The keyboard you would buy today to learn on...

[ITGITC]

Choose A or B...

 

If you were buying a piano for your living room for you or your child to learn to play, would it be:

 

A. A traditional acoustic piano (new or used)

 

B. A comparitively-priced digital piano such as this one or one like it: Kurzweil CUP120

 

Why do I ask?

 

I'm simply curious.

 

Many of us learned to play on a traditional acoustic piano, for many reasons.

 

Now, in 2016, do you think that the current offerings of digital pianos for home use are something you would consider or prefer over a traditional acoustic piano?

 

If you live on a boat, you would probably want a piano that didn't require tuning and regular maintenance in that high humidity environment. But let's not get into concerns such as this right now.

 

Luckily, I don't have to make this decision today because I'm not sure which I would choose.

 

[marino]

A good grand piano, no need to even think about it.

[Michael Wright]

A good grand piano, no need to even think about it.

[eric]

I get this question A LOT from friends, family, co-workers, etc. Anyone that knows I am a keyboard player asks me to help them decide what is best for their family, typically it is a young child wanting to start piano lessons and they do not own a piano.

 

I typically try to get an idea on budget, space considerations, and longer-term commitment to this more holistically. Some people will have no idea if it's going to last and they aren't ready to make a significant investment. So I'll typically recommend a lower-price but high quality digital piano as their "starter piano." The other extreme is the example like, "well, our 3rd grader is starting lessons, but my wife played piano up through college and we've always been meaning to get an instrument so she can get back into it..." and this is more of the use case for buying a real acoustic piano.

 

I can't seem to find the online version of it, but I wrote an article for KB Mag probably 7-8 years ago that was a comparison of 7-8 different digital pianos (that was a lot of gear to have under review at the same time)! I called the article "The Starter Piano" and it has served as an excellent resource for others. I need to make a PDF of this article to share as I think the online version aged off.

 

Getting back to this question and how I'd personally answer it - I've had a piano in my possession most of my adult life and I was lucky enough to grow up in a house where my dad was passionate about playing the piano. So clearly it is important for me to have an acoustic piano. My kids both took lessons from around 2nd grade until 11th grade, when their schedules became a bit too busy to keep taking lessons.

[CEB]

I guess it depends on the end state goals. I'm probably in the minority because I do not believe traditional piano is necessarily the best route to becoming a keyboardist. It is the route I had but somebody who comes up as a classical organist is equipped with a hell of a toolbox.

 

I would vote for a good acoustic piano or a used organ. Not a Hammond but used classical organ designed for the home. Allen or a Rodgers maybe something like a Roland C-303

[Sven Golly]

I can't seem to find the online version of it, but I wrote an article for KB Mag probably 7-8 years ago that was a comparison of 7-8 different digital pianos (that was a lot of gear to have under review at the same time)! I called the article "The Starter Piano" and it has served as an excellent resource for others. I need to make a PDF of this article to share as I think the online version aged off.

 

Wouldn't be "Svengling" if I couldn't come through on this, right?

 

Clonk here for "The Starter Piano" from June 2009's Keyboard Magazine

[Dave Ferris]

If my home or personal life had no noise constrictions, or space limitations, and I was working - not rich, but had some dough -- I would scour CL and the Piano Mart site and search for a used Yamaha C7 that I could afford. I'd seek out the latest model year, with the lowest playing hours on it.

 

If I lived were noise and space were a consideration, I would get an Avant Grand N2 or N3.

[Song80s]

Choose A or B...

 

If you were buying a piano for your living room for you or your child to learn to play, would it be:

 

A. A traditional acoustic piano (new or used)

 

B. A comparitively-priced digital piano such as this one or one like it: Kurzweil CUP120

 

Why do I ask?

 

I'm simply curious.

 

Many of us learned to play on a traditional acoustic piano, for many reasons.

 

Now, in 2016, do you think that the current offerings of digital pianos for home use are something you would consider or prefer over a traditional acoustic piano?

 

If you live on a boat, you would probably want a piano that didn't require tuning and regular maintenance in that high humidity environment. But let's not get into concerns such as this right now.

 

Luckily, I don't have to make this decision today because I'm not sure which I would choose.

 

thats like I can't decide which R(oops) candidate to not vote for

[ElmerJFudd]

Nothing wrong with coming up as a pianist. The timbre of the instrument has to speak to you and there are hundreds of years of repertoire written for the instrument in every style. Nothing wrong with coming up as an organist if that timbre speaks to you. They share much in common, but the additional manuals, stops and pedals add a coordination level that some enjoy. You'll find brilliant musicians brought up both ways - and some that enjoy it all, like we have at the KC corner.

 

A good acoustic upright. Yamaha, Kawai, Charles Walter, even a Boston if buying new - but you don't have to. Many families invest and their child doesn't continue - great deals to be had. Of course a baby grand would have a better action - but cost prohibitive unless you find a nice rebuilt oldie like a Chickering which I and several others here own.

 

Digitals, the Yamaha Avant Grand - any of the N models has the most similar action to a grand piano you will find on a digital. After that, a Kawai - CA-67 would be my pick from their line up.

[JeffLearman]

For folks looking for a piano for their kids to start learning on, I heartily recommend a Yamaha or Privia, or even a used CDP-100. They're always in tune. The action is a lot closer to a good grand piano than the spinets many of us learned on. You can get half your money back if it doesn't work out, and if it does and they end up wanting to gig or play in the garage with friends, they have a piano they can do that with (just get a heavy-duty X stand and powered speaker). Once they've learned to play, they can pick out a better piano if the budget allows it.

 

It's hard to stress what a huge difference I found between the spinet I grew up on and grand piano actions. Ugh! I'll take a digital any day over that spinet, and it was one of the better ones (Acrosonic).

 

That's my advice for others. For myself, I lucked into a 1928 Steinway M "rescue" piano and love it. (Thanks again Jimmy!) I even hauled it across the country from NC to Seattle, and I'd do it again (which theoretically makes it "totaled" since the cost of moving it twice is nearly what it cost me!) I was actually hoping to find a C3 at the time; I'm a fan of Yamaha grands.

 

On a boat or limited space, CP4 is my choice, but I'd be content with a host of others. I'd rather play whatever I have, than sit there wishing I were playing something else. As long as it's better than NE2!

 

If you haven't tried an AvanteGrand N3, do yourself a disfavor and give it a try. I was prejudiced against it, since I think stubby little faux-grand shapes are annoying. But the experience of playing it (after just having played a lovely C6) is convincing. I suspect they placed the speakers at the sample mic locations, to really capture the experience of sitting at a grand, playing it. Even though it's not their latest and greatest piano engine, it ends up sounding more realistic, thanks to the amplification built into the cabinet. This is one piano where you don't need an external PA! Plus it's nice having an actual grand piano action, one that feels a lot like my CP70, but without the crashy tone. (I loved that crashy tone, but it got old after 15 or 20 years.)

[Michael Wright]

If you live on a boat, you would probably want a piano that didn't require tuning and regular maintenance in that high humidity environment. But let's not get into concerns such as this right no.

My wife did buy me a boat piano, but all things being equal, (a red neck retirement lottery win) I would require a boat with a big enough saloon/climate control for a real instrument.

think Overboard :steve:

[eric]

I can't seem to find the online version of it, but I wrote an article for KB Mag probably 7-8 years ago that was a comparison of 7-8 different digital pianos (that was a lot of gear to have under review at the same time)! I called the article "The Starter Piano" and it has served as an excellent resource for others. I need to make a PDF of this article to share as I think the online version aged off.

 

Wouldn't be "Svengling" if I couldn't come through on this, right?

 

Clonk here for "The Starter Piano" from June 2009's Keyboard Magazine

 

Nice! Thanks! I tried Svengling this a few times (not recently) and all I had been finding was a bunch of references, but no working content. Probably user error on my part.

[The Real MC]

Depends where you live and your standard of living.

 

If you live in an apartment, DPs are more neighbor friendly because you can practice with headphones.

 

True, many acoustic pianos can be found from families whose children gave up piano lessons.

 

If at all possible, I would place the emphasis on acoustic piano. Too many DPs have action that is too stiff which can discourage development.

 

I still practice scales and Hanon. The DP is handy because I can do the rudiments and learn new music while using headphones and not bore anyone or keep them awake. Then when I play the piano, everyone can hear why all the hard work was worth it.

[Michael Wright]

Nice! Thanks! I tried Svengling this a few times (not recently) and all I had been finding was a bunch of references, but no working content. Probably user error on my part.

KC error # 007: failure to conduct all due Svenigence.

[DulceLabs.com]

My wife did buy me a boat piano,

 

Saw you out on the water last weekend.. lookin' good!

http://dc499.4shared.com/img/uHkEr9b_/s3/137546f7278/Piano_Boat-R.jpg

[Michael Wright]

I think that is a piano boat. This is more of what I had in mind.

http://www.awesomeinventions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/crn-jade-piano.jpg

[Song80s]

I think that is a piano boat. This is more of what I had in mind.

http://www.awesomeinventions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/crn-jade-piano.jpg

 

for real ? This is inside a boat ? Room has the staged look

[Synthoid]

Perhaps this is more affordable:

 

 

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5041/5288418889_551f8b8851.jpg

 

[Michael Wright]

for real ? This is inside a boat ? Room has the staged look

I have seen boats like this. Pretty sure its real, but here is an interior shot of the Aristotle Onassis yacht Christina O. http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/130703144903-piano-onassis-boat-horizontal-large-gallery.jpg

I think at this level, everything looks staged. Keep in mind the term "boat" is being used rather loosely.

[Lindaru]

All those boat pianos so that someone can play in the key of "sea".

 

I used to think acoustic was the only way to go for beginners, but not so sure any more. Times are changing. Code and computer screens are the norm for the new generations. I guess it would be up to action, price, space and versatility for whoever is wanting to take it up.

 

 

[16251]

Not trying to go OT, but those pictures of pianos on boats made me think of these type of videos.

 

[video:youtube]

[hurricane hugo]

Made me think of this:

 

http://www.todoestadelujo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/piano-de-lujo.jpg

[Tom Williams]

For a kid to learn -- especially if we hadn't yet established that the kid would stick with it -- no way I would get a grand. (I might one for myself though. If I were gonna get a grand, BTW, I'd probably look at either a used Baldwin or a mid-1980s Young Chang. I was mighty impressed by the YC grands back then. :-) )

 

Since we're putting it into the living room, I'd go for a digital with 88 semi-weighted keys, budget around $600 US.

 

If going into the child's bedroom, I'd pare it down further to a 61 note velocity sensitive thing from a big box store (under $200 US), and see how things go.

 

 

[harmonizer]

It's got to have a volume control and a headphone jack. The ability to "play whenever" is more important than getting the ultimate perfect piano keyboard action, or getting the ultimate perfect piano sound.

 

Right after college (1983), when I was sharing a rental with two other guys who had no interest in hearing me make noise on a keyboard, I bought a used Rhodes because it met three critical requirements: (1) it had a volume control, (2) would play louder or softer when I pressed harder or softer on the keys, and (3) had a tolerable sound that I could live with.

 

Today's electronic keyboards also provide the bonus of creating some decent EP and organ sounds, in addition to a decent emulation of acoustic piano. I realize this model is not a Living Room model, but I tried out a Yamaha P-115 last week, and thought it was pretty good for acoustic piano with weighted action, for $500, and it also had a consumable EP and organ sound.

[Mr. Nightime]

I grew up with a Lowrey organ to practice on. My dad installed a headphone jack so I could practice without disturbing the rest of the family.

 

So, if I had it to do all over again, I would go with an 88 note weighted action with built in speakers, and a headphone jack, that could get more than just an acoustic piano sound.

 

My biggest issue growing up was that my record player played everything sharp, making it very hard to play along with my favorite songs. While I know that with modern technology that should not be an issue, I would still want the ability to change the pitch if needed.

 

 

[Justin Havu]

A really good acoustic grand piano. Maybe imitated, but never duplicated.

[AnalogGuy1]

I had a Roland 800 in my house and tried to start my 8 year old son on it. He was somewhat interested, but mostly just plodded through his Faber lesson book for the first year. His teacher suggested I consider purchasing an acoustic, which gave me the ammunition to get spousal approval since I wanted one anyway.

 

Bought a Yamaha U1 upright "for him". He loved it, and 2 years later he's playing his first Chopin piece and 6 minute sonatinas. He sets his alarm earlier than we want him to so he can practice.

 

But if not for the fact that I wanted one, I don't think I'd have the guts to invest in an acoustic instrument for a 9 year old. And since he didn't really engage in the process until we bought the acoustic, I would have thought I made the right decision when he lost interest.

[Krakit]

I recently recommended a Casio Privia to a friend for his kids to learn on and I don't think I would change the answer for myself if I could. The action is great, it has 88 keys, it's affordable, portable and has a headphone jack. Pretty much hits on all cylinders.

 

Carl

[DanL]

These days, I'd take a good digital over a budget upright.

[ElmerJFudd]

I'm going to throw it out there, because I believe it's true from experience. I can play for hours, days, months, years on a good acoustic action without tire, discomfort, tendon issues, etc. For me, and YMMV, but for me this is not true of most digitals. I believe it's related to several issues...

 

Some digital actions don't deal with dissipation of energy properly. Impact goes back up into your wrists, arms, elbows more than it should. This could be because some bottom out hard, or it may be related to escapement and the fact you are controlling hammer swing but not actually hitting the strings yourself on acoustics, or because most digitals have inadequate amp and speakers so you play more aggressively to get the room filling sound or harmonics you expect from an acoustic, there's lots of factors. There is a technique adjustment from keyboard to keyboard - any keyboard, of course, but you need to be conscious of it. The only one that I can say plays really like an acoustic is the Yamaha Avant Grand. I've played the Kawai ES-8 and liked the action but I don't own it and haven't done a 2 hour practice session on it. And the Roland RD-800 which is also a digital action that brags escapement, but again. I've played it, but not for any good length of time.