heavy handed

[JcSr56]

As much as I would love to be able to say that I have a beautifully light classical touch to my playing, as many of you have; I am more the Jerry Lee Lewis type "pounder".

 

I have a Roland RD700GX, and my question is; are these pianos made for "rock type" heavy handed playing, or will this type playing lead to premature sensor failure,ect?

 

I don't mean to sound like I'm abusing the keyboard, because I always take care of my equipment. I'm using the term "pounder", for lack of a better visual word. I've only been playing 1 year, and my first keyboard was a Juno-G, which has synth action, so the 700gx is requiring an adjustment.

 

Thanks, and Happy New Year to all.

John

 

[AUSSIEKEYS]

you must play as you must play...roland gear has been made for gigging...you must take your chances...it is to be used and you fix it when it needs.

 

do you think you will really change your style?....no you wont

 

It is as good as any other to take the pounding...

 

but damages are a chance all gigging muso's take in the heat of the moment..even light weight players pound if the band gets too loud,if you pound at home it would be more upsetting to damage it than if at a gig,

 

I think roland is a good manufacturer who would take into account that a giiging board like this will take a pounding too...but still that doesnt mean that you may not face some reconstructional work in the future..

 

I have never had a keyboard break on me in a band situation, but I dont think I would count myself as a pounder...

[88kees]

I Never had a keyboard to break on me but; You can break the keys by planing to hard this has happen to me twice. When you break a key you will know the time to play softer.

[Mididude]

I agree with what's been posted here by others, that most keyboards nowadays are built to withstand some pressure/pounding. Like Aussiekeys said, I think we have the tendency to 'pound' when we can't hear ourself very well through our amp or the p.a. wedge, etc. One bad habit that I've unlearned (mostly) is pressing keys too hard with my right index finger; I've actually found my finger bleeding in the fingernail area before; talk about nervousness (or something). Anyway nowadays I'll catch myself before I start doing some fidgety bad habit like that which really results in poor playing on my part if I do it. I'm thankful that my technique has improved over the years and I can play 'softer' while being at a moderate volume (yes, good monitoring is sooo important). One thing I like about this forum is it's a great source for advice on how to do minor repairs yourself (or of course, take to a tech if you like) in case something *does* go wrong. For example think there's one key on my Kurz K2vx that might be developing a sensing issue. Every once in awhile a note will trigger at full velocity; I think it's an F# toward the upper range of the keyboard. But that's only happened after I owned it for what, 12 years or so? I'd say that's not only acceptable, but perhaps exceptional durability considering how long I've owned it and how much I've gigged out with it over the years. I don't own any Roland keyboards but they have a good reputation overall from what I've heard, as do Yamaha. I'm guessing the 88-key keyboards can take a 'pounding' even better than 61 key ones. I have a Yamaha S-08 (ok, no jokes from the peanut gallery about the limited sound engine; I already know) and that thing is definitely built like a tank, as they say. I'm not gear-hating but I would 'baby' M-audio controller keyboards; I have first-hand experience with keys needing repair after very minimal/regular playing, and faders coming off out of nowhere. 'You get what you pay for' often is true.

[JcSr56]

Thanks guys. I guess after reading your posts, I'm not "pounding" as hard as I thought I was. I think I'm just finally (after a year) becoming more aware of my playing technique.

 

Not that I'm a veteran player now(that's a funny one), but that I'm just more familiar with the touch, as opposed to just having to fully concentrate on which keys to depress, just to play the song. After being just a guitar player for 47 years,

I'm so grateful to have been drawn to the keyboard. Thanks again.

 

John Sr.

[BluesKeys]

I can only vouch for my Roland RD700. As a fellow pounder I have broken the plastic tray (octive trays) that the key mounts to. I have replaced several of these on two occasions. Not terribly hard to do and makes the keyboard new again. I have had this board for close to 7 years now and for me this has been very sturdy.

[clpete]

Ive been banging on Roland keys for 25 years. The only problem Ive had is with the older rubber key contacts. I had one of them rip on the E above middle C on a RD200. I also used to have to regularly pull out those older rubber contacts and clean the contact board, but my RD700 has worked flawlessly for the past 7 plus years.

 

I had a Wurlitzer 200A piano and was always replacing the reeds or tuning it due to pounding on it. I also had some pounding related problems with a Ensoniq KT76 keybed.

 

I have toned down how hard I play over the years, but every once in a while I get into a solo and pound. I hope my XK-1 is built as well as the Roland because we had the dance floor packed on NYE playing Them Changes so the band leader kept the song going and going and going. By the time I played the 3rd solo I was hitting the keys hard.

 

 

[David Loving]

pound away. you won't hurt your Roland.