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Id like to keep the audio separate as one day I might move one keyboard into living room area and keep the other in the office/spare area. I have a set of nord studio monitors which I don't really find the low end sounding that rich which is expected since they are 4 inches. The second board I plan to use a lot of synth, organ, piano sounds especially organ/piano layers. Any suggestions there?
Of course, all the previous make sense for the same price point. Does not make sense to compare a premium series of a knoledgeable brand with a low end series of a comptetitor brand.
Same reasoning should be beared in mind when comparing a baby grand with a full suze gran coda..
Nonetheless, I see that the consistency of the touch offered by the Millennium 3 action across all models (with a few exceptions I think) is a great advantage for the buyer, because it reduces tge uncertainities of the buying experience.
Osho, I use only headphones. In very rare cases I play my N1X through speakers but I wouldn't use VST-s (Garritan CFX which is what I regularly use, or Pianoteq) with speakers since that's too rare case to bother connecting the computer and all the stuff. So, having a realistic reverberation is very important for me because with headphones it would be too dry.
The P-515 seems to be a common choice in this range. But how does the keybed compare to the ES8?
I am really trying to get the ES8 right now. Might be getting it used for 850 Euro or even less. One thing, that is of interest for me, is the weight of the ES8, which is 23 kg. Would you recommend a bag with rolls or without? Cause I will have to transport the piano via train. I am skeptical about the rolls, because IMO the minor vibrations could hurt the keyboard, which is, why I would carry by hand it anyway, so I should probably buy a bag without rolls.
...And very few can come up with a unique interpretation.
For me, this is enough to be a good piano teacher.
I went recently visit my piano teacher, he is still teaching professional pianists in a very local conservatory. I assisted his lesson outside of the door and “flight instructions” came up in my mind. He was instructing that student really in every minimum detail. I think even teach a high level pianist this could happen sometimes. He has never taught me in this way, I think I cannot accept in case he teach me in this way.....
There is always some risk to anything that depends on an app. I don't find it to be a dealkiller, but it is something to consider, that they app may fail to run with some future OS update.
[quote=Mark_C]That's why I said that it only works for Baroque and some Classical....
How could it work even for those?
I'd have trouble thinking of any significant work from those eras (or even a non-significant one) that doesn't go though some key changes or modulations.
As I said earlier, related keys (dominant, subdominant, relative minor) still sound mellifluous.
Most pieces in binary form modulate to one of those, most commonly of course, the dominant.
I'd have to try it to comment, tbh. It depends on what piece is being played. My 'dominant' memories are of sharpening the Csharp in the key of A before going up to the D and flattening the Bflat in the key of Bflat before going down to A during some pieces only, but the effect was so pleasant.
On the subject of temperaments I was discussing this with my brother (well, one of them) and he mentioned accompanying some Handel on period keyboard (not sure which one, probably a harpsicord) and how, with an instrument tuned mostly for (the Baroque) C and G types of keys (I don't know the details) Handel had then shifted to Fminor. As it would have have been impossible to retune the instrument during a live performance the shift to a rather 'dissonent' (on that instrument) key must have been premeditated, no doubt to give colour - but quite a dour one, I imagine.
Ron: Thank you for posting. I think your guess is right on! As you say, the thwack my husband and I heard likely had to do with the pedals and/or dampers.
Yesterday, before you posted your comments, I searched online for info on pedal noise and found this interesting Youtube video of a piano tech working under the belly of a piano to diagnose and fix a problem:
"Piano repair: Sustain pedal noise and its eradication"
In the video, if I'm understanding correctly, the tech identifies two different unwanted noises being caused by two different issues having to do with the pedal mechanism.
One of those two slightly different noises sounds just like the hard "thwacks" my husband and I remember hearing in the piano Webb was playing and also in one of the pianos I played during my piano search.
The particular noise I'm talking about can be heard in the video at 3:43 minutes. Also, at 6:16, it's the louder noise that is heard as the tech is saying, "Now we need to find out what this noise is…" - That's it! That's the noise!
The noise we heard at Webb's concert was much louder, however, than the pedal noises in the Youtube video; was easily heard over the sound of the Webb's piano playing and singing. I was wondering how the heck it could be that loud if it was an issue having to do with the pedals.
I was going to suggest in my reply (I prepared yesterday but failed to post in a timely manner) that maybe the audio set up at the concert somehow caused that. If, in fact, the sounds were being caused by the pedal mechanism, perhaps the location of the mics at the concert amplified the volume of that problem sound. But I waited to post my reply and just now see you beat me to the punch, came to the same conclusion as you say, "if a microphone was nearby, it would amplify the sound for all to hear."
Thank you for responding to my post, Ron. I believe you have solved the mystery and put this post to rest. I no longer have to wonder: "What the heck was that noise?"
I think everyone should start on their own for awhile to bond with the instrument and start developing your ear for the sounds. I also help you discovered how motivated you are to learn music. Now after a couple months then decide if you want a teach or learn by ear. One my favorite progressive musicians and pianist started learning classical by ear. Music is all about sound so developing a musical ear is the most important thing. Reality is even with a teacher you have to come back to working on your ear.
One does not play classical music by ear. * think the most important time for a pianist to have a teacher is in the beginning especially the first five years. This is almost the only way to get a good technical and musical foundation.
Actually, the thing that got me started on piano, composing, and eventually led to a "real piano" and lessons was figuring out the first four phrases of Chopin's Nocturne 9/2 by ear by playing a cassette tape over and over and over and using a toy-ish keyboard. True story. I even had to quickly learn notation to write down what I was hearing, and so on. Then I started trying to play other stuff, and my dad asked me why I was leaving out notes. I told him that the keyboard notes didn't go high enough. Bam. The next day I had a piano delivered, and the rest is history.
(Yes, I know I am a rare breed, but it can be done. Lot of work, but it got me deep into it head first.)
The piano is now assembled. Something else that I should mention is that this piano was sent to us from a tropical region of India and the piano was "tropicalized" when it was built. Here is a photo of the assembled piano:
Notice all of the brass screw heads? These were installed because they expected that the glues used to hold the veneer and solids on the piano would fail. They were correct. There were also lots of small internal changes as well.
With the budget you mention, there are lots of options in the SF area. My recommendation is to stick with well-known brands such as Yamaha, Kawai, Boston, etc. Also, a lot of used pianos should be considered, and you might be able to find a Steinway model O or A within your budget. Always have a competent technician to make an assessment.
I just re-read you post. I understand the part about anticipating chords, but my knowledge of theory does not encompass anticipating modulations. Sadly, I have no idea what you mean. My ear can anticipate changes; I just can't identify their names.
Frankly, I don't see any need to be able to "name" key changes during modulations, unless you're into academism.
What is important is for the pianist to hear them, which you obviously do - and then you can decide how you want to 'bring it out', whether with a change of tone color or an agogic accent or change in dynamics etc - or just plough straight through as if nothing untoward has occurred......
This^^^^
Just because one cannot 'name the thing' doesn't mean one can't recognise it and respond to it. Yes, having a name for it is great - we could name these 'things' - 'apples' as per the OP, 'pears,' 'bananas,' 'elephants' or what have you, but yes, the real name is good. However, I find playing music is less a technical exercise than an experience which transcends the technical (hmm, not sure I phrased that well) and the theory aspect rarely entered my head. I just enjoyed playing.
It isn't possible to see / hear / experience things the same way as another person does, so for somebody well-versed in music theory I can well believe that it is difficult to comprehend that without recognising by name that a flattened 13th 9th or whatever has just arrived or the chords along the path taken before and after it that somebody can still be aware of and respond to what is going on. They / we just cannot name it, and frankly I now find that frustrating although for many years I didn't care one hoot.
I have learnt a lot of piano terminology since joining PW, but most of it is just the name for things I do having found them useful when playing over the years. Being mostly self-taught I discovered them for myself, but didn't name them.
PW has been an eye-opener for me, although in a way I was happier in my ignorance - those that don't know they don't know and all that.
The famous 18th variation from Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini has always been one of my favorite Rachmaninoff themes. I've played many solo arrangements of it and have always found most of them to be quite difficult to play. My favorite arrangement is by Hermene W. Eichorn but its transcribed to D major for some reason.
I made this arrangement to try and make the piece a bit more playable and easier to sight read. I tried rearranging the way the notes are divided between the hands to reduce position shifts and intersections. I also tried using more standard chords and triads and removed all the 3 vs 4 rhythms which should make sight reading easier. If anyone wants to try it out feel free to PM for sheets.
Hi all, thanks so much for the info and feedback, I truly appreciate all of it. I've talked by phone with some knowledgeable folks and combining that with all I have learned here has been invaluable toward making the decision on which direction to go. Thanks again, I greatly appreciate all your posts and advice.
Yes completely agree. Firmware for the 737Max was reworked at a faster rate. Come on Kawai....you make great DPs and world renowned acoustic instruments.
We are talking about a piano here...not a sophisticated aircraft....it has taken far too long to sort out obvious programming issues. We didn’t keep you waiting for our hard earned money when we entered into a contractural relationship by choosing your product over the competing brands in this market.
Please, show your customers that you care about your new CA range and release some fixes for the glaring issues. Even if you can’t fix them all in one release....show us that there is hope and that you are doing something.
I suppose it's just an inverted add9 chord. Never thought of it that way. And I suppose its sound isn't really that unique now that I think about it... unlike say a Minor7b5 chord!
The BGAD chord is not unique, like you say(I'd say not distinctive) but the Minor7b5 is.
Some historians characterize the end of the 16th Century's church music as the pinnacle of music composition and did not think there was any further progress music composition could make; it had all been done. That music was modal, tension, more tension, less tension but dominant harmony's development had to wait until the next century.
From what I understand from reading Nathum's link and some previous knowledge; The BGAD chord you brought up, is not a G add9 inversion chord but a collection of intervals that is built on a mode's specific scale step, noted as an inversion of the mode, with various intervals 'piled on'. When a sequence of modal chords are strung together, the levels of tension and no tension, as well as the bass line and melody, are the tools the composer has to work with.
The piece you referenced, I compared to 16th Century Church Music because of that.
I agree with Pianoloverus. The mordent is an ornament and the score you have just literally expanded into full notes but that is not how it is originally notated.
I also think it is still too fast, in particular given the moderate pace you are using which is slower than the video example. The effect must be proportional to the tempo.
What if you wait until you find a piano that you connect with (could be an upright or a grand, leave it open) and just let it be a long-term search? If it ends up taking longer, you could have saved more by then and have a larger budget again, giving you more flexibility! I find it freeing to be able to let go of any expectations and say "it is what it is" (this is tricky, but so rewarding when you can do it). If you find your piano sooner, then it's a pleasant surprise
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