alternatives to the yamaha P-90

[cheptronics]

hello

 

are there any alternatives to the P-90 ? my brother and I need this kind of stage piano

 

 

requirements :

 

* "good" piano sound and "good" rhodes sound, for jazz / funk / latin / afro / rock70s / classical music / avant-garde music / etc

* half-dampering pedal (mandatory)

* hard keys

* quasi-portable

 

 

thanks,

 

ch

[rintincop]

Yamaha P120

has a much better Rhodes

[Kirumamoru]

OK, well, if you need half-dampering, the S-90 is right out. In fact, as far as Yamaha's line goes, you'll want to be looking at the P-120, P-90, or P-250. If you and your bro are both strong dudes and you're both going to be hauling the gear around, the P-250 would be ''quasi-portable''... otherwise, probably you want to look at the P-120.

 

As it happens, many of Korg's more recent products feature half-pedaling, so you might want to look at them... though, at least as far as piano sounds go, you're going to probably find them less acceptable than Yamaha's.

 

Kiru

[C. Martin]

Yamaha P120:cool:

 

p120dUdE

[imazephyr]

From experience...the P120!

[cheptronics]

this morning I go to the shop, to try them all (Yamaha P-90, P-120, Roland RD-170, Korg SP-series)

 

I have a P-200, so I have an idea about the weight and the sound of the P-250 (I'm very likely to prefer the P-250 over all the other ones ... with the exception to its weight and maybe to its price too). As I have already said, the only problem of the P-200/P-150 is the lack of the half-dampering pedal ; I'm still waiting for my FC-3 pedal that I will use to control my sampler as Kiru suggested. I hope they have it today !

 

I played on a P-120 some years ago but I don't remember it very well

 

I will send you a report this evening

 

 

thanks for your suggestions

 

ch

[cheptronics]

THE REPORT

=========

 

I went to some shops in order to try a few stage pianos. Here is my report. You may of course disagree ! I was looking for an electronic piano (possibly with rhodes too), because on lots of stages there is simply no acoustic piano (I prefer using electronics for electro-acoustic or electronic music)

 

 

Yamaha P-90 / P-120 (15/20 and 17/20)

===============

By far the ones I prefered. Too bad there was no P-250.

 

Maybe the piano samples of the P-90 and the P-120 are the same, but on the P-90 the extreme high notes are a bit too agressive compared to the P-120. The sound is different from the P-200, but good too. I may prefer the P-200, but it's difficult to say this because I don't have both keyboards here. Let's say I was surprised by the piano sound quality of the P-90 and the P-120. It wouldn't bother me playing these sounds at a concert.

 

The rhodes of the P-90 is crappy (except one variation that is almost usable). The P-120 has a better rhodes sound, as most of you told me. But I think the one of P-200 is even better, especially in the lower notes [i don't like the high notes of the rhodes of the P-200, so I turn the high band EQ low]

 

None of these piano and rhodes can compare with the ones on my sampler, but this is also the case of the P-200. To precise things, I think the P-series have the greatest sound for a ready-to-play machine, but the sampler is even better.

 

Half-dampering works greatly, it would be a reason to do a concert on a P-90 rather than on a P-200 (especially if playing alone) !

 

Another great advantage of these keyboards is their size / weight. The keyboard action is good, like on any P-series I think, especially if you compare it to other electronic pianos.

 

The things I didn't like very much : no EQ (ok, there's "brillance", like on car radios or family clavinovas), no MIDI controllers (FC, wheel, data entry).

 

 

Roland RD-170 (12/20)

==========

I liked it once, when someone lended me one for a concert. But after playing the P-90, I think the keyboard is far too soft, and the sounds are not very natural, though not so bad (too pop-sounding for me actually)

 

 

 

Roland FP-50 (10/20)

=========

crappier than the RD-170

 

 

 

Korg SP-300 (11/20)

=========

The sound was maybe a bit better than the one of the RD-170, but the keyboard is even worse

Same price as the P-90, so I would rather buy a P-90

 

 

Korg SP-500 (11/20)

=========

Sounds similar to the SP-300, with a keyboard that looks like the one of the RD-170

Same price as the P-120, so I would rather buy a P-120

 

 

GEM Promega (2400 euros) (

===================

Funny gadget !

I didn't like the keyboard at all either

Doesn't sound very good either

I don't know if they can sell it, except to rich families that would also have bought a Wersi organ.

 

 

 

 

So, Yamaha P-series still ahead for me ... But I now consider buying a P-250, because mosts things I liked on the P-200 don't exist on the P-120 (EQ, some MIDI controls and the FC controller that I can use to transmit half dampering to a sampler

If so, I will also sell the P-200. After all, you don't need two pianos.

[ehzsc]

 

After all, you don't need two pianos.

 

 

True. One needs three pianos. Just ask Rintincop.

 

- Ehz (with just one lonely P250)

[pink floyd cramer]

cheptronics- next time you play the P90, see if you think Grand Piano 2 is the same as the P200 Grand Piano 1.

 

I have swapped my P200 for a P120, which I like but I hate to give up the old P200 sound for live playing. My only complaint with the P120 is the exxagerated hammer strike. The body of the sound is warm and realistic.

 

I wish the P200 Rhodes didn't have such abrupt velocity switching, which is very hard to control and anticipate. The P120 Rhodes is much more usable, but a little hard-edged which is cool for some things.

 

The trade was a necessity because I would accidently change sounds on the P200 while playing, even with the panel lock feature on (although that was rare). So far I have not done that after 2 weeks with the P120.

[lvercaut]

Can somebody confirm if P-250's grandpiano 2 is the P-200 pianosound (but stereo) ? Thanks...

[cheptronics]

 

Originally posted by pink floyd cramer cheptronics- next time you play the P90, see if you think Grand Piano 2 is the same as the P200 Grand Piano 1. [...] I wish the P200 Rhodes didn't have such abrupt velocity switching, which is very hard to control and anticipate. The P120 Rhodes is much more usable, but a little hard-edged which is cool for some things. [...]

 

It's difficult to compare a P-90 and a P-200 because it's almost impossible to have both side-to-side (no more P-200s in shops, no P-90 at home ...). I don't think these are the same pianos, but I tried the P-90 with the headphones of the shop, so I'm not sure.

 

I agree for the abrupt velocity switch of the P-200 Rhodes. But I also think the bass register of the P120 Rhodes is a beat weak.

[cheptronics]

 

Originally posted by lvercaut Can somebody confirm if P-250's grandpiano 2 is the P-200 pianosound (but stereo) ? Thanks...

 

I never played on a P-250, but I can confirm the piano sound of the P-200 can be either mono or stereo