> Hi, I'm a classical piano student, and I've played a fairly good
> quality acoustic upright piano for around 10 years. This year I'll be
> doing my diploma exams.But I've just moved into an apartment, and I
> can't fit my piano into it, so I've been looking at buying a digital
> piano. Do you think this is a good choice? Will I be able to develop
> skills using a digital piano that I can transfer onto the grand piano
> I'll be playing in the exam?
Good luck to you, and as you're implying a piano performance major,
nothing will substitute for *you* spending time in a number of piano
stores and learning this for yourself, your skills, and your taste.
> I've never owned a digital piano before, and I've never played any
> keyboards apart from low-end toys. I hear that digital pianos are now
> very good at replicating the feel and sound of acoustics, and that they
> even surpass some cheaper upright pianos. That's what I'm concerned
> about the most. I want a piano on which I can practice and enhance my
> technical skills, not just something I can play tunes on. Bells and
> whistles are not nearly as important to me.
That's not been my experience. Some digitals *do* sound pretty good but
none surpasses even the cheapest uprights; they work differently (this
is an old topic here, and there is much disagreement). There are
instances where I might record on a digital in preference to a really
poor upright; but not many!
> I'm concerned with how much variation in the sound a digital can have.
> On an acoustic piano, depending on exactly how you press a key, the
> note that sounds can be quite different. Is this replicated in digital
> pianos, or is loud/soft the only distinction you get? I'm quite worried
> about this, since obviously if I can't hear the difference I won't be
> able to improve my playing.
IMO I wouldn't bother even thinking about the sound of a digital unless
it will be required that you perform on it.
> If I'm looking for a digital piano that will fulfill my requirements
> (feel and sound as close to an acoustic piano as reasonably possible),
> what price range should I be looking at? I'm not rich by any means, but
> I'm willing to splash out a bit for a good piano if need be, even if
> the price goes into the thousands.
It does (price gets well into the thousands US, that is).
> And lastly, I've seen both 'proper' digital pianos (i.e. the ones that
> look like slimmed-down versions of uprights) and portable pianos (the
> ones that just have a keyboard, and which you need to put it on a
> stand). When it comes to quality, is there a real difference between
> them? And how is this difference reflected in the price? I'm clearly
> looking for portability, so if the two types are similar in quality
> I'll buy a portable, but not if portables cost too much more than
> upright digitals.
Actually portables don't suffer price-wise against console digitals, the
consoles are generally more expensive. This is because virtually all of
the portables require external amplification; the consoles have amps &
speakers built-in. Amplification will be a consideration if you choose a
portable.
> Sorry about the length of the post. Any comments/advice would be very
> welcome, whether they're general notes or particular recommended
> models.
>
> Thanks, Helen
I consider a digital better than no piano at all, and there are many
situations where it is preferred (mostly, where portability is
essential, or where well-controlled amplification is required). None of
them gives the same tactile feedback as a quality acoustic, and none of
them has the same action as a fine grand. Digitals feel different, and
they sound different, and as you're a classical/art music major, you're
unlikely to like them... other than being better than no piano at all.
That being said, I'm fond of the action on the better Rolands, though
I'm less fond of their sound. I suggest trying as many as you can,
concentrating on the action. I think I paid a couple grand (US) for
mine, I have one of the HR2s, now discontinued, that offered the
appropriate balance *for me* of pretty-good action, so-so sound, and
affordability, in a console. I haven't seen any instruments that would
satisfy your criteria for both sound and action. I would not take this
Roland out and perform on it, and would never consider recording with
it; but casual playing for friends, including other musicians, is okay,
and its ideal for practice in a space that I can't squeeze a real
instrument into.
It sounds like you might be better served with one of the portables.
I've seen pretty good action in several; be aware that you'll likely
spend as much on the piano itself as the amplification, and *still* it
will sound nothing like a real instrument, for classical/art music.
Maybe others have had better luck. Again, good luck to you.
(If it sounds like I'm unduly harsh on digital instruments, I admit that
they're also real instruments; but they're just not the right instrument
for the contemporary classical repertoire. They have a different
application. I love classical but get paid to perform jazz and funk, and
as long as there's other musicians with me, I can get away with the
digital rentals I use. If I'm playing solo jazz, I *never* use a
digital. Yes, this limits my gigs.)
