Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum I hate my digital :-(

Serious buyer's remorse. The official plan was to buy an inexpensive digital, play it for a few years while saving for a quality acoustic. I'm not at all happy playing the dp; I tried to summarize to my hubby by saying "it's like playing a fishing video game, instead of going fishing for real."
I would just return it to Costco but I have to remind myself it's not really about me. It's always perfectly in tune for my daughter and she likes recording herself and playing it back.
The $500 piano room at my dealer has begun to haunt my dreams though

Don't be too upset. Hopefully you didn't spent too much on it, but a digital is still a good tool. It is a supplement to a real piano, rather than a substitute, as you have found.

You can still use it for many things. It can work with all sorts of interesting software for musicianship skills, theory, ear training, composing, arranging etc

Since you and your daughter play, once you get a real piano, both of you can play at the same time, one with headphones on the digital in another room.

The two of you could play music for 2 pianos once you get a real piano.

So, don't beat yourself up. Accept the digital for what it is and what it is not, find a good acoustic piano, and have it all!

Consider this... if you get somehow serious about playing you do need a backup piano and a digital is perfect for that job.
The real toy do need maintenance and you will need something to play while you have your action out for regulation or hammer replacement or getting some work done on it... or just because you want to feel a different kind of action under your fingers... or a perfectly in tune sound.

I know just what you mean. I am about to buy a cheap locally made acoustic despite having a digital.

If, as you say, it isn't "really all ABOUT you".
Just get over yourself

Make music on whatever you have availble, make it more ABOUT ...the MUSIC, less about the ...INSTRUMENT.
Are you REALLY "instrument limited" ?
Very few of us REALLY are.

Need a backup piano? Hmmm... Never felt the need myself.

I hate those thingies, also. I completely understand the frustration expressed by the OP.

Words to live by!

I also completely understand the frustration. And hopefully the keyboard from Costco is good enough, but I played one my friend had bought from there and it didn't even come with a pedal, which made it horrifying to play. He couldn't even recognize what I was playing. As long as the digital is good though, then you're okay. But if you're drooling over a $500 acoustic then it's probably not a decent digital piano but really just an electronic "keyboard". In which case, I really feel the pain.

ShannonG

Unfortunately, "inexpensive" often means limited performance and features. DP's, as you probably know, are priced across a wide spectrum and the sound and feel will vary greatly just as in the acoustic market.

A bargain is not a bargain if you don't use the item. If you are really that unhappy playing your DP, the danger is that, eventually, you may not play at all and lose your enthusiasm for your musical goals. Please don't let that happen. Perhaps, it might be time to consider selling it on CL and investing in a better model that will bring you closer to the sound and feel of an acostic.

I bought a Kawai CA65 as part one of my plan and enjoyed playing it very much. Even though I recently bought a grand I still use the DP for "quiet times". I chose Kawai as they have a good rep for good feel and sound. The better DP's are usually sold at delerships and you can audition them just as your would an acoustic. In addition, dealers will sometimes have used ones in their inventory that they took as a trade. You will find used DP's on CL too but do your homework first. The good news is that DP's don't hold value like real pianos because new technology is being introduced all the time. You should be able to find a pretty good one for half, or less, of a new one. One of the reasons I chose to keep my DP was the fact that I would most likey get less than half the original price after just 1 1/2 years.

Maybe you can turn that into a

You've hit the 'digital piano' wall. It happened to me sooner than I had expected as well.

I have a Kawai K5 now. Tuning is not cheap, but there it is.

I wish I'd kept my DP for harpsichord, organ, etc.

For many those 'thingies' are their only option! Id take one.

I still have our orphan acoustic in the basement (missing a Bb key and has no pedals) so I go down there to hammer away when I'm feeling like I need to play something more organic. I made a commitment to play the dp for 3-4 yrs until a quality acoustic's in the budget. It is a decent instrument and has a piano-like feel (and a pedal, which I am adjusting to since I grew up playing organs and keyboards) but it has no soul. I can't describe what it lacks adequately.
And my dealer's $500 piano room is full of TREASURE if aesthetics aren't your thing lol. For now though, every $120 we save not having the dp tuned can go straight into our piano fund.

Just get an acoustic and see if you still touch that DP :-)

Just be grateful you even have a $500 digital piano. I am playing a broken down Casio AP24 I picked up off the street but I have no other choice due to my financial situation. Just enjoy what you have and concentrate on making good music. not on what you dont have.

While I would agree that there is indeed a digital wall, it's not found on a shelf at Costco. They have Casios one step above what is sold at Rite Aid and Williams, a Guitar Center house brand that is made in china with 10 year old sound sets and technology. There was a time when you could get a Privia at Costco when the 120's were being replaced by the 30's but I haven't seen one in a long time. They also have a $1000 dollar roland on the website but I've never seen one at the store.

Stepping up to a Casio Privia or P series Yamaha would go a long way towards achieving the advantages that Rich G explained. New Old Stock or lightly used should keep the cost around $400

Kurt

Shannon, I have an older Yamaha digital which I love because it plays midi info from the computer, and I can transpose it to play in keys which are strange to me. It makes songs sound different and new. I know that I should be able to transpose, but I have no urge to be able to play in keys like E, and F#. I have an acoustic grand, but I wouldn't want to dispose of the digital. Keep it, and keep saving for your dream piano. Best to you! Bill

I have a friend who has been trying for over ten years to get me to even tolerate brussels sprouts. I have no idea why he keeps trying. When you hate something, it just is!

Please respect honest hatred.

The only thing I hate about acoustics, where to plug the headphones when the children are asleep you want to practice. Never seems to completely eliminate the noise

My digital is almost 20 years old, pretty much top of the line when I bought it, still in perfect shape, and...surprise, surprise...I play it fairly frequently for the recording capability and all the bells and whistles. But the two pianos are different. My advice is: Keep the digital and keep saving for a good acoustic. Ultimately you may be glad you have both.

What is "the $500 piano room"?
What DP do you own?
Might you download the free Pianoteq demo to see if that improves things (MIDI cable is required)?

Edit: I helped a friend find a good Baldwin Hamilton for $400 a few years ago on Craigslist. There are deals to be had, though you can find yourself meeting some very unusual people during the course of a Craigslist search.