Advice on pianos…

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Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Tinkers »

If you do go down the digital piano route I would strongly recommend that you go and try various ones.

Some sound considerably better than others, and some feel better than others in terms of how the keys feel when being played.

Even with my untrained, unmusical ear I could tell there was a massive difference between some of them.

DD made the comment that some of them just didn’t feel right. I suspect she preferred the Yamaha one as it felt most like the Yamaha baby grand her piano teacher has. They have obviously tried to make them feel (and sound as much as they can) the same.

There’s no denying that a digital piano isn’t the real deal, but some are closer than others.
Trakka
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 8:32 pm

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Trakka »

Thanks for all your comments and advice. Think we're going to have to go and try some out.

Anyone had any experience of or know anyone who has a silent piano?
Reading Mum
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Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Reading Mum »

DD has headphones for the Yamaha but mostly tries to practice when we aren’t in the house
Tinkers
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Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Tinkers »

The person playing needs to hear what they are playing. Otherwise they can’t hear if it’s right.

I have never heard of a silent piano though.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Guest55 »

In a silent piano the hammers don't strike the strings - I've never tried one.
solimum
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Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 3:09 pm
Location: Solihull, West Midlands

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by solimum »

Anyone else old enough to remember BBC2's "Count the Music" with Joseph Cooper on the "silent piano" - the guests had to guess what he was playing simply from watching the hands and listening to the rhythmic clacking of the keys! (My Dad used to watch this when I was quite young and I probably absorbed much musical trivia along the way).
Hera
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:50 pm

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Hera »

When you go to buy one set a budget and stick to it! We went to buy a secondhand Yamaha U3 and came out with something completely different :shock:
Last edited by Hera on Sat Dec 09, 2017 11:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
Trakka
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 8:32 pm

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Trakka »

Tinkers wrote:The person playing needs to hear what they are playing. Otherwise they can’t hear if it’s right.
Oh definitely, with DDs we listen and help them with their practise. This is more for my practice and the odd occasion where DDs like to sit and play for ages and someone is doing something else.
ToadMum
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Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by ToadMum »

solimum wrote:Anyone else old enough to remember BBC2's "Count the Music" with Joseph Cooper on the "silent piano" - the guests had to guess what he was playing simply from watching the hands and listening to the rhythmic clacking of the keys! (My Dad used to watch this when I was quite young and I probably absorbed much musical trivia along the way).
Face the Music?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_th ... TV_series)

One of the television highlights of my childhood :) .
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Trakka
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 8:32 pm

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Trakka »

If anyone is interested:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_piano" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My piano teacher's son has just bought one so it had me intrigued. Looks like the best of both worlds but I just wanted to see if anyone has had a bit longer experience of owning one. There is a thread on the ABRSM website where someone raves about a Kemble one. Think we're just going to have to go and try them out. Unfortunately can't find a place in North London or Hertfordshire.
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