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Weighted Keyboard - hmmm....


keybdwizrd

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For decades I played synths with nothing but synth action keyboards, despite having taken piano lessons for 13 years. I just didn't like the idea of playing synth and organ parts on something that felt like a piano.

Then, probably about six months ago, I bought a Yamaha CP33 digital stage piano. I've been using it to play everything - my MOX6 and even my TI Polar. It is great having 88 keys to work with, and not have to use an octave transpose button. And the main, internal piano sound is GREAT.

I thought I'd gotten used to playing the weighted keys, until I started using the CP33 to make demo videos of the Roland XV5050 rack synth. Playing the piano, electric piano, and pad sounds were okay, but I just couldn't get inspired to play organ or synth parts. It just wasn't working for me.

So I put the CP33 away and replaced it with a Yamaha KX49 controller. MUCH BETTER. I am back to my old playing self again.

I guess I have just been playing synth action keyboards for too long. I love the CP33 for pianos and electric pianos, but that's about it.

Anyone else feel the same way, or no?

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Long time ago I ran into a guy with a PF 1 I think it was. It weighed a ton but had action just like a Yamaha console. I were amazed. Good action was finally coming into reach. Gassed like a kid until finally the PF 80 came out with a piano sound even. Still have it. Love that synthetic action.

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Key action makes a HUGE difference for me. I like my SV-1 plenty, but I just got my real piano out of storage and I played it a bit the other day... It plays so much differently that it makes me PLAY differently, if you know what I mean. When it comes to synth, organ and clav styles, weighted action just doesn't do it. I've decided that a weighted action is really ONLY good for piano and not much else. biggrin.gif

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Right... weighted action for pianos, non-weighted for organ/synth, that's basically why there are the two kinds of actions to begin with! Organ is bad on a weighted action, piano is bad on unweighted. Though there are a few actions that I have found better than others if one must play everything from a single action. If I had to play organ from a weighted action, the one on the Nord Stage was pretty usable for most stuff. I think the 88 that Kurz uses in their PC3 series models might be okay too. People have found the Infinite Response VAX77 a good dual-use board, too. In more common unweighted actions, piano is pretty playable on the Roland Jupiter 50.

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I have three keyboards and they all have weighted actions and they're all somewhat different. The Korg SP-250 has a little more damped friction than the others, the MIDIBOARD is almost pure inertia and my ancient upright is somewhere in between. My playing is very much about touch and the weight pushing back is important. I found the semi-weighted action on my x-station was good quality but I couldn't get the accuracy and touch I wanted and I'm completely at sea with organ actions because they're completely NOT touch sensitive.

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1001gear -- huh? PF80 does not have a synth action, it's a heavy-heavy weighted action, meant to simulate piano. My old PF85 is definitely a stage piano, and I think the difference between the two is only that the PF80 used FM synthesis to make the piano noises, whereas the PF85 uses AWM (wavetable).

Unless somebody besides Yamaha made a PF80 too?

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Apples with apples, oranges with oranges.

Best keys for Pianos are weighted ones. But for playing some pads and even solos, weighted keys are an obstacle, at least for me.

Somewhere in the middle fall most Pipe organ keys, which are a true representatives of semi weighted keys. When that massive sound comes from the pipes, it's just out of proportion to have those synth action keys with no resistance at all, while fully weighted keys would hinder playing giving no profit, as you in general can't influence a volume of the sound on Pipe organ if you press it harder.

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Quote Originally Posted by wesg View Post
1001gear -- huh? PF80 does not have a synth action, it's a heavy-heavy weighted action, meant to simulate piano. My old PF85 is definitely a stage piano, and I think the difference between the two is only that the PF80 used FM synthesis to make the piano noises, whereas the PF85 uses AWM (wavetable).

Unless somebody besides Yamaha made a PF80 too?
icon_lol.gif Synthetic PIANO action. It's some kind of weighted semihydraulic leaf spring thing with lead on the ends. The OP reminded me of the KX 88 and my PF. It's right behind me as I type - cheesy sounds and all.
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A long time ago I also used to prefer synth action for pretty much everything. And then my piano playing got better, and I came to realize that the feel of weighted hammer action is actually an integral part of what it's like to play a piano like a piano.

Since then I've always had at least one workstation or controller with hammer action for playing acoustic piano and Rhodes electric piano.

But then when you try to play things like hi hats and other drums, fast organ, allegro and presto strings (pretty much anything faster than andante), solo or section brass, or lively acoustic guitar, heavily weighted keys feel muddy and sluggish and can even mess up your playing.

So I too prefer weighted hammer action for pianos, and synth action for everything else.

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Quote Originally Posted by selfinflikted

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I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I betcha I'm the only one who prefers synth action for EVERYTHING. And it's true, I do.

 

Ditto. As long as the keys are reinforced with metal (and aren't just pure plastic) and have some good resistance in the springs, I'm happy.
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Quote Originally Posted by zoink

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A long time ago I also used to prefer synth action for pretty much everything. And then my piano playing got better, and I came to realize that the feel of weighted hammer action is actually an integral part of what it's like to play a piano like a piano.

 

To an extent this is true. If I were a classical pianist, I'm sure I would prefer weighted keys - but since I'm not, it's just not important to me for piano playing. It's all about individual preferences, and thank goodness we're all different! thumb.gif
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Korg forced me to go weighted. I ONLY used 76 (or ugh... 73) key semi-weighted keybeds since they arrived on the music scene. Then the Kronos came out. So it was either 73 or 88 weighted. If you're stuck going weighted, might as well get as many keys as possible. I also do a LOT of crazy split points so the more keys the better.

Now that I've been playing the Kronos, I'm SO happy I got the 88 key version. I feel I get more control/expression out of piano pieces but can still do fast runs up and down the keybed. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do the fast stuff (even though JR has no problem with it). I think I'd still consider a 76 key semi-weighted or even an 88 key semi-weighted if I could get the feature set I wanted but once I built up my finger strength, I found the weighted vs. semi-weighted thing a moot point anymore.

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I guess I should have said, you can't miss a keybed you haven't really played much
:)

People I know who like synth action, once they have to play weighted keys for a while, can't switch back to synth action exclusively. McHale and keybdwzrd are just a couple more examples
:)

 

I suppose that's true. I started on piano and played one for years before I ever touched a synth (mom and dad had me in piano and guitar lessons starting from about age 6-7). I didn't get my first synth until the mid 90's and I never looked back as far as synth keys. I can play piano decently I suppose, I just have no desire to. I'd rather play a rompler with springy keys :D

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i've never owned a piano action keyboard but back in the 80's - 90's a friend has one of those yamaha 88 keys dx7 synth engine and i could never get on with playing synth patches or drums on it.

 

tried to google it to get a photo but i can't remember the name of the keyboard!

it had built in speakers...and the ends of the synth were round to accomodate the speakers at either end!

 

so...anyhow everything is synth action for me...although i've toyed with the idea of a 88key Krome!

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