If you want your electronic piano keyboard to serve as a replacement to a traditional piano, one of the most important factors might be simply the quality of its sound. In a digital age, you might assume sound quality would be virtually the same from model to model, but this simply isn’t the case. Higher quality piano keyboards mirror the sounds of the instruments they are trying to represent (especially a piano). The quality of this mimicry can be affected by various factors, including what kind of technology was used to capture the original sound bite.

The best way to discern the quality of sound is to test the unit itself (if you are shopping online, read what other users have to say). Look specifically for discussions on whether the piano keyboard’s notes sustain themselves or if they quickly fade when you press a key.

One word you will commonly see when shopping for a piano keyboard is “polyphony.” This term signifies the ability of a piano to play more than one note at a time. For example, if you were to press down on two keys at once, models with lower polyphony capabilities might drown out one note to emphasize the other. The better the polyphony the more the keyboard can accommodate multiple sounds.

With some electronic piano keyboard models boasting hundreds of sounds, tones, and preset rhythms, it can be easy to get lost in a world of simulated sound. For the composer, devices that focus on high-quality sounds (and easy navigation of these settings) might be a priority. If your only goal is to use your new keyboard to learn how to play the traditional piano, some of these bells and whistles may be less critical for your needs.