What is the Electronic keyboard?

An electronic keyboard or digital keyboard is an electronic musical instrument, an electronic or digital derivative of keyboard instruments. Broadly speaking, in a popular music context, the term electronic keyboard or just a keyboard mostly refers to any type of digital or electronic keyboard instrument. These include synthesizers, digital pianos, stage pianos, electronic organs and digital audio workstations. However, in true musical terminology, an electronic keyboard is an inexpensive synthesizer equipped with built-in power amplifier and small loudspeakers.

Electronic keyboards are capable of recreating a wide range of instrument sounds (piano, electric piano, Hammond organ, pipe organ, violin, etc.) with less complex sound synthesis. Electronic keyboards are usually dedicated for home users, beginners and other non-professional users. They typically have unweighted keys. The least expensive models do not have velocity-sensitive keys; but mid- to high-priced models do have these feature. Home keyboards typically have little if any sound editing capacity. The user typically selects from a range of preset "voices" or sounds, which include imitations of many instruments and some electronic synthesizer sounds. Home keyboards have a much lower cost than professional synthesizers. Casio and Yamaha are among the leading manufacturers of home keyboards.

Musical keyboard: The white and black piano-style keys which the player presses, thus connecting the switches, which triggers the electronic sensors to generate sound. Most keyboards use a keyboard matrix circuit to reduce the amount of wiring necessary.

User interface system: A program (usually embedded in a computer chip) which handles user interaction with controllers and menus, which allows the user to select different instruments (e.g., piano, guitar, strings, drum kit), digital effects (reverb, echo, chorus or sustain), and other features (e.g., transposition, accompaniments, sequencer, recording, external media, etc.)

Computerized musical arranger: A software program which produces rhythms and chords by the means of computerized commands, typically MIDI. Electronic hardware can also do this.

Sound generator: A digital sound module typically contained within an integrated ROM, which is capable of accepting MIDI commands and producing sounds. Electronic keyboards usually incorporate sample-based synthesis, but more advanced keyboards might sometimes feature physical modeling synthesis.

Amplifier and speakers: an internal audio amplifier built to the sound generator chip and low-powered speakers that amplify the sounds so that the listener can hear them.

Power supply: Keyboards may or may not have an internal power supply system built to the main circuit board, but most modern keyboards are often equipped with an included AC adapter.

MIDI terminals: Most keyboards usually incorporate MIDI connection for data communication, typically connected with either a computer or another electronic musical instrument, such as a synthesizer, a drum machine or a sound module, allowing it to be used as a MIDI controller. Not all keyboards have conventional MIDI terminals and connector, but they may have a USB instead, which serve as both input and output in a single connection. Most recently, conventional MIDI in/out terminals are only available in professional-grade keyboards, stage pianos and high-end synthesizers, while low-cost home keyboards, digital pianos, and budget synthesizers uses USB as the only connection available.

Flash memory: Most electronic keyboards have a small amount of onboard memory for storing MIDI data and/or recorded songs.

External storage device: Usually available on professional-grade keyboards and synthesizers, this allows the user to store data in externally connected storage media such as ROM cartridges, floppy disks, memory cards and USB flash drives. Floppy disks and cartridges were obsolete by the early 2000s, with memory cards start to replace them shortly afterwards. USB storage were originally less common at the time, but was later popularized by Yamaha's lineup of workstation keyboards in 2005 and has become a standard feature ever since. Most keyboards today uses USB storage, with the exception of some Casio and Korg models.

An electronic keyboard may also called a digital keyboard, portable keyboard, or home keyboard, referring their digital-based sound generation and light-weight, portable build. The term electronic keyboard may also be used to refer to synthesizer or digital piano.

Source: Virtual musical instruments

Date: 2017-12-08 | Views: 13615