cassdad

Certainly wishing you good luck and the best! (And the same to all in your similar situation.) I'm sure your chops will return, maybe better than ever!

Yup, really great, agree with "genius". But after that, "Smoke On The Water" is simply just such a big let down! The Intro and the "reveal" are simply incongruent, though I realize they probably intended it to be that way. They probably had an audience of rockers that they knew would quickly tire of hearing any virtuosity or chords greater than 3 notes.... so thought the "reveal" would be a big relief to the audience. Hopefully, there were at least a few folks in the venue that appreciated the phenomenal Intro.

I have to agree. I find the audio difference negligible. And also agree that other factors such as amplification, speakers, venue, would likely be far more significant in any real world usage. My 2 cents. P.S. I also played the almost identical sounds (samples) and notes on my MOXF8, and, again, found negligible difference (using headphones).

Yes, you can, as long as conditions are correct, ie. "Local" is turned on on the synth so that it's own keyboard sounds its own internal sounds.

Wow, some impressive technical comments here! These comments trigger one more thought for me: These issues of inharmonics, pitch change on the strike of a piano key, bass wound strings, etc..... these all must pose quite a challenge for sampled digital pianos! I don't know how Yamaha does it, but the thing I most love about my MOXF8 piano is how amazingly in tune it is, throughout the entire range. [in fact, I have been extensively comparing it to the Pianoteq 7 trial-version pianos, and to my ears, albeit I understand they are "modeled", to my ears, tuning on my Yamaha MOXF8 is better than some of their pianos]. As a kid, my parents couldn't afford to get my acoustic piano tuned, thus I grew up learning on an always out-of-tune piano. I fell in love when I played my first digital sampled piano - hearing, for the first time, the wonderful sounds of all the notes being in tune! In fact, every time I play an acoustic (I don't get to play concert hall pianos or the like) - I'm immediately struck by how out-of-tune at least some of the notes are, and I frankly can't stand it. The tuning (and all the other required physical maintenance) of an acoustic piano keeps me away from acoustics and drives me to digital pianos. Just my 2 cents.

I'd accomplish that via MIDI.

Thank you, all, for the informative answers, greatly appreciated!

Question #1: My limited understanding is that in order for octaves to sound "in tune" to the human ear, at least on a piano, "Stretch" tuning is used in order to accomplish this goal. Is that correct? Question #2: However, my understanding is that some instruments, such as an organ (let's say a Hammond rather than a pipe organ) are actually perfectly tuned, ie. the "A" above A 440 would actually be A 220. Is that correct? Question #3: Furthermore: Is an instrument such as a Fender Rhodes tuned with or without "Stretch" tuning? In other words, is a Rhodes tuned more like an acoustic piano, or more like an organ? Question #4: If an acoustic piano and an organ are tuned differently, if played together concurrently, are they both identically "in tune" across each instruments full range?

+1 for the Cee Lo Live at Daryl's House version.

When my piano tech had to fix a key, he stuck the missing hammer down on lowest Bb, since "you're never going to play that anyway." He obviously never wanted to play "Tomorrow's Girls" by Donald Fagen! (Requires low Bb for the bass line.)

VAX77 goes from A0 up to C7 (low A to one octave below high C); you can have the "hot key" play D7, or you can set up a pedal that will momentarily switch the octaves up to get to high C when needed. Works well with a little practice to get that top octave, and kinda fun when playing repeating figures elsewhere. Wow, thank you! Should I decide to go with virtual sounds, this appears to be a good potential solution!

This: https://dexibell.com/prodotto/vivo-s1/?lang=en/ [video:youtube] WOW - thank you! I think this is what I'm looking for! Finally!!! [Although I do share the sentiments of "Groove On" who points out how, at least for someone like me who wants to use only 1 KB, and wants it shorter, how counter-productive it is to put the controls on the left side!]

I might have missed it in your original post, but I didn't realize you were playing with a bass player. I thought this was for a solo context, particularly because you mentioned playing basslines and parts. It seems odd to me to insist on retaining every low note that occurs on a grand piano, but then to EQ yourself so that when you play them, they won't be heard well. If you don't my asking, if your goal is to stay out of the bass player's way, why play all those bass parts and lines in the first place? Perhaps a good challenge might be to go the other way and force yourself out of that last octave or two, in favor of some higher parts in less crowded frequencies? Apologies for my being confusing. I do both solo and with a band. In my defense, in my particular situation, EQing the bass down accomplishes my goal.... I'm often just doubling the bass player, thus in those cases my goal is not for anyone to listen to my left hand, it is just simply easier for me to play. I find it significantly more difficult to have to NOT use my left hand (dangle it there, consciously have to keep it off the keys, etc). Just me, I know, and as some have said, I guess it's just my personal preference, and not a usual situation. (Although, when I wrote my initial post, I had, apparently incorrectly, assumed that most piano players would be more comfortable with both hands on the keys. I stand corrected!)

in response to the Roland RD-64 suggestions, I just looked it up. Seems it's an older instrument, no longer can buy new. But, yes, that would almost be my ideal (although I would prefer one more octave at the top, thus making it a 76). (Yeah, I know, I want it all.) However, regarding that specific model (RD-64), I just can't believe they blew it so badly with the layout = putting switches and control wheels to the left! If both were above the keys (not to the side), it would be nearly perfect, IMHO. Putting all those controls sticking out on the left, IMO, defeats the purpose of a shorter keyboard!

I'm using 2 Yamaha DXR-10 amp/speakers, and they do the job extremely well, to my surprise. I also try to stay out of the bass player's lane by 1) not playing loudly with the left hand, and 2) EQ'ing with less bass. YMMV.

Nope, not for me. That feels completely unnatural to me, and becomes too many low end keys, and keys that are so low they are useless, thus have stolen useable top-end keys for useless bottom keys. My question is simply: why can't they just steal from the very top keys, which in my experience, are used way less than those bass keys?

I'm majorly a piano player, normally play with 2 hands (feel awkward if I don't have both hands on the keys). Furthermore, I regularly use the bass side of the keyboard for octave bass notes as well as bass runs, and find it annoying to run out of keys. As 73 and 61 note keyboards all "steal" notes from the low end, I'm forced to cart around an 88 note KB in order to play "normally". I also note that I rarely use the top octave notes.... so if notes had to be "stolen", my preference would be to steal them ALL from the top rather than the bottom! Furthermore, just switching the octaves still results in a low "E" or "C", not the low "A" I'm used to. Does anyone know why they don't make, say a 73-note KB that only "steals" from the top end (ie. has the normal "A" as the bottom note)?

Another vote for the Yamaha DXR10. I am very happy with them in almost all respects. I do not have the Mark II, although I must assume they are even better. I also agree, don't let "wattage" scare you away. Most of the time I use my DXR10's at a low volume. But when I use them with the band, they absolutely scream when needed, distortion-free. My 2 cents.

FWIW, I listened to the NAMM interview with Chick Corea yesterday (it was GREAT!), and he discussed his Rhodes that they sampled for it. His opinion of it was that it was very good. Furthermore, he stated that the actual Rhodes from which they did the sample is no longer road worthy, accordingly, he uses the Yamaha samples of his "Chick Corea Rhodes" when he plays out, and he is very satisfied with it. (I think he uses a Montage.) I know that doesn't directly answer your question, but I think the download is probably worth the effort.

I played an outdoors gig last night with my band (in a neighborhood, all the neighbors pitched in to tip, we played outdoors on the driveway of one of the homes, neighbors all gathered socially distanced, along with carts and cars slowly driving by - great event, and about as safe as can be in these coronavirus times). My PROBLEM: Once the sun set, and it started getting colder (Southern California about a mile from the beach = went down into the 50's), all night, quite a large amount of condensation continually developed on my keyboard (Yamaha MOXF8, mostly plastic exterior). And I mean, a LOT of condensation = literally dripping off the instrument, and covering the keys. Didn't matter how much or how often I wiped it, condensation out of the air onto the keyboard continued all evening. Luckily, it did NOT negatively affect any operation of the keyboard. But I can't help think that this cannot be good for the keyboard, and also made it difficult to play on wet keys, as you can imagine. I cannot be the only one who has had this problem when playing outdoors at night! Have any of you come up with a reasonable solution or some kind of mitigation of the problem? Do I need to put some kind of heater inside (or outside) the keyboard? Any practical ideas?

We live in a time when perfectly good hardware is rendered unusable by lack of software which can keep up with Apple's constant mindless updates of the Linux-based MacOS. Emagic expensive MIDI splitters being one example, and all our old ipads and iphones being another. This only the beggining of what's coming. IOS14 has been even more damaging than Catalina to the general public. It would OK if "going back" was easy. It's often impossible as most know. Many of us must listen to nags about updating our OS everyday because Apple has made it impossible to even turn that off. I help people with apple gear all the time, and I use Mainstage at times, but I can understand the revival of hardware immune to careless changes. One interface solution I see used alot is the "Unmentionable" made XR18 mixer that is truly 18X18. It's not that hard to get two channels of audio into a DAW, but if you want to do more than that the options thin and the price rises. I may get one of these. For now I use a IK pro-duo, which is quite the swiss army knife for two channel AND MIDI, in both IOS and MACOS. Apple has become the epitome of monopoly, and why the muckrackers enacted anti-trust legislation. Their hardware is slick and sleek. It ignores the real world worries of us, not mention the terrible waste of needlessly obsolescent hardware. Nothing offends the Gods like Hubris. Mainstage, Logic, and Preview are examples of software "well done"---at the moment. I could write a long list of current apple software which is not well done, at all. But to what end? What I love about acoustic instruments: they always power on and never ask you for a password to play them. Yes, FYI, I use a Behringer XR-18, and it works flawlessly, cleanly and does way more than I actually need. I've been very pleased with it, both as an interface, and as a digital mixer for our band! P.S. I use it with Logic Pro 10, works great.

Looks like he's actually playing a digital piano "masked" in a wooden grand piano case. Anyone know what digital keyboard he's playing? Yamaha? Internal sounds? Or using it as a controller?

So, I'm seriously weighing the MODX8, strongly based upon JerryTheK's absolutely phenomenal reviews and insights. Although at some point I"ll need a gigging-weight ax (MODX8) to replace my MOXF8, I might consider the Montage for stationary use at home were it to have enough sonic difference/advantage over the MODX. It appears that the MODX has enough capability in most respects to satisfy my needs, so the Montage would have to be a noticeable (as in easily audible) improvement in sound quality (or keyboard quality/feel?) to justify the added expense and weight. Has anyone directly compared the audio quality of the Montage versus the MODX? If so, is it significant / noticeable?

Wow, "deldor". Chill, man. Just chill.

Absolutely incredibly impressive, Scott! Nice work! After seeing all the labor, equipment, materials and engineering that went into that, I'm thinking maybe $3K for a Model 3300 isn't so unreasonable after all!