Computers are faster and more reliable than ever before and with these technology advancements it has opened up the door to use software and musical instruments in conjunction with this new found power. With new products coming out everyday it has never been harder to determine if a computer setup may work for you as a digital keyboard. We will look at how expensive a workstation setup compared to the software route will add up when trying to not break the bank account. Also, how portable is a computer setup and is it expandable? When you complete the reading of this article you should know exactly which way you want to invest your hard earned money.
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.
After the computer, a sound card will be needed in order process the digital signal. You can try using what is already built in to your computer but the latency will probably to much to overcome. There are many way to go when purchasing a sound card but buying an external card will save in setup costs unless you are comfortable with installing it yourself. We will also need a midi keyboard controller and the software package that you prefer. Once you have that then you have a solid software setup ready for use.
As you can see deciding to use software can be mind blowing to setup correctly. Then why even consider this as a viable option? With experience using both methods I can easily say that software offers a much higher quality of sounds and can be expanded on overtime. With the purchase of the audio-card you now have the ability to turn your computer into a home studio. One way to go is to buy an M-box audio-card by Pro-Tools which would also come with Pro-Tools recording software. This would allow to record with high end software and could also be used in a live setting 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.
Some great soft synths to start out on would be anything by Native Instruments. Another favorite of many are the libraries made by East West. They will record in various concert halls, using the best microphones available and create small wav files from popular string or woodwind instruments. With a simple midi keyboard you can control each sound and build an entire orchestral piece that would be impossible to do with just a workstation.
In conclusion let's discuss the pricing of each setup. First is this going to be used for live gigs or just home use. If you do plan to take it on the road then do you have a laptop? If you do not then you have to add the purchase of one into the final price. Good workstations can cost between one to four thousand dollars but they will usually have better playability than most midi controllers. If a laptop purchase is not required then it is probably a safe bet that a software solution will be cheaper.
If you total up the price of a keyboard controller, sound-card, and software you will probably be well under a thousand dollars on your total purchase. You do have to consider that some software can be very expensive and how many different pieces you decide to get is what will really determine what your completed price will be. Now that we have looked at both scenarios, hopefully you will be able to make a better choice as to which setup will be right for you. - 21704
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.
After the computer, a sound card will be needed in order process the digital signal. You can try using what is already built in to your computer but the latency will probably to much to overcome. There are many way to go when purchasing a sound card but buying an external card will save in setup costs unless you are comfortable with installing it yourself. We will also need a midi keyboard controller and the software package that you prefer. Once you have that then you have a solid software setup ready for use.
As you can see deciding to use software can be mind blowing to setup correctly. Then why even consider this as a viable option? With experience using both methods I can easily say that software offers a much higher quality of sounds and can be expanded on overtime. With the purchase of the audio-card you now have the ability to turn your computer into a home studio. One way to go is to buy an M-box audio-card by Pro-Tools which would also come with Pro-Tools recording software. This would allow to record with high end software and could also be used in a live setting 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.
Some great soft synths to start out on would be anything by Native Instruments. Another favorite of many are the libraries made by East West. They will record in various concert halls, using the best microphones available and create small wav files from popular string or woodwind instruments. With a simple midi keyboard you can control each sound and build an entire orchestral piece that would be impossible to do with just a workstation.
In conclusion let's discuss the pricing of each setup. First is this going to be used for live gigs or just home use. If you do plan to take it on the road then do you have a laptop? If you do not then you have to add the purchase of one into the final price. Good workstations can cost between one to four thousand dollars but they will usually have better playability than most midi controllers. If a laptop purchase is not required then it is probably a safe bet that a software solution will be cheaper.
If you total up the price of a keyboard controller, sound-card, and software you will probably be well under a thousand dollars on your total purchase. You do have to consider that some software can be very expensive and how many different pieces you decide to get is what will really determine what your completed price will be. Now that we have looked at both scenarios, hopefully you will be able to make a better choice as to which setup will be right for you. - 21704
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For a list of my favorite computer programs and workstation brands please make sure to stop by my site and say hello. I also have the top list of musical instruments keyboard on the net. musical-instruments-keyboard.com
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