upgrading pianos

[km7100]

Our church is in the process of upgrading our piano (we currently have a technics that was donated to us). We've tried out Roland's FP-7, RD-700, and HP-203. Has anyone had any experience with any of them? Any pros or cons? Is there a better option out there than the Roland's? I see a lot of people using Motif's or Triton's... Are the Yamaha's or Korg's any better than the Roland's?

What are the positives/negatives of a traditional style freestanding digital piano vs a more portable keyboard style?

Thanks,
Matt

[russhutto]

If I had my way, I'd have a Steinway Concert Grand, but that's somewhere in my future...

I'd go with what works best for your current situation. And for that YOU and your piano player know what's best.

Personally, I'd recommend a portable keyboard over a stationary one. You never know when you might need to move around. UNLESS, you're pretty sure that it's just going to sit in a corner or something.

Also, depending on WHO will be playing it might factor in as well. If your keyboardist is an experienced electronic keyboardist, then I'd go with a more complicated set-up, if they are just a piano player I might go with a high-end digital piano with an easy to use interface.

[El Ben]

Everything Russ said, except that I'm going to recommend a couple more things:

1.) Shell out the extra bucks to go with an full-size (88 key) keyboard with fully weighted keys. There's nothing more annoying as a keyboardist, than to play piano on a keyboard with all the resistance of a stick of half-chewed gum.

2.) Stick with the big labels. Korg, Yamaha, and Roland have a reputation for being the best because...well, they are the best. You can buy a cheap knock-off, but you'll get a cheap knock-off sound. You get what you pay for.

3.) Have your piano player test out the keyboard first. Have him/her check for good sounds that aren't cheesy and are realistic for a worship gathering. Having a keyboard that your musician hates is never a good thing.

El Ben's personal recommendation is the Korg Triton Studio (full-size, 88 weighted keys). This baby is the cadillac (in my opinion) of keyboards, and like a Cadillac, it's big and bulky, but it drives smooth as silk. It's also INIFINITELY upgradeable and with Reason or a Macbook Pro, you're looking at your own personal mega-sound-generation-station.

[garyhodges]

My wife is a pianists pianist. She doesn't consider herself a keyboard player really. So she is really picky when it comes to Electronic pianos.

In our search for a new keyboard we ended up with the Yamaha S90ES. It has killer piano patches and is super sensitive. When you use the sustain pedal, for instance, it emulates an acoustic piano's sustain pedal, where the dampers lift off all the strings and they ring with sympathetic resonance. With the pedal upgrade, you can even half-dampen the "strings". We went with the S90 ES because we wanted all the other patches and features (which I use more than my wife).

For overseas, we bought the Yamaha P90. It's much more basic, but has the same feel and good piano sounds.

Some are obvious fans of Korg and others Roland. We just didn't feel that the sounds were as natural as Yamaha.

[worshiptrench]

We use a Yamaha Motif...very good pianer' samples. And we have a Roland XV88 with the piano expansion card (very very nice). We argue over which has best piano sounds. The Korg has more looping and processing power (loops, sequencing)but the piano sounds/rhodes sounds/wurlitzer sounds in a purist sense, just cannot hang.

[km7100]

has anyone used the yamaha cp300? It's another one we're looking at getting vs the Rolands we tried. (I think Michael W Smith is using the CP300 on tour)

[garyhodges]

Never used the CP300, but tried it out. I don't think you'd go wrong there.

[twc_admin]

Gary -
I bought the cheap version of the Motif MO series ... and I regret it. I miss the S90. (I have the S80).

[garyhodges]

Yeah, the Motif, with all it's bells and whistles seems to lack... how you say... structural integrity?