Pros Cons
Lightweight and portable Doesn’t have weighted keys
Reasonably priced Won’t have as many octaves
Great electronic features Requires extra accessoriesPitch bend wheel Is a keyboard right for you?
Many modern keyboards feature a pitch
bend wheel, which is sometimes located to
the left of the keys. It can be used to adjust
the pitch of the note you’re playing up or
down. Practise using the wheel while you’re
playing the keys with your right hand
Digital features
Electronic keyboards offer a fantastic
range of digital features. You can
select and create sound effects with
the keys and even imitate other
instruments, including percussion,
brass and string instrumentsKeyboard
The keys on your keyboard are made
from plastic and are not weighted so
only a light touch is needed to create
sound. Although smaller keyboards
offer a limited number of octaves, there
are larger varieties that offer moreBacking tracks
If you’re getting bored of playing your keyboard,
try playing along to some of the many backing
tracks available on most keyboards. They will
represent many different musical genres, from
bossa nova to rock and rollPortability
Keyboards normally have fewer keys
than a digital piano and are made of
plastic, so they’re lighter and therefore
more portable. They’re great if you
need to carry your instrument aroundRecord
Like digital pianos,
keyboards offer you the
opportunity to record what
you play. They may also have
a metronome so you can
stay in time while recording©Thinkstock