The Difference Between Equipment

Keyboard

Is a keyboard simply a board with keys? For simplicity's sake, yes it is. A keyboard can be any piano type instrument that uses keys to trigger some sort of sound. These usually have the shape of "piano-type" keys, but that is not always the case. For example a Novation Nova has buttons rather than keys. A "synth", a "workstation", or a "MIDI controller" are usually keyboards with different types of features.


Synth

A "synth" or synthesizer uses different types of electronics to produce sounds. It could be said that a synth "synthesizes" or reproduces a known sound. A synth will typically give you many editing options that enable you to edit each sound to your liking. You may be able to save the sound you have created and recall it later on. Many have onboard effects processors that enable you to add a final touch to your sound without having to purchase separate effect rack units. A few examples of these would be a Nord Lead 2, Yamaha CS2X, and an Oberheim OB12. A synth typically includes a piano-style keyboard, but it may not include a keyboard at all. Many popular synths are designed to fit in racks and so the keyboard is left off. (You may need a lot of different types of synths to have different kinds of sounds, but how many keyboards do you really need?)

MIDI Controller

A "MIDI controller" is just that, a controller used for MIDI. This is typically a keyboard, but it may also be a drum or other type of controller that sends out MIDI signals. This type of device will more than likely not have any onboard sounds or effects, though there are some that do. A MIDI controller is used to control external sounds modules, effects processors, sequencers - or even in some cases robots or lights. There are many types of controllers that range from having very basic control to having an amazing range of options. An example of a basic unit would be the Fatar SL161; a complex unit would be the Kurzweil PC88. A more complex unit will allow you to do things like send the lower keys to one sound module and the upper keys to a different module, or let you send a MIDI signal to different modules based on how hard you hit the keys. For live performers with large MIDI setups a fancy MIDI controller can be very helpful.

Workstation

A workstation is an advanced synthesizer with many added options. Key to these is the onboard sequencer. Often a workstation will also have multiple outputs, expansion slots for more sounds, and other features. But the defining aspect is the sequencer. With the sequencer, you can work track by track to create a song. You can do almost everything needed to create the song except for adding vocals: first play the drums, then play the bass, then the trumpet. And typically the internal sound engine will be able to play back all of your tracks at once with different effects on some of the tracks. There are some workstations that allow you to sample a sound and use it on your synth. An example of this type of workstation would be the Korg Triton. An example without the sampling option would be the Roland XP80. Take a look at any of the above-mentioned units and compare them.