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I can get by ok for a fair amount of piano on a semi weighted waterfall keybed like a Nord electro. Or just about get through typical rock piano ballads on a pure synth action if I concentrate on my playing - although in those cases I do adjust the patches a fair amount to reduce the velocity sensitivity so that the lack of control doesn't show up.
Much easier, more natural and more enjoyable on a proper weighted keyboard though.
In my case, “successfully play piano“ is an oxymoron. With my limited ability, piano and Clav are little more than a spot effect.
It is ok for electric piano sounds.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
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I think when I was scared off the couple of keyboards I was looking at I was trying to focus on what I "needed" to get by but forgot about the most important thing of enjoying it. Just like with guitar, 99% of the playing is just for enjoying it and not recording anything so that should be what I take in to consideration for this.
Not that I don't enjoy playing piano patches on synth keys, I just think I'll enjoy them much more with a weighted keyboard.
The model I'm looking at now is the Korg D1. Uses the same keys as they use on some of their high end keyboards that are used by some top guys (including Jordan Rudess) and, unlike the others I was looking at, googling for complaints about the quality doesn't bring back tons of posts. Doesn't necessarily mean much but it could.
It's perfectly fine as it is. I was always taught to play "with your ears and not your hands", ie listen to what sounds are coming out and adjust your hands accordingly. Some actual pianos are dreadful instruments to play, much worse than non-weighted keyboards, but with this approach you can adapt pretty quickly to whatever instrument you find yourself sat at. I once had to play at a Christmas concert at a special school for a fund raiser, they'd told me they had a full digital piano for me...got there and it was a 3 octave keyboard with no sustain pedal! But got away with it by using this approach, I think I did a bit of an improvised "mood setting" introduction to get the feel for the keys,
I suppose it's like buying a Custom Shop tele instead of a Squier - yes the custom shop one is probably objectively better, but actually if you play the Squier well, it can be just as effective a tool.
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
You clearly have a lot of experience with both so your opinion is completely qualified, just surprising to me.
The whole "adjusting your hands according to the sound" is the reason I want weighted keys - it's easier to deliberately play softly on weighted keys because there's a bigger difference between how hard you need to hit the keys whereas with synth action you still only have to touch the keys to play at full velocity so I find it can be hard to not play some notes too hard when playing soft chords.
It might turn out that I have the same problem on weighted keys (I have played them plenty but never recorded with them to check), it just seems logical that weighted keys would help this issue.
The Custom Shop to Squier comparison doesn't seem apt for me; that would be more like a top of the line Nord vs. a Casio digital piano. Because the Squier can still be played in the same way and have the same feel as the CS.
I've seen a MIDI controller kind of shaped like a guitar where each note on each fret has a button you can press to play that note - that would be more like a comparison for a synth piano; i.e. you can play the same notes but don't have the same control over the dynamics.
I grew up learning on a real upright piano. It's possible to play acoustic piano tones from synth keys, but takes greater control and care in comparison (and in my experience adjusting the patches to compensate a bit too). No doubt thecolourbox can do this because he has very good control / technique.
I've got 2 fully weighted / hammer action keyboards available but for rehearsals and some gigs I will play piano parts on non-weighted such as my Nord electro or Yamaha modx7 in order to take out less gear and carry less weight etc.
Edit: as an aside, one of my hammer action boards is a Casio PX5S, which has an action many prefer over the hammer action fatars in many Nords. The other is a kurzweil forte 7, which is different class in quality, weight and price.
I thought weighted meant they were heavier and felt like piano keys, whereas non-weighted just meant like my Yamaha MX49 I have, where the keys are just lighter but still fully touch sensitive
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/yamaha-mx49
I mean, yeah it's not as easy on the keyboard than my proper piano but it's enough for recording - I'm not going to be doing any piano recitals on it!
I used it for an online festival thing I played for earlier this summer, and I think it sounded decent (more than can be said for my singing!!!) but I'm likely biased so please feel free to tell me if it does sound awful.
The first song is piano, but the last song at 11:20 has a bit more expressive piano playing so is possibly a better example. Please also note I'm sat on a child size stool on a keyboard stand that doesn't fit it, hence my awful wrist angles whilst playing!
Also this song was recorded using the same instrument:
I'd say this kind of keyboard is very much the Squier to the Nord's Custom Shop, but happy again to be told differently
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
Its just the dynamics that are different. You'll get away with things on that sunth action but you will never play as well.
That is what I'm meaning with synth action so my own comparison wasn't very apt either. If you play the keys softly it plays soft notes and vice versa, I just think it's harder to consistently play the keys softly because the key is so easy to press.
But you show in your video it's quite possible to play with dynamic expression on a synth keybed. It's a very inspiring video for me to stick with the keyboard I've always played.
The only thing though, is it just because you're so good at the piano after years of playing a real one that you have that level of control? I wonder if someone who's just a basic pianist would be able to play like that on a synth.
I'll have a go later on mine and see if I can come up with any better description than that to help you - it's hard to think exactly what I do without doing it as it's kind of second nature I guess, but I'll be able to do so if I pay a bit and notice what I'm doing
Keep at it mate
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
If you never played a real piano, or weighted keys, it would probably influence your style slightly, the way that different guitar types do, but that might not always be a bad thing
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic