Jerry Kovarsky

Jerry Kovarsky is a regular columnist for Keyboard magazine and longtime product management guru with Casio, Korg, and other companies who have been instrumental in bringing keyboard technology into people's homes and onto stages and studios around the world.

Articles & Books From Jerry Kovarsky

Piano & Keyboard All-in-One For Dummies
The comprehensive go-to guide for building keyboard skillsBeing able to play a tune on the piano can bring you a lifetime of sheer aesthetic pleasure—and put you in serious demand at parties! Whatever your motivation for tinkling the ivories, the latest edition of Piano & Keyboard All-In-One For Dummies gives you the essentials you need both to build your playing skills and expand your knowledge of music theory, from deciding what keyboard suits you best to musing on the science of what makes music so emotionally compelling.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-24-2022
Playing keyboards takes you on a journey that goes far beyond just playing the music. You have to keep up on a lot of tech talk and sift through a wide variety of gear and manufacturers.Common keyboard terms and abbreviations Keyboard manuals use all sorts of abbreviations and terms you may not be familiar with.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
MIDI is a digital language developed in 1983 that allows instruments and devices to talk to each other by sending various messages back and forth. These messages include performance gestures, such as what notes you play, how you play them, whether you move any sort of controller, and so on. In 1996, the music products industry agreed on a set of standardized sounds, effects, and controller message response called General MIDI (GM) so that MIDI songs could be shared between devices and always play back sounding more or less the same.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Perhaps your keyboard doesn’t have onboard speakers, or you just want to enjoy some private practice time. Every electronic keyboard offers a headphone output for that purpose. (Often, if a keyboard does have onboard speakers, plugging a headphone in will automatically turn off the speakers. Smart, huh?) Break down headphone varieties You can use a number of different headphone types.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Many of the keyboards have pretty advanced features — some that you would’ve thought you needed a computer to do. Keyboards now commonly include some form of recording so that you can play and then listen back to yourself. Two forms of recording are available today: Step into the virtual recording studio Each format has its own terms, capabilities, and benefits, and musicians at every level use each of them.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Most music uses some basic rules and structures; you can’t just play any group of notes, call it a chord, and sound good. Chords are built on specific note relationships called intervals. The smallest distance between two keys is called a half step (also called a minor second interval). Two half steps are called a whole step (also called a major second).
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Many brands offer entertaining ways to allow the novice player to have fun with music. Learning to play doesn’t allow for shortcuts; that’s why a good teacher can make all the difference in whether students (of any age) stick with their lessons. Here are some of the ways that certain models add to the enjoyment of playing a keyboard.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Knowing a bit about the keyboard manufacturing landscape while keyboard shopping gives you an idea of all the instruments available. The following list of keyboard companies is a helpful introduction to major manufacturers; use the key to determine which type(s) of instrument each company produces. Key: A = a
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Keyboard manuals use all sorts of abbreviations and terms you may not be familiar with. Understanding this common keyboard terminology can help you make the most of your electronic keyboard. Here are some common abbreviations/terms you may encounter: Action: The mechanical design of the keys themselves. Used when describing the feel or touch of a keyboard.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
When you unpack your new keyboard, you'll have the basic accessories you need to operate and play it. But adding other cool accessories can improve and enhance your keyboard playing experience; some accessories are more essential than others. Here are the must-haves: Keyboard stand: Only home digital pianos come with stands or legs built-in.