Can a digital piano be a better midi controller than a synth?

D

dfox67

New member
Hi all,

I've always used a Roland JV-80 as my midi controller, but I find that when sequencing I spend a lot of time adding dynamics that i wasn't able to accomplish when laying down the track. I'm able to play with a little expression, but certainly not as much as when I play my accoustic piano. (I never use a sustain pedal because I don't want to use up my polyphony.) I'm wondering if I buy a digital piano, which is designed to be played much more expressively than a standard synth, if I would be able to lay down my tracks with much more expression, thus reducing the amount of time I spend editing the sequenced track. I'm thinking this would be advantagous when I'm laying down expressive string tracks that normally take me hours try to recreate during editing. I would guess this would probably add a lot more PC processing power when laying down the track than my very average laptop can keep up with. Does anybody have any thoughts on this?
 
You use the words 'expression' and 'expressively', but those terms take in a broad range especially when applied to synthesized string parts. if it's velocity and aftertouch you're after, I recommend that you look at the HUGE range of dedicated MIDI controllers that are out there now. For example, I use the Axiom made by M-Audio. It has good velocity sensitivity, aftertouch and what I consider to be a reasonbly good feeling keyboard. Invest some time in shopping around and I think you'll probably save yourself some money and get a better match for your needs...
 
In general - no, a digital piano is not a better controller, for a few reasons:

1. Normally no aftertouch
2. The weighted action does not lend itself to organ or many other "synth sounds" and/or pad sounds
3. Normally no pitch bend wheel
4. Normally no other MIDI control parameters

Most synth keyboards allow programmable parameters (from 0-126 or 1-127) for things such as velocity (the "dynamics" you likely refer to on the piano) - I would look at your manual for the JV80 to see if you are ulizing the full velocity range.

Naturally the JV80 can't offer you the weighted feel you may enjoy when playing a piano.

I agree that most dedicated MIDI controllers offer a broader range of expression controls than most syhth keyboards and certainly more than most if not all digital pianos - but MIDI controllers will not provide the weighted feel.

You really have to approach a synth as a different instrument than a piano which requires different technique.
 
IMO - digital piano would be better if you play only or mostly piano parts (weighted action, 88 keys). It would not help with the string parts which is your main concern in your post. For realistic string parts try hooking up an expression pedal to your JV-80 if you want to avoid drawing those volume swells afterwards in DAW. (I suppose JV-80 sends expression values made by pedal from midi out, like all the synths in general.)
It's a matter of taste if you want to use, or need aftertouch feature in your controller - that is more essential issue in live situations. I think with volume pedal is more easier to make realistic volume changes than with aftertouch.
 
A Digital Piano being used as a controller ... only true advantage I might see is the keybed, but other than that it lacks in pretty much all MIDI capabilities even a lower-priced controller would have such as Pitch/Mod wheels, knobs, faders, MIDI Control Parameters, etc.


might help in making your piano parts sound more realistic velocity-wise though. give it a shot.
 
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