Or like one of those small keyboards, where you need to flick a switch to select an octave (if that is the right word, Rowdy is not very musical). You can play 4 octaves or something, but only one at a time. Nevertheless people do still manage to play things on them.
Exactly. Because people (musicians/producers) realized that there was no point in using a full 88-key weighted keyboard as a compositional tool if you're not a trained pianist — and even then, this kind of MIDI controller is much more practical when working in front of the computer than a full keybed (but nothing prevents you from having both in the room/studio). Just like there is no point in having a 104-key keyboard if you barely use the numpad for instance. Or dedicated arrow keys when you can do with key combinations (I know I would have a hard time adapting to them, but I understand why some prefer them).
(I think your analogy works better than the missing black keys btw)
The small MIDI keyboards are seldom used for real performances. They are mainly used for data entry, because ultimately when you use a virtual studio the song is not played by you but by the computer. You use the keyboard to try/enter chords, enter melodic phrases, create percussion loops... all things that do not require more than 2 octaves and a half, generally, even if your composition covers 7 octaves.
I would compare these small MIDI keyboard to the cheap rubber dome computer keyboards people use while browsing Facebook. Or to the glass keyboards on modern phones and tablets. Yes, you get the job done...
But here on Geekhack we generally want something more ergonomic, suited for heavy use.
At least that's what I'm looking for when I purchase a keyboard. For this reason, after one year and a half trying 60% keyboards, I have decided that I don't want a keyboard that does not have dedicated arrow keys. I use these keys some 22% of the time, less often than a pianist would use the black keys, but still it's a handicap not to have them. Think about it: in average, after typing 4 keys, I need one that is not directly accessible on a 60%...
The attraction of 60% boards is still so great that many people want them to be as efficient as bigger keyboards, and I have seen many creative justifications. I have offered some myself. My opinion now is that they are just a little bit too small. Important keys are missing (the arrows) and using these keyboards involves a compromise in usability. Yes, I'm stating the obvious, but it's true that, at first, one is tempted to dismiss this compromise as insignificant. It turns out that it's not.
Naturally it depends on what you are doing on your computer, so I recommend using a keyboard stats utility for several weeks before a purchase decision. If, like me, you use the navigation keys twice as often as the space bar, you may not be doing yourself a favor by purchasing a 60%.
