Keys

What's the difference between those different types of keyboards? How to choose the best piano to buy? Here are a few quick pointers to help you...

Home digital pianos (or simply home pianos) are electronic pianos often inspired by the traditional design of old upright pianos, but more suitable for the modern household: they are cheaper and lighter than a conventional acoustic piano, and also deliver more sounds like those of different piano models, organs and strings. They are the best piano choice for most homes, and modern technology ensues they sound and feel very realistic.

Stage pianos, as the name suggests, were designed for live usage. For this reason, their focus is on SOUND. They may look not as stylish as the best home pianos but will have much more features, suitable for professional use. Of course, nothing stops you from buying a stage piano even if you don't perform live - to use at home or in the studio as many people do.

Arrangers & Workstations are designed for professional performance and composition. They differ from stage pianos in the sense that they often come with advanced production tools that allow for complex solo performances which can include a sophisticated backing track, besides also being suitable for composers working on musical scores. But, again, nothing stops someone buying one of those keyboards to use at home, as a stage piano, or for recordings.

Synthesizers are electronic instruments that revolutionized music as much, or even more, than the electric guitar. Analog synths are going through a strong revival right now. They differ from digital keyboards in that they are not designed to sound like a real piano, strings or other instruments. Synthesizers are like a blank canvas, allowing each musician to explore the near-infinite possibilities of various oscillators and filters to create new, unique sounds - it's the art of synthesis!

MIDI Keyboards are not musical instruments per se. They make no sound of their own. You simply plug them to your computer, laptop or mobile device (via their USB port) to control virtual instruments such as a virtual piano for instance or to control your DAW.

Many keyboards and digital pianos produce no sound on their own or, due to slim design, only feature small speakers. Therefore if you want to perform at louder volumes, you should get yourself a keyboard amp. We also have for sale all the accessories you may need, from keyboard stands to piano benches, expression pedals and spare parts.

PMT Online stocks a fantastic selection of all the best piano and keyboard brands such as Roland, Yamaha, Korg, Nord, Moog and Forte - it's the only piano and keyboard shop you'll ever need! In addition to all this, our PMT stores in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and Bristol are official Roland stores, with dedicated areas featuring a huge selection of Roland pianos and keyboards you can try, and even book an appointment in advance with one of our in-store Roland experts, so come pay us a visit today!