Keyboard Expansion & Sound Libraries for Your Keyboard: Add the latest sounds & loops on your keyboard. You can upgrade your keyboard’s hardware, add more memory, add sound-processing power, or add audio interface capability using a keyboard expansion board and sound expansion packs.
Like any other electronic instrument, keyboards also run the risk of getting obsolete over time.
Besides, there is so much music in the whole world that there will always be a need to use some of those sounds and at the same time share some of your music and sounds with the outside world.
These factors have forced the manufacturers to provide a variety of options to expand your instrument. Most of the data transfer methods used in computers is now being used in keyboards and Digital Pianos as well. The limitations of a floppy disk have given rise to the availability of other storage media like hard disk, CD and smart cards for keyboard expansion. You may want some of these features in your keyboard so that you can enjoy it for a long time.
Korg Cv Bit For Synth Kit
The CV Bit lets you integrate synth Bits with other analog synthesizers like modular synths or analog keyboards. Control the pitch of oscillators and cutoff frequency of filters, control analog synthesizers with Bits, or create new control interfaces for your synth. More here.
Yamaha FL512M Flash Memory Expansion Module: L512M 512 MB FLASH BOARD FOR MOTIF XF & TYROS4. More here.
Keyboard Expansion: Sounds & Boards
Most Common Keyboard Expansion
Here are the two most common needs of most experienced musicians.
- Sound/Style Expansion
Time to update your keyboard sounds? You need Keyboard sound expansion cards to access more sounds. You can add many more patches to your existing keyboard with these keyboard expansion cards. - Upgrading the Keyboard
Other case is where you want to upgrade your keyboard altogether. It could mean adding additional hardware, add more memory, add sound-processing power, or just add audio interface capability. All these can be sone using keyboard expansion boards.
More Ways of Keyboard Expansion
Hard disks
Some advanced models have built-in hard disk, which is faster to access than a floppy disk and it can also store a large amount of data. Of course, you can always connect your keyboard to a Computer through MIDI and access its hard disc but then some of the advanced keyboard models cost you more than 3000 USD so they can definitely give you all the features available on a keyboard as well as on a computer.
CD writer
You can read from Cds and burn Cds. You will find this only in advanced models.
Smart card
Some models let you copy music to/from a smart card, which is another storage medium. The smart card is a very small device with large storing capacity.
Samples/WAV-files
Samples, also known as WAV files, are available in the market which you can load into your keyboard and play them back. Your keyboard model needs to support the use of samples.
MIDI
You can connect your instrument to other digital devices and to the Computer using MIDI. MIDI has already been covered in another section, click here for more details.
Download Online
Lot of models let you connect your keyboard to the Internet directly and download styles, songs, and effects which can be played back with your keyboard. You can even download them indirectly, from the internet to the computer and then to your keyboard.
Floppy Drives
You will find this on most entry-level keyboards. The manufacturers keep on introducing disks with the latest accompaniments and songs from time to time. You can buy these disks and copy the accompaniments and songs to your keyboard for your personal use.
Roland produces some great User-installable expansion boards for their Roland instruments. If you have one and are looking for some fresh and mind-blowing sounds, you can go through their collection of Expansion Boards.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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