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Keyboards and Pianos

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by Totoro, Oct 26, 2009.

  1. Totoro

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    Yea so, i have this really old keyboard, more than 8 years old... The sound is starting to muffle (finally... xD) and I kind of realized how horrible this thing is haha. I'm looking for a new keyboard/piano, but I don't really know what to look for in those things... Anyone want to point me into the right direction in terms of what I should look for or any recommendations xD I'm just looking for something with basic features, and doesn't just get one sound out of each key (soft or loud sounds out of each keys)...

    Also feel free to tell about your keyboard/piano and if it's any good...

    So far i've heard that Steiner Pianos are horrible, not sure if this holds any water though o-o
     
  2. Pseudojim

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    pianos are great, but one thing i didn't realise is that you can't play them late at night for fear of incurring the neighbour's wrath.

    If you can get a well designed pressure sensitive keyboard with heavy piano-style keys, which has a plug for earphones (!!!) you can practice at any outrageous hour you want.
     
  3. djt820

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    Try a Pawn Shop.
    Or Musiciansfriend.com
     
  4. PurpleTomato

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    I have been playing piano for 10 years; I started off on a keyboard, then graduated to an old piano from a friend, which was traded in for a brand new Yamaha (which I love).
    I still have the keyboard, a Concertmate 660. Even though it's 12 years old, it's still in tip-top condition so old doesn't necessarily mean bad so if you have a tight budget, a used one might suffice.

    Some different options:

    Pianos:

    Pros:
    Accoustic; full, warm sound; full range;
    Cons:
    Expensive; needs tuning often; costly to maintain nicely

    Electric keyboards:
    Pros:
    Wide range of sounds; volume control; MIDI support and computer interfacing (some)
    Cons:
    electricky sound; lack of realistic touch response (even if it has it); limited range (some have only 61 keys)

    Digital pianos:
    Pros:
    Very realistic sound; better sound processing than plain electric keyboards; volume control; a few different sounds; MIDI support; realistic touch response; cheaper alternative to a real piano.
    Cons:
    Still not 100% like the real thing; not the cheapest either.

    In the end it all depends on how you want to use it and what kind of music you play. If you want to record a lot, you could get a keyboard or something that you can hook up to a computer. If you are an aspiring classical pianist, it pays off to get a piano.

    If you have a nearby music store, it's good to test out all your options so you can see what you like best.
     
  5. George1

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    I've got an Alex Steinbach upright.. I love it to death.
    I want a grand though. ;_;
     
  6. Oh, I was feeling bad about posting my piano and not being able to help you, but you said feel free to post it, so I shall :slight_smile:

    Mine's a fairly cheap Roland digital piano. It's got basic features: 6 different sounds, volume control, key sensitivity, etc. It plays pretty well, but when I play faster songs, it's just not the same as an acoustic piano. The keys don't respond as well. I'd prefer an acoustic just because of the better technique achievable.
     
  7. LostLurker

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    I don't have a piano to post, but lately I've been wanting one. How close to 100% can you get, without springing for a real one?
     
  8. Pseudojim

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    Mine's a Klingmann upright. It's very old but sounds fantastic. Good if you can find one, didn't cost me much either. $100, the guy was moving and couldn't fit it in his new apartment.
     
  9. George1

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    What. The. Fuck.

    My piano was $4500.. o_o
     
  10. Pseudojim

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    lol, but yours is new. mine is 80 years old (though i concede, it does sound FANTASTIC. they don't even make strings like these any more)
     
  11. Ben

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    It depends how much you're willing to spend. Pianos do last for decades but they cost an absolute ton and you have to get then tuned and everything.

    If you're buying an electric keyboard, it might be worth making sure you get one with 88 keys. Nothing's more annoying than realising you don't have enough keys. But there are some awesome ones out there so maybe you could go to a local music/piano shop and take a look around.
     
  12. Stuie

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    My comment on all of this: You should just go and play bassoon. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

    A more appropriate comment on it: The biggest question is how much do you want to spend and what are you going to be doing with it? If you have a spare $200,000 lying around, get a Steinway. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  13. George1

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    *hiss* This thread is for PIANISTS ONLY.

    And yes, I'm the first to admit that I would totally buy a Steinway over a house any day. However, with Steinway you're mostly paying for the brand these days. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  14. awesomeap88

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    What about ex-pianists? :confused:

    The only thing I will recommend is that if you want to go down the path of an electric piano, make sure you get one with weighted keys. It will feel a lot more like a real piano when you are playing if the piano has them. I know Kawai electric pianos have weighted keys, I'm not sure on any other brands though.
     
  15. Kenko

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    My Yamaha keyboard is older than some people here, so I don't know what my opinion is worth,

    but,

    I think unless you're uber hardcore, a keyboard / digital piano is the best way to go from the perspective of cost (purchase, maintenance), and convenience (ease of moving, can use headphones, can even connect to a computer if desired)

    Get one with weighted keys, and touch sensitive. My keyboard only has three levels of sound out of each key, but I still like it.
     
  16. Jiggles

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  17. Totoro

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    -drools at roland FP-4 - Wow looks delicious.
    ->Actually i play the piano REALLY often, and even at like 1 am haha... x_x But i don't think my parents approve of a real piano :frowning2: (something about it being too large and too expensive, even if it's upright)
    -> Omg $100 Piano O_O That is probably the best deal i've heard of, EVER.
    -> musiciansfriend.com ? How come the pianos there are so cheap? Lol are they refurbished or used?
    -> I am still on the fence about this, I don't really know much about what kind of piano to get, but I don't think i'd be able to spend more than $1000, FOR SURE.
     
  18. Pseudojim

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    it did cost $270 to get it tuned though
     
  19. kettleoffish

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    I built myself this baby from a laptop and an electric piano.. Full tri oscillator synthesiser, running ReFX Vanguard under Mac OS X.

    beatiful use of 3 months of my time :grin:

    (not exactly the best photo of it ever, but the only one I have on this computer.)
     

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  20. Totoro

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    Nice o_o

    I'm looking up the Yamaha P-155 It's $1,100 approx >_< Ah well, I'll break my keyboard into a fine powder and sell it as heroine or something.
    Jokes aside... What the heck is a toner? This one has 4... Some have 1... some have others... :confused: