a) keyboard.. the keys themselves.. doesn't produce any sound if you don't have it connected to something.. so there's nothing called a "keyboard" which actually produces sound.. it's just a way of saying "sound module with build in keyboard"
Synthesizer keyboard is a synthesizer with a keyboard on it.. they also usually come in 19" Rack versions and some in Tabletop size.
The Supernova I only came out as a rack Synthesizer.
B) Now Synthesizers.. ohhh.. you got lots of different.. you got yer :
B1)Sound Module Synthesizers .. preset rom sounds.. someone has recorded some sounds for you and that's basically what you're stuck with. Best out there now is yamahas AWM2 engines.. still sounds dick compared to an:
B2) Analogue Modular Synthesizer :
You got yer:
1) Additive Synthesis : You build the sound out of different tone generators (saws, squares, sines and noises) which you then modulate.. this is called additive synthesis.. cause the sound is made by building generator upon generator
2) Subtractive Synthesis : The sound is made the same way as Additive (by saws and shit) but instead by subtracting the sounds you get in different amounts.. can sound very cool but also extremely poor.
3) FM Synthesis : Now this can produce some weird sounds i tell you. the sound is made by socalled "operators" (a sine wave 99% of the time untill these last few years).. these operators inflict different sorts of modulation upon eachother, like pitch modulation and logical operations like
and and
or.. you can also multiply them.. you can make the most evil basses with this synthesis method, but it's darn hard and i don't have the time myself to learn it as of now.
B3) Modular Systems are generally some of all the above, just that you can change the routings on the different parts of the devices much more freely.. like routing the 1st saw wave to an lfo, then let that lfo modulate the 2nd saw.. i'm not very impressed by this freedom.. the modern Analogue Modeling synthesizers got really large routing matrixes so it doesn't bother me... though i'd like to be able to do FM with my LFO's...
C) Digital Piano:
Stuff like
the Yamaha P150.. these babies are supposed to be just like a real piano in sound, except you can actually have them in a regular living room.. some of 'em, like
the P150 and P200 are very nice and have a rich sound.. but it really isn't at all like a piano.. i mean.. you even got chorus on it..
D) Midi Controller :
let's not confuse things.. there are midi controllers and then there are Midi Continous Controllers.. I bet you're talking about the MC and not the MCC though..
It's simply a keyboard with no sound at all which only purpose in life is to transmit Midi data to your gear and your sequencer.. some midi controllers only create MCC data (fugeddabout that) but usually we're talking about note data and some modulation wheel and shit like that..
You forgot about "sampler" but i guess you know what that is
whoaa.. did i forget something???
