Digital keyboard recommendation please (with snowflakes)
January 24, 2024 10:44 AM Subscribe
In the market for a digital keyboard, with caveats of course:
1) No frills and no buttons, if possible. I would really like to find something that is JUST the keyboard, with no buttons to change instruments, play pre-recorded songs, etc.
2) Is 61 keys enough to play some light classical, like Chopin, Mozart, Debussy? Has anyone use the ONE keyboard from Amazon? It looks like the style I want in terms of sleek and no frills but I'm not sure if there is some weight to the keys so that it feels somewhat like a real piano.
That One keyboard has "4 buttons on the piano surface". You're not going to find anything with no buttons. Everything comes with at least a few sounds and there will buttons to select them. if your reason for not wanting buttons is because you want it to look less "electronic", Casio, Korg, and Roland all make keyboards that are meant to blend into a home setting.
That One keyboard isn't going to feel like a keyboard. It'll have "synth action" keys, meaning they're lightweight and don't provide much resistance. Up from that are "semi-weighted" keyboards. They have a metal weight under each key that gives a little resistance They feel nicer, but still not like a piano. Keyboards that mimic the feel of a piano are often called "piano action". I don't believe anyone is making one with 61 keys. Nord makes a 73, but it's very expensive.
If you have a Guitar Center near you, check out the Williams Allegro pianos. They have 88 key models with fully-weighted piano action keybeds, and they feel decent. They do have more than four buttons, but not a ton. They're more expensive than the One keyboard, but generally the cheapest option for a full-size weighted keyboard.
posted by jonathanhughes at 11:35 AM on January 24 [3 favorites]
That One keyboard isn't going to feel like a keyboard. It'll have "synth action" keys, meaning they're lightweight and don't provide much resistance. Up from that are "semi-weighted" keyboards. They have a metal weight under each key that gives a little resistance They feel nicer, but still not like a piano. Keyboards that mimic the feel of a piano are often called "piano action". I don't believe anyone is making one with 61 keys. Nord makes a 73, but it's very expensive.
If you have a Guitar Center near you, check out the Williams Allegro pianos. They have 88 key models with fully-weighted piano action keybeds, and they feel decent. They do have more than four buttons, but not a ton. They're more expensive than the One keyboard, but generally the cheapest option for a full-size weighted keyboard.
posted by jonathanhughes at 11:35 AM on January 24 [3 favorites]
There seems to be a belief that a 61-key keyboard can only play 61 notes. This is usually not the case; most keyboards and controllers allow one to shift all or part of the keyboard by one or more octaves by pushing a button. I'm working on Debussy's Reverie on one of these. There's a little extra button pushing, but keyboard playing is nothing but pushing lots of buttons at the right time*, so what's one more?
Weighted keys, which are not the same as velocity-sensitive keys (though they usually are that, too), are usually found only on keyboards that are the full 88 keys, and they cost more, due to the more complicated mechanism, and weigh more. You have to have velocity sensitive keys, otherwise you'll have no dynamics. Really need a sustain pedal, too. Everybody on r/piano (Reddit) says you have to have a full size fake piano with weighted keys for a realistic simulation. I'd say it's up to the individual.
Having said all that, I recommend taking a look at the Casio CT-S1. It has no buttons and a range of sounds built in. I haven't used it myself, but I have the next one up, with buttons, the S400. There are some good videos out there about these. Not expensive.
*Of course, there's a little more to it than that.
posted by The Half Language Plant at 11:41 AM on January 24 [1 favorite]
Weighted keys, which are not the same as velocity-sensitive keys (though they usually are that, too), are usually found only on keyboards that are the full 88 keys, and they cost more, due to the more complicated mechanism, and weigh more. You have to have velocity sensitive keys, otherwise you'll have no dynamics. Really need a sustain pedal, too. Everybody on r/piano (Reddit) says you have to have a full size fake piano with weighted keys for a realistic simulation. I'd say it's up to the individual.
Having said all that, I recommend taking a look at the Casio CT-S1. It has no buttons and a range of sounds built in. I haven't used it myself, but I have the next one up, with buttons, the S400. There are some good videos out there about these. Not expensive.
*Of course, there's a little more to it than that.
posted by The Half Language Plant at 11:41 AM on January 24 [1 favorite]
A search term like "digital piano" is going to get you models that are closer to real pianos in terms of key feel and visual style. This will also bump up the price compared to the ONE keyboard, but there are several affordable entry level digital pianos out there. Here's one by Yamaha that is pretty good:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/P145B--yamaha-p145b-88-key-digital-piano-with-speakers
posted by grog at 11:46 AM on January 24 [4 favorites]
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/P145B--yamaha-p145b-88-key-digital-piano-with-speakers
posted by grog at 11:46 AM on January 24 [4 favorites]
Seconding dfan & johnathanhughes. You might possibly find "semi-weighted" keyboards acceptable.
One thing to note is that now would be a good time to buy - instrument retailers like Guitar Center and Sam Ash and Sweetwater are trying to clear out inventory and generate cash because the National Association of Music Merchants convention is this weekend. This is when all the manufacturers introduce their new products and take orders for the coming year, so the retailers are willing to get rid of old products at a discount so they have room for the new stuff.
posted by soundguy99 at 11:47 AM on January 24
One thing to note is that now would be a good time to buy - instrument retailers like Guitar Center and Sam Ash and Sweetwater are trying to clear out inventory and generate cash because the National Association of Music Merchants convention is this weekend. This is when all the manufacturers introduce their new products and take orders for the coming year, so the retailers are willing to get rid of old products at a discount so they have room for the new stuff.
posted by soundguy99 at 11:47 AM on January 24
Yeah, that Yamaha P145B sounds like what you want. It only has one button, which is optional to use. The keys are weighted and feel nice. You also get a little sustain pedal.
posted by credulous at 12:30 PM on January 24
posted by credulous at 12:30 PM on January 24
I was looking for something like this because my kids kept pushing random buttons on my Alesis keyboard and putting it into weird modes. I ended up getting a Roland F107. It has 4 buttons and no display. My 3-year-old can use the on/off button, but cannot trigger the button+key combinations for advanced features.
posted by Phssthpok at 12:34 PM on January 24 [1 favorite]
posted by Phssthpok at 12:34 PM on January 24 [1 favorite]
previously, maybe (though you don't give a price range and yours may be lower -- but there's good tips in that thread).
I don't have experience with the ONE keyboard but I don't think it meets your "no frills" desiderata at all. It may have only four buttons, but the ones I'm seeing look like they have all sorts of bells and whistles (light up keys for learning songs, "417 timbres", ...) controlled via an app. That's a bit like the worst of both worlds IMO. I would say go for a lower end Yamaha or Casio 88 key digital piano of the non-furniture variety (aka "portable"), or maybe, Kawai, Roland.
posted by advil at 1:36 PM on January 24
I don't have experience with the ONE keyboard but I don't think it meets your "no frills" desiderata at all. It may have only four buttons, but the ones I'm seeing look like they have all sorts of bells and whistles (light up keys for learning songs, "417 timbres", ...) controlled via an app. That's a bit like the worst of both worlds IMO. I would say go for a lower end Yamaha or Casio 88 key digital piano of the non-furniture variety (aka "portable"), or maybe, Kawai, Roland.
posted by advil at 1:36 PM on January 24
After reading a bunch of reviews and seeing what piano teachers recommend for "adult beginners", my wife and got an Alesis for 350 USD:
Alesis Recital Pro - 88 Key Digital Piano Keyboard with Hammer Action Weighted Keys
Our definition of "no frills and sleek" meant easy to use. Also we wanted weighted keys (to make it feel like a real piano). The Alesis requires you to use one button to turn it on, and a knob to control the volume. The rest of the buttons could be covered with gaffer tape, if your goal is to just simulate playing a real piano. The amount of optional "instrument sounds" doesn't really impact the price, it just adds a bunch of buttons you may never use. The expensive features are sound quality and key feel.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 6:18 PM on January 24 [1 favorite]
Alesis Recital Pro - 88 Key Digital Piano Keyboard with Hammer Action Weighted Keys
Our definition of "no frills and sleek" meant easy to use. Also we wanted weighted keys (to make it feel like a real piano). The Alesis requires you to use one button to turn it on, and a knob to control the volume. The rest of the buttons could be covered with gaffer tape, if your goal is to just simulate playing a real piano. The amount of optional "instrument sounds" doesn't really impact the price, it just adds a bunch of buttons you may never use. The expensive features are sound quality and key feel.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 6:18 PM on January 24 [1 favorite]
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For the "piano-like" feel you want, the keyword you are looking for is "weighted keys". It looks like some ONE keyboards have them and some don't; I'm not sure which one you're looking at. If the specs for a model doesn't mention that feature, it definitely doesn't have it.
posted by dfan at 11:17 AM on January 24 [2 favorites]