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Modern keyboards have several main components including the musical keyboard (black and white keys that looks like a piano). User interface software (a program within the keyboard controlled by the menu), computerized musical arranger (software to produce chords and rhythm), amplifier and speaker (internal sound system), power supply (usually an AC adapter), MIDI terminals (input and output for hooking up to a computer or other instruments).
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Digital pianos are a type of keyboard designed to replace an acoustic piano but feel and look the same, but they do not require tuning and are not affected by temperature or humidity like traditional pianos. Digital pianos can also mimic the sounds of several instruments such as pipe organs or grand pianos.
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Stage pianos are a type of keyboard designed to be used for professional recording or on stage during performances.
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Synthesizers are a type of keyboard designed to create a wide variety of sounds, not necessarily only to mimic instrument sounds.
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Workstations are a type of keyboard that incorporates the features of different keyboards with high end computer technology to allow for composition, recording, and mastering.
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A MIDI controller is a type of keyboard designed to use MIDI connections to trigger sounds from other devices such as a sound module.
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The keytar is a type of keyboard that looks like a keyboard and a guitar. It is played like an electric guitar with a strap for the musician to support the instrument while on stage.
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Some features of keyboards include chord recognition, demonstration songs, touch sensitivity, after touch, polyphony, multi-timbre, split point, accompanying tracks, tempo, auto harmonizing, pitch bending, vibrato, drawbars, and piano action to mimic the feel of a traditional acoustic piano while playing.
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One of the most successful keyboard manufacturing companies is Yamaha, which sells more than 770,000 keyboards of various models each year. Casio is another leading keyboard manufacturing company.
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In several countries such as Japan, India, China, and Indonesia the keyboard is referred to as an organ. In Russia the keyboard is usually referred to as a synthesizer despite whether it is a stage piano, or digital piano.
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Keyboards are used in a wide variety of music genres including rock, pop, gospel, jazz, blues, alternative and many more.
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Famous keyboard players include Billie Currie of Ultravox, Vadim Pruzhanov of DragonForce, Bernie Worrell of Parliament-Funkadelic, George Duke, Jan Hammer, Steve Winwood, Ray Manzarek of The Doors, and Tony Banks of Genesis.
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