Yamaha Keyboard Questions

“All I’ve got at the moment is a Yamaha EZ 200. What I would like is advice on what to buy next.”

Thanks for your digital piano book and regular emails Graham, which are much appreciated.  They encourage me to
keep practising.  I’ve had the Rocket Piano course since last December and recently started on the
Intermediate book. I can’t say I mastered everything in the Beginner book although I spent time on
each chapter and feel it has given me a good basic knowledge of reading music.

Sometimes when I revisit a piece that was giving me a lot of trouble I find it now comes much easier to play.
I’m semi-retired in my sixties and am learning for my own enjoyment.  I’ve been a passionate jazz lover
since my late teens and what I would like to do is to get to the point where I have a good basic knowledge
of chords.

As you know jazz piano is very much about chords and that’s why I wanted to delve into the Intermediate
book asap where they are gone into in some detail. I go to a lot of live jazz and listen intently to the
pianists and their skill with chords and their various progressions and their ability to improvise over them.

These days the pianos they play on are usually of very good quality not like the old days and the sound through
much improved PA systems even in pubs and clubs can be excellent.

Now this is the nub. All I’ve got at the moment is a Yamaha EZ 200. What I would like is advice on what to
buy next.  I would like something with a proper piano sound and feel. I know this will be hard work at first
since the EZ200 has such a light touch. I’m not interested in bells and whistles. To me the piano sound is the
No.1 priority. I’m not a fan of bright piano sounds but I do like the crisp sound I hear sometimes when chords
below middle C are played on good quality grand pianos. Above middle C I like a medium warm tone. Thin tones
put me off.

PLease let me know what you think. Should I go for another keyboard or straight to a digital piano?
My budget would be no more than £1,000.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Regards Mike

Reply/ Hi Mike

I certainly recommend you get a digital piano that’s
got fully-weighted, touch sensitive keys.

The Yamaha keyboard you have is not really suitable
for playing anything past beginner standard…

Here’s two digital pianos I recommend looking at:

Roland HP603 and Kurzweil MP120.

They’re both really nice pianos. And either
would be ideal to learn and progress on.

Here’s some of the differences:

The Roland has a striking, bright sound. The
Kurzweil has a warm, European sound.

The Roland has more instrumental voices.

The Kurzweil has a slightly heavier key touch
than the Roland. This makes it feel closer to
playing a real piano.

The price is also less for the Kurzweil.

You can read more about them here:

www.ukpianos.co.uk/roland-hp603

www.ukpianos.co.uk/kurzweil-mp120

To find out more, you can call me on 020 8367 2080.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

What are your reviews on the Yamaha DGX620?

 

Hi Graham,

I am Gary, I have just started taking piano lessons from a teacher, i have a chappell Piano at home..

its about 20 yrs old.. my father had purchased it second hand… its old hampour and has 50 keys,

my teacher came home and checked the piano… since no one has been playing on it.. it went out of tune and few keys have gone damp… as in when u press the key there is no sound…

the tuner came and tuned the piano… and i left the few not functional keys as it is as the tuner said it would be expensive and didnt make sense repairing it….  as tomm if i go to sell this piano  i would get only 50 pounds or so… and repairing would atleast 100 pounds…the tuner said its ok to learn on it for now..  as the keys towards the end are not working….

my piano teacher says if ur totally going to learn the piano… i should buy the Yamaha DGX620 which about 500 pounds….india  pricing…

as i am also a dj it will help me out in midi sync and my pproduction which i plan to do later on…

what are ur reviews on the Yamaha DGX620.??? Do u have any other suggestion tht i could buy…

he said i should buy weighted digital paino as it is good to learn  on a weighted piano..

would love some advice from u

Thanks

Gary Chillack’s
G.Fernandes

Reply/ Hi Gary

I don’t advise on buying the Yamaha DGX620. The keys are weighted buy not enough. You really need to look at a digital piano such as the Broadway B1 or (for even more money) the Yamaha YDP163.

You can check these both out here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-ydp163
www.ukpianos.co.uk/broadway-b1

It is essential to get a piano that has heavily weighted keys so if you want to play a real piano at a later time you will be able to make the transition much easier.

The key weight on all keyboards is too light and I advise you to spend a little more money on a digital piano.

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos