76 key portable grand

[letoatreides3508]

Hi, I'm a little new to the board and was wondering if I could get some advice. I've been thinking about buying a Yamaha 76 key portable grand (the ypg-235). I was wondering if 76 keys contains the octave range to play the keyboard partitas by Bach, or does this require a full 88 keys. Any helpful feedback would be appreciated.

[mhhudson15]

I haven't done the Bach partitas, as I am still catching up on repertoire (long story for another day.) But I have one of these, and I ended up getting a real piano because the action and dynamics are just not the same. But may I ask, why are you considering one of these? Do you already have a piano and you want something portable, or are you just starting out piano as a whole?

[iansinclair]

I'd have to go through them with a fine tooth comb -- which I haven't done in decades -- to be sure, but I'd be very very surprised if the 76 key range were not adequate.  Simply because very few harpsichords have even that range, and organs have only 61 (albeit both often have mechanisms to extend the top or bottom or both another octave, but not at the same time) -- and that is what Bach was composing for.

That said, however, I'd ask the same question as mhhudson -- why?

[letoatreides3508]

Why am I asking? Well, I'd like to take up the piano/keyboard, but I'm living on a college budget in an upstairs apartment that doesn't really have room for a full size piano, and I don't have the money for one. But the Yamaha ypg-235 gets really good reviews and it's within my price range, so I was thinking about checking it out.

[iansinclair]

Why am I asking? Well, I'd like to take up the piano/keyboard, but I'm living on a college budget in an upstairs apartment that doesn't really have room for a full size piano, and I don't have the money for one. But the Yamaha ypg-235 gets really good reviews and it's within my price range, so I was thinking about checking it out.

Fair enough.  But I'd still be a little concerned about the action feel... if you are looking for a piano, rather than a keyboard.  May I suggest -- even though you don't have the room for it, obviously -- that you find a dealer or a friend -- or even your college music department if there is one -- and play a real acoustic grand for a while, to find out what the keyboard action of a piano should feel like, so that you have something to compare with.

[j_menz]

play a real acoustic grand for a while, to find out what the keyboard action of a piano should feel like, so that you have something to compare with.

To what end? As a beginner, the differences are not going to be either all that apparent or all that accurate.

If it's all you can afford, and all you can fit, it will do perfectly OK for a while. Beginner and quite a lot of intermediate repertoire doesn't stray outside those 76 keys, and even early Liszt has ossias for that range (most pianos not having 88 keys until the early mid-19th century).  The touch isn't ideal, but it won't hurt you.