Silent Pianos

[meli]

Hi, I just purchased a U1 Silent Piano from Yamaha and have just started playing in silent mode. At first, it felt strange, as no one is listening to your playing, and no sound coming out from the piano except the headphones. However, I have got used to it, and really enjoy it now. The music quality is incredible, and feels like playing on a grand. However, when I switched to acoustic mode, I got a rude awakening! The touch and sound felt so different, and I made silly mistakes that I didn't when practicing in silent! My playing just doesn't sound the same Has anyone else experienced this? Any comments/advice when playing on silent pianos?

[thalberg]

I did not know about these pianos! 

I just looked them up on the internet and they look wonderful!  I wish I had had one growing up.  I got yelled at all the time for my practicing.

I'm so happy to know about these now.

Please tell me Meli--you're saying the actual touch/feel of the piano is the same as a grand?  (I want to go try one now)

[n_n]

i'm interested in one too! So is the touch different when you turn the silent mode on and off, or was it just because your ears weren't used to it?

[meli]

Hi guys, sorry for my late reply. Yes, with the shift of the middle pedal, and switch button to silent mode the sound and feel is so different from acoustic mode. There is even a 'reverb' volume you can use to make your sound much like in a concert hall. Yes, the sound & touch is incredible, and is just like playing on a grand. Be warned though, you might like your playing so much in silent mode, you forget to perform on acoustic which is the whole purpose of playing the piano right? Sometimes I feel like I'm in another planet in silent mode. (I don't know, its kind of sad though why we have to use silent pianos, isn't the whole purpose of a piano to communicate music but that's another topic) Also, for some reason, pedal sounds nicer & neater in silent mode, sounds kind of muffled in acoustic or maybe its my playing But then again, I've only played it for a week, so lots more to find out!

[point of grace]

dont tell my parents about these pianos...

[gerryjay]

dont tell my parents about these pianos...

[Petter]

This seems really appealing, have you discovered anything new? And is there anyone else who have had any experiences with these? I saw they had silent grand pianos aswell.

[ksnmohan]

Hi Meli!

Listening to music through  headphohes, totally shut from external noises and with the earphones sitting right on your head is indeed  a totally different experience.

The moment you switch over to Acoustic, plenty of new factors come into play - the size of the room, the furniture, curtains the sound reflections, echoes, other noises,  what all objects are actually in the room - water in a glass which vibrates, windowpanes which shake etc. ALL THESE ARE NOT IN YOUR HEADPHONE LISTENING.

So you tend to hear the sounds/music differently. Depending on the temperature - cold or hot - and humidity, the transmission speed of sound also get affected. I experience the same recording sounding dull and listless on some days, bright on other days.

And since you hear the notes or sounds differently, you inadvertently tend to "CORRECT" yourself or CHANGE TO REACH PERFECTION, leading to the next set of problems.

Prof Narayanan
Madras/India