If you're learning, get a digital. There's no way I would buy a traditional piano for learning. I imagine you are because no one who already knew how to play well would be asking that question. Just don't by the one you wear with a guitar strap, ., they rocked in the 80's.
Depends on your purpose. If you need to move it about a digital is easier. Tuning stability is rock solid on a digital. If you need to be amplified, plugging a digital into a mixer/console/amp is a finger-snap; mic'ing a traditional piano is a bit more labor intensive and results can be all over the map depending on the microphones, pickups, and acoustics of the building.
… If you're going to play piano though, especially in a classical or jazz setting _nothing_ can beat a real piano.
No, it's not inferior to a traditional piano - the majority of Music Examination Boards a happy to examine candidates on them.
"Keyboards" are inferior - they have an organ touch, but proper electric pianos have weighted keys, felt damping and a touch somewhere between a fine grand and a cottage upright. Some even have escapement simulation to get that "two stage" feel when the keys are pressed.
They are far superior to a poorly regulated piano, and have many other advantages, such as being tunable in seconds to non-standard pitches, and coming with MIDI interfaces, so that they can be recorded, and so that they can play MIDI files of the great works.
Mine has seen 22 years' service so far with no remedial work needed.
The answer could take a hundred pages, but in a nutshell, digital instruments (not only pianos) since the late 80s use PCM (pulse code modulation) cards packed with high quality samples of real acoustic pianos. In the beginning, because of cost issues, only a few notes were sampled (for example one low, one high and one in the middle) and the rest were obtained by linear interpolation, so they weren't really perfect.
Eventually, computer memory became cheaper and sampling frequency became higher, so each and every note was sampled and the sound became essentially identical to that of the sampled acoustic instrument.
But then sound engineers analyzing the samples found minimum variations which can be listed as "imperfections". So what should they do? Commit the supreme heresy of digitally editing the sound of a top-notch Steinway? Or leave it as it is?
The answer is (or was, since this happened in the early 2000s), piano samples ARE digitally enhanced. So in a way, digital pianos sound better than the original sampled acoustics. I know this is likely to generate a lot of thumbs down -but that's how it is.
You might wonder, is this applicable to all digitals or only the highest priced top models? (Steinway manufactures digitals). The strange answer is, almost all of them use the same samples, or they are virtually impossible to distinguish. But low-priced digitals have terrible amplifiers and speakers. That's where traditional acoustics do have a huge advantage: the sound system you need to replicate the sound of a grand piano in a concert hall is way more expensive than the digital piano itself.
If you are ever shopping for one, the best way to appreciate a digital piano is through top quality headphones. In a sales floor, with bad amplifiers and worse acoustics, you can't really tell whether the instrument is any good. You'll have time to properly setup your sound system at home once you get it.
For those interested, the same criteria does not apply to string ensemble digital samples: attempting to "clean up" the inherent imperfections in a top quality sample (as it is done with pianos) essentially kills the typical sound of strings in a group. Digital editing is still done but to a much lesser degree.
NO way. True, digital has its perks like volume control, built in metronome, and the benefit of never having to tune, but a digital can never compare to a real, stringed, nice piano in sound quality or touch.
I would take a steinway or strauss grand over the nicest digital any day.
No. I own one but I still don't get that "feel" of a real piano.
My digital piano was more expensive than some real pianos.
It sounds almost as authentic as a real piano, but still doesn't feel the same.
I recommend digital for beginners.
Than buy an acoustic if they get advanced enough
No. Even the highest quality digital pianos are synthesized-meaning the sound is either fake (computer made) or recorded. They are good for traveling, but for a great, true tone, traditional pianos are best.
This is very attention-grabbing, You are an overly skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and sit up for in the hunt for more of your great post. Also, I have shared your web site in my social networks! Christmas Tree …
My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was once totally right. This submit actually made my day. You cann’t imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info! Thank you!…
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
in some ways
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
digitals are portable, likely cheaper, and play multiple instruments
real pianos dont use electricity, sounds much better, look better too. cant beat the sound of a properly tuned high end grand piano.
really depends on what you need it for.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
If you're learning, get a digital. There's no way I would buy a traditional piano for learning. I imagine you are because no one who already knew how to play well would be asking that question. Just don't by the one you wear with a guitar strap, ., they rocked in the 80's.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
No - for classical music it is generally far inferior.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Depends on your purpose. If you need to move it about a digital is easier. Tuning stability is rock solid on a digital. If you need to be amplified, plugging a digital into a mixer/console/amp is a finger-snap; mic'ing a traditional piano is a bit more labor intensive and results can be all over the map depending on the microphones, pickups, and acoustics of the building.
… If you're going to play piano though, especially in a classical or jazz setting _nothing_ can beat a real piano.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
No, it's not inferior to a traditional piano - the majority of Music Examination Boards a happy to examine candidates on them.
"Keyboards" are inferior - they have an organ touch, but proper electric pianos have weighted keys, felt damping and a touch somewhere between a fine grand and a cottage upright. Some even have escapement simulation to get that "two stage" feel when the keys are pressed.
They are far superior to a poorly regulated piano, and have many other advantages, such as being tunable in seconds to non-standard pitches, and coming with MIDI interfaces, so that they can be recorded, and so that they can play MIDI files of the great works.
Mine has seen 22 years' service so far with no remedial work needed.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Strictly speaking, yes.
The answer could take a hundred pages, but in a nutshell, digital instruments (not only pianos) since the late 80s use PCM (pulse code modulation) cards packed with high quality samples of real acoustic pianos. In the beginning, because of cost issues, only a few notes were sampled (for example one low, one high and one in the middle) and the rest were obtained by linear interpolation, so they weren't really perfect.
Eventually, computer memory became cheaper and sampling frequency became higher, so each and every note was sampled and the sound became essentially identical to that of the sampled acoustic instrument.
But then sound engineers analyzing the samples found minimum variations which can be listed as "imperfections". So what should they do? Commit the supreme heresy of digitally editing the sound of a top-notch Steinway? Or leave it as it is?
The answer is (or was, since this happened in the early 2000s), piano samples ARE digitally enhanced. So in a way, digital pianos sound better than the original sampled acoustics. I know this is likely to generate a lot of thumbs down -but that's how it is.
You might wonder, is this applicable to all digitals or only the highest priced top models? (Steinway manufactures digitals). The strange answer is, almost all of them use the same samples, or they are virtually impossible to distinguish. But low-priced digitals have terrible amplifiers and speakers. That's where traditional acoustics do have a huge advantage: the sound system you need to replicate the sound of a grand piano in a concert hall is way more expensive than the digital piano itself.
If you are ever shopping for one, the best way to appreciate a digital piano is through top quality headphones. In a sales floor, with bad amplifiers and worse acoustics, you can't really tell whether the instrument is any good. You'll have time to properly setup your sound system at home once you get it.
For those interested, the same criteria does not apply to string ensemble digital samples: attempting to "clean up" the inherent imperfections in a top quality sample (as it is done with pianos) essentially kills the typical sound of strings in a group. Digital editing is still done but to a much lesser degree.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
NO way. True, digital has its perks like volume control, built in metronome, and the benefit of never having to tune, but a digital can never compare to a real, stringed, nice piano in sound quality or touch.
I would take a steinway or strauss grand over the nicest digital any day.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Another digital advantage is if you live in an apartment, you can play very softly or listen through earphones and not disturb your neighbors.
But I love my baby grand. And if I ever won the lottery, I'd buy a parlor grand.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
No, digitals are inferior in tone quality to a real piano. But they have their uses.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
No. I own one but I still don't get that "feel" of a real piano.
My digital piano was more expensive than some real pianos.
It sounds almost as authentic as a real piano, but still doesn't feel the same.
I recommend digital for beginners.
Than buy an acoustic if they get advanced enough
December 29th, 2008 at 7:17 am
No. Even the highest quality digital pianos are synthesized-meaning the sound is either fake (computer made) or recorded. They are good for traveling, but for a great, true tone, traditional pianos are best.
October 30th, 2011 at 11:37 pm
Christmas Tree…
This is very attention-grabbing, You are an overly skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and sit up for in the hunt for more of your great post. Also, I have shared your web site in my social networks! Christmas Tree …
December 8th, 2011 at 6:40 am
Sites You Should Check Out…
http://www.techrentals.getlisted.co.nz/hire-thermal-imaging-camera…
December 8th, 2011 at 5:21 pm
Sites You Should Check Out…
http://www.ofis.getlisted.co.nz/…
December 12th, 2011 at 1:20 am
Sites You Should Check Out…
http://www.jucy.getlisted.co.nz/hire-a-car-auckland…
December 14th, 2011 at 3:08 am
Sites You Should Check Out…
http://www.techrentals.getlisted.co.nz/equipment-rental…
December 15th, 2011 at 3:50 pm
Adsense Api…
Hi, just wanted to tell you, I loved this blog post. It was funny. Keep on posting!…
December 25th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Sites You Should Check Out…
http://www.snowboardinginsider.net…
January 2nd, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Sites You Should Check Out…
http://www.eurotec.getlisted.co.nz/ice-machine-maker…
January 4th, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Solar Lights…
[…]following are a few links to web based sites I always connect to seeing that we feel they’re well worth checking out[…]…
January 8th, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Sites You Should Check Out…
http://www.theiminsider.com/web-designer-salary…
January 20th, 2012 at 9:12 pm
darmo seks…
Mega ruchanie wygolonej cipeczki…
January 26th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
… [Trackback] …
[…] Read More: online4best.com/2008/12/29/is-a-digital-piano-better-than-a-traditional-piano/ […] …
January 29th, 2012 at 12:15 am
No Deposit Poker…
My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was once totally right. This submit actually made my day. You cann’t imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info! Thank you!…