With the price of computers falling everyday and the power that sits inside going up, the option to use them as musical instruments with midi keyboard controllers has never been greater. The vast array of choices can leave the beginner with information overload, especially when deciding which if a traditional route maybe be better than going with a computer setup. We will cover the costs of of both setups along with how expandable and portable each solution is. By the end hopefully you will have a better understanding of what a workstation or software solution can offer you and then make a sensible choice on your purchase.
All musical instruments in one way or another seem to be showing up in a digital format these days and the piano has been at the forefront of this digital age with the use of a keyboard for longer than any. The major advancements in this technology came in the 60's with the great Moog synthesizers came on the market. While these were still analog, the achievements made paved the way for digital keyboards in the decades to come. In today's market the question is not about digital versus analog but whether or not a piece of computer software can hold up against the more familiar workstations.
So that leaves us with the current set of choices that seem to be most prevalent among new keyboard purchasers. Do you buy the all in one workstation which would be considered the more traditional route or do you go the newer computer/software road. There are many things to consider before making your choice and hopefully I will be able to shed some new light on which one is right for you. First things first lets see what makes up each keyboard setup. For the workstation its simply the keyboard along with any accessories you would want to include, but for the most part everything you need is built into the synthesizer. Things are a bit more difficult for using software. Your brains of the operation will be a computer so if you want this to be portable then you will have to use a laptop.
Secondly you will need an audio sound card to handle the processing of the digital signal. Its possible the one built into your computer may be ok for just one signal with a half to quarter inch jack converter running into the microphone input, but chances are the latency (the time it takes for you to hit a key and have it converted and output through your speakers) will be too high to deal with. So along with a computer you will need a simple external sound card to process the signal. Add to that a midi controller and the software and you now have a solid software setup.
Wow, it can be a bit overwhelming when considering a software setup. So why would anyone choose this route then? As far as Im concerned the sounds are far superior to anything you will find built into a workstation and the ability to expand your setup and add-on is limitless. Not only that, but you now have the capability to record your ideas or songs using a piece of recording software like (Pro-Tools, Nuendo, etc). As a matter of fact you kill two birds with one stone buy purchasing an M-box by Pro-Tools. Not only would that allow you to record onto your computer and come with the software to do that, you could use it for live performances as well.
When decision time comes, does setup time and portability weigh heavier than the quality of sounds and limitless extensibility? You also have to consider that the software solution adds a home studio into the equation for no extra cost. To be fair, workstations do have the capability to do some simple recordings but it is not something you could really take advantage of in a band situation. I don't know about you but I like the idea of doing some full demos as well.
When looking for the right software I would look at Native Instruments as a great starting place. A personal favorite of mine is also the libraries created by East West. They use professional musicians to record each sound and create a sound bank of wav files of organic instruments. With a keyboard controller you can build an entire score that will sound just as real as an actual symphony.
Finally what are the cost benefits of going one way or another? Well if you need portability do you have a laptop? If not then its easy to say that the software route will cost more due to the fact that a laptop will need to be included in the overall price. Workstations will range from 1 to 4 grand and will probably have better playability than most midi keyboard controllers.
When you add up your main components (controller, sound-card, and software) you should be able to stay under one thousand dollars. You do have to be aware that some software, including the above mentioned East West, can be just as pricey as a new laptop. In the end, the amount of software you decide to buy is what will really determine how much you spend on this setup. Hopefully I have been able to guide you through the mysterious world of software setups for the keyboard (or even other musical instruments) and you should now be able to make better choice as to which is right for you. - 16036
All musical instruments in one way or another seem to be showing up in a digital format these days and the piano has been at the forefront of this digital age with the use of a keyboard for longer than any. The major advancements in this technology came in the 60's with the great Moog synthesizers came on the market. While these were still analog, the achievements made paved the way for digital keyboards in the decades to come. In today's market the question is not about digital versus analog but whether or not a piece of computer software can hold up against the more familiar workstations.
So that leaves us with the current set of choices that seem to be most prevalent among new keyboard purchasers. Do you buy the all in one workstation which would be considered the more traditional route or do you go the newer computer/software road. There are many things to consider before making your choice and hopefully I will be able to shed some new light on which one is right for you. First things first lets see what makes up each keyboard setup. For the workstation its simply the keyboard along with any accessories you would want to include, but for the most part everything you need is built into the synthesizer. Things are a bit more difficult for using software. Your brains of the operation will be a computer so if you want this to be portable then you will have to use a laptop.
Secondly you will need an audio sound card to handle the processing of the digital signal. Its possible the one built into your computer may be ok for just one signal with a half to quarter inch jack converter running into the microphone input, but chances are the latency (the time it takes for you to hit a key and have it converted and output through your speakers) will be too high to deal with. So along with a computer you will need a simple external sound card to process the signal. Add to that a midi controller and the software and you now have a solid software setup.
Wow, it can be a bit overwhelming when considering a software setup. So why would anyone choose this route then? As far as Im concerned the sounds are far superior to anything you will find built into a workstation and the ability to expand your setup and add-on is limitless. Not only that, but you now have the capability to record your ideas or songs using a piece of recording software like (Pro-Tools, Nuendo, etc). As a matter of fact you kill two birds with one stone buy purchasing an M-box by Pro-Tools. Not only would that allow you to record onto your computer and come with the software to do that, you could use it for live performances as well.
When decision time comes, does setup time and portability weigh heavier than the quality of sounds and limitless extensibility? You also have to consider that the software solution adds a home studio into the equation for no extra cost. To be fair, workstations do have the capability to do some simple recordings but it is not something you could really take advantage of in a band situation. I don't know about you but I like the idea of doing some full demos as well.
When looking for the right software I would look at Native Instruments as a great starting place. A personal favorite of mine is also the libraries created by East West. They use professional musicians to record each sound and create a sound bank of wav files of organic instruments. With a keyboard controller you can build an entire score that will sound just as real as an actual symphony.
Finally what are the cost benefits of going one way or another? Well if you need portability do you have a laptop? If not then its easy to say that the software route will cost more due to the fact that a laptop will need to be included in the overall price. Workstations will range from 1 to 4 grand and will probably have better playability than most midi keyboard controllers.
When you add up your main components (controller, sound-card, and software) you should be able to stay under one thousand dollars. You do have to be aware that some software, including the above mentioned East West, can be just as pricey as a new laptop. In the end, the amount of software you decide to buy is what will really determine how much you spend on this setup. Hopefully I have been able to guide you through the mysterious world of software setups for the keyboard (or even other musical instruments) and you should now be able to make better choice as to which is right for you. - 16036
About the Author:
For a list of my favorite computer programs and workstation models please make sure to drop by my site and say hello. I also have the best list of musical instruments keyboard on the net. musical-instruments-keyboard.com
