Practicing on Electric Pianos YouTube Video!
Hey everyone, it's Robert here from the Tonebase Piano YouTube! I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Tonebase Artists Daniela Bracchi, Juliana Han, Leann Osterkamp He and Evan Shinners about the best strategies for practicing on electric pianos.
I know that for many of us, electric pianos are the only practice option the majority of the time -- and many times also the only performance option! I hope that this video will offer some new and interesting ideas for you all -- I know I learned a lot while making it.
Let me know what you think, and what instrument you're practicing on! 
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I practise on a Kawai ES-110, but have recently been wondering about purchasing a Roland FP-90X. The problem with most digital keyboards is that they come with all the extra stuff, drums etc. which I'd never use. It tried the Roland in a shop the other day and it felt really good. Philip UK
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Philip Robinson I have used the previous version since 2017, the Roland FP-90. The Roland FP-90X has more memory, better piano sound quality, fix issues with case vibration by adding locations for sound to exit the case cleanly, better interconnectivity with improved USB and USB MIDI, improved Bluetooth Audio, improved Bluetooth MIDI capabilities over the older model. I find it to be a great learning resource for easily recording myself to work on improving my playing. When used with a Windows or MAC computer and music software, I find it extremely valuable for learning new pieces, and for practicing sight-reading.
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I have a Yamaha P-515 with Pianoteq for the sounds. I grew up playing exclusively on grand pianos (my mother had two - a Baldwin and a Steinway), but that's not in the cards these days. I have to say that I occasionally feel the lack of fine control over expressiveness, but, overall, I'm pretty happy with my piano. Lately, I've been thinking of perhaps upgrading to the Yamaha P-525, which supposedly has a lighter action. Shosh
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Overall pretty happy with the Kawai VPC1 and Pianoteq here. The "Virtual Piano Controller" is an action-only keyboard, without any sounds or speakers, designed to control virtual instruments via Midi. It even has a built in calibration curve for Pianoteq (and some other software pianos) that works pretty well! For me it's an advantage not to pay an extra for inferior speakers that i don't need as i can use the way better monitors already available but for others it might be a disadvantage.
And for Pianoteq: Sample-based software might sound more realistic in a key-to-key comparison but the modeling-based Pianoteq feels like tighter connection with the instrument, in the way it reacts to my input ... "more analogue" so to say.
If you want to go super fancy you could use a sample-based software for the main sound and use Pianoteqs sympathetic resonance as an effect like explained over here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNPVl3ZAsbY
Edit: video link now working
While i do have the opportunity to use a baby grand almost any time, the digital world also has some advantages like late night practice or can practise e.g. in Bach historical pitch at A=415 Hz Well Temperament with two clicks and then switch back to A=440 Equal Temperament two hours later. Or practise in different (virtual) acoustic environments.
Cheers! :D
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I tried a number of digital pianos before selecting the Roland HP704. I have a decent acoustic grand piano - but wanted to have a digital to practice at night and not disturb the world around me. I play the Roland utilizing headphones and Pianoteq software which allows me to practice without disturbing the household. I had considered the Yamaha N1X - which has a real grand piano action - but in the end decided the Roland better fit our household. While I enjoy playing a digital piano - both from an action and sound standpoint, in the end I find the real acoustic grand is a different experience - perhaps a bit more sensitive to tone and touch. But I do have the best of both worlds, and I play them about equally. I'm glad I made the investment in the digital piano.
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Thanks for the video, Robert. Interesting tips and perspectives.
I grew up in major cities and small rooms and always had an upright piano. Love the Steinway uprights. I now have a house, but the rooms are still too small even for a baby grand. So, I practice mostly on my Steinway upright and alternate with a Yamaha P-125 keyboard. I like having a way to practice in off-hours and to simulate other instruments, especially for Bach works. Having both works well for me.PS: The Steinway upright has the same amazing sound as the grands, but because the strings are shorter, the keyboard is a little lighter to play on. My hands and arms get tired faster on a grand. Luckily, my teacher’s studio has two grands, which helps to get ready for concerts.
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I have a Kawai MP11SE I use with Pianoteq and use with the NY or HB Steinway, Petrof, Blüthner, or K2. I find it fun to switch to the different piano models as well as others I've not listed. The challenge for me is to not have a physical piano as a reference to calibrate the volume settings based on my velocity. I wanted a "good" setup and feel, so the SE is basically a MIDI controller to me.
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Paul the MP11SE is not easy to calibrate for Pianoteq, if you use it only as a controller the VPC with its built-in Pianoteq calibration might suit you better. :)
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Great video with lots of angles that I'd not given much thought to.
I play a Yamaha Clavinova CLP 735... mainly because I live in an apartment. I did have an interesting experience using acoustic instruments while working for 3 1/2 years with my last teacher though. The lessons and the student recitals were in a church where the piano for the lessons was frankly a mess but the one in the sanctuary where the recitals were was a beautiful Steinway grand frequently used in concerts and that has many fans among the best pianists in the city.
I had no difficulty switching from my Clavinova to the Steinway for the recitals, and the challenge of the acoustic practice beast was actually a good learning experience, although at times I couldn't help chuckling because a note was very out of tune or wouldn't sound unless you whacked the key.
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Hi Leon. Thanks for this. I'm wondering how I might use the Roland (should I purchase one) with my iMac? Not sure about MIDI and Bluetooth either. I decided not to commit but I'm thinking again now!
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Dwelling in an apartment that has cardboard for walls, I'm limited to a digital piano (Yamaha N3) with headphones. I'm grateful it's as good as it is.
If external links are permitted, here are a couple of ongoing discussions on the topic of going back and forth digital/acoustic:
https://forum.pianotell.com/d/723-is-it-a-good-idea-to-practice-on-a-digital-piano
https://forum.pianotell.com/d/721-can-even-the-top-end-hybrids-really-satisfy-a-grand-player -
Does anyone have experience with the Casio's top digital pianos? I saw a video/ad where Benjamin Grosvenor was endorsing because it has a real grand piano action inside. But/and are they even sold in the U.S.? Thanks
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Andrew Smith
This guy sold his Yamaha hybrid and bought a Casio GP310:
https://forum.pianoworld.com//ubbthreads.php/topics/3497141/re-is-the-casio-gp-510-actually-good.html#Post3497141
and subsequent posts.
Note that that forum may appear a bit cluttered unless you are using an ad blocker or a browser such as Brave that filters out ads.
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Andrew Smith Yes, I got a nice Casio Privia PX-S1100 to take in my car to play for weddings and charity events.
It was super affordable and light enough for me to cart around without any help!
It’s definitely not a top of the line digital, but I got stuck playing in the rain at an outdoor wedding several months ago and it didn’t get damaged at all.
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Andrew Smith They have good price/quality ratio and are mostly relatively light. So if i had to carry it around quite a bit, i'd definitely look at the Casios.
For top notch action and if weight is no problem the other major suspects have a tendency to deliver better, albeit at a higher price. If you don't necessarily need sounds or speakers in the Instrument i can recommend the VPC1.
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Hello Jane -- thank you very much for the link to that review of the Casio -- super detailed and informative. Best,
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Thanks Robert Fleitz , really great video! I wish I had these perspectives 6-7 years ago when I restarted playing the piano.
I grew up playing a Yamaha upright acoustic as a kid. When I picked up piano again (now living in a city apartment) I started with a Yamaha CLP-635 for 1 year, traded in for a Yamaha silent acoustic upright for about 4 years, acquired a restored Steinway A3 grand last year with super heavy keys, and then sold the upright (too bulky to keep along with the grand, and my taste evolved to prefer a mellower sound) and acquired a Roland FP60x digital piano earlier this year instead.
It took me a long time to realize I'm not a terrible pianist, I just needed more time to warm-up and be comfortable whenever playing pianos other than my own. Especially now that I have my dream grand, I've realized even it can sound different (better / worse) depending on the day/weather etc. I've also realized I don't have to work as hard on the nice piano, which means my legato technique and tone control have actually gotten pretty sloppy - I can hear a stark difference when I play lighter/brighter pianos. That's actually one of the reasons I decided on the Roland FP60x (instead of the FP90x that some have discussed above) - the FP90x sounded almost "too good" and I was less confident about how honestly it was reflecting my technique.
What the experts in the Tonebase video say - about divvying up practice approaches for each instrument - really resonates. I save the heavy & louder grand piano for etudes (especially ones that require endurance like Chopin 10-12 and 25-6) and full run-throughs and tone work for pieces I've learned pretty well. I rely on the Roland for learning notes, harmonic analysis, memory work, sightreading, and "cramming" practice at odd hours. I try not to use headphones on the Roland and just keep the volume down instead - I think using my headphones for pieces with high dynamic contrasts has impaired my hearing.
The video was more about learning piano on the different piano types, but as I've started participating in more Tonebase online challenges/concerts and need to record myself, that's been another facet to consider for piano choice. It was much easier to get clean recordings on my silent acoustic and likely the Roland I have now, but they lacked depth. Recording the grand means I'm often overwhelming the mic and also capturing ambient city noise, unless I turn the gain way down. I also don't want to drive the neighbors crazy by doing several full-volume recording attempts. Now I'm experimenting with an in-piano mic where I can keep the grand's lid closed...so far pretty good for recordings, but not sure how it'll work for Zoom live performances...
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Judy Kuan Excellent comments, as always. And you are a wonderful pianist. I learn something every time I hear you!
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Judy Kuan said:
It took me a long time to realize I'm not a terrible pianistand I can assure you that you are very good!!!
