Buzzing Digital

[dorfmouse]

On Saturday I have to accompany my choir in a public concert. I've just found out the venue has changed to one where there is a digital piano which I played once before. On that occasion I found it very difficult to produce enough volume for the singers to hear, which is never a problem when playing acoustic piano. With the volume control set at maximum I could hear an unpleasant loud sort of buzzing sound and blurring of the chords. (The piece I'm accompanying is Conquest of Paradise so basically a gradual crescendo- diminuendo of chords.) It sounded horribly loud to me but not to the choir who were reinforced by an extra section of male voices. (Matters were not helped when my notes fell off the stand at the top of the last page...  )

I don't know what make the instrument is, I'm totally inexperienced with digitals and won't have time to do much fiddling around with controls. Does anyone have a simple suggestion in case the problem recurs? Thanks.

[Michele Felice]

There are two aspects to a solution. Best is to use auxiliary amplifier/speaker(s) which you can place closer to and facing the choir. Lacking this or these, don't turn the volume control up so high. The sound will be clearer and will carry better if the volume setting is somewhat below maximum.

[dorfmouse]

Thank you for your advice.
Maybe they've acquired a Steinway grand by now!

[robert]

Three possibilities why there is a noice when using high volume:

- Some digitals have microphones to record reflections from the room and the piano is calibrated automatically. If the digital was calibrated in a small room, the reverb and reflections where not very high and if the settings was to simulate a full concert hall, it might have added a two powerful amplifying of the reflected signal. When entering a larger room, these reflections can cause a constans high frequency buzz. Look for the iAFC settings button if it is a Yamaha. Press it until it says "Calibration start". Then it will play extremely loud for a couple of minutes and during this time, nobody must make noices in that room (make everyone leave).

- Two high amplified reverb settings. Try to set down the reverb level or turn effects off.

- Crappy digital...nothing to do but for go with the previous poster and put loudspeakers behind the choir.

[dorfmouse]

Thanks again. I didn't have much time so just went with turning off reverb and turning down the volume which seemed to help.
Long live proper pianos!