The NP-30 Portable Grand Digital Piano?

[qbfury]

Hello everyone. I'm a new member here and a beginner to music and digital audio in general. I'm looking for some advice.. Here is the deal:

I was going to go out this week and purchase myself a MIDI Controller and cheap OEM Audigy card. I've purchased these before at a cost of about 250 all included. I saw a Long and Mcquade flyer that has almost sold me on the idea of getting a NP-30 Digital Piano. Learning piano on a non-weighted MIDI controller seems to lack a feel that is needed to play well I think. I also want to use this NP-30 for a MIDI controller for Cubase.

The cost difference is about 100 dollars. I guess the variable here to consider is this: How good is the Graded Soft Touch action technology, does it approximate in both feel and sound that of a real piano? Could it be that I'd be better off with just a standard midi controller to learn on? I'd be willing to part with an extra 100 if it meant aproximating the feel of a piano to greater affect.

Suggestions?

[dementedchord]

as a pianist i can tell you that having a weighted keyboard is an advantage if sometime in the future you expect to play pianos... but i'm not sure it's an advantage otherwise... which surprises the hell outta me that i can say that as i usually rail agains non weighted boards... but that gets me to the real point... you say that you've done this before... which begs the question why are you doing it again???? and i'm not suggesting that you give up... far from it... what i'm getting at is more along the lines of why did you buy shit the first time??? and do you intend to do similarly all subsequent times???