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Product Info
Comparison Charts
See info on the following topics:
How To Choose / Useful Information
-
Why buy electronic drums?
- Electronic Drums are virtually silent when played- practice
anywhere, anytime with complete privacy
- With Digital Drums you can add digital effects that
simulate the greatest concert hall settings
- Electronic Drum Kits have dozens of totally different
drumkit sounds to play with- Rock, Jazz,...
- Electric Drum Sets are compact, lightweight and portable
- Electric Drum Kits offer hundreds of percussion sounds as
well as drum sounds
- With Digital Drums you can play as loud as you want using
headphones
- Most Electronic Drums modules have dozens of songs built-in
to play along with
- Most Digital Drum modules can record your performances
- With an Electronic Drum Set you can plug in a CD player and
play along
- With an electronic drum, drummers can actually turn down
the volume in live sound venues vs. acoustic kits
- With electric drums you can fine edit your performance
easily using the midi data and a sequencer editor
-
Electronic drum comparison chart
-
The first decision- what pad feel do I want? rubber or mesh?
Rubber
Pads feel like a practice pad, usually cost less and have a smaller design. Not
all are created equally- the best are foam rubber over a harder rubber for more
give and have a more natural bounce quality and generally last longer. Mesh
heads are more realistic- they feel more like a real drumhead including the
rebound and have more give. They generally offer better positional sensing and
can be tuned like acoustic drums for the feel and rebound desired. As opposed
to rubber heads, mesh heads will eventually wear out and need to be replaced.
-
Number of 'zones' on a pad
Rubber Pads feel
like a practice pad, usually cost less and have a smaller design. Single zone-
some simpler kits will have one zone per pad which means only one
sound/recording will be triggered which usually will sound softer at lower
strikes and have a harder sound when struck harder. They can sound more one
dimensional. The kick pad only needs a single zone as it strike in on place
only. Dual zone- two physically different areas on a pad like ride edge and
bell, head and rim, choking cymbals,.. Triple zone- allows for rim, middle and
bell of a ride cymbal or tom center, rim and a latin percussion sound,…
-
Pad Size
Rubber
Pads feel like a practice pad, usually cost less and have a smaller design.
More of an issue for acoustic drummers due to smaller head size who have to
adjust their playing style to work with the usually smaller electronic pads
versus drumheads
-
Velocity sensing
Simplest is
volume of pad increases with harder strikes. With better modules or some drum
sounds or samples (recordings) in lesser modules, the actual sound or timber
changes as the pad is struck harder for better realism using ‘multisamples'. It
could be a simple crossfade from a soft hit to hard one or could have more
samples in between to offer more subtle changes as the pad is struck
progressively harder.
-
Positional sensing
With better kits
the sound will change as you move the drumstick over different parts of a pad
or cymbal for better realism- typically the snare and ride. With the snare hit
in the middle of the pad it will be a thick full sound and grow brighter and
thinner as you move towards the edge.
-
Drumrack
How well
built and sturdy is it? Will it hold up well? Will the pads not slip around?
-
What do I look for in the drum module?
Quality
and variety of sounds- listen to the demo's, listen to a cymbal decay- does it
fade too fast? drums strong and clear? Number of trigger inputs- room to add
more cymbals and pads? will they be single or dual zone possibly using more
trigger inputs. Editing capability- to tweak each drum sound and effects which
can include tuning, pan position, decay, EQ, amount of fx level, .. all the way
up to the material the drum is made of, tension level,… CD input- so one can
play along with their favorite songs Teaching- to dheck one's timing, training
exercises, etc. Internal songs to play along with- the drums can usually be
muted or not to play along with Ease of Use/Display- is it intuitive? Is the
display understandable or too difficult? Number of outputs- 2 is usually enough
except in a studio or live sound setup where the engineer would like to have
the kick, snare, separated to process separately for more control of the
elements Recording- using a midi sequencer- how many tracks or instruments can
play simultaneously? How many Songs and notes will it hold in memory? Number of
effects- does it have all the effects you might want and how many
simultaneously?
Glossary
- What is a Trigger?
connects the pad to the drum module via an audio cable to send midi control voltage messages
- What is a Module?
houses the actual sounds, editing and brain of an eelectronic drum set. The pads connect to it via cables.
- What are Velocity Curves and Velocity Sensitivity?
Curves- usually several to choose from to determine a curve for soft to loud. It can be linear or proportionately louder as struck
or be more nuanced allowing a wider range at high velocities and a narrower range of sound at soft velocities,…
Sensitivity- adjusts for how hard or soft the user strike the pads with sticks
- What is MIDI?
an interface to connect a keyboard to the computer like USB port for printers. It sends note and other data
from the keyboard to the computer or vice versa. Basically says play this note at this time at this volume level- it is not an
actual audio recording. It also makes it possible for one keyboard to play another keyboard.
- What are Effects?
to modify and enhance the
sounds in the drum module.
e.g., reverb will put the drum set in a small room or up to a large concert hall
-
What is polyphony?
the number of
simultaneous notes that can be played, though if it’s a stereo sample/recording
each note can use 2 notes at once. Its important for anyone who plays a lot of
notes at the same time and holds down the sustain pedal. The earliest notes
played will cut out when the limit is exceeded. This can happen with pianos
with 32-note polyphony especially.
-
What is a Sequencer?
the number of
a recorder with 1 to 16 tracks usually so that multiple instruments can be played back for fully
orchestrated songs and can have elaborate editing capability. These can be downloaded to the computer with a midi interface.
Don't see the answer to your question?
Call us toll-free at 1 877 778 7845 and speak to our electronic drum experts
How To Choose / Useful Information for Pro Keyboards
- Why a Pro Workstation keyboard vs.a Portable/Electronic/Arranger keyboard vs. a Synthesizer?
Pro keyboards offer a multitude of additional features such as audio recording,
detailed sound editing, a 16+ track sequencer
with detailed editing, and a panoply of synth sounds. They will run 4 to 18 simultaneous
higher quality effects such as reverb, and have no arranging or styles other than possibly
arpeggiators or drum patterns. A fully orchestrated sound/song can be accomplished
with a pro keyboard, but it assumes you want to create each part or instrument sound in
a song much more closely (from scratch) than a portable ++
Portable/arranger type keyboards are more for fast songwriting,
for backing tracks when you play or for a one person band with drum patterns,
bass, and other sounds with the accompaniment having different song style genres
(blues, swing, rock,...) with different patterns for the verse, chorus,...
of the song. The song styles and performances are very educational as well for
learning genres that you may be unfamiliar with. You can have many instruments
follow what your left hand plays in real time and chord recognition for
fast performing.
Portables have more "meat and potato" sounds and fewer synthesizer sounds.
Synthesizers- typically do not have workstation features
such as sequencing, recording audio, having all types of sounds,
but rather focus on doing a few sounds extremely well which usually
are not acoustic or real world instruments but "other worldly" sounds
with many ways to manipulate the sound.
- What affects the price you will pay and what should you look for?
The level of realism and selection of the sounds-
each keyboard typically does some sounds better than others so decide
which main sounds are important to you and play each model
(or listen to sound files)
you are interested in to find the one that sounds best to you.
Does it have all the
sounds you are looking for to make a completed song?
Ease of use- hardware knobs, buttons,... how many controls are there, and are they conveniently placed?
Display size- touchscreen, color, icon based, easy to read, backlighting not too dark,...
Sequencer- Check the depth of editing features and ease of use, as you could spend most of your time here. Also, does it allow linear recording only or pattern based recording also?
Quality and number of effects- reverb, EQ per part, compressors, master FX, number of part insert FX, master/global FX, does it have enough DSP to finish a 16 track song without needing external processing
Audio recording/sampling -2 to 8 tracks or more- how easy is it to actually record and play back, does it have enough recording memory/time- (roughly 10 meg a stereo minute)? How is the recording backed up?
Drums- does it have "easy to chain" patterns or is the arpegiator easy to use? Does it have pads on top of keyboard or none at all?
The number of simultaneous notes the keyboard will play (polyphony)- important if you write denser arrangements or use instruments that use a lot of polyphony (piano,...)
Control computer software via hardware sliders, knobs,...
Computer control the keyboard with editor/librarian- as VST plug-in,
standalone, 100% editing. The visuals on a big
computer screen can shorten the learning curve (much more intuitive)
Operating system- is it intuitive or obtuse?
Maximum RAM memory- will determine possibly how much recording time is available
or how much room you will have for adding external samples/sounds
Connectors- # of audio outputs, balanced or unbalanced input,
data storage- memory card, jump drive, USB to computer connection
- Comparison Chart
- How good do these pro workstations sound?
Please notice that almost every keyboard on our site has a sound file
you can play on your computer to hear for yourself.
- What about speakers?
For home or studio use we prefer powered studio monitors
for the best audio quality without spending a lot and keep
the sound in stereo (versus a mono keyboard amp) which is much better with full orchestrations,...
All have headphone jacks if you prefer not to be heard.
For stage, keyboard amplifiers come in all sizes depending on the size of the venue
- What accessories should I consider?
- Stand- stands come in many shapes and styles- X style, Z style, ...
- Bench- consider a more sturdy 4 leg bench if you do not need portability,
X style if you do -- the wider the better.
- Headphones- full size will be more comfortable and quieter
and may offer better quality audio
- Pedals- most come with a sustain pedal, some have jacks for more control
- volume, expression, etc.
- Bag or case- we recommend the manufacturer bags and cases first,
then Gator Cases and bags. Do you need wheels? Will only you be carrying it? Will it be on planes? (should have ATA rating)
- Jump drive/Storage card for audio, midi ...
- Computer interface if no USB connection- need multi-port midi,
how many channels of audio?
- Dust cover
Glossary
-
What is a Style?
combination of sounds like drums, bass and keys with rhythms and chord progressions
in a certain genre (rock, big band, jazz, etc.) which create backing tracks that you can play a lead part over
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What are Song Sections?
These are divisions of a song that portable arranger keyboards identify as an intro,
verses, choruses,
bridge, fills, outro, etc., which when performed by musicians reflect the mood/feeling of each of those sections that enable
faster song arranging
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What is MIDI?
MIDI is a standard interface for
communicating musical information among electronical devices, (e.g., between a keyboard and a computer). MIDI
sends note and other data from the keyboard to the computer or vice versa.
It basically says play this note at this time at this volume level- it is not an
actual audio recording, but a digital representation of the kind of information that woud be
included in a written score.
-
What is polyphony?
the number of
simultaneous notes that can be played, though if it’s a stereo sample/recording
each note can use 2 notes at once. Its important for anyone who plays a lot of
notes at the same time and holds down the sustain pedal. The earliest notes
played will cut out when the limit is exceeded. This can happen with pianos
with 32 note polyphony especially.
-
What is a sequencer?
a
recorder with (usually) 1 to 16 tracks, so that multiple instruments can be played
back for fully orchestrated songs and can have elaborate editing capability.
Typically digital pianos have only 1 or 2 tracks for playing back a piano
performance and archiving another. These can be downloaded to the computer with
a MIDI interface
-
What is sampling/samples?
a short audio
recording of a note. For more realistic sound, digital pianos can be recorded
at different velocities so that when you strike a note harder, the timbre
changes for better realism
-
What are effects?
to modify and
enhance the sounds in the keyboard including non- piano sounds. e.g. - reverb
will put the piano in a small room or up to a large concert hall.
Don’t see the answer to your question?
Call us toll-free at 1 877 778 7845 and speak to our piano experts
Understanding Electronic Keyboards
Glossary
-
What is MIDI
an
interface to connect a keyboard to the computer like USB port for printers. It
sends note and other data from the keyboard to the computer or vice versa.
Basically says play this note at this time at this volume level- it is not an
actual audio recording. It also makes it possible for one keyboard to play
another keyboard.
-
What is polyphony?
the number of
simultaneous notes that can be played, though if it's a stereo sample/recording
each note can use 2 notes at once. Its important for anyone who plays a lot of
notes at the same time and holds down the sustain pedal. The earliest notes
played will cut out when the limit is exceeded. This can happen with pianos
with 32 note polyphony especially.
-
What are those pedals for?
a sustain pedal
to hold all notes played as lomg as the pedal is held down. The soft/half
pedaling pedal plays one of 3 strings only for each note (softer sound) and
sostenuto (select only certain notes to sustain).
-
What is a sequencer?
a
recorder with 1 to 16 tracks usually so that multiple instruments can be played
back for fully orchestrated songs and can have elaborate editing capability.
Typically digital pianos have only 1 or 2 tracks for playing back a piano
performance and archiving another. These can be downloaded to the computer with
a midi interface
-
What is sampling/samples?
a short audio
recording of a note. For more realistic sound, digital pianos can be recorded
at different velocities so that when you strike a note harder, the timbre
changes for better realism
-
What are effects?
to modify and
enhance the sounds in the keyboard including non- piano sounds. e.g. - reverb
will put the piano in a small room or up to a large concert hall.
Don't see the answer to your question?
Call us toll-free at 1 877 778 7845 and speak to our
piano experts
How To Choose a Digital Piano / Useful Information
- Why a Digital piano vs. an acoustic piano?
-
Digital pianos are never out of tune.
- Electric pianos use headphones so you won't bother anyone when playing or practicing.
- Piano keyboards won't break your back moving them and they take up less space in your home.
- Most Electronic Pianos include songs like a player piano and a sequencer to record your performances.
- Digital pianos include many other instrument sounds besides pianos .
- Electronic Piano Keyboards have become extremely realistic in sound quality in recent years.
- Whats the difference between a stage piano and a home piano?
The stage piano is built to better withstand
the rigors of the road but not necessarily to look good in a living room
- What affects the price you will pay and what should you look for?
- The level of realism of the piano sound
- The number of simultaneous notes the digital piano will play (polyphony)
- The quality of the cabinetry- is it simple and portable or a finished living room look
- The 'feel' of the keyboard's keys- almost all digital pianos have 88 keys with graded hammer
action like a real piano but they are made differently to simulate the true wood hammers of an acoustic piano.
- The feel can be lighter or heavier from model to model and from brand to brand. It is mostly asubjective issue which is better but more expensive models will have a better feel.
- Digital Piano Comparison Chart
- What should I get for my child who is just starting to play piano? Do I need to spend a lot?
The Casio CDP100 and the PX120 both start at $499. Yamaha's P85 starts at $599.
Where budget is the primary concern, we highly recommend any of these models for a beginning
student. They all meet the two basic requirements of an instrument suitable for the study of
piano -- a good sound and 88 weighted action keys.
- How good do these digital pianos sound?
Please notice that almost every piano on our site has a sound file you can play on
your computer to hear for yourself
- Why would I want to spend $2200 on a digital piano?
More expensive digital pianos normally sound more realistic than lower priced models. The feel and responsiveness of the keys will be much closer to that of an acoustic piano as well. More professional models often feature an expanded menu of sounds that can be played .Better digital pianos also have added features such as USB interfaces, expanded recording and playback functions, transposition, variable tunings and automated accompaniment.......you can be a virtual one person ochestra. Finally, higher priced digital pianos often have upgraded cabinetry and speaker systems which improves both the look and the sound of the instrument.
- What about speakers?
All home pianos and a few stage electric pianos have built-in speakers loud enough for
home listening and headphone jacks if you prefer not to be heard. Keyboard amplifiers (powered studio monitors are best if for home
use only) are on the site if you like a model without speakers, play with other louder instruments, choirs, or some
less expensive digital pianos may not have the best frequency response you desire without more amplification.
- What about pedals? Do I need 1 or 2 or 3?
For most of us, a sustain pedal is the most we will use. Piano teachers and those who are classically trained will prefer
3 pedals for soft/half pedaling (play one of 3 strings only for each note) and sostenuto (select only certain notes to sustain).
- What other features do digital pianos have to consider?
- Sequencer- a recorder to record midi notes which can have one or more tracks of instruments playing back at the same time.
- The number of track scan be 1 or 2 with most digital pianos and up to 16 and 32 with other keyboards.
- Auto accompaniment- drum patterns to pay along with, possibly a bass line based on what notes you left hand is
playing and more in many different song genres/styles
- Metronome- a repeating click for staying in time or rhythm
- Music rest- for holding sheet music, sheet music stands are available if a model does not have one
- Non-piano sounds like electric pianos, bass, strings,..- can also often can be layered with the piano sound
- Songs to practice with, library of songs to be played back (guest pianist in your home)
- Sliding key cover- good for protecting keys and reducing dust
- What accessories should I consider?
- Stand- come in many shapes and styles- X style, Z style, manufacturer end legs (most sturdy).
- Bench- consider a more sturdy 4 leg bench if you do not need portability, X style if you do, wider the better.
- Headphones- full size will be more comfortable and quieter.
- Pedals- most come with a sustain pedal, some have jacks to connect more pedals for sostenuto and half pedaling.
- Bag or case- for portable models, we recommend the manufacturer bags and cases first, then Gator Cases.
- Midi interface- as most computers now have a USB port, look for a midi to USB interface if the piano does not have a USB port already, like the UX16.
- Dust cover.
- Portable/arranger and Pro keyboards- how are these different?
Pro keyboards can have 88 key hammer action and excellent piano sound but have a multitude of other features
you may not need including audio recording, editing the sound to the most elemental part of the sound, a
16+ track sequencer with detailed editing, will run 4 to 18 simultaneous effects like reverb, etc.
Portable/arranger type keyboards are more for fast songwriting, for backing tracks when you play or
for one person band with drum patterns, bass, and other sounds with the accompaniment having different
song style genres (blues, swing, rock, etc.) with different patterns for the verse, chorus, etc. of the song.
Glossary
-
What is MIDI?
an
interface to connect a keyboard to the computer like USB port for printers. It
sends note and other data from the keyboard to the computer or vice versa.
Basically says play this note at this time at this volume level- it is not an
actual audio recording. It also makes it possible for one keyboard to play
another keyboard.
-
What is polyphony?
the number of
simultaneous notes that can be played, though if it's a stereo sample/recording
each note can use 2 notes at once. Its important for anyone who plays a lot of
notes at the same time and holds down the sustain pedal. The earliest notes
played will cut out when the limit is exceeded. This can happen with pianos
with 32 note polyphony especially.
-
What are those pedals for?
a sustain pedal
to hold all notes played as lomg as the pedal is held down. The soft/half
pedaling pedal plays one of 3 strings only for each note (softer sound) and
sostenuto (select only certain notes to sustain).
-
What is a sequencer?
a
recorder with 1 to 16 tracks usually so that multiple instruments can be played
back for fully orchestrated songs and can have elaborate editing capability.
Typically digital pianos have only 1 or 2 tracks for playing back a piano
performance and archiving another. These can be downloaded to the computer with
a midi interface
-
What is sampling/samples?
a short audio
recording of a note. For more realistic sound, digital pianos can be recorded
at different velocities so that when you strike a note harder, the timbre
changes for better realism
-
What are effects?
to modify and
enhance the sounds in the keyboard including non- piano sounds. e.g. - reverb
will put the piano in a small room or up to a large concert hall.
Don't see the answer to your question?
Call us toll-free at 1 877 778 7845 and speak to our
piano experts
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