🎹 Top 10 Mistakes When Buying Digital Pianos | The Ultimate Guide 🎹
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 พ.ค. 2024
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#DigitalPiano #PianoBuyingMistakes #MusicInstrumentTips
0:00 - Video Introduction on the Top mistakes When Buying a Digital
0:22 - Mistake #1
1:35 - Mistake #2
2:38 - Mistake #3
3:19 - Mistake #4
4:08 - Mistake #5
4:41 - Mistake #6
5:11 - Mistake #7
5:43 - Mistake #8
6:19 - Mistake #9
6:47 - Mistake #10
7:01 - Mistake #11
7:36 - Final Thoughts
Today we’ll talk about the top 10 mistakes people make when purchasing a digital piano, focusing on the most important aspects that will help you select your perfect piano.
Things to Consider
1.Key Touch
One of the most important factors of any digital piano is the touch and feel of the keys and the mechanism behind them. Try different models to find the one that is most comfortable for you. Weighted keys can simulate the feel of an acoustic piano, and are essential for any formal instruction. Chose one that feels perfect for you.
2. Tone Quality and Dynamics
Digital pianos from the major manufacturers, Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, Casio and Korg, all sound realistic when quickly played. Today’s standards are so much higher than before, with a good variety of tonal colour and dynamics. A good digital piano should have a variety of tonal colour from the high range to low range, as well as a wide dynamic range to match.
3. Speaker Quality
Speaker quality and performance vary widely, even within the same price point, so consider the overall volume and power you will need and how refined of a sound you are looking for. Don’t forget to compare the speaker sound to the sound you hear through the headphones. You don’t want to end up with fewer low-quality speakers when you could have had more high-end ones.
4. Other Features
Many modern digital pianos have a list of specifications that seems endless, and this can be overwhelming as you try to balance many factors. Most people will use their digital pianos as pianos, so carefully consider how often you will need to call upon any of the many extra features. If 90% of your time will be spent playing the piano, then 90% of your focus should be on the touch and tone of that part of the instrument.
5. Size and Weight
Consider your space and portability needs as well as how often you will need to move your instrument when researching digital pianos. Make sure the piano will fit where you need it, and won’t be too heavy to move when needed. Also, be sure that the piano and stand will be able to handle the intensity of your playing.
6. Budget
With a range of a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, there is a wide price range of digital pianos available. Be sure to understand what products and features are available before determining a budget to avoid the frustration of finding out that the piano you want doesn’t exist at that price range, or settling for an instrument within your budget that you won’t be happy with.
7. Buying Strictly on Brand
As the marketplace continually changes, using historical notions of brand quality, or previous purchasing experiences can drastically limit your options. Research current commentary on the latest models, and visit showrooms that provide as many side-by-side comparisons as possible.
8. Connectivity Options
Many digital pianos provide multiple connectivity options; such as Bluetooth, MIDI and USB. It’s important to consider whether you will need to connect your digital piano to a computer or other devices. Make sure you have a good understanding of either how involved or how easy each type of connection is to make, whether you will need other adaptors, and whether the connectivity provided will give you the quality of sound or data that you require. These options are hardwired and generally can’t be upgraded.
9. Ignoring Maintenance
While digital pianos don’t require regular maintenance like tuning, there are ways to protect and extend the life of your instrument. Quality surge protectors, clean power supplies, and even humidity and low dust environments will help to preserve your instrument.
10. Warranty
It’s important to protect your investment with a warranty so carefully read the warranty for your piano, and consider adding an extended warranty for peace of mind where it’s an option.
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I live in NJ and nobody is stocking high end digital slab pianos like Kawai 920, Nord grand, Casio 700 etc
Compare different models next to each other is not going to happen
So please keep the videos coming Stu we need them
Thanks so much! We appreciate the support. We're happy to help fill that void when needed to ensure pianists can make educated decisions. :)
Yes I’ve noticed shops in Australia are dwindling and it’s not possible to try pianos. Or digitals.. shortage of supply is another issue. Sad state of affairs for us musicians.
Very good video with important advice. Thank you Stu.
Thank you kindly! :)
Great advice as usual, Stuart! I love your videos.!
Meriam needs to cover the issue of latency and the sustainabilty of the strings type voices with the pedal and how musically they can be layered under the primary piano tone. Do they respond with cross velocity?
Hi! Brent here! Thanks so much! We appreciate you tuning in. I will be sure to pass on the kind words to Stu! :)
This was the BEST video! Ty
Thank you kindly! We really appreciate that! :)
Excellent advice Stu. The maintenance comment is a concern as my house seems to be a dust magnet, and my power is very dirty.
I recently bought my first piano based primarily upon your review on this channel, and been nothing but happy with it so far. Thanks Stu.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks so much and congrats on your new piano! We're very happy to hear that you are thrilled with it. :)
One small surprise that delighted me with the fp90x is that the headphones and speakers may be used simultaneously. The sound enhancement is always maximized when use that.
Absolutely! The FP90X is a powerhouse instrument in every respect. :)
The Yamaha DGX-670 has that feature too. Another use is to add external speakers to emphasize certain frequencies. For example, a subwoofer, or a small pair of satellite speakers to complement the response of the built-in speakers.
That way you can feel the vibration of the note through the keys at the same time. This is a nice thing to have.
Another great overview - only thing lacking would be your great playing!
When you have time I would love your comparison of the Roland FP e50 vs. the Roland RD88 (I purchased a couple of years ago).
I never heard an RD88, but the piano tone of the e50 is not at all compelling.
Thanks so much! We appreciate the kind words. And thanks for the suggestion! The FP-E50 versus the RD88 would make for an interesting comparison.
I’ve recently played pretty much all of the premium digitals, CA901, NV10S, CLP, Csp, and they were good, but I preferred the portable slab pianos connected to external studio monitors.
There are a lot of advantages to a nice sounding light weight slab, if you can actually find one. Time to evaluate MIDI controllers and self powered speaker sets.
For sure! Slab digital pianos come with a lot of perks; portability being one of them of course! :)
Some of these have excellent touch!!!
Hi stu, have you tried nux npk 20, the price is quite cheap, but it claims to be very good
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I am not sure if Stu has had a chance to play the model, but we have received a few requests to review it. We will do our best to tackle that. :)
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I would love to see a review of the Seiler ED-126. I'm really considering buying one and am still saving. As always I enjoy your in depth reviews of pianos!
Thanks for tuning in! The ED series Seiler instruments are wonderful and we do plan on covering them in upcoming video reviews and comparisons. Stay tuned! :)
@@MerriamPianos I am really looking forward to it! Thanks for the reply!
@@Zoco101 I will agree to do so
Great, i avoided the mistakes and ended up on kawai kdp 120.
That's awesome! Congrats on your KDP120! It's a wonderful piano! :)
Excellent summary of the important factors. And by far the best youtube channel to get excellent reviews is Merriam Piano. What a pity that your shop is so far away.
Agreed.
Thank you so much Marco! We really appreciate that! Hopefully, you can stop by one day if you're in the Toronto area. :)
I have a quite high end Roland HP model from 2000. It has a lovely action - very pleasant to play, fully weighted and has a aftertouch type of feel ( created by the previous note release - very clever) but… it’s let down by the quality of the speakers. I was thinking of replacing the speakers with better quality ones which match the amplifier. What do you think?
It is certainly a possibility. Using the piano in conjunction with an external keyboard amplifier might be worth exploration as well. That way, you will not need to do any modifications to the piano itself.
@Merriampiano I have a budget of about $1500-$1600. I would love a Roland HP-704 or even a 702, but it is out of my budget for now. I don’t have anything at the moment but want something that I would be happy with for the next couple of years. I am an intermediate player getting back into playing. My biggest priority is of course the Piano sound quality, and of course an extremely authentic action. Do you have any advice or suggestions. I have enjoyed your Yamaha P515 review as well as the Roland FP60x / FP-E50. I don’t need a lot of mobility nor do I need a lot of arranger features but don’t mind them. Can you help! Lol. It doesn’t seem to be a lot in this price range that checks all of the boxes of getting as close to my HP-704 as possible lol.
Hi! Brent here! The HP704 is certainly a step up from these other models given the presence of the PHA-50 action and the modelling engine. With that said, the FP-E50 and FP60X would both be excellent solutions around the price point you're shopping in. They both have the same core tone engine and action, but the FP-E50 has far more features. It comes down to whether you value those features over the improved speaker and core piano sound of the FP60X. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
Thanks for the advice! Soo I stopped by a store and played the Yamaha CLP-735. Wow!! Looks like I’m saving another $1000 lol😅. That Yamaha sound was wow. Thoughts on the Clp735 anyone?
Hello, we are in the process of buying a digital piano for our 5 year old daughter who just started going to lessons. Obviously as she is going to be using this to learn, my lack of knowledge would say that Action would be the most important feature followed potentially by Tone and speakers so that we can mimic, as much as we can, the feel and sound of her tutor's piano and to get it right from the start. Our budget is around $800 and the piano will be in a fixed location, in fact we will probably buy the wooden stand. As for connectivity we would this to be basic and that she can connect to some iPad apps. Do you think you can recommend a model to look at? Thanks
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and writing in with your question! At that particular price point, my recommendation would be the Roland FP10. While it is streamlined in terms of features and speaker power, it has a wonderfully-authentic piano touch via the PHA4 action and a rewarding piano tone via the SuperNATURAL tone engine. It presents excellent cost-to-value ratio. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
@@MerriamPianos Hi Brent, thanks for your prompt reply and guidance. I went through your informative videos on your page and ultimately decided to spend some more money and went with the Roland FPE-50. Let me know if this is still a wise choice. I wanted that PHA4 action and thought that for a larger initial investment the family could have a more all-rounded machine that can offer some song writing support. Thanks!!!
@ springiness of the keyboard: If you have an old (1940s) functioning (piano tuner assessment) piano, but want to spare your neighbours scale learning, and late hour playing, are there instruments that "cater" to that situation?...in the range around 500 to 1000 bucks?
For practicing scales there are many inexpensive digitals that would be just fine. That said it might be better to spend your time learning actual music. Here is a large collection of well crafted realitively easy to read and play pieces:
www.youtube.com/@GalinaBobrovapianomusic-om6ni/videos
Something with a solid action, such as the Roland FP10 would be an excellent option for that purpose. :)
What do you think about Williams Legato III Digital Piano Black 88 Key? Is it a good tons?
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for reaching out! I am actually not familiar with that particular piano model, so, unfortunately, I cannot really offer any feedback or commentary on it.
@@MerriamPianos Thanks Brent.
hey is key action more important or tone
It really comes down to the opinion of each player. For me, I tend to prioritize the action because it is the invariable element. You can always run a piano through an amp or PA for more speaker power or use VST plugins to change the piano tone. However, you can't change the action of a digital piano.
This video is GOLD!! I'm 48 now and I'm just realizing all that!! Everything you said is 100% accurate and logical!! I'm in the phase of deciding whether to go with a digital or an acoustic. I spent 4 hours at a music store and bought nothing, then I went there again the next morning and spent another hour, and still bought nothing. I'm contacting sellers out of my state now because my state SUCKS, or at least my area!
I was playing different passages on each piano, then take a short break to clear my head, then go back again and play those same passages (different ones, different volumes and different octaves). I was losing my mind to my mind 😂 Each one of them had something that I liked that the others didn't have. Not an easy decision and it shouldn't be.
We're glad you enjoyed the video! It is certainly a difficult process. It ultimately comes down to a process of elimination. Starting at digital versus acoustic would be the first step. Once you have narrowed that down, things like piano type (upright vs grand), finish, and budget all come into play. At the end of the day though, it is a worthwhile process to end up with something you truly love. :)
@@MerriamPianos yes sir 🙏
I would like to see similar video on mistakes when learning piano
Putting too much energy into exercises like Hanon, and not enough energy into building a repertoire of material other people would actually enjoy listening to. Learn genuine music, not repetitive monotonous drills that aren't actual musical compositions. People don't come to this channel; to hear Stu play scales at a high rate of speed.
Thank you kindly for the suggestion! We appreciate it and will do our best to tackle it. :)
Another interesting topic somehow related is: how to supplement a feature missing in a particular digital piano. For example, how to add an audio interface, an equalizer, Bluetooth, how to record/connect to external speakers without line outs, how to improve the functionality by working in a DAW environment and/or adding VST synthesizers/instruments, etc. While a digital piano hardware is typically not upgradable, a lot can be done by connecting it to both external hardware and/or software without spending a lot.
I second this! I definitely could've used such a video when I was getting to grips with these things
@@boredPianoAdv I see you have a really nice setup with the Casio PX-S3000 and Pianoteq 8 C. Bechstein.
Thanks so much for the suggestion! We have received several requests to cover this topic and I think it would be a great idea. We'll try to tackle that topic as soon as we can. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks! :)
I didn't make a mistake, but I'm a research junkie and spending a month researching the market was nothing to me. I eventually identified the Roland FP-30X, the Yamaha P-225 and the Casio Privia PX-S1100 as the top of the entry level price point. My past experience was study on the acoustic piano decades ago and some guitar. I wanted acoustic piano emulation and got it with the Roland. Then I decided that I needed a small portable keyboard mostly to take to the vocal class at the local senior center. For that, I got a barely used Casio CT-200 for $80. The keys and action of the Casio are surprisingly good, though the sound is not so good.
The Yamaha P-125 has been superseded by the Yamaha P-225. The Yamaha P-125 is in the same niche. My considered advice as an apt researcher (I am not a trained musician) is to buy at the top of the tier you are buying in, not the bottom. For a cheap 61-key and smaller keyboards, the Casio is just about the top of the tier. Yamaha makes a nice 61-key instrument too. It probably is better than the Casio, or at least has better sound, but it costs more too and is less portable. If you consider your goals and spend enough time on research, you will not make a mistake.
Thanks so much for tuning in and chiming in with your experiences and insights. We appreciate it! The FP30X is a wonderful piano with a very impressive combination of tone and touch. I know you will be very happy to with what it offers musically. Also, the CT200 is an excellent choice for a portable instrument. While it is not a full-fledged, weighted-key piano, it is a very convenient instrument for the right contexts. :)
It's an interesting collection of buying tips and presented in a fresh way.
On the subject of connectivity, I'd be really annoyed if I bought a digital piano (with modest onboard speakers) only to discover that it can't be connected to additional speakers without cancelling the onboard speakers. Manufacturers seem to be slowly realising that lineouts and or cancellation of speaker muting are "de riguer" features even at the 500 euro price point.
Flexibility is important. Being able to send a sound source into the piano's amplification system is important too.
@@JoeLinux2000 Yes I really like that stereo line-in feature. I have it on my main portable piano and on a cheap Casio keyboard, but not on my (also cheap) travel piano. It has line-outs, but no line-in, and I have often wished it did. Bluetooth-in would be useful too, since smart phones etc connected by tiny 3.5mm stereo cables can make a lot of unwanted noise, particularly as the devices get older. The headphone socket on my current smart phone becomes more and more idiosyncratic, because I've been wearing it out.
The more connection options, the better. On a stage piano (or a portable used as a stage piano) it would also be good to have a mono output in addition to the L & R outputs, I mean an extra monitor option without resorting to the headphone socket. Or bring back the XLR outs, which are disappearing from stage pianos.
Every player and shopper is different of course, but, for some, having a solid offering of connectivity options is definitely an important concern.
Very helpful and good video!
Can you recommend a digital Piano for up to 2.200€?
Im searching so long for a new one and cant decide what to buy and want a good recommend.
Would be pretty nice.
Your videos are great, keep it up :D
I saw a Kawai CN29 that was on closeout pricing at the piano store that was complete in a case, and played quite nicely at a good price point. Look for used instruments or close outs at the dealership. Many people buy pianos, but never play them much. People are giving away acoustic grands and uprights very regularly.
@@JoeLinux2000 that may depend on where you're at. Where I'm at I can't count on a good free piano to show up anytime soon 🎹🎶
Thank you kindly! We appreciate that. :)
There are many factors when selecting a digital piano. Are you looking for a console or portable digital piano? The context of use is also an important consideration too.
@@MerriamPianos Im looking for a console digital piano but I might go witch the clp 745. Many videos said it is a good choice so...
Which digital piano other than Kiyola that's made of Solid real wood not particle board?
There are some instruments like the Kawai NV5S that have a solid wood soundboard, but the vast majority of digital piano cabinets are not solid wood.
My mistake was that while searching for ideal digital piano, I did not consider acoustic. Since I got one, I dont care that much about details of my digital, i use it only for headphones practice
That's certainly something we suggest to the customers at our showrooms. Unless there are some noise restrictions or significant budget constraints, there are some very viable acoustic instruments available at comparable price points to even lower mid tier digital pianos. With that said, the decision will always be very personal.
This is unrelated but does anyone have any information on the Kawai CP67? I tried searching, but the searches keep going to the Kawai Ca67. I know it's says CP67 because I shown the label to several people, and they all read CP67🎹🎶
It is probably the earliest Concert Performer model from Kawai: 96 notes of polyphony, AHA IV Graded-Hammer Action with AR Technology, 16 styles (it was an arranger digital piano), and 24 sounds. Kawai has built a large number of impressive digital piano arrangers over the years, which are part of the CP (Concert Performer) series. This is a partial list: CP67, CP95, CP115, CP117, CP119, CP137, CP139, CP155, CP175, CP177, CP179, CP185, CP205, CP207, CP209, CP3, CP2, CP1. They were similar in concept to the Yamaha Clavinova CVP series, but the advanced models used a real baby grand piano cabinet. I have played a CP200 baby grand digital piano arranger. The latest (discontinued) was the CP1. Those instruments were similar to the Roland GP-9 in shape, but I think Kawai beat the Roland in a number of ways: somehow better looking cabinet, the way the speakers were arranged (around the edges of the rim, which look better to me and probably provided a better sound dispersion) plus they had complete arranger functionality.
@@Instrumental-Covers Hello and wow! I can see you're still on form.
@@Zoco101 Hi Mike! Nice to hear from you.
@@Instrumental-Covers thanks! Was the CP67 made during the late 90s? The one I played still has the original plastics on the una corda and sostenuto pedals haha! The piano sample sounded pritymutch like the second defalt piano sound on the ES110, but with no resonans🎹🎶
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 I could be wrong, but I think the CP67 was not the earliest model... it might have been the second earliest model after the CP95. This is my rationale:
1) The CP95 used the Advanced Hammer Action III, the manual was printed in 2003
2) The CP67 used the Advanced Hammer Action IV, the manual was printed in 2005
The Kawai ES4 stage piano also had 96 notes of polyphony, had the Advanced Hammer Action IV, had 21 sounds, and the manual was also printed in 2005. Those are specs similar to the CP67.
Regarding your comment about the piano sample: Kawai has mentioned that the second piano sample in your model (ES110) was from their original Harmonic Imaging sample, so your assessment must be very accurate. 🎵🎵
Thank you very much for the overview and recommendations Stu! Highly appreciated. You are one of the best and most objective and detailed piano channels on TH-cam. I am very thankful for that. Many of other channels are more or less biased negatively of positively towards a particular brand for what ever reason, and sometimes it feels like some brand actually paid for a review.
I agree about your comment related to the touch and that it should feel good. I would like to ask you and your colleagues, how can a total beginner like me, who has never played the piano, and who is looking for a portable piano priced +/- 2000$, and who wants to have the action as close to the acoustic piano as possible, decide? Sound for me is not that important as the action (and connectivity to a Android app for learning purposes), because I would like to train my finger properly from the beginning. My favorites are Roland FP-90X, Yamaha P-515 and Kawai ES-920. I visited a few shops in my area, but none of them had ES-920, so I tried ES-520 instead. Based on my "amateur" touch I have to say that the Kawai ES-520 was the worst one from the action point of view. I am split between Roland FP-90X and Yamaha P-515 and I somehow like the heavier action of P-515. I would like to try also Yamaha P-525, as it is using a different action in comparison to P-515. I hope that after touching P-525 I will be able to make a final decision and start my journey as a pianist. 🙃
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks so much for the question and kind words about Stu's reviews and our channel! At the end of the day, it really comes down to a matter of personal preference as every player is a little different. With that said, I would personally recommend the FP90X as the all-in portable piano option with the most authentic action. I find its weighting and escapement simulation to be quite excellent. To me, it feels impressively similar to playing an acoustic baby grand piano. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
@@MerriamPianos Brent, thank you very much for your reply and recommendation! I really appreciate it. You are really one of the best piano channels! 👍
There are two categories of people - first group who always look on price lable and after on specifications, the second group never look on price ...
I look for bang for the buck. While I have certain gripes about my instrument, it was a lot of instrument for a great price.
There is definitely some truth to that notion.
Well, it must be nice to not have price as a consideration...
The mistake I made: Purchasing a piano in which string voices don't sustain with the pedal. Secondly an instrument with an overly complex confusing non-intuitive operating system that takes years to figure out how it works. How I lucked out: The piano has no latency when combined with Pianoteq Pro. As a result the dual layered piano voices are com,plex and authentic sounding. Also the built in audio reinforcement on the model I purchased is very strong and can be used not only to power itself but the Pianoteq voice from the computer as well. Stu stresses touch, and while it is important, it's also highly subjective. People make claims that some actions feel more like an acoustic grand than others, but all I can say is they must be used to playing on poorly regulated grands with stiff actions. Additionally the quality of the tone psychologically effects the perception of the action. The better the tone, and the responsiveness of the tone to the action, the better the action will be perceived.
The strings voices don't sustain with the AUX pedal by default, but you can change that setting by going to Menu/Controller and change it to "Sostenuto" in the drop-down menu on the left. By default, the string voices do sustain with the center pedal. Actually, Yamaha has programmed it well in my opinion, since the right pedal would apply a sustain to the piano voice and the center pedal would apply a sostenuto (sustaining indefinitely) to the strings if you choose to layer the sounds. You can also save your settings. Which part of the OS you find the most troublesome? I suggest looking at the Reference Manual (which is not the same as as User Manual), which gives you detailed instructions. Or let me know what you want to do, so I can help you.
@@Instrumental-Covers, Thanks for the help, but I actually want the right sustain pedal to sustain both the strings and piano voice. In an ideal set-up you have cross velocity response set up in a such a way that the harder and more percussively you play the piano, the less the strings sound and the more the piano is brought out. In contrast when you play lightly the strings actually sound louder.
I realize the DGX does not have cross velocity and maybe that's actually more of a voice parameter anyway. I know I could do it on my KX-88 set-up using two independent Roland synthesizers. In that case I was using Roland D-50 or Super JX-10 for the stings and an MKS-20 as the piano voice. Additionally you generally have an expression pedal controlling the swell of the strings. I don't know if a DGX responds to an expression pedal or not. Presumable it would as that just controls volume. (loudness). Here is what good controllable string voioc4es sound like.
th-cam.com/video/p1DdhjWSl3o/w-d-xo.html
A sostenuto pedal is not a sustain pedal in the sense that the sustenuto pedal only sustains specific notes in a different fashion. For example a single pedal tone where other pizzicato notes could be played over the top.
Thbe DGX does have very nice string voices that sustain properly with the key presses but they do not with the pedal.
I realize that you are one of the most knowledgeable posters here with a tremendous knowledge of these instruments and audio reinforcement in general. I also know you are a big fan of the DGX.
My experience is more in creating very lush accompaniments with multiple top of the line synths. The are some things that are good about the DGX, but in other ways it really sucks. Yamaha has packed a lot into a comparitively inexpensive instrument. Certain parts of the instrument like the Piano Room are very user friendly, whereas renaming a patch can be extremely frustrating and confusing.
Merriam Music is always pointing out that a lot comes down to personal preference. I know what I could do before with better synths, and I know how limiting the DGX can be. I think there is a certain type of person that is a good fit for the DGX.
I'm glad I ended up purchasing it over the es920, because I don't like the sound of the es920, and I have no idea about any latency in the es920. My DGX combined with Pianoteq sounds absolutely awesome. Unfortunately control of the strings in the way Mike Patrick is doing in the linked video is impossible on a DGX based on my experience.
I might have been happier with a Montage. I think it costs 3 or 4x's more than a DGX, plus I'm led to believe it is a synth action. I've generally gravitated to a weighted action. All my previous synths were modules, not keyboards. They were controlled by a Roland MC-500 sequencer and Yamaha KX-88 MIDI controller.
@@JoeLinux2000 You mention your experience is with top-of-the-line synths. The DGX-670 is an affordable arranger digital piano, not a professional synth. The Montage is a top-of-the-line synth. An expression pedal (volume pedal) such as the Yamaha FC7 is compatible with appropriate instruments, such as the Montage, MODX, YC, CP, CK series, as well as their professional arrangers such as PSR-SX and Genos series. I think you will be better off with the Yamaha MODX8 and a nice pair of studio monitors, which is a setup more closely matched to your previous experience. I doubt any digital piano on the market will do all the things you are used to with synthesizers. For example, the Kawai ES920 or Roland FP-90X do not support an expression pedal, which is needed to create the swell in the strings that you can do with a Roland Fantom or Yamaha Montage. That's not a defect on those digital pianos, though, it is simply that they are designed for a different purpose.
@@Instrumental-Covers Yes I agree with you, but the fact is the string voices on the DGX do not behave with the pedal the same way they do with a key press, and that is unacceptable. This video is about mistakes people make when selecting a piano. For me the behavior of the string voices on the DGX is unacceptable. For at least year or more, I have been begging Stu and Merriam to test latency and the behavior of strings with the pedal. They never do. It's a tragedy from my perspective, because they have access to many different pianos which we in general don't. It happens that because of the low latency of the DGX, I have an acoustic piano replica that is better than a very large number of true acoustic grands, and at a far better price point. Had the strng voices sustained with the pedal on the DGX, I would have been extremely pleased. I bought it mostly in the recommendation of Jeremy See. I actually cancelled my es920 order, and I'm glad I did as to my ear it sounds no better than the DGX which is 1/2 the price of of an es920. When it comes to digitals I always encourage people to get the cheapest one that would serve their purpose.
@@JoeLinux2000 You know, I get exactly what you want using the DGX-670 and Halion 6. If you buy Halion 7, all your problems will be solved instantly. I open Halion 6 in Cubase, choose strings VST + any piano I want (including the CFX in the DGX-670), pump everything through the speakers, and I get the strings to sustain indefinitely with the right pedal. You said you used two Roland synthesizers triggered by a Yamaha MIDI controller in the past... this is somehow similar, but one of the instruments is a VST. Instead of buying another expensive digital piano, which may or not do what you want, why don't you try this idea? By the way, Halion has over 3,000 sounds and plenty of string variations, as it is a software synthesizer.
My piano teacher suggested that I buy a hybrid piano (since I live in an apartment) and he recommended the models with the grand action (Yamaha N1X or Kawai NV10S). I can't really make up my mind whether they would be worth the investment (the NV10S and N1X cost about the same as a good-quality acoustic upright). I'm also concerned with the fact that normal piano technicians cannot fix these hybrid grands; so these pianos must be serviced only by Yamaha/Kawai technicians. They are also very heavy (about 140 kg for the NV10S) and, since they are sophisticated digital products, they are rather fragile and could be damaged in the case of moving (it's not like you can tilt or angle them to one side like a normal keyboard).
You've got a point there🎹🎶
You may give Kawai NV5S a shot as well. It uses the Millenium III upright action and a real spruce soundboard. And if it is good enough for Stu Harrison, maybe your piano teacher wouldn't object. 😉
@@aliar11 He wouldn’t, of course. But he’s an old-school classical pianist, so for him an upright piano is a compromise. It’s just that although I have the budget for an NV10 and it’s the only option for me if I want to own something as close as possible to the grand piano, I feel there are more cons than pros in buying it.
As far as I know Stu Harrison also has a classical background and a great technique, so I thought he might be a good reference. If I may speak my opinion, I think both Kawai NV series and Yamaha Avantgrand series are very expensive when you take their useful life into consideration and compare it with an acoustic. So, if you have the space and the budget a Kawai GL 10 with ATX silent installed on it would be the ideal solution. It would serve you well for decades to come, without any fragility concerns you have for the digitals. But if weight and size are a problem, you don't have many options. Difficult choices, good luck with your search.
@@FingersKungfu What about the Kawai CA 901, or even 701? They are considerably lighter weight than the Novus models. The action is about as close you will get to a grand without the full moving parts treatment you get in the NV10, which means less maintenance, and in terms of clarity and colour of sound, they should be on around the same level or perhaps even a touch better since they just came out. The spacial simulation of being behind a grand may be a little more realistic on the Novus though. And, of course, they are CONSIDERABLY less expensive.
too much echo again
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Which digital piano that doesn't have particle board instead of Wood and steel 😂😂😂
The vast majority of digital pianos are not made of solid wood. Some digital pianos (such as the NV5S and CA901 from Kawai) have actual solid wood soundboards as part of their design though.