Yep. I'm not sure, though, if I want to get good at playing the digital, because I'm worried that the technique used to get nuance, etc. will mess up my "regular" piano playing.

My intention was always to primarily use it for silent practice--learning pieces, memorizing, technical stuff. So from that standpoint, it works pretty well.

But I did hope that we could perhaps use it for performances, and I'm not sure it will be useful for that, from both the quality of sound and the abrupt digital nature point of view.

I'm still mulling over what to do.

Hey....Nina,
I'd say you need to checkout others.

quote:

Originally posted by Nina:
I've had it for a week, and I have to say, my reviews are mixed. Having the digital keyboard is great--for use with headphones, etc.

It has some cool features for harpsichord, including the ability to switch temperaments.

You can mess with the touch and voicing a little bit, but not much.

On the down side, the touch isn't great, and the responsiveness of the keyboard itself is a bit off-putting. It's very hard to get anything other than soft or LOUD.

The sound quality is actually a bit variable. I wonder if I don't perhaps have a lemon? I don't understand how the piano could sound differently on different days. (Sounds like user error. )

Right now I'm on the fence about it.

Well what did you get?

Kawai EP3

quote:

Originally posted by Nina:
Kawai EP3

It sounds like you did some homework. I saw one on Craigslist for $800. I did some homework and I found one great review after another. What do you think of it? Tell us please.

I'd give it a "B," knowing that there are "A's" out there, but outside my price range. So given my parameters, I'm pretty pleased with it.

The external speakers aren't very good, adequate at best. It sounds OK when played into a room, and the amplification is minimal. I *think* you could rehearse a small choir with it, but not perform or do anything in a large room.

From the headphones, the sound is actually fairly reasonable, but along with that you also get a much clearer view of the flaws--the decay isn't natural or even balanced across the keyboard--something that I notice but I'm not sure whether an audience member would pick up on it unless they were really paying attention.

It plays better than many digitals from a touch standpoint, but it still is definitely a digital and has some problems--especially when you need quick response (like trills). Of course, much of that could also be user error.

At some point I am going to take it in to one of the schools and plug it into their sound system and see how that works out. That will obviously be the test of whether it's performance-able.

One of the coolest things--it has a couple of different temperaments you can pick, and it's smart enough to then need your key signature. So I've been having a good time playing Bach, Scarlatti, etc., on the harpsichord setting with various tunings. Much *much* different (and better) sound, beyond the obvious difference between the harpsichord and piano patches. And since it feels nothing like a real harpsichord, it's completely play land.

I've been pleased with it--it definitely has served my need for a silent practice piano--but I'm always glad to transfer back to the real deal.

A lot of digital piano users use a software program called pianoteq. They hook the computer to the keyboard via USB and use the sounds from the computer to headphones or speakers.
Computer programs are far ahead of digital pianos when it comes to sounds.

You can download and try it

http://www.pianoteq.com/try

Just put my Kawai ES3 digital on Craig's List. It is not in tune and I don't like it.

Having Pianodisc's Quiet Time put on my piano. It was being moved.
I don't like practicing in the space in my bedroom that I have for a digital.
Hope the addition will permit me to use the piano for both acoustic and digital.

Have a Yamaha ES 90 in the garage. Will drag it out if the Quiet Time installation is a big disappointment.

Another software program is from Garritan, and they offer three levels of program ranging from $99 to $399. It's actually authorized by Steinway (for what that's worth) and, at least to my ear, sounds better than the Pianoteq system. Of course, YMMV.

Linky Dinky Poo...

And another program, which is somewhat more affordable, is Pianissmo, which can be found at...

this site.

I'm hoping to carve out some serious time next week to play with hooking my digital to the Mac and trying out some of these patches. I have no idea what I'm doing, but it looks pretty fun.

Of course you have an idea, Nina... the idea is to have fun with all the neat sounds!

I've been monkeying around with different instruments for my accompaniment stuff. So far my faves are an electric piano that adds a nice wintery feel to a song about snow falling, and of course the harpsichord patches for Messiah.

Yowza, I just love that pastoral portion at the end of part I.