In a prior article we presented several words and phrases about the functions and options you are likely to encounter in taking a look at various electronic keyboards. We outlined tones, keys, and polyphony in addition to key weighting and several types of auto-accompaniment. Their understanding is essentially a shopping guide for selecting a keyboard for yourself or as a gift. Now why don't we have a look at some more terms. Some are widespread on the majority of products, and generally they are not as critical.

Layers and Split

These 2 features are generally included even on low-cost keyboards. "Split" divides all the keys in to 2 groups. Typically the lower 1 or 2 octaves are then employed to set off auto-accompaniment functions as the right-hand keys function as usual. In some keyboards split can be employed for different tones or for transposing down or up by octaves.

The term "layers" means voicing a pair of distinctive tones together. For example you may assign the first tone to piano and the other to violin. You'd then have the result of those two instruments playing the same note for every key you press.

Audio Processing Effects

There's usually as a minimum a couple sound effects on all but the least expensive keyboards.

"Reverb" (reverberation) could very well be the most typical. This is an echo-like sound effect involving delaying the audio a little bit and then combining it into the non-delayed sound. You can commonly alter the period of the delay, but almost never long enough to really seem like an echo. What you do obtain will be a variety of room-acoustic effects. This takes away some of the unnatural sound and helps make your own playing seem a little more like an traditional acoustic musical instrument within a large room.

"Chorus" is a second common effect rather much like reverb. For this one a short sound delay is also implemented, however it will be randomly varied. It's labeled chorus since it will sound like a number of vocalists (or musical instruments) performing in concert.

Some keyboards have a "Leslie" function that will copy a vintage electronic organ effect. Decades ago these organs mechanically spun their speakers, however these days it's carried out with electronic sound processing. It was the main feature of the old Whurlitzer organs and pianos, and even was sometimes used in rock music as late as the 70s

Pitch Wheels

A pitch wheel permits you to adjust the pitch of a note being sounded. Mechanically it is like a dial or a knob. With a pitch wheel you may get pitches between two notes. That's a frequent synthesizer effect, much like bending notes on a guitar.

Sampling Capabilities

Although also not included in the lowest price instruments, the sampler function lets you record and playback sound from a microphone or other recording. The recording functionality may vary greatly, anything between a single sample of a second or less in length, all the way to a number of samples of a few seconds each.

The ability to control playback with the regular keys provides its real usefulness. But more than merely straightforward playback, the actual frequency is changed as a result of which key you press. Using this particular feature you can even develop your own personal tones with ease.

This once was quite a pricey function, but it currently is commonly included in key-boards even within the $150 to $200 price range.