Which range should most 73/76-key keyboards have? Key action? (Poll)

[Kyubiwan]

I prefer a C1-C7 (73) or A0-C7 (76) - with weighted keys.

[Chummy]

Seems like I'm with the majority, C1-C7 / A0-C7 as well, semi weighted personally but I wouldn't mind weighted as I always enjoy weighted more - less so carrying it though

[SteveCoscia]

Didn't we do a similar 73/76 key poll a few years ago?  My preference was 76 - E to G (I think).

[AnotherScott]

I'm not voting in the poll because it requires answering all questions. That said...

 

73 C-to-C. 

 

76 - I'd prefer they stuck with 73 as above. I always want the C on top (especially if it's a board I will be playing organ on), and I'd rather have a smaller/lighter board than 3 more keys below the low C. 

 

 

[BenWaB3]

My preference would be for one not listed here - or AFAIK, not even made - 77 - C1-E7.

[AnotherScott]

2 hours ago, BenWaB3 said:

My preference would be for one not listed here - or AFAIK, not even made - 77 - C1-E7.

 For a non-organ board, that would be a nice option too... outside of organ use, I'd prefer that over either OP option. E1 to G7 is okay, but adding a few extra notes below that low E would be more useful to me than having those few notes above the high E.

[stoken6]

I can't answer the action question - mainly because I want a piano-action board and an organ-action board as a pair. And also because I don't really understand what "semi-weighted" means. It's not a criticism of the OP, but of manufacturers' marketing departments. 

 

I'm sure someone will tell me that manufacturers add weights to the underside of the keys to make them heavier. OK, so how much weight makes "semi-weighted"? What if the keys are heavy to start with? In my book there are two types of action: spring-return and gravity-return. Each can have a range of weight, and indeed a range of quality (TP100 I'm looking at you).

 

Cheers, Mike.

[AnotherScott]

1 hour ago, stoken6 said:

I'm sure someone will tell me that manufacturers add weights to the underside of the keys to make them heavier. OK, so how much weight makes "semi-weighted"?

Any. 🙂

 

1 hour ago, stoken6 said:

What if the keys are heavy to start with?

The weights of plain plastic keys don't vary much. But also, it's not just the amount of weight, but where it is distributed. AFAIK, the "added" weights (to turn an unweighted action into a semiweighted one) are always placed toward the front of the key.

 

1 hour ago, stoken6 said:

In my book there are two types of action: spring-return and gravity-return.

I get what you're saying, but just to add a bit more detail to the discussion of variations... "gravity-return" (hammer action) boards can also have springs (I know for example that the Korg RH3 has a leaf spring under each key)... and some "spring-return" boards have no actual "springs" at all (just tension from a plastic hinge).

 

My "two categories" would be actions with hammers (meaning a mechanism that is "thrown" by the key but not physically directly attached to it) and ones without. The latter category can be further divided into ones with added weight physically attached to the key and ones without. And then Yamaha has another variation where they make unweighted keys feel "heavier" not by adding weight to the keys, but by having the keys hit contacts that have more or less resistance to them. That's how they create the "graded" unweighted action of the 76-key Piaggeros.

[Kyubiwan]

I think 73 (C1-C7) and 76 (A0-C7) can be beneficial/useful when playing some of Beethoven's works:

• Piano Sonata No. 7 in D: D1-F#6
• Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor "Pathetique": [C1]-F1-F6
• Piano Sonata No. 14 in C# minor "Moonlight": [C#1]-E#1-E6
• Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor "Tempest": [C1]-E1-F6
• Piano Sonata No. 21 in C "Waldstein": [C1]-E1-A6
• Piano Sonata No. 22 in F: D1-F6
• Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor "Appassionata": [C1]-F1-C7
• Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor: E1-C7
• Piano Sonata No. 29 in Bb "Hammerklavier", 4th movement only: Bb0 (NOT playable if the lowest note is C1) - C7
• Piano Sonata No. 31 in Ab: C1-C7
• Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor: C1-C7 (Note)
• Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Piano part: C1-C7
• Eroica Variations: Eb1-F6
• Diabelli Variations: C1-C7
• Violin Sonata No. 5 in F "Spring", Piano part: F1-G6
• Violin Sonata No. 9 in A minor "Kreutzer", Piano part: D1-F6
• etc.

[Kyubiwan]

Of course, there are a handful of his works that require notes above C7. Examples:

• Piano Sonata No. 26 in Eb "Les Adieux": [Eb1]-E1-F7
• Piano Sonata No. 28 in A: [A0]-E1-E7
• Piano Sonata No. 29 in Bb "Hammerklavier", full piece: Bb0-F7
• Piano Sonata No. 30 in E: [B0]-D#1-C#7
• Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor: C1-Eb7
• Piano Concerto No. 5 in Eb "Emperor", Piano part: Eb1-G7