beginners and intermediate musicians typically feature built-in rhythm accompaniment, a transpose switch, fingered chord auto accompaniment, built-in speakers and a microphone input for singing along. In some models, the keys light up as a guide to playing along with stored songs, reminiscent of old player pianos.

5. Choose a keyboard that is simple to operate and has limited instrument emulations if you will be simply be playing traditional songs. Some keyboards are referred to as "digital pianos," which come in both portable and more "fixed" models. These often include basic instrument sounds, such as acoustic pianos, electric pianos, guitars, brass horns, harpsichords, strings and vocal choruses. For live performance, be sure changing from one sound to another can be done quickly and effortlessly. More advanced keyboards allow for altering sound parameters and creating unique musical tones. Such abilities can be very inspiring for modern songwriters.

6. Listen carefully to the selection and quality of the sounds on the keyboards you are considering. Be sure they have the instrument sounds you want for the type of music you'll be playing.

7. Advanced features to look for on more expensive keyboards include connectivity to a computer (MIDI and USB interfaces), an arpeggiator, on-board sequencer recording and storage, sampling and the ability to expand memory and add new sounds.

Resources

• Online and "brick & mortar" keyboard sales
• Sales and online forums for music keyboards
• Moog-like replicas of analog keyboard synthesizers