Synthesizers and samplers represent the cutting edge of electronic keyboards. Synthesizers come in lots of different varieties -- some play back digital recordings ('wavetables' or 'samples') of real sounds, while others allow you to construct other-worldly electronic sounds from scratch. Samplers act like digital tape recorders, allowing you to record your own original sounds in memory and then play them back from a keyboard. Using wheels, pedals, sliders, and footswitches, you can add endless amounts of expressive control to the sounds you create, and there are also enormous libraries of preprogrammed sounds available.

	In addition, most synths and samplers are 'multitimbral', meaning that they can play back several different sounds at the same time. Used in conjunction with music software or onboard sequencers, (found in so-called 'workstation' models), they allow you to hear entire orchestrations of your music, including drum and percussion sounds.
Click on the picture of the keyboard to find out more about the features of a typical workstation..

Some synths and samplers don't even have a keyboard at all! These are known as tone modules and standalone boxes that contain a collection of sounds in memory which are triggered remotely from a computer or a connected keyboard via MIDI (the Musical Instrument Digital Interface-the standardized 'language' of electronic instruments). Most tone modules are also General MIDI (GM)-compatible so that they can be used to play back the wide selection of Standard MIDI Files (SMF)s available on the Internet and through music distributors.

Click on the following links to get more information about synthesizers and samplers manufactured by: