Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Does anybody else prefer the Digital . . .

. . .To the real deal?? Was thinking of putting this on the "Pianos" forum, but that could be a step tooooo far . . !

Well, in a sense you have already put it on the Piano forum in your "why haven't pianos moved on" thread. And look how well that went down!

i prefer a good digital to most pianos that I find in the average persons home. Now a good upright or grand - that is a different story. It all comes down to quality for me.

I think in the end I want both. A good digital and and a nice grand piano.

True . . but I did say "semi-serious"; I suppose the Light Brigade thought the same when they charged; Mind you, it was fun while it lasted..

Many, many acoustic pianos out there are in very poor regulation and tune and I hate that. Others were never designed to be nice (I was raised on a spinet and it was terrible). I prefer a decent digital to them, yes. In fact, I'd say I usually prefer digitals in the price range $900-$2000 to acoustic counterparts costing the same amount. Of course, a $2000 digital is a good one and a $2000 acoustic is often not good, so we aren't really comparing apples to apples. On the other hand, you can often get deals on great acoustics for less than $2000 on craigslist and so forth...

I definitely prefer the best acoustics to the best digitals, but an acoustic doesn't fit with my lifestyle at the moment (I'm always playing at night, for example). An acoustic is a great performance instrument, but it's not a great instrument to stick in a small place and play without disturbing anyone.

This! If you can afford the cost and space for the grand, the digital is a no brainer!

I agree with previus posters. A digital piano, in my mind, easily beats most uprights I've played and poorly maintained grands.

If gigging I would'nt propably use a grand even if one was availeble. Digital piano is just so much easier and 99% of the audience won't know the difference, no matter how fine the grand would be. Classical and solo-jazzing is a different story ofcourse, but I don't do thatkind of stuff.

I started my playing with synth action kb's and from there moved to digi pianos. When I finally started practicing on grands and upright I developed a carpal tunnel syndrome that bothers me frequently. But even if my wrist would be fine the only thing I'd prefer over a digi piano would be a decent grand.

Acoustic is best. The digital is for portability and/or low-cost and/or low-maintenance and/or headphone privacy. When those criteria don't apply the acoustic wins by a country mile.

Seriously? More of this, Pete?

I think that below 5K digital is a better purchase.
Unless you are buying a very old instrument, acoustic will not be of a very good quality.
Too heavy action difficult to play thrills, not so nice tone - what I see on cheap acoustic instruments, including grands.
And as you can see from DPSDB thread - someone mentioned that his acoustic Yong Chang (budget brand) had dynamic range around 50dB that is not superior to a good digital piano
Wonder what is better then about budget acoustic pianos... (I like never touch nor sound of YC).

So comparing apples to apples (pianos at the same price range, not Clavinova vs. concert grand) digital is good.

I don't even keep a digital for piano or electric piano in the house anymore. There's nothing like the real thing:

@Hideki Matsui,

Question:

How much did that Shigeru Kawai SK5 cost you?

This topic has been beaten black and blue before being strung up and shot full of poisonous arrow holes. Anyone interested can find numerous past threads...

Rest content Ando! I will not darken the doors of that forum again. Well, for a week or so . . .

Hideki - I detect a Wurlitzer piano in the background! I had one o` them. It was always going out of tune, but what a sound!

To 10fingers.

This topic has become an argument between DPs and AP`s. That is not what I posted. Nor what I posted on the other forum. But it happened. Not responsible, ole lad! (Gallic shrug once again)

Sacre Bleu et zut alors . . .

Looks like it...but no. Tine based Vintage Vibe 64.

I think they are working on a Wurly for NAMM... I'll definitely get one of those too.

I got a great deal, but definitely not cheap. I feel very fortunate to have the luxury of owning and playing a beautiful grand and EP. I wouldn't want to bring them around, but that's why I keep my Jupiter.

"I feel very fortunate to have the luxury of owning and playing a beautiful grand and EP."

Do you know, I feel the same about my cheapo DP. I didn`t have a restriction on money when I bought it. There`s a lot of good stuff within it`s plastic housing waiting to came out. . .
Have good one man!

I don't doubt it. I really enjoy playing my Jupiter as well and it can do so many things my piano and EP can't. That being said, when it comes to playing piano or EP at home, the way the Shigeru and VV64 sound in my acoustic space are really amazing and leave me with no reason to seek an emulation of those instruments.