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So why can’t digital pianos just be another entry in the spectrum of ‘pianos’?
Or not. Choose what you wish.
.... a snippet of AP spectrum, Hollywood style ....
... i do not recall any of many artists performing their livelihood on a model of DP/EP/Clavi/Organ etc. claiming their purpose was to “emulate “ those ... Wonder, Wakeman, Charles just to name a few ....
Last edited by drewr; 08/13/2110:57 AM.
- Kawai MP7 and LSR308 monitors - Roland HP-508 - DT770 Pro-80 and MDR-7506 phones
but which piano are they trying to emulate? There are all kinds and they all sound different and feel different. Music composed for piano will therefore also sound different on different acoustic pianos.
Agreed. When was the last time you heard someone say it is time to stop comparing Yamaha and Steinway pianos because they are different instruments?
Funny thing is (I do hope he isn't reading this) a guy recently on ABF recitals is in possession of those two concert grands, 9-footers, the pair of them, arranged side to side in his large room. He played two pieces of music, great job each, one on each piano. It was obvious to me (fwiw) that he should sell on the Yamaha. They were like, different instruments . . .
So why can’t digital pianos just be another entry in the spectrum of ‘pianos’?
Or not. Choose what you wish.
.... a snippet of AP spectrum, Hollywood style ....
... i do not recall any of many artists performing their livelihood on a model of DP/EP/Clavi/Organ etc. claiming their purpose was to “emulate “ those ... Wonder, Wakeman, Charles just to name a few ....
Sure, if you throw in EP, electric clav, or organ, they are of course a different instrument from an AP.
I know a bunch of us have spent 5, 6,7k plus on Digitals and have bought into the marketing hype. "The ultimate Acoustic touch in a Digital" but when we go soul-searching we realise it's all marketing hype and smoke n mirrors. All the built-in sounds will only ever play catch-up to an average VST, I've played on top end Kawai and Roland Digitals and at the end of the day they're only maybe slightly better than something a fraction of the price. I know that's upsetting to all the NUX1 owners but it is what it is. My point is that Digitals will never give you what an Acoustic will ... From sheer Mechanics to acoustics generated from a large wooden soundboard, from string resonance created from design and a hundred different factors, you're $10,000 Digital won't play n sound like your 50k Acoustic. Or even a $5000 Acoustic for that matter. My $3000 Fender Strat Electric sounds awful compared to my $1500 Martin Acoustic guitar... I don't care because, much like Digital Piano's they're different instruments... Designed for different applications (purposes might be a better word) Your 20k digital will never sound (or play) as close to an acoustic piano as a real Acoustic. They are different instruments. Yes, you can play a C chord on an Electric guitar and it will sound like a C chord on your Acoustic guitar. You'll find the same with Digital and real Piano's But that's where the similarity will end. Everything else depends on electronics (pickups, tone controls, amplification, etc)
Is it time we stopped buying into the hype? This constant discussion on action, weight, pivot length, tone. Nope, you're just not going to find perfect acoustic piano touch, feel and sound in a Digital. Not ever. You can turn down the volume and move it around easily... Probably the only 2 positive points to ever owning a digital.
My Tesla doesn't sound like my V8 Mustang. It should tho right?... It's kinda the same thing... It's an automobile that gets me from A to B. It doesn't smell the same tho? Hmm... Wish my Tesla sounded, acted, responded and smelled like my V8. It doesn't. Should Tesla re-design this Car to be just like my old petrol Car? Nope, it just is what it is... Much like a digital (fake, synthisised, in some ways better, or worse, than an Acoustic (analogue) Piano.
Should I buy Yamaha's latest and greatest digital piano now, or wait for the next model? I've heard that the next one is even better.
Last edited by RaggedKeyPresser; 08/17/2108:42 AM.
Will do some R&B for a while. Give the classical a break. You can spend the rest of your life looking for music on a sheet of paper. You'll never find it, because it just ain't there. - Me Myself
I recently shot a roll of film with a process not supported by digital cameras to make an image that cannot be made with a digital camera. This led me to ask myself if there is music that was composed for acoustic piano that cannot be played on a digital piano. And the answer is yes, there is.
Some music of George Crumb requires sticking one's hand inside the piano case and plucking a string with a fingernail or sliding fingertips on undampered strings. There is no analogy with a digital piano. And some of Crumb's music is for amplified piano, and cannot be played straight away on an acoustic. It also is not clear how well a given digital will emulate it.
Of course, many digital pianos can layer a chorus, pad, or other sounds with the piano sound. At that point, they are in the realm of digital keyboard instrument, and not purely a piano. But one has to define what is a digital piano before a comparison can be made.
Digital pianos also make possible some features that theoretically can be done with an acoustic piano, but only with great difficulty. For instance, try to give a recital where the temperament is changed for every piece on the program.
I think the thread start on the wrong side, making a parallel between electric guitar/acoustic guitar and digital piano/acoustic piano which is a wrong parallel (E guitar / a guitar vs. E.piano / a piano would be more adequate).
The feeling of an acoustic piano is still quite different from DP excepted true hybrid. I have choosen the N1X dispite of its price because of its touch feeling. I would prefer to have something quite similar at a lesser price ! The only way of of DP to mimick a grand piano touch is to incorporate all of its action (and it was a small action, typically a C1 not a CFX) !
I am not as picky about the sound, but I remember a thread about polyphony where I have proposed 24/ 32/64 / 128 voices polyphony with the Ivory virtual piano : no much differences, then a member has proposed an acoustic piano version (infinite polyphony), there were a significant difference. Perhaps resonance modelling of DP (Yamaha VRM…) could improve (I have to try with my N1X), but trying to reproduce the grand piano sound is not that easy.
Some rare DP even use a whole sound board instead of a set of speakers !
Even if the « DP state of art » doesn’t match the acoustic piano, the question matters. DP are designed and made to mimick an AP. Wether we like it or not. Some DP even help pianist to practice better before playing with a Steinway than a Yamaha G2 because the DP forgives less !! (The DP was a Phoenix Piano… not a casual DP !)
Last edited by Frédéric L; 08/18/2107:29 PM.
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Correct spellinhg is very i,portant, you know . . . .
Schpeeling har to too afte big schhhhnaps
Will do some R&B for a while. Give the classical a break. You can spend the rest of your life looking for music on a sheet of paper. You'll never find it, because it just ain't there. - Me Myself
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