Are you in the market for a digital keyboard? If so, there are some key things to consider before making your purchase. This blog post will outline six of the most important factors when shopping for a digital keyboard. By keeping these considerations in mind, you’ll be able to find the perfect keyboard for your needs and start playing right away!

MIDI Compatibility

MIDI compatibility is one of the first things you should consider when buying your first digital keyboard. MIDI refers to Musical Instrument Digital Interface; in other words, that means you can plug your digital keyboard into your computer using this.

The primary reason you should find a keyboard with MIDI compatibility is so that you can connect your digital keyboard to your digital audio workstation. This will allow you to download millions of sounds for your keyboard and to record what you play.

The Keyboard

The next thing you should consider when buying a digital keyboard is the actual keyboard itself. Do you want to feel like you are playing piano? Find a weighted digital keyboard. As the name suggests, weighted digital keyboards replicate the resistance of real piano keys. Getting weighted keys would also be good if you want a digital keyboard to learn classical music.

Similarly, you should decide the number of keys you want on the keyboard; some might have 61, 73, 76, or 88, while some cheaper keyboards only have 32 keys. Music Critic has a list of the most popular 88 key keyboards that give a full-sized electronic option designed to replicate the sounds of a piano.

Sound Capabilities

One of the most important things you will have to consider when buying a digital keyboard is the sound that the keyboard produces. This should go without saying since if you are not plugging it into speakers, the internal speakers should be good quality.

Another factor to consider would be the sounds that the keyboard comes with. Some keyboards come with hundreds of different sounds, whereas others allow you to upload sounds of your choice. If you want to experiment, getting a digital keyboard with different instruments is suggested, too.

Features

As mentioned above, the sound capabilities of the digital keyboard are essential, but so are the various features that many digital keyboards offer. As such, you should decide whether or not it is important for the keyboard you want to have features.

For example, a few different features that some digital keyboards have include layer mode, accompaniment function, transposing, sound effects, a metronome, and more. If you are just learning how to play the piano and don’t have much musical knowledge, getting a keyboard that allows you to transpose is a good idea. This is the ability to change from one key to another without doing musical calculations.

Polyphony Features

One word you might have come across when researching digital keyboards is polyphony. In case you were wondering what it means, it essentially means the number of notes that you can play at the same time, without any other notes getting cutting off early.

This might not be a big deal for someone who has just started learning to play the keyboard. However, if you are truly dedicated to mastering the keyboard or plan on playing an actual piano someday, finding a digital keyboard that allows you to play without restriction might be a good idea.

Portability

Finally, the last consideration you will have to make when choosing a digital keyboard is whether or not the keyboard is portable. This will be determined by whether or not you plan on playing at gigs or if you are just learning the keyboard as a hobby.

Keep in mind that the more expensive a keyboard is, the more features it will have, as well as more keys, which will increase the keyboard’s weight. While it is possible to carry a digital keyboard around, they are not light