Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Electronic Piano Keyboard

[David W. Littlefield]

At 01:56 PM 08/13/05 -0400, DWSI at aol.com wrote:
>Rae Ann: 
>Three suggestions.  
>(1) If you're playing for yourself, (I assume you are), you don't need an  
>amp or speaker system--just a good pair of earphones. 
> 
>(2) Buy the full keyboard--88 keys. You say you've been playing a Steinway.  
>Why not continue the size you're used to?
> 
>(3) Look into Yahama P-80 or P-90 stage pianos USED. Light very good sound.  
>The older P-80 may be hard to find but worth the search. The newer P-90
costs  
>close to $1,000. 
>Dan Spink

I recently played another Yamaha 88--P-60. Cheaper than P-90, felt about as
good as the P-80, which I have. If you've played a real piano like a
Steinway for a long time, a short "plastic" keyboard really sucks. There's
timing dynamics in the action of a good piano that one uses in coordinating
hands, fingers, sustain pedal, that gives you control that's almost
impossible to achieve with a "plastic" keyboard. If you're an ok but not
expert player, the stiffer action on the Yamahas obsorbs some of your
mistakes, gives you a fraction of a second to correct erroneous finger
choices. I found this to be true whether playing slow or fast tunes. Maybe
Dan could explain it better than I can. 

--Sheik