Casio PX5S is 88 weighted keys, sounds fantastic, and has lots of live performance features. Clicks in at just under a grand. It’s held that price point for many years. And it’s very light weight because it’s mostly plastic.
Banks of performance presets are laid out for performers, rather than banks of voices.
I hated this feature at first but now I really dig it.
She has it narrowed down to a couple of models, a Roland and a Yamaha but wants to hear them alone with a few minor contenders.
Business slows down a week after the New Years Eve blow-out before it picks up again. We want to plan a trip from West Palm Beach to Miami to hear a couple.
Thanks again, we have a nice list of pianos, and it looks like if they sound good enough it'll be in the $600 range.
Casio CDP-135 88-Key Digital Piano with Wood Stand and Sustain Pedal Black Casio's CDP-135CS Digital Piano includes a wooden stand, and is an unbeatable value, delivering everything you need for authentic piano practice and performance. It features a scaled, weighted hammer action keyboard, built-in speakers and the stunning sound of a 9-foot concert grand piano. Affordable, compact and lightweight, the CDP-135 is perfect for any gig.
Incredible, Authentic Feel The keyboard action in the CDP-135 is provides the weight and resistance of an acoustic piano with accurate scaled weighting from the lowest key to the highest C.
Grand Sound The CDP-135 features a stereo recording of a 9-foot concert grand piano that was recorded at multiple dynamic levels to provide an expressive grand piano experience. This piano tone is complemented by nine other tones and as well as Casio’s Hall reverb effects.
Plug and Play The CDP-135 features class-compliant USB MIDI, meaning it can be used with your computer, tablet and other devices without the need to download drivers, making it the perfect 88-key MIDI controller for your home studio.
Something else you might want to consider is using a MIDI controller and a computer with a VSTi piano.
Know of anything decent sounding and free? As one who does not perform any more, free is my price point. If I were in a position to earn that expense back I would think differently.
On to Notes post though, my question is about looking ahead to 8-12 months from now. When the learning phase is over, is this a keyboard she will take out to play live? I have never bought a weighted key keyboard because I don't want to carry it, and if I am going to play synth keys on stage, I should practice on synth keys.
Also, opinionated mode on, anything like those Yamaha boards that have little speakers built in are just not good enough for me. I see them more in the toy or "lessons for a kid who may not stay with it" category. Again, just an opinion. If it costs a grand, pay a grand. Unless your goal is to be the richest corpse in the graveyard, you make it, spend it. Those Yamaha boards from Best Buy I spoke of are all over Craigslist for 50 bucks. A Kurzweil you can resell for decent dollars of she decides to not pursue it. However, on the other side of that balance sheet is that if it is just a learning tool, what difference does it make if it sounds good? Hanon scales are Hanon scales no matter what you play them on. Half the time when I played Hanon method stuff I didn't have sound on. I played them on a keyboard that was powered off. C, then G, then D, then A, and so forth. But that's just me and what I did. Irrelevant now with all this arthritis in my knuckles.
Those little Yamaha and Roland portables with built in speakers are under rated in my opinion. Plugged them into a PA system or powered speaker and they come to life in a surprising way. The built in speakers are great for practice, on stage monitoring and just to get you by when that's all you need. But, when you try them out in a store ask if you can connect them to a stereo PA or even a decent mono powered speaker. I think you'll be surprised. This opinion is presented by a guitar player/singer that does not play keyboards or pianos. I'm going by what I experience from listening.
The best-feeling upper-tier Yamaha models sometimes have the identical keyboard action in a lower model. I would call yamaha and ask for the 'families' of keyboards that have the same keyboard design, have her try out each family, and go with the lowest priced item in the family she likes - with MIDI control - the sounds don't matter much, unless you want it to be completely standalone - then you'll have to pay more, since the 2 big things in a keyboard, IMHO, are the keyboard feel and the sounds.
It's a big decision for her as it will be her learning instrument.
She plays guitar and a Buchla Thunder tactile MIDI controller now. So she has the theory in her head, it's about teaching it to her fingers.
I'm curious, how important is a keyboard with weighted keys for someone who is older and on her 3rd instrument? (of course this might complicate the decision making process).
Hi again I have followed this thread with interest and still say, I stand by my original recommendation in the 2nd post. The Yamaha DGX60 as I bought for my daughter. Nice keybed and good keys great piano sounds and all those other XGlite set of voices for a bit of fun, as well as the piano learning, plus all those built in styles for even a bit more fun if you get tired of hard piano practice. Add to that audio and midi on board recorder to usb, mic and aux inputs that get included in the recording should you want it, and integration to ipad by wifi (adapter req) for chord tracking a good deal. For $6 to 700 good bang for bucks Most of all have fun, as you learn. Mike
I'm curious, how important is a keyboard with weighted keys for someone who is older and on her 3rd instrument? (of course this might complicate the decision making process).
I will give you an answer from my perspective - which is - a lifetime guitar player (mainly acoustic, but some electric these days) - and a piano/keyboard "dabbler" off and on for a lot of those years, as well... I have hopes of one day dedicating more time to playing piano...
I have a synth from (about) 1990 (I bought it to use with BIAB when I first purchased it). It has the standard, non-weighted keys that synth come with (A Yamaha SY-55).
I did spend about 6 month (circa 2008?) REALLY practicing piano (learning Billy Joel, Elton, John, Carole King, Randy Newman stuff). It was difficult really "getting the feel" for playing that stuff using the synth - because of the lack of resistance from "real keys". I understood that when I sat down to an actual piano. A real AHA moment. That "weight" - and the feeling of "throwing" the hammer at the strings of the piano (that is how i think of it) was INCREDIBLY important (for me, at least).
I went out and bought a Yamaha P-85. A digital piano with weighted keys. Not EXACTLY like the feel of a REAL piano, but close enough to TRULY make a difference in "how it feels to play".
Floyd's advice is spot on depending on where you are coming from. If you play an acoustic piano the a non-weighted keyboard may be a problem. My wife plays acoustic piano and hates the non-weighted keyboard controllers and my 88 key Yamaha Portable Grand DGX-500.
If you have no experience playing acoustic pianos, like me, then getting a non-weighted keyboard may not cause a problem. But just remember that if you go to an acoustic piano you will immediately know the difference. I am not a pianist by any stretch of the imagination but I am much better on my keyboards that my wife's piano.
Back in my day the only time we started panic buying was when the bartender shouted "last call"!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Floyd and Mario and others have all given great advice, and I will throw my 'weight' behind their comments also, if I may.
I'm following this thread with interest because I'm also looking for another keyboard sometime in the near future.
Whatever model you choose, do get a keyboard with a weighted action. They are just so much more pleasant to play.
As we all know, 'Piano' is an abbreviation for Pianoforte. Soft and Loud. You simply can't responsively/reliably do that with a synth keyboard. Well, none that I have ever played anyway.
The action is what makes it.
I've got a Roland RD-1000 88-key weighted action keyboard, (as well as a Yamaha Conservatorium Series C5 Grand). That Roland was very expensive but mine has certainly paid for itself many time over. There are much cheaper models available nowadays, but there's no substitute for a weighted action.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Whatever model you choose, do get a keyboard with a weighted action. They are just so much more pleasant to play.
I have to disagree with you on this one Track. As one who played synth keys and then bought a weighted keyboard, it was like lifting weights for me to play those heavy keys. You are a piano player. You know weighted keys. So to YOU, a pianoi player, playing those light touch synth keys doesn't feel right. Leilani isn't a piano player like you. She is going to be learning keyboards. And note that in my mind at least, "piano" and "keyboard" are not synonymous. A piano is a piano. A synth is a keyboard. I personally would never move an instrument to a gig that plays one sound when I can move one instrument that offers 128. Particularly in the duo situation that they are in. She may need organ, strings, brass.... Sitting at a piano playing Chopin is not the same animal as being at a live gig playing in a band. The subtleties of touch just don't come into play when the piano is not the solo instrument.
I bought an Ensoniq KS32 with weighted keys used from someone. I set it up, played it for a week, and hated it so bad I immediately sold it for a loss. My hands actually hurt from playing those heavy keys. And for ME to be willing to lose money.... you know it's serious.
Situations are different. Solo pianist on s stage or someone playing keyboards in a band where it is a supporting instrument. Horses for courses.
Notes, I'm cheap and I know you are too. It's called survival. I NEVER buy musical instruments/stage stuff new. Way too much stuff available used in perfect condition. Here's a few I just found on the South Florida Craigslist:
There are several more. This is just Craigslist, there's Offerup, the Guitar Center used lists, Sweetwater, Sam Ash, Reverbnation. GT btw has a website listing all their used stuff nationwide, the local store can have something shipped in from another store.
Just the way I roll, YMMV. The key to finding a truly great deal is patience. Be willing to wait a few weeks until it pops up, then go for it.
However, the title from the O/P's post indicates that they are looking for a Digital Piano, not a synth or a keyboard. My reply was made with that as a focal point.
Quote:
I personally would never move an instrument to a gig that plays one sound when I can move one instrument that offers 128
Also Digital Pianos can produce many more sounds than just a piano. Don't let the name fool you.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
She's leaning against weighted keys in her brain right now, but until she gets her hands on weighted keys, she isn't really going to make the decision.
Her thoughts right now (I'll use synths for unweighted and pianos for weighted just to make the list easier to type).
1) Synths generally have more sounds, strings, drums, brass, etc. She uses these sounds on her Buchla Thunder but the Thunder is very old. She has two, they don't break often, but with Don gone, who knows how long she can get them fixed.
2) Synths should be easier on her hands, but pianos will strengthen her hands so if she finds herself in a room with a real piano, she will be comfortable with it.
I know how she feels, making a decision like that is tough. You want to make the best one first because it saves not only money, but time, and even though there is never enough of either, time is more precious. To spend a year to learn you made the wrong choice is a year you can't get back.
Since I have always played synths (Korg, Roland, Yamaha, etc.) and since I cut my keyboard 'teeth' on a Farfisa and then Hammond organs, I'm fine with the synth keys. I'm trying to guide her to think more about what she is going to use the keyboard for. Does she predominantly want to learn piano or does she think she will get more mileage out of a synth.
I can see the attraction of both.
Thank you all for your generous help and advice on both sides of this dilemma, it is much appreciated.
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