Have to agree with Bill at least for the FP90, it is a great piano. I've never had a BK7m so I can't comment on that.

This is actually pretty common. The truth is that a pianist and a keyboardist aren’t the same. Playing piano will require you to adopt a new skill set. One major hurdle you have to get over is finger dexterity. I often hear people say you can’t do this or that on a weighted keybed, but that’s not always true. A vast majority of what is and isn’t possible depends on how strong the player is. If you’re someone who primarily plays keyboards (even with semi-weighted keys), and moonlights with a weighted hammer action periodically, your playing will be slower on those weighted keys. Many times it’s not actually sluggish key return, but the player just doesn’t have the dexterity required. It takes a lot of practice (or conditioning).

I’ve got numerous keyboards, but the truth is I’m actually a pianist first and keyboardist second. One of my keyboards has a decent semi-weighted action, and I have to be careful sometimes when I play it because I’m a pianist. Playing technique between the two isn’t the same. I can play manual drums, and fast lead solo work on both my weighted keybeds (one is graded and one is balanced) without problems. That’s because over 95% of my playing is done on weighted keys. I even midi my keyboards up to both weighted models I have just to keep consistency.

If you think weighted keys can slow you down, then you might want to talk to a classically trained pianist or a well trained jazz pianist. Both can have incredibly fast right and left hand parts. There’s nothing wrong with being a keyboardist either. You just have to understand that moving to a weighted hammer action will take some time for you to adjust. Your 560 is a great digital. You don’t need the RD2000 to become a pianist. You already have the tool you need. I would strongly suggest spending more time playing just piano on it. Styles are nice, but you won’t properly develop your left hand if you spend much of your time using the arranger features. Look at the 560 as a piano first, but with arranger capabilities thrown in for good measure 😁. It’s a very capable unit if you want to be a pianist.

Sqk

Hi
Piano is different and harder than the keyboards, or at least for me it was.
Funny I was told by my first piano teacher I was too old. Ripe old age of 20.
That was before I even had my first lesson, so a great confidence booster.

I went back to it for a while a couple of years back. Found a couple of interesting online courses, one more jazz based ,the other sort of worked off patterns

Half tempted to get an 88 note keyboard, but, I think wise thing might be to wait and see if my broken wrist, goes back to normal after they operate again next year, the stores here aren’t as good over here, you buy it, you’re pretty much stuck with it. Haha

Wow, that teacher needs a teacher of his/her own! I can't believe this. The only time you'd say that if one wants to become a CONCERT pianist. To achieve that level of performance, you might as well start practicing in the womb! That's a whole different category. You have to be ridiculously good by the age of 15 to even have a chance. Even then you might not be able to make it.

Obviously the older you get, life gets in the way and it becomes harder and harder to have a set practice schedule, but there's millions of determined people in the world! I know of many pianists friends who started serious lessons in their 40s. 5 years later, they can play pretty advanced stuff on a legit acoustic piano!

When it comes to any form of musicianship, age means absolutely nothing, unless that person used it to develop real skills.
Many have no idea how music works and yet they manage to have strong opinions about how things should be done.

With that mindset not even a Sonata would be created by now.

You’re absolutely right about a Concert Pianist. You’re either a prodigy (which is rare), but to reach that level your fingers better be hitting the keys right after they cut the cord. Telling someone they’re too old at twenty is beyond insane. When growing up I knew people in their fourties starting lessons.

Sqk

I agree with the age thing....to a point. But there is also the factor of 'natural ablility' (talent), and many other things from hand size to spousal support. Like many other things (riding a bicycle), starting young is ALWAYS an advantage. I too, know a few people that started piano lessons late (25+) but I only know ONE that ever reached the level of playing at a professional level (he was a great jazz pianist, but never a great 'reader' - except fake books).

I think the odds of a great pianist becoming a great synthesist/arranger player are much better than the reverse. But I also think piano lessons can only help the non-pianist arranger player. Two different techniques for sure, but if you learned on a 'stick', an automatic is a piece of cake to drive. Now of course, learning accordion first helps no one, especially the neighbors....Kidding, kidding, just trying to wake Tony up .

chas

Oh, Tony's awake ... wanna meet my cousin Guido ?!?

Exactly! It'd be like for an average person wanting to get into reasonable shape and the trainer saying you're too old to become an MMA fighter so why register!

Yes, but Professional is a big word and shouldn't be a deciding factor for everybody. Many manage to get to acceptable levels...way beyond playing one or three finger chords for sure.