Every so often a customer will come into the store keen to purchase and learn any of the above instruments. However, there can sometimes be confusion as to what the correct instrument is that they have in mind. A customer wanting to learn to play a keyboard, in fact, think that it’s an organ (possibly due to references from grandparents etc about learning to play the organ).
So what is the difference, and does it really matter what instrument you purchase? Let’s find out!
What is the difference between a piano and an organ?
A piano is a percussion instrument, whereas an organ is a woodwind instrument meaning that they produce very different sounds when played. A piano can only sound like a piano, however, an organ can be altered to sound like a variety of woodwind and reed instruments. Additionally, a piano’s key needs to be pressed repetitively to sustain that particular note, however, the organ will sustain the note for as long as the key is depressed.
The piano has been in existence for hundreds of years and is still one of (if not the) most popular instruments that have lasted throughout time and has changed very little (apart from the digital variant). Evolving from the Harpsichord, the Piano offered the advantage of being able to be played both quietly as well as loudly (hence the official name of Pianoforte, or Soft/Loud).
Piano’s these days are of course familiar to most people, if not already being at home you would no doubt be familiar with the one in your old school assembly as a child. A piano (in its standard form) doesn’t rely on power and requires both the left and right hands to be playing independently to perform a song. Due to the mechanical nature of a piano, the keys are a lot harder to press than the likes of a keyboard, organ or similar.
Next up is the Organ. At one time most homes would have one as the pride of place in the lounge or dining room and can be distinguished by the 2 offset rows of keys, and usually a set of pedals at the bottom with a rocking pedal to the right…
The pedals at the bottom are used by the feet to play the Bass notes with the left hand playing the lower keyboard and the right hand the upper. Lessons aren’t really readily available to learn to play the organ these days and there are very few new suppliers of instruments which are far more costly to purchase than the keyboard. Which leads me to…
What is the difference between and keyboard and a synthesizer?
Keyboards have black and white keys, like that of an acoustic piano, and come with a large number of automated samples and sounds. While synthesizers often look similar to a keyboard, they are different because the can mimic any instrument to make a unique sound. Synthesizers can create their own sounds whereas keyboards can not.
Keyboards have evolved immensely over the years. They differ from the piano by being lighter in weight and with fewer notes which offer little resistance so are much easier to press. Unlike a piano where both hands need to work independently, a keyboard only really requires either a chord to be played or even a single key to be pressed on the left side to enable a built-in auto-accompaniment to play which is based upon that note. As you press a different note, the accompaniment changes to reflect the different ‘chord’ which allows you to control the backing, and use your right hand to play the melody alongside it. The better a keyboard is, the better it will sound, with more realistic sounds and cutting-edge quality accompaniment styles.
Synthesizers were originally developed as the most basic way to emulate a real instrument but with limited technology. These ‘analogue’ synthesizers then developed their own following and can be heard in many iconic 70’s and 80’s tracks. A lot of synthesizers these days work of a number of different ways of producing sounds and some even have a built-in library of many thousands of iconic voices which are ready to be used instantly. However they aren’t instruments with built-in accompaniment sounds like keyboards and organs and are generally used as a music production tool, either live on stage or in a studio with the use of a dedicated synthesiser.
Come into your local store and see for yourself the differences between all four instruments, maybe this will help you to make a decision!
Comments are closed here.
FAQs
Keyboard is electronic, often with MIDI, often with many fewer keys than piano. Organ often uses pipes and is extremely non-portable. Piano has strings hit by hammers, almost always has 88 keys. Harpsichord has strings that are plucked and is kind of weird.
What's the difference between an organ and a synthesizer? ›
Technically, the classic electronic organ works completely different than a synthesizer. An organ made in the 1960s is fully polyphonic, compared to the usually monophonic synthesizers of this time. This polyphony is achieved by using just square waves.
Should I get a keyboard or a synthesizer? ›
Keyboards usually have limited sound manipulation capabilities, focusing more on playing pre-set sounds. Synthesizers, on the other hand, offer extensive sound manipulation options, allowing musicians to shape and modify the sound in various ways.
What is the difference between a piano and a synthesizer? ›
Perhaps most obviously, synthesizers can generate their own sound while pianos can only resonate when they are played. Synthesizers also offer editing and recording tools that provide a greater diversity of sound elements and manipulator functions.
Which is harder to play piano or organ? ›
When playing the organ, you will need to learn about stops and pedals, far more than you would if you were going to learn how to play the piano. This means that when the time does come to switch over to piano (if you ever want to) you should be able to do so with relative ease.
What is the point of a synthesizer? ›
Synthesizers are used for the composition of electronic music and in live performance. The intricate apparatus of the sound synthesizer generates wave forms and then subjects them to alteration in intensity, duration, frequency, and timbre, as selected by the composer or musician.
Can a pianist play an organ? ›
To a degree, yes, it is hard to learn how to play the organ if your background is on the piano. The organ takes different coordination, and you will have to get out of the habit of using a sustain pedal, playing with both hands on the same plane, and you will need to develop foot pedal coordination.
Can a keyboard sound exactly like a piano? ›
While some high-quality keyboards can mimic the sound of a piano, most pianos have a much richer and fuller sound. Since it's an acoustic instrument, the sound of a piano is amplified from the instrument itself.
Can you use a synth without a keyboard? ›
Modular synthesizers in general, don't need keyboard control. There are many options for input into the oscilllators.
Can you learn to play piano on a synthesizer? ›
Many keyboard synthesizers have keyboards on which you can learn to play piano and read notes or chords, but understanding synthesizer programming is also an important skill. Knowing piano isn't vital to effectively using your synth features, but it can often help improve the music you produce.
Keyboard vs. Piano: What's the difference?
| Characteristics | Keyboard (Digital Piano) | Piano (Acoustic Piano) |
|---|
| Ideal Player | Students on a budget Touring musicians Music producers, songwriters Apartment dwellers | Classical and jazz pianists Long-term pianists Teachers and advanced players who frequently perform on acoustic pianos |
7 more rowsNov 1, 2023
If they are interested in playing modern music at a variety of locations, then a keyboard might be the better choice. Alternatively, if they are likely to play more traditional piano music at venues that usually have a piano (such as at church) then piano lessons are probably the best option.
Can I play organ if I know piano? ›
To a degree, yes, it is hard to learn how to play the organ if your background is on the piano. The organ takes different coordination, and you will have to get out of the habit of using a sustain pedal, playing with both hands on the same plane, and you will need to develop foot pedal coordination.
Can a piano player play the organ? ›
Once the fog of apprehension and sometimes fear these controls create clears, it really is just a job of playing the notes as you would on a piano. All our customers started off with basic keyboard skills before starting to play the organ and so transferred from piano to organ at some time or other.
Is a piano the same as a keyboard? ›
The main differences between a piano and a keyboard are:
A 'piano' is an acoustic instrument with weighted keys whereas a 'keyboard' is an electric instrument (requiring a power source) with unweighted (lighter) keys than a piano. Each instrument has its own unique benefits and features.
Why is the keyboard called an organ? ›
organ, in music, a keyboard instrument, operated by the player's hands and feet, in which pressurized air produces notes through a series of pipes organized in scalelike rows. The term organ encompasses reed organs and electronic organs but, unless otherwise specified, is usually understood to refer to pipe organs.
