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Dear Sirs,

I would like to have advise on where to get a dummy keyboard .
The silent keyboard that pianist used to travel with. I have been searching on the Internet and return no result.

Any iadvise would be highly appreciated,

Thanks in advanced,

Norman

I have one! A German concert pianist gave it to me in partial trade for some work I did for him. It folds in half into a small suitcase. It was made in Austria I believe.

I'll post a picture soon.

I don't know what you want it for, or if this idea might be good enough for you, but one way of getting a dummy keyboard is to use an electronic keyboard with the power turned off.

Thank you for your reply, I am looking for a dummy keyboard that can be fold into a suitcase when I go on tour. I think Mr. Sower got the type that I am looking for. It is so hard to get one now. Rachmaninoff and the older generation use them regularly and I know a company in the states use to make it twenty some years ago, but I cannot find them out now. Any help would be appreciated .
Thank you ,
Norman

NLEE, the options I know are the following:

1) Around 3000usd
Vax77 folding keyboard with weighted action Vax77


2) From 500usd
Fatar models with weighted action usb powered (49, 61, 76, 88 keys) Fatar Models

3) Buy a weighted keyboard and cut it in 2 or 3 pieces. It will cease to be functional if wanted to play sounds, but could be used mechanically as long as the extremes are glued to some plastic, etc.
Cheapest would be a Casio CDP100 or Privia. From there you have all the offerings from Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, etc.

Notice that all these options have weighted action, but the 25 keys keyboards only have semi weighted action, and many times keys smaller in size.

From what I have read if you want a keyboard to fit in a carry on when flying, a 49 keys or smaller is needed, any bigger and you would have to check it.

Best Regards,
Ary

These come up for sale off and on, even on this forum. A few yrs. ago someone in Pennsylvania had one in near mint condition for sale with the instruction charts still pasted to it. They are not common today because people have thrown them away over the yrs. because they thought they were broken pianos. They are apparently still fairly common in Australia and New Zealand, so you might check the used piano websites in those places.

Here are some pictures:

Thank you for all your input. What a nice keyboard that you have, that is exactly what I am looking for. I thought they are make with four octave, it is nice to see a whole keyboard with 88 keys. I will keep searching if there is any for sale, if you come across any , please let me know. Thank you again and you have a great dummy keyboard.

Norman

http://www.pinkhampianos.com/pinkhampianos.nsf/Pianos/HomeDummyPracticeKeyboard


This store is located in UK.

I just can't imagine practising on a keyboard that doesn't make any sound. I don't think it would benefit me at all. Technique is built not just by exercising muscles but my matching muscle movement to dynamic sound. It might even harm your playing to play a silent keyboard. I have a silent system on my Yamaha U3 and to play it without the sound module turned on gives you no feedback at all about what your movements are creating. You can't tell if you are playing evenly at all. All you know is if you are pressing a key or not - and possibly not even the right key!

There is actually something very interesting about playing on a keyboard that makes no sound. Your mind becomes entirely focused on the finger patterns. Without the audible cues, you realize you may not know the piece as well as you think you do!

I think these devices do have some merit.

That's an interesting comment, Ryan. I suppose it could stimulate memory and imagination of the sound of every note. I think it would have to be done sparingly though because it could damage your touch sensitivity if you did it too much. Notes are not just on or off, or right or wrong. They all carry different weight and the interplay is important, where as a silent device treats things in a binary on/off sort of way. Still, obviously some people find this a useful approach.

I recall reading that some of them could be set to make a little clicking sound when the key was depressed or released, and that one could practice legato by synchronizing the click going down with the click coming up.

I actually went looking for a silent keyboard in the late 1980's because of noise concerns in my apt. building. I first went to the people I thought would be most helpful in finding one, piano professionals. The response I got from them was shocking in its complete ignorance. None of these piano professionals had any idea what I was talking about. A common response was a hostile and indignant: "What possible use could there be for a piano that made no sound?"

These silent keyboards first appeared in the late 19th century. They used to be very popular with concert pianists in the 1930's. Arrau used one all his life. In one of the last photos taken before his death, he posed in his piano room at home, not with a big grand in the background, but with his ancient silent keyboard, as if to say: "Many times during my career people have asked what the secret to my playing was, so different from the just-play-the-notes playing of most concert pianists. Now, in the twilight of my life, I give you the secret: my old silent keyboard."

I'd agree that you might want to consider a lighterweight digital keyboard that you like - and have a case made for it. That way, you can choose the touch and weight you prefer. You have a piano that can, where appropriate, be plugged in for feedback - but lets you play without sound if you choose. I suspect the cost of the digital piano plus a custom case will be less than one of the dummy keyboards. Good luck, whatever your decision.

hi,

i just came across these pictures.
do you still have this dummy keyboard in your possession?
i've been searching for one and would be interested in acquiring for after-hours practice.

thanks

I do still have it! Feel free to contact me privately if you would like to make an offer.

Just to let folks know, I am officially looking for a home my practice keyboard. I'm on a health food kick and want to buy a new Vitamix!

I want to turn this:



into this:



and hopefully turn me from this:



into THIS:


Send me a PM if you are interested. Here's to your health!

Interesting ad!

If you're lucky, you might be able to find a good used Bass O Matic on eBay or Craigslist for cheap and keep the keyboard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BQFv83QJ2Y

Charles