I used this video to illustrate my point in a subject "Demo Of A 'Steinway Grand Piano' Sound Korg Pa700" by MusicalMemories - the point was mostly about playing in different velocities - but in order to discuss the video itself I post it separately in order not to, what you call it, "hijack" the subject anymore.





I want to thank Chas, Donny, Terrysutt, Stephenm52 and Crossover for nice and interesting comments.

As there was an idea mentioned about switching to acoustic or digital piano, I’d like to say something about it.

There’re some obvious and not so obvious things which are keeping me so far with PSR-S950.

The simplest one is that I don’t have another option right now

But as some psychology would suggest, we have what we have for a reason.

I spent few years playing acoustic piano at restaurants, one of pianos was cheap and old one, still, I developed some “connection” with it, and it was nice to me because its keys were not too heavy, and the other one was Yamaha grand piano (the one which can play by itself – with motorized keyboard).

Over time the restaurants got closed for various reasons (one of them can even be called a “raider seizure”) and different places that I found had digital grand pianos made by “Orla” – and it was not a very good experience for me. After that I developed a thought that I should no longer be dependent on any particular place and their instruments, so I learnt to drive a car (mainly private cars aren’t that useful in Russia as we live in a very “condensed” way in apartment houses) and with a lot of distractions started to develop my “show” based only on portable instruments – it’s still not quite ready.

I even got rather exited about a nylon guitar, but it turned out that this kind of instrument can’t really be properly amplified without losing most of its character (using pickups) or with a risk of terrible feedback noise (using microphones).

Speaking about a piano sound on a keyboard, I found out that if I add a layer to it (slow strings) and turn the brightness of this layer to zero, the whole thing starts to sound much richer and smoother, continuing to appear as a solo piano.

One of advantages of a digital instrument is that it can be amplified or recorded just as it is. So you hear me playing on YouTube just the way I hear it when I’m playing. In case of acoustic instrument I would hear it one way, but what you would hear would depend entirely on microphones I would use, and unless it’s done with a proper technique and equipment it is rather possible that even a professional acoustic grand piano would sound poorer than an arranger keyboard.

But if my problem with the guitar is to find a way to make it sound louder, the problem with acoustic piano is usually an opposite. All the time I was playing it in public I held my left foot on a left pedal, which makes it to sound quieter. I’ve developed a habit to play quietly all the time – not a bad thing, I guess, but with a digital keyboard you can play the full power when the atmosphere encourages it, but with a sensible volume on the output. If you try it on an acoustic instrument, you know it would seem like a total lunacy.

So far I may conclude that I need a portable instrument and I need an option to add layer to a sound. The thing about PSR series is that their layers always work perfectly with a sustain pedal. On other keyboards you may find out that the layer will freeze until you release a pedal, and for my way of playing it’s surely not an option. In fact, on PSR the layer is sustained by the pedal, but it starts to decay smoothly as you release a key.

Another peculiarity is that today’s keyboards have very good guitars. Don Mason recently shared a story that he was taken for a guitarist by a blind person while Don was playing his keyboard.

I have to admit that the chances are that I would be received better if I play a nylon guitar voice on my keyboard than if I was playing the actual thing. Not only because I’m not very experienced guitarist, but also because of this amplification problem. And with PSR you get this bright convincing sound of nylon strings, as loud as you need.

I do have a feeling that I need an extra keyboard, though. I see that practically all of the full-time musician here are in fact professional singers. As I’m not a singer myself, I feel that there’s a room for a second instrument, just to make my service to appear more complete.

As I realize that I can live without weighed keyboard, I really hate the idea of carrying an extra weight, so far it stops me from buying a digital piano. I even hate the idea of carrying the PSR-S950, because due to the speakers it is just as heavy as digital pianos.

The closest alternative to a digital piano today for me is Yamaha MODX7. Any demo of it shows right away that it has a piano voice more beautiful than most of other keyboards (just my personal perception). It has an option to add any layer to the sound, it has 76 keys, and it is lightweight.

In the same time due to weakness of Russian economy it’s not really justified to buy MODX just to use it as a digital piano, as it’s much more sophisticated machine. The economy teaches me to optimize everything, and it’s rather intriguing. And it upsets me that when it comes to musical instruments, nowadays you are forced to buy the whole packages, while you only need them partly.

One of examples how the choice is spoiled: first Roland released a “Go:piano” keyboard with 61 keys. It has a variety of piano and digital piano voices, which are supposedly pretty decent. Then Roland introduces “Go:piano” with 88 keys. That could be just what I want but they decided that it should have only 1 piano voice and only 1 electric piano voice (it also has something like 1 organ and 1 strings voices, 4 overall). I just can’t force myself to buy a thing which has been so deliberately spoilt. After all, if I’m giving for it the money, which Roland can use any way they want, I want to get an instrument in return which I can use any way I want.

So, you see, this is when a seemingly simple solution starts to appear rather unsolvable. It forces me to look for opportunities in different areas. Just to say, I’m typing this text right now with a wireless keyboard which I bought in a grocery store just for $10. And it came with a wireless mouse.

As I keep complaining about Russian economy (which is arguably a result of lack of democracy, but that’s another story), I should point out, that generally prices for common things and services are adapted to the reality, because otherwise no one would buy or use them. And musical instruments are left out as an exception. There’s no reason for manufacturers to adapt their prices for Russia because other markets are sufficient.

In the same time, to be fair, Yamaha covers most of basic needs with PSR-S670 and digital pianos like P-45, which often are the choice of the customers. The gap remains mainly in between these two things, between 61-keys arranger and 88-weighed-keys digital piano: you instantly have to go as high as MODX/Genos, or as low as PSR-EW series.

For this reason or not I’m occupying myself with this writing, it takes much less equipment (resources) to produce. You see, it started as a “Love Story”, but ended with commercialism. Well, it’s time to give my girlfriend a call.

My idea was more like buying a stage piano in the 400-600$ ballpark in addition to the arranger, just for pure piano tunes and in order to have the weighted keys available. For gigs I also prefer a semi-weighted instrument...

I think that is a wonderful piano recording!

Amazing, proves when you have talent you can make any instrument sound great. Wouldn’t have thought you could play that tune on a 61 note keyboard.
I can barely get any velocity out of my psr.
Thank you for sharing.

Bravo! I find I usually have to "beef up" Yamaha PSR piano settings, especially on the treble end.
Do you memorize the sheet music or play by ear?
Your rendition was beautiful.
Eddie

Kabinopus ... Just got to listen to "Love Story" ... Beautiful rendition ... Thank you

Enjoyed my listen very much. I admire your talent and willingness to share. Best of luck with your music.

So beautiful! Thank you for sharing your talent!
I also enjoy just playing “piano” quite a bit on my PSR 970.

Great job!

Sometimes I get a bit frustrated with the acoustic piano sound on my per 950, and start thinking to get a decent piano sound I need to upgrade to a TOTL instrument. This video was a nice reminder that it’s not the keyboard it’s the keyboardist! There are no short cuts: practice, practice and more practice with a high level of talent and just about any instrument will sound great!

Thank you all for your attention, I appreciate it.

In fact I keep thinking about the idea that a digital piano can in fact be the thing which I need. Perhaps I will have to use both units.

Last Sunday I was in Moscow. Turned out that Casio has its own showroom there. The hall with Casio instruments and a polite girl to help you with them. I went there to check again PX-560 (it seems that it starts to disappear from stores). The girl took it from a shelf (with my help); put it on a stand and offered me a seat, so it was rather comfortable. As it is not a store, they do not make sells, so there’s no pressure to buy something. In the same time it was rather lonely there; so you feel yourself in a center of attention.

As for PX-560, I liked the piano sound better than the last time I tried it (I didn’t feel good back then presumably because I used to drink too much coffee and tea; now I’m totally caffeine-free). Not so sure about electric pianos, as for the rest of the voices I decided not to judge them at all because it is a digital piano first. The accompaniment has a problem with “fills” (you have to pick a right moment to activate it); but I liked the overall sound of drums and strings.

I tried CT-X5000 for just a moment. My impression was rather good; better, than judging by YouTube.

I think that after about 30 minutes of trying a keyboard you lose your focus, so I don’t try to check a lot of keyboards in one take.

Then I went to a store nearby; I tried Roland Go Piano (61) and I was impressed with the quality and variety of piano and electric piano sounds. It’s a shame the 88 keys version is so limited; and they don’t have something in between 61 and 88.

Finally, I tried Yamaha P-121. The keybed itself made a good impression on me. But as for the sound, after having played PSR-S950 for many years, all piano and electric piano voices appeared too familiar, if not identical.

Everyone has his own needs, or at least wishes.

Recently I took my PSR-S950 to the service, and they fixed all the problems it had (contact strips, a pitch bend, unresponsive controls, noisy keys) for about $100. And so far I doubt that even switching to PSR-SX900 would be such a huge step. It’s like if you wear suits all the time, sooner or later you might want to switch to something casual, instead of buying a new suit.

I see now that it might be what being biased is about; mostly adapting personal judgments to personal conditions...