How much is your playing affected by the keyboard's action? (Mostly piano)

[Rod S]

In my case, quite a bit sometimes.

 

I noticed that if the action is significantly stiffer, I loose my time and the dynamics don't sound right.

 

I've been thinking about this a lot, since I have to play next Tuesday and I have no idea what the piano is like. There's a piano in my music school that has a very stiff action, I'm going try to practice more on that to see if I build some strength.

 

I'm been trying to vary where I play since I it seems I was getting to 'used to' the pc88mx, whereas I had trouble playing in other keyboards. Anybody has ever noticed that? Does it even make sense?

[Rick K.]

I totally notice the difference. I went to weighted action about a year and a half ago. I can't imagine going back. The instrument is so much more 'real' now. The expressiveness and timing for me is definately better. I have a Roland D50 that is permanently set up in our rehersal room. I can honestly say that I don't play on that board nearly as well as I play on the weighted action. Maybe a comfort and confidence thing--I don't know. I still prefer 'organ' or semi weighted action for the top board. Lots easier to get a funky organ thing going.

 

Rick

[Dave Pierce]

It makes a huge difference to me.

 

When I'm playing piano-style stuff, acoustic or electric, I really need the feel of weighted keys to get into my groove. It's so much easier to smoothly recover from and hide mistakes and miskeys with weighted keys. I don't know why, it just is.

 

On the other hand, playing organ-style is next to impossible for me with weighted keys. I really get into a rhythmic, fast-fingering style on the organ, and I simply can't do it fast enough on a keybed that feels like a piano. Same for synth lead work.

 

That's why the Nord Electro really wouldn't work for me, although it sounds great. I need the different keybeds to cover my different styles.

 

--Dave

[Steve LeBlanc]

I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't allow the action to effect me...I mentally block that from happening for the most part, however, the sound of the keyboard completely alters my playing style/ability....I can't seem to keep this from effecting me...mostly in a bad way.

[RABid]

A LOT. My biggest frustration as a kid taking lessons was the slow, sticky action of the Wurlitzer console piano we had. Whenever I visit my parents and sit at that piano I am reminded of how much I hate that piano. My parents are always surprised when I tell them to sell the Wurlitzer and use the money to have their 100+ year old Boston high back piano refurbished. They consider new to be better.

 

Robert

[Byrdman]

Originally posted by Rod CA:

In my case, quite a bit sometimes.

 

I noticed that if the action is significantly stiffer, I loose my time and the dynamics don't sound right.

 

I don't mind heavy actions, although they are tiring. That's not to say that given the choice I won't choose the easier action.

 

The one's I hate are the really short actions - ie, with not much depth on the notes.

 

I find it real hard to play piano on an unweighted keyboard. I find playing the action on the Hammond (just a home H100) fine but the unweighted top board (an S03) I use when gigging is not nearly as nice.

 

I would be interested in advice on that - what should I look for for a top board. One of the problems with the S03 is false triggering if you brush a note accidentally - the switch points seem to be real high in the action. At the time it seemed perfect for what I needed, but I kind of regret this purchase now.

[Rod S]

Originally posted by Byrdman:

I would be interested in advice on that - what should I look for for a top board. One of the problems with the S03 is false triggering if you brush a note accidentally - the switch points seem to be real high in the action. At the time it seemed perfect for what I needed, but I kind of regret this purchase now.

It's probably the same keybed as my cs6x - horrible.

 

The one in the MOTIF6 feels much better, from my brief encounter with one. Probably the same one as in the Triton 61, which I remember liking as well.

 

One of the favorite unweighted keybeds I played recently - A DX7IIFD. Too bad I was close to leaving the US and couldn't really afford to pay for shipping of one more board. Why in the world my cs6x has a *worse* keybed I don't know. Cost probably. I remember the kx76 having a good keybed as well - but it's been a while.

 

My alesis qs6 had a very nice keybed. They did have little wooden weights under the plastic keys which made them feel heavier and stiffer than your standard unweighted (I guess they called it semiweighted).

 

I think there was a thread about this a long time ago - best and worst keybeds. That may help your search.

[Rod S]

Originally posted by Steve LeBlanc:

I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't allow the action to effect me...I mentally block that from happening for the most part, however, the sound of the keyboard completely alters my playing style/ability....I can't seem to keep this from effecting me...mostly in a bad way.

I agree. Another problem for me. My music school has 4 pianos, and due to room acoustics and other influences they all sound a little weird. It always ends up distracting me more than I would like.

[Rod S]

It seems the general consensus is unweighted keybeds are a no-no for piano playing. I'm trying to 'teach myself' to play piano on the cs6x, so I can use it as my only board for gigs, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. I hate it

 

Playing a balanced keybed in a nice sounding piano is always going to stimulate playing better - I wish it wouldn't affect my playing as much as it does, though.

 

I'm starting to feel a bit better now. I'm glad to know I'm not alone in these problems. May we should call this KPA - keyboard players anonymous

[mooghead]

The only things I can't play on sinth weighted keys are organ licks...then hammer action for everything else: I simply play better on hammer action, I'm more inspired...the problem is you can't gig with 3-4 88 hammer actions keyboards, so I got one for piano and the others are sinth weighted...

[Slowly]

Originally posted by Rod CA:

In my case, quite a bit sometimes.

 

I noticed that if the action is significantly stiffer, I loose my time and the dynamics don't sound right.

 

I've been thinking about this a lot, since I have to play next Tuesday and I have no idea what the piano is like. There's a piano in my music school that has a very stiff action, I'm going try to practice more on that to see if I build some strength.

 

I'm been trying to vary where I play since I it seems I was getting to 'used to' the pc88mx, whereas I had trouble playing in other keyboards. Anybody has ever noticed that? Does it even make sense?

After playing a Yamaha synth for about three years and then a Hammond synth for two. A piano feels like I`m pushing bricks. I have no speed or anything. Kcbass

[Wewus432]

A lot of times pianos that feel stiff or hard to play are just out of regulation. Action regulation is neglected on just about every piano I've seen. For example look at the hammers on a grand as you gently but firmly push a key. If the action is regulated correctly the hammer should come up and almost kiss the string, before it falls back. If it doesn't, which is often the case, then you're losing part of the energy you put into playing that key,(hammer stroke) so you push harder on the key but get less sound from that note.

[marino]

I've played all sort of actions (I started on piano and organ at the same time) so I'm ready to do the most impossible things!.. even if I don't like to

 

Case in point: With the group Indaco, I tour with an expanded XP-80 as my sole keyboard, plus a couple of modules. We have only one song in the set that requires "pianistic" playing, including a long improvised solo. I wouldn't be practical to bring a weighted keyboard for that one song, so I learned to play "pianistically" on those shitty synth keys (I use a Micropiano for the sound).

Of course, it's a pain. You have to play safer, exaggerating the dynamics, and generally it just doesn't feel right. Changing velocity curves doesn't help either - you just have to have the right throw of the lever under your fingers.

For most other sounds, it doesn't matter: I'm used to play on every sort of keybed. And I don't do lots of organ smears...

Oh yeah, drums. I MUCH prefer weighted keys for percussive sounds.

 

Carlo