My fingers are often sliding off of the black keys of my Yamaha arranger - something that can be ameliorated with lots of practice.

But my new Casio digital piano has me thinking. The plastic keys on this keyboard have a surface to make it feel like wooden keys. Think of two kinds of paper: Glossy brochure paper - that's the feel of a typical keyboard's keys, and regular copy paper - that's the feel of the Casio's "wooden keys." The regular paper is less slippery.

I would bet that the Casio type of keys aren't any more expensive.

Would you want your keys to be less slippery? Do you think that would improve your playing? My fingers still slip off the Casio's black keys, but I notice a little improvement. The only downside I can think of is that glissandos can be a little harder on the fingers.

Beyond smoothness, with nanotechnology they can create surfaces that are anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Would you put any value on a germ free surface?

Hmm I never spent much time playing real pianos. But I was noodling around on a Hammond SK1 at my local music store the other day.

I really liked the keys on that. It's hard to explain but the keys, especially the black keys, went straight DOWN instead of down at an angle. I found this to be much more ergonomic. Some chords that are genuinely uncomfortable on my Pa800 or E50 felt a lot more natural and easy to play on the Hammond.

I would also like to add that the rebound action was very "quick," i.e., easy to repeatedly strike the same note. The front of the keys were fully boxed. Sometimes this has been described as "piano style," although I don't appreciate what difference this makes.

I can't play very much without Auto-accompaniment and $1800 is too much to spend on a controller. Otherwise...

I understand what you mean. Tha PA3x I had has a similar surface you mention. It plays a lot nicer as the PA600 do.

No keyboard feels likes my 43 year old upright... Not even my Kronos.

If you get some wet and dry paper - around 000 grade, tear of two strips and rub them together to abrade the "grit" even more, and then give each of the black keys a couple of "wipes" this will remove (slightly) the surface gloss.

Will not make any difference to key function, and as long as all keys are done equally pretty difficult to tell the difference over a comparable keybed unless they are side by side.

If I am using this technique with the keybed removed and keys removed, no probs, but if it is required to do it with the keys in situ , just have a small vacuum cleaner with a reduction nozzle and hold along side the key as you do it. Sounds complicated, but it really is quite easy.

IF the sliding fingers is an issue you really cannot deal with then this method will help. But I must say even acoustic pianos have this problem as the night goes on at a sweaty gig

Yes, the PA3x has a great "feel" to the keys......one of the reasons I purchased it.

By coincidence, I went to a "piano sale" at my local college today. I must have tried out 20-30 pianos. On the best of them I was playing like Chopin, and on the "least best" I was still playing 100 times better than I play on my acoustic piano at home where the keys are well worn out and slippery. I suddenly remembered how the keyboard touch and action is part of how well you play......it's not just about doing exercises.

I think it's hard to exploit any talent you may have if you're not using what works best for you.