Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards How many years of practicing can you reply on Yamaha's GHS?

Or to what level

If you are serious about learning the piano, do two things:

- Practice on a Yamaha GH action (at least), or a similar or better action from another manufacturer.

- Get a teacher.

The title says "How many years of practicing can you reply on Yamaha's GHS?" I assume you meant "rely" ... instead of "reply".

Question: Are you wondering about the reliability of the GHS keyboard action?
Or, as maurus seems to think, are you asking about whether this action is suitable for your purpose?

If it's the former, I cannot say. I've never had one of these. And I surely never will because ...

As maurus said, you really need a better action than the GHS for learning piano. GHS is the lowest of the low.

PianoBeginner99,
Rather than recount -- in too many words -- my generally positive experience with GHS on a Yamaha DGX-660, I offer you these examples:

1.  Chopin on a DGX-660: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l1mg9ntyaY
2.  Mozart on a P-115: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR-hGy3XIpA
3.  Beethoven on a DGX-660: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrpsJt-C3S4

These -- obviously not beginner owners -- seem to be happy with GHS on their instruments. So I suspect that you will be fine for several years.

By then, you would have determined your level of commitment to the piano and whether you want to upgrade to an acoustic grand, a hybrid instrument or a better-quality digital. Good luck!

Lotus
__________________________________________
Working on: Mozart -- Adagio in B minor, K. 540
Pianos: Kawai GM-10 grand, Yamaha DGX-660 digital

I played/practiced on the Yamaha P250, and P120 for 5 years. I had more tendinitis problems than any other period in my career of 40 years. They were too stiff and heavy. For me the action is the most important criteria in selecting a digital piano. I go for light and expressive actions. Thus, I recommend Kawai.
I have owned 20 different models of various brands since 1988.

GHS has poor mechanical durability. It's just not a very good machine.

As for what level of pianism it can remain relevant, I'd say all levels, because the heavy lifting is done by the player, even very cheap machines are highly responsive and dynamic these days.

I would say: no matter the current action of your digital piano there will be a point where you feel like you need more expression, speed etc.
That point is where a new digital piano action or even an acoustic action is needed.
In my case TBH I'm (still) happy with the action on my ES100 although I have bought already a VPC-1 which I theoretically don't need for now

While I don't feel anywhere near qualified to offer an opinion on how effective/sufficient a GHS action is for beginning students to learn on, I will note that:

1. There are LOTS of beginning (as well as intermediate/advanced) pianists who use this action, perhaps even the MOST beginning pianists worldwide (think of all the P-45s/P-1xx DPs that beginners buy); and

2. A lot of advanced repertoire played on DP videos likely weren't originally learned on the DP. Part of learning and becoming an advanced pianist/keyboardist is being able to perform on different, often suboptimal instruments; it's just a fact of life when you have limited control over where and what you get to play on. But that doesn't mean learning on a suboptimal instrument will be (as) good for your technique or training.

GHS is entry level and will last you 1-2 years.

And the Kawai ES110 is much more "pianistic"

That doesn't answer the question. It's not "What actions are similar to GHS action?", it was "How long will GHS action last me?"

Don't listen to the self opinionated nonsense here. The action you speak of will be reliable for many years. I've owned 3 DGXs with no problems. Yamaha fixed some earlier issues a long long time ago.
I've had pianos with better actions but I can honestly say my best stuff was played on my DGX machines. Maybe because of the lightness; my fingers aren't the best.
I was a tad younger of course.
The action will get noisier as time wears on, say after 3 years. Many do this anyway, but you can buy machines using that keyboard in confidence.

Maybe OP can clarify, but I got the sense that he was asking more about whether the action was suitable long-term for a progressing student, and not so much about the mechanical reliability?

My guess is that the GHS (and really any DP from one of the major manufacturers) lasts well longer than the interest in piano of the vast majority of purchasers

It’s also worth noting the OP seems to be considering used models only at this point.

there is no thank button here but i thank you guys
after reading all the comments here and this:
https://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthre...s-ghs-action-may-be-better-than-gh3.html
I am finally going for a ydp 143 (ghs)
I cant judge anything since im an absolute beginner...im just reading and listening...

/thread honestly. People (myself included) and hate on lower quality actions like the GHS all we want, and our opinions are valid, but it's a FACT that people can play high level pieces with extreme precision. It's largely on the player.

You can use a GHS action for many years and you could probably become quite accomplished using that action. I have seen people who have had great success despite using very limited equipment because they are very diligent and talented.

The question is, why would you? Almost any action discussed here would be preferable in terms of enjoyability and playability. The piano doesn't make the pianist, but things will be easier and definitely more enjoyable if you use a nicer instrument.

Since we are posting how a player’s skill can overcome an instrument’s limitation, I’d like to add this demonstration too: https://youtu.be/NLq8-7Mspb4

There are surely many advanced demo of GHS, but the aim of a piano is to play with and enjoy it, not to struggle with it.

I plan to buy a N1X, but I have only an intermediate level. It won’t make me play better, but surely with make more pleasure.

I suppose the limitation of a keyboard appears with very fast trills like the flight if the bomblebee. You will surely have an hard time to play it on GHS.

Um... this guy would like to demonstrate otherwise: https://youtu.be/-jPgsg3xs0I