Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Could you have gotten where you are with a DP?

I'm following up on a suggestion made to me by ChrisH. in the Piano Teachers Forum. I'm the OP of that long thread I began with this question.

So: how many of the excellent pianists here practice mainly on a DP and don't have a grand piano? Does/did it limit your progress?

I'm not sure that is really the question I want to ask here, because of the amazing improvements in DPs in recent years. (BTW have you seen the demos of the soon-to-be-released Roland V-Piano?)

Rephrasing: Can you imagine getting to where you are today if from the beginning you had used only one of the best DPs available now?

There are things that don't work nearly so well on DPs as on the real McCoy such as rapid repeated notes and subtle pedal effects. However, coming from a far-from wealthy family, the first piano I had to learn on was a poor old thing with a range that stopped at top A; I think the best DPs that are available today are far preferable to that.
I do a lot of practising on my DP so as not to disturb neighbours. I can easily adapt to pianos outside which I meet , some of which are so poor I would prefer to have A good DP to play by the way, but, of course,being over 60 means that for most of my life I have not used DPs. Also, I don't own a grand piano as my house is too small to accommodate one comfortably, but I've played on enough over the years to be able to cope with them when I have to.

I really don't play post 1800 music at home anymore, it's too noisy. Instead I use a square piano (quite cheap over here) or a clavichord.

No.

Pianozuki, I'm just a beginner so I can't answer the question you are asking, but being one of the 'troublemakers' in the other thread I'm very interested in hearing the responses. Thanks for following up on this.

When I left my parents, I purchased a used Roland KR-103, because it was cheapish and I knew I was going to move at least twice, which is something I couldn't have done easily with an acoustic. My playing has improved quite a bit since then, since I've gained a lot more practice time and getting a new piano is always inspiring.

My dynamics are now behind compared to the rest of my abilities, so I would like a real piano again, but I couldn't see myself where I am WITHOUT a digital piano.

I don't have a grand piano I have a Mason & Hamlin spinet that I started learning on in 4th grade. I also have a DP that I do most of my practicing on. I can switch easily between them and find there's no difference. Of course, the DP does support partial pedaling and I find that I can repeat notes as well on both pianos so there's no limitations there. The subtlety of the acoustic piano does allow me to play more expressively on it than on the DP.

But the ability to practice virtually anytime I want on the DP certainly makes up for what little it lacks.

Ed

Not being awkward, but have you ever tried playing Alborada del Gracioso or Liszt's Tarantella (Venezia e Napoli) on your DP? If yes, and you can perform the repeated notes to tempo on your DP, please let me know the brand and model.

I'm the OP.

If you mention a DP, please give its make and model.

Thanks

Do you think a good Kawai DP might meet your test? Listen to these demos:
http://www.kawaius.com/main_links/digital/sound_demos/ca_demos/CA%20Concert%20Grand.wma

And

http://www.kawaius.com/main_links/digital/sound_demos/cp_demos/CP%20Concert%20Grand.wma

(Sorry, I can't figure out which DPs these come from)

That demo comes in my dp too, the kawai cl30 ... not sure if it was originally performed on that pianio

i'm a beginner too and i will buy an acoustic soon. the reason is because when i go to classes , the difference of strength needed is dramatic. my hands feel so weak on the acoustic that i really do not want to spend much more time playing on a dp only.

whne i buy the acoustic, it will definitely have a silent system.

That demo comes in my dp too, the kawai cl30 ... not sure if it was originally performed on that piano

If not, wouldn't that constitute fraud?

I guess it would, yes - but i have no idea whether thats the case or not.

Sure -- I have a Privia PX-800. I selected that based upon the similarity of touch to the M&H. The sound is slightly different -- a richer bass and a much, much thinner treble. Still, I like it.

Ed

Haven't played either of those on this particular piano (or, for that matter, on the M&H). I'm not sure my old arthritic fingers will move fast enough to provide sufficient test for that today, but in my younger days I could play nearly fast enough for it. what I have played in terms of repeating notes is Albeniz' Leyenda. I will admit, however, that this latter is allegro ma non troppo and not as fast as the Tarantella so it may not be a reasonable comparison. I have found, however, that unless I'm really sloppy in my fingering I can play repeated notes as fast on the DP as I can on the M&H. But, then again, we have my own physical limitations which seem to be more a limit than the piano itself.

Ed

Fairly measured repeated notes ore OK but those of the Gatling-gun variety which require rapid changes of fingers to produce, I have found, do not "come-off" on DPs at all reliably.
The Chopin demos posted elsewhere don't really address the problem which I mentioned.

That could have to do specifically with the level of polyphony supported. If your fingers are flying fast enough to exceed the level then there certainly could be issues.

you'll be fine..

learning and acquiring skill is what is important..

i think it is easy to quickly acquire the technique to play different keyboards. i regularly play on different organs.. and adjust and learn quickly - how to adapt.

Who's the "you"? Me?

I have the score for the Tarantella so I'll give it a try. On the other hand, the Scarlatti K141 does provide some short passages of rapidly repeating notes that require finger shifts to pull off and I used to play that. I'll pull it out and see how the PX-800 responds to those demands.

Ed