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Why doesn�t Keyboard magazine review real pianos?


RABid

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Im surprised Keyboard Magazine never reviews pianos. Most every keyboard player wants a real piano at some point. We all get questions from family, friends and coworkers who want to buy their first piano. The range of price, quality and value available is overwhelming. Some guidance from our favorite magazine involving keyboards would be helpful.

This post edited for speling.

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Im surprised Keyboard Magazine never reviews pianos. Most every keyboard player wants a real piano at some point. We all get questions from family, friends and coworkers who want to buy their first piano. The range of price, quality and value available is overwhelming. Some guidance from our favorite magazine involving keyboards would be helpful.

 

Maybe they consider it too broad a topic, but I wouldn't mind seeing it treated even in a general way. The mag also seems to omit classical players, e.g. Van Cliburn competition never got a mention to my knowledge. :cool:

Regards,

Joe

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First laugh of the day. Thanks!

 

 

No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message.

 

In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments.

 

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Piano has been a sovereign entity since seceding from keyboards back in the early 80s.

 

Ever since gaining popularity, keyboards have been extending olive branches to piano in the form of imitation. To date, it has been a lukewarm affair. :cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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Nothing a visit to a local piano shop couldn't solve. Give the shop a quick plug in the magazine, and I bet they'd let the editors sit in there all day playing the different models to their hearts content.....

 

Noah

 

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Yeah, look how Steve and Tom Brislin struggled manfully with the V Piano - think they would need to enlist Jordan Rudess too to get anything heavier up the stairs!

Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37

Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D

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Nothing a visit to a local piano shop couldn't solve. Give the shop a quick plug in the magazine, and I bet they'd let the editors sit in there all day playing the different models to their hearts content.....

 

Noah

Bingo.

 

They could have pianist(s) from every genre come through and play. That would be a really nice mag issue. :cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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I don't think they have the knowledge base.

 

Ouch!

 

 

"It is a danger to create something and risk rejection. It is a greater danger to create nothing and allow mediocrity to rule."

"You owe it to us all to get on with what you're good at." W.H. Auden

 

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Steinway D review

by Stephen Fortner

 

Pros

Killer piano sound

Incredibly responsive action that feels just like a real piano

No audible sampling artifacts

 

Cons

Only one sound

No touchscreen

No editing capabilities

No arpeggiator

Expensive

Heavy

 

 

"Key Buy" Award

 

:D

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I wanna see accordion reviews too.

 

:snax:

 

Lines must be drawn. :)

No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message.

 

In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments.

 

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Steinway D review

by Stephen Fortner

 

Pros

Killer piano sound

Incredibly responsive action that feels just like a real piano

No audible sampling artifacts

 

Cons

Only one sound

No touchscreen

No editing capabilities

No arpeggiator

Expensive

Heavy

Only available as an 88-key model.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

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Well for one thing, it might be a little harder to take delivery of review units. ;)

 

Best,

 

Geoff

 

... and you could not base an opinion on just one Steinway; you'd have to play ten Steinway's of the same exact model and then pick the two or three that are the ... good ones.

No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message.

 

In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments.

 

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I don't think they have the knowledge base.

 

In a sense, that's correct. Most if not all of the reviewers are guys that came up in "bands", not pianists, Classical or Jazz people who have spent their whole life just studying the instrument. It's just not their area of expertise.

 

Also the reviews would be highly subjective to one's taste and style of music played. Most Classical folks hate Yamahas and Kawais--too bright. A lot of Rock/Pop people think Steinways are too stiff and don't cut in a track. Some Jazz guys like myself feel the Bosendorfers, while probably having the best build quality in the world in addition to that beautiful, unique singing tone, would not be their first choice.

 

I also think the price point is so out of reach for the average Keyboard reader. I'm pricing the Yamaha C3 for a friend's daughter who's getting a bit more serious in her Classical studies and I'm getting a price of around 25-29K + Ca. tax for a new model.

 

The Nord Stage seems like a steal comparatively.

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To be fair, "action" would imply a whole lot more than the mechanicals present in a DP. The bits that are usually left inside one of those might reasonably referred to as the "keybed", even by a piano tech.

Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37

Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D

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Steinway D review

by Stephen Fortner

 

Pros

Killer piano sound

Incredibly responsive action that feels just like a real piano

No audible sampling artifacts

 

Cons

Only one sound

No touchscreen

No editing capabilities

No arpeggiator

Expensive

Heavy

Only available as an 88-key model.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

 

No MIDI Out. :laugh:

 

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