midi keyboard

[scifiaudious2]

how do midi keyboards and similar midi devices work? sorry for the ignorance and stupidity

would a synth be more desireable/efficiant than a midi keyboard?what are the differences between the two?

 

[tourettes5139]

MIDI keyboards send a signal to a synth that generates the sound. A MIDI keyboard just sends the signals to tell the synth what note to play, when to play it, how to play it, etc.

A MIDI keyboard is just the keyboard that sends the signals. You would use this with either a standalone rackmount-type synth, or plug it into your computer and use virtual synths on the computer. The synth is the thing that actually generates the sound.

Some are combinations of the two, that have a keyboard and the synth in one box (I'm assuming this is what you meant by synths). If you want to use computer synths, or a rackmount synth, use a MIDI controller. If you want everything in one box, buy a synth with a keyboard built in.

I probably could have explained this better, but I am in a hurry.

 

[gecko zzed]

when you say 'midi keyboard', I'm not sure what you mean. It is possible to get a midi keyboard that is really no different to your pc keyboard in its operation, i.e. it is a set of buttons you press to send various commands to something else that can interpret them. This could be a sound library of some sort, or another synthesiser. This sort of keyboard has no internal sounds.

You can also get keyboards that have their own onboard sounds and have midi facilities. You can use their own sounds, by recording the audio from these, or you can use the midi output to trigger sounds in other devices, or you can use other devices (such as your computer) to drive the keyboard.