Advanced classical standard

[mwf]

Hi,

Is it of paramount importance that one should own and practice the majority of the time on a real-acoustic upright/grand piano as apposed to a digital piano, when they are looking to further advance their playing. Or rather more importantly is it crucial to play mainly on an acoustic piano if you play intermediate/advanced classical piano.

I have looked at many different views on the pros and cons of acoustic/digital piano's, and in relation to playing classical piano, the digital no matter how top-end it is and how realistic it sounds, falls short and does not compare to an acoustic instrument (uprights in this case).

Apparently it is impossible to play classical piano effectively and to a high level on a digital piano, no matter how good it is. Because the digital alternative can only pick up the level of force you use to determine the sound produced and nothing else, where as on an acoustic the tone and colour can be varied at an almost infinite level. This is the main aspect that seperates the two kinds of instrument.

Do people agree that advanced piano playing is impossible even on a very good digital piano and that if considering a career in classical piano, one would be far wiser to practice on an upright acoustic piano. Do music students in top music establishments prefer uprights to digital?

Do you think all the practice spent on a digital piano is getting you no where and is a waste of time when practicing classical piano music? All the reactiveness and feedback you think you are acheiving on a digital piano when you play classical music could all be wrong and false therefore seriously harming your overall musicality and technique. This is what I am starting to realise anyway, having myself always practiced on good digital piano's, but all that really is happening is what I think is good playing on a digital piano is probably false and wrong anyway.

To finish my main concern is: are digital piano's, no matter how top notch they are, highly unsuitable for practicing advanced classical piano music on, pieces such as chopin etudes or rachmaninov preludes, in my opinion they are impossibly useless to create the tones, colours and voicing etc.. needed for pieces like these.

Would be greatly appreciative of any replies to my concern, as I am in the process of deciding on what type of piano to buy, upright or digital, and have heard alot of bad things about the digital option as compared to the advantages of the acoustic upright choice when your level of playing is advanced classical piano.

Thanks.

[cerulean]

I think it is possible.

Of course, I prefer a real piano. For me, the transition between digital and upright is no problem. In fact, i find that it helps me discern in more detail the difference when played on a real piano, and I can vary my playing accordingly.

Practice on a good digital is very useful...I'd get nowhere if i didn't have it to practice on in the nighttime after work. I use a yamaha p65.

I guess it's up to your spending limit and physical limits in your house to decide between digital/upright. keep in mind the digital is very useful when u can't disturb others

hope that helps, good luck

[bella musica]

If anybody ever gets really serious about classical music (i.e. wants to be a professional and/or get a degree, etc.) they need to get, not only an acoustic piano, but an acoustic grand piano.  A good grand is the best, hands down. 

[lostinidlewonder]

The instrument does not make you better or worse in my opinion. There are many musicians past and present who had to start practice on a piece of rubbish simply because they couldn't afford anything better. You work with the instrument that you are given with and make no excuses.

The challenge we are always faced with is to produce our ideal sound out of the instrument we have infront of us. Sometimes we have to play on piano's we never tried before, do we pipe up with excuses and say, Oh this piano is so bad I cannot play it, or do you make the instrument sing to the best of its capabilities?

[nanabush]

It just sucks when your stuck with crap and don't know it, like me for the past 5 years... then you suddnely play on a really good piano and just think "damn...".... everything is so much easier to do!  It especially pissed me off when I tried a glissando on a grand [forget which make], but it was so much easier than my piano! I never make excuses, but sometimes I just wonder lol

[bella musica]

Yeah, no kidding nanabush!  I had an electric piano until I was about 17, then had a teeny weeny spinet for another year or so, and now I've had my grand for about 3 years... keep saving, it's TOTALLY worth it!