Is a synthesizer limited to the sounds it has onboard?

westrock · 11-04-2012, 10:02 AM

I am wanting to learn how to play piano (and hopefully make music in general). My dad gave me his old Kawai K11 (late 90's, has MIDI in/out). My question is that this thing has piano sounds obviously so I can learn my initial goal, but after that can it be used to play "new" sounds like if I have software on my computer and the synth is just providing key press signals?

Or can you upload new libraries to a synth? If you could point me to a good primer on how a synth and MIDI can be used that would be great.

Also since nothing seems to come with MIDI ports anymore (we used a sound card for this thing back in the day), is a USB to MIDI cable the most practical solution now-a-days?

11-04-2012, 10:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
westrock Groupie Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Fort Worth Posts: 1	Is a synthesizer limited to the sounds it has onboard? I am wanting to learn how to play piano (and hopefully make music in general). My dad gave me his old Kawai K11 (late 90's, has MIDI in/out). My question is that this thing has piano sounds obviously so I can learn my initial goal, but after that can it be used to play "new" sounds like if I have software on my computer and the synth is just providing key press signals? Or can you upload new libraries to a synth? If you could point me to a good primer on how a synth and MIDI can be used that would be great. Also since nothing seems to come with MIDI ports anymore (we used a sound card for this thing back in the day), is a USB to MIDI cable the most practical solution now-a-days?