Digital Piano for a beginner

[hastur]

Dear Piano Street,

I have recently acquired a profound urge to learn the piano, and with such, also the need for an actual piano to play and practice with. I was originally looking at ads by people donating various upright pianos, but most of them were out of tune, and that coupled with the whole moving the piano from one location to another process made me re-think the matter.

I am now looking at digital pianos, as they are fairly portable, and when I (hopefully) attend a boarding school (which I have applied to), I can bring it with me, as well as practice without disturbing my neighbours.

The digital piano I have been looking at in particular, is the Yamaha NP-30. It has 76 keys, which ought to be enough for most pieces I will play for my first year or so. I have already tried it out at a store, and the keys feel "good enough", not quite like the keys of an acoustic piano, but close enough to be tolerable for learning my first couple pieces for piano.

(While learning, I intend to save up for a much more expensive digital piano that I would buy as soon as I can afford it/have gotten good enough to require a full set of 88 properly weighted keys)

Does any of you have experience with the Yamaha NP-30? Does my plan sound reasonable, or am I indeed a mad-man?

Sincerely,
H

[jimbo320]

Hey Hastur,
Welcome to the forum.
The NP30 is good choice. I don't have personal experience with one but I know it's a fair instrument to play. I've been told it has good action.
My digital is a P95 which is a bit more in the price and I'm saving for a CP5 and a Motif. Those two will make superb gear.

Musically, Jimbo

[hastur]

Hey Hastur,
Welcome to the forum.
The NP30 is good choice. I don't have personal experience with one but I know it's a fair instrument to play. I've been told it has good action.
My digital is a P95 which is a bit more in the price and I'm saving for a CP5 and a Motif. Those two will make superb gear.

Musically, Jimbo

Thank you, both for the warm welcome, and the reply! I've been looking at the Yamaha Arius series as a possible future upgrade. Though, I'm sure I'll know for sure in a year or so when I have a bit more experience with pianos.

I'm going to my local music shop to see if I can bargain a trade-in of my bass guitar and amplifier for the NP-30 tomorrow, I hope they agree to my offer, can't wait to get started!

Sincerely,
H

[jimbo320]

Hastur,
What kind of bass and amp? I used to play a Hagstrom 4 string with Fender and Acoustic amps.
That was in my old rocker days.....

Jimbo

[hastur]

Hastur,
What kind of bass and amp? I used to play a Hagstrom 4 string with Fender and Acoustic amps.
That was in my old rocker days.....

Jimbo

Oh, it's an Epiphone EB-0 and a Gallien-K Backline 115, the amp is good for an audience of abouts 500 people outdoors without even hooking it up to a PA system, hehe. But won't be able to make use of it when I attend the boarding school anyway.

H

[jimbo320]

Nice gear! My amps were 220 watts each with one speaker cabinet for the acoustic and two for the Fender. I used to stand in front of the Acoustic and the Fender cabinets on each side of the stage. I once watched screws on a stage unscrew while I played a solo, lol....

Jimbo

[hastur]

Haha, nice one, Jimbo!

The amp and bass guitar has now moved out, and the new tenant, Yamaha NP-30, has moved in. I believe the mutual sentiment is that they are both quite pleased with everything. But I digress.

I got a pretty good deal with the music shop and came home with not only the piano, but also a stand and a really nice sustain pedal (it looks quite like those found on an upright), as well as a book with a bunch of classical pieces for piano arranged in easier form.

I might try line the piano into my computer and record as I make progress.

The question is, where to start..

[jimbo320]

Hastur,
Good luck in your endeavors.
Like you my bass gear left for greener pastures. I can't seem to shake my taste for power tho, lol. I have a Yamaha PSR and a Alesis Micron on top. When I mess around with other musicians I also use a P95. All wired to a Leslie cabinet and I just added a Behringer KT1800 sitting on top of an Ampeg 4x10 cabinet...

Musically, Jimbo

[john90]

(While learning, I intend to save up for a much more expensive digital piano that I would buy as soon as I can afford it/have gotten good enough to require a full set of 88 properly weighted keys)

I wouldn't save up for a digital piano. Good enough ones can be had second hand for what ever is in you wallet. Expensive ones also becomes a liability and a target for theft. Try and play on acoustic pianos in practice rooms in college, or pianos owned by relatives, friends, etc. Try and play on any and every piano you can. Enjoy, get good, do something else with your future cash. This profound urge is a good sign.

Keep playing,

John.

[jimbo320]

John,
I agree that acoustic grands are better in every way. But try and drag one around!
If one is handy I love playing on it, but one's not always handy...

[john90]

John,
I agree that acoustic grands are better in every way. But try and drag one around!
If one is handy I love playing on it, but one's not always handy...

This time I am not pushing acoustic pianos! I meant to say, "Good enough Digital pianos can be had for whatever is in your wallet, second hand." While the urge is there, you need to get something and just start playing. The perfect instrument can wait... My first digital was a Yamaha PSR, not even touch sensitive, £40 off a friend looking for beer money. What a great buy.

[hastur]

I went with the Yamaha NP-30, and I'm very happy with it. The action is very light when compared to an acoustic as I already mentioned and knew before I picked it up from the store. Managed to trade in my bass amp and guitar for the piano a stand, and a pretty good sustain pedal. (Didn't pay a penny)

I'm still quite convinced that my second piano will be another digital one. After trying out Yamaha's various pianos in the Clavinova series I must say I'm quite impressed by the more expensive one's. (Even with my very limited experience of pianos) The whole idea of not having to call a tech/tuner 4 times a year to keep it in shape and to move the piano from one location to another when I move makes me believe a digital is the way to go until I'm more settled in life and actually can fully appreciate the sound of a concert grand. The being able to practice silently is also another factor that weighs heavily towards a good digital piano as a second piano over an acoustic. I'd rather be able to practice whenever I want to than being limited to an hour or so in the evenings before people are likely to be in bed or otherwise not want to be disturbed, the difference in sound and feel of a really good digital and a half-decent upright I feel is negligible. But I digress.

I do however look forward to treating myself with a beautiful concert grand later in life.

- H

[john90]

Getting something touch sensitive and as light as the NP-30 is something I would like. Something I could throw in the boot, take on a long weekend somewhere, even fly with. I wouldn't rush to get something else (like a weighted digital) now. There will be a decent acoustic at Boarding school to play on if you ask. The odd hour or so a week on a decent Grand plus the NP-30 may be as perfect as it gets.