How to get a lighter key action on my digital piano

[ialaban]

I'm pretty decent at playing the piano. However, there is one piece I can't still play, and it's the minute waltz. Whenever I try to play it on my digital piano, it's always so difficult because I can't seem tobe able to press the LH chords fully. So I did some research. I wanted to find out if I had severe muscle atrophy or if my piano key action was too heavy. It turns out, most pianos have a downweight of around 45-60 grams. I measured my piano's downweight, a Yamaha DGX 650, and it came around 96-98 grams. So perhaps that's why I'm having such a problem. Playing on other pianos is much easier and more comfortable, and pieces that I can't seem to get quite right are much easier on other pianos. So is there any way to make my piano action lighter, or will I have to continue to drown in my tears?

[lelle]

Not sure what you can do on a digital. On grand pianos, which have wooden keys, touch weight is regulated by inserting lead counter weights in the keys. Many digitals have plastic keys though. And I would assume, if you do have wooden keys, that it would be expensive to hire someone to make this modification.

[stringoverstrung]

Hello,

I am afraid there is not much you can do. If you have budget available I would advise you  to check out the KAWAI CA series. These are pianos that have wooden keys and have action that "resembles" acoustic pianos. In case you are playing this level of pieces I would advise you to be very careful with that kind of weight in your key. In the 80s many pianists got injured probably due to the heavy action as used during the 80s. While it might not be imminent immediately this could put too much load on your finely tuned tendon system. Our hands were made to survive in nature not to lift 100s of grams 1000s of times a day.

Regards,
Gert

[ialaban]

I believe that adding coins to the edges of the piano keys themselves might solve the problems, but could there be any other alternatives?

[kosulin]

You might want to modify its velocity curve. Not sure it is possible in the piano itself, but many DP players change velocity curve when play DP with external VST.
Also, with DP the main issue is frequently not the downweight on itself, but initial resistance - it is much more noticeable than with acoustic action.

[ialaban]

So how would I modify the velocity curve on my piano? Should i get longer hammers?

[anacrusis]

I don't think digital pianos use hammers, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

[ialaban]

I don't think digital pianos use hammers, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

Most weighted digital pianos use something similar to hammers to try to recreate the feel of a real acoustic piano. Mine does.

[kosulin]

So how would I modify the velocity curve on my piano? Should i get longer hammers?

No
Simply speaking digital piano keys generate MIDI signals in 0-127 range based on how hard they were hit. And this number (MIDI level) defines how powerful the generated sound should be.
The velocity curve defines how MIDI levels are translated to audio sound levels. The curve may change the outcome a lot. It can improve the dynamic range of DP. It can make playing soft easier, for example. Also It is known that some DP never register MIDI above 120, for example, and velocity curve correction can make the sound more powerful. Modification of velocity curve is usually done in computer piano player client/library that support such a feature, such as Garritan, VSL, KONTAKT, Pianoteq, etc. Not sure any DP support it for internal sound.
You can google for more detailed explanations.

[ialaban]

No
Simply speaking digital piano keys generate MIDI signals in 0-127 range based on how hard they were hit. And this number (MIDI level) defines how powerful the generated sound should be.
The velocity curve defines how MIDI levels are translated to audio sound levels. The curve may change the outcome a lot. It can improve the dynamic range of DP. It can make playing soft easier, for example. Also It is known that some DP never register MIDI above 120, for example, and velocity curve correction can make the sound more powerful. Modification of velocity curve is usually done in computer piano player client/library that support such a feature, such as Garritan, VSL, KONTAKT, Pianoteq, etc. Not sure any DP support it for internal sound.
You can google for more detailed explanations.

I thought you meant the initial force it takes to press a key down. As you said, most digital pianos have a problem with their initial resistance, so I thought that's what you meant by velocity curve.

As for the velocity curve, my piano has a thing that's called touch response, and I believe that's what you were referring to. Changing did make it easier to play softly, but it also reduces dynamic range, which I didn't like.

[psipsi8]

According to this  https://faq.yamaha.com/usa/s/article/U0008244
the touch response is adjustable. Did you try to modify it?
In any case, I have a Roland FP 30X digital piano and I found the default setting too light so I put it on the second-highest setting but I have to do this every time I turn on the piano, otherwise there might be a setting to save the previous setting, which I haven't noticed. The highest setting on my piano is just a gigantic damper pedal, so extremely useless.

[jbgods]

I did a lot of my practicing on a digital piano for a while.  I never liked those digital limitations.  The weight of  piano keys is much easier to understand since there is no real limit in either direction to action weight.

[pianos-galore]

It sounds like the heavy key action on your Yamaha DGX-650 is definitely contributing to your difficulty with the Minute Waltz, especially for those rapid left-hand chord changes. Unfortunately, digital pianos generally have fixed key actions, and there isn’t a straightforward way to mechanically lighten the key action without significant modification or replacing the instrument.

Here are a few things you can try to mitigate the issue:

Adjust Your Playing Technique: You could experiment with adjusting your hand and wrist position to help with the weight of the keys. Sometimes focusing on a more relaxed playing technique can reduce strain on the hands when dealing with heavier action.

Weighted Key Practice: Though your DGX-650 has a heavier action than typical, you might treat it as an opportunity to build hand strength. Practice on it for a while, and when you move to lighter action pianos, it will likely feel much easier to play. It’s not a perfect solution, but it can be a way to adapt.

External Keyboard: If you plan on sticking with the DGX-650, but want a lighter action for certain pieces like the Minute Waltz, you could connect a MIDI controller with a lighter action to your Yamaha. You’d still be using the sounds from your DGX-650, but you could get the benefit of a lighter touch.

Consider a New Instrument: If this is a recurring issue and you’re finding the DGX-650 consistently uncomfortable for your playing style, you might consider upgrading to a digital piano with a lighter and more balanced key action. Something like a Kawai ES series or Yamaha’s higher-end models may offer the lighter action you’re looking for.

It's a tough situation, but if you play other pianos more easily, maybe transitioning to a lighter-action instrument could make your overall playing experience more enjoyable!
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