What's the difference between a Synthesiser and a Keyboard?

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RedDrama

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Im looking to get a keyboard but then I started to heard about Synths... like whats the difference between the 2? I've noticed Synths are more expensive. Is their a reason for that? If the 2 are really that much different what are the pros and cons for each?
 
This could be subjective but I would say there isn't one. Some might view a cheap Casio you can pick up at your local supercenter as a keyboard, but it still has some basic synth sounds on it and sometimes drums. Really, your cheap Casio looks pretty much the same as any other keyboard or synth. In either case they have keys (keyboard), and produce synth sounds (synth). Generally when you see a fluctuation in prices it's due to what the package you're getting can do. Things like...

Is it a cheap General MIDI keyboard you can pick up from Wal-Mart?
Is it capable of subtractive, additive, or FM synthesis?
Does it have a sequencer?
Does it have a sampler?
A CD burner?
Effects?
Drum Kits?
How good is sound engine?

There's alot that goes into the pricing, that's why you can find something an analog modelling synth for maybe $200-$3000, and a music workstation for about $1,000-$8,000. What really defines them as keyboard? The fact they have keys? If so then all synths with keys are infact keyboards, and all keyboards that have synth sounds would be infact synths.

I think you're biggest factor isn't whether it's a keyboard or synth, but rather what are you looking for. It won't really matter what you call it the price is going to widely fluctuate depending on alot of factors.
 
A keyboard plays sounds and a synth makes sounds. A keyboard with on-board sounds, like a casio, is NOT a synth as it can't actually create a new sound. The rompler keyboards fall somewhere in-between; they play back sounds with varying degrees of editability....they are still not really synths though as they don't have the ability to make a sound from the 'ground up'....
 
"keyboard" is a verry general term.
What kind of music do you make? Someone can probably recommend one based on that, and what your budget is too.
 
I wanna make Hip Hop/Rap and maybe R&B beats but at the sametime im just starting out and I dont want to go out and buy an expensive synth/keyboard without knowing exactly how to use the item. I think the very max I'd pay for one would be about $700 and no more. At this moment the M-Audio axiom 61 looks pretty good but what exactly do I need on a synth for me to just basically make music? Does this synth/keyboard have a sequencer?
 
Wow.....

I never would think of this question. Can't answer it, but can categorize equipment to give you an idea.

Arranger Keyboards - Casio CTK series, Yamaha DJX
Workstation Keyboards - Triton, Motif, Fantom
Synth - Nord Lead, MiniMoog
Keyboard Midi Controller - Axiom series, Keystation Series, ect.

I can tell you what category each peice of equipment on the market falls into, but it's too hard to explain a "difference" in each 1.
 
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The Axiom is a midi controller, meaning you hook it up to another sound module or hardware/software synth and control it, but it has no sounds of its own. (I think of them as a universal remote)
I would say consider the Yamaha Mini Motif (MM6) ~ $599 or maybe a used Triton Le on ebay. I would also check out the Juno D, but it doesn't have a sequencer.
 
RedDrama said:
Im looking to get a keyboard but then I started to heard about Synths... like whats the difference between the 2? I've noticed Synths are more expensive. Is their a reason for that? If the 2 are really that much different what are the pros and cons for each?
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You can't say: what's the difference between a keyboard and a synth, because a keyboard is any device with keys! and some Synths have keyboards.. so,
it's like asking: what's the differences between apples and apple-boxes?

In music, a keyboard is any instrument with piano-like keys.
Whereas a synthesizer is an instrument capable of producing sounds from waveforms.. you start with something that sounds like a simple beep, and use Envelopes and Filters to shape the sound.

If you're getting into music, it's good to start using the proper terms..

Most beginners are interested in 3 kinds of products:
1. Workstations (aka Romplers: like Fantom, Triton, Motif, Fusion..)
2. VA synths (virtual analog: like Virus, Nord Lead, MS2000..).
3. MIDI controllers

1. With Workstations you get many things in one: real-instrument sounds and Synth sounds (the sounds are generated from samples stored in ROM memory, that's why we like to call them "ROMplers"). You also get a Sequencer, a Sampler (on the more expensive models) and Effects.

2. VA (or virtual analog): are digital synths, they can produce synth sounds only (no-real instrument sounds in there).. most VAs have built-in effects (the Nord Lead series doesn't)

3. as said, MIDI controllers don't produce any sounds at all. They're used to play instruments that don't have keys (software synths, rack synths..)

RedDrama said:
I wanna make Hip Hop/Rap and maybe R&B beats but at the sametime im just starting out and I dont want to go out and buy an expensive synth/keyboard without knowing exactly how to use the item.
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You'll never know how to use a piece of equipment until you buy it and start using it. However you could download the manual and read it, but it might be overwhelming at first because you don't get to try what you read...

RedDrama said:
I think the very max I'd pay for one would be about $700 and no more. At this moment the M-Audio axiom 61 looks pretty good but what exactly do I need on a synth for me to just basically make music? Does this synth/keyboard have a sequencer?
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The Axion 61 is a MIDI controller (again, no sounds)
You could either go Hardware or Software from here.

Some people do all their tracks on a Workstation.. some prefer an MPC + samples.. others use Software sequencers + software synths...

No one can tell you what to get, because only you should know what works best for you..

Here's some questions that should help you narrow down your choices:
- are you willing to spend time to learn whatever gear you buy? (some are more difficult to use than others)
- what type of sound are you looking for (do you want real-instruments type or synth sounds?)..
- do you like to work on a computer screen or away from the computer?
- if you like computers, do you have a fairly recent one?
- have you played/heard any synth/workstation sound you like?
 
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Man - for an all inclusive product (something that has onboard sounds AND can sequence those sounds) you're going to need to spend at least 700.

Dude was right though about the MM6 - but that only had like a 4 track recorder if my memory serves me correctly.

You need onboard sounds - including drums

you don't need the ability to sample

you need a "sequencer"

take that new knowledge and go shop on www.guitarcenter.com

if you have any questions about specific boards let us know. I've got a triton LE and I love it - you can actually do a lot with a triton a cheap computer sequencing program and lots of drum samples that can be downloaded online.

But dude,

do you have a computer? Because if so - you should check out reason - much more powerful than a lot of boards and great for those that are on a budget.
 
So right now you're starting out with nothing? just a 700$ budget?

If so I suggest that you should get Reason 3.0 - $400 and Axiom 61 - $300 and then you can move on from there.
 
As far as I've always known, the answer was your first reply. A synthesizer has ... hmm oscillators and such.... that actually create your sounds while keyboards just play sounds that are programmed into it. Some with varying levels of modulation.

A keyboard is not really anything with keys cause then that would classigy a piano or an organ as such.

Synths can also exist without having a keyboard/piano type playing surface/mechanism.

I saw a documentary on Bob Moog sometime ago. I think a way to really get a full understanding of what is being said here is to research Moog and see what you can find out.

Have fun!
 
VexaDJ said:
A keyboard plays sounds and a synth makes sounds. A keyboard with on-board sounds, like a casio, is NOT a synth as it can't actually create a new sound. The rompler keyboards fall somewhere in-between; they play back sounds with varying degrees of editability....they are still not really synths though as they don't have the ability to make a sound from the 'ground up'....
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If this is true my triton is a keyboard, because it plays PCM format synth sounds, But they have on board effect's plus manipulation of ADSR, plus cut off, reso, 4 osc, LFO's pitch bend etc.

True how you cant make the sound from ground up, but you have almost every source of editabilty.
 
well quite honestly its simple. A keyboard is one of several ways you control the sounds. The synth is really the sound itself i guess you could say. So synth makes the sound while keyboard is the controller. Some synths dont have a built in keyboard so you need to hook it up to a midi controller

Different midi controllers include...

keyboards (of course)

sequencers (software or hardware)

wind controller (looks like a trumpet, flute, etc. that picks up the note you play and hpw hard you blow into it then routs that to your synth)

more unique ones include...

alesis airsynth (wave you hands around it to control sound pitch and other things)

korg kaoss pad (a simple touchpad to control speed and effects of a synth's arpigiator or sequencer)

Roland D-beam which is another air synth involving movement of hands to control effects.

there are many other kinds of interesting controls...
 
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VexaDJ said:
The rompler keyboards fall somewhere in-between; they play back sounds with varying degrees of editability....they are still not really synths though as they don't have the ability to make a sound from the 'ground up'....
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There is NO law that says synthesizers MUST only create sounds from sawtooth, square, pulse, triangle and sine waveforms. That "law" was broken a long time ago with the first digital waveform and wavetable synths way back in the 80s. Okay, maybe some ppl prefer this more limited "oldskool" definition, but I like the more expanded definition that includes sample-mangling and synthesizing from digital waveform stock.

Most (if not all) ROMplers indeed allow you to synthesize in the classic sense of the definition: Synthesizing: "the blending of various elements to create a sound". Some ROMplers like the Roland JD990 are more synthesizer than sample-playback device. "Digital PCM synthesizer" would be the more appropriate term here. Also don't forget about the different synthesis types (FM, PM, Additive, Granular....), they are all forms of synthesis.

brooklynmusic said:
A keyboard is not really anything with keys cause then that would classigy a piano or an organ as such.
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While hardly anybody would look at a piano or an organ and call it a "keyboard", they are of course still "keyboard instruments".

I think the term "keyboard" is usually applied to portable keyboard-based electronic instruments (synths, samplers, EPs, string machines, etc.) while the piano and the organ have too much history behind them to be classified simply as a "keyboard". It is a very generic term, normally used by people who don't know the difference between the various types of keyboard-based instruments.
 
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This is the simple answer which I was looking for

VexaDJ said:
A keyboard plays sounds and a synth makes sounds. A keyboard with on-board sounds, like a casio, is NOT a synth as it can't actually create a new sound. The rompler keyboards fall somewhere in-between; they play back sounds with varying degrees of editability....they are still not really synths though as they don't have the ability to make a sound from the 'ground up'....
Click to expand...
This is the simple answer which I was looking for....
 
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