Monday, April 27, 2009

Research Project: MIDI Keyboards

I first heard the term ‘MIDI’ when I was in college. The music building at Gustavus Adolphus College was equipped with a MIDI keyboard lab that students used to do ear training, composing and recording. We had the capability to play on a keyboard and have it instantly notated in a computer program called Finale. It was incredible to be able to quickly and easily notate (and print!) a composition that I had played on a keyboard only moments before.

During my seven-year teaching career, I’ve often used a free version of this composition program, called Finale Notepad. It has served me well in that I can enter (via my computer keyboard) notes for my students to read and play during class. However, using the computer keyboard to manually type in notes has definitely proven to be more time consuming than using a piano keyboard like I did in my college years.

Hence my interest in researching MIDI keyboards. I’d really like to get one to use at school to improve my own productivity and to possibly even use with students during class.

MIDI is an acronym that stands for “Musical Instrument Digital Interface.” It is a protocol (a standard that controls connection, communication, and data transfer) that enables electronic musical instruments to communicate with each other. MIDI transmits “event messages” such as the pitch and intensity of musical notes, and controls signals for items such as volume and tempo.
MIDI is in musical instruments, computers and even cell phones. Most popular music is written and performed using MIDI keyboards, and even film and TV scores are usually created on MIDI instruments! Most computers have the ability to play MIDI files and can be connected to and used with other MIDI products.

A MIDI keyboard is a musical instrument similar to a piano keyboard. The MIDI portion allows it to communicate with a computer or other MIDI-equipped instrument. Most keyboards today have some type of MIDI keyboard. The prices can range from $100 to a whopping $30,000.

The most basic MIDI keyboard is actually called a controller. A controller is hardware or software which generates and transmits MIDI data to MIDI-enabled devices. In other words, a controller is a device that triggers musical sounds. With most MIDI set-ups, the keyboard does not make any sounds by itself. MIDI controllers need to be connected to a voice bank or sound module in order to produce musical tones or sounds.

There are several things to consider when purchasing a MIDI keyboard. Your budget and your comfort level with keyboards in general are two of the more important things to think about. An amateur is less likely to need or want some of the expensive bells and whistles that a professional might insist upon.

For instance, MIDI keyboards vary in how many keys they have. As a classical musician, I would prefer to have a keyboard with the same number of keys as a piano (88), but of course that is a more expensive feature. Keyboards with 76 keys or even as few as 25 are available for less money and are more attractive to some because they take up less space.

MIDI keyboards also vary in how they feel when played. Some keyboards recreate the feel and action of a piano, while others have a more electronic feel. Some are velocity-sensitive (the faster the key is pressed, the louder the sound), while others are touch-sensitive (the harder the key is pressed, the louder the sound). The cheapest MIDI keyboards are neither velocity- nor touch-sensitive.

I spoke with Butch Johnson, a very knowledgeable employee from AABACA Music Barn in Minnetonka. This store specializes in digital pianos, keyboards and lab equipment. From what I gathered in communicating with him, there are five main types of MIDI keyboards.

1. MIDI controller that does not produce sound on its own. It plugs into a computer and is used for MIDI input only.

http://www.aabaca.com/keyrig25.html





















3. MIDI keyboard that produces sound, has a built-in interface, and connects to computer (USB to Host)

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail/0,,CNTID=5014661&CTID=205100,00.html



















4. MIDI keyboard that produces sound, has built-in interface, connects to computer (USB to Host) and also has the ability to record, store and play MIDI files from storage (USB to device)

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail.html?CNTID=5021560&CTID=205500











5. MIDI keyboard that produces sound, has built-in interface, connects to computer (USB to Host), and also has the ability to store and play MIDI/WAV files from storage (USB to Device)

http://aabaca.com/fp7.html







In talking with Butch, it seems that #3-5 are by far the most preferred of the five, because the connection to the computer via USB to Host is such a desirable trait.

I’m still in the process of getting quotes for pricing these, but I think as I move forward and pursue purchasing a MIDI keyboard for school, I will personally be keeping the following things in mind:

1. Money is obviously a huge factor. I need to purchase something that is going to give me the biggest bang for my buck.

2. It is important to me that the keyboard feels as much like a piano as possible. It needs to have at least 76 keys, and if possible, 88.

3. I really want to be able to record sound directly on my keyboard - #3, 4 and 5 are all good options.

4. I know I would definitely appreciate being able to play WAV files, so if the money allows, I’d like to go for #5.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_Instrument_Digital_Interface
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