Hi Guys,

I am a guitar player that wants to start learning piano.

Instead of going for a full blown piano of some kind I am thinking of getting a midi controller and using the pianos in Kontakt.

Does anyone have any recommendations of one to go for?

Thanks for any help

Andy

Quote BobTheDog:

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Does anyone have any recommendations of one to go for?

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Sorry but I'd go for a decent digital piano - they are made to sound and behave as much like a 'real' piano as possible and the manufacturers have got it down to a fine art ... they really are very good these days right down to proportionally weighted keyboards that (sort of, pretty much) replicate a 'real' piano's feel. Also, the speakers are placed in the cabinet to sound as much like you're sitting at a piano as possible; very different to playing with the sound coming out of monitors elsewhere.

With a MIDI controller and software piano, there are all sorts of variables such as velocity curves to adjust as well as load times and, of course, latency. And it still might not sound ideal or play well.

With a digipiano, just switch on and play - it'll just work.

I assume as well that you'll be finding a piano teacher (if not, I recommend it) and there's no guarantee that the pieces and exercises you'll be given will translate well to a MIDI controller/virtual piano whereas they will with a digipiano.

I mention all this as my daughter is grade 8 piano and she can't handle MIDI controller/virtual piano - it's totally alien and just 'feels' all wrong... keyboard's velocity is not quite right, sound's not quite right, sound's coming at her from the wrong location - it's disorientating for her. Digipianos are fine for her though.

Just saying.

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+1

What Hollowsun says is spot on. I've got a Roland hp107e and you just switch it on and play it like a piano. Great feel + it just works with no booting up etc.

But I also recently needed an 88 note keyboard for the studio - I got an Akai mpk88 and it is excellent. I'd rate the feel at 90% there compared top the Roland (it just lacks a touch of class and is a tiny bit clunckier). I'm using it with Synthogy Ivory and various other software pianos. Set the Akai to 'exponential' velocity curve and it feels natural (with Ivory at least). For the money (about £550) the Akai is excellent - you also get a load of really solid controller knobs and sliders, and it all feels nice and solid.

If you haven't got much dosh, I'd say seek out an old Yamaha pf80 or similar (peanuts on ebay) - it has the same weighted keyboard as the old Yamaha kx88 which was the pro standard for years (and was a good practice piano for me up to diploma standard). Still a great feeling keyboard and you'll get some awful dx7 pianos (including the famous Rhodes) built in + speakers. I bet you'll end up using those instead of booting up Kontakt though, which is just too much faff for practising.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the info. Food for thought!

I just had a quick look at digital pianos and the range of price is great.

What sort of cost would it be for a decent one?

Cheers

Andy

i owned alesis qs8.1 which is quite nice,2nd hand price should be low too.

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Hi Kenny,

Thanks for the info. I will keep and eye out on eBay.

Cheers
Andy

I'm in a similar position to you, I wanted a weighted 88 note controller keyboard to learn piano on and to use as a standard midi controller for programming/composing. Went with the studiologic sl-990 pro and so far I really like it, I'm by no means a pianist but it feels good to me. It doesn't have many features but is just a good simple keyboard.

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I also recommend beginners start with a digital piano, and H/Sun sums it up well. As long as it has MIDI Out you'll be able to use it as a basic MIDI controller as well to play sounds in your computer, should you ever want to do that.

(Actually, what I really recomend is a real piano. Nothing beats that for learning on, and for immediacy. But a digital piano is the next best thing).

Quote BobTheDog:

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Hi Guys,

Thanks for the info. Food for thought!

I just had a quick look at digital pianos and the range of price is great.

What sort of cost would it be for a decent one?

Cheers

Andy

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It really depends what you are after and what is most important for you in a digital piano.

For me, the action is the most important aspect and I have always gone with Yamaha for stage pianos or digital pianos. In my opinion they offer the best action for pianos under £1500. I recently bought a Yamaha CP50 stage piano for £1300 which has a good action, good sound and can be used at home as well as for gigs. I tried Roland and Korg products in a similar price range but although the sounds were good, the action was nowhere near as good as Yamaha.

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Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the info.

I would love a real piano but this always gets shot down as it "would take up too much space".

I can see the consensus is to go for a digital piano and I might well do this but I saw this on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oberheim-MC3000-88-key-weighted-MIDI-controller- master-keyboard?item=170838753782&cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo %3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8753372998157188907#ht_1064wt_ 1141 the SOS review was pretty good and having those 8 midi out ports would be very useful.

Anyone any experience of these?

Cheers

Andy

I have an MC2000ex and 76 key MC1000.

I am at a similar place as you at the moment as I am debating whether to continue pursuing the MC2000 and software route or jump for a stage piano. I like the MC range and they have been great gigging boards but I just cant seem to get the velocity curves right using Kontakt and NI Akoustic Pianos library (I know some say this is an average library at best).

I have considered moving back to a workstation and was demo'ing a few at DV a couple of weeks ago. They also have a Roland RD300NX which i briefly played and whilst the action was noticeably heavier, the sound and the feel I got from playing felt so much better than I get from the controller and Kontakt route.

However in saying all of that, the MC range are great controllers with extensive controller functinality.

Thanks for the info.

I think I may just go for a cheap electric piano to begin with as I have no idea what a good piano feel would be.

Depends a bit on what you count as "cheap" but at the bottom end you can be sure the action will be inferior. Check out the Kawai digitals if you can - I think you will have to find a Kawai dealer, as opposed to a generic music shop.

Hi Guys,

Well I sort of ignored everyone and got a Kronos 88!

Seemed like the thing to do

Cheers

Andy

LOL nice move. Personally my choice begins with the letter N... love the upright pianos

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cheers, Rob

I've been very happy with my Casio Privia PX-320. I love its compact size and am very happy with the action of its keys and sound quality. It sounds and feels better to me than the Yamaha in its price range. It's great for playing blues/rock piano and convenient to travel with to rehearsals. The electric piano tones and rock organ tones are very nice too.

The advice regarding digital piano vs VSTi piano is spot on. I use a MIDI controller for VSTi synths all the time but much prefer to use the digital piano's on board sounds for piano because it just feels and sounds right without any fuss.

Just another quick thought. If it's definitely piano parts you are more concerned with, the digital piano is the way to go. But if you're looking to play synths and tweak knobs and such, a MIDI controller is probably better. I use the Casio Privia for piano and a Novation SL 49 MkII for synth and pretty much everything else. The synth action keys of the SL MkII have a totally different feel than hammer action keys. I played the SL, M-Audio Axiom Pro, and Akai MPK and very much preferred the SL's keyboard action.

Totally missed this post haha! Congrats. Hope my advice will be helpful to someone on a bit tighter budget :-)

Quote BobTheDog:

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Hi Guys,

Well I sort of ignored everyone and got a Kronos 88!

Seemed like the thing to do

Cheers

Andy

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Quote BobTheDog:

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Well I sort of ignored everyone and got a Kronos 88!

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After seeing some of the recommendations in this thread, it's just as well you did as some of those keyboards are truly awful with regards to their "real piano action". The Akai's being a good example.