Piano Stories

Hi Graham,

You’re right, I can’t be sure…so the pragmatic is (for a change) leading the
emotional “I want the latest all singing all dancing now”.

I have an old Technics PR50V digital ensemble which basically sat unused
until recently – your forum comment suggests it ain’t worth much although a
local shop offered £250 against a CLP 330 / 340 which just beat the internet
price and at least meant free delivery & pick up.

However, a neighbour / retired ex school music teacher made my Technics come
alive!

My game plan now is to at least get to a good beginner stage so that I can
see whether all the knobs and whistles are ever likely to be used, and be
able to play a variety of tunes.

In no hurry I shall take the opportunity to pop into shop(s) to try
different makes. Do you know anyone that has Yamaha / Roland (& others) side
by side for direct comparison in 30 mile radius Chelmsford?

In no hurry I can keep an eye out for the ‘bargain’ deal – sales or
manufacturer upgrade(Yamaha) imminent = desire to shift existing stock at
knock down prices?

In no hurry and assuming a better feel and ear for playing, I may visit you
again in x months & try out the Classenti.

For now I will ‘risk’ old hat features that is the Technic.  Although old, I
believe I have a good piece of kit that will get me started.

Regards

Phil

–

Hello Graham,

This message is just in case you don’t mind feedback.
I have just started out learning the keyboard (my step daughter gave up, and gave her Yamaha PSR295 to me). After learning a few tunes I caught the bug and play (attempt to play that is) whenever I get the chance.

I am a experienced guitar player (acoustic and electric) of many years standing, and read music reasonably well, so I can work myself through a written tune ! However, I rarely pick up my guitars now heading instead for the lush and complete sound of the keyboard.

I wonder, in all your years experience if anyone has mentioned feeling somewhat guilty (if that’s the right word) for thoroughly enjoying using the ‘auto accompaniment’ facility all the time. I don’t mean single finger chords – I do make myself press all the correct keys in the chord with my left hand (though I know the machine doesn’t need me to) except that is, for a really difficult quick chord turn-round, then I might cheat a bit and resort to the odd single key chord, but I do feel guilty doing it !

To be able to play the keyboard Piano setting without ‘auto accompaniment’ would be my dream, but I’m far too impatient for that, so it remains a long term goal. Also, the numerous built in voices, accompaniments and drums on the key board are far too tempting to use, and make it possible to alter the original tune backing to something I ‘sort of’ created and made my own, and is therefore unique !

Bill

–

Hi Graham,

Last week I was little bit busy but….
I have visit Zagreb (our capital city) to finally try and touch two
models (as you recommended):
1. Yamaha CLP330 and
2. Kawai CN33.

So, first one was Kawai CN33:
–          nice music shop,
–          nice piano (dark rosewood),
–          price about 1.400 EUR (for me 1.120 EUR ?, 20% discount)
–          good feeling (keys,..),
–          sound OK ?!?  (I guess)

Before proceeding I must repeat that I have (at home) 12 years old
Roland E600 (so call Home Keyboard), and, normally,
I compare everything with my Roland.
By the way, it has almost everything I need (64 polyphony, Bass reflex
sound, “million” sounds, MIDI, floppy drive !)
What I miss is 88 piano-size, piano-touch keys, 3 pedals and good, grand
piano sound (my sound is almost as good).

Second event:
The shop is official Yamaha dealer: “Good day, do you have CLP330 for me
to try ?” …..
”Sorry, not this moment, but we have CLP340”. “This is just one step up,
so try it, it’s almost the same”
And I did…… And I get that something. … I was surprised.  For first, I
did not expect that I’m able to distinguish anything, for real.
Salesman (he saw my reaction) was trying to find some reason(s) like 4
layer sampling sound (?), general Yamaha excellence, bla bla, bla.
Only thing I understand was —- we have a situation !!!!
Price for model CLP340 is 2.330 EUR, for me, just now, in cash ….. 1.750
EUR.
For model CLP330 price will be 1,770 EUR, for me …1.620 EUR (so minor
difference !!!)

But, I have to try model CLP330 (maybe is just-noting different form 340
?)

And I did it yesterday. Music shop is in city 100km away form Pula (my
town). There was a model 330 for me to try.
Feeling was almost the same as playing Kawai CN33 ???
Salesman says something that may be true: CLP340 have 2×2 speakers (more
bass) and 40Wx2 amplifier. Maybe this is it I hear?

So, you understand my pain. Is there any help for me from you or I just
HAVE to buy what I have to buy ?

Comments, per favore (my italian is better then English, we are
vis-Ã -vis with Venice).

Davor

–

I had thought I’d found the answer to my requirements (touch sensitivity, piano like responsiveness and sound quality in a slim light affordable package) when I read the specs and reviews for the 76 key Yamaha NP-30 and NPV-60 but was singularly unenthused when I tried them out in the store. That was also when I realised that they are only a few cms short of an 88 key anyway (the speakers are placed at either end ot the NP-30 keyboard) so I may as well consider 88 key possibilities instead.

The store manager steered me to a Casio CDP-100 and after that there was no way I was going back to the NP’s. I went home with the brochure and the need for some jargon-busting info.

When it dawned on me that the Privia PX-130 doesn’t have to be in a box frame, has practically the same footprint and is exactly the same weight as the CDP-100 I began trying to work out which would be best for me.

I’m not an ace pianist – intermediate on a good day, wondering why I ever began to play on a bad – but I am fussy about aiming for intonation and expression so perhaps the PX’s Tri-Sensor action is the better one to go for. The audio samples on the Privia site are very tempting. My next step is to try playing one.

Whatever I do choose has to be small and light enough for me lift and pack away easily. There doesn’t seem to be anything else around that’s this small and this light and feels almost like a piano.

I was veering towards the Classenti P1 after reading your review but it’s twice the weight and deeper. In an ideal world I’d have a bigger house. . .

–

I am still thinking about it I have a cheap 61key Yamaha keyboard which
I am just getting the basics chord shapes fingering etc

My wife says I have a habit of buying things I don’t need or use and to
some extent she is right.
Lessons are a possibility but they are a bit expensive as are the
piano’s
I have read your guide and that has been very instructive.

I am not really sure about how the number of steps the key needs to have
before it can work out how hard the hammer would strike on a real piano.
some pretty expensive pianos only seem to have two or three levels.
Or is that two or three sensors per key

The keyboard I use has only “its pressed” or “its not” which is not so
great, also, there is no key weighting at all but I originally bought it
just to connect to my PC via Midi.

I will perhaps get round to a piano which has the full 3 pedals weighted
keys etc but I have to convin. myself (and the wife ) that its a good
idea.

At the moment the Gear4music ones are what I have been looking at

I understand what you are saying about the Classenti piano’s but there
is a big price difference

My next step is to wait for a while and see if the notion persists or
wears off . After playing guitar for over 40 years on and off (I’m 58)
this year, I am still no Eric Clapton and the piano is a steep hill to
start climbing at my age

Genuinely I am still thinking it over and I would be sure to take some
advice from you before jumping in.

–

All instruction , and it’s value, depend on what knowledge existed previously. I learned to play as a schoolboy aged 8 and continued weekly lessons until leaving school at 16. My teacher was old school and didn’t attribute much credence to the Grade tests some pupils then entered. Her strict but discerning teaching coupled with half an hour practice every day gave me what she described as control of the keyboard. I never played by ear but after practising so much I could play from memory. I would be roped in to play at Church Concerts and this meant even more practice of the chosen pieces. (I have a great memory of playing the theme music fron Tchaicovsky’s Piano Concerto in B flat minor).

At 16 I left home and went to sea, then married and started a family. Piano playing was a childhood occupation! Aged about 30, I stayed with my wife at the house of one of her friends and in their front room found a piano. On looking at it I instantly recognised middle C and as there was also some sheet music nearby and, LO and BEHOLD, I played it.  My technique was clumsy and rusty but I could play a recognisable tune.  This delighted me but I had to wait some years before I could indulge myself again. After another 10 years or so I got a keyboard, costing between £100 -£200. There were sufficient keys to use both hands but the biggest frustration was lack of expression or sensitivity in volume control. The term pianoforte did not apply.

My son then acquired a 2nd hand piano about 20 years ago and this meant I could play properly again. I had even retained a lot of my old sheet music.  My practice was never as dedicated as it had been all those years ago, though. Seven years ago I moved from a large house to a bungalow and the piano was given to a schoolgirl just beginning to learn. There was just know room to spare for pianos. Eventually I did find a means to get a piano and so out came my old music again. A bonus, these days, is getting sheet music on the internet, rather than trawling 2nd hand shops.

I am conscious of my clumsiness still but this diminishes the more I practice. The feel & touch in my hands is still there and I love playing a piece without needing to look at my hands. What I find I don’t remember is certain instructions printed on the score – all in italian of course. It did cross my mind to seek out a tutor to assess my current prowess and see what I should do for self-improvement. That’s why I read your downloads.

I totally agree with repetitive practice but the pupil will only do that if he likes what he’s doing and is getting somewhere. Also, my old Teacher (and me) would take issue with your promotion of chords. Vamping, she would call it! The left hand should be educated to perform as much as the right hand.

I do get annoyed at arrangements that suddenly have bass clef for the right hand. I don’t see the point in added unneccesary complications.

So you see I didn’t get a lot from your downloads but would appreciate your advice  on finding out how to fill in those annoying little gaps that now exist in my knowledge but didn’t used to.

Raymond

–

Hi Graham,

My little one (6) has been playing the piano for 6 months now and seems reasonably committed to it (and truth be told, having learned the cello when what I really wanted was to learn the piano, I still harbour the ambition of learning it myself). At the moment we have a hire piano which is expensive (and has sticky keys) so I’m looking for a replacement. I have come to the conclusion to go digital and have just read through your 76 page doc. I also went into a pianoshop (it’s been a pianoshop for about 100 years) in my hometown in Germany – they swear by Yamaha and Roland; the other piano shop swears by Yamaha and Kawai. I listened to the Kawai CA93 and quite liked it, but then of course I did not know which one of the Yamaha to compare it to. One of the things they highlighted was the fact that the Kawai has that little resistance when you press a key down half-way – which none of the Yamaha’s appear to have – is that important?
I think I’m sold on the wooden keys with Ivory touch effect – felt much nicer. I’m 100% behind the touch sensitive keys and the heavy weighted keys. I also want one that sounds nice – I got a bit of a sensitive ear – but then you suggest that the Kawai sounds a bit on the bright side.
In addition, some of the things you list in your guide as being a more negative aspect such as the copying Kawai copying the accoustic mechanism in their CA93 are the very things the 2 shops suggested being strengths.

Sally

–

Hi Graham,

My choice narrowed to either a Roland, or Yamaha – on price the R 302 Vs Y
clp 340.

I visited Allegro Music*,  Digital Village and Musicland* in Essex.

All had the CLP, none had the 302 although I tried acoustics and / or Roland
stage (7000  & 3000) in comparison.

I then found Playsomething in Bishops Stortford had the 2 instruments a few
feet away from each other.

At my still basic level of play I enjoyed both.

Your tips were extremely useful, and I was not unduly ‘pushed’ toward one or
the other.

Undecided, I had the same pieces played on each as I stood outside the room.

Different but equally enjoyed!

The Roland had string resonance and more voices with fewer buttons on view
(functions accessed by keyboard), the Yamaha with easier access to functions
and more power.

Playsomething website shows their prices to be competitive, the clincher was
a better part exchange price on my old Technics compared to the two marked *
above – I was still torn between the 2 instruments, so agreed a price for
either and went away to think about.

In a less emotional, more pragmatic state at home that evening; referring
again to your guide and forums / manufacturers product specs / further
viewing of you tube clips the Yamaha won / wins on the most important
aspects, key weight and bigger speakers with less bells and whistles. Not
material to the decision, but a bonus, was going for the polished ebony
finish (satin black only on 302).

Had it 4 days. What a superb instrument!

Graham, please feel free to paste this to the forum especially re post
yesterday.

Curly, on price I don’t know how it is you are comparing the 307 with the
Yamaha’s.  It may be that this higher spec Roland matches the Yamaha on the
essential criteria and power.
I don’t think you will be disappointed with either.  Also, look at the
comparison of the 340 / 370 on Yamaha’s own site and ask yourself, ‘Is the
370 worth the extra?’

Regards

Phil

–

On impulse, purchased a second hand Roland RD-700 SX from an internet selling site.

I purchased this item from pictures and decription only and am very relieved to find that it is as immaculate as described.
It is 3 years old and I am aware has been superseded in the Roland range but has everything (and more) that I wanted on the instrument and was the best model I could afford with the money I wanted to spend.
I am fully aware of the risk in this sort of purchase but having met the previous owner I am convinced it is genuinely in great condition , only used in the home, and my only risk now would appear to be  the cost of fixing any possible defects in the future.

The piano came with 2 off Roland KC 60 amps, 2 damper pedals, piano stool, carry bag, manuals and cables.

I have always believed in buying the best you can afford but unfortunately I could not run to the full cost of a new Roland setup.

I currently have a Yamaha Clavinova in the lounge and have now replaced my Yamaha PSR-295 in the study which I have used for my own fun playing both unaccompanied and using the many rythmn facilities.

I am very pleased with the overall sound quality and the many different options for piano etc. especially the Tone Wheel Organ capabilities of the Roland.
I am still  struggling to understand the many settings as described in the manual but enjoying myself immensely in these early days.
Nothing but praise for the PSR-295 which has been an excellent instrument for the money and is now going on to my grand-daughter as I progress to a higher grade instrument.

One thing that eludes me (probably my age) is I would like to be able to record what I am playing on to a disc through my pc.
From what I read this should not be a problem but there are so many connections possible that confuse me (straight jack leads, usb connections or something called a MIDI interface).

Peter