Features
Lets not waste time :) Here's a list of most used terms you need to know when purchasing a sexy new keyboard! The (**) indicate my quick opinion.
-
No weight - Keys have no resistance when pressed. **Don't recommend these because your fingers don't build strength and it's impossible to hit the right accents.**
-
Semi-Weighted - Keys have half weight. Look at this mimicking an upright piano. **This is a good feature. While it may not be the pro pianist choice, it is great for beginners and beat producers. (MIDI controller)**
-
Fully-Weighted - Keys have full weight to mimic a grand piano. **Love this feature combined with graded, hammer action. Bad without these because the higher notes are pointlessly heavy, restricting tasty riffs.**
-
Hammer action - When a key is struck on a real piano, you feel the hammer strike the strings. This mimics that 'thud' feeling. Helps with accent. **game changer for serious pianist. I can go from an acoustic piano straight to keyboard and have a similar feel.**
-
Graded Hammer - On a real piano the left side of the keys are the heaviest and as you move right to the higher notes they become lighter. This mimics that. **Game changer again for the serious pianist. Bass notes are overwhelming and this restricts that while also allowing you to glide over those high notes.**
-
MIDI - Allows capability for connecting your keyboard to a computer through either bluetooth or cable. **Cables are the best for latency and I recommend double checking what cord it uses.**
-
Polyphony - The amount of sounds the keyboard can make at once. 16, 32, 64, 128 or 256 notes. **If your using this as a midi controller, this means less because you computer/software will decide. If your using this for live playing, it means the world.**
-
Voices - Each 'voice' is an instrument or preset. For example, 3 voices might include a grand piano, electric piano, and a violin. **research if the piano sound is actually good. Some will give you 100 voices and have them all sound like crap...including the piano sound lol**
Feels Kind Of..
Now here's a list of terms people use when describing the feeling of playing. The (**) indicate my quick opinion.
-
Squishy - This indicates the feeling of a bottomless pit. As you depress the key, it seems to land on a pillow. This can feel like your pushing not just too far down, but as if something slightly stops you from bottoming out. **This one varies large depending on the player, I have one where it supposedly has this, but feels great to me.**
-
Springy - The key comes up quickly after depressed. This one can have a good value or bad. It can be used to describe a responsive key (good for classical) or it could be used to describe the feeling typing keyboard (bottoms out to hard and lacks accent control).**Listening to the reviewers context will easily explain which version their going with.**
-
Too Light - The keys have no resistance causing lack of control over accent. Usually affects lower notes. **Yes semi and fully weighted pianos can still lack weight in the keys.**
-
Too Heavy - The keys have too much resistance causing lack of control over accent. Usually affects higher notes. **while fully weighted mimics heavy keys, high notes should still be lighter.**
-
Unresponsive- You press a key and it doesn't make a sound every time or worst you press a key lightly and the sound is too loud. **faster songs will show this the best.**
-
Sticky - It could literally mean keys are getting stuck down, but Usually it is used to refer to a key that stops your fingers from slipping. **personal preference honestly. Some like the gripping feeling while some don't**
-
Toy Like - Too springy, too light, and too unresponsive. Feels like plastic. **tends to veer towards the no weight and cheaper semi-weight keyboards.**
Final Thoughts
While you may just want to buy the most expensive keyboard or save a few bucks, they are not created equally. My recommendation is to research reviews and see what each piano offers. Believe it or not, I found that the middle range pianos ($350-$600) seem to produce the best bang for the buck. They will also have the most honest reviews and comparisons because people can afford to test them. The companies also have the most competition in this range.
Good luck :) and leave a comment if you have thoughts on this topic. Would love to hear it!!
Also if you want to check out my solo piano music click here :)