Teaching on Clavinova

[meli]

I was wondering if anyone has taught piano playing to beginners on a Clavinova? I have a parent who told me she cannot afford an acoustic piano at the moment, but her daughter very much wants to learn music, and loves to 'doodle' on the keyboard so she bought a digital Yamaha Clavinova.  Now she wishes me to teach her on it.  I am only worried that she won't acquire the feel/touch which is heavier on a piano. (The Clavinova keys feels so light!) Will I harm her technique in the long run by teaching on a Clavinova first? She is only 7 years old.

[thierry13]

I think you can teach her on a clavinova, but it would be good if she could play once in a while on a real, heavier piano, just to feel the difference. I don't think it will harm her technique since I myself learned on a clavinova and the first time I touched a grand (or any heavy piano) was at my college auditions (wich is a step bellow university in Quebec) ... so she'll manage.

[clicquot]

Hi Meli;

I've started about a year ago on a clavinova... Indeed, an acoustic is an investment, paying a lot of money and not knowing if you will 'like' it (playing the piano) is a "risk"... now... my teacher advise me to OR lease an acoustic piano, or buy a starter clavinova... so I went to the pianoshop and bought a clavinova...
More important than anything else is that when you start playing a piano, the "sound" tune, is perfect... with these clavinova's you have a correct sound when you play a note... if you don't know anything about piano's and buy a 2nd hand for the price of a piano...you don't know if your sound sounds like it supposed to sound...
But you are right, the touch differs from a real piano... at my teachers place we need to play on a yamaha grand C3... after some months I got so frustrated that my play on the clavinova was ok, but when I got to the grand it was sh*t ! Especially the pedalling, oh god!
So, after some months I went back to the shop and bought an acoustic one... I've kept the clavinova...(i can use headphone to study at night). It takes some time to adapt to the feeling of the keys but one can manage fairly quick...
Just want to say, If I would need to restart all of this... I would lease an acoustic piano at first instead of buying a digital one...but i'm sure as a teacher you can start teaching the girl on her clavinova...

[williamhhay]

I think teaching beginners on a Clavinova is fine. It is definitely better than a keyboard but satisfies the price/space constraints imposed upon many students (and teachers) by there situation. In an ideal world we would all have a Yamaha Grand C3 on which to teach and practise. One day, perhaps I'll have a bigger house and then maybe...

[dolly lo]

Like clicquot, I started to take lessons on a Clavinova. It isn't the best but to begin.. Can be nice. But when she goes two years (more or less) studying piano I recomend a "true piano".. The touching, the sound.. You know, it's infinitely different.


PD: Excuse my bad english 

[simon_horsey]

I read in one of the inimitable Bernhard's posts that he uses a "state of the art digital piano" when teaching... If it's good enough for Bernhard, it's good enough for me!

Actually I also had a Clavinova at home (my teacher had a Bechstein baby grand) and it hasn't done me any harm It's true about always being in tune and regulated as well, and some of the new Clavinovas have wood keys and mini actions in them!

[kindergartentante]

Yes - playing on a clavinova is wonderful. You can learn easily ! We bought ours at www.klaviererfolg.de and are happy till today ! Wonderful ! Greetings

[sucom]

In my view there is absolutely nothing wrong with starting or even continuing on a Clavinova if it is a good quality.  Admittedly, the cheaper range of clavinovas do leave something to be desired, the weight is not so good, but the higher range clavinovas are excellent. 

I used to have a beautiful Steinway grand (alas not any more) and this made me quite fussy about which piano I should have after it was sold.  Many acoustic pianos didn't come anywhere near it - they were noticeably inferior.  But... the most expensive yamaha clavinova was the closest that came to the control that is possible on the Steinway.

I really don't understand why some teachers are so against them.  They respond beautifully to touch and I can't tell the difference in the weight of the keys from many acoustic pianos, except those with a particular heavy action which are not as enjoyable to play anyway.  I know that in the UK, they can be found in practice rooms at the music conservatoires.  Also, my own students notice no difference in the weight of the piano I use to teach on and the acoustic grand at the exam centre or of  pianos found in their own homes. 

Something else in their favour is that they don't go out of tune.  I have discovered many students with pianos that desperately require tuning - not good for training a musical ear!

[rocklandpiano]

The Yamaha Clavinova is recognized as the leading digital piano in the world. Clavinova digital pianos have been around for over 25 years and Yamaha bring out new improved models every 2-3 years. The new pianos always seem to get better and, one day, will probably challenge the traditional piano.
The Clavinova can display music notation on its screen and then play the music that is displayed. While the music is playing, a "bouncing ball" helps you keep your place, much like a teacher's finger, pointer, or pen might help direct the student's eyes to help her keep her place. Tempo can be adjusted to the student's ability. By maintaining a list of music that is accessible at the touch of a button, Dee can have her students practice sight-reading in a format that keeps their eyes moving forward and without having to search through a stack of books for the correct exercise.   

Recording

Music can be recorded into the Clavinova's memory or onto a USB memory stick. Many of Dee's students bring their own USB sticks to their lesson, so they can record what they have played during lesson and save it to listen to during the week.

DUETS

The Clavinova has 16 tracks of multi-track recording capability; so, for example, Dee can record one part of a duet piece to accompany students during lesson, or, with the help of a USB memory stick, students can practice duet pieces all week long.