Digital Piano's - Recommendations

[Paul F]

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with digital piano's?

I am looking to buy one but, as always, there are so many different opinions around I dont know who to believe. In light of this I thought I would ask the Oracle - the forum

I would, ideally, like to keep my spending to below £700 but would also value additional things like a realistic hammer action. Of course, for this price I realise I am going to have to get a pretty basic one.

I see that the Yamaha Clavinova's are highly regarded. Can anyone back that up?

[Crazy Shark]

Originally Posted by Paul F

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with digital piano's?

I am looking to buy one but, as always, there are so many different opinions around I dont know who to believe. In light of this I thought I would ask the Oracle - the forum

I would, ideally, like to keep my spending to below £700 but would also value additional things like a realistic hammer action. Of course, for this price I realise I am going to have to get a pretty basic one.

I see that the Yamaha Clavinova's are highly regarded. Can anyone back that up?

This may make me seem slow but digital piano's??? 1st time im actually hearing of this

[Paul F]

Originally Posted by Crazy Shark

This may make me seem slow but digital piano's??? 1st time im actually hearing of this

Yes. I guess some educated people in the field would probably turn a funny colour at the mention of 'digital pianos' but I like them as a solution for someone like me who is learning and wants to be able to play with headphones on Dont think my neighbours would take to kindly to my installing a Grand Piano in my bedroom.

These days the sound that they reproduce is as close to an orignal Grand as you can get. Apparently, at the top end, you would have to be pretty experienced to be able to tell the difference.
Digital pianos now also come with things like Graded Hammer Action which means, like a real piano, that the 'weight' of the keys at the top end are lighter than those at the lower end of the scale. Thats way cool

Im no piano player YET but its always been a dream of mine. I have tried so many times with these little controller keyboards that you plug into a PC but never kept it up.
My somewhat flawed notion now is that if I but an expensive piano it will force me to learn Well, no not exactly. I do already play by ear but i so want to learn to play properly.

[Northants Girly]

I don't think you'll get real hammer action for less than £1000. There are some cheap digital pianos around that are described as having it but they don't so you need to be careful and do your homework.

I got a Yamaha CLP 230 Clavinova ~ a year ago. I had a good look at them in my local music shop but then bought one cheaper off the internet. Can't remember which shop although I still have the bookmarks:
Great Deal Music
Rocking Rooster
Music Cellar
DV247
Andertons

[Lory]

My Dad plays the piano and has a Clavinova CVC 303, which he's very happy with but he said, if he knew then, that he knows now, he'd get a Tyros keyboard, they're about the same price and sound quality, and still have weighted keys but its smaller and has seperate speakers, inc a bass and therefore its much more portable.

Like Northants girly said, I think you'd be had pushed to find one for under £1000

Try Ebay, you might pick up a secondhand one

[Isis]

Saw a demo of a Yamaha DGX 620, which has the fully weighted keys, at the 'Ideal Home Show' last week. The guy quoted me £600 and I was considering getting one in the new year.

[Paul F]

Wow. Thanks for the feedback guys. I really appreciate it.

It looks like I may have to bite the bullet and go above the £800 mark. I will definately have a look at the one you mention though Isis. Would like to keep it round £6-700 if I can.

[Paul F]

Just been looking through a few models - of the piano variety

I just dont know what to do. £1000 is a lot of money. The other keyboards look great but I would be happy to sacrifice all the bells and whistles for key quality and sound. Trouble is, as has been mentioned, there are no trade off models around - you just have to pay more

Need to think.

[Tessalicious]

Just to throw a spanner in the works Paul - as an occasional piano teacher of complete beginners, I know from experience that it is extremely hard to learn on a 'digital piano'. The touch is all wrong, usually too hard with weighted keys (can hurt your fingers) or too soft without (you don't learn any finger control), and you will find it doesn't give you the response that makes you fall in love with playing the piano.

My advice would be instead to find a local teacher who will teach you on a real piano, and a piano studio (somewhere that sells pianos, or a local school with individual piano rooms) which will allow you to hire a real piano out for half an hour at a time. That way, you'll learn more quickly whether you enjoy it enough to invest further.

Once you've played a real piano, you'll not really want to go down the keyboard route - and you can find a fifth-hand upright piano for much less than £1000.

Good luck!

[angelblue]

Well Paul that is very strange....

It was only last night i was scrolling through ebay looking for a digital piano spooky!!(Must be an aquarian thing!!)I too have a passion for the piano and have always wanted a digital one. Let me know what you get and ill keep you posted on what i get!!!

[Paul F]

Is that like a "You show me yours and I'll show you mine thing"



Cheapest I have found for a CLP 230 is £930 which, for the instrument, seems a good value BUT its blinking well expensive.

I would love to learn on a real piano but, practically speaking, its never going to be possible. I havn't the room to own one and dont want to have to travel to practice. I do enough of that already!
Im hoping that by getting used to a digital will mean I wont miss the feel of a real one - as i have never used one Terrible state of affairs when it comes to having to say that!

One company I found do an interest free 9 months thing but, even so, im still hesitant.

[Northants Girly]

Originally Posted by Paul F

I havn't the room to own one and

Ah . . .

another tip then

my CLP230 takes up just as much room as my old, real piano did you you'd better get a tape measure too

[Paul F]

Originally Posted by Northants Girly

Ah . . .

another tip then

my CLP230 takes up just as much room as my old, real piano did you you'd better get a tape measure too

Yeah, I kind of realised that after I had written it.

The other benefits for me though are that I can play it in my house without annoying the neighbours and can hook it up to my PC. I suppose the fact that it never needs tuning helps too but I guess other running repairs might be needed.
Is it true that it can be dismantled for easy transport?

[Northants Girly]

Originally Posted by Paul F

Is it true that it can be dismantled for easy transport?

Yep it's true. The keyboard part comes off (the heaviest bit) and I guess you can then unscrew the base/legs. I know this cos we had to put it together when it came and it's definitely a 2 person job. But it was cheaper getting it in a box and putting it together ourselves than getting one delivered that was already pre-assembled

[Lory]

You can't beat a real piano 'IF' your a fantastic pianist

But digital piano's are so much more fun for the not so great players... even 'I' who can just about handle playing with 2 fingers, can have fun!

And if your absolutely rubbish, you don't have to subject everyone else to your ear splitting efforts, you can put your headphones on and just punish yourself.

You've got so many more options, backing tracks, drums, 1 finger chord harmonies and you can even digitally record your own backing tracks, to accompany yourself.

My Dad's got a mic rigged up to his and it instantly works out harmonies to go with your voice!

The thing is, you can sound good, with out too much effort!