When you buy a keyboard with weighted keys or a piano, you must make sure that you consult your music teacher or an expert in the sphere.
In order to learn an instrument well, you need to practice it regularly. But what do you do if you are taking piano lessons and yet you do not have a piano at home? The reasons could be anything from the fact that buying a piano is a costly proposition to the fact that you may not have enough space in your house to keep one.
In such a situation, you can opt for a keyboard with weighted keys that closely matches the feeling of playing a real piano. Such keyboards with weighted keys are both smaller in size and affordable as well and are a practical option to practice playing at home.
Difference Between Weighted Keys on a Piano VS. Unweighted Keys on a Keyboard
When playing a piano one needs to push the keys with adequate force. This sends a hammer into two or more strings. As the hammer strikes these strings, the note sound rings out. What gives the keys a feeling of weight is a lever system that links each hammer with each key. A keyboard with weighted keys acts similarly. However, if you are practising on a keyboard without weighted keys at home, then it can be quite tricky adjusting between two very different keys. This is because a keyboard without weighted keys is designed differently. Here when you press down the keys they spring back up and require much less force than the weighed keys in a piano.
The Advantages of Weighted Keys on Keyboards
On keyboards, weighted keys feel a lot like playing on the traditional piano. This means that when you move between your piano lessons and practice sessions at home, the adjustment you need to make is minimal. This is the primary purpose of weighted keys: that your practice sessions are easier and more effective. Also, they assist you in developing necessary dexterity and finger strength making you a better musician overall. Keyboards with weighted keys in comparison to the piano have other benefits too.
Unlike pianos, they are more versatile and inexpensive as they are portable and do not require tuning. In addition, with such keyboards fitted with weighted keys, you can even use headphones for your practice sessions. This allows you to play without disturbing anyone else and at the same time allows you to practice at varied locations multiple times in a day. And if you are using sealed headphones, you will be distracted less while you play and practice.
Categories of Weighted Keys
Weighted keys on keyboards are of three types. These range from semi-weighted keys, hammer action keyboards and the third is graded weighting. Experts do not recommend you using semi-weighted keyboards if you are practising the piano. The reason is that the keys are made more resistant by springs. They do not feel like real piano keys. Trainers recommend either sticking to graded action keys or hammer action keys. Hammer action keyboards are constructed with a mechanism that duplicates the feeling of hammer action felt in a piano. As you press the keys, you notice a resistance that has been designed to feel as close to a real piano as is possible.
Diverse manufacturers have different mechanism types and varied kinds of feel. On the other hand, the Graded hammer action, often also called graded action is like hammer action. In both, keys are structured to be resistant and feel like the keys of a piano. However, with graded weighting, the keys on the lower end of the register will have a feel that is heavier, while the keys on the higher end of the register will have a feel that is lighter. This actually replicates the real resistance you can find in a piano.
Buying Weighted Keys
For piano students, investing in a keyboard that has weighted keys is worthwhile. Keyboards without weighted keys are less costly than keyboards with weighted keys. However, the benefits of having a keyboard with weighted keys will outweigh the difference in prices. And while your keyboard with weighted keys will be expensive it will still be less costly than buying a quality piano.
If you are interested in learning this instrument, you can check out our: Online Keyboard Classes
