Practicing on a Kawai digital piano.

[debussy symbolism]

Greetings.

As of current I practice on a Kawai digital piano. I am just wondering is it possible to compare this with a real piano( I am looking for a real piano). Aside from the sound quality and timbre, what are the technical differences in practicing on a digital rather than a real piano?

[barnowl]

You might want to read persona's thread here, entitled, Practising on an electric piano. Persona was really talking about an electronic, i.e., digital piano, so don't be misled about the "electric" in the thread title.

If your Kawai has a weighted keyboard whose action mimics an acoustic piano's , the consensus there seems to be that practising on a digital is eminently satisfactory.

[rimv2]

You might want to read persona's thread here, entitled, Practising on an electric piano. Persona was really talking about an electronic, i.e., digital piano, so don't be misled about the "electric" in the thread title.

If your Kawai has a weighted keyboard whose action mimics an acoustic piano's , the consensus there seems to be that practising on a digital is eminently satisfactory.

Ah's not so lucky

[frederic.lu]

Here is my personal experience.
I have a pretty good grand piano. Last year, I stay with my parents for few months and here only have a digital piano (Yamaha CLP-270). The first time I tried the digital piano and I like it. The touch is acceptable. But I can paly at anytime and don't worry about annoying anyone ! It's a doog digital piano even has hlaf padel effect!
After few months play (only with digital piano without acoustic piano). I found the major problem for practicing in Digital Piano is

I loss the feeling between the force and sound.

For acoustic piano, it's absolutely. You play hard, you get laud sound. But for digital, you can tune the laudness just simply trun the knob. So, I loss the feeling just in few months.
About the key weight of gidital piano. Many digital piano calim that it can adjust key weight. But actually not. When you adjust the key weight, it's only change the laudness. The feeling of the key touch remain the same.
But if you just play digital and mixed with acoustic. It should be no problem. I also paly both for a while. The problem is only happened when I play only digital for a long time and back to acoustic.

[barnowl]

(snippet)

I found the major problem for practicing in Digital Piano is

I lost the feeling between the force and sound.

Thanks for that heads up, frederic.lu. The aspect of force and sound on my digital never occurred to me. So now, I'll keep that in mind when I practice and really hit the forte passages.

By the way, did you find the soft pedal on the 270 to be very effective - even when ramped to max?

[jlh]

Which Kawai model do you have?  I have the H-600 model with wooden keys.  I recorded a video of a scriabin etude and posted it in the audition forum here.  It's like 10 yrs old and still one of the best I've ever played on.

[frederic.lu]

Thanks for that heads up, frederic.lu. The aspect of force and sound on my digital never occurred to me. So now, I'll keep that in mind when I practice and really hit the forte passages.

By the way, did you find the soft pedal on the 270 to be very effective - even when ramped to max?

The Yamaha CLP-270 is the cheapest model bounded with half soft padel effect( CLP-230 and 250 don't have). It works fine for me. I play Chopin and need it on occasion. But I don't think it's continuesly like acoustic piano. But at least you can feel the difference while the padel pushed in half way.

[jlh]

The Yamaha CLP-270 is the cheapest model bounded with half soft padel effect( CLP-230 and 250 don't have). It works fine for me. I play Chopin and need it on occasion. But I don't think it's continuesly like acoustic piano. But at least you can feel the difference while the padel pushed in half way.

Do you mean half damper pedal effect?  If not, then please enlighten me... why would you need a half soft pedal effect?  I can't think of any reason for it, unless you're trying to cover up a harsh tone.

[frederic.lu]

Do you mean half damper pedal effect?  If not, then please enlighten me... why would you need a half soft pedal effect?  I can't think of any reason for it, unless you're trying to cover up a harsh tone.

Yes ! it's half damper pedal effect! It hard for me to describe why need it. But it seems to me that, it's not unusual. Otherwise Yamaha won't put it in their digital piano. Besides, for acoustic piano, you can try by yourself and feel the difference. I use it especially paly Chopin.

[jlh]

Yes ! it's half damper pedal effect! It hard for me to describe why need it. But it seems to me that, it's not unusual. Otherwise Yamaha won't put it in their digital piano. Besides, for acoustic piano, you can try by yourself and feel the difference. I use it especially paly Chopin.

The reason I asked is because the damper and the soft (or una corda) pedals are completely different in function.  Of course a half damper pedal is useful in playing, and I use it all the time... not only with Chopin.  There's no use for a half soft pedal that I'm aware of, unless playing half a string becomes a functional necessity.

[frederic.lu]

The reason I asked is because the damper and the soft (or una corda) pedals are completely different in function.  Of course a half damper pedal is useful in playing, and I use it all the time... not only with Chopin.  There's no use for a half soft pedal that I'm aware of, unless playing half a string becomes a functional necessity.

Yes, you are right ! The half soft pedal will result unexpected result (from piano to piano) and not easy to control. I never use half soft pedal, only try for fun.