Good morning all. I wanted to get back to playing piano so I have been searching out different makes/models but still debating on which to get. I am 57 years young and just want to get back to playing, something I had to stop at the age of 12.
Good Morning from South Carolina
- Thread starter johnmorris4
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Hi John, welcome.
You remind me of myself. I learned the piano at a young age and I stopped when I was around 15. Glad to hear your interest in music is back, I've been enjoying myself a lot playing music again. Bit cross with myself for not having done it sooner
But you didn't say what kind of budget we're talking about.
I've been researching into all kinds of different keyboards, as I have been on the lookout myself during the past couple of months. Not specifically digital pianos, but synths as well, as I also used to play synths a long time ago.
Personallly, I've become enamoured with Korg and so I may be a bit biased
So, my 2 cents, and some of my favourites which I have (briefly) played (there are lots of others, but I happen to like these very much) :
If you're on a budget, then I'd suggest the Korg D1, which has a really good weighted action. It's a stage piano, but ideal for the home. No built-in speakers, so you'll need a small amp or monitor speakers. Next up is the Korg Grandstage, also a stage piano, and almost four times the price of the D1, but it's such a wonderful thing to play (i.e. it speaks to me ). If you're into retro, take a look at the SV-1 (same great keybed, but it's quite old now, been out for ten years).
There's also the 'home pianos', like the B2 (with built-in speakers, and cheaper still than the D1) but that hasn't got the RH3 keybed of the others but I suppose it has the Natural Hammer action keybed of the Kross 2 88 and Krome EX 88, which is more than fine (to be honest, I'm more of a piano player than a synth player myself).
Also, there's the C1 Air and G1 Air, both more expensive than the D1, but more affordable than the flagship Grandstage 88.
If you'd like to add synth to your repertoire, I'd suggest a D1 (which only has 30 sounds) to which you can add a Kross 2 61 later on and connect them through MIDI. The combined price would still only be half of what the Grandstage 88 costs. Or, you can just add an iPad to the D1, with a small MIDI adapter and use Garageband for example, which would give you a whole new sound library right there.
On another note : the Casio Privia series are supposed to be very good as well, but they're not my favourites. Don't know that much about Yamaha or Roland (although, having owned an FA-08, I can confirm that the Ivory Feel keybed from Roland is very very good as well, so maybe the RD2000 might be something for you).
Kurzweil has the new SP6, affordable and supposedly very good. Not going into Nord territory, they're supposed to be the best, but have prices to match
Also take a look at the Kawai MP7SE. And finally, if you really want the feel of a real piano, with actual wooden keys (no plastic at all), try and have a play on the Kawai MP11SE, just a tad more expensive than the Korg Grandstage.
Most of all these also come with adamper/sustain pedal, music stand and in some cases, even a full stand (like the Grandstage 88), which is nice if you're a piano player.
I'm also getting back into music, and very excited about it. I suppose other people on the forum are more of an expert than I am, but I still wanted to offer some advice. Hope it helps.
You remind me of myself. I learned the piano at a young age and I stopped when I was around 15. Glad to hear your interest in music is back, I've been enjoying myself a lot playing music again. Bit cross with myself for not having done it sooner
But you didn't say what kind of budget we're talking about.
I've been researching into all kinds of different keyboards, as I have been on the lookout myself during the past couple of months. Not specifically digital pianos, but synths as well, as I also used to play synths a long time ago.
Personallly, I've become enamoured with Korg and so I may be a bit biased
So, my 2 cents, and some of my favourites which I have (briefly) played (there are lots of others, but I happen to like these very much) :
If you're on a budget, then I'd suggest the Korg D1, which has a really good weighted action. It's a stage piano, but ideal for the home. No built-in speakers, so you'll need a small amp or monitor speakers. Next up is the Korg Grandstage, also a stage piano, and almost four times the price of the D1, but it's such a wonderful thing to play (i.e. it speaks to me
). If you're into retro, take a look at the SV-1 (same great keybed, but it's quite old now, been out for ten years).There's also the 'home pianos', like the B2 (with built-in speakers, and cheaper still than the D1) but that hasn't got the RH3 keybed of the others but I suppose it has the Natural Hammer action keybed of the Kross 2 88 and Krome EX 88, which is more than fine (to be honest, I'm more of a piano player than a synth player myself).
Also, there's the C1 Air and G1 Air, both more expensive than the D1, but more affordable than the flagship Grandstage 88.
If you'd like to add synth to your repertoire, I'd suggest a D1 (which only has 30 sounds) to which you can add a Kross 2 61 later on and connect them through MIDI. The combined price would still only be half of what the Grandstage 88 costs. Or, you can just add an iPad to the D1, with a small MIDI adapter and use Garageband for example, which would give you a whole new sound library right there.
On another note : the Casio Privia series are supposed to be very good as well, but they're not my favourites. Don't know that much about Yamaha or Roland (although, having owned an FA-08, I can confirm that the Ivory Feel keybed from Roland is very very good as well, so maybe the RD2000 might be something for you).
Kurzweil has the new SP6, affordable and supposedly very good. Not going into Nord territory, they're supposed to be the best, but have prices to match
Also take a look at the Kawai MP7SE. And finally, if you really want the feel of a real piano, with actual wooden keys (no plastic at all), try and have a play on the Kawai MP11SE, just a tad more expensive than the Korg Grandstage.
Most of all these also come with adamper/sustain pedal, music stand and in some cases, even a full stand (like the Grandstage 88), which is nice if you're a piano player.
I'm also getting back into music, and very excited about it. I suppose other people on the forum are more of an expert than I am, but I still wanted to offer some advice. Hope it helps.
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Welcome John.
The market has changed a wee bit in the intervening years.
If you can visit a Music Store I suggest that you do so t look and play as many instruments you can in the budget range you have.
I would suggest that you do not limit yourself to a piano as the workstation/synths, and Arrangers have great piano sounds but these can do so much more.
You will find that the keybed action varies quite a lot from the light synth action through semi weighted to full weighted.
A keyboard like a Roland Juno DS 88 will give weighted keys and a full gamut of instrument sounds.
Conversely most Arrangers have synth action or semi weighted but this family of keyboard have inbuilt playing styles so you play chords with the left and melody lines with the right and the keyboard fills in everything else. Check out a Korg PA 1000 for a second to top of range or a Yamaha PSR EW 410 for a more affordable unit.
Google the above keyboards and watch the reviews to help get your knowledge built up.
Factor in for a good quality stand and stool, our recommendation is to avoid X frame stands, Google X frame keyboard stand failures and you will see why.
Good luck.
The market has changed a wee bit in the intervening years.
If you can visit a Music Store I suggest that you do so t look and play as many instruments you can in the budget range you have.
I would suggest that you do not limit yourself to a piano as the workstation/synths, and Arrangers have great piano sounds but these can do so much more.
You will find that the keybed action varies quite a lot from the light synth action through semi weighted to full weighted.
A keyboard like a Roland Juno DS 88 will give weighted keys and a full gamut of instrument sounds.
Conversely most Arrangers have synth action or semi weighted but this family of keyboard have inbuilt playing styles so you play chords with the left and melody lines with the right and the keyboard fills in everything else. Check out a Korg PA 1000 for a second to top of range or a Yamaha PSR EW 410 for a more affordable unit.
Google the above keyboards and watch the reviews to help get your knowledge built up.
Factor in for a good quality stand and stool, our recommendation is to avoid X frame stands, Google X frame keyboard stand failures and you will see why.
Good luck.
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Very true... and as a piano player, I assume you will be looking for fully weighted...
Forgot about this type of keyboard, but yes, the Juno DS 88 or the Korg Kross 2 88 are very good choices as well, nice piano sounds plus a whole bunch of other sounds. The keybed on the DS 88 is arguably better, but that's personal taste...
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Welcome, John!
I'm a fellow South Carolinian, but am a good bit south of you, closer to Georgia-- in fact, I lived in Georgia for several years, but then moved back to SC.
It looks like Lugoff is close to Columbia, so I imagine there are some musical instrument shops nearby that you could visit to try out some likely candidates in person before you decide to buy. But it certainly pays to do some quality research before setting foot in a store.
I'm a fellow South Carolinian, but am a good bit south of you, closer to Georgia-- in fact, I lived in Georgia for several years, but then moved back to SC.
It looks like Lugoff is close to Columbia, so I imagine there are some musical instrument shops nearby that you could visit to try out some likely candidates in person before you decide to buy. But it certainly pays to do some quality research before setting foot in a store.
Welcome John, I live over near Sumter, about 30 minutes from you. I presume you are looking for an electronic piano versus a regular acoustic? Don