Digital Piano Hindering or even Regressing My Progress.

[hanrhee]

When I stared a couple of years ago, I started with a Casio digital piano.
Once in awhile, I got a chance to play on a real piano. Recently, I worked at a summer camp at a local university. I remember struggling to play Mozart K545 Sonata mov.1 perfectly.  They have three pianos that I could practice on almost any time I wanted.
I noticed that all the pianos have much heavier key actions. Having been used to playing my digital piano, I didn't like it at first. However, two weeks later, I started feeling stronger with more sureness on the keyboard and I could play Mozart sonata perfectly.
The fun was over and I'm at home. I started my practice on my digital piano again.
It's an odd feeling and I noticed that my progress is regressing. If I knew this, I would've bought a real piano.
What's your opinion? 

[allthumbs]

If you really enjoy playing the  piano and want to progress, buy a real intrument. There is no substitute long term than proper instrument.

allthumbs

[hyrst]

If you're serious about playing and spend much time practicing, an acoustic is a must.  As you found, you can build up strength and stamina in a matter of a couple of months.  It is better to play a good electric than a cheap acoustic - and the electirc is generally more affordable.  You miss out on some areas of development if you are learning on the electric, but other areas are not affected until you get to about grade 7 level - and it sounds like you are close at least.  If you can afford a decent acoustic, I wouldn't hesitate.

[lostinidlewonder]

The process of learning your music and getting your fingers intelligently moving over a keyboard is not restricted when using a digital, or any type of piano really. If I remember correctly I heard that Liszt use to carry a solid wooden slab with a piano keyboard carved out in it  to practice his fingerings during traveling. Maybe someone else can elaborate on it

The action of a real piano can daunt a lot of people who practice on "easy to press"  digitals. It is nothing that cannot be solved by playing on real pianos for a few months. It won't require a total reassessment of your entire playing ability. I have however found that digitals do not emulate the effect of the sustain pedal very well. Because they can only simultaneously play a limited number of sounds many notes can vanish if the sustain pedal holds many notes. This is detrimental to your piano development, much more so than the action to press down notes in my opinion.

[enderw20]

The action of a real piano can daunt a lot of people who practice on "easy to press"  digitals. It is nothing that cannot be solved by playing on real pianos for a few months. It won't require a total reassessment of your entire playing ability. I have however found that digitals do not emulate the effect of the sustain pedal very well. Because they can only simultaneously play a limited number of sounds many notes can vanish if the sustain pedal holds many notes. This is detrimental to your piano development, much more so than the action to press down notes in my opinion.

If money is not an issue the more expensive digital piano's don't have this flaw.

[lostinidlewonder]

I've played even the most expensive ditigals, they all do not sustain sound as well as a real piano when you use sustain, I guess there is only a small amount of people who can tell the difference, and not all pieces would require such sustained notes quality. The decay of sound is simply much different to a natural piano than on ANY digital piano in my opinion.

[keymoo]

An acoustic piano in my opinion sounds MUCH, MUCH better than the most expensive digital piano at the same price. For example if the most expensive digital is $5000, then a $5000 acoustic will sound SO much better, feel much better and be good for your soul.

I owned both a Yamaha U3 and a Yamaha Clavinova and I found that I never played the Clavinova because it sounded so bad - especially when using sustain. I hate digital pianos - but sometimes they are necessary if you live in an apartment or if your spouse is on the verge of a nervous breakdown from your incessant playing.

[richard black]

An acoustic piano in my opinion sounds MUCH, MUCH better than the most expensive digital piano at the same price.

And with even a minimum of maintenance will last about 5 times as long.

[mrba1979]

I do not think there is much disagreement over an acoustic piano being the better choice.

In my case though I bought a Clavinova digital, which I have been realtivly happy with, and have had no problems practicing on this then performing on another piano.
From my experience with Casio though they are horrible and nothing more than a fire pit to through money into.  If you are in the position to buy another piano, definitly go acoustic.

To answer the orginal question if the Casio is the only piano I had to practice on I would.  If you keep practicing I do not think you will regress.

[shingo]

Having been practicing on a digital piano I am glad to be finally starting on an acoustic next month.

One thing that dawned on me the other day when I was thinking about pianissimo playing etc was that the volume feature which is seen as a standard 'advantage' of the digital, could actually be very detrimental.

For example the 'force' needed to create one dynamic when the volume is set at one level will be very different if the volume level changes. Thus not simulating an acoustic in that respect. They should just make them fixed at the correct level and just add the option of headphones.

Thankfuly I have always maintained the volume at the same level, but still, it was just a thought

[cmg]

An acoustic piano in my opinion sounds MUCH, MUCH better than the most expensive digital piano at the same price. For example if the most expensive digital is $5000, then a $5000 acoustic will sound SO much better, feel much better and be good for your soul.

I've been forced to play many an acoustic piano -- from spinet, to consolette, to full consol, to upright to grand -- that has been complete and utter CRAP from top to bottom.  Having a high-end digital is infinitely preferred.  Just because a piano is "acoustic" doesn't make it better. 

Naturally, a wonderful acoustic is the optimal choice, but, in a world where people live on top of one another and hate to hear a musician's practicing, a digital is a godsend.  And a great digital with a weighted keyboard and top of the line sampling is much preferable to some absymally regulated, out-of-tune, thumping piece of acoustic garbage. 

As to life span, well, a good digital technician can easily keep a high-end digital functioning for at least 20 years.  I know that from direct experience. 

Will an acoustic last longer?  Well, yes, but a shitty acoustic lasting 50 years is not worth the torment.  I'd rather have a great digital last 10 years than be condemned to play on some tub for the same time.

[contaminatedfolder]

I don't think a digital piano would cause your skills to regress. What you are experiencing is an uncomfortable feeling of adapting to a different piano. The difference in the feel or sound of any piano varies from person to person. Actually every piano(even comparing acoustic to acoustic) would not have the exact same feel or sound. Some people don't notice a major change and adapt easily to the feel of the piano in front of them. I believe you are the one who can notice a difference and it will naturally bother you. Digital pianos have limitations on a very advanced piece but it is not complete failure to play the piece. You can still play the song but it won't be as good. There could be a few techniques you cannot accomplish on a digital but it is very minor and I doubt you are an extremely high level pianist. But honestly, the true problem with the digital piano is the hindrance of adapting from an instrument that imitates a real piano by 90% to a good quality acoustic. Think about it. If you practice on a digital piano you are developing by 90% compared to if you had done it on the real one. So now you have to suddenly add 10% once you play on the acoustic. The skill you are gonna have to develop is taking the 90% of acoustic piano progress and add the remaining 10%. Really, it is an unnecessary skill for many piano players to develop, in being able to play a digital and acoustic. But you are going to have to want to continue using a digital piano as practice and I'm even trying now. It is really difficult.

[gyzzzmo]

Digital piano's arent good enough to give that final touch to a piece, especially when playing Mozart since there is so much detail in it.

[csharp_minor]

I don’t think a digital piano will make you regress, the technique that you have already developed will still remain, but I’m sure there is only so far you can go with a digital instrument.

I have one of the mid to high-end Clavinovas ( clp 370); cost me about £1,400. It’s a good instrument, but after owning it for almost two years now and am at early intermediate level I’m definitely feeling restricted and frustrated buy its limitations.

The touch of it is not like a real piano. When I first started taking lessons on a grand the touch of the acoustic felt weird and unnatural to me. Strangely though the digital piano did manage to help me develop an understanding of the keyboard and touch to a relatively ok level. Both piano teachers I had did say I had a very good technique for my grade level at the time. I’m quite sure the digital piano helped a bit in this area.

I have tried out a few really terrible acoustics mostly they are console pianos by good makes and they are much more money than the Clavinovas. If space is a problem for people I recommend a digital instrument over a console piano or smaller. The sound of these tiny acoustics is very much like a cheapish keyboard in my opinion- very bright and no bass. So even Clavinovas have a better sound, in some respects. The Lager the piano are better the sound – unless is a cheap make, then the touch is also rubbish.

As for other things my digital piano can’t emulate well, is nice chipped staccato sound you get on a real piano - hindering any subtle expression. The pedals on my Clavinova are pretty bad for pedalling technique I think. The only pedal I’m happy with but never use is the sostenuto pedal, but I haven’t tried one on a real instrument either so can’t say if it really is good or not. All the pedals are far too stiff, the una corda doesn’t work at all and the damper does not behave in the same way as an acoustic one.

This is bad for me as I learned a piece with pedal at home on the digital and it sounded good. In my lesson I tried to play the same piece with the same pedalling and it turned into a burly mess. Damper pedals are much harder to use on an acoustics as you need to be very careful and subtle with them. On digitals you can get away with over doing it and the sound is quite forgiving. This is really annoying as I am restricted to playing the piece without pedal or need to choose pieces that don’t need any.
 
My advice is get yourself a good second-hand piano if money is a problem. You can get some very nice makes you couldn’t afford it they were new. Nextweek I should be getting my first acoustic piano which is a lovely second-hand Bluthner upright! Can’t wait!