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When I was growing up, my (fourth) piano teacher taught on a Kawai grand. It's not a great instrument, but at least it was in tune. Then she had to relocate her studio, and she ended up having a Yamaha upright. The difference between the instruments was immense. Even as a 9th grader I could totally tell the difference.

A year later, I switched teachers. I'm sure the piano had something to do with it.

Now, as a piano teacher (of _serious_ classical music), I would never ever teach on a digital. Even if I suddenly have an influx of beginner students who play the piano "just for fun," I would still allow them to have the opportunity to make beautiful music on my (two) grands.

Fair point. What I meant was that no matter how good it is, it's still an imitation coming from speakers and lacks the depth, feel, sonority, and personality of an acoustic piano. There's science in art, but art isn't a science.

I don't think those digitals can do what saerra was talking about. They have string resonance in the sense that when you play with the sustain pedal down the strings resonate the same as they would on an acoustic if the sustain pedal was down. If you did what saerra was talking about the digitals would not behave the way an acoustic would.

Discotheque,

There was a thread that went on at length in the digital forum about this exact phenomenon. I believe there may even have been some sound samples posted that demonstrated this.

Rich

saerra - there are some great early intermediate pieces by Seymour Berstein, The Birds, which use this technique. They are a fun set to both teach and for students to play.

I have been teaching on a Yamaha CVP-105 for years. Never had any problems, and students are actually glad they are playing on an instrument that is always in tune.

Moreover, the ability to MIDI it to my desktop computer to use music programs, is a godsend.

Of course we can debate about the pros and cons of digital vs. acoustic till the cows come home, but that would be an utter waste of time. We each have our own tastes.

Ooh neat! Thanks for the recommendation John, I'll have to check it out!

I have to give this observation high weight for credibility. Most of the rest of us have only opinion, including myself, having never taught on a digital. This teacher has, and with good results.

We need a contrary opinion from someone who has done it and failed, any takers?

What results are being aimed for?

Any results that satisfy teachers or students, or that do NOT should be valid when weighing options.