Keyboard action, guidance for a NewBee

  • Thread starter Thread starter EveningSky
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EveningSky

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I am a amature guitar player and amature recorder, who is looking for an electric keyboard. I am considering the 1-2K range of products of which there are many good choices.
I know that similar questions have been discussed here before, but I do not seem to find clear answers to the following questions in previous discussions.

Can someone explain to me the importance of the "action" in an electric/electronic, synthesizing keyboard. I understand a little about acoustic pianos. That is all I understand about keyboards.
I have read about various actions, and also about a mysterious "after touch."

What should I look for in the action.
I am not an acoustic trained pianist. I will probably never be an acoustic trained pianist.
Is it important to me to have an action "just like a concert piano?"
Is it important to me to have a wooden key mechanism (Kawai)?
Is it important to me to have a keyboard with harder touch to the base keys than the trebble keys?

I do value sensitve touch and a responsive keyboard capable of registering subtlties of my music.
I do value a keyboard capable of responding to rapid pressing of the key.
I do value accurate and sensitive transformation of the key press into detailed sound and a detailed MIDI signal (for my computer sequencer).

Can someone with experience help me with these concepts and advise me about good choices for a sensitive and resonsive keyboard.

Thank you.
EveningSky
 
For a pianist, a heavier action is more familiar.

For an organist, a lighter action is more familiar.

Light actions require more dexterity and control.
 
EveningSky said:
I am not an acoustic trained pianist. I will probably never be an acoustic trained pianist.
Is it important to me to have an action "just like a concert piano?"
Is it important to me to have a wooden key mechanism (Kawai)?
Is it important to me to have a keyboard with harder touch to the base keys than the trebble keys?

I do value sensitve touch and a responsive keyboard capable of registering subtlties of my music.
I do value a keyboard capable of responding to rapid pressing of the key.
I do value accurate and sensitive transformation of the key press into detailed sound and a detailed MIDI signal (for my computer sequencer).

Can someone with experience help me with these concepts and advise me about good choices for a sensitive and resonsive keyboard.

Thank you.
EveningSky
Click to expand...

It sounds to me by your situation explained here, you do not want weighted keys.

With your budget you have a wide range of boards available to you. If there's a guitar centter or someplace like that near you, go in and have them demo the new motif es for you. That would be my choice...
 
The touch or action of a keyboard is such a subjective thing you really just have to try them and find one you like. From a control standpoint it isn't as crucial with a digital instrument as it is with an analog or acoustic. Digital keyboards only break down the velocity into 128 steps so you are always limited by that.

A non weighted action is probably easier for beginners and if you want to do more synth/organ tones it will probably be fine. If you really want to learn to play a piano then weighted is better. I prefer the Yamaha action lately. The Roland ones are always too mushy for my taste. The Kawai action is pretty cool but probably overkill for your needs.
 
I have played keyboards and piano for years and I play on the weighted keys to get my fingers stronger so I will have more speed on the lighter action on the synths.
 
DONT BUY WEIGHTED KEYS IF YOU HAVE INTENTIONS OF PLAYING REAL MUSIC! I hate weighted keys on keyboards. The Motif's keys are semi-weighted, and they are really nice because you can still play dynamics on them and have it acurately transposed. But the fullsize Triton's keys are a pain in the ass. If you don't do a whole lot of dynamics, than weighted keys might be alright, but I think they're doubly horrible because you spend ridiculous amount of money on them and then they turn around on you and perform horribly. Just stick with unweighted or semiweighted keys, like the Motif. Those are excellent choices.
 
Virgoanmethod, what do you mean about "real music"?
I still do not understand why you do not like weighted keys?

What are the choices?

No weight.
Semiweight
Weighted
???

I would think that some resistance to the key action (weight) is good to control the key depression, or am I wrong.

What does the Yamaha Motif use. It says hammer action. Is that weighted?

Thank you to all for your insights.

Yours,
ES
 
What kind of music do you plan on playing, ESky?
If you are a trained piano player, classic or otherwise, you will prefer weighted keys, because that's what you learned on.
If you are trying to emulate the feel of a piano, or the sound of a synth to sound like your playing the piano, you may prefer weighted keys...
I am neither and I have 3 different main boards that range from nothing to semi- hammer...
I like quick responsive keys, but weighted are cool too, depending on what feel and sound of music you are trying to create...
Do you play piano at all?
 
Dear Subtrakto, thank you for your response.
I played a lot of piano years ago as a hobbyist. I do not have significant formal training, but before I got heavier into guitar, and had a piano accessable, I enjoyed playing.
At present, I am so out of the coordination on piano, that I think I need to almost start over again. My hands are also somewhat delicate and lack the strength of a trained painist.
I should try out some different boards, but do not know if I can easily do that where I live.
Is there real response to non weighted keys, or do they feel cheap and simply depress and take time to come up again?
What would be your advice in my situation?
Thank you. ES
 
Non weighted keys come back up quicker than weighted.
It's easier to play fast on them.
 
subtractor said:
Non weighted keys come back up quicker than weighted.
It's easier to play fast on them.
Click to expand...

Sorta. Weighted keys actually bounce so you can play really fast trills that would be more difficult on a non weighted keyboard.

It just all comes down to preference. A good weighted keyboard offers better dynamic control and speed but you have to have the hand strength to take advantage of it.
 
I like to play light weighted keys for speed. I was trained on the piano but prefer to play on synths and organs.
 
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