Just got my Yamaha CP33!!!!!!!

[sudeep]

Wohooooo..i was like a little kid at Xmas...got home and played it for hours, it was absolutely fantastic. i have been hesitating about buying a fully weighted digital piano for almost two years (since i moved to London).

 

Anyway...heres the bad side...after playing on a Roland XP80 for 2 years...my technique has gone to shit!!! the CP33 is quite a heavy board (action i mean).

 

Any tips...for recapturing my strength and technique? Is Hannon still the one, or can anyone suggest anything thats out there?

 

thanks

[Legatoboy]

Hannon is not always the best exercise because it's so repetitive......

 

If you do do it, of course play them in all keys...SLOWLY

 

Just do scales, in both hands, hands seperate first in all keys with a metronome at like 60-66 in quater notes to start. (Major Scales)

 

Then maybe alittle easier classical like something from the Anna Magdelina Bach book or the Inventions if you know any classical music.

 

Then Chord throws , all keys up and down

maj 7's and Dom 7's to start or jusy major triads with a metronome very slow (55).

 

THEN maybe alittle Hannon ( all keys)

 

You should mix it up! Does have to be this exactly, this is just and example...

 

your better off playing/reading music (classical/whatever) than Hannon most times though I recommend alittle Hannon also!

 

lb

[Legatoboy]

Clarification:

 

"Then Chord throws" - do these chromatically in all keys, in all inversions for triads(maj, min, dim and Aug) and then extended voicings- Maj7, Maj6, Min 7, Min6, Min7 b5, Dim and Aug7th Chords.

 

Without a metronome first then very slow with (44). When doing this w/metronome try to hold the chord till the very last nano second before

"throwing it" to the next chromatic version of the chord. Work on smoothness and seemlessness (your legato) when modulating the chord throws.

 

This will help your chords on a weighted action keybord, give yourself an openended period of time to accomplish this (2 years+).... when I was a kid I played B3 out mostly and an old RMI electric piano (synth action) and came from an Accordian background primarily and occasional noodling on an piano as a kid. Then I was out the door in the 70's right to B3 and Synth action keyboards. When I got serious about piano in my mid 20's, this was the kinda stuff my teacher gave me to build up my piano chops after the B3 period, luckly he was a jazz teacher beside a classical teacher.

 

lb

[Legatoboy]

I just got a CP33 too btw! I like it also!

[Phil W]

Hi Sudeep, enjoy!

 

Hope we get to meet up some time!

[SilverDragonSoun]

I also really liked the CP33 when I played it. I think you'll enjoy this for a long time. Congrats!

 

In terms of strength and technique I think the strength will come in time. I'd pay attention to oyur technique so you don't develop bad or improper habits.

[sudeep]

thanks for the tips guys. bummer i think i lost my old book of bach inventions, might have to invest in another! loving the new board

 

phil, definitely will call you about the lessons got a bit busy with travelling and work, and now my new toy!!!

 

its cheese sandwhices for me for the rest of the year!!!!

[Phil W]

Hey sudeep! I'm a bit busy now too as my wife has just started a Masters but we should be able to sort something out in a couple of weeks whenb things settle down. I usually do the first lesson for free anyway - or maybe you could nmake me a cheese sandwich.

 

Good luck with building strength/technique with the CP33. My semi-ignorant advice is to simply play it as much and as often as possible.

[Tusker]

Congratulations!

 

I've found these exercises (forgot what they are called) pretty useful when going from unweighted back to weighted keys.

 

1) Place hand on keyboard with each finger depressing a note (whatever is ergonomic, could be C through G).

 

2) While keeping the the note depressed, raise the thumb and restrike "it's" key a few times.

 

3) repeat for other fingers

 

4) repeat for other finger combinations (thumb and 2nd, 3rd and 4th)

 

As in all exercises, if you feel tension stop. The idea is to stretch you, not hurt you.

 

These will quickly give you sense of which finger need the most help (typically the fourth) and over time they will build finger strength and independance. The rest will come with playing regularly. I am a firm believer in the basic scales and arpeggios. Best,

 

Jerry

[Bill H.]

If there's a keyboard touch or sensitivity adjustment, putting it on a lighter setting will help you make the adjustment to a weighted action. You can set it back to normal later if you wish.

[Legatoboy]

On the top of hand/arm relaxation, place the finger tips of both hands at the very top the piano's/keyboards notes closest to the piano...

 

then raise your wrists/arms leaving your finger tips on the the keys in a slow motion and hold it for 5 seconds, then lower the wrists then repeat....

 

do this with the following also:

 

seated at the piano let you arms dangle with absolutly no tension after a few seconds shake your hands and wrists....then repeat...

 

do both when needed when you find that you are plsaying tight fisted..... or have sholder tension...breath when you are doing this and concentrate on your breathing.

lb