Happy with your digital piano?

SouthPark

David B Speaking about the BHF (aka OPP) - we can see that they have a topic called 'Will you ever be happy with your digital piano?' - which is a 'loaded' question - as it appears to imply that everyone won't be satisfied with their piano - in this case they're referring to digital piano, which is certainly a piano anyway.

I'm certainly happy with my digital piano. Not only happy - more than happy. These music instruments let us generate unlimited fantastic music. Provides unlimited fun and enjoyment. And that's priceless.

Somebody in that thread even mentioned that digital pianos aren't 'alive' - which is nonsense.

Acoustic pianos aren't 'alive' as well. And I guarantee to that person that when I play my digital piano, I know how to make it (and the music) come 'alive' - aka 'lively'. It's not my problem if they can't do that. They just need to put in more time and/or hard yards to make their digital piano sound nice and interesting.

Something like a P-515 or FP-90X (or more or less equivalent) will keep me very happy forever. The key mechanism of my P-515 (behaviour/weight/feel) is one (among various) features that I love about the P-515.

Pete14

Yes, I’ve heard that BS before, “it’s alive,” only, it isn’t (the acoustic).

And yes, the implication that one can never truly be happy with a digital is more of the kind of romanticized crap the BHF is known for!

The hybrid, IMHO, isn’t simply an emulation, even if based on the acoustic, but rather a quality instrument that also allows you to have fun/experiment with all sorts of ‘virtual’ alternatives.

Feeling like a CFX today? No problem! A BallsandDorfer tomorrow? No problem! Go ahead and try that with an acoustic Steinway B; which will start as a B, and always be a B for the rest of your life, yet nothing else (it’ll also set you back over 80K; because, you know, ‘it’s built by hand’).

“Oh, but these are emulations?” you say; but I ask, isn’t most of what we experience today some form of ‘virtual reality,’ and more importantly, isn’t it true that virtual reality is way more fun than ‘conventional reality’? Unless, you can tell me that you can go out there (in the real world) and hunt dragons whilst in possession of magical powers!🐉

P.S.

Why do you think Apple went all in with their ‘Vision Pro’? I’ll tell you why:

Reality, as we know it, is boring; and yes, I want to slay dragons and fly onto the stratosphere & beyond on a magical flying carpet!

SouthPark

Pete14 Yes, I’ve heard that BS before

+10000000000000

Pete14

You guys, I’m in pan’s labyrinth slashing my way to the big-bad, seven-headed beast, yet I’m also in my room at the same time; what kind of magic is this? Virtual!

The acoustic has lost its magic, I say!

SouthPark

Pete …… I'm just bandaging my head right now. It's only a 'flesh wound' so no problem. Just take a couple of steps to your right, as we're standing a bit too close. On the other hand, stay put. I'll take a couple of steps to my left instead. Was only a graze from your +20 hit-point sword. I'm ok now. Just putting my 3D vr visor back on again and continuing the dragon quest. We continue to fight them. On to victory!!!!!!

David B

I think this is actually an interesting question because I've owned 11 digital pianos since I started playing back in 2015. That's more than a piano a year. Obviously, I've not been happy with my purchases. 😀

I could go through every purchase and find a few things I didn't like about it. I'd say the closest I've come to being happy with my purchase was the N1X. As much as I liked the N1X I really didn't care for the size. I like the shape of the N2 better.

Personally, i don't think I'll ever be fully satisfied with a digital piano unless I could design one myself. I'd like to try Roland's hybrid grand digital action in a slab. No internal speakers with a minimalist design. 😀

God Bless,
David

SouthPark

Statistics etc will be at play here as usual. There will be categories - as in the ones that love their digital piano and completely satisfied, plus all the other categories. I'm in the love their digital piano and completely satisfied group.

But on the other hand, my high jumps bar is set fairly low, as in even if I just had a supermarket bought piano for playing music with, then I would be absolutely happy with that as well, even if I had no other instruments to tinker on from here on.

So - when I have the privilege and luck of encountering something like the P-515 - and when I play it, it is to me the equivalent of visiting music paradise. And this isn't working or affiliated with Yamaha. It is as if they made this piano just for me - which, of course they did not. Although, this goes back to what Pete once accurately said. Yamaha messed up along the line by way of under-charging customers. The price that is. So the team behind that is most likely no longer working there heheh. But at the same time - it gets this special and amazing 'weapon' out to the masses to enjoy. People paying for and acquiring something that is actually priceless.

When we're lucky enough to be able to have an instrument that allows us to express ourselves musically, and make unlimited musical statements with, then that is indeed priceless.

According to me - anyone that also has the luck of thoroughly enjoying their music instrument(s) -- that condition is priceless for sure.

I'm only starting to learn some erhu - and find that it does some amazing - ok interesting things. I'll do a recording of something interesting it can do. One is a particular animal sound - and no - it's not horse, mouse, elephant, bird, cricket, insect, donkey.

Maybe it can be done on violin too, but have never heard it done ever on violin. I will get around to recording the interesting thing -- maybe today. The erhu's bow string music capabilities and controlled pitch bending capabilities is something extra that I want to know how to do - or have access to. I didn't want to go the violin route, as I don't want to have the audio source wall-to-wall with my ear, or something pushed/jammed up against my chin or neck etc.

MHirsch

SouthPark P-515

It's a Yamaha, isn't it?

I'm a big Yamaha fan!

Those are Yamaha things I've seen:

I owned an original one:

And used to play a lot on a beautiful C3:

A digital piano can produce piano sounds as well, but still need to turn it on etc.

What I like about acoustic instruments, is the convenience of not having electronic parts and all those bells and whistles. If I want to play the instrument - it's just a matter of opening the lid or taking the instrument out of the case. Sheer convenience. Very nice feature. Good 'ol acoustics - gets both thumbs up from me.

Disclaimer: all the pictures are from the internet. I indeed owned a Yamaha violin and used to play on a C3.

Pete14

I just realized: I can buy around 70,000 P-515s for the price of a Steinway B, and then donate them to third-world prodigies in the making; so you see, it is the digital that will level the playing field between the old world and the new!

And yes, SP, I agree with thee, the P-515 is a masterpiece!

Khuja Wangtishvili

Pete14
Rather masterjunk. I once played it in a store and was heavily dissatisfied, given all the hype it get.

MHirsch

Khuja Wangtishvili Rather masterjunk.

Oh now you're walking on a very, very thin ice 😃

johanibraaten

I also do think that the P-515 is a great piano and is stellar in price to performance ratio. I have it's prehistoric ancestor, the p-120, and it might be the best thing I've ever owned (not only regarding pianos).

Pete14

johanibraaten I also do think that the P-515 is a great piano and is stellar in price to performance ratio.

Thank you, fellow nerd!

Sadly, the Roland crowd has been heavily conditioned to hate this work of art, but I assure you, I’m working on reversing this kind of mental-voodoo!

QuasiUnaFantasia

Pete14 Sadly, the Roland crowd has been heavily conditioned to hate this work of art

No, not at all, at least not for me. I don't hate the P-515; as a matter of fact, I have almost no idea what that thing is. I've been too busy, happily playing my Roland FP-30. 😄

Pete14

If I may,

I’d kindly like to ask the disrupters (Roland Patrol) to not use this thread as yet another propaganda-filled vehicle!

There are protocols to follow, and places where conditions are ripe to blow each other up; this is not such a place.

You’ve been warned, but let it be clear that this is by no means a capitulation, yet rather a matter etiquette & protocol, and if pushed, I shall have no other recourse but to send thee, Roland Patrol, straight to hell (OPP).

Have you no decency?

David B

QuasiUnaFantasia I don't hate the P-515; as a matter of fact, I have almost no idea what that thing is.

I call it the "knuckle buster" because of its inordinately heavy action. 😀

QuasiUnaFantasia

David B I call it the "knuckle buster" because of its inordinately heavy action. 😀

It must be related to the CLP-675, which I wanted to try in a store some years ago. Alas, I forgot to bring a sledge hammer, so the keys wouldn't budge. It looked nice though, sort of like a monument.

Did I mention how I enjoy playing my Roland? 😁

Pete14

One more jab at our expense, or even a mild indiscretion, “Yamaha is okay, but not great,” and the almighty hammer will land upon thee with such great force that not even God, himself, will be able to help thee come out from under it (the hammer)🔨

P.S.

I’ll say it again, this here thread is about bashing the acoustic!😆

MacMacMac

Yes, my Yamaha is also a heavyweight. Fortunately I was born with sledge hammer fingers.

MHirsch

MacMacMac Fortunately I was born with sledge hammer fingers.

… Beethoven???

SouthPark

Here's the kicker heheheheheh. I - and a lot of people - can transition comfortably from P-515 to ANY piano (and back again - no problem at all). The main thing is - enjoy and play.

Which brings us to the question - are you happy with your piano?

It's actually not my own question to everybody. It's the OPP (aka BHF-ing place, aka ban happy forum place) that started it - as usual. And the part about BHF-ing is only a follow-on from …..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSMxSNZSoPQ

For the case of digital piano, and P-515, I'm 1000% happy with that one, even though we do know that Yammy did mess-up with the G4 CFX sample for the non-binaural sample set.

Although, fortunately, it doesn't impact negatively on my 1000% enjoyment of playing the P-515. And the G4 CFX non-binaural sample situation isn't only with the P-515. It apparently is also associated with the N1X, N3X, etc etc …. the whole line - in CFX non-binaural mode. We can consider it as a 'signature' of this line. A unique 'feature' in the line if we will.