Greetings!

I've been playing piano all my life ("born with a piano in my mouth" ;-} ), and even made a living at it for some 17 years, along with private teaching. Naturally, I've played on a digital now and then (Clavinola, Yammies, Roland), but I'm basically ignorant about MIDI, etc. I've even done a little computer programming in my day, but I just never put the two together. I guess you could call me a reactionary.

Well, I took a couple years off from the bidness, but now I am planning my BIG COME BACK. Yep -- gotta spring for a keyboard. I need something with 88 keys (otherwise you can't even play the first three notes of Rachmaninoff's C# minor Etude, fergawdsake), and I'm not a snob about weighted keys, but I played enough on a DGX300 to know that won't quite cut it (though I admit it's easier to control than just about any Spinet I've played around town). I made the sales guy drag out a DGX505, and it's exactly the same deal.

I'd like it to have onboard speakers, so I can cart it to the corner bar or the lounge in my apartment building and just play without the fuss. But I also need to be able to plug in to a sound system, like for a local show or beauty pageant. (A DGX300 was very cool for a pageant a few years ago, since there were built-in "Ta-Dahs" and drum rolls, and I could layer in the strings with the piano for some numbers.)

I also want the ability to hook up to the computer, and I'm hoping the computer will be able to take dictation from my playing (30 seconds at a time would be fine). Like to be able to throw together some simple arrangements, then put them on a disk or SmartMedia card and blow 'em out the keyboard. But I'm not looking for a complete recording studio. Eg., I don't see a mixer in my immediate future.

Now here's the thing: *I* think I should be able to get all this for well under $1,000! I mean, it seems the DGX505 meets all my needs, except for the non-weighted keys. If you can get a DGX505 for around $500, why should it cost another $700 just for decent weighted keys? Best price on a P-140 is about $1200, and it has far fewer sounds and a tiny display. Speaker size and wattage are about the same.

Shoot, I'd think they could get a pretty dang good action just with two springs per key. Whadda concept, eh? After all, the isuue is CONTROL, not a perfect replication of grand piano feel. There's a HUMUNGOUS difference between the actions on a grand piano and a console or spinet anyhow.

My theory is they deliberately withhold key features to get certain price points, but I fully admit my ignorance on all things MIDI, so please explan what I'm missing! Is the P-140 that much better as a MIDI controller? I don't see it on the spec sheet. Or could the materials and the extra 10 lbs. make for a kind of sounding board on the P-140 to improve the sound THAT much?

I've been studying the spec sheets on the internet. Got letters and numbers coming out my whatsis. Here's my list of reqs:

- main use as practice/performance piano
- also use as a simple (beginner's) midi controller to a computer sequencer
- very good piano sound, but touch (control!) may be more important even than sound
- at least 8 or 9 other good sounds
- 88 keys all working correctly
- weighted (or semi-weighted?)
- velocity sensitive, of course
- decent speakers onboard, and also able to connect to externals
- at least 32 note polyphony
- built-in USB MIDI or regular MIDI interface
- line in/out (or would dual headphone jacks suffice?)
- under $1,000 new unit price, but will happily accept refurbished with a warranty for hundreds less.
- ooh-ah factor -- a few bells and whistles (reverb, display, etc.)
- ability to accept songs from the computer
- probably don't need to take samples with the keyboard, but it would be nice if keyboard could take a sample or two off the drive or SM card
- disk drive or SmartMedia (isn't a drive better? Seems like a SmartMedia card is too small to label properly!)
- portable -- as light as possible -- 40 lbs or less
- sustain pedal, of course
- pitch wheel for the midi input
- ability to transpose (not necessarily a mod wheel per se)
- soft pedal option would be nice -- not essential
- probably don't need a sequencer except on the computer
- aftertouch would be nice, but low on the list

Anyhow, I'm trending more and more toward the Privia PX-400R. Is this the biggest mistake of my life? This is just based on stuff I've read on the net. I haven't played one yet. I'm very wide open to suggestions.

TIA,
Rick

Rick,
Yamaha announced back in January a replacement for the current DGX505 model which will be coming out in June. There will be a hammer weighted model and a semi weighted (like the current DGX505). The Hammer Weighted model will sell for about $895.00 if my memory serves me. The features will all remain but the cosmetics will change a bit. The current casio model is now called the PX555R which sells for $795.00 and like the Yamaha includes the stand.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

You might check out the Casios. You can put tape over the name
Seriously, I saw a Casio digital piano at a music store recently and it sounded good. Don't know the model, but the price was right.
DonM

Most todays digital piano's cheap or expensive will deliver what you are asking, but after 17 years professional piano playing on real piano's the cheap ones will not very long survive a real pianist.
Unless you were able to change your playing technique in other words hitting much softer!

Then after playing 17 years professionally and your plans to go professionally again I would anyway buy a top and sturdy model and make no concessions (but that's my personal opinion)

The weight might be a problem though.
Anyway just my thought's.

Forgot to mention;
While auditioning try out what happens if you play with much expression (tough to translate for me..) I mean from very soft to very loud...
The cheaper ones have huge gaps between this.
I must admit though that I didn't play the new models so things might have improved.



[This message has been edited by freddynl (edited 04-06-2006).]

Behringer just released a line of digital pianos. Their history on other products shows that they will probably be well built and inexpensive.
DonM

You know, that Casio PX-555R that George mentioned has been on mind to go check out. I've only seen it in the glossy catalog from Casio. It looks sleek and nicely styled.

It says its a digital piano with hammer-action keys but its got arranger features too. (an 88-key arranger in disguise here?)

Rick, its got a lot of the things from your list.
32-note poly, Touch-sensitive,
Midi In/Out and USB connectivity,
258 tones,
120 rhythms,
auto-accompaniment
Auto-Harmonize,
8 digital effects/reverb,
Registration setups,
One-touch Presets,
SmartMedia Card slot,
Headphones:2 (huh?)
2 pedals,
Line Outs:L/mono and Right,
Mic in,
Built in Speakers.

George says around $800?
Casio has me interested in the WK3800 thats suppose to be out in the fall (Europe anyway), I might take a close gander at this one myself.

i am aware that th appreciation of a keyboard sound is subjective but here is the link to the casio Privia sound demom http://www.priviapiano.com/products/PX-555R/content/sound_demo/

Is it my ears or does this sound like a $300 dollar keyboard priced at $800 ?

hmmmm listened to it again. maybe i am too used to the korg, yammy and Roland pianos. Perhaps the keyfeel and weighted keys make up the value. I would still hesitate to part with $800 though

With respect to Spalding, and no will to promote Casio whatsoever, streaming audio off a page is usually very low in quality.

Here are some better samples http://www.privia-instruments.com/euro/demosounds/