Casio Privia PX 3 - Any other owners out there?

[Bob L]

I recently purchased a Casio Privia PX 3. I play in a classic rock/blues cover band (Stevie Ray Vaughn, Santana, Doobies, etc.). Wondering if anyone else has purchased one and if so, what are their favorite patches and DSP effects. Also any tips on leveraging the on board EQ to get the best out of it.

 

I have a vintage CX3 I use for Hammond sounds so this is mostly for piano/strings/etc.

 

The Privia is a good keyboard for the price but wondering who else out there is using one and what they do to get the most out of it.

[Dana.]

Have you searched the forum?

[Bob L]

I did. Some post regarding weight but no advice from the trenches...

[timwat]

I figure he hasn't searched yet as he's only two posts deep. Welcome to the forum, Bob. I bought a PX3 when it first came out - great gig and practice board, I like the action a lot, and it has surprisingly good piano sounds for the price. Like any digital piano, quality amplification makes more difference here than in less-demanding applications (e.g., rhodes and B3 will be more "passable" with crappy speakers than piano).

 

It's not just EQ, although EQ is a big piece of it. Use what passes for a KB combo amp and you can't EQ a turd. Use quality amplification that isn't brittle or "juiced" and you'll get the most out of the PX3 piano. That PX3 piano isn't perfect, but in most band settings its samples won't be the weak link in your piano sim...it'll either be your amplification, EQ or playing.

 

I never relied much on the onboard DSP. After playing around and creating my preferred settings, I found getting the downstream settings right for the room yielded far more benefits.

[Dana.]

I did. Some post regarding weight but no advice from the trenches...

That's odd considering all the posts about it. Anyway, Sven should be along any minute now to help you with the search function.

[Sven Golly]

I did. Some post regarding weight but no advice from the trenches...

That's odd considering all the posts about it. Anyway, Sven should be along any minute now to help you with the search function.

 

Nah, I don't want to get Mogut's knickers in a knot... I was actually going to recommend that the O.P. set his Roland KC-150 on fire and get something better as the quickest, easiest way to improve the sound he's hearing from the PX-3.

[Polkahero]

I'm open to any discussion on this board as well. I wonder if this would be a better option for me than lugging around my 60 lb. Alesis QS8 and Kurz PC2R module seeing as this board only weighs around 24 lbs. I only keep the Alesis for it's great pipe organ patches for my church gig, but I'm thinking of getting a Hammond SK1 down the road for both Hammond and pipe organ sounds. I still need an 88-note weighted board for acoustic piano that fits into the back seat of my car. This Casio would fit the bill, but how decent are the acoustic piano/string sounds? Wonder how they compare to the other internal sounds of the SK1?

[AnotherScott]

I wonder if this would be a better option for me than lugging around my 60 lb. Alesis QS8 and Kurz PC2R module seeing as this board only weighs around 24 lbs. I only keep the Alesis for it's great pipe organ patches for my church gig, but I'm thinking of getting a Hammond SK1 down the road for both Hammond and pipe organ sounds. I still need an 88-note weighted board for acoustic piano that fits into the back seat of my car. This Casio would fit the bill, but how decent are the acoustic piano/string sounds?

For the best sound in your situation, I would use the PX3 to drive the PC2R. Light, compact, and all the sounds will be at least as good as what you have now (except pipe organ, which you'd eventually address with the SK1). Personally, I like the Kurz pianos better than the PX3, but others may feel differently.

[Dana.]

I was actually going to recommend that the O.P. set his Roland KC-150 on fire and get something better as the quickest, easiest way to improve the sound he's hearing from the PX-3.

I neglected to add that you would also offer an official welcome. Obviously, this qualifies.

[allan_evett]

The PX-3 is a great alternative to carting a larger, heavier 'high end' 88. Will definitely help tonight when I play on a rather tight stage.

In a band mix you'll likely notice little difference, the audience none (unless they're an audience of CP1 players ;-) .... ). For some tunes I prefer the sound of the PX-3 to my other available piano tones. Both the basic Grand Piano, and Mono Grand have a certain punch, plus richness; that's partly the result of the Steinway sample, which is refreshing change of pace from the Japanese piano samples I'm used to. Plus the internal/external layering/splitting, and controller options are very useful. The pad / string tones are more than capable for layering with the piano; sounds pretty rich, and full for a compact, 'budget friendly' 88.

Regarding the OP's programming questions, I've found that you just have to spend some time with it, trying what is suggested in the manual, getting used the interface, etc.. Mike Martin from Casio hangs out here, and has posted about the PX-3 previously. So there are plenty of resources when you have additional questions.

[Sven Golly]

I was actually going to recommend that the O.P. set his Roland KC-150 on fire and get something better as the quickest, easiest way to improve the sound he's hearing from the PX-3.

I neglected to add that you would also offer an official welcome. Obviously, this qualifies.

 

Indubitably!

[Joe Muscara]

I think it's a really good board. I think B3-er posted a tweak to the Wurly (60s EP, I believe) that he uses, but my search skills for that particular post are not up to snuff if it was a post.

 

I had fun a while back "doubling" my Electro Rack, where I had the same patch set up in the slot on the PX-3 as the Electro, so I could use either one in a pinch. (Actually, I run the Electro out into the PX-3, and use the volume knobs on each to control which one you hear. With this set up, if I forget to turn those two knobs, I'm still good.)

 

I also set one of the assignable buttons to control Leslie speed on the Electro. I did that because of the way the pedals work and transmit over MIDI. If I plug sustain into the PX-3, it wasn't switching Leslie speed on the Electro. I think it didn't work right the other way, either to sustain on the PX-3. It was just easier to set a button to do it.

[Polkahero]

I wonder if this would be a better option for me than lugging around my 60 lb. Alesis QS8 and Kurz PC2R module seeing as this board only weighs around 24 lbs. I only keep the Alesis for it's great pipe organ patches for my church gig, but I'm thinking of getting a Hammond SK1 down the road for both Hammond and pipe organ sounds. I still need an 88-note weighted board for acoustic piano that fits into the back seat of my car. This Casio would fit the bill, but how decent are the acoustic piano/string sounds?

For the best sound in your situation, I would use the PX3 to drive the PC2R. Light, compact, and all the sounds will be at least as good as what you have now (except pipe organ, which you'd eventually address with the SK1). Personally, I like the Kurz pianos better than the PX3, but others may feel differently.

 

What about the Yamaha MM8? Not much more money and only 34 lbs.

[VegasGT3]

I used the piano for a large outdoor gig and it sounded fantastic. The Wurly was passable as was the organ, Set up and tear down was seconds, great for festivals.

[AnotherScott]

For the best sound in your situation, I would use the PX3 to drive the PC2R. Light, compact, and all the sounds will be at least as good as what you have now (except pipe organ, which you'd eventually address with the SK1). Personally, I like the Kurz pianos better than the PX3, but others may feel differently.

 

What about the Yamaha MM8? Not much more money and only 34 lbs.

34 lbs is a lot more than 24 lbs. Also, it doesn't have the MIDI controller functionality of the PX3, it would not be nearly as good for driving the PC2R (and, if I remember correctly, the MM8 piano itself is pretty bad). Now, the MOX8 would be a great choice, but you're still up at 32.6 lbs, and double the price of a PX3.

[Polkahero]

For the best sound in your situation, I would use the PX3 to drive the PC2R. Light, compact, and all the sounds will be at least as good as what you have now (except pipe organ, which you'd eventually address with the SK1). Personally, I like the Kurz pianos better than the PX3, but others may feel differently.

 

34 lbs is a lot more than 24 lbs. Also, it doesn't have the MIDI controller functionality of the PX3, it would not be nearly as good for driving the PC2R (and, if I remember correctly, the MM8 piano itself is pretty bad). Now, the MOX8 would be a great choice, but you're still up at 32.6 lbs, and double the price of a PX3.

 

 

Yeah, I was looking at the 32-note polyphony of the MM8 and was skeptical about that. I'm really trying to avoid hauling the PC2R around as well. The MOX8 is a little out of my price range, especially if I'm going to be purchasing an SK1 down the road. What about the Yamaha P-155B or CP33 which are both a grand? I know they both weigh around 40 lbs. but that would still be lighter than my Alesis tank.

[AnotherScott]

If weight isn't that much of an issue (nor the price difference), yes, I'd take the CP33 over the PX3 pretty all the way around. It's even a better MIDI controller for the PC2R if you ever do want to add that as well. But it really is noticeably heavier, which was, in fact, the reason I didn't get it. (Edit: also, the CP33 doesn't have nearly the range of sounds that a PX3 does.)

[Bob L]

I appreciate everyone's post. The Kurz PC2R might be worth exploring down the road. My keyboard amp is used as a monitor when I gig so another take away for me is more attention to downstream EQ at soundchecks!

[AnotherScott]

The Kurz PC2R might be worth exploring down the road.

The focus on the PC2R was because it was already part of polkahero's rig. If you decide you want to expand your the PX-3's sonic palette with a module, the PC2R is just one of numerous possibilities, and the nice thing about the PX-3 is that it's designed to allow you to easily integrate external sounds with its own.

[Polkahero]

If weight isn't that much of an issue (nor the price difference), yes, I'd take the CP33 over the PX3 pretty all the way around. It's even a better MIDI controller for the PC2R if you ever do want to add that as well. But it really is noticeably heavier, which was, in fact, the reason I didn't get it. (Edit: also, the CP33 doesn't have nearly the range of sounds that a PX3 does.)

 

Thanks for your input, Scott. I don't have much of a problem hauling a 40 lb. board (my QS7 was close and it wasn't bad). I just need bread and butter sounds (acoustic piano, strings, rhodes, wurly, tonewheel organ, and pipe organ), seems like the SK1 could deliver what the CP33 would lack. Plus it's only an inch longer than my QS8 so it should fit in my SKB ATA 76-note keyboard case which just fits into the back seat of my car. Now it's just a matter of getting funds for both. . .