Archives for February 18, 2018

 

Let’s face it – in today’s day and age you are absolutely bombarded by possibilities when it comes to synthesizer buying options. There are just so many to choose from that the whole process becomes quite overwhelming. Do you go for the one with the most sound options or do you opt for the one with lesser features, but better overall sound quality? How important are certain features going to be in your specific case, and should you make decisions based off of reviews? These are some of the many questions you’ll likely have to ask yourself if you want to make the best possible decision when it comes to choosing the perfect synthesizer for you.

 

How to break it down…

 

Sound Quality

This is one of the most important things to take into consideration, if not the most important. It’s no secret that some synthesizers sound better than others, and it should come as no surprise that sound quality rates in as one of the most important aspects of any instrument. You have certain synths like the JUNO DS88 by Roland which sounds absolutely fantastic (making it one of the top synths of the year) but you also have workstations like the MiniNova whose sounds are underwhelming. In 2018, It’s hard to say that there are many synthesizers with sound quality less than great, but it still happens. In most entry level synths and above (88-key and 61-key), you won’t have many issues in the department of sound quality. The only synths that sometimes have suspect sound quality are synthesizer for beginners, but even that is becoming more and more rare every year. Fortunately we have platforms like YouTube which enable us to see and hear what synthesizers sound like without having one right in front of us – check out the DS88 synth go to work!

 

Features

I don’t know if the amount of features and what specifically they are is more important than the sound quality, but it’s up there. Again, it is rather rare to find keyboards with subpar sound quality and features but it still something to pay close attention to when purchasing an item of this price. How is the sequencing? What kind of piano and organ sounds can it produce? Is there a big emphasis on mixing? Synthesizers like the Yamaha Montage 8 have things like this down pat and features are not something to worry about at all. There are many features to take note of and after sound quality, this might be the most essential part of what makes a synthesizer great (or not so great).

 

Build Quality

The build quality and durability of a synthesizer is very important. It may not seem as so at first but this is the truth; synthesizers are expensive and you need them to last if you want them to be worth purchasing, right? Some are great for the first few months but break down in ridiculous fashion soon after – loose knobs, scratches and dents, even software issues can come into play. You want to make sure that your potential synthesizer is fantastic quality and won’t break down on you anytime soon. These are things you can learn from reviews.

 

Aesthetics

Slightly less important but still impactful are the style, design, and overall aesthetic of synthesizers. Sure you might not care if the sound quality and features are superb, but these things still matter. Take a look at the TYROS 5 made by Yamaha. It has a very distinct look to it and while I personally like it quite a bit, I understand that it is not for everybody. Some may not like the tablet screen which protrudes out and others may not prefer their synthesizer to be of gray color. Aesthetics matter as they should! Not every design and style is for each person and everyone has their own personal preference when it comes to things such as this. Some like their synths flat and slim, others like them angled and thick. Some like them glossy black like a piano and others like them matte gray or silver like a sports car. It all comes down to what you like best and ultimately the decision is yours.

 

Conclusion

One of the most tedious tasks of entering the synthesizer world is choosing your instrument. The process may be long and rigorous but likely well worth it in the end. Not only are there many reasons why you should buy a synthesizer keyboard, but there are many reasons as to why you should be very careful in doing so. Along with the ones mentioned on this article, there are way too many different things to take note of just to have them listed here, so make sure to do your homework and find out as much as you can about your prospective synthesizer keyboards.

 

If you don’t yet have your very own synthesizer keyboard workstation, then there are a few reasons why you might want to get one. It’s always good to pick up talents through the journey of life, and one of the most underrated talents you can pick up is to play an instrument, such a synthesizer. Actually, playing a synthesizer is even more impressive than playing many other instruments, as they are require a higher knowledge base of the instrument, and generally playing a synth workstation is a higher degree of difficulty to say a regular piano. There are so many more things you can do with a synth!

 

 

1. Playing an instrument is good for your brain

Research shows that doing new things (such as playing instruments and learning sounds) creates new pathways and can improve brain function. Technically speaking, it doesn’t have to be playing an instrument; it could be learning a new language or even visiting a new place with different people. Nevertheless, one of the greatest ways to exercise your brain both artistically and logically is through creating music, and what better instrument to do so with than something so complex and beautiful such as a synthesizer.

 

 

 

2. Synthesizers are fun

If you’ve never had the chance to play a synthesizer keyboard, then you might not understand the pure joy you can get from doing something so simple until you actually try it. Synthesizers make you feel like a kid again and are a great way to express your creativity. It’s not so much the actual pressing of buttons you can say is the pleasure in using the synth, though that can be fun too. What is actually the most fun about using synthesizers is creating the music and playing around with the sounds. This is where keyboards like the Teenage Engineering OP-1 and Yamaha Montage 8 and 6 excel. They have so many different way they can be used and this makes the possibilities completely endless and infinite. The biggest reason to get a synthesizer in my opinion is for this reason – that they are fun to play.

 

 

3. They develop you as a person

If you don’t already know, having special talents and strengths is always an admirable thing in life. Whether you make a killer lasagna or you’re an expert of a certain video game, having a talent such as being able to play a synthesizer is a huge strength. Not only that, learning to play a synthesizer (and doing it well) might even open up doors in your career. Who knows? Maybe you’re meant to be the next Elvis of the keyboard world and you don’t even know it yet! Even if that isn’t the case, it certainly won’t hurt your resume to be able to play another instrument.

 

 

 

4. It can present new opportunities to you

As noted in the last point, you might not know it yet but having the ability to play a synthesizer can and might just open up new doors for you. Whether it be meeting new people or even a total career change, you won’t know what being able to play a synthesizer will do for your life. This might be your passion, and you probably wouldn’t be too happy to know that you missed out on what you were meant to do for your whole life. Take the chance and pick up a synthesizer, even if it’s one meant for beginners! You won’t regret it.

 

 

 

5. It will spice up your life

Let’s face it. So much of our lives is spent through routine and doing the same old mundane tasks, so why wouldn’t you want to change a part of it? Whether you want to admit it or not, it’s time for something new. How do I know? Because it’s always time for something new! You will be doing something new and exciting that can potentially even help you in your social life. Regardless, it doesn’t hurt and you definitely don’t have anything to lose from picking up a synthesizer and learning something new.

 

 

 

Conclusion

There are many reasons why you might want to learn many different things, but there are certain perks and advantages to learning to play a synthesizer over doing something like picking up a new sport hobby. Sure, you get some exercise (which I’m not undermining at all) but what does it do for you at the end of the day? Are you going to be playing in the MLB? Probably not, but becoming good at playing the synthesizer can take you far in a lot of areas of life, no matter your age. It isn’t hard to do and the fact that it is actually fun will make the whole process much easier. Pick up a synthesizer keyboard today!