There are so many factors involved, but well outline a few things you may want to consider as you shop for your churchs keyboard. A full-size keyboard with 88 full weighted keys can weigh from 40-50lbs. You wont get distracted by fancy knobs or buttons. Happy customers, one piece of gear at a time! Youll see all of the options below are at-least semi-weighted. Church worship often includes a wide variety of sounds and styles, so youll probably want a larger keyboard. For full-featured sound design and recording, consider Yamahas flagship Montage 8 88-key synthesizer. If the keyboard will be used in a house of worship, then is there an advantage to having different-level models from the same series to reduce training between different departments? How much use will your keyboard get? Pictured: Yamaha Montage 8 Synthesizer/Workstation. One of the most critical aspects of choosing the best keyboard for church and worship is its sound bank. But if youre playing those aux keys parts, you can definitely get by without the full set of keys. We have a lot of experience with the keyboards mentioned in this post and we stand behind each one. You may not need the additional pedal inputs that you would find on a digital piano, but they wont hurt, either. At 41 pounds, this isnt a lightweight keyboard, but it is still light enough to be portable if you need it to be. Workstations often include a wide range of faders, knobs and touchscreens to enable real-time controls over the sound parameters. The sounds from the library, tone generator, and effects change seamlessly to flow from one patch to another in addition to MIDI control. 10 Best Keyboards Under $500 - Take a Listen, Best Beginner Keyboards for Learning Piano in 2022. Sweetwater Sound, 5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, IN 46818 Get Directions | Phone Hours | Store Hours, If you have any questions, please call us at (800) 222-4700. The wood and molded keys and hammer-action keybed offer a distinctly playable feel with a natural response and authentic sustain. Best keyboard for Worship we hope you learned a thing or two about selecting a keyboard for church worship and have found one that will work for you perfectly. All rights reserved. Play chords with one finger - Lay down chords for your track quick with fixed chord mode. Will aftertouch control be an asset? The hardware is bus-powered which is great for travelling and jamming on the go. It isnt easy to choose the right keyboard for your church or worship setting. The ideal keyboard for you may not be the ideal keyboard for everybody. Additionally, many offer custom presets for quick, convenient and consistent access to your favorite sounds. It replicates the sound of a Yamaha 9-foot concert grand and uses graded hammer standard to give you a rich, acoustic piano experience in a digital package. But if you are going to be using your keyboard often and hard, or youll be moving it around a lot, youll need to consider something with a tougher construction. To get many of the features of the K2700 in a more affordable package, consider Kurzweils PC4 SE 88-key performance controller. As we said before, weve helped thousands of musicians find the right keyboard for their church or worship needs. If you already have a computer installed with virtual instruments and plug-ins, you may just need a dedicated performance interface that you can rely on to control patch selection and adjust sound parameters in real-time from the keyboard itself. Most keyboards these days come with a USB out for midi capability, but if youre primarily playing piano or organ sounds, you may want to opt for a keyboard with great built-in sounds (Options 5-9 below). Play a chord with one finger by assigning a fixed shape to the keys and itll transpose as you move up and down the keyboard. The Korg SV2 is a throwback to the first electric pianos with a very modern twist. Digital pianos are distinct from other keyboard types because, while they usually provide a wide range of sounds and features, they are specifically designed to have the weighted key feel of an acoustic piano. The deceptively simple interface wont intimidate newer players yet still allows a deep dive to customize sounds and programs. Especially if the style you are playing is more traditional, you may not be too concerned about MIDI and using software. This variation helps you produce more musical nuance, as you would find on an acoustic grand piano. Controllers typically are more economical and of lighter weight than their digital-piano and workstation cousins. Budget. This provides a rich, full sound so youll want a keyboard that can layer multiple sounds this way. If your church has a dedicated worship space, you may not need to worry much about portability. It has a total of 57 realistic sounds, including pads, organs, strings, and synths. So we put together this list to save you the hassle of tons of trial and error that our team has gone through over the past 10+ years. But well talk about that another time. You can easily spend hundreds to thousands on a keyboard purchase. However, having a specific target amount as your primary determination may cause you to overlook a more affordable option that will adequately meet your needs. For example, the keys in the lower octaves will be harder to play than the keys in the upper octaves. A full set of 88 keys would be your preference if you are playing primarily piano and organ parts. If you are playing a specific kind of music, you might want to consider what type of instrument sound you will need for that. Youll find every kind of organ, from pipe organs to rock organs, with realistic effect controls. With its fluid workflow and premium aftertouch-enabled, balanced hammer-action keybed performance, you can modulate multiple parameters in real time with a single controller practical for both live and studio soundscaping. If youre a musician, worship leader or congregation leader in a praise and worship scenario, you might be considering investing in a professional keyboard that you can rely on to supply the right sounds. Well look at each one individually, talk about the criteria for choosing these keyboards, and then give you our pick for the best one. Say hello to your ideal creative companion for the studio and stage, A lighter and more portable version of the Yamaha P125, A fully weighted digital piano with 73 full-sized piano-style keys, GHS weighted action is heavier in the low keys and lighter in the high keys, just like an acoustic piano, The pure CF sound engine faithfully reproduces the tone of the acclaimed Yamaha 9' CFIIIS Concert Grand piano, USB to host connectivity with MIDI and audio transfer means you only need one Cable to connect to your music-making software. A great keyboard frees worship musicians to create engaging, heartfelt music and to provide the soundscape for significant worship experiences. Graded hammer standard, or GHS, gives you as realistic of a piano feeling as you can get. MIDI controllers like Native Instruments KOMPLETE KONTROL S88 MKII are the perfect bridge between your studio at home and the stage. Youre in good company. Therefore, you really need a keyboard that has excellent sound, is easy to use and fits your budget, too. If youre primarily an organist, you may want realistic controls like drawbars and sliders with a stage organ, like the Hammond Sk PRO 73. Effects options include a real vacuum tube for added warmth and snarl when you need it, transposition, and the ability to mix in artifacts like hammer release and mechanism click on sampled electric and acoustic pianos, organs, strings, and orchestral instrument sounds all combining together to make the Korg SV2-SP a prime consideration. If you dont need the keyboard to have that realistic piano feeling, you can choose one with synth-action keys as long as they are velocity-sensitive. If youre not the player yourself, consult with your musicians to understand what theyll need to use the most. To learn more about our cookie policy, please visit our Privacy Policy. Clarify your need with these considerations. Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 smart keyboard controller has a deceptively clean interface for a controller; but, make no mistake, youll find plenty of pro-quality options onboard including a Fatar fully weighted keybed, DAW transport controls, an expression touch strip, an arpeggiator, and integrated Native Instruments browser controls and software bundle. Do you need a music stand, or is a built-in music desk more appropriate? While you could use this for the digital-piano capabilities alone, its synth engine, sequencer, arpeggiators, and built-in effects combined with a lot of horsepower make the K2700 a powerful tool for composing, arranging, and sound design. The Yamaha P125 is a streamlined package so you can focus on making music. Yamahas CP88 88-key stage piano is designed for the modern gigging musician with crisp, sparkly tones that cut through a mix or a dense arrangement, including the Imperial 290 patch modeled after the iconic Bsendorfer acoustic grand piano. You wont regret giving any of these keyboards a try. Will the attack cut through the mix with the rest of the band, especially in the highly competitive midrange frequencies? Will players be intimidated by too many sliders, buttons, and options? If you change the Ship-To country, some or Church keyboardists have been asking Which is the right keyboard? for over 1,000 years. Consider which features you really need and which features arent a priority for you. With Korgs Nautilus 88 88-key synthesizer workstation, you can create from a robust library of piano, synth, and other sounds either individually or layered together into something completely new. The Roland RD2000 is a professional-level keyboard that will give you all-around excellent sound, whether you choose piano or synth pads. Get hands on with Ableton Live - Have a seamless music making experience with Ableton Live and your Launchkey Mini. In the old days, churches and cathedrals were filled with the music of massive pipe organs built into the buildings themselves. If youre a songwriter, live performance keyboardist, sound designer, or EDM producer, then consider the modern range and fidelity of Yamahas Montage 8 as your synthesizer workstation. You may want to consider a keyboard that has hard-wired buttons for the sounds you use most or programmable buttons that you can set ahead of time to quickly change sounds between songs. On the other hand, if your worship team will be traveling or leading worship outside, you may also want to find a lightweight, smaller, and more portable keyboard that will go wherever you need it to go. It includes 30 preset sounds, which are easy to access without too many different bells and whistles to drag you down. A larger number of keys will give you the most versatility if you need to switch between playing a full pipe organ style service to a pop-rock service. From Stage to Studio | Harbinger Introduces LX8 and LX12 Mixers, The Beat Goes On | The Enduring Legacy of the LinnDrum, Looping Back Around | A Deep Dive on Line 6's DL4 MkII, Road RunnerBoulevard II Acoustic Guitar Gig Bag, Native Instruments KOMPLETE KONTROL S88 MKII, Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 MKII, 7 of the Best Acoustic Guitars Under $200, California Transparency In Supply Chains Act. With hundreds of manufacturers and thousands of models to choose from, knowing what youre looking for can help you pull the right needle from the haystack. Synth-action keys will make the keyboard lighter and less expensive, and it will be capable of dynamic changes based on the velocity of your playing. There is also aways a transpose button should you want to change octaves. It isnt an inexpensive keyboard, but the sound quality, playability, and durability make it worth the higher price tag. Especially with the thousands of keyboards & pianos that are out there to choose from. It also has graded hammer standard keys which have an authentic piano feel to them. You may also want to have MIDI to control additional keyboards, headphone jacks, and USB or Bluetooth connectivity. While each of these controllers comes bundled with sound and software collections, you can also use sounds from third-party virtual-instrument creators. While Nektars Impact LX88+ 88-key keyboard controller is the most affordable controller on this list, it can get the job done. The Roland RD-2000 has impressive sound and a great acoustic piano feel. The preset sounds are easy to use, especially for beginners, but the keyboard has plenty of programmable options, as well. They may use either weighted or semi-weighted keys. Considering the people who will be playing the keyboard, what learning curve will be necessary to operate it effectively? The more faders, knobs, & buttons means more in-set control of different things like cutoff, reverb, delay, which patch youre playing, track triggering, tap tempo, lighting control, etc. No matter how durable it is, youll need to take good care of it to make sure it lasts. Will your keyboardist sit or stand to play? Typically, a worship keyboard will run a line into a mixer so that a sound technician can set the volume and send the music to the speakers. Built on the legacy of Yamaha's groundbreaking DX and Motif series keyboards, the Yamaha Montage 8 is driven by its programmable Motion Control matrix, which gives you 7 Live Mixing Mistakes You Might Be Making, 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sweetwater, Nautilus 88 88-key synthesizer workstation, KeyLab 88 MkII 88-key weighted keyboard controller, Komplete Kontrol S88 smart keyboard controller, SL88 Grand hammer-action keyboard controller. Designed as a creative hub to work in tandem with a computer DAW, you can combine, morph, sculpt, trigger, and sequence sounds any way you want, using a ton of controls and sounds. Some other factors to consider are the number of keysmost keyboards come with 49, 61, 73 or 88. Feel. Therefore, make sure you know how much you can spend and the key features you need most so that you can choose the most effective keyboard for your churchs needs. If youre going to setting up and tearing down, hauling your keyboard back in forth in your car, youll definitely want to take the actual weight of the keyboard into your consideration. Keyboard workstations are packed with advanced features and loads of sounds that will cover you in almost any situation you might find yourself in. If you are playing for a traditional worship service, youll probably want to use an amazing sounding pipe organ and, sometimes, a grand piano. However, if the style you are playing is geared more towards synths, pads, and creative sounds, you might consider saving some $$$ and get a midi controller and run your sounds from a computer. Too many features may make the keyboard too difficult to learn, but if there arent enough features, you might not be able to do all of the things you need your keyboard to do for the worship service. Although designed as a controller, the PC4 SEs strong synth-workstation capabilities, presets, and effects earn this keyboard inclusion in the workstation category. Quality workstations are on the high end of the price spectrum (typically $2,000 and up), but they also deliver incredible value for worship musicians in need of a reliable all-in-one solution. Keyboard music and worship have gone together for centuries, dating back to the times of Johann Sebastian Bach. You can seamlessly switch sounds, allowing the original sound to keep playing while you switch to the next sound for the next song. There are a number of keyboard options available to match any budget or performance requirement you might face as a keyboardist in a house of worship. Featuring the same inspiring production tools and deep computer integration as its FANTOM-8 big brother, Rolands FANTOM-08 is a value-packed workstation for intuitive, streamlined, and unconstrained creative power at your fingertips. But every church has different needs. If youre used to playing synth and organ sounds, weighted key action may not be necessary, whereas someone who is used to practicing and playing on an acoustic upright or grand piano will be able to play more expressively with a keyboard with 88 fully weighted keys. More than a fully functional controller for your DAW, it allows you to expand your rig by integrating and controlling additional USB analog synths or drum machines. Privacy Policy & Cookie Disclaimer. The real strength of a keyboard workstation, like Yamahas flagship Montage 8, lies in its ability to deeply edit and customize the sounds, combine and play multiple sounds at once, and adjust the mix of the various voices on the fly. If youre playing primarily aux keys parts like synths, you may like the semi-weighted keys. Your keyboardist may not have a lot of time to figure out all the buttons and sliders of a high-end workstation. The sturdy construction is meant to last, and the knobs and faders give you lots of control for effects. DAW Integration - In addition to Apple Logic and Ableton Live, Launchkey Mini also has excellent integrations with Reason, as well as any HUI compatible DAW, such as Cubase, Pro Tools, and more. The 25-key device has 16 velocity-sensitive RGB, eight rotary controls, pitch and mod touch strips, and sustain input. (If you like the RD-2000 but want even stronger workstation capabilities, then check out Rolands FATHOM-8.). What training and support are available after your purchase? Will the keyboard need to control loops or a recording system or to use a virtual instrument? The Roland Go 88 is a compact, user-friendly keyboard. Whats amazing is that none are identical each provides the right combination of features for a specific need. Another critical aspect of a church keyboard is the ability to multitask. Will just one or two people use it? Portability. Do you need your keyboard to have any additional functions? Workstation keyboards often begin with the standard features youll find on a good digital piano and incorporate additional synthesizer sounds, effects, and advanced patch-editing and sequencing tools. And many modern worship sounds are dynamic where you are changing the sound as you are playing. this list is exclusively keyboards that have MIDI capabilities. It has all kinds of inputs and outputs, including five-pin MIDI, USB, and audio lines. If your preferred instruments are grand pianos, organs, pads and classic electric pianos, the Nord lineup of stage pianos and keyboard instruments offers a little something for everybody, whether you want a fully weighted 88-key piano or faithful reproductions of classic organ and keyboard sounds. Will you need to connect to a computer and download programs or patches online? Theres a reason you see Nords iconic red flagship keyboards on so many worship platforms around the world. Additionally, portability is important if youre going to be moving the keyboard frequently. If you play in stereo, then is there good sonic separation? Since the keyboardist is the go-to to fill in any missing musical parts, you may want a keyboard that can layer sounds and split the keyboard. How do notes and chords resonate when held? Rolands flagship music-creation workhorse is the FANTOM-8 music workstation keyboard. Launchkey Mini goes anywhere with you - Send apps and program changes to your hardware synths with MIDI Out, or add keys to your Groovebox directly over MIDI. Your email, has been entered to win this giveaway. As an Amazon Associate Gabed earns from qualifying purchases. Dont be put off that this is the most affordable workstation on the list youll have tons of high-fidelity sounds at your fingertips with the same keybed as its big brother and a great tool chest packed full of resources to lay down grooves, arpeggiations, sequences, and luscious pads. Being music makers ourselves, we love geeking out on all things gear. Everything you love about Sweetwater in the palm of your hand. One of the most popular ways to fill out the sound of a church worship band or choral ensemble is to layer piano and strings together. However, there is a lot of programming that you can do if you choose, such as dividing the keyboard into eight assignable instruments, using the LCD screen, and there are plenty of knobs and faders if you need extra effects control. The weighted keys or weighted action keys, if you prefer will make the keyboard heavier but will also help give it that authentic feel. Here are four A-list controller keyboards to consider. Sweetwater One part music gear wonderland. Now is the perfect time to get the gear you want with simple, promotional financing. Kurzweils flagship K2700 88-key synthesizer workstation comes with a huge selection of gig-ready factory programs, a fully weighted Fatar TP40L light touch keybed, and tons of controller options including DAW transport controls and drum/keypad pads. Will you be arranging parts and creating pads or stems? new destination. If you are leading a more modern service, youll probably want a high-end grand piano sound, some string pads or synth pads to layer with it, an electric piano for old-fashioned rock tunes, and some kind of soft pad to play during prayer and altar calls. You probably need at least 76 keys, if not a full 88 key keyboard, for a typical worship service. See full details in our affiliate disclosurepage. Instead of using onboard sounds, controllers are run by external software located on a computer, tablet, or even a MIDI-compatible phone. If you find yourself playing in solo situations, keyboard workstations also allow you to pre-record and arrange backing tracks that you can play on top of. Our finest mini keymech to date is also included. The new Numa X Piano GT from Studiologic combines a wide selection of realistic acoustic and electric piano sounds with specialty Fatar TP/400 weighted keys for a satisfying and responsive piano-playing experience. The keyboard features eight assignable zones that you can use to access a variety of instruments. Youll definitely want a keyboard that at least has a sustain pedal input so you can make the most of your musical expression. It includes an LCD display and real-time control of effects. Can you control the sustain to push the sound to the back of a mix or reduce sustain to draw the sound to the front if needed? After looking through our extensive in-stock inventory (2,126 keyboard-related models), here are some great considerations for whatever you need. While the interface may look daunting to beginning players, in addition to a robust user community and a plethora of online tutorials covering every facet in minutia, Nord also offers a wide range of scaled-down models that are quality instruments in their own right. Learn More. Offering a precise, performance-oriented semi-weighted keybed, youll have a wide range of controller options at your fingertips including expanded DAW transport controls and a software bundle to rule it all. Guitar Center Professional has helped thousands of musicians at churches and houses of worship find the right keyboard for them. Benefits: The Arturia KeyLab MkII 49-Key MIDI Keyboard Controller is an expressive, versatile studio controller that works seamlessly with your DAW, virtual instruments, hardware, and modular gear, Features: It features dynamic performance and studio controls, including a high-quality 49-note keyboard with aftertouch, 16 RGB backlit pads, 9 faders, 9 rotary knobs, and dedicated DAW and transport controls, Construction: Encased in durable, tour-ready aluminum and decked out with wiggle-free knobs and faders, Arturia has created a controller designed from the ground up to not let you down, Controls: KeyLab MkII features 9 rotary encoders, 9 faders, 16 backlit RGB performance pads, and a selection of fully assignable buttons to give you unfettered access to your virtual instruments, effects, and recording environment, Software: KeyLab MkII comes complete with thousands of sounds in 3 incredible software titles - Analog Lab, Piano V, and Ableton Live Lite - and works seamlessly with them to let you create music without barriers. In this blog, well talk about the difference between keyboard workstations, stage pianos and MIDI controllers, suggest a few of our highest recommended keyboards for church and worship, and explain how the experts at Guitar Center Professional can help you find the perfect performance keyboard for your church or house of worship. Stay tuned for more music reviews soon! Even in modern worship scenarios with full ensembles and praise bands, the keyboardist still plays a major role in musically supporting and elevating religious services. Because of all of the sounds used in modern worship music these days like pads, strings, pulsing synths, etc. Since the keyboardist has to wear so many proverbial hats, youll want to find a keyboard that can fill all of those potential needs without being so complicated that no one can figure it out. mspot.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Especially when it comes to the functionality that is used specifically in a worship setting. Function. Since 1979, Sweetwater has been committed to giving music makers the ultimate shopping experience. Exclusive deals, delivered straight to your inbox. If you want to use a virtual instrument like Omnisphere 2, to record or orchestrate, to make drum loops or beats, or to trigger other sounds or equipment, then a MIDI controller keyboard may be a great option for you. This is a personal preference but consider what youre used to playing and the style of music and sounds youll be using. Controllers are designed to do one thing extremely well: transmit and receive MIDI information quickly in a way that feels intuitive and natural to the musician. From the tweakiest techniques to the biggest ideas, our experts work hard to constantly supply inSync with a steady stream of helpful, in-depth demos, reviews, how-tos, news, and interviews. Or perhaps youll fill in empty slots in the church orchestra - you may want a collection of brass, winds, and even percussion sounds to make the music come to life. The LCD screen helps you know whats going on, and the lighted sound buttons make accessing sounds easy. Do you need to be able to use a headphone or line out? Besides an easy-to-navigate interface, onboard effects, MIDI capability, and sound collection, the Numa X incorporates a convenient 4-channel mixer for mics or other instruments during live performance. So whether youre buying your first guitar or building your dream studio, get your gear from a place you can trust, from people that care. Being a studio owner for 13 years, he actively helps musicians and producers with technical issues around musical instruments and studio and audio equipment. Fully functional as a standalone gigging keyboard with a weighted-action keybed, the Nautilus 88 also provides full DAW integration for powerful studio track production. But identifying the right keyboard for you may be more involved than grabbing the first model that simply feels and sounds good. One part passion. While this digital piano is designed for stage performance, the interface includes MIDI-workstation and soft-synth capability and convenient DAW controls, making the RD-2000 a strong contender. This keyboard pretty much has it all: ease of use, great feel, amazing sounds, and portability. These seven top contenders will provide you a good selection to consider. The FANTOM-8 features the identical piano-modeling technology as Rolands flagship RD-2000 digital piano, including the same hammer playability of the keybed with assignable aftertouch. Reach out to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 to get personalized recommendations to conclude your quest and create the music that helps people connect with whats ultimately important. Although this is a lower-end keyboard, youll get plenty of use out of it. Does the keyboard include all the sounds needed? But if youre playing primarily piano or organ, youll probably prefer the feel of fully-weighted keys. Does it matter for your use if there is a momentary, audible gap when changing from one sound to the next?
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