Digital Pianos

M

momomo

Registered User
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Hi
I have played piano for years, up to grade seven etc. Have moved house and dont have loads of room for a piano (also dont want to annoy neighbours on both sides of me with it). Has anyone any experience with Digital Pianos? Can you put headphones into them? How real to "normal" pianos are they?
I would be looking to go back to doing my piano exams so would need a good piano.

Thanks in advance

momomo
 
Sound wise they're pretty good but for the action, you'd really need to go and give some a test drive. I don't think a proper electric piano has any significantly bigger foot print than an upright so don't discount that idea either.
 
Thanks Decani
Its definately more the problem of the noise then the size of it being the problem. So the digital is an option because we could use headphones with it.
 
i kow somebody who got one... it's actually shorter.. .has less keys at the lower octaves.
Also a bir narrower and obviously not as tall.

Sounds great and feels great. Got it in the sound shop in Drogheda on sale for about 1k.
http://www.soundshop.ie/products/786

takes headphones and depending on the model you can do all sorts with it.
 
Not sure if you're interested in doing Grade 8 with it. If you just want it for yourself, a good digital piano would be perfect for that purpose. If you want to pursue your grades further, I'd get in touch with some place like the Royal Irish Academy, Waltons or Pianos Plus - they should be able to advise you.
 
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The piano in that picture has a full sized keyboard!

I had a Yamaha Clavinova and found it great - would get another one. The sound is actually 'crisper' through the headphones as the speakers dull it a bit, so I always used them.

I would say (though it's just an estimate) that you're probably looking at 1500+ Euro to get the action required for a grade 8 exam. The Royal Irish Academy now allow the practical exams to be done on digital pianos, so it might be worth giving them a call to see if they have an approved list of models - I imagine they don't accept just any one at all.
 

I had looked at the Yamaha Clavinova one.

Great idea about contacting the RIAM for their approved list, never thought of.
Cheers everyone for their input
 
just contacted the Royal Irish Acedemy and they tell me they dont allow digital pianos? Have you any further information on this?
 
olivia said:
just contacted the Royal Irish Acedemy and they tell me they dont allow digital pianos? Have you any further information on this?
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You will most likely play on a real piano when you are doing your RIAM exam. He/she is not going to fail you if you've been practicing on a digital piano.The new digital pianos have weighted keys like a real piano, but test drive them to ensure a legato you have to work for like a real piano. Seems a shame you have to plug headphones in so as not to disturb the neighbours, could you not put the piano against another wall in the house and let rip at Beethoven to your hearts delight?
 
I did an Associated Board exam on a digital piano over 15 years ago! So digital pianos are definitely approved by the ABRSM, if not the RIAM. I don't think they have a list of approved models though, just certain minimum requirements, such as full-sized keys with a weighted touch-sensitive action similar to a "real" piano.
 
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