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Hi!

I have previously played on acoustic piano (more than 7 years in music school), but but now I want to try something in non-academic music. I have already started to experiment with music composing and want to buy digital piano so I can record some demos...

My budget isn't huge - about 600-700 EUR (I will be thinking about serious investment if my "musician career" goes on). I was looking at Yamaha DGX 640, but it has many features I won't be using... My "must have" demand is full keyboard of course, GHS keyboard (weighted keys), availability to connect to computer(MIDI IN/Out, USB would be nice, of course other IN/OUT options so I can record manually into computer).

At one point I was thinking maybe buying just MIDI keyboard, but as my acoustic piano isn't in very good "shape", I would want some other alternative for playing (of course, I have heard about digital piano "cold" feeling...).

What you could recommend?

Thanks!

look here

The you literally mean "GHS"? GHS is Yamaha's low-end, low-cost key action. "GH" is a step up. I assume you just mean "weighted action" but GHS is a very specific term.

I think the features you are asking for a universal. Hard to find a digital piano without MIDI and weighted keys. But the main differences are the quality and feel of those keys.

I think you are going to have to spend some time in the stores and play a dozen different pianos. Note which key action is in which and keep notes. First find a key action you like. The '640 you tried does have "GHS" but so does the P95 which is cheaper. Moving up the CP33 and P155 have "GH" keys.

With your budget it will be hard to get one of the better Roland or Kawai but you should still play the FP7F or RD700 just to see if you like it. You may like it enough to raise the budget.

Yeah, but 640 doesn't have MIDI, instead it have USB (I guess you can use it as MIDI or no?), also more variety on sounds.

I will check out P95 too. But is it simple to connect it to computer so I can record what I play live?

Hi EO3,

with 7 years of piano practice, as for Yamaha, I would go for a P155 (nothing less) as ChrisA suggests.
Check the specs on the Yamaha website. You can even download the entire manual in PDF.

If you can improve your budget of 200/250$ this is my strong suggestion. With a P95 (or a 640) you will feel unsatisfied in few months, maybe less.


A.

If P155 doesn't have MIDI connection, will I be OK with just USB?
Also by the way, what computers (MAC or PC), softwares, other tools you use for recording , composing music?