Has anyone experimented with installing some sound deadening sponge or foam inside the BK9 to minimise the Keybed noise?

I have pulled apart my BK9 and it is quite hollow inside so I feel that the casing of the instrument itself Is actually one of the main reasons why the Keybed is so loud, especially when you release the keys instead of actually pressing them...

The BK9 Keybed feels beautiful to play but it is one of the loudest I have ever come across...

I'd say that, if you are playing so quietly that you can hear the keybed, change to headphones!

I've got a G70 next to my home BK9, there's not THAT much difference between the two.

But, if you want, try making sure it's not the stand you have it on that's contributing to the vibration. I have mine at home on a music production desk, and it's VERY solidly supported, no bounce, no nothing. But it's worth slipping some rubber shelf liner material under the arranger's feet if you want to stop any playing vibration getting into the table.

Truth is, play a B3 not switched on, or a dummy piano action, or a Rhodes or Wurli not plugged into an amp, those actions are far from silent. If you can't play loud enough to overwhelm the keybed, try a nice pair of isolating closed ear headphones.

Or crank it!

I used to play on a Casio CK3800 with the same clunk on the keys ( it was a great teaching 'board). So I got a strip of self adhesive foam to stop drafts in doors and windows and placed it along the base of the keyboard under where the keys hit the frame of the chassis. I didn't even lift the lid of the keyboard to install it. It went in and as far back as I could place it. Boy did it help quieten down that clunk - much better and a cheap fix.



Allan

I had the same problem with my BK-9. I lived on the second floor in an apartment and I used to practice late at night with my headphones on, the neighbor below me came up saying that he is hearing repetitive noise on his ceiling, and he can't sleep, 'cause it's annoying him. He was right, it was loud, especially when there was total silence at 2 AM.

So I went to Home Depot, and bought some of those wide foams with a sticky side that they use for window insulation (weather stripping foam seal for doors or windows), I put two layers under the white keys (no disassembly required), pushed the foam in gently so you can't see it, and this way you can't even tell that it's there, and it did quiet things down, couple of notches.

Easy simple fix, although the black keys have no damping underneath, but it seems OK for the white keys. And also playing is easier, feels different, although it depends how high you stack those foam insulator strips.

Although make sure the glue on the sticky side is not that strong, so you'll be able to remove it, in case you don't like it.

Something you might try to cut down on noise from the keybed going downstairs is isolate the keyboard stand from the floor. Rather than the actual sound of the keys, what he’s likely hearing downstairs is the vibration of you hitting the keys traveling down through the stand into the floor. Some heavy carpet under your keyboard can do wonders to quieten things up downstairs. Plus maybe some foam between the keyboard and the stand itself. Push comes to shove, try putting a towel under the keyboard to absorb the shock.

I honestly doubt he could hear the noise of the keys themselves, but it’s pretty easy for vibrations to travel through metal stands into a hard floor and through to a ceiling below…