Please Tell Me I'm In The Right Place!

[Ruro]

Hey again people, I'm beginning to think I'm in the wrong place, and started the wrong way aswell.

I don't know the differences between a piano and a keyboard, only the keyboard is electronic and the piano isn't, it's mechanical, and I bet my bottom dollar I'm already wrong in that assumption!
I just interpretted someones post on this forum, that to play the same notes on a piano to perform a song, would not produce the same sound as the keyboard would, which would also explain why these official song Scores I have has 'incorrect' notes on them.

I was inspired by Yoshiki, he plays a piano, I play a keyboard. If a keyboard isn't the same as a piano, I don't think I want to learn the keyboard. This does sound childish, but I feel I have just wasted my time, learning the wrong instrument. I don't want to learn an instrument if I can't play the songs that I define as perfection... if ya see where I'm coming from.

In saying this, I'll be darned if I can afford a £1,000 piano over my £130 keyboard. AND thinking about it, why on earth did they create keyboards?!?! Unless it's so you can synthesize for the songs in this new era of music.

Sorry for the ramble, but I'm slightly frustrated I brought perhaps the wrong instrument, and started in TOTALY the wrong place ¬_¬

[xvimbi]

I don't think you should get distressed It's not that bad.

A few things to think about:

- Digital pianos and acoustic pianos are like apples and oranges. They are different instruments in their own rights. Digital instruments can produce the sound of many different acoustic instruments (not just the piano), but they will not anytime soon come close to reproducing the true sound and/or feel of an acoustic instrument.

- Good digital pianos have actions that feel very similar to acoustic pianos. This means that one can learn quite a lot of technique before one really has to switch over to an acoustic piano, provided playing on an acoustic is your goal. If not, staying for the rest of your life on digital instruments and making great music is absolutely possible, just look at the millions of Pop and Jazz artists.

- A good digital instrument is absolutely preferable over a bad acoustic instrument. That said, £1,000 will not buy you a decent acoustic instrument (perhaps a used one, but I would almost consider this wasted money nevertheless). £1,000, on the other side, will buy you a decent digital instrument. A £130 keyboard is most likely limiting, and if you have one of those, you should upgrade if you want to advance.

Why don't you tell us what keyboard you have, and what your goals are?

[Ruro]

Keyboard: Yamaha PSR 275
And I would provide a link but there site is busted atm.

I didn't have a clue as to the prices of Pianos, I just guessed that number As for my piano, the guy (who lied I guess) in Chapels said starting out on this one would be sufficient to get me on the role. The price was knocked down by about £50 I believe >_<

I love playing the piano, it's one of the rare things I find I love to do (the other being table tennis!), and with inspiration to keep me going further I would love to progress into a fine pianist (or keyboardist!?)
But a specific goal... not really thought about it, sure I could join a band (not that you get many Symphnic Rock Orchestral types now), but in saying that I would have to give up my computery aim of life. I think I'm torn between them, atleast if I finish the course I got some options
(Although to be perfectly honest, I have been thinking lately: 40 years of fixing computers will drive me insane ~_~)

But I guess on a whole, I play because I love to play, I love the challenge of learning the songs and seeing the progress. But if it's all I want to do, and because of this world we live in, I will need to make money in some way!

[xvimbi]

Well, the sales person was right: the PSR275 will get you started. This type of keyboard is good for finding out if you really like to play the piano, so they do have their place. But they have significant drawbacks when compared to "real" pianos (digital or acoustic).

In terms of goals, I wanted to know if you want to play mostly Classical music, Pop or Jazz. If you want to become an accomplished Classical pianist, you will need an acoustic at some point as only this type of instrument will be able to generate all the tone qualities required. Decent Jazz is usually also played on acoustic pianos, but electric ones will do fine for many purposes, just like for Rock and Pop.

The PSR 275 is really not an adequate instrument once you have decided that you want to stick with it. It doesn't have all the keys that a real piano has, the keys are not as heavy, and they have a different size. Finally, the sound generated is pretty far away from a real acoustic. At this point, I recommend you visit as many stores and play on as many different types of pianos as possible, just to get an idea of what is out there. Ask friends who have keyboards or acoustics if you can check them out. Orient yourself on the type of music you want to play and look what type of equipment the people use who are as accomplished as you want to be. That should give you a good idea.

[Ruro]

Thanks for the replies xvimbi ^_^ So first I retract my mock of Chapels.

Goals... the type of music... I don't find myself naturally picturing me becoming a professional and making money from onstage performances and such, perhaps because such a course of action has never crossed my mind in my life!
For the type of music, certain songs are just very... moving, the feeling is strong, uplifting and inspiring, and for me to be able to play these songs would just really help me out emotionally I think.
I mean, I'm currently listening to "X Japan - The Last Song", and the song, "Yoshiki - Goodbye Piano" is an excellent piece with the inspiring works that makes me want to learn to play, and.. I dunno, just play along side them ^_^
Although unfortunately in that department, they split up many moons ago

At any rate, I would love to become a great pianist and play pieces that move me and and I can really get the feeling of, which in these examples are solo's and ballads covering classical I guess.

My keyboard comes with Touch Sensetivity and a Sustain feature to make the key sound prolong, so I guess it never crossed my mind the whole Piano / Keyboard thing >_<

And that sounds like fun! Walking in and out of stores testing all the pianos, I'll be so gutted when I break one (which I swear I'm prone to, it's why I don't carry drinks into cars and stuff )

And I guess this also means I will need a loan to pay for this Acoustic Piano, lol, never thought it could be so expensive!

Thanks again xvimbi ^_^

[xvimbi]

It sounds like you should do fine with a good digital piano. They are much more convenient than acoustic ones; e.g. you can practice at night with headphones without waking up the entire street. They also don't go out of tune, and you can connect them to a computer and record yourself or have songs/pieces played through them. The sound on the better ones is very good. If you have the chance, check out the Yamaha P or PF series digital pianos/keyboards. Compare those to your keyboard and a real acoustic piano. You'd be surprised. In fact, many famous musicians use those.

Concerning price, just to give you an idea: the really good acoustic pianos start at around $100,000. One can get smaller, decent ones for around $20,000 upwards. What concerns breaking one, unless you throw an axe at it, it's highly unlikely. If they withstand repeated Rachmaninoff piano concertos and the like, they will withstand pretty much anything.

[kaff]

Oh Xvimbi, don't scare the lad off!  I see you live in Bucks, Ruro.  The Piano Workshop in Newport Pagnell will sell you a perfectly decent, reconditioned upright piano for a lot less than $100,000 - maybe around £2000?  Still a lot of money for a 17 year old, of course.  They'll also rent you one for six months, and take the rental off the cost if you want to buy it at the end of the rental period.  They might only do this for people over the age of 18, I don't know.  But they'll let you try all their pianos - they sell new ones as well.  Their reconditioned ones tend to be better makes than the new ones. 

Kathryn

[Ruro]

lol, thankfuly this job hunting recently may just pay off that dilemna, although I was planning on saving to go to Japan this year >_<

£2000 you say? Sure would put me in an overdraft atm! Then again I think it's kinda un-neccesary at this point anyway form what yur saying, I'm currently getting frustrated over my unsatisfactory playing of Fur Elise, perhaps more hands seperate playing tomorow... definately not the time for a Piano

Plus when I think about it, where the hell am I gonna store it!? At any rate, thanks for the Info Kaff! ^_^