Entertainment & Music Pianos - Digital ones

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by neK, 4th Jan, 2016.

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  1. neK

    neK Well-Known Member

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    I'm looking at purchasing a Kawai CN25 (CN25 | Kawai Australia) for around $1700.
    Does anyone have a thoughts or suggestions before i pull the trigger?

    I was thinking of getting the Kawai CS4 for $2190, but can't justify the extra for the sexy gloss black cabinetry.

    I considered getting an acoustic upright, but just don't have the space and don't want to annoy the neighbours with the practice drills :)
     
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  2. EN710

    EN710 Well-Known Member

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    I think that's the one we currently have at home (hubby played). What are you looking for in general? For day to day use it'll be ok I think.

    If you're an advance player, only some time till you say "I want a grand piano please" (personal experience)
     
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  3. neK

    neK Well-Known Member

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    I stopped playing nearly 20 years ago. I wouldn't mind getting back into it now.

    My daughter who's nearly 2 likes banging away at the keys (my parents still have a Yamaha upright and my daughter likes playing on that), but my noticed that while we were in the shop she was very intrigued by the salesperson while they were playing a piece.

    I was actually contemplating going to the Kawai CA67 for $3,000 because it did have a nicer feel to it, but i thought that might be a waste as at some point I would probably swap to an acoustic (should my daughter actually take interest in the future and wants to learn).
     
  4. EN710

    EN710 Well-Known Member

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    No piano expert here so can't comment much. But I'd say pay for the actual key actions and sounds (one that you like) rather than look. You'll be mainly playing on it, not looking at it hopefully.

    If you contemplating to go for a grand acoustic now, look for the likes of C Bechstein, Sauter, Hoffsman :p
     
  5. 274

    274 Member

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    I bought a Casio Privia for the kids a couple of years ago. If you don't have the space for an acoustic a digital piano is a great compromise. I believe our piano is good to about AMEB grade 5 and I guess other digitals would be similar, so if your toddler does take up playing one day it would be suitable for quite some time. Digitals have some great features - volume control, headphone jack
    Ours has a built in metronome and the option to record the song you play and play it back, that can be a really good learning tool.
    Good luck with your purchase
     
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  6. JenW

    JenW Well-Known Member

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    Can I say, great idea to have a piano (digital or acoustic) around for your daughter to grow up with. You will work out fairly quickly if she is interested in music or not :)

    If you did want to pursue some kind of musical stuff with her, the Kindermusik programs etc are great for the littlies - they do age-appropriate stuff which is a great intro to music for the little ones.
     
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  7. Ity

    Ity Member

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    We have a Kawai CN23 (the CN25's precursor's precursor, I believe). It sounds great and the keys move really easily, which makes it a delight to play (especially noticeable for faster pieces). We've had it for years and it's still going strong. You'll probably be quite happy with the 25.

    Funnily enough, it not being the sexiest piano out there was also a reservation I had when getting ours. :)Especially after being used to a wooden upright. It was definitely worth getting an electric piano for the volume control though.
     
  8. Bender12

    Bender12 Well-Known Member

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    An acoustic upright would only take just a bit more space but would sound better, look nicer and also retain its value longer. I have a yamaha U1 upright and also the Kawai MP5 digital stage piano. I prefer to play on the upright over the digital any day. You can actually mute/soften the sound with the two left pedals. But yeah not ideal if you like to practice at night :)
     
  9. neK

    neK Well-Known Member

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    @EN710, @Ity, @274 - Thanks for all the suggestions guys!
    I just bought a Kawai CN25 from Sydney PianoWorld in Enfield. :)

    @JenW - My daughter does seem to have an interest in piano at this stage, lets hope it continues. I won't force to keep playing if she's not interested... If my daughter is anything like me, she'll only do what she wants, not what someone else wants her to do. :)

    @Bender12 - Upright is tempting, but i did want something with earphones. I remember practicing piano as a kid with the middle pedal pushed down... wasn't much of a fan. Besides, i don't want to annoy the neighbours with the constant piano drills... different story when you actually know how to play :p
     
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  10. Bender12

    Bender12 Well-Known Member

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    Awesome congrats Ken. What kind of music do you play?

    My 9 yr old has been learning piano for the last 5 yrs, since she was 4. We kind of pushed her to do the lessons. She has not enjoyed it one bit but at least she now has a skill that she can build on. Still deciding whether to let her quit or not :)
     
  11. neK

    neK Well-Known Member

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    My parents made me play piano from around 10-11. I stopped about 3 years later. I don't think I was too bad at it, supposedly had good form.

    Problem is that I didn't have any interest in it at the time and being forced (yelled at) to do it didn't help. The pieces I was playing were probably basic building blocks, but i didn't like the super classical pieces. I may have been more interested had I been allowed to play popular songs at the time... as a young teenage boy if you told me that learning piano and playing popular songs would help me "pick up chicks" I probably would have excelled at it. LOL.

    I'm hoping to get back into it now :)

    That said, this mentality of mine hasn't changed, I still find it hard to do things unless I can see the purpose of it. However, now that I'm older, I understand the importance of those drills to build foundation, but trying to explain that to 10 year old me. HA! That was an uphill battle. LOL.

    My parents persevered with my sister. She ended up finishing up at one of the higher levels and also taught students (up to a certain grade), but I can't say that she actually enjoys it. She doesn't play these days, whereas i think if she did enjoy she would have a piano at home and still play.
     
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  12. Davothegreat

    Davothegreat Well-Known Member

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    I played piano from age 7 till 13. Got up to 6th grade. I got my first electric guitar at 12 and was far more interested in that so gave up the piano. It was easier for my parents to deal with as we moved to the farm at around the same time so we had no more access to a good piano teacher. Haven't touched ivory keys in nearly 20 years but I'll never get rid of my axes. No regrets though, piano is the best grounding instrument of all - learn it well and you'll be able to play anything.
     
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  13. Bender12

    Bender12 Well-Known Member

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    @neK Not sure if you've heard of Yiruma. Easy to find the sheet music and not too hard to play some of his music.

     
  14. The Y-man

    The Y-man Moderator Staff Member

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    Yep. Can really help IMHO if she has a role model she looks up to, that she can say "I want to play like that!"

    Another motivation can be as part of a band (garage or school or whatever).

    Agree here too. I got a few months of formal tuition - the rest was by listening to songs I liked and playing along or recreating them (mind you that has resulted in me playing mainly by ear and can hardly read music)

    Hmm..... hope you don't have the other half reading this on your plans to get back into pick ups....... :eek:



    The Y-man
     
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  15. The Y-man

    The Y-man Moderator Staff Member

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    We should start a poll on the coolest instrument :cool:

    ;)

    The Y-man
     
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  16. neK

    neK Well-Known Member

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    100%! Hopefully i can pull it off. LOL

    That's exactly what I'm hoping I'll be able to do. :)


    LOL, that's something she'll have to deal with :p
     

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