My First Digital Piano - Recommendations
Elliot Johnson
About three years ago my brother and I bought an old upright acoustic piano
from our uncle. Wasn't in the best of condition but we only really wanted
something to tinker on - we both wanted to eventually start learning to
play. We had it tuned and I started playing around with it and it was fun
(playing guitar for 8 years helped), I think my brother lost interest and I
just slowly got pre-occupied with other events in my life.
Hardly to my surprise, all the keys have completely seized up now and I
imagine it's as good as scrap. Though I'd like to resurrect my desire to
learn to play (at least the basics) so I've been considering the purchase of
an entry level basic synthesizer or digital piano.
My budget is negotiable, really depending on bang-for-buck. I'd like to
spend as little as possible for a good quality product (being the skinflint
that I am :-)
Basically, from two hour's scouring of UK on-line stores, I think I'm after
an 88 note, keyboard with weighted or sem-weighted full size keys which can
impressively replicate the sound of a piano.
I will more than likely play it through an amp (audio-out being vital) so
built in amplification is irrelevant. Recording, sound manipulation etc are
also of no concern as I have a decent PC with access to great MIDI software
if I get that advanced (so MIDI out also being a major factor in my
purchase).
Models I have my eye on are:
Yamaha - YPP-15K I don't know anything about this model though yet.
£399.99 from http://www.emjaymusic.com/pricelist.html
Roland EP77 76 note weighted keys, 8 sounds, 10w speaker system (less keys,
but nice price)
£439.00 from www.music4workshop.co.uk/digital_pianos.html
Yamaha YPP200 88 note full size keys 8 voices 2x 6w speaker system
£499.00 from www.music4workshop.co.uk/digital_pianos.html
Roland EP97 Semi-weighted 88 key (looks good)
£559.00 from http://www.music4worship.co.uk/digital_pianos.html
I also had a look at this site (amongst many others):
http://www.starland.co.uk/pages/kd/p20.htm
I admit than my knowledge of keyboards and pianos is miniscule and I have no
experience in this department, so I am looking to the charitable members of
this newsgroup for guidance, advice and help. :-)
Do any of the above models have any obvious flaws/or bad reputations?
Do you think these are competitive prices?
Could anyone recommend a keyboard which would suit me more appropriately?
Are there any on-line stores which I must investigate first, or have bad
histories?
If anyone can offer their opinions and advice I would be very very grateful
indeed.
Best Regards,
Elliot
UK
Thorbjørn Weidemann
Elliot Johnson wrote:
<snip>
> ... as I have a decent PC...
In that case I would recommend that you consider using GigaStudio for
the piano sound. That way you will have access to piano samples of
greater quality than any builtin sounds I have heard in a digital piano,
and you can concentrate on finding a model with a keyboard you like.
Here are some links to get you started:
Gigastudio homepage: http://www.nemesysmusic.com/
Some soundsamples: http://www.af.lu.se/~fogwall/piano.html
Thorbjørn
Neo
> Hello fellow readers,
I can't play myself, but have been shopping for one with my wife, the
pianist in the house.
> Models I have my eye on are:
My wife found out that all Yamaha Y series is c.... She tried some,
maybe not the models you listed, and the keyboard had no piano-like
"feeling". The salesman said that was only available in the P series.
> Could anyone recommend a keyboard which would suit me more appropriately?
She set her mind into a Technics, for both the keyboard and the sound
quality. Having been to a store where they sold Steinway pianos,
comparing side-by-side, it was close enough for her to hardly be able
to tell one from another.
HTH
Elliot
"Neo" <eva...@geocities.com> wrote in message
news:d2bf9630.01110...@posting.google.com...
Which Technics model was this, Neo?
Thanks all
Ell
Elliot
"Elliot Johnson" <elliot....@johnsmallmanltdX.co.uk> wrote in message
news:9sbivu$si4$1...@neptunium.btinternet.com...
I've just seen the Korg SP100 with KX70 stand and HD433 headphones for
£553.00.
It has no speakers, but this isn't a problem as I can amp it seperately.
Anyone have any experience of this keyboard?
Thanks all.
Elliot
Korg SP100
fred
i almost bought that model
i liked the feel and the sound
it did not have the utility that i eventually found
in the roland fp3
i havent said much until now about the technics
but i have worked on a few and i found them to be on a par with much less
expensive units...in short they are overpriced and i think their samples are
thin
fvan...@pcez.com
Elliot wrote in message ...
Neo
>
> Which Technics model was this, Neo?
The SX-PC25, the cheapest one with a cabinet (about $1500). They all
seem to use the same sampling...
HTH
--
___________________________________________________________
Evandro Menezes Austin, TX USA
evandro(a)geocities.com ICQ:7957253 geocities.com/evandro
Laurence Payne
piano repertoire a piano's the only thing that does it.
If you want to play music, using a piano sound, there are hundreds of
keyboards that come pretty close. And which do other things as well.
It is very easy to get used to non-weighted keys.
Rob Benton
piano too it can be wierd going back and forth. Also I know a lot of
situations people would like to have a real piano but a digital one is just
a better idea. I have a roland and love it. The piano sound is about as
real as I have heard.
bruce phipps
I've been through this route buying a digital piano in the UK, 6
months ago.
The Yamaha YPP range do not have fully weighted keys. I would strongly
suggest you buy a Yamaha Clavinova, or the Roland or Technics
equivalent.
Some thoughts:
* If buying from a music store, haggle on the price! Never pay the
recommended retail price. I bought an entry level Clavinova clp-920.
List price was 900 pounds, I offered 800 pounds bankers draft for a
quick sale and the salesman nearly tore my arm off!
* Starland seem to have good prices. You can buy by mail order and
assemble digital piano cabinet yourself in 15 mins.
* I'm very pleased with my Yamaha Clavinova. Excellent build quality,
great keyboard. A basic model ideal for learning on. Not a lot of MIDI
capability though, you need more expensive models for that.
Bruce
Christof Pflumm
> Could anyone recommend a keyboard which would suit me more
> appropriately?
You should try out the Kawai MP9000 before you buy anything else. I
think it's really worth its money, though it is more expensive than
the other stage pianos out there (and much heavier). Another one to
try is the Yamaha P-80. That would have been my choice after the
MP9000.
Bye,
Christof
David Schmitt
Clavinova made sense. It may have not been "real" but it was real enough for
me. I kept up my skills, didn't have the headache of tuning, and it was easy
to move. It had weighted keys and so playing a real piano was not an
adjustment. Later, when I was more settled (and had more $), I bought a
grand piano. Its better in so many ways. But I don't regret the 10 years
with that Yamaha one bit.
So Elliot, don't listen to those piano snobs. There are good reasons to get
a digital, and though I can't help you with today's models, I don't think
you'll regret it.
"Rob Benton" <Bent...@home.net> wrote in message
news:qenG7.128573$My2.72...@news1.mntp1.il.home.com...
Roc
> seem to use the same sampling...
I just bought a Technics P50 - absolutely love it. Sounds fantastic.
PJ