Learning to play a musical instrument can be a hobby for individuals of all ages. It’s a soothing experience, highly gratifying and if you do it right, you can play pretty much any song on an instrument like a keyboard. The musical keyboard, or electronic keyboard is one of the simplest instruments to take up. There are few ways to go wrong, unlike non-digital acoustic instruments where it is makes sense to take a professional along to help you choose a musical instrument that sounds right. A musical keyboard is simpler to choose, and we’re here to tell you the basic differences.
Musical keyboards are an electronic offering meant to simulate a piano. The piano is a classical instrument that was first made more than 300 years ago. The modern musical keyboard creates the sounds of a real piano (and more). Pianos can be atrociously expensive and hard to find. The piano has a range of keys, as do modern musical keyboards. The major difference between a more expensive musical keyboard and an affordable one is the range of keys. Without turning into a music lesson, music is typically made of notes and notes range from A to G, and back to A and back going back to G. Every one of these ranges is part of octave. The pitches in an octave keep getting higher. In a musical keyboard, they go from low on the left, and higher as you go to the right. Pianos and musical keyboard have keys that go in this order, C D E F G A B. These are white keys with some black keys in between. More expensive keyboards have many more ranges, so they have more keys. A musical keyboard with more octaves isn’t necessarily better or essential to learn playing it. Basic tunes can be played even with the most affordable keyboard.
Most entry-class keyboards have 32 keys, while more mainstream and intermediate keyboards have 61 keys. You can find a range of Casio keyboard here at reliancedigital.in starting from as low as Rs. 2,899* and going all the way up to Rs. 25,000. However, the counts of keys aren’t the only difference. The entry-level models are marked as the SA range and are ideal for younger audiences and people who want to try their hand at musical keyboards. The Casio SA-46 and SA-47 models are great for little children, and there are slightly larger models such as the Casio SA-76, SA-77 and the SA-78 that are ideal for slightly older audiences. They come with 44 keys, compared to the 32 keys on the SA-46 and SA-47 models. The keys on most of the SA-46 and SA-47 models are smaller and thus, easier to play for younger users.
Once you cross beyond the Rs. 7,000 price range, you can find models such as the Casio CT-S100BK. The Casiotone (CT) range are for intermediate learners and beginning models for early enthusiasts. All models above the price range include 61 keys, but that’s not all that you should be interested in. Most of these models also let you connect headphones to the keyboard, so you can practice without disturbing others. You can also be assured you get a bank of many more sounds, that the entry-class of keyboards lack. These models also include larger speakers, that you can use to play a house performance without the need of external sound systems. There are tone banks where the keyboards no longer sound like classical piano but can be made to sound like an electronic guitar, or any classical Indian musical instrument with the press of a button or two. Most of these keyboards come pre-installed with a large library of songs that can be played alongside while you learn.
Models from the CT series usually include advanced features that let you easily connect the keyboard to external devices such as laptops and PCs. More premium models connect even to iPads. They act like MIDI interfaces, so you can also use external synthesizing software on your laptop or PC to extend the range of sounds you can play. Some models let you download tracks in the MIDI format and play them on the keyboard. It’s a good way to learn how to play your favourite songs. The CT-X models are for more serious enthusiasts. They also use high-quality audio rendering systems called AiX Sound Source, that sound more realistic and punchier, like the real deal. Some of the models let you use equalizer to modify existing tones into your own, even save them as presets that you can access on demand.
You can check on the model for features like being able to add expression pedals, which let you improvise while playing using a foot pedal. These are features on premium models such as the CT-X8000IN. Some of the even higher end models include features like the pitch bending wheel that lets you adjust the pitch on notes as you play. This can be found on models such as the CT-X9000IN, and others in the range.
Realistically, most of us can start off with the legendary Casio Casiotone (CT) range of keyboards, and if you’re already learning and want something for the longer run, the CT-X series should suit you well. For the price, they are great value for money. If you thought Reliance Digital is the right place only for buying smartphones and a bunch of other electronics, you can now find an impressive range of products like Casio’s keyboard lineup. it’s a good time to inquire at your nearest store. You can also ask for information on musical instruments, or better still, you can order the musical keyboard of your choice right now here at reliancedigital.in. We ensure a quick delivery, depending on where you live.
Note: Prices are subject to change. Please refer to the product page for the latest prices, details and availability.
