PSRS500 » Electronic Piano

The Advantages Of Electronic Pianos Over Acoustic Upright Pianos

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:03:42 +0000

Many years ago, almost every household used to have an upright piano. People took music lessons with a piano teacher. These pianos took a lot of space and had to be tuned from time to time, otherwise they would sound horrible. Today there are a lots of electronic pianos, which do not have this kind of problem and are also quite cost effective. A big advantage of choosing an electronic piano is that they are not expensive. They also do not require tuning and as they weigh less they can be moved easily from place to place. You can even buy a piano that will match your furniture at home.Before you buy one, you need to consider a few thing things. The first thing you need to check is whether it actually sounds like a piano. Also, check out the other sounds other than the piano sound. Many of these keyboards include sounds of different musical instruments as well so check them out. There are some models that will also provide drum sounds. The next thing you need to look for is that whether the piano has weighted keys. These weighted keys will make your electronic piano sound and feel real. If your child is learning to play then the option of weighted keys is a really a necessary one.Most electronic pianos have a midi sequencer onboard. The sequencer will help you record whatever you play. This will help you when you are composing and playing back music pieces. You can play tracks you have recorded later whenever you need it. The next thing to look for is whether the instrument has a built in sound system or whether you have to connect speakers to it to hear the sound. The final thing you need to look for is whether it as an 88 note keyboard. Acoustic upright pianos always have 88 notes. Sometimes, low priced instruments have fewer notes. Popular sizes are 49 note, 61 note and 76 note keyboards.

The Yamaha Electronic Piano: Immerse Yourself In The Melody

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:08:57 +0000

Electronic pianos are becoming very popular day by day as they are portable and have a more manageable size and of the various kinds of pianos that are sold, the Yamaha Electronic Piano is the number one bestseller and has been so for quite some time.The Yamaha range is a vast one and there are many different kinds of models to choose from. One model features 61 keys, headphone jack, tonal volume and controls, controls such as treble, bass, tremolo, decay, pitch etc while the weight is around 89 pounds. On top of that there are added freebies like sustain pedal and a travel case.Since it is rugged and extremely portable, it offers a blend of good looks with functionality and also boasts qualities like sound variety, expression and touch. With real ease you can choose to shift between or flit between different color sounds on the very same keyboard. Although this piano is an electronic one, while playing on the keyboard you will get the feel of playing on an acoustic piano because the sound and feel of the keyboard is similar.Another feature is that almost all the electronic pianos in this range are velocity sensitive or touch sensitive. When you strike hard it will produce a crashing note and if you strike softly, the note produced will be softer. However, the actions are not complicated and the features are extremely user friendly.Most reviewers have rated the Yamaha Electronic Piano range very high and at times 5 out of 5 stars from learned reviewers. The range does not have any cons as such but some reviewers do feel that the pianos could have added a few more voices.But the pros will outclass the cons. You are getting excellent value for money, there is a graded keyboard feel, there are features like dual voice mode, onboard MIDI sequencer, 64 notes polyphony and the sound produced by the Yamaha Electronic Piano is a crisp dynamic electric sound with an acoustic feel.

The Benefits of the Digital Piano

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:17:09 +0000

A digital piano is a modernized version of the electronic piano that was manufactured and sold from the 1950’s through the 1980’s. Electronic pianos were based upon synthesized sound as opposed to the mechanical sounds carried by the electric pianos which were sold for awhile in the 1960’s and 70’s.
When the digital piano appeared on the scene in the 1980’s, they began to take the place of the acoustic piano because they were less expensive than acoustic pianos. Comparing a digital piano and an acoustic piano of the same size, the digital piano generally costs much less. Today, the cost savings also continue to add up because the digital piano has no strings; this, in turn, means that it does not have to be tuned. Since the cost of tuning an acoustic piano can run between $75.00 to 175.00 each time the piano is tuned, usually at least once a year, obtaining a digital piano as opposed to an acoustic piano may also be desirable because of the savings in its continued upkeep.
The digital pianos were and are also a bit smaller than their acoustic counterparts making them easy to put into tight places. The feel of the key on the modern digital pianos compares favorably with the acoustic piano, as well. For a pianist, the touch of the keyboard is very important in how that musician plays the instrument. The digital pianos available now are able to simulate the weight of the keys on the acoustic keyboard making them an attractive alternative to the serious musician.
There are other features which make digital pianos very attractive to keyboardists as well. The ability to transpose is available at the touch of a button. For those who sing solos or who sing with other groups, that ability is a very attractive feature, especially when a lot of music is written for sopranos and the person who wants to sing a solo may be an alto or a bass.
Many of the newest digital pianos have the ability to link to a computer or they have a place for a disk on which the keyboardist can record the music for later use. With the advent of digital music players such as Ipods, Zunes, mp3’s, and other equipment, this can be seen as very advantageous for the person who wants to record his or her own playing so that it can be used later at a different venue.
The most important feature is the timbre of the instrument. Timbre has to do with the quality of sound that comes from an instrument. New digital pianos do not have the “tinny” sound that came with early electric and electronic pianos. The timbre of the instruments synthesized into the piano gives a beautiful tone that can even sometimes be deepened or lightened according to the whims of the keyboardist. This is very easily done at the touch of a control wheel or slider on the digital piano.
While most concert halls still used highly crafted acoustic grand pianos, the advent of the digital piano is a great help to people who desire to have pianos in their homes so that their children can learn to play the piano. Since learning to play the piano on an old upright piano of indiscriminate age, having a digital piano has been a delight. It provides for creativity and enjoyment in my home for the listener and the keyboardist. Having access to a piano in the home is one of the greatest joys of my life. I wish that joy for children and adults everywhere.

History of Digital Pianos

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:08:47 +0000

When the digital piano appeared on the scene in the 1980’s, they began to take the place of the acoustic piano because they were less expensive than acoustic pianos. Comparing a digital piano and an acoustic piano of the same size, the digital piano generally costs much less. Today, the cost savings also continue to add up because the digital piano has no strings; this, in turn, means that it does not have to be tuned. Since the cost of tuning an acoustic piano can run between $75.00 to 175.00 each time the piano is tuned, usually at least once a year, obtaining a digital piano as opposed to an acoustic piano may also be desirable because of the savings in its continued upkeep.

The digital pianos were and are also a bit smaller than their acoustic counterparts making them easy to put into tight places. The feel of the key on the modern digital pianos compares favorably with the acoustic piano, as well. For a pianist, the touch of the keyboard is very important in how that musician plays the instrument. The digital pianos available now are able to simulate the weight of the keys on the acoustic keyboard making them an attractive alternative to the serious musician.

There are other features which make digital pianos very attractive to keyboardists as well. The ability to transpose is available at the touch of a button. For those who sing solos or who sing with other groups, that ability is a very attractive feature, especially when a lot of music is written for sopranos and the person who wants to sing a solo may be an alto or a bass.

Many of the newest digital pianos have the ability to link to a computer or they have a place for a disk on which the keyboardist can record the music for later use. With the advent of digital music players such as Ipods, Zunes, mp3’s, and other equipment, this can be seen as very advantageous for the person who wants to record his or her own playing so that it can be used later at a different venue.

The most important feature is the timbre of the instrument. Timbre has to do with the quality of sound that comes from an instrument. New digital pianos do not have the “tinny” sound that came with early electric and electronic pianos. The timbre of the instruments synthesized into the piano gives a beautiful tone that can even sometimes be deepened or lightened according to the whims of the keyboardist. This is very easily done at the touch of a control wheel or slider on the digital piano.

While most concert halls still used highly crafted acoustic grand pianos, the advent of the digital piano is a great help to people who desire to have pianos in their homes so that their children can learn to play the piano. Since learning to play the piano on an old upright piano of indiscriminate age, having a digital piano has been a delight. It provides for creativity and enjoyment in my home for the listener and the keyboardist. Having access to a piano in the home is one of the greatest joys of my life. I wish that joy for children and adults everywhere.

All About Keyboard Gear

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:50:04 +0000

One of the essential parts of any musical fraternity is the keyboard. The concept or the mechanism behind a keyboard is simple. There are adjacent depressible levers, which when pressed in an order produce sounds, rather music. When a keyboard comes in the hands of a master it goes alive and produces truly remarkable music. Along with the keyboard comes the keyboard gear to complement the player as well as the instrument.
All instruments that use a keyboard almost, share a common layout. The list goes on with piano, organ, electronic piano, harpsichord, synthesizer and more. Piano is the most common form of instrument that has the keyboard. More often it is referred to as piano keyboard.
Usually, keyboards that dated back to 19th century came in a design where the colors of the keys were reversed. The fundamental of music has been same from centuries onward; but the techniques have changed and hence the need for improvement in keyboard gear has come in place.
In the later part of the keyboard history digital synthesizer had taken the fore front. Thus came into being the electrical devices they used to amplify sounds. In the last decade the synthesizer market has advanced rapidly, thereby dumping the old musical gears used by the synthesizers. Old gears, which were slow, were replaced by more improved and deign conscious keyboard gear.
A general keyboard gear constitutes of bench seat, chord finder, expression and volume pedal, expansion card, user interface software and more. The gear, generally, depends on the player and his preference.
The parts of keyboard comprise of food pedal or switch, modulation wheel, pads and pitch bend. For an enthusiast keyboard player the range of gear can start with its cases, duct covers, porters with wheels, gig bags, music stands, custom flight cases and more. Keyboard stands are found in various configurations for both on stage and studio purpose.
Synthesizer & computer music commodities also include RAM cards, SCSI kits and Flash ROM. The use of updated user interface software is great help for the keyboard operator. Variations of synthesizers come with USB 2.0 port also. This helps in the data storage purpose as the USB 2.0 drive can be used with compatible devices.
Other components that a keyboard player can use are lighting to light up keyboards, MIDI gear, gear racks. He can also they can go for thinner designs of case which would be able to provide better noise reduction technology that could prevent disturbance from outside sources.
For transportation purpose, there are carts that make the moving of instruments from one place to another easy. Tough protective gears, which stand the usual wear and tear, can also be the choice of the player. This has also been a part of the keyboard gear.
One thing the keyboard musician has to keep in mind is the nature and purpose of his playing gear. Is the audience large or small? The size of the audience, also, plays a role in determining the keyboard gear a player needs to employ.

Electric And Digital Musical Instruments Using Piano Keyboards

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:50:42 +0000

A keyboard is the part with which some musical instruments are played. The keyboards are the key to these instruments. Musical instruments like piano and synthesizer are two of the musical instruments that are played with a keyboard. The keyboards earlier used mechanical devices to produce sound but the modern keyboards are electronic. Starting from the traditional pianos to the modern day synthesizer all are dependent on the keyboard.The keyboards usually have keys some large and some small by pressing which the sound is produced. Some of the earliest keyboard instruments that were in use were pipe organ, clavichord, hurdy gurdy and harpsichord. Among these the organ is the oldest keyboard instrument. After this the piano came to be used and now the synthesizer is the sensation all over.The keyboards are available in various sizes and shapes and even in different colors. The keyboards are also portable these days. You can either buy these keyboards from the shop which sells musical instruments or can even get them online. If you notice and keep a regular check over the internet you will very often find that some great keyboards are on sale.You will also find out that there are many auctions that take place where the used keyboards are put up for sale. These keyboards are in a good condition and if you buy them from the auction you will even save some of your money. Keyboards today are electronic and the traditional forms of keyboards are almost obsolete today.The harpsichord and the clavichord were the two keyboard instruments that were used in the early 14th century. After that in the 18th century the piano came into being and was widespread and the earlier two instruments lost their popularity. Again in the 20th century, electronic keyboard instruments were developed. There was a search for an instrument that would sound like a piano. So, synthesizers were developed and this ended the search for an electronic piano.