Hello !
I'm new here. A little about me: I'm 20, from France, I'm a student in college and for more than one year now, I want a piano. I already play acoustic guitar but I really would like to learn to play piano and some musical theory (which is a bit hard on guitar). I earned and saved up money but my budget is still limited to 500/600€ (700/800$). That's why I chose to buy a digital piano.

Here is the thing ; I don't want to learn to play Beethoven or Mozart, instead I like these kind of pieces : http://www.zshare.net/audio/7318061e8732e0/ (it's autoplay, no need to download mp3 file)
These are various piano songs respectively from Nick Cave, Sigur Ros, Max Richter and Eluvium.
So it seems I prefer what we call "modern classical". Maybe you're more familiar with artists names like Philip Glass or Yann Tiersen. My aim is to be able to play these pieces then starting to compose my own pieces after some years of practice.


So I'm asking you if there is a digital piano around with that kind of sound. Or maybe which brand is closest to that kind of sound...


I think more than the sound, it's the composition itself which makes the piece beautiful, but still, I think playing that on a blues or rhodes tones just doesn't sound right. Maybe I'm wrong?


As I'm so "strict" about the sound, instead of DP, maybe a MIDI keyboard is what I'm looking for? I'm confused.

So what do you think of all this? What's the best thing to do/buy according to my profil?

Thanks for your advices and sorry for possible bad english.

Tres bon anglais! Moi j'ai tout compris ...

Why are you looking for a DP? To learn to play piano and eventually being able to play on an acoustic?
If this is not the case, you might be better off with a keyboard or a synth connected to a computer (via USB or MIDI).
The instrument will allow you to compose, will come with better/more voices that you might find handy and it will be cheaper than a DP too.
I believe that what makes the price a a DP is the sophistication of the action and the piano samples: the closest to the real thing, the more expensive it gets.
Vincent.

In your situation, I would buy a Yamaha P85 (newly released), a MIDI cable, and hook it up to virtual instrument software.

That way, you get a decent action and play in any voice you can find through your computer and internet.

I'm using a Yamaha P140 with a USB MIDI cable/interface connected through programs like Fruity Loops. I install VSTs that I find and download from the web.

USB MIDI interfaces can be bought on Ebay for around $20, and $40 anywhere else. VSTs can be free or paid. Music software is the same.

Thanks for your answers!

Vincent, yes it's foremost to learn to play piano (and eventually on acoustic piano) and try to compose later.

It's a dilemma but I think I'm going to buy a DP for several reasons :

- having "real" hammer keys.
- being able to play anytime (even with the computer shutdown).
- being able to play with the sound I want with a DAW and VSTi.

Plus, I looked at MIDI keyboards but most of them (with piano hammer keys) are as expansive as DP.