Hi everyone,
Just need to get some advice in regards to silent piano systems and I would appreciate it if I could get some feedback from those who have silent pianos or had a system installed in theirs& if so whether it is advisable?

My parents moved recently so from having a piano room both in canada and here back home in singapore for a good 7& a half years at least. It's really been a struggle and I always feel that I don't have enough time in; partially cause I am no longer in music school (used to go in early in the mornings just to practice before school started), partially because I don't like practicing where others are (it's more of a physiological problem cause all I need is a separate room even if it isn't soundproofed)...

Well I talked it out with my dad cause I was looking into investing about 2k+ into a simple keyboard with a good touch, sound& sensitivity. My dad said that he would rather just spend more investing in a good digital but I already have a 33k grand in my living room now and he said he wouldn't do that unless it was 100% necessary. To go straight to the point he doesn't want to sacrifice the quality of my playing or practice on a digital early in the mornings or late in the evenings. Am going to get a piano cover but I doubt that will help that much.... I really appreciate what my dad is doing though that he is willing to see what we could do to solve this problem and the fact that he is willing to help me out with this. When I went down to the place I bought my grand from the lady who sold me my grand actually had the same sentiments as my dad and told me that no matter what it is crucial for me to spend as much time as possible practicing on my grand.

so help!! any advice?

I have a silent system installed on my C7.The previous owner, a pianist, installed it. I think it is very useful, because you can practise for a lot more (I live in an apartment, you see, so the hours are limited). Of course, the sound sample is not as good as the real thing, but with external speakers or good headphones, it sounds pretty darn good. And the action doesn't change, it's still a grand piano action

A very basic silent system and installation costs maybe 3k. More advanced systems with more features and sounds costs more. The regulation of the action may also need to be modified, but this might depend on the model and brand of the system.

Good luck!

Everything is a compromise. Aftermarket silent systems lack a lot whereas factory silent systems like Yamaha SG and Kawai Anytime are generally excellent. For aftermarket, I would look at Magic Star as the best currently available despite its drawbacks.

With silent systems, you lose a fraction of nuance in your piano's performance to accommodate the system. With aftermarket systems, the sound engine is woefully behind that of almost any current digital piano, robbing you of nuance in expression and especially pedal expression.

In a current high-level Digital, the actions are mighty nice and will benefit from more current and nuanced sound engine. At a minimum, I would look at something like Yamaha's P155 or even even better is Roland's FP-7F. That has Roland's flagship sound and action in its lowest cost configuration.

So in silent system vs. good digital, you end up with noticeably better action vs. notably better sound. If any of the digital pianos other uses are of any interest to you, it automatically wins. If not, it's still a very close call with my edge going to something like the Roland or possibly Kawai's better stage pianos.

AS far as I know no silent system is actually on the market that can be retrofitted and at the same has a built in compensation for the escapement, i.e. a compensation system for the let-off that needs to be set higher (+/_ 4 - 5 mm) as to allow the system to function in silent mode.

This means that the the let-off remains increased also in acoustic mode which means you ruin the qualities of a well regulated grand piano action when playing in acoustic mode (not a good thing).

Even as far as I know the Kawai AnyTime ATX, the Bechstein Vario also do not have this compensation system as a factory built in silent system. Only Yamaha has it with the SG; they call it the 'Quick Escape Mechanism'.

Recently another one appaeard on the European market which also does. Perhaps one day it will also be available in North America.

schwammerl.

I'd spend the $3K on a good shrink before installing the aftermarket silent system. It sounds from your post that *you* are the one wanting the silent system because you find it psychologically difficult to practice while others are around, and not because your parents are finding your practicing tedious. In that case, I really think it's best if you just give practicing in front of them an honest try first. It's the cheapest solution and it will yield the best sound/action for your piano, AND it will be best in terms of helping you with performance anxiety issues etc.

My advice would be to try doing your normal practice routine for the next month. If after a month you still find it difficult to concentrate and play freely, or if your parents arrive at a different opinion regarding the desirability of a silent system, then you can explore your options.

just my completely unsolicited opinion.

Is the problem that you'll disturb the neighbors or you'll disturb others in family or you feel self-conscious if others nearby hear you?

I don't feel those are good enough reasons to spend more money ;p. Neighbors and family should just darn appreciate the music or put up with it! Practicing earlier in the morning is good. You're probably the most advanced pianist around so you shouldn't have to feel self-conscious anyway ;p

And no, a piano cover would do nothing.

Of pianos with factory-installed silent systems, Yamaha seems highly rated. Of late, I've read 2 reports of people ironically having problems with the "noise of the silent piano." What they mean is this: when you switch from acoustic to silent mode and put on headphones, the music is only in your ears. But because the movement of the acoustic mechanical parts remains and is no longer drowned out by the music, it was, at least from their perspective, a problem (in one case for neighbors below). I'm moving to what was an apartment house (now condos). I have to assume since Yamaha's Silent Piano is designed to play at night or in apartments, that the mechanical noise in silent mode shouldn't be a big deal but I'm now concerned.

What can anyone tell us who has heard these pianos a few feet away or on the floor below? Thanks in advance for a reply!

To me, the sound in the room is equivalent to the sound of rain - sometimes heavy rain. A piano's action is full of dull drumming and thuds covered by the sound of the strings. The silent systems double that noise by adding the stop rail that catches the hammers, padded though it is. Digital pianos are quieter, though they vary as well.

If someone is complaining about the sound of a silent piano while in the same room, they have unrealistic expectations; it makes noise, but nothing you even have to raise your voice to talk over. If a neighbor is complaining about a silent piano, then they have super-sensitive hearing or such thin walls that they will naturally complain about someone walking across the floor in heels, about the your TV, the vacuum cleaner and anything else that normal people learn to live with.

Thanks so much!! that was really fast...

Monica: yes I think it's def me who is finding it hard to practice with people around. Actually I haven't talked to my dad about it yet because he just concluded yesterday that he didn't want to sacrifice quality by getting a keyboard :p We have already been at this new home for a good 2 and a half 3 months and I'm still struggling with it.

Gnuboi: am worried about disturbing my neighbors in the early morning and late evenings but dislike practicing where others can hear in the day time :p

I'll think through everything carefully... My dad did tell me a couple of years back that if it's necessary one day we will install a system but I'll talk to him about it again, give him some of your opinions and see what he says in the end.

Thanks again!!

I like Sam' suggestion of the Roland FP-7F. And its portable.

okay now some updates... I talked to my mom again just awhile ago and presented her with the 2 options: 1) get a silent system & 2) buy a digital piano.

Mom didn't particularly favour the idea of installing a silent system into my expensive grand which I love so much& expressed her concern as a few of you did above. I then inserted option 2 for her& weighed the options, told her as well that cheaper doesn't equal to lousy: basically gave her my opinions between what I've tried& that a more expensive Yamaha clarinova did not impress me as much as a 3k Kawai digital...and presented her with the big picture& differences.

I managed to buy her into buying a digital piano so she will be going down to the store with me tomorrow morning, I might be taking on of my friend's along just to get a second opinion.

Btw the one I've decided to get is the KDP 80. It's a new model... and there were many good points about it which convinced me that it was fit for playing a higher caliber vs. the rest of the keyboards which I tried.

I got my KDP 80 in the end today!! Mom actually liked the cp models but I preferred the touch and sensitivity of the KDP more... It will delivered next Thursday

Yay you spared the Boston some surgery. The DP could be placed in another room, like near your desk so you can try it out as you compose/arrange/typeset your own music. Good choice.

Yes the do will be placed in my bedroom! We couldn't place anything else in previously because my sister was sharing a room with me. She got married last year in dec though so I have my own room now

Yamaha Disklavier lets you play a grand piano, or an electric piano with headphones so no one else can hear. You get the feel of a grand with no one else hearing it. Plus you can put floppies or CDs into it and it will push the keys down and magically play songs (although its funner to play them yourself if you can!).

Most the time I get to play it live...but sometimes...for some odd reason.......they ask me to put headphones on. .... I still get to play!!

Get a Yamaha Disklavier if you can, you won't regret it. They are awesome. Super awesome. I love them.

By disklavier do you mean those grand pianos with the silent system installed or do you mean a Yamaha clarinova? If you mean a Yamaha clarinova I tried so man of those but not a single one caught my fancy, don't like the touch or sound, it's too electronic, too digital. That's my reason for picking kawai.

If you mean a grand piano with a silent system I already have a Boston GP178 which I would never exchange for anything else especially a Yamaha grand even though it comes with that system... I love my grand piano!

i mean yamaha with the system installed. it came that way from the factory so we didn't have to install anything. another poster mentioned the aftermarket installs may not be ideal.