This is where a keyboard can't compete.

I was just collecting a bunch of beauties for a new webpage, and I thought I'd share a few of them here for those of you that don't visit that page:

It never seizes to amaze me just how beautiful a piano is. Be it old or new, upright or grand, and in whatever style, if you have the room for it, there's nothing more beautiful.









even this old dilapidated fellow has it's own beauty:



Ahh, this is where my little keyboard falls short.
Much as I love it, it doesn't do much for the room, now does it.

That's it, nothing beats a beatiful piano which is not only a musical instrument but a nice furniture. When I was in Malmö people were often advertising upright pianos for free because they were moving or had lost interest, but actually the one time moving and tuning of such a thing costs about the same you would pay for a decent keyboard.

Have you ever considered getting a digital piano, with weighted keys? The most basic ones you can get sell at around 500 euros. The Yamaha PSR-E313 is a fine keyboard but it has unweighted keys.

Beauiful pictures, indeed.

If my parents gave me one of those or a new upright or baby-grand piano I'd FIND room to put, even if I had to sleep on the couch and leave it in my room.
But unfortunately that's not gonna happen so soon, I'll have to practice a lot to prove them I really know how to play piano and that I'm actually taking this music thing seriously and I somehow do agree.
Pianos are a gorgeous decoration for a house, but what's an instrument if it's never played? I rather practice on a digital one and improve myself before heading out and spending money on an acoustic piano.

Pianoted wrote:Have you ever considered getting a digital piano, with weighted keys? The most basic ones you can get sell at around 500 euros. The Yamaha PSR-E313 is a fine keyboard but it has unweighted keys.

The Yamaha PSR-E313 keys are weighted and touch-responsive. The feel of the keys is not quite as "heavy" as a piano, but in my case that is an advantage, as I don't intend to get a "real" one, and it's easier on my hands (a touch of arthritis). I also have the same ability to play soft or strong, as much as my present technique allows, that is.

Apart from the size consideration (and as Kelly says, if I wanted one, I'd MAKE rook), I really wouldn't want a real piano, because IT can't make all the fun things my keyboard can. I like to play different voices (love the sound of the accordion, strings and such things) and I like to be able to add some umba-umba when playing pop-songs or Tyroler waltzes and stuff.

Just needed to defend my little baby

Now, if I could get a beautiful piece of "furniture" like the baby grand on the picture, with the features of my keyboard, THAT would be another story!

Sorry for offending your little baby.

Well you can get DPs that resemble grand pianos, but you'd have to win in the Viking Lotto first. At least I don't have 15.000 euros lying around, don't know about you. That's what this baby costs in Germany.

OUCH! That would hurt!
But it sure is prettier than your run-of-the-mill dig-piano.

Pianoted wrote:Well you can get DPs that resemble grand pianos, but you'd have to win in the Viking Lotto first. At least I don't have 15.000 euros lying around, don't know about you. That's what this baby costs in Germany.

There are used acoustic pianos you can get for a lesser price than that. And in my opinion I'd rather have a used acoustic piano than a brand new digital one.

I'm getting a digital one next month, still not sure which, maybe a Yamaha P95. And I chose it special because it doesn't have all those functions a digital or electric piano normally has, I like my piano clean from them. I like it the most classic possible, even though beats that accompany your pieces might help you learn faster...I rather learn it the hard way then.

Kelly, the P95 is probably a fine digital piano, with the basic features. I have it's little brother, Yamaha P85 and I've read that there is not so much difference between these two, but the P95 costs around 100$ more.

Well you might get an acoustic piano for free if you take care of transportation costs, like I had many opportunites to last summer, from people who are moving or have lost interest.

At least a lot of things have to change before I invest in a digital piano that costs more than a nice car.

In the price range of the P95 there are basically three other DPs to choose from. Casio PX-130, Korg SP-170 and of course Yamaha P85. They all have about the same basic features, weighted keys (most important), around ten other sounds than grand piano, MIDI connections and a few others.

I also have a Yamaha EZ200, which is not so different from jytte's PSR-E313, so when I miss the extra features I can always take a session on that one.

Pianoted wrote:In the price range of the P95 there are basically three other DPs to choose from. Casio PX-130, Korg SP-170 and of course Yamaha P85.

I've searched on other forums about all kinds of digital piano brands and I haven't heard nice reviews neither of Casio's nor Fenix's pianos, so I don't think I'll risk buying one of those; on the other hand Yamaha has always been on high. And Korg is much more expensive.

In the US Korg SP-170 is at about the same price as P85 and PX-130. Maybe there's more price difference between the three in Brazil.

Casio keys are of poor quality, loosen up and make noise when pressed, that is audible except when the volume is turned up high. There are YouTube videos that confirm this. Yamaha pianos are of better quality than Casios, although the PX-130's keys are heavier than the P85's. Some say that the keys in P85 is too light, but I think it suits me fine.

Yamaha digital pianos have three groups of key weights, Graded Hammer Standard (GHS, the P85 is in this group), GH and GH3. GH stands for Graded Hammer in all cases. GH and GH3 are better, but digital pianos with such keys usually cost 2-3 times more than GHS pianos.