screw video cards and comptuer crap. I want a piano.

[Goosemaster]

I've already spent enough on comptuer stuffs and it will, frankly bring me no joy to continue on that spending spree. Music however is the sweet spot, for the first time in my life I can afford one. (even if I have to start out with junk)


<--finally has the money ($200ish) to start with something.

Honestly all I want is some weighted keys and a good piano sound. that's it, and I know it's expensive, but I figured I'd ask you guys to see where i can start.

<--learned music on a POS $200 violin and did very well still have it actually.

just wanted to see what my options where. I can get books and materials easily.

 

[Tiamat]

What my parents did when i started piano was to go to area churches to see if the church could donate a spare piano to me. They paid the moving fees (which is not negligible as you could imagine). We paid for annual tunings and that was it. We still have the pianos 18 years later. (one for each of my 2 brothers and myself).

Also Craigslist. many people have piano, but they move out and its a pita to move the piano...

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Tiamat
What my parents did when i started piano was to go to area churches to see if the church could donate a spare piano to me. They paid the moving fees (which is not negligible as you could imagine). We paid for annual tunings and that was it. We still have the pianos 18 years later. (one for each of my 2 brothers and myself).

Also Craigslist. many people have piano, but they move out and its a pita to move the piano...

yeah..I'd thought I'd hit it up...I just don't know what to look for etc.

<--can spec out a violin a mile away but as for pianos all i know is that the few grand pianos I have played sound much better than the cheap ones

net knowledge gained = o

 

[Scarpozzi]

You can likely get an old upright piano for free.

Spinet pianos will run you $400-800 used.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
You can likely get an old upright piano for free.

Spinet pianos will run you $400-800 used.

I don't know what that means

 

[KillerCharlie]

$200 unfortunately isn't much for a weighted keyboard. You might be able to get an old piano for cheap like others are suggesting.

I recently bought a $2k digital piano and the forums here were really helpful when I was trying to sort through keyboards. Casio made the best lower-end models, but I think even those were in the $500 range. I'd definitely take one of those over a spinet.

(Spinets are a type of pianos - they are really small (the top of the piano isn't much higher than the keyboard).

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
$200 unfortunately isn't much for a weighted keyboard. You might be able to get an old piano for cheap like others are suggesting.

I recently bought a $2k digital piano and the forums here were really helpful when I was trying to sort through keyboards. Casio made the best lower-end models, but I think even those were in the $500 range.

http://washingtondc.craigslist...nva/msg/522495846.html $500 for a Kurzweil? or should I start with a POS piano?

I started out with a POS violin and am not sure how to execute the whole piano thing....

edit:

yeah I saw the Casio PX-110 for about $400

$399 @ Gc


Apparently the speakers suck on the Casio and this one is supposed to be better Williams Encore Digital Piano

 

[0roo0roo]

yea if ur lucky you can find used weighted keys. but unlikely.
quality is expensive.. pianos are expensive in the first place.
weighted keys are best to learn with, but i'm sure there are different grades of actual sensitivity with such models. i'm just guessing since i've always used regular pianos, but i just doubt highly variable sensitivity+weighted comes cheap. course basic technique can be learned on much less than the best. early lessons consist of a lot of repetition and exercises. get something for $200 and see if you really do stick with it.
30 minutes practice a day atleast! learn your arpeggios and get your finger work down/note reading.

 

[KillerCharlie]

I've always wondered about the Williams keyboards; no one seems to recommend them. Check that link I posted - they have lots of recommendations for the 110. I haven't been looking at these things for a long time so I'm not really familiar with the models. The best thing to do is go to the store and try them, but if you have limited experience with real pianos it might be difficult. The 110 would definitely be a good entry level board. I would rather focus on the feel than the sound.

One thing I've learned in the digital piano world is that you always end up paying more than you originally wanted to (I had $1500 in mind, but bought a $2k keyboard + expensive studio monitors + expensive headphones + new computer so I could hook my old one up to my keyboard + new sound card).

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
yea if ur lucky you can find used weighted keys. but unlikely.
quality is expensive.. pianos are expensive in the first place.
weighted keys are best to learn with, but i'm sure there are different grades of actual sensitivity with such models. i'm just guessing since i've always used regular pianos, but i just doubt highly variable sensitivity+weighted comes cheap. course basic technique can be learned on much less than the best. early lessons consist of a lot of repetition and exercises. get something for $200 and see if you really do stick with it.
30 minutes practice a day atleast! learn your arpeggios and get your finger work down/note reading.

I will I used to practice for hours everyday

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
I've always wondered about the Williams keyboards; no one seems to recommend them. Check that link I posted - they have lots of recommendations for the 110. I haven't been looking at these things for a long time so I'm not really familiar with the models. The best thing to do is go to the store and try them, but the 110 would definitely be a good entry level board.

cool. I will see if I can go to GC tomorrow.

What about that kurzweil?

 

[KillerCharlie]

I think Kurzweil is pretty good, but they're usually pretty hard to find in stores. You won't find them in GC (at least the ones I've been to). The folks at pianoworld forums might know more, or at least have a stronger opinion.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
I think Kurzweil is pretty good, but they're usually pretty hard to find in stores. You won't find them in GC (at least the ones I've been to). The folks at pianoworld forums might know more, or at least have a stronger opinion.

I meant the one I linked to @ craigslist


i will definiely do some research

 

[thecoolnessrune]

I have a Baldwin upright that is in serious need of a tuning and cleaning. But the keys while no longer pure white, are in perfect shape with imperfections in the veneer wood surface. (chipping off).

Still, it's yours if you wanna move it. I'm in Southern Georgia.

 

[0roo0roo]

heh yea piano tuning, another chore that costs $$$
its an expensive piece of furniture

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
heh yea piano tuning, another chore that costs $$$
its an expensive piece of furniture

Georgia is REALLY far too


<VA

 

[everman]

When I started out learning years ago my parents got an upright grand (just a big upright), I think it was $400. It was built in the 1920s or 30s, they still have it and it sounds great, works fine.
You can get an electric keyboard with weighted keys, but it still doesn't come close to the real thing imo.
And of course if you're serious, you should take lessons.

- yes I still play, although not much through the latter half of college and now law school. I still enjoy playing though and plan on getting into more after school is finished.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: everman
When I started out learning years ago my parents got an upright grand (just a big upright), I think it was $400. It was built in the 1920s or 30s, they still have it and it sounds great, works fine.
You can get an electric keyboard with weighted keys, but it still doesn't come close to the real thing imo.
And of course if you're serious, you should take lessons.

- yes I still play, although not much through the latter half of college and now law school. I still enjoy playing though and plan on getting into more after school is finished.

I was thinking I could invest the money in lessons first, but I would have no way to practice...



<--still scheming

 

[Rubycon]

Oops $200 would be good for piano lessons.

 

[NanoStuff]

~$500-$1000 for a high end full range MIDI controller with weighted keys, $1000-$3000 for high-end speakers/headphones and at most $500 for software with sampled Bösendorfer.

Not only will you get much superior sound over an entry level piano, the sound that can be achieved is completely boundless to customization and not limited to a piano. Then there's the obvious advantage of recording and multi-track capability.

[edit] Oh wait, just noticed the $200 part, I thought you said you wanted a piano? $200 for a piano?

 

[aplefka]

I'd say go with a free/used on Craigslist first for the same reason I never recommend someone buying a cheap $350 guitar as their first guitar. You don't really know if you'll stick with it. So while $200 may be a cheap piano to those who know pianos, to you that could be a waste of $200 in a couple months. Start out small and get yourself something nice once you become better in a year or so.

 

[KillerCharlie]

Originally posted by: everman
When I started out learning years ago my parents got an upright grand (just a big upright), I think it was $400. It was built in the 1920s or 30s, they still have it and it sounds great, works fine.
You can get an electric keyboard with weighted keys, but it still doesn't come close to the real thing imo.
And of course if you're serious, you should take lessons.

- yes I still play, although not much through the latter half of college and now law school. I still enjoy playing though and plan on getting into more after school is finished.

These days digital keyboards beat a piano in the same price range up into the thousands of dollars (2k-3k even). They offer more consistency (always in tune) and have much better sound (not room-filling, but it sounds so much better) for the same price. Plus you can use headphones and record more easily.

 

[johnjohn320]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie

Originally posted by: everman
When I started out learning years ago my parents got an upright grand (just a big upright), I think it was $400. It was built in the 1920s or 30s, they still have it and it sounds great, works fine.
You can get an electric keyboard with weighted keys, but it still doesn't come close to the real thing imo.
And of course if you're serious, you should take lessons.

- yes I still play, although not much through the latter half of college and now law school. I still enjoy playing though and plan on getting into more after school is finished.

These days digital keyboards beat a piano in the same price range up into the thousands of dollars (2k-3k even). They offer more consistency (always in tune) and have much better sound (not room-filling, but it sounds so much better) for the same price. Plus you can use headphones and record more easily.

No, no, a thousand times no. Digitals have their purpose, but they in no way beat an acoustic. No pianist worth their salt would choose a digital over acoustic in terms of sound quality and touch...

OP: $200 really isn't gonna buy you anything worth playing. That's not snobbery, I think it's just the truth.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: johnjohn320
Digitals have their purpose, but they in no way beat an acoustic.

Wrong silly. The fact you make no statements to defend your argument makes that evident.

 

[johnjohn320]

Originally posted by: NanoStuff

Originally posted by: johnjohn320
Digitals have their purpose, but they in no way beat an acoustic.

Wrong silly. The fact you make no statements to defend your argument makes that evident.

I'm a professional pianist. Piano is how I make my living. There's my statement. Silly.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: johnjohn320

Originally posted by: NanoStuff

Originally posted by: johnjohn320
Digitals have their purpose, but they in no way beat an acoustic.

Wrong silly. The fact you make no statements to defend your argument makes that evident.

I'm a professional pianist. Piano is how I make my living. There's my statement. Silly.

I've met chimpanzees that can write a better web app than some of the people I've worked with. You seem to qualify as the chimpanzee of your profession if you're incapable of defending it's worth.