can you play dynamics on the electric keyboard?

Question

I mean on the electric keyboard, does it matter how hard you press? it seems like it will produce the same volume no matter what.

I want to play the dynamic "piano."

Answer 1

It depends on your equipment.

Some keyboards come with what are called "touch-sensitive" keys, where the force by which you press the key changes the resulting volume. Thus if you press the key lightly, you play a quiet volume, but more forceful pressing results in a louder volume.

Without this feature, keyboards will only play a set volume, and you have to adjust the volume manually (which can be done in various ways).

Answer 2

It seems to be a matter of how much you spend.

Cheap: light plastic keys that don't feel like a piano and don't react to how hard you press.

Medium: similar keys but they react to pressure. Better but they still don't feel like a real piano.

Expensive: some feel very much like real pianos but they may also cost as much as real pianos.

Answer 3

Many electric keyboards are velocity-sensitive. They keys have two contacts; one closes early during the stroke, and another when the key is full way down. The time gap between these two events depends on how strong (actually how fast) do you press, and controls the loudness.

The ability to control the dynamics also depends on how "heavy" the keys are. If the keys are too easy to press, it may be very difficult to press them faster or slower, you always just get the same. Even if you master somehow, the skill is not transferable to the acoustic piano and may even bind to some specific model of the electric keyboard.

You need a "fully weighted keyboard" to get something comparable to the piano keyboard. Not all of these keyboards are very expensive; cheaper versions cost only hundreds when any piano normally costs thousands.

Very high end models may even have part of the actual piano mechanism (while no strings), aiming for the really precise imitation, but approach a piano in price and more make sense only if you need a silent instrument.

Answer 4

Depends completely on the piano/keyboard at hand - this question would be more answerable if you gave us a link to the keyboard.

Many cheaper electric keyboards have no tactic sensor however most midrange electric (and upwards) pianos/keyboards have a velocity sensor and so it can be played dynamically.