Comparison Casio CTK-2500 vs Casio CTK-3200

Type of action used in synthesizer keys.

— Passive. The simplest type of mechanics, when each key is, in fact, a “switch” for its note: it only turns the sound on and off, while the volume of this sound does not depend on the strength and intensity of pressing. Passive keyboards usually have unweighted, less often semi-weighted hardness (see below). Their main and, perhaps, the only advantage is their low cost, due to the simplicity of design. At the same time, the capabilities of such tools are very limited, and even when training, it is recommended to use them only at the very initial stages. As a result, passive mechanics are used exclusively in the simplest low-cost-level synthesizers, which are more suitable for the role of a toy for entertainment, rather than a full-fledged instrument.

— Active. A mechanic that provides a relationship between volume and pressing force: the harder the key is pressed, the louder and sharper the sound will be. Most often combined with semi-weighted, occasionally unweighted hardness (see below). Such keys already make it possible to control the dynamics of each note: select its volume "on the fly", highlight accents, use special techniques, etc. This feature is especially important in training, when you need to train to control the effort on each individual finger. Active mechanics are highly recommended even for an inexpensive synthesizer, and for a mid-range instrument it is almost man...datory, as well as for serious learning. At the same time, many models may provide sensitivity adjustment, or even a complete switch to passive mode (for example, to simulate some instruments).

— Hammerhead. The most advanced kind of mechanics. Like the active one, it provides volume control depending on the force of pressing, but it fundamentally differs in response: hammer action is used only in weighted keyboards (see "Rigidity"), and the feeling when playing it is close to playing on a real piano. The degree of approximation, however, can be different — some models are indistinguishable in sensations from the piano, in others the mechanics are simpler. However, anyway, such features are not cheap, despite the fact that the real need for a "piano" response is extremely rare. As a result, hammer action keyboards are found mainly among top-class instruments, mainly workstations (see "Type") with full-size keyboards for 88 keys.

Ability to change the sensitivity of active mechanics (see above) in the synthesizer.

This function allows you to adjust the intensity of the key's response to pressing. Simply put, the higher the sensitivity, the louder and sharper the sound will be, with the same pressing force. This allows you to change the characteristics of the instrument's sound.

Also in synthesizers with this function, it is often possible to completely turn off the active mechanics and play on a “passive” keyboard. This can be useful for making certain voices, such as harpsichord or organ, sound realistic.

— Unweighted. Keys with a very low pressing force, literally "failing" under the fingers. This option is well suited for inexpensive synthesizers with passive mechanics (see above), but is rarely used in active models — a small resistance force makes it difficult to choose the optimal pressing force.

— Semi- weighted. Medium-strength keys, not up to the hardness of a full-fledged piano, but showing noticeably more resistance than unweighted ones. This variant is most popular among instruments with active mechanics (see above) — the force on the keys provides adequate feedback and at the same time playing such an instrument does not cause any special difficulties even for those who previously dealt only with unweighted keyboards.

— Weighted. Keys with high actuation force, comparable to that of a classical piano. Used only in professional hammer action instruments (see above) — high rigidity is a must for such mechanics (more precisely, for the response that it must provide).

The number of auto accompaniment styles (see above) originally provided in the synthesizer, in other words, the number of accompaniment options available to the user.

The more extensive this set, the higher the probability of finding among these melodies suitable options for a particular case. At the same time, the abundance of styles in itself is not yet a 100% guarantee that among them there will be a suitable one, especially since different synthesizer models can differ markedly in a specific set of melodies. So the list does not hurt to clarify before buying. Also note that the situation can be corrected by user styles (see below) — many synthesizers with auto accompaniment support them.

The range in which you can change the tempo of the programme played by the synthesizer — auto accompaniment, lesson tune (see above), metronome (see below), recorded sample, etc.

Pace is measured in beats per minute. Changing it allows you to adjust the speed of the synthesizer to the specifics of the situation — for example, slightly slow down the tutorial if it is too hard to master at the initial pace. The wider the range of tempo adjustment, the more options the musician has to choose from, especially in the area of very slow and very fast tempos.

Note that the traditional range of musical tempos covers values from 40 beats / min (“grave”, “very slowly”) to 208 beats / min (“prestissimo”, “very fast”), however, in synthesizers it can be more extensive — for example, 30 – 255 bpm.

Synthesizer support for sampling.

Samples are short sound fragments used in the creation of musical compositions. Such a fragment can contain almost any sound — from a note on a musical instrument or a fragment of a drum part to a siren signal, a bird's chirp, the sound of a mechanism, etc. Specifically, the sampling function implies the ability to use the synthesizer to record samples for further use. Recording can be done either through the built-in microphone or through the audio input (from an external microphone or other audio device). At the same time, many synthesizers with this function are able not only to keep the sound not only "as is", but also to pass the incoming signal through the processing circuits, adding various effects to it — echo, "wah-wah", metallic sound coloring, etc. And ready-made samples can usually be "bound" to individual synthesizer keys and played back in real time. Other functions are possible, depending on the level of the instrument.

The ability to overlay different timbres of the synthesizer sound on top of each other. This creates the effect of the sound of two (or even more) instruments at once — for example, piano and violin. At the same time, in advanced models, it may be possible to set different settings for different timbres so that the sameness of the extracted notes is not so noticeable — for example, the same "violin" can be set to smooth transitions between notes, while on the "piano" they will sound jerky.

Possibility of dividing the keyboard of the synthesizer into two parts, each of which is responsible for its own timbre of sound. Thus, on one keyboard, you can play two "instruments" at once in real time — for example, accompany the solo part of the violin with chords of a string orchestra. At the same time, unlike auto accompaniment (see above), all notes are taken by the musician himself, without relying on the automatic settings prescribed in the programme.

Usually, several “split keyboard” combinations are pre-written in the synthesizer’s memory, however, some models allow you to separately select a timbre for each half, at the discretion of the musician.

The presence of a pitch controller(Pitch Bend) in the design of the synthesizer.

This function allows you to smoothly change the pitch by a small amount. In this way, specific playing techniques on some instruments are imitated — for example, tightening the strings on a guitar, which gives a characteristic, “floating” sound in frequency. The pitch control usually has the form of a wheel or lever.