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Do you know the feeling – being in a warehouse or music shop, playing around with all the instruments in a keyboard, wanting to get one to be able to try this at home? In 1995, I purchased a keyboard for just this purpose. I knew that I would not have the nerves for piano lessons. Since touch response and General Midi compliance were very expensive at that time, I bought a simpler model, the Yamaha PSR-185.
The sound quality was way better than FM-generated Midi playback provided by PC soundcards at that time. I also had a lot of different instruments to chose from, plus 100 different backing group styles. Fun sounds were available, too, like a trumpeting elephant. Even though I could not really play, save for a few songs I played with one hand only, the keyboard brought good vibe on birthday parties.
Two years ago, I went into my storage room and grabbed that old keyboard because I found a Youtube video which explains how to play a certain song. The instrument was fully functional (and still is) but I could not stand the entry-level sound quality of 1995 anymore. So I looked for another keyboard and found the Yamaha DGX-630 which I purchased. It offers both keyboard and digital piano features, though it is not a true digital piano yet. It rather is a highend entry-level keyboard. But it has 88 graded hammer keys for a somewhat natural grand feeling.
+ Show Spoiler [Sized-down image from press material] +![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/hHpx0.jpg) Picture includes the optional pedal set which I purchased, too.
This comes in handy as I finally began to take piano lessions in May this year. The touch of a real grand is still better, but for my level of play the difference is not too big. One of the reasons I chose this keyboard in 2009, is the build-in sound of a concert grand piano. The manufacturer took it from their mid-range keyboard line. Also the 64x polyphony is taken from mid-range keyboards at that time.
However the instrument lacks some features of a real digitial piano. Its connectivity is limited to 1x headphones; and Midi is offered only through USB. But I still can connect a USB drive to play Midi files or save a performance I recorded on the keyboard.
Voices
The voice I use the most is called “Live! Grand Piano”. Not only the actual sound was sampled. In the higher octaves one can hear the echo of the hammer. In the bass one can clearly discern the 1-string notes from 2-string notes. The touch response is also very good throughout the entire range.
In addition to this grand piano sound, 15 more voices of equal quality are provided. There is another grand voice with a brighter sound, some e-pianos, organs, quite an array of wind instruments including flutes and a very good string ensemble. All these voices sound amazingly life-like. If you play a flute, you know you can overblow it so it sounds an octave higher. If you strike the key hard, that flute voice does play an overblown tone.
Furthermore, 115 additional voices are available, however “only” in good quality. The selection covers mainly classic, jazz, and rock instruments. Several guitars are avialable and allow a cool effect when you use the pitch bend wheel on the left side on the keyboard.
Those voices also bolster the array of pianos. The “Bright Piano” is especially useful. Even some detuned instruments are provided. Except for a bag pipe I so far found any instrument I wanted to play.
360 extra voices are also provided, but in entry-level quality only. Rougly 50 of these are fun sounds like a squeaking door or barking dog. The remaining 300+ voices are actual instrument samples and cover the entire General Midi standard but with several alternative voices for almost any instrument. Yamaha calls this “XG lite”. While this keyboard provides only the lite version of XG, the number of available instrument variations can be overwhelming. The XG lite sound quality compares to usual current PC sound cards at least.
Also a bag pipe is avialable as part of the “Ethnic” General Midi section, though not in premium sound quality. You want to use one of the high-quality voices for “Amazing Grace.”
The pedal set I purchased for the keyboard allows further modification. One can play the sound softer and/or add sustain.
It’s showtime
Dual- and split voice modes are available, and can be used in combination. So I could play piano and strings at the same time, using the right hand, and play another instrument with the left hand.
I can tap a button four times and a virtual drummer begins to play in the tempo I tapped. The keyboard also offers a full backing group which can play in 160 different styles. The group knows an intro, an alternative style version and an ending for each style. The ending can be played in normal speed or it can get slower and slower, if the user wants it so.
The user also defines the chord the backing group shall play. This is no new feature, my 1995 keyboard already got it. My current keyboard knows as many as 38 chord types (times 12 keys!) Of course this price range does not allow a full live band experience. But it is enough to feel like in a piano bar or in a country club.
To generate a fuller sound for the leading instrument which is played by the user, the keyboard can play a chord instead of a single tone or add echo or tremolo effects. Dual voice is also available at the same time. With just two hands, one can play quite complex music.
Styles and demo songs can be expanded by a USB drive. Yamaha even sells professionally recorded piano pieces where the keyboard just functions as a playback device. I personally use the keyboard for the playback of freely available Midi files because it sounds better than on my computer. And I also could play along if I would have the play skills.
To get back to the digital piano mode, just one button needs to be pressed. Since I mostly practice etudes from Friedrich Burgmüller, I don’t use the keyboard features very often.
How I use my keyboard
All those nifty functions don't turn me into a pro pianist. I am actually quite awful. Someone with piano experience once played on my year-1995-keyboard with no touch response. I was amazed how good it can sound if played by a good player. My current keyboard does have touch response and a nice grand voice, though professional digital pianos and of course accoustic grands still sound better.
However I like my keyboard because it was affordable and sounds good enough. It also stands daily use for practice. Oddly enough, I still cannot play that song explained to Youtube, “Breakable” from Ingrid Michealson.
If you have a keyboard, which one? How do you use it?
 
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I have a Korg LP-350.
I use it mainly for study, messing around ^^ and composing.
At my parents house I have an Roland HP ( I don't remember exactly wich series).
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I have a Yamaha psr e403. I use it quite frequently. I'm self taught, always wanting to get better because I'm not very good. I want lessons, but don't think it would do me well because I simply CANNOT play in front of people. I just get too nervous, my fingers fumble and I get embarrassed 
I'm hoping to get a new keyboard soon because mine is only a 61 keyer. Half the songs I try to learn don't fit within the octave range, then I become unmotivated and go on to something else, hahaha.
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I have a very basic Yamaha digital keyboard.....has 6 different sounds, and i pretty much use it for nothing but piano practice. It has a very decent piano sound and feel, but not much of anything else as far as features. But I am 100% happy with it, as it does it's job very well for a very good price.
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On June 29 2011 21:06 Sm3agol wrote:
I have a very basic Yamaha digital keyboard.....has 6 different sounds, and i pretty much use it for nothing but piano practice. It has a very decent piano sound and feel, but not much of anything else as far as features. But I am 100% happy with it, as it does it's job very well for a very good price. How many keys does your keyboard have? If more than 61, it looks like a (stage) piano model.
A good player can of course play better music than the fanciest keyboard features can provide. I am taking piano lessens (and not keyboard lessons) now to learn the basics, because I figured toying around with background styles and sound effects cannot bring me closer to actual music
On June 29 2011 20:57 EdSlyB wrote:
I have a Korg LP-350.
I use it mainly for study, messing around ^^ and composing.
At my parents house I have an Roland HP ( I don't remember exactly wich series). The Korg of course is a serious digital piano. I see more and more guys favoring a piano-oriented model over a common entertainment keyboard..
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I have a Korg M3 (It's a 61-key though, a 75 or 88 Key would be nice, just too heavy), and in church I play the Yamaha EL-STAGEA Electone.
And of course, this stuff can't beat the real acoustic grand piano like the REAL Yamaha Grand.
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On June 29 2011 21:00 x-Catalyst wrote:I have a Yamaha psr e403. I use it quite frequently. I'm self taught, always wanting to get better because I'm not very good. I want lessons, but don't think it would do me well because I simply CANNOT play in front of people. I just get too nervous, my fingers fumble and I get embarrassed I'm hoping to get a new keyboard soon because mine is only a 61 keyer. Half the songs I try to learn don't fit within the octave range, then I become unmotivated and go on to something else, hahaha. I know that I am will never be good enough to play in front of others. I began to take lessons for myself.
Even though I am still at the very beginning, it already worth is. The ability to read notes comes back. And hearing or actually playing a melody is different. One gets a deeper understanding if one actually plays it.
The E403 was the top model of the entertainment keyboard entry series once and still is a usable instrument. When you purchase a piano-oriented keyboard with 76 or 88 keys, you want to keep the E403 for its array of entertainment keyboard features.
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On June 29 2011 21:43 [F_]aths wrote:Show nested quote +On June 29 2011 21:00 x-Catalyst wrote:I have a Yamaha psr e403. I use it quite frequently. I'm self taught, always wanting to get better because I'm not very good. I want lessons, but don't think it would do me well because I simply CANNOT play in front of people. I just get too nervous, my fingers fumble and I get embarrassed I'm hoping to get a new keyboard soon because mine is only a 61 keyer. Half the songs I try to learn don't fit within the octave range, then I become unmotivated and go on to something else, hahaha. I know that I am will never be good enough to play in front of others. I began to take lessons for myself. Even though I am still at the very beginning, it already worth is. The ability to read notes comes back. And hearing or actually playing a melody is different. One gets a deeper understanding if one actually plays it.
You don't need to start young to learn music (like I did, I'm a Licentiate), what you really need is a good open mind and the readiness to appreciate music. Take it slow, you've got all the time in the world.
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On June 29 2011 21:40 UltimateDeep wrote:
I have a Korg M3 (It's a 61-key though, a 75 or 88 Key would be nice, just too heavy), and in church I play the Yamaha EL-STAGEA Electone.
And of course, this stuff can't beat the real acoustic grand piano like the REAL Yamaha Grand. Yes at my piano teacher I play a Yamaha grand. Though it's a baby grand only, the sound is incredible. I understand why acoustic grands are still manufactured, as there is no way to create a sound of this beauty digitally.
I still love my keyboard, because it sounds quite good and I can both afford it and have the room at my place to use it. If I would get 26.000 Euro to spend, I probably would buy a Yamaha C3 of course.
If I remember correctly, the Electone is an organ?
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yup. Most people will refer that as an Organ. Btw, I'm self-taught in using the Organ though.
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Netherlands4661 Posts
Yamaha CLP-340 here. It's a digital piano.
I'm very happy with. Although it is expensive, in imho it was the best price/quality digi-piano on the market 2 years ago. (Kawai n Casio are really terrible if you ask me!)
It has 4 dynamic levels for touch sensitivity and a decent amp. inside for a nice sound.
Roland sells a very very similar model, the only real difference is that their sound is a bit warmer/softer than the Yamaha.
My criteria when I was shopping for it, were that I wanted a nice sound; very close to a real piano and it had to be touch sensitive. I played like 40 different models together with my teacher before picking this one. It fitted just in my budget.. 
It has a lot of voices/modes, but I only use the 'grand piano 2' voice with my preferred modes.
Note: A digital piano will never beat a real piano/grand, but it lets you play whenever you want, without bothering any neighbors and it doesn't need to be tuned!
(You will still have to put the volume at a decent level if you want to put feeling(touch sensitivity) into a piece)
Currently studying Bach's English Suite Gavotte I, inspired by HoMM1 + Show Spoiler +
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Yamaha CP300 here. I needed a keyboard which had the quality as to be used in solo/trio gigs, and vaguely portable. It weighs a ton, but i can move it around. Still, I've been putting money into my baby grand fund for about 6 years now, and though i have enough, i dont have enough for the space to put it in! Still, when I move I will have my own baby grand waiting for me .
No complaints with my keyboard save one. I find myself constantly using the "mellow piano" voice, as I've always found yamaha voices all to be too bright. Still, thats only a very very small con against many stunning pros.
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On June 29 2011 21:31 [F_]aths wrote:Show nested quote +On June 29 2011 21:06 Sm3agol wrote:
I have a very basic Yamaha digital keyboard.....has 6 different sounds, and i pretty much use it for nothing but piano practice. It has a very decent piano sound and feel, but not much of anything else as far as features. But I am 100% happy with it, as it does it's job very well for a very good price. How many keys does your keyboard have? If more than 61, it looks like a (stage) piano model. A good player can of course play better music than the fanciest keyboard features can provide. I am taking piano lessens (and not keyboard lessons) now to learn the basics, because I figured toying around with background styles and sound effects cannot bring me closer to actual music Show nested quote +On June 29 2011 20:57 EdSlyB wrote:
I have a Korg LP-350.
I use it mainly for study, messing around ^^ and composing.
At my parents house I have an Roland HP ( I don't remember exactly wich series). The Korg of course is a serious digital piano. I see more and more guys favoring a piano-oriented model over a common entertainment keyboard..
My keyboard is a full 88 keys. As I said, very simple, 6 sounds, 88 keys, about 20 recorded piano pieces it will play. That's pretty much it though.
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mine is DGX-620, pretty much like your's, but without the 3 pedals.. i had to buy them separately..
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On June 29 2011 21:46 UltimateDeep wrote:Show nested quote +On June 29 2011 21:43 [F_]aths wrote:On June 29 2011 21:00 x-Catalyst wrote:I have a Yamaha psr e403. I use it quite frequently. I'm self taught, always wanting to get better because I'm not very good. I want lessons, but don't think it would do me well because I simply CANNOT play in front of people. I just get too nervous, my fingers fumble and I get embarrassed I'm hoping to get a new keyboard soon because mine is only a 61 keyer. Half the songs I try to learn don't fit within the octave range, then I become unmotivated and go on to something else, hahaha. I know that I am will never be good enough to play in front of others. I began to take lessons for myself. Even though I am still at the very beginning, it already worth is. The ability to read notes comes back. And hearing or actually playing a melody is different. One gets a deeper understanding if one actually plays it. You don't need to start young to learn music (like I did, I'm a Licentiate), what you really need is a good open mind and the readiness to appreciate music. Take it slow, you've got all the time in the world. With some more practice, I think I will elaborate on my experience in another blog entry, so I keep it short.
If I see kids who played from some years, they play as if it would be a fully natural activity. They read the notes from the sheets and play as they read, with the proper volume and tempo. I repeat the easy "La Candeur" parts very often, but still need a pause to reposition the left hand. Also some fingers always strike the keys too softly. Few days ago I recoreded my performance and played it back. To hear the record is even more awful for the ears than to hear it while I play.
On the other hand, I do make some progress. The ability to read notes comes back and I can play some parts, even though not very nicely yet. So from my experience I would also recommend any grownup who wants to play an instrument, to try it. It is may be too late to be a Mozart, but it is never to late to learn to play.
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On June 29 2011 22:02 s.Q.uelched wrote:
Yamaha CLP-340 here. It's a digital piano.
I'm very happy with. Although it is expensive, in imho it was the best price/quality digi-piano on the market 2 years ago. (Kawai n Casio are really terrible if you ask me!) I also have the attitude to purchase a quality instrument if I am purchasing any instrument. May be it is an entry-level model when I don't have much to spend, but since I plan to keep the instrument for a while, it should be well-made.
In my experience, the Clavinova series has grand piano voices more targeting to the real grand sound, while the keyboard piano voices try to sound "good". And there is the key action difference. The Clavinovas should come very close to a real grand and allow better expression than lower-price graded hammer keyboard keys.
Good luck on Bach.
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On June 29 2011 22:59 kaleidoscope wrote:
mine is DGX-620, pretty much like your's, but without the 3 pedals.. i had to buy them separately.. I also needed to purchase them separately, I edited the original post for clarification.
The 630 is like the 620 with some more voices and higher polyphony, but already outdated, too. The current model seems to be the 640. I still don't regret my purchase and imagine that you don't regret yours as you also have both digital piano and keyboard features.
On June 29 2011 22:21 Sm3agol wrote:Show nested quote +On June 29 2011 21:31 [F_]aths wrote:On June 29 2011 21:06 Sm3agol wrote:
I have a very basic Yamaha digital keyboard.....has 6 different sounds, and i pretty much use it for nothing but piano practice. It has a very decent piano sound and feel, but not much of anything else as far as features. But I am 100% happy with it, as it does it's job very well for a very good price. How many keys does your keyboard have? If more than 61, it looks like a (stage) piano model. A good player can of course play better music than the fanciest keyboard features can provide. I am taking piano lessens (and not keyboard lessons) now to learn the basics, because I figured toying around with background styles and sound effects cannot bring me closer to actual music On June 29 2011 20:57 EdSlyB wrote:
I have a Korg LP-350.
I use it mainly for study, messing around ^^ and composing.
At my parents house I have an Roland HP ( I don't remember exactly wich series). The Korg of course is a serious digital piano. I see more and more guys favoring a piano-oriented model over a common entertainment keyboard.. My keyboard is a full 88 keys. As I said, very simple, 6 sounds, 88 keys, about 20 recorded piano pieces it will play. That's pretty much it though. That's a lot already as you can play anything with the 88 keys and a usable piano voice.
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On June 29 2011 22:10 QuAnTuM314 wrote:Yamaha CP300 here. I needed a keyboard which had the quality as to be used in solo/trio gigs, and vaguely portable. It weighs a ton, but i can move it around. Still, I've been putting money into my baby grand fund for about 6 years now, and though i have enough, i dont have enough for the space to put it in! Still, when I move I will have my own baby grand waiting for me . No complaints with my keyboard save one. I find myself constantly using the "mellow piano" voice, as I've always found yamaha voices all to be too bright. Still, thats only a very very small con against many stunning pros. I like the bright Yamaha sound.
Of course a real grand would still be preferable. As I played the baby grand at my teacher's place, I was amazed how a small grand can sound. That instrument he got is about 1 meter shorter than a concert grand. Of course the bass is not as powerful on his baby grand, but overall, the sound is great. It is also louder than expected. As I played some simple chords, I began to smile.
Because on my keyboard, the chord's notes can be heard while the acoustic grand melts the notes into the chord. Great.
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No keyboard. Never had money for one with a good feel and enough keys. Had a really crappy old Yamaha upright my family bought at an auction for $600, but moved out a while ago. Hands down the best piano I ever got a chance to play on was a beautiful old Steinway concert grand (old enough to have real ivory keys) that belonged to a teacher of mine. The timbre was amazing, and it was just one of those instruments that you can feel all the music that's been through it.
Keep up the good work with your lessons though! ^_^ It is good you are learning for yourself. That's the best reason to learn. ^_^
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While not a standalone "keyboard" per se, I have a M-audio Axiom Pro 61 for controlling stuff in FL Studio. It's the same idea though, just playing the notes passes through the software instruments/synths instead of directly on board. I like it a lot more than the M-audio Oxygen 61 I had (it's about 1/3rd the price) which had sticky keys and didn't offer as much quality features. The axiom has been response behind the keys and I am liking it way more.
If you're buying a midi controller, then you'll want to spend in the 500$+ range or else you're wasting money on cheap boards.
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