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> First, to clarify, there are "keyboards" and there are "digital pianos". Keyboards typically have 60ish keys, keys that are light or thin, and sound that is l

by jefftk 4y ago

> First, to clarify, there are "keyboards" and there are "digital pianos". Keyboards typically have 60ish keys, keys that are light or thin, and sound that is low quality. I describe myself as playing "keyboard" and call my instrument a "keyboard", even though by your definitions it wouldn't be one -- I don't think that's how the word is usually used? I think most people, including most musicians, would consider a digital piano a kind of keyboard.

reikonomusha 4y ago
I guess we can define the terms however we like. An acoustic piano also has a keyboard. My point was that "keyboards" include a much broader class of electronic instruments than strictly what the set of "digital pianos" includes, like synthesizers, MIDI controllers, semi- or unweighted electric "pianos", etc. Unfortunately, to the beginner, they all look the same.
couchand 4y ago
The usage I've generally seen is that they keyboard is just the row of keys. An analog or digital piano has one, an organ perhaps several. The pianos, an organ, a harpischord, they're all kinds of keyboard instruments.
i_am_proteus 4y ago
I'd agree that the post above yours paints a bit of a false dichotomy. There are some fine semi-weighted keybeds out there, like on the Nord Electro. We ought remember that replicating the characteristics of an acoustic piano with a digital instrument is difficult, and was basically impossible 30 years ago. Modern sampling keyboards have hundreds of MB of memory for samples (and can play back and mix them with no audible latency).
- reikonomusha 4y ago
  My comment was written with "learning traditional classical/jazz piano" in mind, where the dichotomy is, I think, not false. Jamming out on semi-weighted keys in your rock band is fine, but it will not cut it for conventional training.
  - i_am_proteus 4y ago
    Most of the jazz keyboard players I gig with use good semi-weighted keys, and it works out for them. You'd strengthen your point by putting your entering conditions ("for classical piano") up front.
    - reikonomusha 4y ago
      Most of the great jazz players learned on an acoustic piano, and indeed continue to play on an acoustic piano. Hancock, Charles, Peterson, Jarrett, Corea, ... I can't recall a single jazz pianist of note that avoided an acoustic piano and/or built their technique off of semi-weighted keys. Folks like Peterson eventually dabbled and mastered certain electronic instruments, and most jazz musicians encounter electronic instruments as a significant part of their career, but they began with an acoustic. Keyboards of all sorts are used in all manner of places. Jazz especially loves the rounder tones offered by "e-pianos". There are even some famous synthesized classical pieces. So they're undoubtedly useful instruments, just seemingly avoided in most conventional approaches to learning to play piano.
      - i_am_proteus 4y ago
        These are interesting facts that don't address the enormous space of options that exist between the dichotomy you originally presented. That said, please play whatever keyboard you enjoy and call it whatever you want to.

by jefftk 4y ago

reikonomusha 4y ago

I guess we can define the terms however we like. An acoustic piano also has a keyboard. My point was that "keyboards" include a much broader class of electronic instruments than strictly what the set of "digital pianos" includes, like synthesizers, MIDI controllers, semi- or unweighted electric "pianos", etc. Unfortunately, to the beginner, they all look the same.

couchand 4y ago

The usage I've generally seen is that they keyboard is just the row of keys. An analog or digital piano has one, an organ perhaps several. The pianos, an organ, a harpischord, they're all kinds of keyboard instruments.

i_am_proteus 4y ago

I'd agree that the post above yours paints a bit of a false dichotomy. There are some fine semi-weighted keybeds out there, like on the Nord Electro. We ought remember that replicating the characteristics of an acoustic piano with a digital instrument is difficult, and was basically impossible 30 years ago. Modern sampling keyboards have hundreds of MB of memory for samples (and can play back and mix them with no audible latency).

reikonomusha 4y ago
My comment was written with "learning traditional classical/jazz piano" in mind, where the dichotomy is, I think, not false. Jamming out on semi-weighted keys in your rock band is fine, but it will not cut it for conventional training.
- i_am_proteus 4y ago
  Most of the jazz keyboard players I gig with use good semi-weighted keys, and it works out for them. You'd strengthen your point by putting your entering conditions ("for classical piano") up front.
  - reikonomusha 4y ago
    Most of the great jazz players learned on an acoustic piano, and indeed continue to play on an acoustic piano. Hancock, Charles, Peterson, Jarrett, Corea, ... I can't recall a single jazz pianist of note that avoided an acoustic piano and/or built their technique off of semi-weighted keys. Folks like Peterson eventually dabbled and mastered certain electronic instruments, and most jazz musicians encounter electronic instruments as a significant part of their career, but they began with an acoustic. Keyboards of all sorts are used in all manner of places. Jazz especially loves the rounder tones offered by "e-pianos". There are even some famous synthesized classical pieces. So they're undoubtedly useful instruments, just seemingly avoided in most conventional approaches to learning to play piano.
    - i_am_proteus 4y ago
      These are interesting facts that don't address the enormous space of options that exist between the dichotomy you originally presented. That said, please play whatever keyboard you enjoy and call it whatever you want to.