Hello from Detroit

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Paulopedia
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed May 30, 2018 1:25 am

Hello from Detroit

Post by Paulopedia » Thu May 31, 2018 6:56 am

Hello. I just decided to learn to play the piano. So, I purchased a lifetime subcription to Playground Sessions. I also just purchased my first 88 key digital piano, a Casio Privia PX-560 (which was a mistake). It's okay, but having now read a little more about such things, I'm jonesing hard for a Kawai VPC1 piano midi controller. I really don't need any of the synth stuff on the Privia PX-560. My interest lies strictly in the piano. And, the Kawai supposedly has an action like a $100K acoustic concert grand. I'm using my television as a monitor for Playground Sessions... which makes it a lot easier to see with my 50 year old eyes. I'm using piano VST libraries (Addictive Keys and Pianoteq 6 so far) to produce the sounds. I'm not thrilled about the native piano sounds of keyboards (except the Fazioli on a Nord Piano 3... and I don't have one). If I actually achieve some level of proficiency, I'll be upgrading all of my gear. If not, I'll post the link to my EBay auctions.

Paul

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sw1tch73ch
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm

Re: Hello from Detroit

Post by sw1tch73ch » Thu May 31, 2018 10:24 am

Welcome Paul!

Don't worry too much about the PX-560 not being as good as the Kawai. The Privia is really pretty good and probably less expensive than the Kawai. So play on the PX-560 a little bit if returning it will be too much hassle. If you are still in your "new purchase" period and can return it, though, the Kawai action really is good. Similar to the $6000 Yamaha digital pianos, which are also top notch (and you pay for it in real dollars, of course).

I think you'll enjoy Playground Sessions, no matter which digital piano you play it on (assuming a decent MIDI implementation, though).
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

Paulopedia
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed May 30, 2018 1:25 am

Re: Hello from Detroit

Post by Paulopedia » Thu May 31, 2018 11:09 am

Thanks. The PX-560 isn't that much less than the Kawai VPC1. Had I known more about digital pianos, that's what I would have gotten in the first place. I don't need any of the zones, knobs, touch-screen, sequencer, or anything else other than a very good piano action and the necessary inputs and outputs. If I was into all of that sequencer/syth stuff, I'd be very happy with the Privia as a first keyboard. As a piano, it's somewhat lacking. It's decent. But I'd rather have something that is as close to an acoustic grand as possible. The deal breaker with the Privia is that the pedals are simple on/off switches and there are only two of them. If you buy a Casio branded particle board stand, there is a three pedal unit that allows half-pedaling. But, it plugs into the bottom of the piano with a rather flimsy proprietary connector. And the unit really won't sit in a useable orientation without being screwed into the aforementioned stand. I think that I'm just going to sell this thing for whatever I can get for it and buy either the Kawai VPC1 or the Kawai MP11SE (which is supposed to have an even better key-bed.)

I haven't had any problems with MIDI as yet. I'm running everything through a MIDI audio interface. It doesn't seem to have any problem communicating with the Playground Sessions application or the PX-560. It also allows me to turn off the sound from the application and my digital piano and use Pianoteq 6 and Addictive Keys VST piano sample (or modelling) libraries. I'm thinking about getting the Ravenscroft 275 sample library next.

Yamaha does have some very high end hybrid pianos, like that $20,000 Avantgrand. However, I'm not really interested in something that isn't portable. I'm more of a stage "slab" piano guy. When I'm ready to make a commitment to a piano that is essentially a piece of furniture, I'm going to get a smallish acoustic grand.

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