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Im very interested to know If anybody as changed from a well tuned and maintained quality Acoustic upright piano to a digital.
If there is what digital did you choose and as it really made your playing experience truly expressive and satisfying?
Im asking this because I learned piano playing only from a digital and have been playing 9 years and feel I need to go acoustic now.

I've just bought an acoustic which arrives tomorrow - after 20 years of playing exclusively digitals. They are different things with some very different strengths and I will keep my digital because I really like it. Have you played an acoustic piano? If so, what did you think?

Steve

Yes I have played on some acoustics in a store and its this reason why I feel the digital has its limitations.

After coming out of the shop it was a very fulfiling experience of piano playing and I will never forget it.

If you live in an apt., condo, or townhouse, an acoustic piano is all but out of the question because of the noise bothering the neighbors--even if the building allows pianos, the neighbors will find ways to stop your playing; you'll find out about this when you try to play. Also, you need to consider the tuning and maintenance associated with an acoustic piano. You'll need at least two tunings per yr. at about $90-$150 (US) per tuning. Repairs for things like sticking keys and buzzing strings are common, at about $100 per service call.

When you try out an acoustic piano in a store, the demonstration will be by sales professionals who make a living selling pianos--they sell an item that few people own and so they have to be better than good--and so of course you will be impressed. They know exactly how to approach each type of customer. Try this: go back to the store at least twice more and again try out the pianos that impressed you. By the third time you try them, you will begin to see them for what they really are, not what the salesman wants to make you see, that is, they are not all that different from your digital.

... even if the building allows pianos, the neighbors will find ways to stop your playing; you'll find out about this when you try to play.

This comes from personal experience?

Not true. Of course it happens sometimes, but - - my neighbours haven't complained since I switched from digital to acoustic. I use the digital option if I want to play early in the morning, or after 9pm, but they are certainly home when I'm playing up til 9.

Not only do they not try to get me to stop, they have complimented me on my progress!

When I was helping my teacher, who has a grand piano, move out of her apartment - (to another apartment) we met one of her neighbours who said he would be sorry to not hear her music anymore.

(btw, no I wasn't helping to move the piano, ! )

My apt. building allows any musical instrument, but I'm the only one who plays anything. When I first moved in, a tenant with an upright was literally run out of the building by the neighbors. An orchestral violinist broke his lease and moved out. Guitar players, bongo drum players, and recorder players have been quickly silenced. I use a digital with the sound turned down as much as possible (I won't use headphones), and yet my neighbors have tried every means possible to silence my playing.

Well, that's most unfortunate but it does sound like your building has been particularly inundated with musicians. Maybe the long-time residents simply reached a breaking point and can't take it any more.

I'm sorry you get hassled so much. Some of us are lucky enough to have found (by pure chance!) better situations.
But still... not all neighbours will always give every acoustic pianist a hard time every time.

I spoke to my neighbours before I bought, and let them know - I also let them know that they had to feel free to come and tell me if I was disturbing them. I wanted to know if they were not feeling well, had a headache, wanted a break from hearing me, whatever - and I told them I had the option to go Silent if they were disturbed.
They've never taken me up on it - but they know they can.

In terms of replying to the OP - I went to my acoustic from a dp, and frankly have no desire to go back. I don't even like the silent option on my acoustic that much, and it is a pretty decent one.

I fear this thread is veering off topic, and I'm not helping, but not all piano practice is musical or pleasant. I'm pretty sure mine is not, and if I were subjected to it, outside of my control or agreement, by a neighbour I would make every effort to stop it.

Edit to add that that after 9 years of playing, perhaps the OP's practice is worth listening to.

As it happens a few years ago I replaced a really crummy mini-grand piano with a CLP-280. I disliked the digital immediately and preferred my crummy acoustic. However, "in for a penny, in for a pound", as they say, so I went off and bought quite a good 6' 2" acoustic grand. I immediately had issues. For one it was way too loud for my room which caused me to spend even more money to add acoustic panels etc. But more importantly the tone was harsh in the octaves above middle C, with a couple of notes being very harsh and very unpleasant to my ears. I've been thinking about replacing it for the last couple of years, but I'm gun-shy. I could buy another acoustic, but it will probably be loud too, and maybe there are things about its tone that I liked in the showroom that I won't like once it's in my music room.

Ironically I am now thinking about a digital again. The AvantGrand was a candidate until I learned that I would be stuck with the Yamaha samples. It would have been OK with me to use a software piano, but Yamaha did not allow full access to the speaker system so I'd be stuck with stereo output.

At the moment I'm keen on the Roland V-grand as I gather that with some effort I could adjust the sound to my ears and my room and I could control the volume. I've yet to try one, but I'm going to as soon as one comes to my local dealer. Hopefully it will allow for software up-grades.

My message is, beware of an acoustic. They are without doubt better than a digital when played in a concert hall or well-designed music room, but in the home, certainly in my home, there can be issues. I've learned to proceed with caution.

If you feel fulfilled playing an acoustic, IMHO you should go for it.

I recently purchased an acoustic, after some time with a digital (I am less experienced than you) and I don't regret. They are quite different instruments. Now I play the acoustic whenever possible and the digital only when it's late at night.

About the neighbors, I've not had any problem at all with them. I've put Piattino caster cups under my piano just for reducing vibrations to the apartment below, and I've put some acoustic foam behind the piano. Probably without those measures neigbours would have not complained, but now I am pretty confident that I am not bothering nobody when playing.

Oldfingers: Regarding the acoustic piano with harsh tone. It sounds as though it simply needs to have the hammers voiced.

Thanks for the suggestion but, sadly, it's not as simple as that. Recently there was a lengthy discussion on the matter on the Piano Forum with the conclusion that I don't like the overall tone of the piano and the quality that I don't like is more pronounced on a couple of notes. Someone who enjoys "bright" pianos would probably love mine. But if a person is confident that an acoustic piano will perform well in their music room, then they should go for it, there is nothing like it, IMHO.

I think that this was already suggested on the Acoustic forum, but the Del Fandrich-designed Albert Weber uprights deserve an audition.

"Im very interested to know If anybody as changed from a well tuned and maintained quality Acoustic upright piano to a digital."

I have a nice grand which is well taken care of, and a few years later got a digital also. But, most of my life I've played uprights--- none especially wonderful.

"If there is what digital did you choose and as it really made your playing experience truly expressive and satisfying?"

I got the Kawai Mp8ii, and yes, it has been satisfying within its limitations. Acoustic and digital are really quite different instruments with different capabilities. But, I love them both. With digitals you get all those tracks and instrument sounds and computer capabilities (and headphones for late night). But the acoustic is thrilling to play, and has a far better keyboard. And it's beautiful. There's a sense of presence.

"Im asking this because I learned piano playing only from a digital and have been playing 9 years and feel I need to go acoustic now."

There are nice uprights--- better than the old beaters I played on--- at pretty modest price points these days. Back then, I don't know if there were any really nice uprights. There was a craze for those horrid spinets; the better uprights were relics from the golden age of pianos, no longer fashionable and close to the end of their useful life as musical instruments. But among those, there were some wonderful pianos, and I had one. Fifty bucks! Scuffed up, but some great playing. I'm afraid it's too late to find gems like those. Almost no pianos are still playable after 120 years.

They're great questions, Daren. I hope you're able to have both.

BTW, in many years of playing, I've never had a complaint from a neighbor, including my neighbors in the condo village where I live now. (I did have a complaint about my singing once, though. By the time I got the instrumental tracks set up and was ready to lay down the vocals, I would forget that it was late, and...)

I have played acoustic piano since a very young age. I have played a Yamaha 6 foot C-3 conservatory grand for many years now. It is a beautiful instrument and has fantastic touch and dynamic range. The incredible control and speed of the keyboard is astounding. It has a relatively heavy action, but is incredibly responsive to the touch. I play mostly classical music but also spend time with other genres. The sound that comes out of this instrument blows me away. You simply can not beat a high-end grand piano for genuine refined action and sound. ...This is the reason I have had such a difficult time moving into a digital piano.

A high quality grand piano will spoil you. Also consider that a high end grand is truly an investment that will last. My C-3 was purchased in 1974 for a mere $4500 with a trade in Baldwin Acrosonic upright.

For many years the action on DPs has basically been very poor--even the most expensive units, in comparison to what I am used to.

I recently spent some time with the Kawaii ES6 at my local piano dealer and I have to say that I was impressed. It was by far the best DP I have ever played--and I have played many. The action on the ES6 was very responsive and the sound was great. I would say the the action on the ES6 was better than the action on most of the upright acoustic pianos I have played to date, except perhaps for one great Yamaha studio upright I played years ago.

Now I am considering picking up a MP8ii and hoping that the action will compare, or perhaps be even slightly better than the ES6. Only problem is that I can not find one to play before I make a purchase decision. I need to be able to practice later at night without disturbing other members of my family. I am also interested in MIDI and putting together some music.

I also got a chance to play a high end Roland at another dealer. The KR-1077. This may be a dated instrument. I was not so impressed with the action on the Roland. It was too shallow and rather dead.

I purchased a Peavey DPM-C8 many years ago and it never really got much use. I have been trying to get rid of it, but no success. The action is pathetic and I am sorry I every purchased it.

I owned and played a Yamaha G2 (5'-8" grand) for 25 years, and had to sell because of the space and sound limitations when I moved into a multi-family residential building.

Have been playing DPs for eleven years, and still miss the sympathetic resonance of an acoustic - many DPs are claimed to have this, but once you go back and try an acoustic grand, you realize this is BS. A friend of mine has a piano business and presently has two seven foot grands - Kawaii and Yamaha - when I play them the difference between these and a DP is striking.

G