daBowsa Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 So I've got a new, 3 month old daughter in the house. I think its important that there's a piano in the house for me or the wife to just sit down and bang away on. I want my daughter to have that experience of music in the house - so as she starts to get bigger, she can bang on the keys as well. I have my keyboards set up in my practice space, and no matter how simple I make it, my wife never gets the hang of turning on this keyboard, that amp, this module and pushing this preset. I'm about to pick up a P-120 for the living room for Chistmas - it will be a mostly permanent fixture, I'm going to buy the stand that comes with it. I don't really have a lot of room, but as I'm looking at prices of used real pianos and as simple as the P120 is to use, I'm wondering if I should buy a piece of furniture instead that doesn't even require the push of an "On" button. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 The only reason I would go digital is being in an apartment where the noise is a factor. Remember, a digital piano is like any other synth. In 10 year service becomes a problem. I have a 100+ year old piano sittng at my parents house that still works great and is easily serviced. I much prefer playing it over the electronic solution I have in my apartment. Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 There are a few other reasons besides the sound thing... 1) Never needs tuning - save $$. 2) Other sounds besides piano - helps to keep a child interested if they can try pieces with a variety sounds. 3) Space/portability - a P120 will be easier to move, and you can be more flexible about where it goes. Plus, if you need to put it away for any reason, you have the ability to do so. 4) if you want to to a quick piano-only gig, you throw it in your car and off you go. Yeah, of course a real piano is likely to sound better and feel better; however, these days the digital pianos are getting quite a bit closer... dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phait Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Everything good has pretty much been said but if you're still indecisive I'd say write a list of pros and cons, compare and choose. Dave - I thought you were a Raiders fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Rhythm Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 I have the spinit that I played on as a kid, but it just costs too much to keep repaired and tuned. That is the downside of a used piano. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJDM Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 I would go with the acoustic. We had one in the house when I was a kid and I had one here for a while at the house. Nothing beats the sensation of sitting in front of a piano and playing real strings. The warmth, immediacy and vacillating harmonics are all well worth the size/space issues IMHO. Good luck whichever way you go. - DJDM DJDM.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 I cannot see the upkeep of an acoustic piano being any more than the upkeep of a digital piano. Tuning and new felt is much easier and cheaper than key contacts and a new power supply. And of course there is depreciation. In 10 years that digital piano is close to worthless. A used acoustic piano can be sold for about the same amount you paid in the first place. Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamis Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 I agree with the others who are pro on the acoustic piano. The digital will depreciate while the acoustic is probably an investment. Yamis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Originally posted by Phait: Dave - I thought you were a Raiders fan I am. I'm a Philly fan too, since it's my home town. This isn't a recent development - it's a well-known fact in the football thread. ...and now, back to your regularly scheduled piano thread... dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Horne Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 My two cents ... go with a digital piano. Headphones are a blessing when you have two activities in the same room. I traded in my six foot Yamaha for their GranTouch 1, a hybrid piano. I've got the best of both worlds - a real grand piano action, but with the benefit of an excellent grand piano sample. My piano is always in tune. I just spent about $180 for an electronic repair for the GT1. I could have replaced the part myself for about $70 or so. Next time I will. When I owned my acoustic piano, just one note slightly out of tune would drive me batty. Everything's a trade off, right? Good luck whatever you decide! No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message. In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Originally posted by Rabid: I cannot see the upkeep of an acoustic piano being any more than the upkeep of a digital piano. Tuning and new felt is much easier and cheaper than key contacts and a new power supply. I have my acoustic piano tuned every year. I've only replaced the key contacts on one of my synths (MiniMoog), and I've never had to get a new power supply for any of them. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petros Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Tuning is $120 now days. Regulation is $300 and up. Strings and hammers cost more than the piano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daBowsa Posted December 8, 2003 Author Share Posted December 8, 2003 petros, what do you think about the p120's stand? i'm trying to avoid an x-type but is the custom stand the way to go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucasdopandeiro Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 if you practice and study on a piano, you will learn how to play the piano. if you practice and study on a P120, you will learn how to play the P120. lucas reis rio de janeiro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcohol_ Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 It's so much easier to make music with real strings and a real damper pedal. The sound of a piano soundboard can never be duplicated by a loudspeaker. If playing the piano is to be a pleasure, why sacrifice that pleasure with the sound coming out of loudspeakers or a set of headphones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmoron13 Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 dave, can we say: "fair weather fan?" As far as a real piano vs a digital one, i'd definitely go with the accoustic. All the pro's of a digital are null and void if you don't move it. Sure, playing a digital is nice for noise issues, but your child is probably gonna be put off by having to turn on a piano, strap on headphones, adjust levels...As for touch, I don't think we can compare them. There just isn't a comparisson...yet. And as you said, if you're not moving it, what's the point? You can probably find a good used for 1-2k if you look around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timobrien Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 Depends a lot on the climate where you live.... Here in South Florida, the constantly changing humidity sucks the life out of pianos (even in homes with decent air conditioning). Tuning service calls are going to run you several hundred a year. Digital pianos/keyboars never need tuning, won't be affected by climate, can have LOTS of other sounds and in 5-7 years you'll want a new instrument anyway (and NOBODY gets enough off an old well-used piano to recoup an "investment" unless you've spent over $5K or more...) Start with a moderately priced keyboard and if you enjoy it, upgrade from there.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 Originally posted by schmoron13: dave, can we say: "fair weather fan?" You can, but it would be inaccurate. I'm a Raiders fan to the death. Same with my home town Eagles. The difference is that the Raiders are done for the season, and the Eagles are not. Please feel free to bring this discussion over to the football thread, so I don't have to keep putting this thread back on topic. Thanks! dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petros Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 The P120 furniture stand is good, it gives you a lot of leg room and it looks good. By the way, the P250 is far superior to the P120. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alby Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 Acoustic vs Digital. The best test is the test of time. I have had a digital piano for many years and conned myself into thinking that it was just as good as an Acoustic Piano. And, of course the Digitals are getting better all the time. However, after a while I got sick of playing the Digital Piano, even with all the different sounds. I have now an acoustic piano, (for over 2 years) and I never, never get sick of playing it. In the long term, you are better off with a good acoustic piano. my 2 cents good luck Alby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MurMan Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 Some of the replies here mention tuning as a big negative for acoustic pianos. Here's my two cents on tuning: I had my 1966 Kawai model 650 6'8" grand partially restored (new hammers and bass strings)last year. It had spent 20 years in a church. Now that everything has stabilized, I'm on a six-month re-tune schedule. I play every day and bad notes drive me crazy. The Kawai is solid, but small tuning problems show up every few weeks. My piano tech encouraged me to get a tuning hammer and do minor tuning myself. (Says that most of his serious customers do touch-up tuning) So I got a basic kit for $60. It takes a little practice to get the technique, but it's well worth it. If you've got a good tech, you can get him/her to teach you. Most of my tuning problems are one string in a unison going flat. The symptom isn't a flat-sounding note, it's that the note doesn't sound sweet (low volume, decays quickly, has buzzes/beats, etc.) Now that I've got my ear trained to recognize minor tuning problems, I can rip off the music desk and fix a note in a minute or two. The results are wonderful. My musician friends always rave about the how my piano sounds. Casio PX-5S, Korg Kronos 61, Omnisphere 2, Ableton Live, LaunchKey 25, 2M cables Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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